Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
The shrill sound of my phone ringing dragged me from a beautiful dream. Graham's arm tightened around my waist as I fumbled across the nightstand, squinting at the screen through bleary eyes.
Randy.
My stomach dropped. My brothers calling this early never meant good news.
“Hello?” My voice came out as a croak.
“Joy, where the hell are you?” Randy's voice boomed through the speaker, loud enough that Graham stirred beside me. “We’re outside the address that Mom gave us. This yellow house. Nobody’s here.”
I sat up, running my free hand through my tangled hair. “I'm sorry, I should have called. I'm at Graham's.”
The silence stretched so long I thought the call had dropped.
“You're where?”
“I'm at Graham's house.” I could feel heat creeping up my neck.
“It’s six-thirty in the morning on a Friday. What the hell are you doing at biker-boy’s house at that hour?” Randy growled.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, grow up! What I’m doing is talking to you. Now, are you coming over or not?”
“Depends. Are you going to be dressed when we get there?”
“I will be, I can’t speak for Graham.”
Randy groaned.
“If you get here fast, you’ll be in time for waffles,” I tempted.
“Do you have strawberries and whipped cream?”
“Of course. And it’ll be fresh whipped cream, not that stuff from a tub or a can.”
Randy sighed. “I’ll be there in a half hour.”
Randy hung up without saying goodbye.
Asshole.
“That went well.” Graham's voice carried that dry humor I'd grown to love.
“He’s going to be awful to you.” I turned to face him, taking in his sleep-rumpled hair and the beard that always looked perfect no matter what. “Randy's already in full protective big brother mode, and if he brings Seth, he’s going to be worse.”
“Baby, I handled ISIS fighters who wanted to kill me. I think I can manage your brothers.”
I traced my finger along his collarbone, needing the contact. “The ISIS fighters didn't love me before you did.”
“There is that.”
“I guess we need to get up.” I pouted. “Want to share a shower?”
He grinned.
With that, all thoughts of my brothers flew out of my mind.
Fifteen minutes and two orgasms later, because my man was talented, I was barely dressed, with my wet hair in a braid, just starting to mix up the waffle batter when the rumble of a truck engine announced Randy’s arrival.
Through the kitchen window, I watched Seth climb out of the driver's side while Randy emerged from the passenger seat.
“They look thrilled to be here.” Graham appeared at my shoulder, handing me a fresh cup of coffee.
“Just remember, underneath all that attitude, they love me.” I leaned into his solid warmth for a moment. “And they're scared.”
The doorbell rang, followed immediately by heavy knocking.
“I'll get it.” Graham squeezed my shoulder.
I heard the front door open, followed by voices that carried easily through the house.
“Seth. Randy.” Graham's tone stayed perfectly neutral. “Come on in. Joy's just starting breakfast.”
I turned the bacon in the pan, hoping the smell would make it to the doorway. Then I poured the first round of batter into the waffle maker.
“Smells good.” That was Randy, already sounding slightly less confrontational. Food had always been his weakness.
I turned as the three men entered the kitchen, wiping my hands on a dish towel. “Hey, guys.” I crossed to hug them both, breathing in the familiar scent of home that clung to their clothes.
Seth's arms wrapped around me tightly. “Good morning, JoJo.”
Randy stepped up next and gave me a big hug as well, then he looked at Graham and tilted his chin toward the empty living room. “I see most of the patio furniture is back on the deck.”
The dig was unmistakable. I felt my shoulders tense.
“Graham has a minimalistic style.”
Graham snorted.
I needed to stop this nonsense. “Coffee's fresh. Mugs are in the cabinet above the pot,” I said over my shoulder to Seth, who was inspecting the kitchen.
Seth poured coffee for himself and Randy while Graham leaned against the counter, perfectly relaxed despite the obvious tension.
“So.” Randy settled into one of the bar stools, wrapping his hands around his mug. “How long have you two been together?”
“A couple of months.” I slid the first waffle in front of him, along with butter, whipped cream, strawberries, and three strips of bacon.
“And you're already living together?”
“Randy.” Seth's voice carried a warning.
“What? I'm just asking questions.” Randy cut into his waffle, but his attention stayed fixed on Graham. “So what brought you to Jasper Creek?”
“After twelve years in the service, I roamed around a bit and landed here. It was a good fit.”
“So, a drifter.” Randy nodded slowly. “What makes you think you’ll stay here?”
“Randy, stop.” I set a plate with three strips of bacon in front of Seth while I waited for the next waffle to finish, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.
