When Joe plopped down into the seat next to him, he quickly shut down the browser page where he’d been staring at the photo of Eden.
He was practically mooning over a woman he’d never even met, and she was so far out of his league it wasn’t even funny. She wouldn’t see him. Few people ever did. He was quiet and usually kept to himself. He let others on his team do the talking. Making sure the mission went off without a hitch was his job. As well as his teammates’. Doing his job didn’t require him to be verbose, and he liked it just fine that way.
And if people did see him . . . Well, the reactions were typical. Horror. Revulsion. Fear. And pity. He shook his head, knowing Eden would be no different than everyone else even if she had a heart the size of Texas.
She was surrounded by beautiful people. Wealthy people. People who were polished and refined. She was abreast of the latest fashion and Hollywood gossip, in all likelihood. And yet . . . her family, her immediate family were ex-military and a cop. Did they keep her grounded in reality? The image of a delicate beauty among three men who’d experienced the worst of humanity, had blood on their hands and honor in their hearts, was incongruous. A rose among thorns. Jesus. Now he was getting poetic.
Her career took her to places that were miles above the places he’d been to. Having wine in Paris at a swank cocktail party was a world away from being hunkered down on watch waiting for a five-second window of time to make a kill shot after going three straight days with no sleep, because if he lost focus, even for a tenth of a second, he might miss his opportunity.
No, Eden wouldn’t look at him. And if she did, she certainly wouldn’t look twice. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t look his fill of her. Somehow he imagined that just being in her presence would be like standing under the warm rays of the sun. He’d find out soon enough.
He could dream. No law against that. But he was pragmatic enough to know that for guys like him, dreams were an exercise in futility and inevitably led to disappointment.
CHAPTER 6
EDEN dragged a hand wearily through her hair, wondering if she’d be bald before this was all over with. She patiently explained, for the third time, the events that had transpired when she, David and Micah had exited the building after her photo shoot.
Micah and David had given their own statements, identical to hers.
“I simply don’t know anything more, Detective Gibbs,” she said tiredly. “It all happened so fast. The glass shattered behind us and I was shoved to the ground. It was all a giant blur. I was scared. And then the car roared up and they shoved me inside and we drove here, to the hotel.”
The detective exchanged a frustrated look with his partner, both with notepads in their hands taking down what they likely thought was perfectly useless information.
“I’m sorry I can’t be of more help,” Eden added, uncomfortable with the sudden silence. “Have you made an arrest?”
And then another thought occurred to her, shaming her because she hadn’t considered it until now.
She caught her breath and glanced urgently at the two detectives. “Was anyone hurt? Was anyone shot?”
Gibbs shook his head. “There were a few minor injuries from the flying glass. A twisted ankle from tripping as someone ran from the scene. But no one was shot.”
“Thank God,” Eden breathed.
An urgent knock sounded at the door followed by a distinctive bellow. “Eden! It’s Dad.”
Relief surged through her veins and she bolted from the sofa only to be restrained by Micah.
“David will answer. You stay put.”
Eden simmered with frustration as David went to the door. As soon as her father and brothers entered, she shoved Micah away and flew across the room and into her father’s arms.
“Eden, thank God you’re all right,” her father whispered against her ear.
“Thank you for coming so quickly,” she said fervently. “I’m so glad y’all are here.”
She was passed then to Raid, who swallowed her up in a bear hug, and then to Ryker, who held her every bit as tightly.
“You scared us, honey,” Raid said when Ryker finally let her go.
Eddie looked past Eden to the two detectives and scowled. “What’s going on here?”
Eden took his hand and dragged him toward the waiting detectives.
“Daddy, this is Detective Gibbs and his partner, Detective Barnes. They’re questioning me about the shooting.”
“Have you made an arrest? What the hell happened today?” Eddie barked.
“We’re still in the preliminary stage of the investigation, sir,” Gibbs said in a steady voice. “We’re interviewing eyewitnesses, trying to put the pieces together.”