Page 56 of When He Defends
“Heard you threatening to kill someone,” Emerson announced as she sent a frown toward the laughing Cass. “Thought you might need backup.”
Cass’s laughter stopped. Probably because he’d just spotted the gun that she held. “Uh, Gray?” He cleared his throat. “How about tell her that I’m not here as a threat? Get the pretty lady to put down the big gun.”
Gray pursed his lips. Maybe he should let Cass sweat it out a bit.
“I forgot that the two of you had plans to meet tonight.” Emerson’s brisk voice. “What with everything else that happened, I let that slip my mind. I should have realized when your doorbell rang that he was coming to follow up on that chat in the alley.”
“Youtoldher I was coming?” Cass’s surprise was clear.
“No, I damn well didn’t.” Gray advanced on Emerson. “What do you mean, you forgot? I didn’t tell you anything about our meeting.”
She lowered the gun. Carefully placed it on a nearby table. Her hair wasn’t in its normal smooth style. Instead, it was tousled. Her cheeks held a hint of color. Her lips were still swollen from his mouth.Dead sexy.He wanted to punch Cass for even staring at her.
But her words had distracted him, for the moment.
“You know sign language,” Emerson said. She put her hands behind her back. Rocked forward. Didn’t add anything else.
He waited.
There was still nothing else added. “And…?” Gray prompted.
She shrugged. “And I’ve been watching your hands extra closely since I realized that important fact. Sign language is a great way for you to communicate with others if you want to send a message but make certain you don’t leave a verbal trail. But while you can’toverhearsign language, you can see it, if you’re paying close enough attention.”
“I didn’t sign anything with Cass.” He was certain of that fact.
“No.” Her gaze slid past him, to a Cass who was still standing near the front wall. “But he did. Didn’t know what the movement meant at first. Had to look it up on my phone.” Then she mimicked the quick sign that Cass had made near O’Sullivan’s, bringing her hands up with her index fingers extended. “‘Meet,’ right? ‘Meet me,’ perhaps? You didn’t have the sign for ‘later’ included, but I figured that part was understood. You told Gray that you intended to meet up with him later. And it’s later.”
Cass gave a low whistle.
“He looks like you,” Emerson mused as she cocked her head slightly to the right. “Same jawline. Hair has the same texture, even if the color is a bit different. Eyes are different, too, but the cheekbones are the same. The resemblance is probably why hefelt so familiar to me. Guessing he’s a relative? Not a motorcycle gang leader, after all?”
It took a lot to surprise Gray in this world. But Emerson just ticking off her facts when he’d kept this particular secret for ages?Shit. Am I just sloppy where she is concerned?Was he not on his guard enough?
But it had beenCass’smistake. Hadn’t it?
Hell.
Cass ambled toward her while Gray remained rooted to the spot. Cass stopped about a foot away from Emerson. Took her measure. “Sweetness…”
She stiffened. “Trust me, I am not your sweetness.”
No, she fucking belongs to me.
Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Where in the hell had that savagely possessive thought just come from? Because she was his partner?
Uh, nah. Gray’s chin lifted even as Cass cut him a quick glance.It came from the fact that I just had her coming against my mouth.“Not yours,” Gray repeated flatly.
“Someone sounds possessive. Which is new. And vaguely concerning.” Cass’s brows climbed. “Gray, come on, man. It’s me. You and I both know that you are not about to bare all with her. I mean, sure, you’ll fuck her. So I guess you’ll be baring all that way. But you won’t take her into your confidence. Partner or not.” He motioned dismissively toward Emerson. “So how about you direct yourpartnerback to the bedroom and then we can get down to confidential business?”
Gray focused on Emerson. Her face had gone doll blank. All emotion gone, but he knew Cass’s words had hurt her.
Cass could be an asshole.
It was a family trait.
He elbowed Cass out of the way. Cass, who was Gray’s size. Who had his same build and temperament but had gone down a different path in life.
“By the way, new partner,” Cass rasped, “I can be both familyanda gang leader. Haven’t you ever heard of a family’s black sheep?”
