She’s all he’s ever wanted. He’s everything she’ll ever need.

Business mogul Dalton Granger is as passionate as he is gorgeous, but private investigator Jules Bradford won’t give him the time of day. She knows all about the youngest Granger brother—a charming bad boy whose only interest is playing the field.

But Dalton is more complicated than that, and he’s determined to show Jules that behind all the bravado is the honest heart of a devoted son, brother…and a man whose own life is in peril.

Jules is the only person who can protect Dalton, and they embark on a mission to save his family and his legacy. But when their late nights in the office turn into early mornings in the bedroom, Jules and Dalton soon realize they have more at stake than they ever imagined.

Praise for the novels of Brenda Jackson

“The best thing about the second book of the Granger series is the setup for the next one. The romance is classic Jackson storytelling, but the hints dropped about the murder mystery are tantalizing and delightfully frustrating.”

—RT Book Reviews on A Man’s Promise, 4 1/2 stars

“Welcome to another memorable family tree created by the indomitable Brenda Jackson, a romantic at heart.”

—USA TODAY on A Brother’s Honor

“Jackson’s series starter proves once again that she rocks when it comes to crafting family drama with a healthy dose of humor and steamy, sweaty sex. Here’s another winner.… Bring on the Granger brothers!”

—RT Book Reviews on A Brother’s Honor, 4 1/2 stars, Top Pick

“This deliciously sensual romance ramps up the emotional stakes and the action with a bit of deception and corporate espionage.… [S]exy and sizzling.”

—Library Journal on Intimate Seduction

“Jackson does not disappoint…first-class page-turner.”

—RT Book Reviews on A Silken Thread, 4 1/2 stars, Top Pick

“Jackson is a master at writing.”

—Publishers Weekly on Sensual Confessions

A Lover’s Vow

Brenda Jackson

www.mirabooks.co.uk

To the man who will always and forever be the love of my life, Gerald Jackson, Sr.

To everyone joining me on the 2015 Brenda Jackson Cruise to Bermuda to celebrate my 20th anniversary as an author, this one is for you!

To all my readers who enjoyed reading Books 1 and 2 of the Granger Series and waited patiently for Dalton’s story, I appreciate you!

To my Heavenly Father, who gave me the gift to write.

A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate.

—Proverbs 15:17

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Praise

Title Page

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty-One

Twenty-Two

Twenty-Three

Twenty-Four

Twenty-Five

Twenty-Six

Twenty-Seven

Twenty-Eight

Twenty-Nine

Thirty

Thirty-One

Thirty-Two

Thirty-Three

Thirty-Four

Thirty-Five

Thirty-Six

Thirty-Seven

Thirty-Eight

Thirty-Nine

Forty

Forty-One

Forty-Two

Forty-Three

Forty-Four

Forty-Five

Forty-Six

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

One

Dalton Granger glanced around, noting the hundreds of people assembled in the rose garden of the Granger estate. What had happened to the small wedding Shana Bradford had originally planned? Granted, the pregnancy wasn’t obvious, but he thought the huge wedding along with the white gown was a bit much. But then, even he would be the first to admit that Wonder Woman looked jaw-droppingly stunning.

Wonder Woman was the nickname he had given Shana, and she’d proven more than worthy of the name after performing more than one impossible feat. The main one of which was capturing his oldest brother Jace’s heart. Dalton had honestly thought Jace would avoid marriage like the plague, especially after his first failed marriage to the woman Dalton still thought of as Evil Eve.

Stay focused.

Easier said than done, Dalton thought, shifting his gaze from the bride to her maid of honor, her sister, Jules Bradford. She was the one woman on this Earth he despised with a passion. Unfortunately, his major problem was that he desired her with that same degree of passion. Yes, he would own up to it, although he wished things were otherwise. There were times when he’d even concluded that his attraction to Jules was too obsessive to be considered normal. However, he could deal with it as long as she stayed in her space, because he certainly intended to stay in his. Today would be an exception, since her sister was marrying his brother. He’d been warned by Jace to be on his best behavior, which was an effing challenge. And nothing could have prepared him for last night’s rehearsal dinner. It wasn’t his behavior but his attraction to Jules that had tested his level of control.

She’d shown up wearing a pair of skin-tight black leggings and a long-sleeved white dress shirt with tails fanning across her shapely hips, thighs and curvaceous backside. And she’d worn a tie of all things. Was that a new trend or something? Mixing masculine with feminine? Business with casual? You had to have balls to make such a bold fashion statement. But the one thing he’d discovered about Jules was that she thought nothing of pushing the damned envelope to do whatever she pleased. However, he would admit, even grudgingly, that when she’d worn what he considered outlandish attire, she’d managed to look totally feminine and sexy as hell.

A frown curved Dalton’s lips. He needed to get a grip. The last thing he wanted was to think about how Jules looked last night. But then, today wasn’t much better with her hair pulled up tight in a bun with a few curls left to frame her face. She had skin that looked soft and flawless, and her eyes were a dark chocolate. Then there were those beautiful, high cheekbones and lips that looked enticingly kissable and were painted a beautiful shade of red.

It was damned torture standing here and looking at her when he should be paying attention, listening to whatever asinine wedding vows Jace was making to Shana. It was a known fact that Dalton didn’t believe in that forever-after, until-death-do-us-part BS. Being cynical was a character flaw of his, one he embraced wholeheartedly. He prided himself on never doing anything he’d regret later. But there had been that one time he’d been stupid enough to let his guard down, and it had been with Jules.

Damn, he needed a drink. Thinking he needed one was better than thinking he needed to go over to her, unwind her hair and run his fingers through it before kissing that lipstick right off her lips. Hell, since he was thinking of being so effing bold, he might as well strip her naked, too. He could imagine the wedding guests’ reactions to that, and the last thing his family needed was another Granger scandal.

He couldn’t help but recall the first time he’d seen Jules. He’d been feeling so fucking horny and had gone to this nightclub to make a hit. He hadn’t been impressed with the prospects until she’d walked through the door. At the time he’d had no idea she was Shana’s sister and, to be quite honest, it would not have mattered had he known. All he’d cared about was that she’d looked hot, and he’d wanted a piece of her. No, not just a piece, he’d wanted the whole thing. Head to toe and especially all those areas in between. He saw. He liked. He got. Things had always been that simple for him. Quick, easy and hassle-free.

Anger suddenly rushed through him, and he fought the emotion by breathing in deeply when he remembered how things had actually gone down that night...definitely not the way he’d planned. Jules Bradford had turned his life into a damn circus, where he was a clown one minute and walking a tightrope the next. No other woman could make his blood boil while at the same time rev his libido up to the point of making his groin ache.

He should have more control, but unfortunately, at the moment, he didn’t. He couldn’t help but be grateful for the little ring bearer who was standing directly in front of him, blocking any telltale signs of his aroused state. By rights, all eyes should be on the wedding couple, anyway, and that included his own. But some things were unavoidable, and his fixation on Jules today fell into that category.

He slid his gaze down to her feet and then back to her face while wondering whose idea it was for the maid of honor and the bridesmaids to wear short dresses. At any other time, he would have appreciated seeing so many gorgeous pairs of legs, but since one of those pairs belonged to Jules...the pair he was transfixed by...he would have preferred otherwise.

“By the power vested in me by the great state of Virginia, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

The minister’s words collided with Dalton’s thoughts. Had he been standing there and staring at Jules the entire time Jace and Shana had exchanged vows? He quickly slid his gaze away from Jules in time to see Jace kiss Shana.

Dalton then shifted his gaze to his other brother, Caden, who was standing beside him and grinning from ear to ear. Both he and Caden had served as Jace’s best men. He loved his brothers, although at times they got on his last nerve. And lately, he couldn’t understand what drove them to do some of the idiotic things they did, like getting married, for instance. Jace tied the knot with Shana today, and a few weeks ago Caden had eloped with Shiloh Timmons, whom Dalton referred to as the Wine Lady, since she owned a wine boutique in town. It was quite apparent that both of his brothers had been p-whipped out of their ever-loving minds.

He returned his gaze to Jules at the same exact moment she glanced over the heads of the kissing couple. Their gazes clashed, and bam, he swore he could hear cymbals banging in his ears. Her eyes were frosty as hell, and she was probably calling him all kinds of names under her breath. And then, as if she suddenly recalled they’d both been warned to be on their best behavior, she parted her red lips, showing perfect white teeth in what he knew was a fake smile. Was she trying to taunt him while staring him down? He’d be damned if he’d let that happen, but she was welcome to try. Moments later, he saw she’d given up when her phony smile was replaced by a frown, and her eyes went back to being frosty again. Now it was his turn to smile, and his was more fake than hers had been.

The music began playing, and it was time for the newlyweds and their wedding party to exit the garden. At least Shana had the good sense not to pair him with Jules. Instead, he was coupled with her best friend and neighbor, Gloria McCabe, the perky, blue-eyed blonde he’d met last night. She smiled as she took his arm, and he escorted her from the rose garden.

He’d managed to get through the wedding and hoped the same would hold true for the reception.

* * *

Jules loved her sister immensely, which was why she had promised Shana that she would try like hell to be civil to Dalton Granger even if it killed her. Already, she felt like she was taking her last breath because it was killing her.

She’d been aware of him the entire time he’d been staring her down during the wedding ceremony, but she’d refused to glance over at him. Feeling the heat of his gaze scan every inch of her body, lingering in places it should not have, made her think how totally disrespectful he was, but then she wasn’t surprised. The man was so full of himself it made her teeth ache. He assumed he could get any woman he wanted and, on two occasions, she’d proven him wrong by ignoring his schoolboy pick-up lines. Of course, he was still furious about it and had placed her on his shit list. Good. No sweat off her back if he kept her there.

Snagging a glass of champagne from the tray being carried by a passing waiter, she glanced around the wedding reception. The botanical garden that overlooked Mammoth Lake was nice—pretty damned impressive, in fact. But then, so was the rose garden where the wedding had taken place. The moment she’d driven onto the sprawling grounds of Sutton Hills, the Granger estate, she’d been captivated. Shana had warned her, but she’d still been stunned by the two hundred acres of lush and beautiful countryside near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

She’d never ventured into this part of Charlottesville, Virginia, but she’d really had no reason to do so. People who lived in this area had money, and she was a plain old working-class girl. The number of people who’d attended the wedding—college friends of Shana or her close business associates—were mesmerized by the wealth surrounding them in the same way Jules was. She knew her sister was taking it all in stride, since she had married for love and not money. But Jules felt Shana had been lucky to get both.

She glanced to her right and saw Dalton talking to Gloria, no doubt trying to make a hit. She knew that Gloria was already in a committed relationship, so he was wasting his time. Good. But what if she was wrong about that?

Releasing a long breath, she wondered why she cared one way or the other. She couldn’t stand him. The very ground he walked on. The air he breathed. Whatever food he ate. The clothes he wore. The—

For some reason, her thoughts refused to move beyond his clothes. Okay, he wore them well; she would give him that. Each and every time she saw him; he looked like he’d stepped off the pages of some fashion magazine. But then, she had to grudgingly admit, it was more than the clothes. A lot more. For starters, he had the looks—chiseled features that were handsome beyond reason, eyes that could draw you in, a pair of fascinating brows...and lips that promised more sin than anyone could possibly indulge. Those things alone should have been enough. But unfortunately, they weren’t. He’d found favor in someone’s eyes, because on top of all that, he was so arrestingly male, so strikingly masculine with muscles in all the right places, broad shoulders and perfect abs—and he was tall, at least six-two. He had the ability to take any woman’s breath away and increase her pulse rate just by walking into a room.

He’d gotten a lot of feminine attention last night at the wedding rehearsal and was getting a lot of attention now. She noticed several women hovering on the sidelines, waiting for his conversation with Gloria to end so they could take their turn. Honestly, did they have no shame? Apparently not, she thought, noticing that as soon as Gloria moved away, another woman had taken her place.

This time it was Rosa Larimore. The divorcée was one of Shana’s friends from college and someone Jules had never cared for. She liked her even less now. The woman had been married twice already, and after eyeing the Granger wealth, was probably contemplating Dalton as a third prospect. Since Rosa was a known man-eater and Dalton a woman-lover, they should be great together. But Jules didn’t like the thought of that for some reason.

She frowned. Was that a twinge of jealousy she was feeling? No, it couldn’t be. There was no way she would ever succumb to such an emotion for Dalton Granger. The bottom line was that it bothered her when women acted so desperate for a man, wealthy or otherwise. There was absolutely no way she would sink that low. No man was worth it.

Deciding she had been standing in the same spot too long, she was about to turn to go find her father when Dalton suddenly leveled his gaze at her over Rosa’s head.

Jules drew in a slow breath. She couldn’t stand him, so why did just looking at him make her feel all hot inside? Why had her throat suddenly gone dry? It was as if his gaze were a heated caress, some kind of physical connection that was drawing her to him. She fought the sensations consuming her, sucking her into a sensual abyss. She shouldn’t be reacting to him, or any man, this way. It had to do with control, something she liked having; and she refused to let any man take it away from her. Especially a man like Dalton Granger. She knew all about him, including the fact he’d been a cub to numerous cougars while living in Europe. Yet, at the moment, her body didn’t care what she knew. It was operating on hormones and a need long overdue. And it was that need that had heat sliding up her spine, making it difficult for her to draw a full breath.

What finally broke the spell was the conceited gleam in the depths of his eyes along with a smirk. The arrogant bastard thought he had her, but she intended to prove otherwise. No man had her, now or ever. She was a woman who didn’t tolerate bullshit and, as far as she was concerned, he was full of it.

“You and young Granger are trying to stare each other down again, I see.”

Jules blinked and quickly broke eye contact with Dalton to glance up at her father. “Again?”

Ben Bradford smiled down at his youngest daughter. “Yes, I noticed you and him doing the same thing during the wedding ceremony.”

Jules wondered if the others had noticed, as well. “The man is simply horrid. Totally despicable. I hope Shana knows what she’s doing by marrying into that family.”

Ben took a sip of his champagne. “I think your sister knows exactly what she’s doing. She loves Jace. He loves her. I’ll be a grandpa come spring. I think you’re the only one not happy with the match.”

Jules moved quickly to correct her father’s assumption. “I am happy with the match, Dad. I like Jace. He’s wonderful and a dream come true for Shana. They were meant for each other.”

