The Way You Are (8 page)

Chapter 16

Garrett paced his bedroom, waiting for Joe to call. He’d texted earlier that he’d received a little more information on Group Nine, the people who kept tabs on the rest of the unit that had been affected by the accident in Guatemala.  They were a nasty group of killers who operated in the black parts of the world where laws didn’t apply to them because they simply didn’t exist. The government used them for clandestine operations they needed completed that had to be carried out in secrecy. Very few people knew of their existence, and those who were aware would only deny their knowledge. The government needed them to do their dirty work, but wouldn’t admit to their existence.

More determined than ever, Garrett knew it was only a matter of time before he got to all the men in his unit and brought them under Joe’s umbrella of protection, as well as giving them new lives. When he accomplished that, he would hunt down, torture, and kill every member of Group Nine until he found the person at the top who had ordered the experiment that had left all of them significantly altered. He simply wouldn’t rest until he had the answers he craved so desperately.

He’d made it very clear to Joe that he had no problem with the dirty work and would be more than happy to get his hands bloody if needed, as he’d been responsible for the fate of all the men under his command at the time of the explosion. He at least owned them a life out from under the thumb of Group Nine.

“She wants to go see the horses,” Zach said after entering the room without any forewarning.

“Don’t you knock?”

“Why bother? It’s not like I can see what you’re doing in here. For all I know, you’re standing there with your dick in your hand. She wants to go see the horses, and I’m happy to take her.”

Garrett sighed. He really wanted to talk to Joe, but
he
was also in charge of keeping Ruby safe, not Zach. If anything happened to her, it would rest on his shoulders. Frankly, he carried enough guilt for six people because of what had happened to his unit that night. He didn’t think he could take any more.

“I’ll take her,” he grumbled as he pulled out a sweatshirt from the dresser drawer.

“I’m perfectly capable of going with her, Garrett.”

“I know you are, Zach—there’s no doubt in my mind. The thing is, I’m in charge of Ruby, not you. Joe wants me to look out for her. I’d rather sit here and wait for my phone call but I got a job to do, man.”

He stood and placed his hand on Zach’s shoulder. “Can you listen for the phone? Let me know what Joe has to say?”

“Sure, Garrett.”

“Thanks, man.”

He stepped around Zach and headed down the hallway. Ruby waited for him by the front door, her back to him. He stared at her ass and smiled. The jeans she wore hugged her flesh but weren’t too tight. Man, that girl had a banging body. He loved those curves; yes, he did. She also wore Levis, which seemed weird because he expected the daughter of an oil tycoon to wear some designer stuff he couldn’t pronounce and cost more than all the clothes in his duffel bag put together.

“I heard you want to go see the horses,” he said as she turned to him.

She smiled and nodded.

He stopped in his tracks.

The light filtered from the windows behind her, making the strands of hair that had come loose from her ponytail glisten, as if on fire. Her wide, green eyes gleamed like emeralds against her pale skin. Damn, she looked pretty.

“I do.”

“Well, let’s go, then,” he said, walking past her and out the door, focusing on what the stairs in front of him.

She followed, and they strolled together around the back of the house and down a small path through the trees. Joe had someone come out to take care of the horses, which was fine with him. The less he had to worry about, the happier he was.

“So, you like horses?” he asked as they walked, the sticks, pinecones, and earth crunching below their feet with each step.

“I love them,” she answered as the barn came into view.

Two horses, one white, one black, stood in their respective corrals and whinnied at their approach.

Ruby’s face lit up and she headed straight toward them.

“Be careful, Ruby,” he said. “I don’t need you getting kicked or bitten or something like that. Joe will skin my hide.”

She smiled at him over her shoulder but didn’t stop. “I’ll be careful, Garrett.”

She held out her hand to the black one. The horse nuzzled it, and she petted its forehead. The white one stuck its head over the fence, obviously looking for some attention, as well.

“They’re beautiful,” she said as the horses tossed their heads, vying for her affection.

He stepped closer as she laughed and rested his elbows on the top metal rod of the fence, keeping an eye on the horses so they didn’t get too close to him.

“Do you know their names?” she asked.

“Nope.”

“Are they Joe’s?”

“Yeah. This is his little getaway, and apparently, he likes to ride.”

The black horse moved his lips over Ruby’s hand.

“Don’t let him bite you,” he ordered.

She glanced over at him and grinned. His heart thumped in his chest as she met his gaze. Her face lit up, and she seemed so happy. Her eyes gleamed brighter while her cheeks colored a light shade of pink.

“He’s not going to bite me, silly. He’s looking for a treat. I’m assuming there’s some in the barn?”

He shrugged.

“I’ll look.”

