She had become aware of the eyes watching the house as she stared beyond the window, whereas before she had been blessedly ignorant of them. And Braden had allowed that ignorance, certain it would serve her better to be comfortable rather than always on guard.
He grimaced tightly as he fought to keep from going to her. It was a wasted battle and he knew it. He could no more keep from attempting to comfort her than he could keep from breathing.
He pulled his cell phone from the holder at his side and quickly punched in the secured line to the team leader outside.
'Tarek. " The voice that came over the line was a surprise. "Your ass should be back in Fayetteville. " Braden smiled. "Keeping your mate warm. Does she know you're playing?"
Tarek laughed. Laughter was something he had rarely heard from the other man until he found his mate.
"She's safe and sound with her family at Sanctuary visiting with Callan's and Taber's wives while the brothers coordinate with the security forces there. "
"In other words, no," Braden retorted. "She'll skin you when she finds out. "
"We're heading back with you when Jonas arrives tonight. She'll forgive me. " His voice held the confidence of a man well loved by his woman.
"You hope. " Braden grunted. "Cover the house tight until further notice. If the watchers make a move, we'll need a good five-minute head start if possible. "
"We'll spread back and take post above then. " Tarek's voice firmed as the Breed commander slid easily into place.
"Be on call by nightfall though. I have a bad feeling the closer it gets. "
Yeah, so did he. Enough so that he was close to disobeying Jonas's direct command to stay put until the helijet arrived.
"We'll be fully prepared to move if needed by nightfall. "
He finally sighed. Town was a bad idea. Drawing innocents into the crossfire was not a reasonable solution.
He disconnected, slid the phone back into its holder and made his way up the stairs. Each step brought him closer to the threads of mental pain he could feel emanating from his mate.
His mate.
God had gifted him with something so precious, so pure, he was terrified of seeing it broken. He now understood why Megan's family gathered around her, fighting to protect her, to keep the evil of the world from touching her.
She was like a breath of spring. of hope. She had blown into his life, his heart, and stolen any chance he had of defending himself against her.
He had never thought he had a weakness before; now he knew he did. He had never believed he could find the strength he needed outside himself. Now he knew he had been wrong. Megan was his weakness, but she was also his strength.
He pushed open the bedroom door and undressed silently before padding to the bathroom. The door wasn't locked and opened easily beneath his hand. The sound of the shower running should have drowned out her sobs. The smell of chlorinated water should have covered the salty scent
of her tears. But it didn't.
He stepped to the tub, pulling back the shower curtain slowly and staring in at her. She had known he was there.
She was fighting for composure, to rein in the tears, the pain.
"I'm sorry. " Her voice was husky, endearing in the strength he saw.
"For what?" he whispered as he shut off the water, pulling her to him. He took a towel from the rack on the wall and helped her step from the tub.
"For feeling? Or for being strong enough to cry when others can't?"
He had never cried.
She gazed back at him. The blue of her eyes, as deep as the oceans they reminded him of, stared back at him from within her dusky skin. The sodden silk of her hair hung down her back, nearly brushing her hips. He began to dry her slowly. He wrapped the midnight tresses in another towel, then worked to dry the moisture from her body.
She was exquisite. Her body was shap
ed by nature, with smooth female muscle beneath her silken flesh. Enduring.