“Oh. Then it’s Jace’s brothers you don’t like.”

She knew her father was toying with her. “Of course I like Caden. Who wouldn’t? He’s a sweetie pie.”

“That leaves Dalton, and I know the whole story involving the two of you.”

She didn’t say anything, although she was tempted to tell her father he was wrong. He didn’t know the whole story, not even half. He only knew what she’d told him, and she had left out a few details he didn’t need to know about.

“So where’s Mona?” she asked, deciding to change the subject.

“She went to the ladies’ room.”

Jules raised a brow. “Alone?” Mona, who was legally blind, was the woman her father had been seeing for a few months.

“Yes. Alone. She’s very independent.”

“Obviously. And she looks beautiful today.”

Ben smiled. “I think Mona looks beautiful every day.”

Jules nodded. Her widowed father had fallen in love, and he’d made that clear to both her and Shana. He’d also made it clear that he intended to make Mona a permanent part of his life, and that anyone who had a problem with that needed to get over it. Since Shana had easily accepted Mona’s role in their father’s life, that comment had been mainly directed at Jules, and they both knew it.

“You know what I think, Juliet?”

She knew that line, especially when he referred to her by her full name. Her father was about to point something out to her that she would rather not hear. But she wouldn’t dare tell him that. She would do as she’d always done, just grin and bear it. “No, Dad, what do you think?”

“That there’s a thin line between love and hate.”

She hoped her father wasn’t intimating the possibility of something happening between her and Dalton. He was totally wrong if he thought there was a chance that she and Dalton Granger could ever be anything other than enemies. Just in case he was thinking that way, she knew she had to squash that assumption. He was so far from the truth it wasn’t funny. “You have it all wrong, Dad, trust me. I wouldn’t fall for Dalton Granger if he were the last man on Earth. Even if I were threatened with jail time, I would gladly take a life sentence. I would choose hell over heaven if I thought for one minute that he had already passed through the pearly gates.”

Her father didn’t say anything; he merely stood and stared at her for a long moment. She could handle his stare as long as it meant he accepted what she said as gospel. She knew he was thinking, giving what she’d said much consideration...a little too much to suit her. When he finally nodded, she released the breath she’d been holding. Had it been anyone other than her father who’d suggested such a thing, she would have given him the tongue-lashing he deserved.

“I can understand why you might assume that,” she said, breaking the silence after taking another sip of her drink.

Ben lifted a curious brow. “You do?”

“Yes. You’re in love with Mona, and Shana got married today. So, in your mind, love and happiness are ruling the day.”

“Possibly,” he said, still giving her that in-depth Ben Bradford stare. “Nevertheless, you and Granger need to resolve this issue and make permanent peace.”

Permanent peace? She doubted that was possible. In fact, she knew it was highly unlikely. “Why?”

“For your sister’s sake.”

Jules shook her head. She couldn’t see herself doing it, not even for that reason. “Dad, Shana’s fine. Besides, she married Jace, not Dalton.”

“He’s Jace’s brother.”

“And I’m her sister.”

Her father paused a moment then asked, “Do you want to force Shana to take sides?”

“Of course not.”

“You are twenty-six, not six. You and Granger need to stop behaving like children and start acting like adults.”

She had news for him. Acting like an adult is what had landed her in this mess with Dalton. As a fully grown woman, she’d never been aware of a man the way she was aware of him...and that wasn’t good.

“There’s Mona. I’ll talk to you later,” her father said, moving away. “Come to breakfast in the morning,” he threw over his shoulder.

Jules watched as he walked swiftly across the room to where Mona Underwood stood. Jules glanced down at her watch, and although she didn’t want to, she glanced over to where Dalton was standing and saw him glancing down at his watch, as well. Like her, he was probably counting the minutes before the newlyweds left for their honeymoon so he could split.

Dalton glanced up and snagged her gaze. Jules tilted her head, lifted her chin and regarded him with all the loathing she could muster. The bastard had the nerve to smile. She shook her head in disgust as she turned, deciding to check out the live entertainment. If he wanted to stare, let him stare at her back.

The jazz band sounded great, and everyone appeared lively and festive. She was glad Shana had ditched the idea of a small wedding and had gone all out. She deserved it. Like Jules had told her sister, she wouldn’t be the first pregnant bride or the last. Besides, few people knew about her sister’s condition, and frankly, it wasn’t any of their business.

“Nice band, isn’t it?”

Jules froze. She cut her gaze away from the musicians to the man who’d come to stand beside her. The rough, manly texture of his voice grazed her insides, suddenly making her feel so hot that she was tempted to fan herself. His eyes were penetrating, and it felt as if he were looking at her naked. She’d never felt self-conscious about anything she wore; she liked dressing up and showing off her body. Knowing she looked desirable to a man was no big deal to her. But not with this man. She didn’t need or want his attention.

“The day is almost over,” he added after getting no response from her. His voice had shifted to a smooth yet husky tone, sending shivers up her arm. “We pulled it off, being on our best behavior and all, so I thought I’d come over and say hello.”

She was tempted to tell him what he could do with his hello. Instead, she took a sip of her wine to help fight off the sensuous dominance radiating off him. It took every ounce of fortitude she had to hold his gaze, pretending nonchalance when she was so aware of him. Her body’s reaction to him made her livid with him as well as with herself. “I can’t believe your audacity,” she said in a low, cutting tone.

His smile was slow and seductive. “Yeah, I do have balls, don’t I?”

Now why did he go there? Her gaze lowered to the area below his well-proportioned waist. He had an incredible masculine build that not only made her speculate about his balls but also about every single inch of him. She snatched her focus back to his face and watched his eyes darken at the same time his mouth spread into one of those gotcha smiles. He’d realized what she’d been thinking when her gaze had dropped.

“Look, Dalton,” she said in a stern voice, while trying not to make a scene. “In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I don’t like you.”

He chuckled, and instead of irking her, the sound sent a small quiver humming up her spine. “Then that makes us even, Jules, because I don’t like you, either.”

* * *

Although he might not like her, he did want her, Dalton admitted, staring at her with an intensity he hoped she found unnerving. He could envision all the things he would do to her if he ever got the chance. She was the cause of many sleepless nights and the loss of his peace of mind. Even worse, she was stopping him from desiring other women. Whenever he saw Jules, her level of femininity struck a blow to his libido, mainly because what he saw in her was something he would never get.

Bullshit.

He refused to acknowledge she was different from any other woman he saw, wanted and got. He knew women, could read them like a book. Although he would be the first to admit there were a few of Jules’s chapters he’d rather skip. The bottom line was that she wanted him, probably just as much as he wanted her. She could pretend otherwise. She could fight it. She could even deny it. But a woman’s scent didn’t lie. She wore Amarige like no other woman, and the way it mingled with her body’s chemistry was so damned mind-blowingly hot, like some aphrodisiac that was drugging him senseless, making him act like a boor when he should be a gentleman. It was revving up his sexual awareness of her, and he was convinced the feeling was mutual.

“Since our total dislike for each other has been established, why are you here, in my face?” she asked, cutting into his thoughts like a sharp knife.

She hadn’t seen anything yet, he thought, leaning in closer to that same face, breathing against her ear as if he were about to let her in on a little secret. In a way, he was. “I like riling you, like seeing you flustered and all hot and bothered. I can tell, although you might deny it. I could remedy things easily, to both our liking. I could put smiles on our faces that could last a lifetime. The animosity between us ends here if you come home with me tonight.”

There was a brief moment of silence. “Dalton?”

“Yes?” He’d heard a catch in her voice. Why did it have to sound sensuous, so unbearably sexy, causing his breathing to stop as he hung on, waited in lustful anticipation for her response?

“Go fuck yourself.”

Those three words had been whispered low but spoken clearly, direct, definitely matter-of-fact, no holds barred. His eyes narrowed as anger ran up his spine. Instinctively, he took a step back, refusing to let what she’d said affect him. And he rejected the idea that the strange tight feeling in the middle of his chest meant anything. Her snubs were becoming commonplace, like oil rolling off his back, because in the end, they would make her capitulation that much sweeter.

He pulled back and smiled down at her, saying with none of the calm he actually felt, “I’d rather do you than myself. Sorry you’re missing the opportunity.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not missing any opportunity, trust me. And—”

The clapping of hands drowned out her next words. They both turned when Jace and Shana appeared holding hands. They had changed into traveling clothes. It was time for them to leave on their honeymoon—two weeks on the beaches in Cape Town, South Africa.

Dalton shifted his gaze from the smiling couple and back to Jules. She was still looking at Jace and Shana with genuine happiness on her face. But he saw beyond her happiness for her sister and his brother. She was clearly not a romantic at heart, and he’d picked up on her cynicism a few times. They thought alike in some ways, and Dalton figured that if given a chance, they would set a bedroom on fire. He would see to it. But there were a few things about Jules he was determined to find out. Unravel. Sink his teeth into. And then he would sink his body into hers. Make her scream. Holler. Bite him a few times. Come unglued and put an end to this shitty attitude she wore like a suit of armor. The thought of taking her on in the bedroom made a tingling sensation spread through him. Right now she was made of ice, and he couldn’t wait to see her melt.

“You’re a difficult person, Jules Bradford.”

She glanced at him, her smile gone. “You’re still here? I thought you would have seized the opportunity to leave.”

“With my tail tucked between my legs? No woman will ever drive me to such madness.”

“Really? And as far as my being a difficult person, I disagree. I just refuse to tolerate bullshit.”

He leaned in closer again. “Then I don’t understand why we don’t get along, since I refuse to tolerate bullshit, either.” He straightened and smiled down at her. “See you around, Juliet.”

And then he walked away.

Two

“Do you ever get the feeling you’re being followed?”

Caden Granger glanced up from the file he was reading and watched his brother Dalton walk into his office to plop down in the chair across from his desk. He figured it was going to be one of those days. When Jace had left for his honeymoon, he had deliberately assigned Dalton projects guaranteed to keep him busy. Now that the two-week honeymoon was over, Jace was back and Dalton...was being Dalton.

“No, can’t say that I have,” Caden said, leaning back against his chair. “But if you are being followed, it wouldn’t surprise me.”

Dalton pursed his lips in a hard line. “Why would you say that?”

“Because I’m your brother. I know you. You’ve probably pissed somebody off. A jealous husband, perhaps?”

Dalton glowered. “I don’t do wives, so there shouldn’t be any husbands out for blood.” He paused a moment and said. “Unless...”

Caden lifted a brow. “Unless what?”

“Nothing.”

The single word was spoken too quickly, and Caden eyed his brother speculatively. “Well, if you’re not worried about jealous husbands, then maybe Jules Bradford has put a hit out on you.”

The edge of a wry smile appeared on Dalton’s lips. “If I haven’t put one out on her first.”

Caden rolled his eyes. “Seriously?”

Dalton nodded. “Seriously.”

“I meant that as a joke.”

Dalton shrugged broad shoulders. “Can’t say the same.”

“Then you have issues. And, from the sound of it, they are rejection issues.”

The smile dropped from Dalton’s face. “I can handle rejection, Caden. What I can’t and won’t tolerate is a woman who tries to play me.”

“Play you?”

“Yes. Play games with me.”

“Is that what she did?”

“Hell, yes. That night she brushed me off, but then told me to find her. So I did. I hired a private investigator to find her, and when I did, she acted all shitty, like my finding her was no big deal, and she didn’t want to be bothered when she knew the score. I found her for a reason.”

“And that reason?”

Now it was Dalton who rolled his eyes. “Damn it, you know the reason, and she did, too. I found her, and she didn’t deliver. Her entire attitude sucked. And then she showed up at that club a second time just to remind me about what I wasn’t getting.”

Caden didn’t say anything for a long moment. He knew his brother. He was still hot behind the collar about an incident that happened a few months ago. Dalton took holding a grudge to a whole other level. Unfortunately, the woman he loathed was Shana’s sister.

He drew in a deep breath, glad that Jace was back from his honeymoon and would be coming into the office tomorrow. There was only so much of Dalton that Caden could handle at times. When he, Jace and Dalton had left Charlottesville years ago for college, all three had sworn never to return permanently, only for visits. Having their father charged with their mother’s death years earlier had left deep scars. After college, Jace had settled in LA and worked for the state of California as an attorney; Caden had pursued his dream of making it big in the music industry. His love for his saxophone had earned him his first Grammy at twenty-seven. He’d spent most of his time touring the country and playing his sax to sold-out crowds. And as for Dalton, after a stint in the NFL, he left the US for Europe and made a name for himself as a playboy and boy toy. Because of good investment decisions, Dalton was the one who’d become the billionaire. The one who believed a person should work smarter, not harder. And the one who liked to whine about practically anything. Like he was doing right now.

The three of them had returned to Charlottesville when their grandfather, Richard Granger, had suffered a fatal heart attack. What they hadn’t counted on was making a deathbed promise to him to take over the family business, Granger Aeronautics. They hadn’t expected a failing company, one deep in the red. But they had made the promise and rolled up their sleeves. Hiring Shana’s crisis management firm had been the smartest decision they could have made. She’d discovered employees divulging trade secrets and helped expose someone they thought was a family friend as a killer.

“Caden, are you listening to me?”

No, he wasn’t really. But he knew he should. This issue Dalton had with Jules wasn’t good and could cause lots of problems in the long run. “Yes, I’m listening,” he lied. “You were talking about Jules. Let’s look at this logically for a moment, Dalton. Have you considered the possibility that when you did find Jules that you came on a little too strong? That maybe you were too focused on what you expected? You probably walked into her office with a hard-on.” The look that suddenly appeared on Dalton’s face let Caden know he’d guessed correctly.

“So what if I did? Like I said, she knew the score,” Dalton countered.

“And you would have taken her right there in her office.”

Dalton shrugged unashamedly. “I had no problem doing that. It would have saved time.”

Caden shook his head. It was hard to believe the audacity of his brother at times. As the youngest Granger, Dalton had grown up spoiled and pampered...especially by their mother. Things came easily for him, at times too easily. As a result, he often had an air of entitlement about him. “And you assumed she would feel the same way you did?”

“Don’t see why not. She did challenge me to find her. Besides, spontaneity is the spice of life, Caden. But I wouldn’t expect you to understand that. You’ve been living in Shilohville for too long.”

A smile couldn’t help but touch Caden’s lips. “And what does Shiloh have to do with this?”

