Her Master Defender (The Masters Men Series) (23 page)

“You should probably give up on that just neighbor’s line,” Tres said.

Dos scowled at him. “Why?”

“Because
she’s mine
flashes from your eyes like a neon sign when you look at her.”

“You’re crazy,” Dos said. “I’m just worried. The Colonel would die if anything happens to her.”

“Right, it’s for the Colonel.”

Glaring at Tres, Dos wanted to argue the point. Before he did the exhaustion in his brother’s eyes registered. His little brother was hurting and he’d been so wrapped up in his own world he hadn’t noticed.

“How are things going with the investigation?” he asked. Two months ago the young man Tres rented an apartment to, an innocent bystander, was killed in a robbery gone bad. The guy’s young wife was pregnant.

“I told you,” Tres said picking up some papers on his desk and shoving them in a folder. “Nothing much to report yet.”

“I mean the one on your tenant. Any leads?”

Tres shook his head.

“How’s Teresa?” Dos watched all the starch go out of Tres’ posture as he leaned hard on the desktop.

“It’s like watching mom all over again,” Tres said. “I can hear her crying through the heat vents at night. And I can’t do a damned thing about it!”  He slammed a fist on the desk.

Every head in the room looked their way with Tres’ outburst. Dos dared them with a glare to keep looking. All eyes turned away.

His brother’s pain twisted in Dos’ gut like a knife remembering their mother’s grief. It was the main reason they had vowed not to marry. After all, they were their father’s sons inside and out. Their whole reason for being was to protect others like he had as a cop. The only flaw they’d seen in their father was his big heart. Tres had inherited that heart.

He’d also paid the price for it by breaking the vow and marrying. His wife had walked away when Tres was shot during a family disturbance call. Dos knew it had served to remind all of them not to let anyone too close. Squeezing Tres’ shoulder he asked, “Anything I can do to help?”

Tres straightened from the desk knocking Dos’ hand from his shoulder. “Yeah, tell me what’s really going on with you. And I don’t mean the fact that you’re sleeping with Copper.”

Dos could feel his eyes widen at Tres’ statement. “What the hell?” he asked glancing around. A chuckle and slap on the back brought his gaze back to his brother’s grinning face.

“Hey, Ace and I aren’t blind. We might not be able to read you when it comes to your work, but women, you should know better,” Tres scolded. He nodded toward the locker room as he talked. “Let’s get you some different clothes while we talk. If you’re being followed that coat’s a giveaway, and we both know you hate suits.”

“Fine, but there’s nothing to talk about,” Dos grumbled. All he wanted was to make sure they were on their guard, not have them run interference.

“Try again,” Tres said pushing open the locker room door.

Releasing a sigh, Dos decided to tell him the truth. “Okay, fine. We’ve slept in the same bed.” He leaned closer staring in Tres’ eyes. “Slept being the operative word. I’m not willing to risk her health by anything more.”

He held Tres’ gaze while his brother weighed the truth of the statement. When Tres nodded and frowned, Dos backed off. “Now about your car,” he said, and watched Tres shake his head.

“For that one you’re going to have to go into more detail. You want my Chevy, you tell me what’s really going on.”

Dos took off his duster and hat as he followed Tres to his locker. Saying he’d been wounded wasn’t going to fly anymore. He knew the Colonel hadn’t given away anything about the mission. It was classified. He knew his brothers suspected, but he hadn’t told them anything specific.

To get behind the wheel of Tres’ restored classic Chevy Nova, he was going to have to give up more. But how did you tell your brother you were a failure?

The door behind them opened and Dos whipped around. Relief followed the panic recognizing Ace.

“Hey, don’t start the party without me,” Ace said.

“Of course not, but as usual, you’re late” Tres said.

“I stopped for this,” he said holding up a tray with To Go cups. “Extra shot in all of them, except Gina’s because she’s too high strung as it is.”

“I wouldn’t let her hear you say that,” Tres said.

