“That was hardly my fault!” Constantine snarled, indignant.
“I know, it was mine,” Remy snapped right back. “So you should be staying out of the line of fire, but, nope, here you are, rushing straight into danger—”
“My fault.” She had to say it. They all knew it.
Both men immediately turned their attention to her.
“I was running blindly,” she added because if Constantine was going to be pulled into this mess, he deserved an explanation. “I don’t know what all Remy has told you yet…”
“Act as if he’s told me nothing. Zero. Go from that point,” Constantine urged as he released Remy and stepped toward her. “Just tell me everything.”
“Ah…” Fair enough. “A man named Preston Guidry is after me. I think he wants me to break into a safe for him.”
“A safe, you say?” Constantine rubbed his chin. “Do go on.”
“Oh, for shit’s sake,” Remy growled. “She’s Fabian’s granddaughter, you know that, and this prick named Preston is after her because he wants to use her. She had to flee from him in the middle of the night. The bastard leftbruiseson her.” His hands fisted at his sides. “She came to me at a bar and asked for a ride, and I—”
“Brought her into your home, became her protector, and now plan to hunt down the man who left bruises on her.” A nod. “Absolutely sounds like something you’d do.” An exhale. “My buddy Remy always has been the type with a major hero complex. If there is an option to do the right thing, he does it. Every single time.”
Remy’s eyes narrowed. “Stop being a prick.”
“Don’t be a jackass,” Constantine tossed back.
The two men whirled to face each other. Fury tightened their faces.
Jacqueline laughed. “I get it. I see what you were holding back from me.”
They both swung their heads toward her once more.
“You do?” Remy’s voice had gone tight.
Yes, it was pretty apparent. “You’re not just friends. You’re brothers, aren’t you?” Jacqueline nodded as she studied them. “I think I can see the resemblance. It’s around the chin. And you both kind of carry yourselves the same way.”
“We arenotbrothers,” Constantine denied. “Why would you think that?”
They weren’t? Oh. “Best friends.” Her second guess. “And I thought you might be brothers because you two fight like family. Not that I’m speaking from personal experience or anything, but…sort of what I’ve seen other people do.” She was not explaining this well, and she was pretty much going by her gut. “You fight with family, but you love them, and you stand up for them no matter what. Remy called in for backup, and you came running.” Like a brother—or a best friend—would do. “And now you’re here to help me, too, because of Remy.” She paused. “Thank you.”
Constantine thrust back his shoulders. Some of the tension seemed to leave him. “You found her in a bar, you say?”
“Uh, huh.” Remy swiped a hand over his face.
“And you kept her? Good choice.”
“She didn’t have on shoes,” Remy muttered. “Couldn’t let her just continue wandering around. She just would have found more trouble.”
Constantine nodded. “Makes perfect sense to me.”
The tension seemed to have completely vanished. Instead, there was now an easy camaraderie between them, one that toldJacqueline she’d been right. These two men were close. They cared about each other.
What would it be like to have someone in your life that came running when you were in trouble? That was just there for you, no hesitation? She imagined it would be pretty amazing.
“You’ve got two assholes blocking the road to your cabin.” Constantine began to pace.
“Yes, I’m aware.” Remy didn’t seem concerned.
Jacqueline figured she was concerned enough for the both of them.
Remy added, “Not like they’re doing a good job of hiding their presence. More like they just wanted to set up a roadblock to stop us from leaving.”