“Admit it. You’ve loved your wife forever, even when you were kids and didn’t know what love was. Granted, the two of you were apart for a few years, thanks to her bastard of a father, but you never hired anyone to find her. You didn’t go to bed every night dreaming about what you would do to her when you did. You never—”

“Okay, Dalton, I get the picture, although I don’t agree with everything you’re saying. No man should expect a woman to put out on their first date. Hell, it wasn’t even a date. You just showed up at her office. I can just imagine how surprised she was to see you there.”

“She should have known I would eventually find her. She should have expected it, and she should have been ready—definitely more accommodating. Instead, she all but gave me her ass to kiss, and for that reason...”

Caden listened as Dalton continued with his tirade; coming out with crap he hoped like hell his brother would regret saying later. One thing was for certain; Jules Bradford had pissed him off big-time, ruffled a few of those manly feathers. He wouldn’t be surprised if she had been the first woman to do so, definitely to this degree.

“I happen to like Jules,” he broke in to say. When Dalton gave him a look that was sharper than glass, he added, “After all, she did find out who tried to kill me. And it didn’t take her much time to do it.”

“Fine. Shana’s Wonder Woman, your wife is the Wine Lady and Jules is Miss Whirlwind. If she hadn’t figured things out, someone else would have.”

“Not me, for sure,” Caden said, remembering the period of time he was trying like hell to forget.

“Then you owe her. I don’t,” Dalton said, easing out of the chair.

“Shana’s dinner party this weekend should be interesting with both you and Jules there.”

Dalton glanced over at Caden. “No, it won’t be, because I don’t plan to attend.”

Caden frowned. “Why?”

“We just discussed it. I tolerated Jules’s presence at the rehearsal and the wedding, but I’ll be damned if I’ll be in the same room with her again when I don’t have to.”

“But this will be Shana’s first dinner party that she’ll be hosting as a Granger.”

“Won’t be her last. Maybe she should have stayed a Bradford.”

Caden just stared at Dalton. He knew that although Dalton wouldn’t admit it, he liked Shana a lot. And he probably disliked her sister just as much. “At some point, you and Jules need to forget the past and move on. Shana is her sister, and Jace is your brother.”

“So?”

“So you’re both driving us all crazy. And since she probably dislikes you as much as you dislike her, I can just imagine what Shana is dealing with.”

“Not my problem. Like I said, I won’t be coming.”

“Now that Jace has married Shana, we’re all practically family.”

“Like hell. That’s like saying that now you’re married to Wine Lady, your in-laws are family, as well. There’s no way Sandra Timmons or Dr. Sedrick Timmons will ever be considered family to me.”

Caden didn’t say anything for a moment because he was finding it hard to consider them family, too. “I hope that you reconsider coming on Saturday night, Dalton. It would mean a lot to Jace and Shana if you did.”

Dalton shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “If they feel that way, then I hate to disappoint them. But I will have to.” He glanced at his watch again. “I have a meeting with my security team. I’ll see you later.” He turned to leave.

“Wait. When you came into my office, you said you thought you were being followed.”

Dalton turned back around. “I’m sure I’m just imagining things. Both you and Jace recently came within an inch of losing your lives, so I’m starting to get a little paranoid. And I don’t like it worth a damn.”

* * *

An hour later, Dalton entered his own office at Granger Aeronautics, the company his great-grandfather, Sutton Granger, had founded. He was sure that when the old man had done so, he’d believed he was starting a legacy for all Grangers to follow. And they had for a while. As expected, his grandfather, Richard, had followed in Sutton’s footsteps, and Dalton’s own father, Sheppard, had done likewise, working beside Richard to build a dynasty to pass on to his three sons—Jace, Caden and Dalton.

There was no doubt in Dalton’s mind that things would have continued that way if his mother, Sylvia, hadn’t been murdered, and his father arrested for the crime. Jace had been sixteen, Caden fourteen and Dalton only twelve. His mother’s death had hit him hard, but his father’s imprisonment had been even harder. Neither he nor his brothers believed their father capable of killing their mother, but a jury had found him guilty and sentenced him to thirty years.

Dalton drew in a deep breath. Instead of sitting down at his desk and diving into some of the emails that were mounting up, he walked over to the window and looked out. Nice view, although he thought the ones seen from Jace’s and Caden’s windows were better. Every once in a while, he enjoyed ribbing them about that.

He stood there a moment, staring out the window and remembering his conversation with Caden. Leave it to Caden to bring out Jules’s one redeeming quality. She was a private investigator and was good at her job. So what? Maybe he did owe her for that, just like he owed Shana for her part in saving Jace’s life. Shit, he didn’t like owing anyone anything. But he did love his brothers, and the thought of anything ever happening to them was too much to think about.

And it was time for him to pay his father a visit. Jace had gone to see him right before the wedding, and Caden had gone just last week. Caden said their father had asked about him. Dalton needed to go before his father got some crazy idea about why he hadn’t been visiting.

In a way, Dalton felt guilty. He’d known about his mother’s affair with another man, but he’d never told his dad. He’d been only eleven when he’d found out, and Sylvia had sworn him to secrecy. That had been a huge secret for any kid to carry around, but he loved both of his parents. He often wondered whether his parents would have divorced had Dalton told his father about the affair. Then he could have gone his way, and she could have gone hers and...

Dalton shook his head. With those thoughts, one would assume he believed his father was responsible for his mother’s death, and that a divorce might have spared her life. That wasn’t the case, since he knew his father was innocent, and that he’d already spent fifteen years behind bars for a crime he hadn’t committed.

Dalton and his brothers had fulfilled one of their grandfather’s deathbed promises, and now it was time for them to take care of the other. They needed to find out who had really killed their mother so their father could finally be freed.

He moved away from the window to sit down at his desk. The first thing he needed to do was to call Shana and thank her for the invitation to dinner this weekend and let her know he wasn’t coming. Knowing Shana, she wouldn’t ask why, but she would know the reason. The bottom line was that he didn’t have to put up with anyone he didn’t want to put up with and, at the moment, her sister topped his list.

A couple of weeks ago at Jace’s wedding, he’d considered putting a plan in place to play Jules the same way she’d played him. Although that idea wasn’t completely off the table, he didn’t want to have anything to do with Jules for the time being.

Go fuck yourself. She had a lot of damned nerve. No woman had dared ever tell him something like that. He knew he needed to get her out of his mind because, honestly, Jules Bradford really wasn’t important. What he needed to spend his time doing was concentrating on the important business at hand, namely, Granger Aeronautics, and finding his mother’s real killer.

Jace would be back in the office tomorrow, and Dalton intended to meet with both him and Caden to discuss strategies about the latter issue. Getting their dad out of prison was the most important thing on his mind.

Three

Jules slid her car into the first available parking spot in front of the condo where Dalton lived. She called herself all kinds of fool for being here, even though she knew it was necessary if she wanted to talk to Dalton. He’d never answer his phone if he saw her name on the caller ID. “It’s not about you,” she muttered to herself. “It’s about your love for Shana—that’s the only thing that could make you even think about putting up with this bullshit.”

She and Shana were two years apart and had always had a close relationship. Shana had been just months from turning fifteen and Jules thirteen when their mother had died of pancreatic cancer thirteen years ago. Their father had raised them alone while working as a police detective in Boston. He had retired a few years ago, wanting a quiet life, and had decided to settle in Charlottesville, the place where he and his wife had met while attending college. Jules had been the first to follow their father to Charlottesville, where she established a private investigation firm. Shana had relocated to Charlottesville a few years later.

The three of them always managed to do things together, even when Jules’s busy work schedule took her out of town, as it often did. But things were somewhat different now. Shana was married, and Jace was now the main planet in her universe, which meant he would be taking up a lot of her sister’s time. And Ben was involved with Mona, something Jules knew she had to get used to. Mona was the first woman her father had been seriously involved with since her mother died, and he rightly deserved to be happy.

She had called Shana earlier today to welcome her back to town and to find out how the honeymoon had gone...like it would have been anything but great. During the conversation, Shana reminded her about Saturday night, which would be the first dinner party she would give as Jace’s wife. Shana was excited but somewhat disappointed, because she had gotten a call from Dalton saying he wouldn’t be coming. No one had to figure out the reason behind that decision.

What Jules loved most about her big sister was that at no time did she try to make her feel guilty because Jace’s brother wanted to act like an ass. Shana knew the whole story, from start to finish, and refused to take sides. In fact, she wouldn’t give her opinion one way or the other, even when Jules had asked for it.

But still, Jules knew that Dalton’s refusal to come to dinner was a letdown, although Shana tried not to show it. Her sister didn’t deserve that. She deserved better than having Dalton Granger as a brother-in-law.

And Jules felt that she herself deserved better than having to come here, seeking him out to talk about it. Why she was even wasting her time, she wasn’t sure. History had shown on more than one occasion the man had a one-track mind. He had this entitlement complex that needed to be knocked down more than a few notches. All they ever did when they were within five feet of each other was argue. Dalton Granger brought out the worst in her. Most of the time, intentionally. But at least she could try to convince him that it wasn’t about him and her, but about Jace and Shana. They didn’t need their siblings on the warpath. For Jace’s and Shana’s sakes, they should try to at least be civil to each other. They’d almost succeeded during the wedding weekend. Had almost made it to the end, but of course, he’d felt the need to rattle her, piss her off big-time. And what made her even madder was that she’d let him. Why did he have the ability to get under her skin?

She killed the ignition of her car and sat there a moment. She didn’t see him or that red two-seater sports car he drove around town. But she felt something. The air surrounding her seemed to be spiked with intensity. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she was invading his space. And now it seemed as if his space were invading her.

How could that indescribable masculine aura that seemed to cling to him surround her now, even when he was nowhere to be seen? But it didn’t take much to remember how he’d looked at the wedding. The visual suddenly shot heat up the full length of her spine, making her hot inside.

Jules refused to believe her sudden rise in body temperature had anything to do with Dalton. After all, he was just a man. But she would admit he had this predator side that was powerful at times, almost overwhelming. Of course, she staunchly refused to let that happen, although the very idea sent a shiver through her body. That quiver prompted her to turn the car’s ignition back on to generate some heat. It was October, and there was a definite chill in the air. Everyone had begun wearing overcoats weeks ago and was anticipating the season’s first snowstorm before the end of the month.

She glanced at her watch. It was almost ten on a weeknight. It was too much to assume that Dalton, like most normal people who worked the next day, would have the sense to be home at this hour. But then, he had a reputation of being a party animal. He’d definitely left his mark on the women over in Europe. She’d done her research and knew that he preferred older women. He’d had no problem being their boy toy.

But to give him credit...something she didn’t like doing...he’d been smart enough to capitalize on his money by investing wisely. He’d become a billionaire without the Granger name or money. He’d done so in his own right. If it had been any other man, she would admire him for achieving such brilliant success. But since it was Dalton, hell would freeze over before she held him in high esteem for anything.

Deciding she would leave if he didn’t come home in the next ten minutes or so, she relaxed her head against the headrest and stretched out her legs as far as they could comfortably go while glancing out the car’s window at her surroundings. This was a pretty exclusive section of Charlottesville, not too far from town. After seeing the Granger estate at Sutton Hills, she could understand his choice—when you were used to wealth, why settle for anything less? Although his condo wasn’t in a gated community, it still had that old-money, country-club feel all wrapped in modern architecture. Even the streetlamps spelled prestige with their intricate, wrought-iron design. Although it was dark, the landscape lighting revealed a luxurious building with immaculately manicured grounds.

Of their own accord, her thoughts shifted to Dalton and the last time she’d seen him at the wedding, a little over two weeks ago. She would admit, but only to herself, that she’d been aware of every single thing about him, every fine line and manly curve. Then there had been the way he’d stared at her with so much heated lust she’d felt exposed, vulnerable and so unbearably hot that when she’d gotten home she’d stripped off every inch of her clothing and taken a cold shower.

After wrapping up her last case, she’d decided that for the remainder of the year she would take it easy and stick around home, refusing new cases until after the holidays. But now she was considering doing the opposite just to get as far away from Charlottesville as she could. And all because of one man.

The thought that Dalton Granger could make her run sent anger flowing through her limbs. Why was she aware of him in a way she’d never been aware of any other man? Why did he have the ability to creep into her dreams at night, engaging her in all kinds of kinky acts? Even now, she could feel a line of heat licking across her skin, thinking about some of them.

She drew in a deep breath. Lately, her arsenal of sex toys wasn’t doing a damned thing for her. It was time to call in the big guns, the real guns. Her personal little red book, which she hadn’t used in months, was tucked in the bottom drawer of her nightstand. It was time to pull it out and flip through the pages. Most single people had little black books, but hers was red. Intentionally. It meant danger. Fire. Heat. The first name from the book that popped into her mind was Ray Ford. She wondered if he was still in town. Last time they’d talked...around this time last year...he was thinking about relocating to Baltimore to be closer to his little girl. At the time she’d only smiled, thinking that, in truth, it was probably his ex-wife he wanted to be close to. No harm there, and if that was the case she hoped they had reconciled and remarried.

Jules was about to consider another name in her little red book when she saw headlights approaching. It was easy to tell they were from a sports car. A sudden, low heat began spreading in her belly, and she frowned. Why was Dalton an ache even when he was a good twenty feet or more away, tucked safely inside his own vehicle? Just the thought of him approaching was making her body feel some pretty weird stuff, and that wasn’t good. Maybe this wasn’t the best night to have any type of conversation with him, after all. Tomorrow would be better, perhaps, when she could get control of her senses. Or maybe after she’d gotten laid.

As she watched his car turn into the condo complex, she knew excuses wouldn’t work. She was here and fired up to talk, and she wouldn’t back down. She needed to say what she wanted to say now, whether he wanted to hear it or not. She could handle this. She could handle him.

But as she watched him open his car door to get out, one leg at a time, and saw how each powerfully built thigh eased from the red two-seater, her throat suddenly went dry. And got even drier when he began walking toward his front door with that sensuous strut he could do so well, full of cool sophistication and overflowing with sexiness. He was wearing an Armani suit, and there was that air of natural confidence and casual arrogance that he exuded like no other man she knew. It turned her on when it should be turning her off. It was at times like these when she really got frustrated with herself. The very thought that her body would respond to anything about him was totally exasperating.

