Ghostwalker 09 - Ruthless Game

pour himself a cup of coffee. “Mack wil be here in a few minutes. He wasn’t that far behind us. You got yourself a good woman. She admits she learned to be secretive, yet she’s obviously disclosing information to us in an effort to show good faith. That takes a great deal of courage.”
    Kane glanced up at the admiration in Javier’s voice. Javier rarely showed inner thoughts or al owed real emotion to surface.
    “You should see her in action,” Kane said, “No hesitation, Javier. None. She gets the job done.”
    “I can see that in her. I put a knife to her throat, Kane. When she was cutting you open on the helicopter. One moment we’ve pul ed you aboard, blood al over the place, and the next she’s on her knees, slicing into your bel y. It scared the holy hel out of me. I thought she was hacking you up, she was that fast.
    I put my blade against her neck, tight enough to cut the skin, and she never so much as flinched. I swear she didn’t even bat an eyelash. She just kept working fast. Your blood was al over her, and she was shouting orders to al of us. In the end we just did what she said. She’s one cool customer.”
    “I should beat you to a bloody pulp for threatening her,” Kane said, “but it wouldn’t do a bit of good. You’d do the same thing again.”
    “I’ve never seen anything like that, Kane,” Javier answered seriously, leaning back against the sink, coffee mug in hand. “Seriously, she moved so fast, no wasted effort, cut right into you in front of us, no hesitation, not even when I threatened her. She’s a very unusual woman—and dangerous.”
    Kane’s gaze flicked over Javier. “You admire her.”
    “Damn right. She reminds me a little of Rhianna.”
    Javier rarely mentioned Rhianna Bonds. She’d grown up with them on the streets of Chicago, the only other girl in their “family.”
    “Does she?” Kane wasn’t altogether certain he was happy Javier thought that. Although he never admitted it, Javier was obviously crazy about Rhianna in a weird, possessive kind of way. Kane didn’t want Javier looking at Rose that way.
    Javier nodded. “Rhianna doesn’t seem to have a fear factor, other than when it comes to me, where Rose battles fear, but they both are very dangerous.”
    “And you like dangerous women.”
    Javier shrugged. “They’re intriguing to me. That edge you come up against. She might kiss you or stick a knife in you. You never know what you’re waking up to.”
    Kane burst out laughing. “Wel , she did shove a gun in my gut,” he admitted. “She was very serious about it too. That’s when I ditched my locator.”
    “Mack was pissed about that, Kane. It was just as wel you nearly died, because he would have kil ed you himself.” Javier took a slow sip of coffee, obviously savoring the blend, before scrutinizing Kane over the steaming mug. “You scared us al , bro.”
    Kane heard the sincerity in Javier’s voice. The man rarely showed emotion; although al of them knew he felt it deeply, he just buried it equal y as deep.
    They both turned as a cursory knock on the door preceded a flashing alarm as Mack shoved the door open before the alarm had time to deactivate.
    Mack cursed and paused long enough to punch in the code again.
    “Damn thing. Jaimie has to speed that up,” he groused. “Can’t even keep up with me.” His gaze ran over Kane, clearly assessing his condition. There was a shadow of worry in his eyes and few more worry lines etched into his face Kane hadn’t remembered seeing. “You’re final y on your feet. That woman is fucking overprotective of you.” His voice was gruff, almost hoarse, both accusing and shaken at the same time.
    Kane grinned at him. “I could get used to it.”
    “Wel , don’t. You ever scare the shit out of me like that again, and I’l put a bul et in you myself. We clear on that?”
    “Yeah, Top, I get it.”
    “Good. We’ve got that settled. Is Paul looking after the baby?” Mack pointed to the coffeepot.
    Javier obligingly poured him a cup of coffee.
    “He’s in the other room with Rose, who most likely heard the alarm and covered you with a gun. She’s a little edgy like that.”
    Mack threw himself into a chair and pressed his fingers to his eyes. “She’l need it. Damn cartel is a little pissed off at her, Kane.”
    Kane took the blow stoical y, but for a moment the blood thundered in his ears. He sank down into a chair, feeling a little weak in the knees. “It isn’t enough