Chapter 5
5
KEELY
K eely stood in the wreckage of her once-perfectly normal night, arms crossed, barefoot, and entirely too aware of Jesse Bryant’s towering presence at her side.
He appeared carved from granite, radiating coiled strength and razor-sharp focus, as if about to hurl the intruder through a wall. Only problem was, the intruder was now long gone. The shattered French doors still rattled slightly in their frame.
She inhaled deeply, rolling her shoulders back. She’d been through worse. Jesse hadn’t looked away from her once. His eyes flicked over her—assessing, searching, waiting for a crack in the surface. She gave him nothing.
“Keely,” his voice came low and steady, “are you sure you’re okay?”
She tipped her head slightly, glancing around. “Well, someone destroyed my door, turned my house into a crime scene, and some psycho just tried to sneak in to do God-knows-what, so…” She let out her breath slowly, lifting one shoulder. “I’ve had better nights.”
Jesse’s mouth pressed into a hard line, his sharp gaze scanning her body like he could see straight into her soul. It should have unnerved her. Instead, it did something else entirely.
Something dangerous.
He stepped closer, towering over her now, his voice quieter. Steadier. “Keely.”
She blinked up at him. “Yeah?”
“You’re standing in glass.”
Oh.
She glanced down, only now realizing she was still barefoot. A few shards of broken glass glittered in the dim kitchen light, dangerously close to the balls of her feet.
Before she could react, Jesse moved. He wrapped one muscular arm around her waist, lifting her off the damn ground like she weighed nothing before setting her on the edge of the counter. Keely let out a breath, stunned at the way her body reacted. The heat of his hands. The dominant way in which he just moved in, scooped her up and put her somewhere safer.
“Jesse,” she started, but before she could even process what was happening, the door burst open.
And all hell broke loose. The cavalry had arrived—a little too late, but still.
Her brother came first. His eyes found her instantly, scanning for injury, for damage, for anything out of place. His jaw was tight, his entire presence a storm brewing under the surface.
Behind him, the rest of Silver Spur Security poured in like the damn SEAL unit they had once been. Gavin Briggs—all business, sharp eyes, not missing a thing. Hawke Turner—big, lethal, and entirely too ready for a fight. Dawson Hart—calm, cool, but carrying the kind of energy that said he wouldn’t hesitate to rip a man apart.
The moment Reed’s gaze landed on Jesse, his expression shifted. Jesse was still standing in front of her. Still close. Still too damn protective.
Reed frowned. “What the hell happened?”
Jesse didn’t move. Didn’t flinch. His voice came out like steel. “Intruder. Came in through the patio. Gone before I could take him down.”
Reed’s expression darkened. “Keely?”
She lifted a hand, wiggling her fingers. “Still here, no bullet wounds, no stab wounds, so let’s call it a win.”
No one laughed.
Gavin’s gaze flicked between Jesse and Keely, his mind clearly working through the scene. “Who was it?”
Jesse’s jaw clenched. “Didn’t get an ID, but he was a pro. Not some random break-in. We assume he was here for the diamonds. He didn’t get them.”
“I put them in my safe,” added Keely.
Dawson scanned the wreckage, nodding slowly. “Diamonds?”
Jesse nodded. “I’ll have a full report by morning, but there was a mix up in suitcases. When Keely opened what she thought was her suitcase, she found them.”
Hawke crossed his arms. “We need to move the diamonds and Keely. Whoever that was, he’s coming back.”
Well, thank you for that, Captain Obvious. She knew that. Jesse knew that, and so did the rest of them.
Her brother’s attention snapped back to her. Reed took a step closer, his face a mix of frustration and something deeper. “You okay?”
Keely tipped her head, considering. “Yeah.”
“Yeah?” Reed repeated.
She nodded, her voice steady. “I screamed. Jesse took care of it. Now we’re here.”
Reed’s gaze flicked back to Jesse, something unreadable passing between them. Then, before Keely could prepare, Jesse spoke.
And everything changed. “She’s with me.”
The words hung in the air, sharp and unyielding. The room went dead silent. Keely stared at him, her chest tightening.
Her brother’s eyes darkened immediately. “Excuse me?”
Jesse didn’t hesitate. Didn’t back down. “She’s mine to protect.”
Keely’s stomach dipped. The words weren’t casual. They weren’t an offer. They were a claim. A public, unshakable, undeniable claim. And from the way every single man in the room reacted, they all understood exactly what it meant.
She thought she should say something. Stand up for her rights, but all she wanted at the moment was to feel safe. And safe meant being with Jesse.
Gavin muttered a curse. Dawson and Hawke exchanged glances.
Reed? Reed looked like he was going to commit murder.
“What the hell do you mean, ‘she’s yours’?” he demanded.
Jesse’s jaw ticked. “I mean, I’m handling this.”
Reed took a step forward, his entire body language shifting to something dangerous. “Keely is my sister, and...”
“And she’s mine to protect,” Jesse interrupted, voice low and final. “So that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
Reed’s nostrils flared. Keely held her breath. Jesse knew how dangerous Reed was, didn’t he? But from the way the others were looking between them, it would appear they thought Jesse was just as dangerous.
As for Jesse, he never broke eye contact with her brother. Never wavered.
Jesse had made the claim, and Keely had no idea how the hell to feel about it.
Keely could feel the moment the air in the room shifted, the weight of Jesse’s words sinking in like a live grenade.
‘She’s mine to protect.’
Not Reed’s. Not Silver Spur Security’s. But his—Jesse’s.