And here she was, outside his house, sitting in her car, determined to follow through with her mission to set the tone for a peaceful truce. She despised him; that couldn’t be helped, nor would it ever change. But for her sister and his brother, they could at least tolerate each other during those few times they were in each other’s company. She was willing to make the sacrifice and hoped he would be, too.

Knowing she needed to get it over with, confront Dalton and have her say, Jules was about to unbuckle her seat belt when she noticed a car pull up, a black sedan with tinted windows. Its approach was timed perfectly to when Dalton reached his door, opened it and went inside his condo. Only then did the driver slide the vehicle into a parking spot that provided a perfect view of Dalton’s front door. Maybe the driver lived in the complex, as well, but she had a gut feeling that something wasn’t right...so she waited.

When the driver of the vehicle killed his engine and didn’t make a move to get out of the car, she knew Dalton had been followed. Jules had been on enough investigations to recognize a tail when she saw one. Why had someone followed Dalton home just to sit there parked? Watching? Waiting?

She knew all about the Grangers’ background. About how their father, Sheppard Granger, was in prison serving time for killing their mother, although all three sons were adamant he was innocent. Just over a month ago someone had kidnapped Jace and was intent on killing him—not to mention that it was only a few weeks ago that someone had tried to run Caden down and kill him, as well. All were unrelated incidents but with the same purpose. Based on these facts, the idea that someone was following Dalton was highly suspicious.

And why should she care? He was definitely not her favorite person, and if someone had it in for him, then that person could stand in line behind her. But in reality, she knew there was logic and there was reason, and her mind couldn’t separate the two. Despite how she felt about him, if Dalton was in any kind of danger, she had to react. She blamed it on her days of being a cop, when protecting someone’s life had been her calling.

On instinct, she scanned her surroundings, this time with a different eye. If she got out of her car, whoever had followed Dalton would see her. That meant she couldn’t circle around on foot and catch the person off guard. She didn’t know if she was dealing with a man or a woman. All she knew was that not only had the person followed Dalton home, but also it seemed as if he had Dalton under surveillance and was settled in for the night. She knew she was right a short while later when Dalton had turned off all the lights, yet the vehicle did not move. Did the driver assume Dalton would be leaving again to go elsewhere?

Jules glanced at her watch. Although she had no earthly idea about Dalton’s social calendar, it was after eleven. Most people who worked the next day would be settled in for the night. But then, she wasn’t dealing with most people. She was dealing with Dalton Granger, who thought his single status and good looks gave him the right to any woman he wanted. The man who frequented nightclubs to pick up women, regardless of the day of the week or the time of day. The same man who could make her see red faster than any man she knew.

She scanned up and down the street again. Her car windows were tinted, but if the driver of the vehicle was observant, he would have noticed her car was running. It wouldn’t take long for him to begin wondering the same thing about her that she was wondering about him. Why was she just sitting in a car and not getting out?

Jules nibbled on her bottom lip as she came up with a plan, one that could expose the person who’d followed Dalton home. Reaching under her seat, she retrieved her gun. Once she had her loaded Glock securely in her hand, she tucked it inside the inner pocket of her coat. Now she was ready to handle business. She would pretend to be one of Dalton’s late-night visitors. For Dalton, that would definitely be believable. After quickly apprising him of the situation, she would leave his condo through a back entrance. That way, she could circle around the building and catch the person in the black car by surprise.

* * *

Dalton hugged the pillow to his head to drown out the insistent ringing of his doorbell. What the hell? He’d been in the middle of the most sinfully erotic dream and didn’t appreciate having it come to an end. Who in their right mind would be at his door at this time of night?

He hoped Jace and Shana hadn’t had their first big fight so Jace wanted to sleep on his sofa. That wouldn’t be happening, so he might as well take his ass over to Sutton Hills. Dalton would love to be there when his brother explained to their long-time housekeeper, Hannah, why he was back already.

But then, it might not be Jace. It could very well be Caden at his door, Dalton thought, angrily getting out of bed and grabbing his robe. Then Caden’s ass could go to Sutton Hills, as well. Nobody told them to get married, and he wasn’t running a damned boarding house.

When he reached his front door, he peered through the peephole and blinked. Jules Bradford? Shit, he must be seeing things. There was no way the very woman he’d been dreaming about moments earlier was standing outside on his doorstep. He looked through the peephole again. Miss Whirlwind? She wasn’t an illusion. His porch light was clearly shining on her.

He cautiously opened the door, and the moment he did, she threw herself in his arms and whispered, “Pretend you’re kissing me.”

That request earned a brazen chuckle from deep in his throat. Why pretend? Unable to resist, he pulled her into his arms, lowered his mouth to hers and used his foot to slam the door shut behind her.

Four

Jules heard a throaty growl just seconds before Dalton’s mouth connected with hers. She had been about to push him away, but that was before his tongue had tangled with hers, before his scent had filled her nostrils, before she could feel the brush of his fingertips across the side of her neck.

This kiss was only supposed to be pretend. So why were they locking lips? Why had that greedy sigh slid from her throat, and why on Earth was she kissing him back? It might have everything to do with the way his tongue was dominating hers, stroking it into submission while sending erogenous shivers through her body. What kind of kiss had the ability to do that?

Before she could answer, he shifted his body and she felt him, even through her leather coat. His hard thighs definitely had an erection between them, and that erection was sending one hell of a need spiraling through every part of her body, making their mouths devour each other even more greedily.

Pangs of sensual hunger shot through her at the same time a powerful rush of emotions thrust her into deeper submission. It would not have been so bad if she hadn’t spent the past three months dreaming about kissing him, fantasizing about how he tasted, how he would use his tongue. She’d imagined his manly scent was imbued into his skin, and she knew the only way to find out would be to taste him. The thought of her tongue coming into contact with his flesh sent sensuous shivers escalating all through her. This was her punishment for allowing him to invade her dreams at night. Now that she was sampling what she’d fantasized about, she was finding it hard to regain control.

He sank his mouth deeper into hers, and before she could wonder how he’d managed to do such a thing, she heard herself purr. Purr? No man had ever made her purr.

The kiss suddenly ended, and she felt herself swept off her feet into strong arms. He stared down at her with eyes glistening with lust, and his mouth curved into a sexy smile. “I figured you’d come to me sooner or later, when horniness got the best of you,” he said before leaning down to take her mouth again.

This time she did have the sense to push him away and quickly scrambled out of his arms. “I told you to pretend to kiss me, you ass.” She was tempted to lick her lips but refused to give him the satisfaction.

Before she could blink, he had her body pinned to the door, holding her arms above her head. How had that happened? Her reflexes were normally good, right on point. His move had been too swift and had caught her off guard. She could lift her leg and knee him in the balls but, for some reason, damaging him there was something she just couldn’t make herself do, especially after coming into contact with such a robust erection.

He was glaring down at her with eyes filled with anger. “I don’t know why you showed up here at this hour, Jules, with a fucking request about pretending to kiss you, but I’m warning you of two things. Never call me an ass again, and never ever tell me to go fuck myself.”

She glared back. “And if I do?”

He leaned in, his face just inches from hers. “It would be a real shame, since that beautiful mouth should be used in far more interesting ways than saying unladylike things. I’d love to let you try it out on me.” He grinned, a little of the predator showing through, but well in check.

She drew in a deep breath while slowly raising her knee, deciding maybe she should shove him in the balls, after all. “And I wouldn’t do that, if I were you,” he warned. “I happen to like my jewels and would retaliate if any harm came to them.”

However, to be on the safe side, he released her and took a step back as piercing dark eyes stared up at him. “So if you aren’t here to give me the one thing I want from you, then why are you here?”

His question made her remember why she was here, and she pulled the Glock from inside her coat.

“Damn! Why do you have a gun?” he asked, backing up even more. “This anomisity between us isn’t that serious. Let’s talk about it.”

“I don’t have a lot of time to explain things, Dalton. I need to use the back entrance to your place and—”

“What the hell is going on?”

Already, her eyes were scanning his condo. It was as elegant on the inside as it was on the outside. She spotted the kitchen and moved toward it. “Can’t talk now. I’ll fill you in later.”

He blocked her path. “Like hell you will. You can’t show up at my place at almost midnight, ask me to pretend to kiss you, pull out a gun and then ask to see my back door.”

She had to agree the situation did seem weird. “You’ve been followed.”

“What?”

“I said, you were followed tonight.”

Penetrating eyes stared down at her, and she had to fight against just how achingly handsome he was standing there in his silk bathrobe. She couldn’t help wondering if he had any clothing on underneath it.

“I was followed?”

“Yes.”

“And you know this how?” he asked, crossing powerful arms over his chest, making his robe rise a little, exposing powerful legs, hard thighs and an erection that hadn’t gone down.

“I was parked outside, waiting for you to come home.” When she saw a semblance of heat flare in his eyes, she decided to explain herself before he thought the wrong thing. “Shana mentioned earlier today that you weren’t coming to her dinner party Saturday night. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why. So I felt the two of us needed to discuss it.”

“There’s nothing to discuss. If you were going to be there, then I wasn’t. Now back to the part about why you thought I was followed.”

She was about to call him an ass again but remembered his warning. “I’m a PI, Dalton. I can recognize a tail. In fact, the person is still parked out there. I plan to go out through your back door and catch him by surprise.”

Her story sounded too far-fetched to have been made up. He’d been followed? Hadn’t he been getting an eerie feeling about that lately? He stared at her. “You sure?”

“Positive. Now I need to—”

“Wait.”

“Like hell I’ll wait, and don’t suggest we call the police,” she said. “I used to be a cop. I can handle this.”

From the way she was handling that Glock, he believed her. But still, if someone was out there, it might be a foe of the USN, the United Security Network. A few years ago, he’d worked as an agent for the United States Government while living in Europe. No one knew...except for Lady Victoria Bowman, one of his former lovers, but his secret was safe with her. His brothers didn’t even know of his involvement with the USN, and his identity and role in the agency was never to be revealed. But what if it had been?

“I need to get dressed,” he said, moving toward his bedroom. “Your assumption that I was followed might be a misunderstanding.”

“Why?”

Jules was asking too many damned questions. “Just sit tight for a second. If the person is just sitting there, that means he won’t be going anywhere.” He closed his bedroom door behind him and quickly began dialing a number he’d hoped he had no reason to ever call again.

A gruff voice came on the line. “It’s late, Granger.”

“That’s too fucking bad. I was followed tonight,” Dalton said, tossing off his robe and grabbing a pair of jeans and shirt from his closet.

There was a pause, and the voice that asked the next question was now alert, attentive. “You’re sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Okay. Give me less than five and I’ll call you back.”

“All right.” Dalton hung up the phone. He finished dressing and was slipping into his shoes when he got a call back...in less than five. “Okay, what’s the deal?” he asked.

“Nothing on our end. If you’re being followed, it has nothing to do with us.”

Dalton wasn’t sure whether he should feel relieved or exasperated.

“You must have pissed someone off, Granger.”

The only person he knew he’d pissed off was presently standing in his living room. “Possibly.”

“Take my advice. Find out what’s going on and deal with it before it deals with you. If you need me for anything, let me know.”

He nodded. “Okay. Thanks.” He then opened the drawer to his nightstand and pulled out his own pistol. A Glock that was just as impressive as the one Jules had. He tucked it inside his jeans as he left his bedroom. Entering the living room, he found her pacing the floor. Even when pacing she had that sexy walk that could make his entire body go hard. He tried not to focus on how good she looked in her black leather trench coat and matching boots. The belt enhanced her small waistline. It didn’t take much to remember how she’d looked the two times he’d seen her at that nightclub. He knew how her clothes fit beneath that coat and was tempted to forget whoever was following him, cross the room and strip every stitch of clothing off her body.

She turned around and glared when she saw his gun. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“What does it look like? You got your gun, I got mine.”

She rolled her eyes. “This is not show and tell. Do you even know how to use that thing?”

“Probably just as well as you.”

He could tell that his boast had her curious. “If that’s true, then you have some explaining to do.”

Thinking he’d said enough, possibly too much, he turned toward the kitchen. “Let’s go. I hope you’re not making this shit up.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Just to find an excuse to make a booty call. You did let me kiss you.”

“I told you to pretend. You took advantage of me,” she snapped.

“And at what point did you tell me to stop? You could have pushed me away. Bitten my tongue. Scratched my face. But you did none of those things, which leads me to believe you wanted to be kissed.”

“Like hell.”

“I’d like to think I gave you a little bit of heaven, instead.”

Ignoring her curse words, he moved toward his back door. Instead of concentrating on the potential danger outside, he was thinking about their kiss. Why had she tasted so damned good? And her womanly scent had only intensified his desire for her.

“Look, Dalton. Just stay back and let me handle this,” she said, quickly moving in front of him.

“If the person was following me, then I want to know who it is and why. We expose him together or not at all.”

“Fine,” she snapped. “We’ve wasted enough time already. Just follow my lead.”

“Whatever,” he drawled, holding the door open.

She slid out the door into the darkness. A quick glance over her shoulder indicated he was right there, close behind. A little too close for comfort, especially when she could feel his heat through her coat.

And like hers, his gun was drawn and ready.

* * *

“Stonewall, I told you that Bobby is handling things, so relax.”

Stonewall Courson paused from pacing in front of Roland Summers’s desk. Roland was the owner of Summers Security Firm where Stonewall had worked off and on for the past ten years. Although Roland was his boss, he was also a good friend. “I just have a gut feeling that something isn’t right.”

Almost a month ago, Stonewall and his friends Quasar Patterson and Striker Jennings had taken on the duties of undercover bodyguards for the sons of Sheppard Granger, a man whom they’d met while serving time in prison. Shep had quickly become more than just a fellow inmate to the three of them. He had become the father they’d never had, a role model they could look up to and a mentor they admired. So when word got out that his sons needed protection, Stonewall, Quasar and Striker had volunteered for the job. The hard part was making sure no one knew, not even the sons themselves.

Quasar Patterson, who was in charge of protecting Jace, the oldest Granger son, was still bragging about the two weeks he’d spent in South Africa, although he did say Jace and his wife stayed inside their hotel room most of the time. After all, they had been on their honeymoon. And Striker Jennings was protecting Caden, although nothing was happening there, either. At least not since the attempt on Caden’s life last month. According to Striker, Caden had settled into his wife’s place over her wine boutique, and when they weren’t working, the couple preferred staying inside most of the time.

