He shocked her, his tone heavy with disapproval. “You’re family, Eve. I’m not going to let you walk into something that’s going to end up hurting or endangering you. Brogan Campbell will do both.”
Eve forced herself to bite back the sharp retort that would have slipped free if he were anyone else.
“If he’s a suspected traitor, then why isn’t he in prison?” she asked carefully.
“He was discharged for striking a commanding officer while on duty. After returning to the States he migrated here. Within six months of his arrival high-ranking officers from Fort Knox began experiencing home and vehicle thefts. Those thefts were of top-secret military documents that were under review, or in the process of being transferred to locations where the information was needed. Campbell was seen in or near the area with almost each incidence. He’ll be caught, Eve, and when he is, I don’t want your name coming up in this. I do not want my sister suspected of being a traitor. That’s a stigma that never goes away.”
She didn’t say a word. She couldn’t.
Staring back at Dawg, she racked her brain, trying to make sense of what he was saying.
“There has to be a misunderstanding.” She finally forced the words past her lips. “He’s an arrogant son of a bitch, Dawg, but Brogan Campbell’s no traitor.”
He wiped one hand over his face, behind his neck, then turned away from her and paced to the wide window across the room. Standing there for long seconds, he finally drew in a deep breath before turning back to her. The look on his face wasn’t comforting.
“When he’s caught—and he will be caught,” Dawg stated quietly, “everyone he’s associated with will be stained by his guilt, Eve. Business associates, employers, friends.” He paused, his jaw tightening again. “Lovers.”
“We’re not lovers, Dawg.” Eve rose to her feet, anger and nervous energy refusing to allow her to sit in one place now.
The only reason they weren’t lovers was the fact that she feared that first broken heart. It hadn’t happened yet, and she didn’t want it to happen with Brogan.
“Not yet.” He sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck again. “But it’s in the air, Eve. I didn’t believe it when I heard the talk that he was interested in you. I figured you’d send him packing like you do every other man whose reputation is less than perfect. Instead, what I saw this morning was a man and a woman who couldn’t wait to find a bed.”
Eve felt heat fill her face as the words passing his lips sent embarrassment racing through her. She didn’t drop her gaze, though. She had nothing to be ashamed of, and she wasn’t going to act as though she did. If he was waiting for the shame, then he was going to be waiting a damned long time.
His jaw flexed; the fact that he was grinding his teeth was more than obvious.
“Are you waiting for an apology?” she asked as she cocked her hip and faced him curiously. “Because if you are, you’re going to be waiting awhile, Dawg.”
“I don’t want a damned apology,” he bit out. “I want you to find someone else to mesmerize you; that’s what I want.”
Her brow lifted. “He’s no traitor.”
“You don’t know that, Eve.”
“I can feel it, Dawg,” she argued fiercely, her desperation to prove he wasn’t tightening inside her. “You told me once that you’ve lived by your instincts most of your life; well, I have, too. I’ve had no other choice, any more than you did. And my instincts tell me he’s no traitor.”
“Those aren’t your instincts, Eve. They’re your hormones. And trust me, your hormones will lie to you and have a hell of a time doing it. And when your hormones have betrayed you, you’ll find yourself sleeping with a traitor, under investigation for collusion, and your mother and sisters suspects as well.” His shoulders flexed, shifting beneath the well-pressed shirt he wore. “Listen to me, Eve; I wouldn’t lie to you, honey.
Eve forced herself to bite back the sharp retort that would have slipped free if he were anyone else.
“If he’s a suspected traitor, then why isn’t he in prison?” she asked carefully.
“He was discharged for striking a commanding officer while on duty. After returning to the States he migrated here. Within six months of his arrival high-ranking officers from Fort Knox began experiencing home and vehicle thefts. Those thefts were of top-secret military documents that were under review, or in the process of being transferred to locations where the information was needed. Campbell was seen in or near the area with almost each incidence. He’ll be caught, Eve, and when he is, I don’t want your name coming up in this. I do not want my sister suspected of being a traitor. That’s a stigma that never goes away.”
She didn’t say a word. She couldn’t.
Staring back at Dawg, she racked her brain, trying to make sense of what he was saying.
“There has to be a misunderstanding.” She finally forced the words past her lips. “He’s an arrogant son of a bitch, Dawg, but Brogan Campbell’s no traitor.”
He wiped one hand over his face, behind his neck, then turned away from her and paced to the wide window across the room. Standing there for long seconds, he finally drew in a deep breath before turning back to her. The look on his face wasn’t comforting.
“When he’s caught—and he will be caught,” Dawg stated quietly, “everyone he’s associated with will be stained by his guilt, Eve. Business associates, employers, friends.” He paused, his jaw tightening again. “Lovers.”
“We’re not lovers, Dawg.” Eve rose to her feet, anger and nervous energy refusing to allow her to sit in one place now.
The only reason they weren’t lovers was the fact that she feared that first broken heart. It hadn’t happened yet, and she didn’t want it to happen with Brogan.
“Not yet.” He sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck again. “But it’s in the air, Eve. I didn’t believe it when I heard the talk that he was interested in you. I figured you’d send him packing like you do every other man whose reputation is less than perfect. Instead, what I saw this morning was a man and a woman who couldn’t wait to find a bed.”
Eve felt heat fill her face as the words passing his lips sent embarrassment racing through her. She didn’t drop her gaze, though. She had nothing to be ashamed of, and she wasn’t going to act as though she did. If he was waiting for the shame, then he was going to be waiting a damned long time.
His jaw flexed; the fact that he was grinding his teeth was more than obvious.
“Are you waiting for an apology?” she asked as she cocked her hip and faced him curiously. “Because if you are, you’re going to be waiting awhile, Dawg.”
“I don’t want a damned apology,” he bit out. “I want you to find someone else to mesmerize you; that’s what I want.”
Her brow lifted. “He’s no traitor.”
“You don’t know that, Eve.”
“I can feel it, Dawg,” she argued fiercely, her desperation to prove he wasn’t tightening inside her. “You told me once that you’ve lived by your instincts most of your life; well, I have, too. I’ve had no other choice, any more than you did. And my instincts tell me he’s no traitor.”
“Those aren’t your instincts, Eve. They’re your hormones. And trust me, your hormones will lie to you and have a hell of a time doing it. And when your hormones have betrayed you, you’ll find yourself sleeping with a traitor, under investigation for collusion, and your mother and sisters suspects as well.” His shoulders flexed, shifting beneath the well-pressed shirt he wore. “Listen to me, Eve; I wouldn’t lie to you, honey.
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