Echoes Read online

  “Maybe you’d care to check?” she snapped.

  He started towards the doorway where she stood.

  “Oh, for - yes, they’re all locked!” Scowling, she leaned her shoulder against the door frame, effectively blocking his pathway. “All with those shiny new locks you made Tom put in.”

  From the way he looked down at her, his big body towering above her shorter frame, she had no doubt he’d find it very easy to brush her aside. She’d never won their playful physical tussles unless he allowed it, and physical tussles had always led to -

  What is wrong with me? Ella irritably tapped her foot. If he tried anything she’d knee him right in the nuts. That would humble any man.

  Ryan surveyed her silently for several long seconds.

  She let anger swamp any feeling of disturbing depth that sought to surface. “Got a problem?”

  “You have no idea.”

  “I could give you a problem, and I will if you don’t go right now.”

  In a slow, deliberate move, Ryan reached one arm up, laid his hand on the doorjamb above her head and leaned forward.

  Heart skipping a beat, she refused to be intimidated.

  Ryan bent down and she had to force her eyes not to widen in sudden alarm as his gaze drifted over her face, lingered on her lips, as he came ever closer, then he shifted angle slightly, his cheek brushing along hers until his mouth was at her ear.

  She froze as his nearness, the heat of his body, did things to her insides that it had no right to remember.

  Then his - oh God, his lips were against her ear, ever so light, just the barest whisper. The sensation of his warm breath against her flesh had goose bumps shivering up her arms.

  Now she could feel it. Something dark, something smoky, her nerves stringing taunt as she waited, drawn inexplicably to him at the same time so angry, so disturbed, so freakin’ annoyed with both him for being presumptuous and herself for being so - so - so damned welcoming of his nearness.

  Had to be his warmth on a chilly night, the loneliness, the memories. Tiredness. Yes, that was it, she was just jet-lagged, nothing more, nothing that-

  “Right now, Ella,” Ryan said softly, “I’m debating a couple of things.”

  She suppressed a shiver as his words caressed her ear, kept her posture stiff.

  “The discussion we need.”

  “There’s nothing to disc-”

  “And taking you to task for a really stupid, dangerous, idiotic move.”

  Fast as a whip, she snapped her head around to find him looking directly at her, the reflection of her face in his eyes. The same eyes that, oh geez, that also contained a dark, dangerous glint that held a mixture of two things - desire and anger. And something else…

  She swallowed. It was in the very air around her now, an intangible swirl that surrounded her, seeped into her. Coming from him. Deliciously dangerous. Now she had no doubt he held something leashed inside him, something he was controlling. It was definitely there in the tightness of his jaw, the narrowing of his eyes.

  “And if you give me the kneeing in the sac that you’re contemplating, trust me, I won’t be the only one hurting.”

  What? How did he-

  “I may not be able to walk for a short time, but trust me, Ella mine, you won’t be able to sit.”

  Her jaw dropped in shock.

  “Now we’ll have that discussion.” He straightened. “Peacefully.”

  “Did you just…?”

  The answer was clear on his unsmiling face.

  Temper flared. “How dare you force your way in here and threaten me!” Arm sweeping up, she stabbed her finger in the direction of the door. “Get your arse out right now!”

  Ryan walked to an armchair and sat down.

  “Who the hell do you think you are?” she fumed.

  “I’m the man trying to save your arse from being dragged down to the AFP for questioning.”

  That took the wind from her sails. “What?”

  “You heard.”

  “I don’t…” She floundered, mind buzzing. “What do you mean?”

  “Australian Federal Police, Ella, that’s what I mean.”

  Shit. Shit! What did he - how could he - no, he couldn’t know anything. He was bluffing, he…Never mind, brazen it out. “What about them?”

  “Where did you go this week, Ella?”

  “None of your business.”

  “You’ve been getting some information.”

  “No idea what you’re talking about.”

  Keeping his attention focussed on her, he hitched up one lean hip and withdrew a small object from his pants pocket. Easing back down, he held it in his open palm.

  She went cold. It was the brooch she’d given to Snake. What had happened? How had Ryan got hold of it?

  Trying to keep her expression controlled, she shrugged. “Jewellery? So?”

  “Your grandmother’s brooch.”

  “Nope.”

  “You sure about that?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Come here. Have a really close look.”

  “I don’t need to.”

  Steel underlined his tone. “If you’ve nothing to hide, Ella, you won’t mind having a look, will you?”

  “I have nothing to hide.” With a bored expression, she resumed leaning against the door frame. “And nothing to prove to you.”

  “You have two choices.”

  She arched an eyebrow.

  “Talk to me, or talk to the feds.”

  “About a brooch? You really think they’ll be that interested?”

  After several seconds of observing her, Ryan tossed the brooch onto the low coffee table, pulled the slim mobile from his pocket and started keying.

  He wasn’t seriously notifying the feds, was he? He couldn’t be serious. Her heart leaped into her throat. What did he know? Oh God, the feds. They’d be here, they’d knock on her door, break in if she didn’t answer. She couldn’t tell them, couldn’t tell anyone, she’d promised.

  “It’s a waste of time.”

  He continued keying.