Stonewall had been assigned to Shep’s youngest son, Dalton. He was the real challenge, since Dalton was a party animal who liked frequenting the clubs. He liked women. At times had a restless soul and would eliminate fidgeting by driving that sports car, sometimes breaking the speed limit, on the interstate during the middle of the night when most police officers were somewhere getting their fill of donuts and coffee.

Tonight had been Stonewall’s grandmother’s seventieth birthday, and his sister had thrown a private party at a local restaurant. She’d threatened to do him bodily harm if he didn’t show up. He’d been replaced tonight with Bobby Turner. It wasn’t that Bobby wasn’t good or dependable, but he was young and not as experienced.

“Your gut feeling is probably nothing more than exhaustion, Stonewall. You, Quasar and Striker have been protecting Shep’s sons for over a month now with barely a break.”

Stonewall remembered when they’d begun. It was right after Sheppard Granger had received a mysterious email on the prison computer, warning him that his three sons’ lives were in danger. He’d told his attorney, Carson Boyett, to hire bodyguards, and she’d called Roland. Since Roland, who’d also been an inmate in jail with them at one time, had known of their relationship with Shep, he had mentioned it to them, and they’d readily taken the job.

“You could be right,” Stonewall said, sliding into the chair across from Roland’s desk. “But I’d rather not leave just yet. Think I’ll grab a few hours of sleep downstairs.”

Roland had a cot room for any of his men who needed power naps between jobs. “Okay. You aren’t scheduled to switch off with Bobby until the morning. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll check with Bobby to see how things are going,” Roland said, picking up the phone.

Bobby answered on the first ring, and Roland placed the call on speaker. “Got Stonewall here. We just want to know how your night is going.”

“Boring as shit,” Bobby replied. “The best part was trying to keep up with him on the expressway and not be seen. He finally decided to call it a night, thank goodness. However, I did notice a car parked across the street with the engine running when we pulled up. I planned to check it out but didn’t have to.”

“Why?” Roland asked. “Did the person drive off?”

“No, it was a woman making a booty call to Granger.”

Stonewall frowned as he eased up out of his chair. “How do you know that’s what she was doing?”

“Because he opened the door for her and before she could get inside he was shoving his tongue down her throat.” Bobby chuckled.

Stonewall shook his head. “During all my time guarding Dalton Granger, there’s never been a woman to show up at his place.”

“Then she must be hot enough to earn an invitation,” Bobby countered. “Even though she was wearing a coat, I could tell she’s hot. Besides, there’s a first time for everything, and like I said, she didn’t force her way inside. From what I saw, he was already kissing her before the door slammed shut.”

“I don’t like it. Is she still there?” Stonewall asked, beginning to pace again.

“Yep. And she probably won’t be leaving for a while yet. I figured after giving his living room a good workout they’ll head for the bedroom and—”

Suddenly, a commotion and loud voices could be heard in the background. A woman was shouting an order to Bobby, “Get out of the car. Now!”

Roland glanced over at Stonewall, who was already rushing toward the door. “I’ll call Carson on the way there. She’ll want to know about this,” he said, grabbing his gun from the top desk drawer and quickly following Stonewall.

Five

Bobby Turner found it hard to think with two Glocks staring him in the face. What the hell happened? How had his cover been blown? And from the questions the two were firing at him, it had been blown to smithereens. He recognized the man as Dalton Granger, the person he was supposed to be protecting. However, he had no idea who the woman was, other than the one he’d assumed had been making a booty call.

“You have two seconds to tell me who you are and why you were following me,” Dalton snarled, eyes locked on Bobby.

Two seconds? He had to be kidding, Bobby thought, sweating profusely. When Dalton inched the gun closer, aiming right between his eyes, Bobby knew he wasn’t kidding, after all. “I wasn’t following you,” he stammered, barely able to get the words out. He hoped Roland and Stonewall had figured out what was going on. At twenty-four, he was too young to die, and from the look in Granger’s eyes, he was as good as dead.

“I told you to let me handle this, Dalton,” the woman snapped.

Not taking his eyes off Bobby, Granger snapped back, “I can take care of my own business.”

“Ha!” The woman gave a snorted laugh. “You didn’t even know you’d been followed until I told you.”

Bobby watched Granger’s jaw tighten. Evidently, he hadn’t liked being reminded of that. “Whatever.” Dalton’s features hardened even more at Bobby. “Are you going to answer my question? Why were you following me?”

Bobby knew he had to think fast. “I wasn’t following you. My name is Bobby, and I have a girlfriend who lives in one of these condos. I was just sitting here keeping a watch out for her.” He’d given his real first name just in case they asked to see his driver’s license.

“Then you’re a stalker,” the woman accused, inching her gun closer to his forehead.

“No, I’m not a stalker. Just a concerned boyfriend.” He knew his story sounded as unbelievable as shit, but for the time being, he was sticking to it.

“What’s her name?” Dalton threw the question out at him.

Bobby frowned. “Whose name?”

“Your girlfriend. I want to validate your story.”

Bobby rolled his eyes as best he could with two Glocks pointed at him. “Come on, man. You think you know every person who lives around here?”

The woman snorted. “If she’s a female, he probably knows her.”

Bobby watched Dalton switch his gaze to glare over at the woman. “I told you I had this, Jules, so go home.”

“Like hell I will.”

Bobby drew in a deep breath. Were these the same two he’d seen kissing earlier? Evidently, they’d never made it to the bedroom.

“I can put you in your car, you know,” Dalton snarled over at the woman he’d called Jules.

She lifted her chin. “I’d like to see you try.”

Bobby’s heart missed a beat. Were they actually standing here having a heated argument while holding guns on him? What if one of their fingers slipped and the gun accidentally fired? Shit. People would be reading about his dead ass in the papers tomorrow morning.

“Excuse me.”

Both Dalton and Jules stopped glaring at each other long enough to turn their attention back to him, snapping simultaneously, “What?”

“If you don’t believe me, then I suggest you call the police,” Bobby said, hoping they wouldn’t take his suggestion. “At the moment, I’d feel safer in their hands than yours.”

“We couldn’t care less how you feel,” Dalton snapped angrily. “If you have a girlfriend who lives around here, then give me a name or tell me why you were following me.”

“I can answer that for you, Mr. Granger.”

Dalton jerked around at the sound of the feminine voice to find a woman standing within ten feet of them with two big guys by her side. Where the hell had they come from? He quickly switched his aim from the man who’d claimed his name was Bobby to the trio, grateful Jules had taken stock of the situation, as well, and, like him, wasn’t taking any chances. She kept her gun aimed directly on Bobby while he kept his leveled on the three.

“And just what can you tell me, Ms....?”

“Boyett,” she said easily. “Carson Boyett.”

Dalton frowned. Where had he heard that name before? He tossed the question around in his mind a few times, and then he remembered. It had come up during a conversation he’d had earlier that day with Jace and Caden. They had been discussing how to go about getting their father freed from jail. Jace had mentioned a man by the name of Carson Boyett...but this was no man. This was a very attractive woman.

“Wait a minute,” he said slowly, staring at her. “Carson Boyett is...” He found it hard to get the words out as it hit him just who she was. She took pity on him and completed what he was hesitant to say.

“Sheppard Granger’s attorney.”

He lowered his gun. Shocked. “But we...my brothers and I assumed you were a man.”

She chuckled softly. “But, as you can see, that’s not the case.”

“Hey, not so fast,” Jules spoke up, operating on the side of caution. She glared at Dalton, not surprised he was being taken in by a pretty face. “Let’s see some ID. Now!”

Carson Boyett nodded as a wry smile touched her lips. “You’re cautious. I like that. I’m going to need to stick my hand into the pocket of my jacket to get it.”

“Fine. I suggest you do it slowly and easily, or Bobby here won’t live to see tomorrow.” Jules inched her gun closer to Bobby’s skull. “And I’m warning the two of you,” she said to the men standing beside Carson. “I suggest you not try any funny business, either.”

If Dalton didn’t find it odd that his father’s attorney had two large, muscled men in tow, Jules certainly did. And what woman looked this put together in the middle of the night? Not a hair on Carson Boyett’s head was out of place. She was wearing a business suit and was well dressed, neat as a pin. It was cold outside, but she wasn’t wearing a coat. Jules wondered if that was intentional to show her toughness, her ability to endure what others might find grueling.

She figured the woman’s age to be in her midforties, if that. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw that Dalton was checking the woman out, as well...but probably for entirely different reasons.

Annoyed, she leaned over to him and whispered, “I heard you had a thing for older women, but need I remind you that something serious is going on here?”

He had the nerve to chuckle. “Jealous?” he whispered back.

“Hardly.”

“Here you are,” Carson said, breaking into their private conversation, moving forward slowly and reaching out to hand her driver’s license to Dalton.

He took it and scanned it a moment before handing it to Jules. “And who are these men with you?” Dalton wanted to know, feeling comfortable enough that he tucked his gun back inside his jeans.

Carson hesitated a minute before answering. “Roland Summers on my right and Stonewall Courson on my left. They are friends.”

Jules, who hadn’t reached that level of ease with them, kept her gun aimed on Bobby. “Friends?” she asked with a chuckle, while rolling her eyes. “Surely you can do better than that. Why would friends be hanging out at this time of night?”

A smile touched Carson’s lips. “I could ask the two of you the same thing.”

Dalton snorted. “Trust me. We aren’t friends.”

“They most certainly aren’t,” Bobby chimed in rather loudly.

Jules glared as she finally lowered her gun, ignoring Bobby’s deep sigh of relief. “You claim you can explain why this guy was following Dalton.” She decided they needed to stick to the business at hand.

“Yes, I can explain,” Carson said calmly. “But I think it would be best if we go inside. And although it’s rather late, I believe Jace and Caden Granger should be included in this conversation, as well.”

Six

Dalton opened the door to find his brothers standing there...with their wives. He knew Jace and Caden had questions and wanted answers. When he’d called, the only thing he’d said was that he’d been followed that night and that their father’s attorney was going to explain why. He wanted them to get their asses over to his place as soon as possible. That had been less than twenty minutes ago, so they’d made good time.

“Come on in,” he said, stepping aside. “Boyett will explain everything.”

Being the gentlemen they were, of course, his brothers stood back to let their wives enter first. That gave Dalton a chance to pull Jace and Caden aside. “Why are Wonder Woman and Wine Lady here? What Boyett has to say might be private.”

Jace rolled his eyes. “Privacy is not an issue when it comes to our wives, Dalton. They’re now part of this family, so get over it.”

Dalton drew in a deep breath. He was over it, since being married was what they’d undoubtedly wanted. But he hadn’t gotten used to having additional players in their family business, especially when it concerned their father. Hell, he’d tried sending Jules home, but she had refused to leave. Since she was the one who’d nailed the fact he’d been followed, he had allowed her to stay.

“Jules? You’re here?” he heard Shana ask her sister, surprised.

From the look on his brothers’ faces, they were surprised, as well. Caden leaned in to whisper, “You questioned us about bringing our wives, yet Jules is here? A woman you claim you can’t stand?”

Dalton frowned. “She’s not here by choice, trust me. And I can’t stand her. Nothing has changed.”

“Then why is she here?” Jace asked with a speculative look on his face.

“Not for the reasons you think. All of your questions will be answered soon, so come on and join the club.” He couldn’t wait to see the expressions on his brothers’ faces when they discovered that Carson Boyett was a woman.

Dalton quickly moved to stand in the center of his living room. Deciding not to delay the introductions, he said, “Everyone, I’d like you to meet Roland Summers, Stonewall Courson, Carson Boyett and Bobby Turner. As you know, Carson is Dad’s attorney and has information to share with us.”

His brothers and their wives glanced at the three men expectantly, having assumed that Bobby Turner was the female. Dalton couldn’t help but chuckle when Carson moved forward and presented her hand to Jace. “I’m glad we’re finally meeting. Your father speaks highly of his sons.”

The shock on their faces was priceless. “You’re Carson Boyett?” Jace asked, stunned. “Dad never said you were a woman.”

“That must be true since Dalton had the same reaction,” Carson said, grinning. “You’ll need to mention that to Sheppard next time you see him.”

“He fired his former attorney, Jess Washington,” Caden said, eyeing Carson curiously. “He never said why. Granddad didn’t, either.”

Carson nodded. “Yes, he felt Washington didn’t do a good job representing him at the trial. And now he’s wondering whether it was intentional, since Vidal Duncan was the one who recommended Washington.”

Jace shrugged. “Duncan recommended Shana,” he said, smiling over at his wife. “And she worked out just great for Granger Aeronautics.”

“Yes, but he had an ulterior motive in making sure that I did,” Shana reminded her husband.

Caden glanced over at the other three men. “So who are you three?”

“They’re friends of mine,” Carson said. “They are also friends of your father.”

Dalton frowned. “Since when?”

Roland chuckled. “I’ve known your father since Carson became his attorney. He was going into the slammer just as I was getting out, so our paths never crossed.”

“You served time in jail?” Caden asked, beating Dalton to the punch.

“Yes. We all have.”

“Not me,” Bobby Turner spoke up proudly. “My record’s clean.”

“Yes, Bobby, it is, and we want to make sure it stays that way,” Roland replied.

“You met Dad through Carson, too?” Dalton asked the man called Stonewall. There was something about him that reminded Dalton of several agents he’d worked with while in the USN. Stonewall had very little to say, but Dalton knew not to take his silence lightly. He’d been sizing things up, and in a way, that made Dalton a little uncomfortable. He looked like the type of man you wouldn’t want to cross. Although Roland Summers wasn’t a small man, either; Stonewall stood at least an inch or two over him. And although both were muscular compared to Bobby’s slim frame, Stonewall looked a lot more edgy—dangerous and threatening.

“No, I met Shep when we served time together at Glenworth,” Stonewall said.

“You were at Glenworth?” Jace asked, studying the man.

“Yes.”

“Why?” Dalton asked, as if he had a right to know. He knew Glenworth Penitentiary, the prison where his father had served time for ten years before being sent to Delvers Prison. It wasn’t an Alcatraz but was known to house hardened criminals, those locked up for long periods of time and considered a definite menace to society, like murderers, bank robbers and habitual offenders. Dalton wondered which category Stonewall fell in.

Stonewall crossed his arms over his chest. “Doesn’t matter why I was there. Thanks to Shep, I’m no longer a convict,” he said in a voice that sounded as dangerous as he looked.

“Dad got you out?” Caden asked.