“I'm just trying to get to know the guy our sister's shacking up with.”
“We're not shacking up.” The words came out sharper than I intended. “This is Graham's house, and you're being rude to him in his own home. Either fix your attitude or leave.”
Randy's eyebrows shot up. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” I turned to face him fully, hands on my hips. “Graham opened his home to you so I could make you breakfast, and you're sitting there being deliberately insulting. I won't tolerate it.”
“Joy, it's okay.” Graham's voice stayed calm, but I caught the slight smile tugging at his lips.
“No, it's not okay.” I pointed my spatula at Randy. “You don't get to come into someone's house and act like a jackass.”
Seth cleared his throat. “She's right, Randy. We're guests here.”
Randy had the grace to look slightly ashamed. “Fine. Sorry, man. Let’s just say I got up on the wrong side of the bed, okay?”
Graham nodded. “Happens to all of us. If someone was dating my sister, if I had one, I'd want to make sure he was good enough for her, too.”
The simple acknowledgment seemed to defuse some of Randy's hostility. He took another bite of waffle, chewing thoughtfully.
“These are really good, JoJo.”
“Thanks.” I plated Graham with the third waffle and newly fried bacon. Then I refilled everyone's coffee, letting the compliment ease some of my irritation.
Seth cleared his throat. “So, have you guys found out anything since yesterday?”
Graham paused to sip his coffee. “Actually, they were due to give us a briefing this afternoon at the office, but I asked them to come here earlier after we got your call.”
“Us?” Seth asked.
“What have they found?” Seth asked.
“I'd rather let them tell you. They should be here soon.”
The kitchen fell quiet except for the sound of forks against plates. I could practically feel the wheels turning in both my brothers' heads as they processed this information.
“Good waffles, Joy. I especially like the homemade whipped cream.” Seth smiled at me, the first genuine expression I'd seen from him since he'd arrived.
“Mom's recipe.”
“I know. Tastes just like home.”
Something loosened in my chest at the warmth in his voice. Seth might be overprotective, but his heart was always in the right place.
“More coffee, anyone?” I went to the kitchen before they could even answer and came back with the pot and topped off their mugs, trying to shake off the lingering tension.
Randy was studying Graham with new interest. “Simon runs a tight ship. Wasn’t he high up in the Navy?”
“Lieutenant Commander,” Graham said, not offering any more information.
Finally, he went on when Randy didn’t ask any other questions.
“Most of the men who work at Onyx have special training besides just their normal time in the service. We have a couple of civilians who are exceptional who work with us on an ad hoc basis.”
“You’re ad hoc, right?” Seth queried.
Graham nodded. “Onyx has enough inquiries that they could easily expand. Simon is looking for more specialized operators before he takes on the work. Smart man.”
“Look, man, I get the fact that you might not want to toot your own horn and all, but you’re closest to our sister. Were you a SEAL or not?” Randy was clearly frustrated.
“I was in the Navy for twelve years. Eleven years spent in SEAL teams.”
The silence that followed was loaded with new respect. Both my brothers had tried to enlist after high school, but Randy had been turned away for a heart murmur and Seth had blown out his knee in a training accident before he could ship out.
“Twelve years.” Randy whistled low. “You must have seen some action.”
“Some.” Graham's tone made it clear the subject wasn't open for discussion.
I watched my brothers absorb this information, seeing the shift in their perception of the man sitting across from them. Whatever they'd been expecting, it hadn't been this.
The doorbell rang, breaking the moment.
“That'll be Simon or Nash.” Graham stood, squeezing my shoulder as he passed. “I'll get it.”
Voices carried from the front hall, then Graham returned with everybody.
Both Simon and Nash walked into view.
“Coffee?” I offered.
“That'd be great, thanks.” Nash settled into the chair Graham had vacated, while Simon remained standing.
I poured coffee while the other men arranged themselves around the patio/dining room table. The shift in atmosphere was palpable; conversation time was over.
“What did you find?” Graham got straight to the point.
Simon bent over the table and opened a manila folder, spreading papers across the table. “Hart's contact at Interpol came through. We've got confirmation that Joy's stalker from London has struck again.”
My hands stilled on the coffee pot. “What do you mean, struck again?”
Simon stood up so he could look at me. “Six months ago, a woman in Dublin reported the same pattern Joy experienced in London. Flowers, notes, escalation to physical contact. Same MO, same psychological profile, and he matched the physical description Joy gave them.”
“Did they catch him?” Seth's voice was tight.