“I know a lot of things, Ellie.”
“I bet you do, Mace.” She suddenly wasn’t so freaked out about the sword and knife collection thing anymore. But considering the way the men were watching her with hunger in their eyes, she was relieved when the others joined them in the pool and started a volleyball game.
* * * *
As evening came they, were all having a wonderful time. They even talked about entering a Spartan race in a couple of months. The men explained to Ellie about what it entailed. A five-mile run, thirty or so obstacles that consisted of a lot of military-based ideas. Mud pits, tunnel crawls, scaling cargo nets, and swimming across a lake and then sprinting a mile to the finish line. That conversation was the perfect opportunity for Hunter to ask Ellie about the self-defense training.
“Are you going to try and come to our open session self-defense training clinics this upcoming week?” he asked her. She had changed back into her dress, and now a light sweater as the temperature dropped. She looked just as beautiful, but he did like the emerald green bikini better.
“I don’t know.”
“You should. It’s always good to know a few self-defense moves. Even if you learn two or three, it’s good,” Justice added.
“I can show you some right now. Maybe back in the cabana, just you and I?” Mace teased her, and she blushed.
“I don’t think so. Nice try.”
Hunter chuckled at Mace. He never saw his brother so forward with a woman and flirty. A jokester, yes, but straight out forward, no.
“I can pick you up after work, and drive you over. Then maybe we could all grab dinner?” Justice suggested.
She took a deep breath and released it as she rubbed her hands together. She was nervous but she didn’t turn them down.
“Can I let you know tomorrow? I have a lot going on with this client and it’s a demanding project. In fact, I’ve been pretty tired at the end of the day,” she told them.
“Well, this could help you get that energy you’re missing. It will be fun, I promise,” Hunter told her.
“Okay. Is Tuesday available?” she asked.
“Tuesday is perfect,” Hunter said, and then they relaxed until it was time to say good night. That was the hard part. Especially because he knew all he would think about was Ellie, and how one day she would definitely share him and his brothers’ bed.
Chapter 7
“A hell of a way to start our Monday, isn’t it?” Vin said to Justice as they finished up at their latest crime scene.
Justice shook his head. “This is definitely connected to our case. I don’t like how once again Phillips and Renaldo were the last
men seen with her.”
“Is it coincidence? I don’t think so,” Vin stated.
“What the fuck? I mean this is insane. Another beautiful brunette tortured and killed. “
“What’s with leaving this body in the art district? That’s what I’d like to know,” Justice stated and Vince looked around them.
“It’s an upscale area. Big dealers around here. Could it be some kind of inside message? Maybe a business conflict?” Vin asked.
“It doesn’t sit right with me. Maybe we’ll get a better idea after we canvas the neighborhood and interview some of the storeowners. It’s our only source of info right now.”
“Detectives, this is Kelly York. She works as a manager for the art gallery, Venero’s. She knows the victim,” the other detective told them. Vin and Justice walked over to meet her.
“Hello, Miss York. I’m Detective Lawson and this is Detective Elloy. We understand that you were friends with the victim.”
“Yes, her name is Tiffany. My God, I just saw her yesterday afternoon.” The redhead covered her mouth and tried to stop the tears from flowing. Vin and Justice took out their notepads.
“How was she when you saw her yesterday?”
“She was happy. She said she landed a great gig for last night. She was psyched because she was a bit behind in her rent.”