Ghostwalker 04 - Conspiracy Game

She fit right beneath his shoulder, her head brushing against his arm as he walked with her and he felt—whole.
    He glanced at Ken. Why the hell does a woman complete a family?

    Ken shrugged and exchanged a small smile with him. I don’t know, but let’s keep her.
    She’s mellowed you out, and I didn’t think that was possible.
    I’ve always been mellow.
    Ken snorted aloud, drawing Briony’s attention. He reached past her head and opened the door of the restaurant. “My brother is living a life of total illusion. He thinks he’s mellow.”
    “He does?” Briony’s eyebrow shot up as she tilted her head to look up at Jack. “You do?”
    “We want that table,” Ken indicated a table near the exit door, up against the wall facing the front.
    “We have a nicer table over here,” the hostess said, “in the section that’s open.” She stared at the scars on Ken’s face and neck and glanced briefly at Jack, then quickly averted her eyes.
    Briony took a step to place herself between Ken and the hostess, bristling with indignation that the woman would stare with such naked horror at Ken’s wounds. Jack’s fingers settled around her arm—gently, but firmly—preventing her from moving out from between them.
    “That table,” Ken said with another engaging smile, stepping in front of Jack, who didn’t move, didn’t speak, but suddenly appeared menacing.
    The hostess took the bill Ken slipped her and led them to the table without further complaint. Ken waited until they were seated and had water and fresh baked bread before he pinned his brother with a steely gaze. “There’s no need to intimidate anyone, Jack. You be nice.”
    “You have to bribe them to get your way,” Jack pointed out. “I’m never out any money.”
    Ken shook his head. “Cretin.”
    Briony rolled her eyes. “Are you two like this all the time?”
    “Yes,” Ken confirmed. “I’m trying to integrate him into society, but he’s resistant.
    Without me, Jack would be some old mountain man with a bad attitude, chasing people around with his bowie knife.”
    “I don’t much care for society—and I’d use a gun.”
    “Were you always in the military—I mean, before Whitney?” Briony asked.
    “Went in as soon as we were old enough,” Ken replied. “It got us off the streets and we had a knack for it. Pain didn’t mean much to either of us, and we’re both right at home behind a weapon.”
    “How did Whitney find you?”
    Ken sprawled his legs out under the table, forcing Jack to turn sideways. Both watched the doors and windows and people, rather than looking directly at Briony. “We’ve always been telepathic; used it to communicate when we were kids. In fact, we were pretty damned strong and had never met anyone else like us. We trained in the SEALs program and served a few years, then we were asked to take a test for psychic abilities.” He flashed her a brief grin. “We scored very high, and Whitney was drooling over us.”
    “ Both of you scored high?” She flashed a small, teasing grin at Jack.
    “I’m sure my score was higher,” Ken said, breaking off a piece of bread and slathering butter on it.
    “Do both of you have the same abilities?”
    “Yep, right down to being anchors. And we seem to be enhanced the same as well,” Ken added.
    “So if he’s so interested in getting a baby out of Jack, why isn’t he pushing a woman on you, Ken?”
    “That’s a good question,” Jack said. “Why didn’t we ask that question, Ken? Why is it that Whitney went to all the trouble and expense of maneuvering Briony and I into the same place to see what would happen, but not you and whoever he’s matched you up with.”
    “Maybe there is no match,” Ken said. And I’m not certain how I feel about that. I should be elated that he hasn’t messed with me to that extent, but hell, I wouldn’t mind a woman of my own, not after seeing you with Briony.
    The wistfulness in his brother’s voice had Jack’s gaze jumping to his face. Ken couldn’t stop the brief flow of information, the fear that his appearance would stop any woman from wanting to be near him. Ken looked away quickly and stuffed another piece of bread in his mouth.
    “Or maybe he already has her,” Briony ventured. “I’m betting that Luther was my secondary match and that’s why he was really upset that I was pregnant. The thought that someone other than an enhanced soldier had taken his place was too much for him. He was really angry.