“Do I look stupid?” Ace asked.

Dos and Tres had the grace not to answer. When it came to Gina, Ace was definitely stupid.

“Thanks,” Dos said taking the offered cup. After taking a sip he set it down then turned to Tres hoping for clothes, not questions. Wasted hope.

“What and where was the mission?” Tres said pulling jeans out and setting them on the bench.

“Counter drug in South America,” Dos said rubbing his neck trying to avoid the memories simply saying it brought.

Tres whistled as he held up a leather coat.

Dos grimaced. Sleek leather jackets weren’t his style. “At least it’s not your damned biker jacket,” he said hoping to drop the previous topic.

“Nice try,” Tres said. “You said last night you think this mission followed you home.”

Dos emptied his pockets so he wouldn’t have to look at Tres. He’d forgotten telling his brother anything about the mission last night. Why did he keep forgetting things? Was it a new symptom of the damned virus?

“Something like that,” he said toeing off his boots and unbuckling his belt.

“Jeans will probably be loose,” Ace said as he sat on the bench between the rows of lockers.

Dos paused in removing his slacks. What could he say? If he could eat more he would, but he couldn’t.

“Remember Tres’ fatter than both of us,” Ace added.

Relaxing a bit with the old constant teasing the three of them did he pulled the slacks off and reached for the jeans. He saw Tres nod toward his brace.

“How’s the knee?”

“Almost back to where it was before I wrenched it chasing the bastards at Copper’s house.”

“Good. Now back to the mission,” Tres said. “Tell Ace why you think it’s followed you home. I didn’t talk to him last night, thought it would be better coming from the horse’s mouth.”

Dos cast a glare in his brother’s direction, but from the grin aimed back he knew there was no choice. “The picture I faxed Tres last night is of one of the men from my team.”

“I thought they were all dead,” Ace said.

“Looks like Garrett pulled a Lazarus,” Dos said. “Anyway, he’s why they’ve been after Copper.”

“You’re losing me,” Ace said.

“She took photos that will be posted on the Rescue’s website. Anyone could look there. He’s supposed to be dead, he can’t take that chance,” Dos said tucking his shirt in the jeans. His brothers were silent, obviously digesting the information.

“But the main reason Garrett came here is looking for you, right?” Tres asked.

“Yeah,” he said reaching for his belt. “Cardo--"

Dos fell back against the lockers. He felt himself start to fall sideways. Someone caught him and they both went down.

“It’s okay, bro. I’ve got you,” Ace said.

Dos clung to his brother’s voice and the sensation of Ace’s arms wrapped tight around him. Forcing his eyes open he saw a dark figure lean toward him. He fought the paranoia the attacks brought on knowing it had to be Tres if Ace was talking to him.

His back arched into a spasm so intense it pushed him and Ace flat on their backs. Dos heard a gargling sound and realized it was his body screaming at the strain.

“Hold on, little brother. Tres’ got the medicine in, you’ll be better in a minute. We’re still here,” Ace’s voice continued near Dos’ ear.

Trying not to fight the spasm he concentrated on Tres’ dark form in front of him and Ace’s voice. His brothers were here. He was safe, he kept telling himself. But the spasms wouldn’t release. They should have lessened by now. At least he thought they should. But he wasn’t sure. His brain was getting too fuzzy. He hadn’t had an attack this bad since before the medication.

“More.” He forced the strangled word from his mouth. Praying they would understand. He lost it again as his back arched even tighter.

A few minutes later he opened his eyes then closed them. The spasms were gone but a killer migraine was pounding. He could still feel Ace’s hold. “Okay,” he croaked.

“Sure you are, little brother,” Ace said hugging him before easing Dos up and slipping out from under him.

“Water.”

“Tres went to get ice and water. Just stay down for a minute.”

Dos’ reply was a thumbs-up. Anything more required too much effort. His muscles felt like overcooked spaghetti. The only thing that felt good was the cold floor against his back. A moment later he felt his head lift. Opening his eyes a sliver he saw Tres holding a water bottle toward him.

