Tyler’s gaze darkened as he listened. Like Scott and Ian, the Dare men were protective of women. And once the woman meant something to one of them? Things got personal.
“Okay, I’ll introduce you to Luke Williams. He’ll open a case file and take information from you. Don’t worry,” he said to Meg. “We’ll get to the bottom of things and get him off your back.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“Baby, are you comfortable talking to Luke alone? I need five minutes with my brother, and then I’ll join you.”
“Of course.” Meg straightened her shoulders. “This is my problem. Take all the time you need.”
“I think my brother considers it his problem too,” Tyler said, wrapping an arm around Meg’s shoulders and leading her toward the back rooms. “Meet me in my office,” he called over his shoulder to Scott.
A few minutes later, Tyler rejoined Scott in his office. The space was large, with a wall of windows overlooking the city. Because Tyler didn’t have a woman in his life, their mother, Emma, had taken over decorating. The office proclaimed elegance and class, from the mahogany desk with intricate carvings and detail to the glass and brass accents and live plants, which Scott knew Tyler’s assistant watered for him. In frames on the desk, there were pictures of Tyler and the family, their mother and their siblings. The office was professional.
“She’s very different than your ex,” Tyler said, cutting to the chase as usual. He didn’t bother with small talk when he had a point to make.
“Yes, she is. I take it you think that’s a good thing?”
“Rhetorical question.” Tyler met his gaze with similar navy-violet eyes. “I don’t like it that she’s walking around looking over her shoulder.”
“Me neither, obviously. I showed up last night, and she was freaked out. The bastard had been by, banging on her door, yelling, and demanding to see her. The restraining order doesn’t mean a damned thing to him.”
Tyler rolled a pen between his palms. “Let’s see what Luke comes up with.”
“I made a decision,” Scott said, also getting right to the point. He wanted to get back to Meg as soon as possible. “I accept your offer. I’m in.”
Tyler rose to his feet and strode around the desk, pulling Scott in for a brotherly hug. “That’s fucking good news.”
“Hope your military employee pals agree.”
“No worries. You know most of them. These guys take orders like they were born to it. They know I’ve wanted to bring you in for a while now.”
“Way to share that with me.”
Tyler shrugged. “I needed you to be ready and willing to say yes.”
Scott inclined his head, understanding. “I am. In fact, I’m heading over to the station after this.”
“Giving notice?”
“If I were on active duty, yeah. Given how shitty things have been? My captain will be happy to have me gone.” And Scott would relish telling his boss he was leaving. “Besides, I need to free up my time to make sure that asshole doesn’t get anywhere near Meg.”
Tyler nodded approvingly. “She know you’re about to be around twenty-four seven?”
“Not yet.” Scott braced his hands on the chair and pushed himself up. “Let’s go see what’s going on.”
Tyler eyed him with his assessing gaze. “You’ve got it bad.”
Scott didn’t deny it.
“Pretty damned fast.”
He shrugged. “When you know, you know.”
“And I wouldn’t.” Tyler shook his head and started for the door.
“Someday you will . . . and I can’t wait to watch you fall.”
“Fuck you,” his brother muttered.
Tyler chuckled, and they headed to find Meg.
Meg liked Luke Williams. Blond, big, and imposing-looking, he was pure military, from his commanding posture to the crew cut of his hair. But he was warm and understanding when he listened to her story and wrote down the information on Mike and his family. Not that Meg knew much.
“When I met him, he was estranged from his parents. He said they were wealthy and demanding and expected more of him than he could possibly give.” She shrugged. “I felt bad. He seemed like a nice, if misunderstood, guy.”
It wasn’t like she deliberately went after losers. It seemed like they became that way later on. Or, more likely, they didn’t show her their true natures until after she’d been drawn in and had opened her heart to them . . . and, in Mike’s case, her home as well. But she was finished putting up with shit from men. Done feeling used and taken advantage of.
“I just want to know what the hell he wants from me. Why he won’t just sign away his rights and go away. I know my lawyer’s sent the forms.”
Luke looked up from the computer, where he’d been tapping away, taking notes. He spun his chair around and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “We’ll get to the bottom of this. And we’ll keep you safe.”
She appreciated his words of assurance.
“Hey, Williams! Hands off the clients,” Scott barked from the doorway.
Meg jumped at the unexpected angry tone in his voice.
Luke merely glanced up, met Scott’s annoyed gaze, and grinned, slowly removing his hand, as if he had all the time in the world. “Nice to see you too, little Dare.”
Meg stiffened, her eyes opening wider at the snarky, condescending comment. Was Luke looking for a fight? If so, from the furious expression on Scott’s face, he wouldn’t mind obliging him.
Jaw clenched, he started forward, but Tyler placed a firm hand on his brother’s arm, stopping him. “Luke, Scott’s agreed to join me here. Which makes him your boss.”
Luke rose from his seat and strode toward the two men, and Meg held her breath. She wasn’t thrilled with Scott staking a claim on her in front of his brother and Luke, yet at the same time, she couldn’t deny a part of her liked his possessiveness. Rather, she liked the thoughts behind the possessiveness, if not the behavior itself.
“You’re joining us,” Luke repeated. “That is great
