done, but that doesn't mean you guys have to.”
Davy sloshed some more whiskey into his glass. “Don't be a melodramatic asshole, Mackey. It's not up to you what we decide to do.”
Seth stared down into the deep amber color of the liquor. “You guys don't have to risk your lives because of some misplaced loyalty to Jesse. He's gone. He doesn't need you anymore.”
“No, but you do,” Connor said. He leaned over and poked Seth in the shoulder. “It's not just for Jesse. It's for you. Don't ask me why. You're a pain in the ass, and we still need to have that talk about your social skills, but there it is. I'm in this for you, buddy.”
Seth choked on the liquor he was swallowing. Coughing to clear his burning throat made his bandaged side sting like hell. “Hey, I appreciate the sentiment, but at this point, I don't even care if it's a trap, see? I just want to end it. Fold my hand and get out of the game. I can't take the responsibility, and I don't want your help.”
“Tough shit,” Davy said. “Count me in,” Sean piped up.
“Me, too,” Connor said, lifting his glass with a grin.
Davy scowled at him. “Not you, pal. You're still hobbling around on a cane. You're not going anywhere. You get guard duty.”
“Like hell.”
“No,” Davy said, in a big brother voice. “I'll tie you down.”
“Let's play a hand of poker on it,” Connor wheedled.
“Yeah, and you'll cheat, you slick bastard. Non-negotiable, so just forget it...”
The conversation degenerated quickly into an energetic fraternal squabble. Seth tuned out the familiar cadences and stared into the fire. The fire of the whiskey warmed him, fuzzing his brain around the edges, and he struggled to follow his own train of thought. Only an idiot with a death wish would follow a transmitter to an unknown destination, to face an unknown number of adversaries with unknown resources. Truth was, he had never meant to involve the McClouds in the actual takedown. He had always intended for that phase to be his own private party.
He broke into the middle of the argument, which had gotten to the shouting stage. “Let me finish this my own way, guys. That way, if it goes to shit, they can't link me to you.”
His words reverberated in the sudden stillness.
“Yeah, right” Connor said slowly. “And what are we supposed to do with Blondie? Keep her in the attic like Rapunzel?”
“Oh, God.” Seth closed his eyes and rubbed them. “I don't have the faintest idea. What a fuck-up. God. I'm sorry, guys.”
The fire crackled and spat for a few minutes. “I know why you brought her here,” Connor said quietly. “And you did the right thing.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah. You brought her here to keep her safe.”
Seth shook his head. It was not a negation. “I'm an idiot.”
“You aren't the first, and you won't be the last,” Davy said.
“I were you, I'd go up to the attic and spend some quality time with your lady,” Connor said. “She's in a bad way. And you could use some rest yourself. You look like shit. We've got the Cherokee gassed up and loaded and ready to roll. The Specs are set up and keyed to the Corazon transmitter. The three of us will take turns watching tonight. If it starts to move, we'll call you. We can leave on a minute's notice.”
“Yeah. Chill,” Sean urged. “We need you fresh and snappy when it starts to move. Here, I made a sandwich. Take this on up to her.”
“It won't be long,” Connor said. “Things are starting to move.”
“The circle is getting smaller,” Seth said.
The McClouds looked at him. “Huh?” Sean said.
Seth shrugged. “Just something Jesse said to me in a dream,” he mumbled. He looked around himself. Three pairs of similar green eyes regarded him with varying combinations of worry and annoyance.
He hadn't seen that look on anybody's face since Jesse's death. He hadn't thought he would ever see it again.
He grabbed the whiskey bottle and raised it, in a silent salute to brotherhood He grabbed Raine's sandwich and headed up the stairs.
Chapter 24
Raine jumped to her feet when she heard the lock rattle, wrapping the blanket around herself. She was shaking, but not with fear. She had left fear so far behind she didn't even remember what it felt like.
Seth let himself in, dropping the heavy, palm-sized padlock on top of the dresser. He laid a plate next to it, with something wrapped in a napkin. She was relieved to see that his wound was dressed. The white bandage showed up starkly against his golden skin. A threadbare red flannel shirt hung open over his bloodstained jeans. He held an open bottle of whiskey by the neck. He took a deep swallow.
“You're drunk,” she said.
His eyes glittered, with a wild, faraway look. “Medication,” he said, pointing to the bandage. “This hurts. I brought you a sandwich, if you're hungry.”
“You have got to be kidding.”
“Suit yourself.” He took another swig.
She pulled the blanket tighter. “Are you going to give me some clothes?” She made her voice sharp and businesslike.
He set the bottle on the dresser next to the padlock and advanced upon her slowly. “I don't see the point,” he said. He seized the corner of the blanket and jerked it down, frowning when he saw the nightgown. “That thing is still wet, Raine. You'll make yourself sick. Take it off. The room's warm now. Too warm.”
“I don't want to be naked with you.”
It was the wrong thing to say. She knew it as soon as it left her mouth and saw the hot flash in his eyes.
“Tough,” he said. He jerked the thin straps down, his hands lingering on her skin as he shoved the nightgown over her hips. It felt to the floor around her muddy, scratched feet She forced herself not to flinch back, or cover herself. She straightened up and composed her face. Let him look. She could still be dignified, even if she was naked.
He studied her body with greedy, minute attention to detail. A dull flush was burned deep into his high cheekbones, and his hands scalded her as they clasped her waist and slid up over her ribs. His fingers explored her carefully, as if he were memorizing her.
Despite his unstable mood and the whiskey on his breath, she was absolutely unafraid of him. She placed the back of her hand against his cheek. “You're feverish,” she said quietly.
“Tell me about it. Every time I look at you.”
“You should take an aspirin, or some—”
“What a joke,” he cut her off, as if she hadn't spoken. “The first time I lose my mind for a woman, and it has to play out like this.”
She pressed her hands against his burning forehead, trying to cool him down. “You know that I would never do anything to hurt you,” she murmured.
“Shhh. We're not going to discuss it.”
“But Seth, we have to—”
He put his finger over her lips. “No, we don't Off limits. Don't want to go there.”
She'd crashed into this stone wall before, but it didn't intimidate her anymore. Not now that she had seen what was on the other side; his gentleness, his enormous capacity for tenderness. She slid her hands under his shirt and around his waist, careful not to touch the bandage.