Stonewall’s lips curved at the corners. It was a smile that nobody saw coming. “In a manner of speaking. He kept me out of trouble. Without Shep at Glenworth, there’s no doubt in my mind I would have killed several guards and inmates by now.”

Shit! What sort of men had Dad associated with while at Glenworth? Dalton knew all about his father’s ten years at Glenworth and that Sheppard Granger had been a model prisoner. Hell, he’d even started a number of positive programs for the inmates, such as Toastmasters, Future Leaders of Tomorrow and a GED program. His efforts had been successful and were recognized by the media and even the governor himself. But then, his father had always been a born leader, a man admired and respected. That wouldn’t change just because a fucking jury found him guilty of a crime he hadn’t committed. Five years ago, on the recommendation of the warden at Glenworth, the governor had approved Sheppard’s transfer to Delvers, a prison that housed less-serious offenders.

Dalton knew he wasn’t imagining things. The room had grown silent. It seemed that everyone, especially his brothers and their wives, were speechless after the man’s blatant admission. However, he did notice that Stonewall’s testimonial didn’t seem to faze Carson, Bobby or Roland at all. Moments later, after clearing his throat, Jace turned to Carson. “I’m trying to understand what’s going on. Dalton said he was followed tonight and that you can tell us all why.”

Carson nodded, and a light smile touched her lips. “Yes, and I suggest we all sit down. You are all tall men, and I’ll get a neck ache looking up at you guys.”

Dalton nodded. Although his condo was a nice size, the living room didn’t have seating for ten people. “I’ll grab some additional chairs from the dining room.”

It didn’t take long for everyone to be seated. The Grangers turned expectant eyes to Carson. She was about to speak when Dalton’s doorbell rang. “Who in the hell can that be?” Dalton asked, standing.

“That’s probably my other two men,” Roland offered.

“Former inmates, as well?” Dalton couldn’t help asking, considering what they’d been told so far.

“Yes.”

Dalton frowned as he headed for the door. His gaze met Jules’s, and somehow he could decipher her thoughts, which were identical to his own. Jeez. What was this? The meeting of the former criminals club? What type of business was Roland Summers operating with employees...including Roland himself...who were former inmates at Glenworth? And why was his dad’s attorney involved with them? Dalton didn’t know about his brothers, but he wasn’t feeling too good about this. And what was going on with his and Jules’s thoughts connecting? How did that happen...and why? That was scary as hell. So far she hadn’t had anything to say, but he knew she was listening attentively and carefully observing everything that was going on. So was he. He couldn’t wait to hear what Carson Boyett had to say.

He opened his door to find two tall, muscular men standing there. They looked like real ass-kickers. “Yes?”

“We’re here for Carson’s meeting,” one of the men said, seeming to stare him down.

Dalton started to ask for their names and even thought of asking them to present their ID. But what would be the point? It was late. He wasn’t in the mood, and he had a feeling they weren’t, either. So he just moved aside and said, “Welcome to the party.” He led them toward the living room.

The moment they entered the living room, Caden glanced their way and was out of his seat in a flash. “Striker?”

Striker? Dalton glanced at the men behind him, and one of them actually smiled.

“Yeah, man, it’s me.”

“Wait a minute.” Jace stood and glanced at Caden and then back at the man Caden had just called by name. “Isn’t that the name of the guy who saved your life that night Grover tried to run you over?”

“Yes,” Caden said, nodding. He then looked over at Carson. “I want to know what’s going on.”

Carson inhaled deeply. “What’s going on is that your father believed your lives were in danger, and he requested bodyguards be assigned to each of you,” she said, addressing the three brothers.

“What?” the Grangers and the wives asked simultaneously, not believing what they were hearing.

“Are you kidding us?” Dalton asked. “Why would Dad think that? Was this before or after that attempt was made on Jace’s life?”

“After. Someone sent him an email in prison and told him that if the three of you reopened his case, bodily harm would come to you. He felt he wasn’t in a position to call the person’s bluff, so he told me what to do.”

“Trust me,” the man standing beside Striker said. “Had I been there, that bastard wouldn’t have gotten close to you, Jace.”

“But you were there,” Caden said, staring over at Striker. “And you didn’t happen to be out walking like you claimed, did you? You were guarding me that night.”

Striker nodded. “Yes.”

“You saved my life. You pushed me aside—would have taken the hit to protect me.” Caden shook his head slowly. “Amazing. You would have lost your life for a job.”

“No,” Striker said, holding Caden’s gaze. “Not for a job. For Shep. I would do just about anything for that man, especially protect his sons. Your father is one of a kind.”

Thinking the mood was getting kind of sappy, Dalton said in a lighthearted tone, “Don’t tell us that Dad kept you from killing guards and fellow inmates, too.”

Striker moved his gaze from Caden to Dalton. “No, he didn’t keep me from killing any of the prison guards or fellow inmates. What he did was keep me from killing Stonewall.”

Dalton’s throat tightened. Damn, the man was serious. He couldn’t imagine his father keeping Stonewall and this man called Striker from coming to blows. There was a lull in the conversation in the room, and he understood why...at least with his brothers. They were probably wondering how their father had endured being incarcerated for fifteen years.

He switched his gaze from Striker to the big hulk of a guy standing beside him. “And you are?”

“Quasar. Quasar Patterson.”

Dalton decided not to ask what Shep had kept him from doing. Instead, he asked, “And you’ve been guarding my brother? Jace?”

“Yes, ever since Roland told us what Shep wanted.” He chuckled. “Nice honeymoon, by the way. I enjoyed South Africa.”

“Let me make sure I understand what you’re saying,” Jules said.

Dalton rolled his eyes. Why did she feel the need to clarify anything? She wasn’t in the family, so she needed to just keep her mouth shut like she had been doing up to this point. He was about to say so, but when he glanced at Jace, he got his older brother’s warning glance and held his tongue.

“Are you saying that someone sent Sheppard Granger an email threatening to do bodily harm to his sons if they reopened his case?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying,” Carson said, meeting Jules’s intense stare. “Sheppard immediately requested that I hire bodyguards. I agreed to do so with the understanding that if a situation came up in which I needed to reveal the truth to his sons, I could make that call.”

“And you made that call tonight,” Jules clarified, understanding completely.

“Yes. Bobby’s cover had been blown, so I had no choice.”

“Who wouldn’t want Jace, Caden and Dalton to reopen their father’s case?” Shana asked.

“Sheppard has no idea, but he wasn’t writing the email off as a prank. He loves his sons too much to do that.”

“So Quasar has been guarding Jace, Striker has been guarding Caden and Stonewall has been guarding Dalton?” Caden’s wife, Shiloh, confirmed.

“Except for tonight,” Stonewall answered. “I had personal business to tend to, and Bobby was my replacement.”

“And I made a mess of things,” Bobby said, with regret in his voice. “I should have been more cautious.”

“You were cautious,” Jules reassured him. “But I’m a private investigator and an ex-cop. I’m suspicious by nature. When Dalton arrived home, it was easy for me to pick up on the fact that you had followed him. Someone else might not have noticed. Dalton clearly didn’t.”

She would have to remind him of that in front of everyone, Dalton thought, frowning. He knew how to fix that. “Had I known you were parked outside in the cold waiting on me, Jules, I would have hurried home,” he said in a deliberately seductive tone.

“Yeah,” Bobby chimed in, grinning. “If you ask me, that was some kiss you laid on her before she could even get inside your house.”

Dalton frowned. Well, nobody asked him. He didn’t have to meet anyone’s gaze to know their eyes were on him and Jules. Speculating. Wondering. Assuming. He glanced over at Carson. It was time to get the conversation back on track.

“Regardless of that email my father received, we’re reopening his case. My brothers and I have already discussed it.”

Carson shook her head. “Sheppard won’t allow it. Like I said, he won’t take a chance with your lives.”

“Why would anyone not want Sheppard Granger cleared?” Jules asked, her mind turning with all kinds of questions. Dalton could see it in her eyes. Spinning like a whirlwind. Just like the name he’d given her.

“Only Sheppard can tell you why he assumes that,” Carson said after a brief hesitation.

“Doesn’t matter,” Dalton said matter-of-factly. “Dad has served fifteen years in prison too long. Granddad made us promise to do what we could to get him out.”

Carson shook her head. “Sheppard wouldn’t want you to do that. He’ll be eligible for parole in a few—”

“We don’t care about that,” Caden interjected. “He didn’t kill our mother, and it’s time we proved it.”

“He does not want the case reopened,” Carson stressed again.

“Do you think we’re wrong in wanting to clear our father?” Dalton asked.

“No, but my client doesn’t want—”

“What do you think?” Jace interrupted.

“It’s not what I think. It’s what my client wants.”

Jace didn’t say anything for a moment. He’d been observing Carson closely, especially during her exchange with Dalton and Caden, but mostly with Dalton as she kept repeating her client’s wishes. He must still be getting over the shock of learning that she was a woman... a very attractive woman. She was all business. Professional. Straight to the point.

Suddenly, something hit Jace in the gut, and he couldn’t help breaking into the conversation to say, “A client you’re in love with.”

The room fell quiet. Everyone stared first at Jace for having the audacity to make such a bold statement, then at Carson, who had yet to deny what he’d said.

Instead, she drew in a deep breath, met Jace’s direct gaze and said, “Yes. I’m in love with Sheppard Granger.”

Seven

“I don’t like this,” Dalton said while pacing Jace’s office the next morning. “Dad should have returned our call by now.”

Caden, who was staring out the window with his hands shoved in his pants pockets, slowly turned around. “Did you honestly expect him to?”

Dalton stopped his pacing. “Yes, why wouldn’t he? You think Warden Smallwood didn’t get the message to him like he said he would?”

Caden braced his hip against the window ledge. “Oh, I’m sure he got the message, but it’s my guess that Dad’s planning his strategy.”

“What strategy?”

“How he plans to deal with us,” Caden replied, running a frustrated hand down his face.

Sitting at his desk, Jace leaned back in his chair and nodded. “I think you’re right, Caden.”

Dalton crossed his arms over his chest. “And why do you think he’s right?”

Jace stood and came around his desk to sit on the edge. “Think about it. We’re dealing with our father, Sheppard Granger. A man who ordered his attorney to hire bodyguards to protect us without letting us know. Bodyguards who even now refuse to back off until he gives the word. We’re dealing with a man who would gladly spend the rest of his days behind bars if he thought doing so would keep us safe. I figure Carson has contacted him. She’s told him about last night’s meeting, and now he’s trying to figure out how to deal with us.”

Caden left his place by the window to stand beside Jace. “And you heard Carson last night just like we did, Dalton. She was adamant about Dad not wanting us to reopen his case.”

Yes, Dalton thought, he had heard Carson; however, he’d been somewhat distracted. Jules’s presence had made it hard for him to concentrate for most of the meeting. After all, whether he wanted to give her credit or not, she had been the one to notice that Bobby had been tailing him. More than once, his attention had been drawn to her against his will. She’d taken off her coat last night, and the black skirt and red blouse she was wearing had grabbed his attention. For once, he’d regretted that red was his favorite color. He’d been aware every single time she’d shifted positions on the sofa. Hell, she’d even crossed those gorgeous legs and all he could think about was how it would feel to get between them. And although he hadn’t been close to her, that hadn’t stopped him from inhaling her scent. And the more her fragrance flowed through his nostrils, the more he’d thought about sex. The-fuck-through-the-night kind.

He jumped when Caden snapped a finger in his face. He frowned. “What did you do that for?”

“Because we were talking to you, asking you a question, and your thoughts were a million miles away.”

“Whatever,” Dalton said, not wanting to admit that they had been. “What question were you asking me?”

“What was Jules doing at your house after midnight?”

He’d wondered when they would get around to asking him about that. “Evidently, I wasn’t the only one not listening to what was being said. I think Jules explained herself. She had been parked in front of my place waiting for me to come home.”

Caden rolled his eyes. “We know that, Dalton. We want to know why.”

Dalton slid into the chair in front of Jace’s desk. He had gotten very little sleep last night and was definitely feeling it. “She heard I wasn’t coming to Shana’s dinner party and thought we should discuss it. Of course, it would have been a total waste of her time.”

“And of course you told her that...after you laid that kiss on her. The one Bobby told everyone about,” Jace said, studying his brother.

Dalton’s mouth curved into a frown. “That guy talks too damned much. It was a kiss that wasn’t supposed to happen. She told me to pretend I was kissing her.”

“And of course, you didn’t pretend.”

A slow smile touched Dalton’s lips. “No, I didn’t.” He couldn’t help remembering how kissing Jules had made him feel. After everyone had finally left last night, he’d gone back to bed determined to pick up on his dream where he’d left off. He hadn’t been able to, because his mind had been filled with memories of their kiss...how she’d tasted and how she’d felt in his arms.

Realizing his brothers were watching him, he decided to get them off the subject of him and Jules. “Now I have a question for you, Jace.”

“What?”

“How on Earth did you know Carson had a thing for Dad?”

Jace chuckled softly. “She doesn’t have a thing for him, Dalton. She’s in love with him. There’s a difference. One day, you’ll realize the difference when you come to know love for yourself, and then you can easily recognize it in someone else.”

“I agree,” Caden chimed in. “I caught on when I noticed the look in her eyes whenever she said Dad’s name. I don’t know what his feelings are for her, but I can say she has very deep feelings for him.”

“I can’t believe you called her out on it,” Dalton said, grinning. “Surprised the hell out of me when you did.”

Jace took a sip of the water sitting on his desk. “I surprised myself. I was out of line in doing that, and I apologized to her before she left last night.” Jace rubbed the back of his neck. “My only excuse is that there were so many shockers revealed last night—Carson being a woman, the fact we’ve had bodyguards for over a month now and that one even went on my honeymoon, and our very professional and business-minded father’s close relationship with Stonewall, Quasar and Striker. I guess I had one of those moments when I felt the need to reveal something for a change.”

Dalton didn’t say anything for a moment, thinking that last night definitely had been one big surprise after another. Carson Boyett was definitely a looker, and he could see his father falling for her. He stood up. “So what do we do about Dad? I think we should just get in the car and drive over to Delvers right now.”

“Oh, so now you want to go see Dad when you haven’t gone to see him in over a month?”

“Stay off my ass, Caden. I had planned to go see Dad this week, but now I’ll do it sooner. Especially since Stonewall, Quasar and Striker won’t let up until Dad gives the word. I was followed to work this morning.”

