Unchain My Heart(7)

“What brings you to a place like this?” I had to know if she had a man who’d claimed her as his own. Suddenly it was the most important question in my life. Was she taken? It would be a fucking miracle if she weren’t. Why did I even care? Fuck.

She looked at her watch before answering. “My brother wanted me to meet his new woman. Which is rather strange, since I hardly know my brother. Half-brother, actually. We just met for the first time recently. But I’m babbling. It’s because I'm nervous and I always babble when I'm nervous. Going to shut up now and just wait for them. They’re ten minutes late, by the way.”

I glanced at my watch. “Strange. So is my sister. Ten minutes late, I mean. Can I get you a drink while we wait?”

“I don’t accept drinks from strangers. My daddy taught me that a long time ago.” She seemed wistful when she mentioned her father. I wonder why.

“Well, I'm not a stranger if you know my name.” I held out my hand. “I’m Harrison.”

“As in Harrison Ford? Oh, sorry, you must get that a lot?” She placed her hand over her mouth as if she wished she could take back her words.

I threw back my head and laughed. Actually, I did get that question a lot. And usually it bothered me. I mean, I don't say “Marilyn as in Marilyn Monroe” when I get introduced to women named Marilyn. But somehow, it sounded sweet when she asked.

She held out her hand—it fitted perfectly into mine. Her skin was so soft and warm that I never wanted to let go.

She blinked up at me. “Eva,” she said, smiling sweetly. “Pleased to meet you, Harrison. I’ll have a Martini, no olives, thanks.”

I ordered our drinks and turned back to her. Fuck, I wouldn’t mind if Jade didn't show up at all. For the first time in my adult life, I was totally in awe of a woman I’d just met. Everything about her fascinated me. The way she looked at me, from under her long, thick lashes, was probably the way Eve had looked at Adam before he committed the ultimate sin because of her. I had the crazy notion that if Eva asked me anything—anything at all—I’d gladly oblige her, just to have her look at me like that again.

We chatted for a while; or at least, she talked and I listened to her melodious voice that had me under her spell, as if she had hypnotized me.

She stared at the tattoo on my forearm. “The scales of justice . . . is your star sign Libra?”

I laughed. “Yes, my birthday is in September.”

She narrowed her eyes and read out loud: “Justice for all.” She looked up at me and into my eyes, leaving me nowhere to hide. “What does it mean to you, Harrison?”

So she wanted to get deep. “Justice over mercy. I’m a cop and I take it seriously.”

“You’re a cop, huh? You could have fooled me.”

Eva had just ordered our second round of drinks when she peered over my shoulder and smiled. “Here he is. My brother has arrived. Wish me luck.” She rose to her feet and grabbed her purse. “Thanks for the drink, Harrison, but I must go.”

Fuck. I hadn’t even asked for her number yet. I slammed back my scotch. It burned its way down my throat, giving me the courage I needed. I'd never done this before. After Amy died, I'd hook up with women if I had the urge to fuck. One night, one fuck. I never asked for their number and I never called. But Eva—I couldn’t just let her go.

I had to see her again.

Before I could go after Eva, I heard Jade call out my name. I swung around and groaned. Jade was standing there, smiling sweetly at me. But it wasn’t her I was looking at. Eva had her arms around a man’s neck, standing on her toes to hug him. I couldn’t see his face, but his hands were on Eva’s hips. Fuck. Is that her brother or not?

Jade’s voice drifted to me through a cloud. I was struggling to focus on her words.

“Harrison, you aren’t hearing a word I'm saying. I want you to meet my . . . friend.”

The man let go of Eva, and placed his arm possessively around Jade’s waist. It was Ryder. Ryder Knox. Sworn enemy and definitely not the man I wanted to see here tonight.

Eva was beaming at me too. What the fuck was going on?





Chapter Six — Jade


The look on Harrison’s face was one of stunned shock and disbelief. I’d taken a chance inviting both him and Ryder for drinks, hoping that because it was my birthday it would smooth things over. I knew there wouldn’t be any love lost between the two men, but I’d hoped that they could rein it in for just this one night.

Who knows? They may even like one another.

When Ryder had told me about meeting his sister, and that he’d had a few dinners with her and his father over the last few weeks, I’d suggested he invite her along as well tonight. Against the odds, I hoped that by having a small group of supporters together, it would diffuse the awkwardness of Ryder and Harrison meeting one another in a social setting.