Chapter Four
Ellen still lay in Zane’s bed sleeping. After all the stress the night before, she’d collapsed into his arms, her face pale from everything that had happened.
Zane took her exhaustion seriously. She wasn’t a woman who couldn’t deal with stress. She’d helped patch up who knew how many victims of violence up in the ER. This was different.
This wasn’t her world; it was his.
With Cage’s help, Zane had been able to get her down the stairs and into his car. It was only then that he had the chance to examine Ellen’s car. There were three holes on the driver’s side of the car and another four in the back, in addition to the broken windshield.
They hadn’t just taken a few pot shots at her. Ellen had been lucky. With that many bullets, they had been serious about taking her out.
He’d driven her to his small home last night and placed her in his bed. It wasn’t exactly the best situation. There was only one room in the house, and his couch was shit for a man his size, but still, it was better than trying to sleep in the car. Even before she’d shown up, he was exhausted, and if he was going to help Ellen escape the Russian mob, he needed to be well rested.
Going straight to the police was a bad idea until they knew who specifically they were dealing with. Low-level Russian enforcers were one thing, but if they were dealing with one of the big boys, Ellen could easily have an “accident” while in protective custody. The corrupt web of organized crime had spread throughout the city.
No, he needed a chance to catch his breath before the cops got involved.
Zane yawned for about the millionth time as he sucked down his cup of coffee. Normally he didn’t like the stuff, but with the schedule he’d been keeping, there was no way he’d make it through the day on his own.
He glanced at the clock on the wall. Six. Despite the late night, he’d still been up early. Likely from years of training himself to be up before the rest of the family.
A scowl slipped onto his face. It had been years since he’d thought of them. Seeing Ellen only brought back all the shit he’d been trying to forget.
She looked older than the last time he’d seen her. Her face had filled out more, and although she had always been beautiful, it only seemed like that had grown over the years.
Something tugged inside him. The same aching need that he always felt when she was around.
Zane grabbed the coffee and slammed it back like it was a shooter.
He didn’t need to be thinking about this or dragging out all the old feelings he’d worked so hard to bury. Right now she needed his help not to end up in a grave, and that was all. She’d probably only called him because she knew he was working in a reputable security firm.
He’d do the job and roll right back into his normal life, the one without a relationship for longer than a night and no complicated feelings.
Zane stood and took a deep breath. The best thing for him was a good run. It would clear his head and get him ready for the day. He laced his shoes and grabbed a hoodie from the hook by the door.
For a moment he paused, wondering if he should let her know, but shook his head. The last thing he needed was to see her sleeping face again and besides, she needed the rest.
With that, Zane headed out into the dimly lit morning.
* * *
Ellen rolled over in the bed. She breathed in deeply and sighed. Something smelled good, but she couldn’t quite place it. Maybe she’d changed the detergent she used.
She breathed in again. Something about this smell was very male to her.
Slowly she opened her eyes and was surprised to find that she wasn’t in her own room. Her brain raced to keep up with just what the hell was going on.
Suddenly, everything from the night before came crashing back.
Her sister. The dead man. The Russians. Zane.
He was the last thing she could remember. His concerned face staring at her as he talked about the Russian mafia.
Even now, just the thought made her head spin a little.
What the fuck had her sister gotten herself into? Of all the shitty men she had chosen to be with, this one took the cake. She swore if she got her hands on that piece of shit Billy, she would tear him limb from limb.
Ellen jumped when something moved nearby. She turned and found Zane pulling some clothes from the closet next to the bed. The light from the crack in the bathroom door allowed just enough light for her to see in the early morning hours.
He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and for a moment, she couldn’t really process much more than that.
Although she’d known him for years, she’d never really seen him with his shirt off. Even when they all used to go swimming in the creak, he would still wear it.
Back then she used to wonder what he looked like. It was a sort of fantasy she would play in her head. Clearly, he had bulked up over the years though. She wondered if he hit the gym every day, or twice a day.
The frame she remembered wasn’t near so wide or defined. Zane was always muscular, but this was the body of a man, full of firm muscles and hard, defining lines around those muscles.
Zane turned around, and they stared at one another.
Heat spread to her cheeks when she realized he had totally just caught her checking him out.
“Sorry,” he said quietly and stepped out of the closet.
In the light, she could see the sheen of preparation on his chest and his damp hair.
“It’s the only bathroom I have,” he said.
Ellen swallowed and sat up a little. She glanced at the clock beside the bed. Quarter to seven.
She gave a small smile. He always was an early riser. He used to show up at their house just in time for breakfast. It was likely why she’d become an early riser as well. Just so she could be ready when he came over.
Not that Zane ever cared. Being five years younger only meant that she was invisible in all the important ways a girl didn’t want to be. To him, she was just the kid sister, and that never seemed to change as the years went by.
By the time she’d blossomed into her own woman, Zane and her brother were already out in the world, doing their own thing.
She told herself that it didn’t matter. That she’d long since gotten over her childish crush, but seeing him there with his shirt off only brought back all the same longing she’d once felt. And knowing that nothing had really changed just made the ache all the worse.
“I’ll just be a few minutes,” he said. “You might try and get some more sleep.”
She shook her head and yawned. “No use,” she said. “Once I’m up, I’m up.”
Zane gave her the same half smile that always used to melt her heart and much to her annoyance, Ellen’s thumped harder in response.
“I’ll be right out then,” he said and turned to the bathroom.
It was only briefly, but she could clearly see the scar on his back.
She’d always heard the rumors that he was a rough guy when they were younger but had never seen that side of him. Still the talk was there. That he skipped school or hung out with the wrong crowds. It was a wonder that her mother let Dean continue to hang out with him.
But she’d always had a soft spot for Zane, making sure he got seconds at any meal and inviting him to all the family events. Her mother always seemed keenly aware of everything that he didn’t have with his rougher family situation and helped how she could.
Ellen gave a small smile. Her mother would be glad to know that Zane was doing well. They had heard he got the new job, but it seemed like he had finally gotten his life on track. She only hoped that he could leave the life he knew before behind him to make a new start.