“So were we,” Jace said, “so stop whining. We need to let Dad work this out for himself. But regardless, we will reopen the case, and I think he knows it. He’s worried, and he has every right to be. Let’s give him the rest of the day, and if we don’t hear from him by then, we’ll go to Delvers tomorrow.”

Both Dalton and Caden nodded their agreement.

* * *

“Well, I must say, Jules, it sounds like you and Shana had a very interesting night,” Ben Bradford said, leaning back in his chair at the kitchen table.

Jules had just finished telling him everything, including the fact that for the past month Sheppard Granger had assigned bodyguards to protect his sons. The ex-cop in Ben thought the three guys were pretty good if they’d gone undetected until now. And he wasn’t surprised it had been Jules who’d figured out Dalton was being followed. He knew she was good at what she did.

“You should have seen Shana’s face when Quasar admitted to having gone to South Africa with them on their honeymoon,” Jules said, grinning.

Ben didn’t say anything as he took another sip of his iced tea. He knew Jules was trying to bring a little humor to the situation, but she knew as well as he did that if Sheppard Granger thought his sons needed protection from professional bodyguards, then things must be pretty serious. It didn’t help matters that by being married to Jace, Shana could also very well be caught in the line of fire.

“I wonder who doesn’t want Sheppard Granger’s case reopened.”

He met Jules’s gaze. He knew that she was doing more than wondering. Her mind had already dissected every piece of information she had heard last night, and in addition to that, she intended to do her own research. This time she was driven by more than mere inquisitiveness—her sister might be in danger.

“I don’t know,” he said, placing his glass of tea aside. Having one daughter who could possibly be in danger was bad enough. He didn’t need two.

“You researched the case, right, Dad?”

Yes, he had done his research when he’d known Shana was marrying Jace. He’d known Jace’s father was in prison for killing Jace’s mother and wanted to know more about it. “Yes, and it seemed pretty cut-and-dried. Sheppard Granger’s fingerprints were found on the murder weapon, and he and his wife had been having marital problems. There was even evidence presented that he was having an affair...although no other woman was named. All they had to go on were hotel receipts.”

Jules rolled her eyes. “Circumstantial evidence. Why wasn’t that part thrown out of court?”

“Not sure. His attorney should have been on top of his game. Doesn’t sound like he was.”

Jules nodded as she took a sip of her lemonade. “The issue of Sheppard Granger’s replacing his attorney with Carson Boyett did come up last night. She admitted Mr. Granger felt that Jess Washington, his previous counsel, didn’t do a good job representing him at the trial. And now it seems that Mr. Granger is wondering whether it was intentional, since Vidal Duncan, the man who tried to kill Jace not long ago, was the one who recommended Washington.”

Ben stood to take his plate to the sink. “Under the circumstances, I would wonder the same thing.”

Jules nodded as she ate the last of the fried fish her father had prepared for their lunch. It had been close to three in the morning when everyone had finally left Dalton’s condo. Instead of driving home, although it was only another ten miles, she’d come here to spend the night, only to find her father had spent the night elsewhere. Since she had a key, she had let herself in and used the guest bedroom as usual.

She glanced over at her dad. He was loading the dishwasher, smiling and whistling. He’d been doing both things a lot lately, so she couldn’t be mad at Mona. She probably should be thanking the woman for her father’s jubilant moods. Ben and Mona had met in the grocery store almost six months ago, although for the life of her, Jules couldn’t imagine her six-foot-three-inch, sixty-two-year-old father hanging around any store long enough to hit on a woman. In her opinion, her father had always been a handsome man, but during all the years after their mom had died, neither she nor Shana had known him to be involved with a woman. Oh, they knew he’d dated once in a while, since she could still recall the packs of condoms she and her sister had found in his drawer one year. But he’d never brought any of those dates home to meet his daughters.

Now, not only had he brought Mona, a college professor at the University of Virginia, home, but he was bringing her to family functions, too, like Shana’s wedding and Sunday dinners. Although Mona was legally blind, there was a fifty-fifty chance she could get her eyesight back, since her optic nerve hadn’t been damaged in the auto accident, just her peripheral nerves.

Jules had slept until almost noon that morning, and it had been the smell of the fish her father was frying in the kitchen downstairs that had awakened her. She loved all types of seafood, with fish and shrimp topping the list as her favorites. Luckily for her, her father enjoyed fishing. And no one fried fish and cooked hush puppies like Ben Bradford.

By the time she’d showered and dressed to go downstairs, he’d set the table for lunch. He hadn’t provided any explanation about where he’d spent the night, and she hadn’t asked. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to tell from the smile on his face that he had spent the night with Mona. She’d figured they had become sexually active during their trip to New York last month. But any time she thought about her father having sex when she wasn’t managed to grate on her last nerve. Now more than before, she intended to call Ray Ford the first chance she got.

“So what are you thinking about, Jules?”

She blinked, realizing her father had spoken and what he’d asked. It was not the time to be honest and tell him what she really had been thinking, so she said, “About Sheppard Granger and his situation.” That wasn’t a total lie, since everything that had happened last night was still on her mind when she woke up this morning, especially that kiss. No matter how tired she’d been last night, it hadn’t kept Dalton from invading her dreams. Last night had been worse, since she now knew how he tasted.

“And?”

She shrugged. “You tell me, Dad. You’ve met him.” A week before Shana’s wedding, Jace had invited her dad to accompany him and Shana to Delvers to meet his father. The only thing Ben had said afterward was that Sheppard Granger was a likable guy. That hadn’t told her much, since there were plenty of murderers who’d gone down in history as being likable.

“The meeting with him didn’t last long, Jules.”

“Doesn’t matter. The ex-cop and ex-detective in you would have sized him up pretty quickly. Tell me something other than he was a likable guy.”

Ben turned from the sink and met his daughter’s intense gaze while heaving a deep sigh. “Apparently, the word likable doesn’t do it for you.”

“No, it doesn’t.”

Ben moved across the room to take a chair. He knew Jules had questions for a reason, and he didn’t particularly like where this line of questioning might lead. “If I had to do a quick character analysis of Sheppard Granger, I would have to say if he wasn’t behind bars, he would be an affluent entrepreneur who, although born with a silver spoon in his mouth, is the type of man who doesn’t have a problem sharing his wealth and thinking about those less fortunate. He would be an awesome benefactor. Not just of his wealth but of his knowledge, which I believe is extensive. I could tell he’s kept himself up-to-date on modern technology, changing trends and world events. I believe that although he’s behind bars, he has a special leadership gift that few men possess, which is why he was able to not only form relationships with the three men you met last night, but also become a positive role model, counselor, adviser and confidant to them, as well as to others.”

Ben paused a moment to gather his thoughts, knowing that his daughter, the ex-cop, was latching on to his every word. “I was able to pick up on those things about him immediately, the minute I walked into the prison. He’s highly respected by more than just the warden. He’s earned the respect of the guards and his fellow inmates. They know he’s getting special favors, but it didn’t seem to bother anyone. In fact, it’s as if they know any favors given to him will eventually benefit them. They know that he will look out for them.”

Jules nodded then asked the question Ben had been waiting for. The one he had known she would get around to asking. “Do you think he’s someone who could have killed his wife?”

Ben didn’t say anything for a minute. “I only met him that one time, Jules, and the meeting lasted a little more than an hour. But it’s my belief that the only way he could have done such a thing is if he’d been pushed, and I mean pushed really hard. I never knew his wife, so I can’t say what he was dealing with. But, according to what Jace and Shana shared with me on the ride to Delvers, the brothers have proof that it was their mother, not their father, who was having an affair.”

Jules already knew that. The way the story went was that one night, while working late at Granger Aeronautics, Shana and Jace had discovered a secret compartment inside a sofa in Sheppard Granger’s office. The secret compartment held a file containing proof of the affair.

What Jules had found just as fascinating was why her sister and now-brother-in-law were in his father’s empty office in the first place. Both Jace and Shana had sealed their lips on that part, but Jules figured they must have been giving that sofa one hell of a workout.

“Throwing that into the mix,” Ben interrupted her thoughts to say, “a jealous husband might do just about anything. He might have snapped.”

Jules rolled her eyes. “Maybe right then, but not a few months later.”

Ben shrugged his wide shoulders. “Maybe not. But maybe he wanted a divorce, and she refused to give him one.”

Jules drained the last of her lemonade. “What if Sheppard Granger’s suspicions are true and whoever sent that email meant business? That means Shana could be in as much danger as Jace. It also means there might be more behind Sylvia Granger’s death than her affair. That may have just been a cover-up for something bigger.”

Ben didn’t want to hear that, although the same thought had crossed his mind earlier. Before he could formulate a response to his daughter’s comments, his phone rang. He stood up, grateful for the reprieve. “Excuse me for a minute. That might be Mona.” He quickly left the room to answer his mobile phone, which he’d left in the living room.

When he reached it, he frowned, not recognizing the phone number. “Hello?”

“Ben, this is Sheppard Granger. Is there any way you can pay me a visit? Today, if possible? I might need your help.”

Eight

Dalton walked into McQueen’s and glanced around. It was happy hour, and the place was certainly lively. He walked over to the bar and slid into a seat, thinking that just a few months ago, he and his brothers would have been enjoying a drink together after a long day at work. Now Jace and Caden were biting at the bit to get home to their wives.

“What are you having, Granger 3?” Myron, the bartender and owner of McQueen’s, asked. Myron was a fun-loving guy who managed a nice place. The drinks were good and the food exceptional. Myron had started differentiating between Dalton and his brothers by referring to Jace as Granger 1, Caden as Granger 2 and Dalton as Granger 3.

“The usual.”

Myron grinned. “Your usual is coming right up. Where are Grangers 1 and 2?”

Dalton shrugged. “Home with their wives, I suppose. Probably ran red lights to get there.”

“Marriage has a way of doing that to you,” Myron said, placing a glass of scotch in front of Dalton. “So don’t hate them.”

Dalton frowned. “I don’t. I just didn’t expect the changes so soon. Jace, Caden and I were apart for years, living our lives in separate places, but now we’re back in Charlottesville, what do they do the first chance they get? Get married. If that’s not bullshit, I don’t know what is.”

Myron shook his head, grinning. “Doesn’t sound like bullshit to me but good common sense. Remember, I’m also married—and happily. I played your game for years, different woman every day of the week, a flavor of the month. But at some point that crap gets old. I wouldn’t trade being married.”

Dalton figured he didn’t want to hear anything else Myron had to say. He wasn’t in the mood. Taking his drink, he said, “I’m grabbing a table. Talk to you later.”

Crossing the room, he saw several women checking him out, some brazenly, not even trying to hide their interest. Surprisingly, he wasn’t in the mood for them, either—women throwing themselves at him, probably needing a good fuck as much as he did. So why was he having a pity party when he could probably go somewhere and have an orgy? He felt the answer soak deep into his skin, and he could taste it on his lips. Because he only wanted a certain woman. One who was more edgy than soft, sharp than dull, one who invaded his dreams every night like she had a damned right to be there.

He slid into a booth and took a sip of his scotch, loving the taste. He needed it tonight. His brain was on overload. Last night had been a jolt to his system, and something was still kicking inside him. Anger. Frustration. Horniness. All three. He hadn’t liked giving in to Jace’s suggestion that they give their father time to decide how he would deal with them. Shit, they weren’t children but grown-ass men. What was there to deal with?

“Mind if I join you?”

He glanced up and stared into Stonewall’s face. He took another sip of scotch. “Does it matter if I mind?” he asked flatly.

“Not really,” Stonewall answered, sliding into the seat across from him. “Now that you know what my job entails, there’s no longer a reason for me to be discreet or keep a low profile.”

Dalton wasn’t sure whether that was good or bad. The fact that he’d been followed around for a little over a month without his knowledge still didn’t sit well with him. The USN had taught him how to be on his guard, expect the unexpected and be ready. But over time, once he’d put the agency behind him, he had stopped looking over his shoulder. Now it seemed he would have to start doing so again for an entirely different reason.

Stonewall summoned a waitress to take his drink order, giving Dalton a chance to study the man more closely. He figured Stonewall was in his midthirties and worked out a lot, probably hitting the gym every day. Dalton could tell that even while talking to the waitress, Stonewall was scoping out his surroundings and had taken stock of every single person in McQueen’s, somehow making a mental note while not missing a beat. And he was doing so with evident ease and efficiency, which led Dalton to believe he was well-practiced at it.

As soon as the waitress left, that assumption led him to ask, “How long have you been doing this?”

Stonewall’s gaze shifted from the backside of the waitress walking away to Dalton. His eyes were filled with male appreciation, and Dalton knew that the smile touching the man’s lips had nothing to do with the question but with the woman he’d just ogled.

“Why do you want to know?”

Dalton shrugged. “Let’s just say I’m curious.”

At that moment, the waitress came back and smiled at them both before placing Stonewall’s drink before him. This time, they both watched when she walked off. Knowing they were looking, she put a deliberate sway in her hips for their benefit.

Dalton grinned. “I love coming to this place.”

Stonewall nodded. “After my first night of tailing you, it became obvious that you do.”

Dalton took a sip of his drink and watched as Stonewall did the same. Just to make sure the question he’d asked earlier wasn’t lost in the shuffle, he leaned forward in his seat. “So how long have you been working for Summers?”

Stonewall took another sip of his drink. “Off and on for about ten years, while working on my degree.”

“Degree in what?” Dalton asked with a raised brow.

“Education.”

Now he’d heard everything. “You ever use it?”

“I sub sometimes.”

Dalton shook his head. Interesting. The man was full of surprises. He couldn’t imagine him being a substitute teacher in any classroom. “One last question.”

Stonewall’s gaze was keen. “And make sure it’s your last.”

Dalton stared across the table at him. “When are you going to stop following me around?”

Stonewall held his stare. “Not until Shep gives the word, so whether you like it or not, you’re stuck with me.”

* * *

Gesturing her sister over to the sofa, Shana eased down in the wingback chair across from it and gave Jules a bright smile. “So you’re here to tell me why you were staked outside Dalton’s place last night?”

Jules rolled her eyes. “No, I’m here to see how you’re feeling. Dad said you texted him to say that you wouldn’t be going into the office today.”

Shana chuckled softly. “I’m fine, but since I had a late night I decided to stay home and take it easy. In fact, it was really Jace’s idea.”