  “You’re only going to look like a fool.”

  Long fingers tapped incessantly.

  Dread started to prickle through her. “Ryan.”

  He continued texting.

  “Ryan, stop.”

  Not once did he falter.

  If the AFP got hold of her, if Ryan knew this much, they’d lean on Snake, who in turn would spill what he knew and then her life was toast. Snake would bring her down. He’d give them the start of the rope to unravel everything, because one thing always led to another no matter how much she’d tried to cover her tracks.

  They might not find out everything, but what they did find out… She couldn’t risk it.

  Moving swiftly across the room, she made a grab for the mobile.

  Almost immediately she realised her mistake. A hard hand wrapped around her upper arm and in one smooth motion she was brought down to her knees before Ryan.

  Shocked, she couldn’t even begin to think about jerking back before those capable fingers wrapped around her other arm and she was firmly pulled between his spread thighs.

  Instantly, she started to shuffle backwards. “Ryan, stop! Let me up!”

  Good plan, right up until one long leg slid partially behind one of her thighs, his booted foot landing on the floor between her calves. With his hands on her upper arms, held between his thighs on her knees, his leg preventing her from moving backwards, she was effectively pinned. “Are you insane?” Nevertheless, bracing her hands on his thighs, she tried to shove back.

  In response, he pulled her closer. The ease with which he did it, the dominance of his position compared to hers, had her breath catching.

  Leaning down, Ryan looked her right in the eyes. His face gave nothing of his thoughts away, his tone quietly menacing. “Me or the feds.”

  “I don’t-”

  “This finishes now.”

  Once more she tried to bluff, sought
to divert his attention. “You’re scaring me, you-”

  “Don’t.”

  “Ryan-” She stopped when one finger lay over her lips in warning.

  “I’m only going to say this once, Ella, so you listen.” His tone brooked no argument. “You’re up to your neck in something and you will tell me what it is. I’m here to help you. I won’t see you thrown to the wolves.”

  There was no use denying it. He knew she was onto something. It was there in his steady regard, the confidence that mixed with the almost predatory way he watched her. It was an odd mix of reassurances.

  But then he was a master at his job, always had been.

  Dropping her gaze, she bit her lip. How much, though? How much did he know? Could she maybe stave him off with just a few tid-bits, feed him enough to keep him and the feds happy?

  “All of it.” It was like he could read her mind.

  Of course he could, because he’d always known when she was trying to get out of something. He knew her too well. Had always known her so damned well.

  Suddenly Ryan moved, making her head jerk up quickly, but rather than reaching for the mobile he instead leaned forward past her, one arm sliding around her waist, big hand on the small of her back keeping her in place as he reached out and snagged something off the coffee table.

  Frozen in place, so very aware of him surrounding her, the position he kept her in, Ella drew in a deep breath, closing her eyes, strangely both comforted and saddened by how familiar he felt, how comforting his clean scent, the whole of Ryan as one package.

  Back in his arms. How often had she knelt between his thighs, grabbed his cheeks, pulled him down for a teasing kiss? Laughed with him?

  Long time ago, Ella.

  Her musings were broken by Ryan easing back, but rather than release her, he instead slid his hand down to her wrist, shackling it lightly but unmistakeably as he rested the file on one hard thigh, opening it to rest against her inner arm as he proceeded to turn the photos inside to face her.

  Looking down, she saw photos of herself coming out of the airport, on the street, going into the pub.

  A sickly feeling crept through her as she looked from the photos to Ryan.

  “You’re being watched,” he stated emotionlessly. “Your every move is being monitored, recorded. You’re a person of interest in an investigation that you’ve unwittingly found yourself in. If you don’t cooperate with me, you’ll be taken in against your will by the feds and questioned. If you don’t cooperate with them, you can be charged with obstructing justice.”

  That sick feeling just got a whole lot worse.

  His thumb started to rub soothingly back and forth along the inside of her wrist. “I can protect you from that. You just have to trust me.”

  His words and tone were persuasive. Sure, he looked sincere, he met her eyes without flinching, his stroking was comforting.

  “Like you did before?” It came out bitter.

  Man didn’t even falter. “You can trust me.”

  “Like before?”

  “I’m not going to argue that. But this is different.”

  “Different? How is it different, Ryan? I trusted you then with my everything. Now you’re asking me to believe that you won’t let me down again?”

  “I won’t.”

  Glancing away, she felt the unexpected surge of pain. “Pardon me for being sceptical.”

  Releasing her wrist, he caught her chin, brought her head back to face his scrutiny. “I promise.”

  “Promise? Oh, that makes it all hunky-dory, doesn’t it? I should just take your word for it.”

  “Yes.”

  “Never again.” Jerking her chin free, she glanced down to see where she could get a grip on his lap to shove upright, only to note once again the photos.

  The photos that showed her going into places. The photos that showed she was being watched.

  Silently, Ryan leaned forward again, his shoulders pressing against hers as he reached past her once more.

  God, why did he keep doing that? It did nothing but fill her with his heat, surround her with his warmth, his nearness so delicious and forbidden, and when he slid his arm around her, his big palm bracing on her back to keep her steady as she was forced to lean back to allow him to move forward, she was literally in his hands, having to rely on him to keep her upright.