Reed’s jaw locked so tight she swore she heard his molars grind.
“You wanna run that by me again?” Reed’s voice was low, controlled, but Keely knew her brother well enough to recognize the storm brewing beneath it.
Jesse didn’t flinch, didn’t back down. He stood there, all calm and unshakable, broad arms crossed over his chest, owning every inch of the space like he was ready to go to war over her.
“I said, I’m handling this,” Jesse repeated, voice even, but edged with something final. “I’m protecting Keely.”
Reed’s eyes darkened. “She’s my damn sister, Jesse.”
Jesse nodded once. “And she’s my damn responsibility.”
Keely’s stomach dipped. She was used to Jesse stepping in, keeping an eye on her when Reed got overbearing. But this? This was so very different.
Reed’s hands curled into fists at his sides. “What the hell does that mean?”
Jesse’s voice didn’t change. Didn’t waver. “It means if someone’s going to put their ass on the line for her, it’s going to be me.”
Gavin let out a low, frustrated growl under his breath. Hawke and Dawson exchanged pointed glances, like they could already see how this was going to go south.
And Keely? She could barely breathe.
Because Jesse Bryant wasn’t just making a professional call, he was making a personal one.
Reed snorted, running a hand through his hair. “You’re too close to this.”
Jesse’s jaw ticked. “And you aren’t? Besides, you don’t have a say in this.”
“The hell I don’t.” Reed stepped closer, shoulder to shoulder with Jesse now, the heat between them enough to melt steel. “Tell me right now—is this about the job? Or is this about something else?”
Silence. A long, heavy, impossible silence. Then Jesse’s eyes flicked to hers.
And in that single heartbeat, she knew. This wasn’t just about the job. This was about her. About them. Something dark and undeniable passed between them, a pull that had been building for years, buried under rules and lines neither of them had been willing to cross.
Keely’s mouth went dry. Reed noticed. His expression shifted, a flicker of something dangerous and knowing flashing across his face.
“You son of a...”
Gavin stepped in, fast, cutting between them. “Alright, that’s enough.”
Reed didn’t move, didn’t blink. “This isn’t happening.”
Jesse exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “It already has.”
Keely felt that deep in her bones.
Reed turned on her. “And you’re okay with this?”
Keely lifted her chin, locking eyes with her brother. “I’m not some kid you get to make decisions for, Reed.”
His nostrils flared. “You’re my sister.”
She softened just a fraction. “And you’re my brother. But Jesse’s right. I need someone to watch my back, and I want it to be him.”
Reed cursed under his breath, running a hand through his hair. “Goddamn nightmare.”
Keely sighed, suddenly so damn tired of all the posturing. “Alright, boys, let’s all drop the testosterone levels for a second and focus on the actual problem.” Five sets of male eyes turned to her. Keely rolled her shoulders, standing a little straighter. “We have a suitcase full of uncut diamonds, an intruder who’s not afraid to play dirty, and no idea what the hell we just stepped into. We should probably deal with that before we start measuring dicks, don’t you think?”
Dawson choked on a laugh. “She’s not wrong.”
Reed shot him a glare.
Keely crossed her arms. “So, what’s the plan?”
Jesse breathed deeply through his nose, like he was barely holding onto his patience. “The plan is you’re staying out of it.”
Keely blinked, then laughed. “Oh, that’s cute. You think I’m going to just sit back while you all play hero?”
Jesse’s eyes darkened, his expression going dangerously unreadable. “That’s exactly what I think.”
Keely’s blood heated.
“Oh, cowboy. You really don’t know me at all, do you?”
A muscle in his jaw flexed. “I know enough.”
“Yeah?” She tilted her head. “Then you know I don’t take orders from you.”
Jesse moved fast, stepping into her space so suddenly she had to tilt her chin up just to hold his stare. The air between them burned.
“That’s part of the problem, you’ve never taken orders before,” Jesse murmured, voice low, rough, “but that’s about to change.”
Keely’s heartbeat kicked up a notch. Because this wasn’t just about the job. This was about everything. Everything they’d been dancing around for years. Everything she’d never wanted to admit, even to herself, that she wanted. But she knew it now, and feared there was no way to go back to a time when she hadn’t.
Jesse flexed his hands at his sides like he was fighting the urge to touch her. Finally, he straightened. “You wanna be involved?”
Keely lifted her chin. “Damn right, I do.”
Jesse held her gaze for a long, drawn-out moment filled with stillness. Then, finally, he nodded. “Fine.”
Reed snorted, exasperated. “You can’t be serious.”
Jesse didn’t look away from her. “If she wants in, I’ll spend a lot of useless energy trying to keep her out, so she’s in. But on my terms.”
Keely’s pulse jumped. Because they both knew what that meant. Reed muttered something about bratty sisters, asshole friends, and poor decisions before stalking off.
Gavin, Hawke, and Dawson exchanged pointed glances, but said nothing.
Which left her and Jesse—alone in a room full of people with nowhere to hide.
Keely licked her lips. “Your terms, huh?”
Jesse looked at her like he already regretted this decision. “My terms,” he confirmed. “Starting with rule number one.”
Keely arched an eyebrow. “Oh, this should be good.”
Jesse leaned in, voice dangerously low. “You do what I say when I say it.”
Keely’s breath caught. Because there was no mistaking the undercurrent in his voice. The unspoken warning. The promise. Jesse wasn’t just talking about the job. She’d seen him in full Dom mode, and it was pretty impressive.
For the first time in her entire life, Keely wasn’t sure she wanted to fight him on it.
God help her.