Jules laughed. “I guess sleeping with the boss has it perks.”

Shana joined in, laughing with her. “Yes, it does, trust me. More than one,” she said, leaning back against the chair and lifting her legs to rest on the ottoman. “Although, technically, Jace isn’t my boss. I was hired to do a job for his company, and one thing led to another.”

It most certainly did, Jules thought, studying her sister. Was she imagining things, or was Shana finally getting a little pudgy in the stomach? It was about time. She was pregnant, so she might as well look it. “When will you find out whether you’re having a boy or a girl?”

Shana shrugged. “Not sure if we want to know. I think we just want to be surprised.”

It was their choice, but if she were the one having a baby, she would want to know. “Did Dad ever tell you that our maternal grandmother was a triplet?”

Shana frowned. “No, and he didn’t tell you that, either, so don’t play with me like that, Juliet. And speaking of Dad, I understand you spent the night over at his place.”

“Yes, and did he mention he wasn’t home when I got there?”

“No, he didn’t mention that. It had to be after two when we left Dalton’s place.”

“Exactly. He didn’t come home all night, and I have a feeling it wasn’t the first time.” When Shana didn’t say anything, just sat and smiled, Jules’s eyes widened. “You knew?”

“Yes, and I wondered how long it would take for you to figure things out. I believe he began spending nights at Mona’s place after they took that New York trip together. So I guess it’s now really serious.”

Jules waved off Shana’s words. “Men sleep with women all the time, and there’s not a doggone serious thing about it.”

“True. But we’re talking about our dad, Benjamin Bradford, the man who has never introduced a girlfriend to us before Mona. Trust me, it’s serious.”

“Maybe he’ll get over it.”

Shana glared at her sister. “I hope you’re not counting on that happening, and why should you? Dad’s happy. I’m happy for him, and you should be, too.”

“I am, but...”

“But what?”

Jules didn’t say anything for a minute. “But we never had to share him with anyone after Mom died.”

Shana nodded her understanding. “I know, but don’t you think it’s time? We both have our lives, and now it’s time for him to have his. It would be selfish of us not to want that for him.”

Jules knew Shana was right and would admit she liked Mona. But still...

“Just think of the bright side,” Shana said, interrupting her thoughts.

“Which is?”

“He’s found someone special. Someone we can both admire. She’s a very strong woman, the kind of woman he raised his daughters to be. Mona hasn’t let her blindness stop her from living a fulfilling life. I think that’s one of the reasons Dad fell in love with her.”

“You’re probably right. Good thing we had finished lunch before he got her call. You should have seen the way he rushed out the door.”

“Yes, our dad is truly smitten,” Shana said with a pleased smirk on her lips. “So tell me. Why were you parked outside Dalton’s place last night waiting for him to come home?”

Jules inhaled deeply. She knew how her sister’s mind worked and could see the wheels turning in her head. “It wasn’t for that, Shana. No matter what that guy Bobby thought, I was not making a booty call. The only reason I was parked outside Dalton’s house that time of night was because of you.”

Shana’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “Me?”

“Yes, you. While talking to you yesterday, I could tell how disappointed you were by Dalton’s refusal to attend your dinner party this Saturday night because of me. I figured that he and I could talk things out like two sensible and mature adults and learn how to tolerate each other. Needless to say, we never had that conversation.”

“But the two of you did kiss?”

Jules frowned. She knew Shana wasn’t really asking the question, since Bobby had made a big announcement about the incident the previous night. “He took advantage of the situation. When I noticed he was being followed, I realized that I would have to be creative to find out who it was. I rang his bell and when he answered I told him to pretend that we were kissing, and then he took full advantage.”

Shana laughed. “Yes, that sounds like Dalton. He’s a ‘take advantage’ kind of guy, definitely an opportunist. Now you see what you’re dealing with.”

Jules shook her head as she stood. “I’m not dealing with anything. I can see that discussing anything with him would not have worked. The man is impossible.”

“But is he a good kisser?”

Jules shrugged before heading toward the door. “What does that have to do with anything?”

Shana smiled. “For you, a lot. I’ve known you to drop guys after the first date if they didn’t kiss worth a damn. So how did he do?”

Jules paused before she reached Shana’s front door. “Truthfully?”

“Yes, truthfully.”

She didn’t say anything for a moment, knowing Shana was the only person she would admit this to. “On a scale of one to ten, with ten being at the top, I would give him high twenties or above.”

Shana’s eyes widened. “He was that good?”

“Better than good,” Jules said with an expression that indicated the very thought infuriated her. “Although Dalton Granger has many faults, being a lousy kisser is decidedly not one of them.”

Nine

“Thanks for coming, Ben.”

Ben nodded as he dropped into the chair across the table from Sheppard Granger. Ben had been a cop long enough to see how unusual Sheppard’s accommodations were. First of all, most inmates don’t get to use a private conference room to meet with anyone, and they definitely aren’t offered one as spacious as this one. Ben recalled this room from his previous visit with Sheppard.

He’d noted that the room was adjacent to the prison library. It was a huge, windowless room that Ben figured was some sort of conference room used by the warden and the parole board to determine the fate of inmates.

And the guard, the same one who had been there the last time, and who was the only other person in the room, was only there for show. He hadn’t called Sheppard out on any violations, like when they had shaken hands. Under normal circumstances, there would be a no-touching policy.

From what Jace had shared with Ben, he knew that a few years ago the warden had given permission for Sheppard Granger to be alone for any meetings with his attorney or close family members. That privilege wasn’t given to all prisoners, just those considered trustworthy. Evidently, Sheppard Granger had found favor with both the warden and the governor, who would have to approve such rights and honors before they were extended to Granger.

Ben got comfortable in his chair while studying the man sitting across from him. He and Granger were the same height, although he figured Granger was probably a few pounds heavier. However, it was obvious he used the gym regularly and seemed fit and healthy. And then there was that same air that had surrounded him the last time. This was a man who had not only accepted his fate fifteen years ago, but had worked hard to deal with it in a positive way, too. Ben doubted most men could have pulled something like that off and seriously doubted that he could have.

“Over the phone, you said something about needing my help,” Ben said, breaking the silence in the room.

“Yes. But first I want to say something, and it’s something you need to hear straight from me.”

“Which is?”

“I didn’t kill my wife.”

Ben wasn’t sure why Sheppard wanted to see him, but with that opening, he knew there was no time for formalities. And there was no time for cat-and-mouse games. “I honestly didn’t think that you did,” Ben replied.

He saw relief etched on Granger’s face when he said, “Thank you.”

Ben shook his head. “You’ve been locked up for fifteen years for a crime you didn’t commit, yet you’re thanking me?”

“Yes, because you believed me when a jury didn’t.”

“But to be fair to the jury, you didn’t allow your attorney to introduce evidence that could have swayed them.” At the lifting of Sheppard’s brow, Ben could only smile and say, “Your son was marrying my daughter, so I couldn’t help but be curious. You can chalk it up to the ex-cop and the ex-detective in me.”

Sheppard didn’t say anything for a moment as he stared at Ben. “Had I done that, it would have dirtied my wife’s name. She was the mother of my sons, and I couldn’t do that to them.”

“But you could do this to yourself?” Ben asked. “Take a rap you didn’t deserve?”

“Yes, if it meant keeping them safe.”

“Or sheltered?” Ben countered.

“Or sheltered.” Sheppard Granger paused a moment before saying, “The reason I called you here is about keeping them safe. I understand there was a meeting last night.”

“So I heard, since I wasn’t invited. I spoke to Shana briefly this morning, but it was my younger daughter, Jules, who filled me in on most of it.”

“Your younger daughter was there?”

“Yes. In fact, she’s the one who spotted that guy following Dalton. She was parked across the street, waiting for him to come home last night.”

“Oh.”

Ben chuckled softly. “Trust me. It’s not what you think.”

“It’s not?” Sheppard asked with eyes that didn’t hide his interest.

“No. In fact, I’m convinced she hates Dalton’s guts...probably just as much as he hates hers. Their first meeting some months back left a very negative and lasting impression on both of them. The only reason she was there was to confront him about his refusal to attend Shana’s first dinner party this Saturday night.”

Sheppard frowned. “Why wouldn’t he attend?”

“Because he knew Jules would be there. It’s a long and taxing story. So let’s just say we have two kids who love each other, and then there are two who can’t stand the ground the other walks on.”

Sheppard didn’t say anything for a moment. “I assume you know about the bodyguards I hired to protect my sons.”

“Yes, and I’m sure you know they aren’t thrilled about it.”

“So I gather. My warden gave me a message that they called. By then, I had already spoken to my attorney, and she’d given me the details. They are waiting for me to return their call, but I wanted to talk to you first. Get some advice.”

Ben lifted a brow. “Advice? Shouldn’t you consult your attorney for that?”

“Not for this. I need the advice of an ex-cop, one who was honored as Policeman of the Year four times. And one who would have had a great career as a detective if he hadn’t put his daughters first and resign after a couple of years to go back to being a cop to spend more time at home with them.”

At the widening of Ben’s eyes, Sheppard smiled. “My son was marrying your daughter, so I did some research of my own.”

Ben laughed. “Fair enough. So why am I here?”

At that moment the prison guard Ben remembered from the last visit, Ambrose, crossed the room and handed Sheppard a piece of paper. He took it and glanced at it before handing it to Ben. “This is the reason for the bodyguards. I know I didn’t kill my wife, but someone else did. And that someone doesn’t like the thought of my leaving here anytime soon.”

Ben glanced down at the paper and read it. It was an email that had been sent to Sheppard. He didn’t like the words. He didn’t like the tone and he sure as hell didn’t like the blatant threat.

Granger. You don’t know me, but I know you. If I were you, I would make sure your sons don’t get it into their heads to prove your innocence. Something tragic could happen.

Ben lifted his gaze. “Have you shown this to the prison officials?”

“Yes, Warren Smallwood is aware of it. My attorney was able to trace it to a public computer in the Wesconnett Library.”

Ben nodded. Wesconnett was a community on the outskirts of Charlottesville.

“I never wanted them to find out about that email.”

Ben shrugged. “So now they have, and according to Jules, threat or no threat, they intended to fight to have your case reopened.”

“I can’t let them do that.”

“Not sure you can stop them.”

“I must. They have more than just themselves to think about. Jace and Caden now have wives and we—you and I—have a grandbaby on the way. I don’t know who or what I’m dealing with here, Ben. And I don’t want anything to happen to my family. Which is now our family.”

Ben didn’t say anything for a long moment as he stared at Sheppard, understanding completely what he was saying. “What is it you want me to do, Sheppard?”

“My sons won’t like what I intend to tell them when we meet, but it can’t be helped. Their lives are a lot more important than mine. I can’t allow them to reopen my case. I’m hoping you will get through to them where I might fail.”

Ben lifted a brow. “I don’t know your other two sons that well. Just Jace.”

“And that’s a good start. Jace is levelheaded, and Caden and Dalton respect his leadership. If you can convince Jace of the danger, not just to himself but to Shana and their child, he might see reason.”

“And if I can’t get him to come around?”

Sheppard heaved a deep breath. “I don’t even want to think of that possibility, Ben.”

* * *

The lone figure stood on the opposite side of the street and glanced up at the impressive building, sizing it up as if it were a person. A person who would eventually have to be dealt with.

Granger Aeronautics.

The weather was cold, and evening would be settling in soon and making it even colder. History was about to repeat itself. Sheppard Granger had been warned, but it seemed he couldn’t keep his sons in line. Keep them from sticking those noses where they didn’t belong. If the case were to be reopened all the players would be exposed, and that couldn’t happen.

Cold eyes watched as Granger employees hurriedly left the building. The workday was over, and it was time to go home. A new plan had been implemented, one more sinister than the last. Before it was over, additional lives would be lost.

Fifteen years had passed, and it was time to once again take care of business.

Ten

Why had he agreed with Jace and Caden that they should ride in the same car to Delvers? Dalton thought to himself while trying to stretch his legs in the confined space. They had put him in the backseat when they knew his legs were longer than theirs. They had the air conditioner turned on full blast when it was cold outside. Were they trying to freeze his ass? This little trip was definitely not off to a good start.

“Are you whining back there?” Jace had the nerve to ask while eyeing him through the rearview mirror.

“What does it sound like?” he snapped, his gaze narrowing.

“Sounds like you’re whining.”

“Go to hell.”

Caden wasn’t saying anything, and it only took Dalton a few seconds to realize he was asleep. When his brothers had arrived at his condo to pick him up...thirty minutes late...both Jace and Caden had been wide-awake and in extremely good moods. How dare Caden sleep in the front seat while he was in the back, frozen and miserable? Glowering, he leaned forward and smacked his brother on the back of his head.

“What the hell?” Caden jerked around with a murderous look on his face. He rubbed his head. “What did you hit me for?”

Dalton shrugged. “You were sleeping. If I can’t sleep, then you can’t, either.”

Caden switched his gaze to Jace. “Pull over to the side of the road so I can whip his ass.”

Jace chuckled. “Don’t have time. Not if we want to meet with Dad at the scheduled time.”

“And whose fault is it that we’re running late?” Dalton sneered. He’d already figured out the reason for the delay. Jace had been smiling all morning. “I just don’t understand you and your wife. She’s pregnant already. Give it a rest.”

Jace shook his head. “You’re really in a bad mood today. Some woman rub you the wrong way?”

“Or didn’t rub you at all,” Caden suggested with a smirk.

Dalton rolled his eyes, deciding Caden’s comment didn’t deserve a response. “So how did Dad sound, Jace?” Dalton had gotten a call from Jace around eight last night saying their dad had finally returned his call and wanted to meet with them at ten this morning.

“Agitated. He wouldn’t go into any details over the phone, but you can bet he will try to talk us out of reopening his case.”

“When doves cry,” Dalton snorted.

“Glad we’re all in agreement, Prince,” Caden said, still rubbing the back of his head. “So are we still being followed?”

Dalton glanced through the car’s back window. “No reason we wouldn’t be. Those three guys take this bodyguard thing seriously. At least Stonewall’s no longer hiding. He joined me for a drink yesterday at McQueen’s.”

“He did?” Jace asked, looking at him through the rearview mirror again.

“Yes, and please keep your eyes on the road and not on me. Jeez. Do I need to drive?”

“Hell, no,” Jace and Caden said simultaneously.

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