  Ironic really. Trusting him not to drop her however much he’d forced this position.

  But she secretly allowed herself to inhale, turning her head slightly so that her breath brushed along his neck. Inhaled again while calling herself all sorts of a bloody fool to want his scent.

  Stupid bloody fool.

  Opening her eyes, she became aware of several things.

  One, her palm was resting against the side of his abdomen, the feel of hard muscle shifting under his shirt, the rock-hard abs that seemed to have only got harder over time.

  Two, he was still. Very still. Curved over her, cradling her close, supporting her. Feeling her breath on his neck.

  Did he know she was sucking in his scent like a woman starved of oxygen?

  Mortified red tinged her cheeks that she’d been sprung doing that very thing. What was wrong with her?

  Wasn’t that the question of the day.

  Abruptly, she turned her head the other way to stare at the other side of the room, only half of her vision blocked by a broad shoulder.

  It would be so easy to rest my head against that shoulder, to ease into him, to let him keep me safe.

  Be so easy to make a fool of yourself and repeat the whole sorry experience, you dill.

  Taking a deep breath, she pretended it wasn’t shaky. “Are you finished crowding me?”

  “No.”

  Wait. What? She stiffened, but before she could think up a cutting reply Ryan pulled back.

  Stupid to say that she missed his warmth against her. She really had been alone too long. Now if Boof was here, she’d have something to cuddle.

  Not that she wanted to cuddle Ryan. Hells bells, far from it. To regain a sense of perspective and get back under control, she had to remind herself that he’d walked away from her. Not marriage material, not fiancée material, not boyfriend material.

  She was still thinking this when his palm appeared under her nose with the brooch in the middle.

  “One thing you can be sure of, Ella mine,” he said softly, “I won’t let anyone harm you. If you choose to believe nothing else, believe that.” At her continued silence, he added, “Wells Security has a sterling reputation. I’m part of that rep. I know my job.”

  There was no denying that Wells Security was amongst the top in the field. They only hired the best. No doubt Ryan was one of the best, he’d been a Commando and they only took the best. So yeah, he’d be good at his job.

  But that brought her to another query.

  “Why, exactly, are you here asking me instead of the AFP?” She looked from the brooch to his face, a little disconcerted by the way his brooding gaze was slowly skimming over her features.

  “They know we were together once. They’re giving you the opportunity to talk to me instead of being dragged down to the station to face them. They will speak to you, don’t doubt that, but they’ll be a lot friendlier if we do this the easy way.”

  “They trust you that much?” She couldn’t keep the scepticism out of her voice. “A federal body trusting a security company?”

  “Classified.”

  “Bullshit. That’s a bullshit term to stop me asking questions. It’s as bullshit as that dim-witted term ‘it’s complicated’.” Annoyed, she started to sit back, only to feel his calf behind her thigh. Quickly she straightened up on her knees.

  Expressionlessly, Ryan glanced from her to the brooch, back to her.

  The silence between them lengthened. He didn’t stir, his gaze fixed on her face while she stared unseeingly at the brooch, mulling over her options.

  This was getting them nowhere. It was more than obvious that no matter
how much she protested he knew she was lying. It was more than obvious he was prepared to wait all night unless she refused to answer him then he was, apparently, going to hand her over to the AFP.

  The feds suspected her of being the informer, though how she had no idea. But they’d had her watched and she hadn’t even been aware of it. The last thing she wanted was to be dragged in, questioned and then possibly charged with obstructing justice. Imagine what would happen then? She’d be part of the crime. It didn’t matter that she’d been feeding them information, they would see her reluctance to give up anything she knew as being detrimental to their investigation.

  But this had been her revenge, her way of balancing the injustice done both to her and those young girls. But if she said too much she’d be betraying one who really mattered.

  It looked like the only option was to open up to Ryan - a certain amount, at least. Of the two options he was the one she knew, the least threat. Though, when she glanced at his square jaw, the unaccustomed faint hint of cruelty on his face, she couldn’t help but wonder.

  His posture at the moment might look relaxed but there was a coiled darkness inside him, a tension that only she seemed to feel because he sure as hell didn’t reveal by even a twitch of one of those thick eyelashes that he was angry. He waited patiently, watching her.

  Like a predator with prey.

  She swallowed. Time had seemed to hewn him out of rock. The man she’d known was as far removed to the one whose thighs she knelt between now as the moon was to the sun.

  Plus, her knees were really starting to hurt. She didn’t kneel on the floor often.

  Still not sure just how much she was going to tell him, she muttered, “Okay. But I want you to know this is under duress, I’m not doing it willingly.”

  No clue if he was pleased or not, he simply nodded.

  “I need to stand, so if you could…?”

  The strong thighs spread slightly, giving her room. The only way she could think of to get up was to brace her hands on those same muscular thighs. For sure if she put her hands on the floor for leverage, she’d end up with her face in his crotch.

  However, before she could do more than brace her hands on his thighs, she felt the flex of powerful muscles as strong hands hooked under her armpits and he stood, bringing her up with him so ridiculously easy.