Madison gave a short laugh. “It’s not like any of you to underestimate someone as badly as you’re underestimating Crosby.” Turning, she lifted her hand in a wave. “Go get Kennedy settled. I’ll see you later.”
“She’s taken with the cop,” Reyes complained.
“Seems like,” Cade agreed.
Parrish stared after her thoughtfully. Finally he asked, “Do you think Kennedy will want to join us for dinner?”
Knowing her as he did now, Reyes couldn’t see her lingering in bed, no matter how much she wanted to or how she needed the rest. She seemed hell-bent on proving, more to herself than anyone else, that she wasn’t a burden. “I’d bet yes.”
“Then I better go confer with Bernard to let him know we’ll all be in attendance.” He clasped Reyes’s shoulder. “You did great under the circumstances.”
He didn’t need false praise. “I fucked up.”
Giving a small shake of his head, Parrish said, “I’m proud of you.” He spoke next at Cade. “And you. You’ve both grown into very impressive men.” He walked down the short hallway that headed to the stairs.
Stunned, Reyes glanced at Cade. “What the hell was that about?”
“No idea, except that having women around is softening him. My guess is that he looks at things differently when he sees us happily involved.”
A disturbing thought. His dad, softened? No, he didn’t even want to consider it. “I have to get back to Kennedy.”
Cade gave him a long look. “You realize you’re in love with her, right?”
He wasn’t stupid. Figuring out what to do about it was the issue. “Come collect your wife, then I’ll put Kennedy to bed.”
Cade slowly smiled. “Be careful, brother, or you’ll be softening, too.”
Not likely. He was the hell-raiser sibling. The daredevil. The cocky jerk who got around.
But yeah, none of that seemed to matter a minute later when he found Kennedy drifting off to sleep while Sterling softly told another story.
Women had a miraculous effect on everyone.
In that moment, he felt pretty damned soft—in his head and in his heart.
* * *
MADISON SMILED AT CROSBY. Lord, the man was something to look at, even while scowling. They sat in her car in a deserted park where she’d arranged the meeting.
Yes, she could have handled things over the phone, but what was the fun in that? She’d told him a small fib, saying she was worried about others listening in, and so he’d agreed to the meeting.
“You’re angry.”
His scowl grew fiercer, making his dark-as-sin eyes glitter.
So sexy.
“Your brother is giving me the runaround. I expected to find him at the hospital or I never would have let him leave.”
Ha! Clearly Crosby was underestimating Reyes, too. “I doubt that’s true. You saw how badly hurt Kennedy was. She needed medical attention, so you wouldn’t have delayed them. I’m even sure you realize why Reyes didn’t go to the hospital, because you know how dangerous that route can be.”
Frustrated, Crosby ran a hand over his sandy-brown hair, leaving it mussed.
Her fingers tingled with the need to smooth it back into place.
“Where did he take her?”
“A secure facility where she can get care and rest without worrying that Golly might find her.”
His gaze never wavered. “Where?” he repeated, more insistent this time.
She dodged that, saying, “In case you were wondering, Kennedy is badly bruised all over, especially one arm and her thigh.” As far as diversions went, that worked well.
“Damn,” Crosby muttered. “All I’d noticed was the lump on her head, and that was bad enough.”
Madison liked how truly caring he was. It appeared to really bother him that Kennedy was injured. “By the way, Rob Golly is in fact dead.”
He eyed her suspiciously. “You say that as if you’re certain.”
“Because I am. Brace yourself, Detective, but we’ve discovered that it wasn’t Rob causing all this trouble. It’s his brother, Rand.”
Incredulous now, his eyes narrowed. “You and your family have an uncanny ability to discover things.”
“Yes, I know. We’re good. Modesty aside, though, I’m in charge of gathering info and I’m extremely proficient at what I do.”
“Do you do it legally?”
Ah, he wanted to trip her up. Then what? She smiled at him. “If you have questions for Reyes, give me the number you want him to call and I’ll see to it.”
“I want to see him in person.”
“Yes, but Kennedy is hurt, so he won’t leave her side, and no—before you ask again—I can’t tell you where.”
His gaze searched hers, his indecision almost palpable. “She’ll be all right?”
“Certainly, though she’ll be sore for a while. Before he so conveniently perished, Delbert O’Neil struck Kennedy in the head with the butt of his gun. She was unconscious long enough for him to stuff her into his car and try to kidnap her.”
“Thank God he slid on the ice or he might...” He stopped when Madison shook her head. “What?”
“It wasn’t the weather conditions that caused the wreck. Kennedy attacked him. She was afraid Reyes was badly hurt and wanted to get back to him. From what I was told, she kicked him several times, then punched him in a place where no man wants to be punched.”
He flinched. “And that caused the wreck?”
“You could drive under those conditions?”
Shrugging, he said, “If I had to.”
That amused her and she grinned again. “My brothers also, though I doubt they’d let anything like that happen.”
Crosby rubbed a hand over his face. “Tell your brother that I need Delbert’s gun, and that I expect to be kept informed.”
“I’ll tell him, but Reyes will do as he pleases on that score.” No reason to explain that they all avoided involving the law whenever possible.
Snow accumulated on the windows, making the interior of the car cozy and private, not that anyone was at the park today anyway. The heated seats kept her toasty warm, and Crosby’s nearness kept her on sensual alert.
“You know what?” She tipped her head at him. “Why don’t you tell me why this is personal for you?”