Even then she’d known Brick was different.Gentle, compassionate, and present.He was still all those things.Regret pressed against her sinuses.She’d made too many mistakes.Withheld from him what was rightfully his.Maybe this was karma, the universe’s cruel way to teach her a lesson.
Her chest tightened, and the desire to drop to her knees almost won.
She sucked in a breath of hot air and grabbed the complimentary bottle of shampoo.Scrubbing her hair with too much vigor, she had the strands clean and her body washed in five minutes.
After turning off the water, she snagged a plush white towel from the rack and then rubbed herself dry.She wrapped the material around her torso, knotting it in front of her breasts.
She picked up the hand towel and wiped the condensation from the mirror.The sight of her reflection made her wince.The bruise near her eye was a deep green now, ultimately making her look more like shit.
Lifting the edge of the towel, she finally examined her abdomen.A large bruise covered the right side of her ribcage.Bastard.Thankfully, she could breathe without pain, so it was unlikely the damage was more than superficial.
She removed a blow-dryer from a drawer and went to work.Fifteen minutes later, her hair tumbled over her shoulders in loose waves and her skin bore light makeup to cover some of the bruise.The green was still visible but less jarring.She hadn’t bothered with any other makeup.Finally, she reached for the clothes she’d taken from her bag.She pulled on a pair of black leggings and a light-gray tunic.
As she moved to the bedroom door, she heard voices downstairs.She made her way to the kitchen and froze.Brick stood at the island and two buff guys sat on the barstools.
Brick snapped his attention to her and his expression changed.His eyes took in her face, then slowly slid down her body and back up.She shouldn’t be reacting to him.Not right now.But her belly flipped and her toes curled as his gaze landed back on her face.“Did you get any rest?”
She forced a smile and stepped into the kitchen.“A bit.”
“Taschen and Zain, this is Natalie.”
The guys smiled at her.The one closest to her had two scars, one at the side of his head and one across his cheekbone.He held out his hand and gave a dazzling smile.“Hey.Name’s Taschen.I’m this dufus’s friend,” he said, nodding at Brick.
She chuckled and shook his hand.“Nice to meet you.”
The other man waved a large palm her way.His dark hair and olive skin suggested a Middle Eastern heritage.The skin around his golden eyes crinkled as he gave her a gentle smile.“Zain.I’m sorry about your boy.We’ll find him.”
“Thank you.”She knotted her hands in front of her.
Brick motioned her to the dining room.“Come here for a second.I’ve got something to show you.”
Queasiness pulled at her stomach, but she followed him and took the chair he offered in front of his laptop.
“Our colleague Ghost did some digging.I’m going to show you something that might be upsetting but hopefully promising.”
She hugged her midsection and pressed her feet into the area rug to anchor herself.Surely if he had something terrible to share, he’d say so.
He reached in front of her and brought up a program on the laptop.Heat radiated from his body, and his closeness made her want to fall into him again so he could hold her.The scents of soap and pine wafted to her nostrils.God, if anyone smelled like comfort, it was Brick.
“There.”He pulled back his arm so she could see the screen, but he remained close, leaning on the back of her chair, his shoulder just behind hers and his lips close to her ear.
A still image was displayed on the screen.“What am I looking at?”
“This was taken from the apartment building across from yours.Turns out the security cameras at your place were tampered with,” he said.“Shocking,” he added dryly.“But we’ve got a good shot of Keetan and his friends leaving with Bray.”
Sweat misted her palms.The possibility of finding Bray made her heart soar, but cold, prickly fear clung to that hope like an angry burr.“Play it,” she muttered, with as much conviction as she could manage.
Brick tapped the mouse.
The video revealed the street outside her apartment building.Cars were parked along the curb, and the glow of streetlamps illuminated them.She narrowed her gaze and pointed at a familiar truck.“That’s Keetan’s.”
“Figured you’d say that.Keep watching.”
Her gaze drifted over the screen as she remembered the time spent with Bray.After swimming they’d gone to the park and then had dinner at home before starting his bedtime routine.The memory of him sleeping peacefully in her arms hit her like a freight train.
If I’d known that might have been the last time I held you, I’d have never let go...
Her bottom lip trembled and the crook of her arm ached for the weight of her son’s sleeping body.She’d do anything to have him back.