“Easy, that was a bad one.”

God, he hated being treated like a baby, but he didn’t have the strength to fight it. When Tres eased him back down, the ice-pack was under his neck. A few minutes, that was all he needed. A few minutes and he would be ready to move.

“I don’t know what you had planned for today, but it’s not going to happen,” Tres said. “Ace will get the car, then he can take you and Copper to my place.”

Dos eased himself to a sitting position against the lockers. Putting the ice pack behind his head again, he leaned back and opened his eyes. His brothers both glared at him, daring him to challenge the orders. He didn’t disappoint them.

“I’ll agree to cancel some of the plans I had for the day, but I’m not staying here. We need to be home. Security’s better and I might need a secure line if the Colonel calls.”

“You’re not driving. Not my car, not anything.”

“Ace, Copper, I don’t care, but I’m going home.”

“Fine, I’ll drive,” Ace said. “You’re head clear enough to finish bringing us up to date?”

“Hey, you guys decent?” Gina’s voice called a second before Dos glanced up and saw her and Copper walking in the locker room. “What the hell happened?”

His gaze found Copper and he could tell she knew what had happened. She was kneeling beside him in two seconds. Her glorious hands cool against his superheated face. Dos didn’t even pretend to not want her there.

“Change of plan, we’re going home,” Copper said.

Dos grinned, “Yes, nurse.”

Her widened eyes told him he’d surprised her by not arguing. Too late he realized what it told her.

Copper wanted to hug him and wring his neck at the same time. “How bad was it?”

“No big--" Dos started, but Copper glared him into silence before looking to his brothers.

“Bad,” they both said.

“It took two doses and still took longer than I’ve seen since he came home,” Tres finished.

“And they’re coming more often again. This makes two in three days,” Ace added.

“Four,” Copper said.

“Shit,” Dos said.

“Four?” Ace and Tres asked.

Copper had forgotten they didn’t know about the two yesterday. “Sorry, I didn’t think,” she told Dos leaning over and rubbing his temples. “Neither of the two I saw were this bad, though. We should get him to a hospital.”

“No hospital,” Dos said. “You know why so don’t argue. Give me a minute then we’ll get the car and go back to the cabin.”

“I’ll get the car,” Ace said as Tres handed him the keys. “I’ll be back in ten. Pick you up at the back entrance.”

“Will someone please tell me what is going on,” Gina said.

Copper looked at Dos who nodded to Ace.

“Come on, G. Keep me company, I’ll fill you in,” Ace told her.

“Now was that so hard?” Copper asked Dos after the two had left.

“Yes.”

Chuckling she removed her hands from his head when he tried to take a drink. Sitting back she really looked at him. Wrung out didn’t come close to describing how he looked. His arms rested at his sides if he wasn’t lifting the water bottle which seemed to take Herculean effort. His legs were stretched out flat in front of him, his feet reaching clear to the lockers on the other side of the aisle. If those lockers weren’t there she figured he would slide down flat on his back.

The attacks were getting too intense. His body couldn’t take much more of this without serious repercussions. She needed to talk to her father about getting him to a base hospital. Dos would have to agree to that. Then she needed to know what the scientist researching his blood had found out. They needed results fast.

“Drink,” she told Dos to hide her nerves and fear. Then she turned to Tres. “So what were you guys talking about before this all happened?”

“The guy you took the picture of following Dos here,” Tres said.

“Yeah, I still don’t understand that. Why would they risk coming to the U.S.? What do they want?” Copper asked no one in particular.

“Me,” Dos said. “I’m their lab rat, remember. I don’t think they were done with their trials of whatever this is. But remember, now we’ve got even more trouble.”

“What?” Tres asked.

“Me,” Copper said, so Dos wouldn’t have to explain. Every time he spoke she watched energy he couldn’t afford drain from him. “It seems Garrett has a vendetta against my father. Dos thinks he wants to use me for revenge.”