Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
They spent two days in his cabin in the mountains while BDI and HOT worked to track down Snake and the evidence needed to put Brandon Cox away once and for all.
A lot of the time was spent naked, though Jake took Eva to town briefly to grab a few things—a couple of shirts and underwear for her, a jacket, and a few groceries.
He didn’t like taking her with him, but he couldn’t leave her alone either.
She stayed in the car, swaddled in one of his shirts, a hat pulled low over her face.
She’d taken out the blue contacts, but that wasn’t enough of a disguise.
After that quick trip, they returned to the cabin and stayed holed up, waiting for a call from Saint or Ian.
They ate simply—for dinner they had cheeses and fresh bread, olive oil for dipping, slices of salami and ham, and fresh veggies.
Breakfast was eggs and bacon. Eva made a pizza, tossing the dough and layering the pie with cheese and ham and mushrooms. They’d eaten it on the deck with wine and a view and then made love by the fire.
They talked about everything. The things they’d done since high school, the things they’d wanted that didn’t materialize, and the things they still hoped they could achieve.
She had ideas about his tattoo and how to cover it, though he told her he wanted the rose to stay.
Her smile was instant, and he decided he’d let her tattoo every inch of him if it made her happy.
He loved to watch her move, whether it was cooking or drawing or simply standing on the deck with her coffee and staring out at the trees while her breath frosted in the air.
She was graceful and beautiful, and her body was a work of art.
Not only because she was shapely and had all the parts he enjoyed most, but her tattoos also enhanced her beauty.
They were a vital part of her, telling her story on her skin in black and gray ink.
She had her sister’s name on her ribcage, inked with angel wings and roses, stylized loops and curls. He shuddered to think of Brandon seeing it, though he’d have likely never realized the connection since there was no last name.
He loved Eva’s laugh. It was hesitant at first, soft, but then it expanded into a deep belly laugh as she grew more comfortable being herself.
She was less guarded, less of a wisecracker—though she didn’t stop wisecracking completely, and he was glad.
He liked her mouth, and not just because she knew how to use it on his body.
Eva learned quickly when it came to sex.
She’d been sore at first and they’d had to get creative, but she was enthusiastic.
Jake loved being inside her, loved the sensuality and wonder in her eyes as he brought her to orgasm.
He’d never craved a woman’s pleasure the way he did this one’s.
There was nothing he wanted more than to see her wrapped around his cock and shuddering in bliss.
It began to dawn on him the more he touched her that he didn’t want to touch anyone else.
That Eva Gray had somehow become the woman for him.
He hadn’t been looking, but here she was and all he could think about was protecting her.
Coming home to her at the end of a mission and losing himself in her arms.
It was disconcerting as fuck. How had this one woman turned his life upside down in a matter of days. How had she become important to him so quickly?
They didn’t talk about what happened after this was over. He kept trying to think of ways to bring it up, but then he’d kiss or touch her, and somehow they were naked again.
When his burner rang, his heart clenched because their time alone together was at an end. He answered with a clipped “Ryan.”
It was Saint. “Need you to bring her in, Harley. Hacker’s found Snake, aka Darrell McKeown, and he’s being picked up as we speak.
Also, and this is the really important one for your girl, Tiffany Jenkins’s body was found yesterday by hunters.
Beat up, shallow grave, same M.O. as Heather Collier.
If we can get one of the Brothers to crack, we’ll have Brandon Cox on the murder of his girlfriend, too. ”
Christ. He closed his eyes, ground his jaw. Eva was in the shower, thank God. He’d tell her, but he wanted to figure out the best way to do it.
“Don’t count on making them crack,” he growled. “You need evidence.”
His gut tightened. Could he have saved Tiffany?
If he hadn’t been so focused on Eva, would he have realized what was going on?
But there’d been nothing to indicate what Brandon was about to do.
Hell, he’d been fucking Tiffany in his room the night of the bonfire and she’d come out looking dreamy and satisfied, so they hadn’t been fighting.
She’d had no bruises, no marks of any kind that he could remember.
“Maybe so. But we’ll see. Between Snake being caught, and Eva’s testimony, think we can rattle the club enough to break when they see where things are going. Someone will squeal to save his own ass.”
“What about the other ties? Find anything on who they’re dealing with in the crime world?”
“Hacker’s working on it with BDI’s people. Think they’ll get it cracked before too long.”
Jake blew a breath. “Gonna need heavy security for Eva. She’s a high-value target to Cox and the Brothers right now—and to whomever they’re dealing with since ending the Brothers creates problems for their business partners.”
“Well aware, mi amigo,” Saint said. “Cox is still free for the moment, but soon as we have Eva’s statement and we can crack Snake, this will be over. Bring her to DC. This is a federal case so the fibbies will have to take the statement, but she’ll have protection until Cox is taken into custody.”
He didn’t like it, but it was the logical next step. “Copy that. We’ll head out tomorrow.”