She walked past him to the barn door and turned the knob. Her face fell as she found it locked, and the horses neighed again. Stepping back, she crossed her arms over her chest and looked around.

If she couldn’t get into the barn, he might be back in time to receive his phone call from Joe.

She ran her hand along the doorframe, and then walked around the side of the barn. He followed, once again admiring her ass.

“Someone comes and takes care of the horses for Joe, right?” she asked.

“That’s what I’ve been told. I know I don’t do it.”

At the corner of the barn, a large, brown clay pot stood empty, except for some dirt. She leaned down and tilted it, then reached under. Standing, she turned to him, grinned widely, and held up a silver key. “Got it!”

He couldn’t help but smile at her apparent excitement. “How did you know it was there?”

“That’s where I would keep it if it were my barn,” she said as she brushed by him.

Again, he followed her. As he rounded the corner, she shoved the key into the door and went inside.

Bales of hay lined the far wall, and the air smelled of alfalfa and horseshit. Particles of dust danced in the sunbeams filtering in through the windows. Three saddles sat on racks, one looking particularly different from the other two as it had a back, like a chair, and a belt. It had to be Joe’s.

“Here we go,” she said, reaching into a bag and pulling out two apples. “You feed one, and I’ll feed the other.”

Garrett grimaced. He didn’t do horses. “I’ll pass, but you go right ahead.”

She rolled her eyes at him and he followed her outside, once again admiring the sway of her ass in the denim.

She held an apple in each hand and opened her fingers so it sat on her flat palm. The horses chomped at their respective fruits while Ruby grinned. Although he was uncomfortable around the big beasts, she seemed to be in her element. She whispered softly to them as they ate, and once they finished, she turned to him.

“Let’s go for a ride.”

He shook his head. “No, can’t do it, Ruby.”

“Why not?” she asked as she approached him.

He struggled to find an answer, anything except the truth. He would never admit to being scared of horses, especially to a woman who seemed so at home with them.

“Because…because Joe never said we could.”

Yeah, he’d blame it on Joe.

She petted them for a few more minutes, and then locked the barn door and put away the key where she had found it.

“Well, let’s ask next time we talk to him,” she said, her face falling as they turned and made their way back to the house.

“We’ll see.”

She stopped and gazed up at him, a small smile playing on her lips. “You’re afraid of horses, aren’t you.”

It came out a statement instead of a question.

“Well, no. Of course not. I’m a Marine, for God’s sake. We aren’t afraid of anything.”

“Uh, huh.”

“No seriously, I’m not afraid of horses.”

“Okay.”

He gave her his best glare, the one that usually made grown men squirm, but it didn’t seem to faze her. He knew she saw through his lies, and he couldn’t help but smile.

“You
are
afraid of them,” she teased. “I can tell.”

Was she flirting with him? It seemed like it, and he decided he liked it, but he wasn’t about to come clean on his fear of the beasts.

“I grew up in the Bronx, Ruby. I lived in the projects. When I got out of high school, I went into the military, where I have been in war. I have shot at people, and I have been a target. A goddamned horse doesn’t scare me.”

She tilted her head and studied him for a moment, her smiling fading just a bit. “Thank you for your service.”

Her reaction surprised him. He’d half expected her to turn her nose up at him because of where he came from, but she didn’t. He reminded himself that with Ruby, she consistently shattered all his expectations.

“Y-you’re welcome,” he stammered as they continued their walk.

“As you can tell, I love horses,” she continued.

Relieved the conversation had turned back to her, he asked, “Do you do that fancy riding with the suits and bowl hats where they make the horse jump over stuff?”

She laughed as she met his gaze. “Dressage?”

He shrugged. Damn, that smile made him feel all gooey inside. “I don’t know what it’s called.”

“No, I don’t. I tried it once, but it was too…confining. Yes, I guess that’s the word I’m looking for. It was too confining. I prefer to get on my horse and just ride as fast as he can take me. We jump over stuff, but it’s usually a fallen tree or a stream.”

“Kind of like the Wild West movies, then, huh?”

“I guess so.”

“What’s your horse’s name?”

“Midnight Blue.”

They walked down the trail in silence for a bit, and when they reached the clearing, Savannah bounded over to them. Ruby leaned down and petted her head, allowing the dog to lick her face.

“He saved me, you know,” she murmured as Zach whistled and Savannah bolted toward him.

He’d heard of people claiming animals saving them. It usually involved the beast becoming the focus for a drug addict, helping them remain sober, or some dog waking up the family before the house burnt down.

“How did he do that?” he asked, wondering if she was a former addict or something.

“When they tried to kidnap me, he chased them off. They had me on the ground, and he came at them at a full run. It scared the hell out of me, but it scared them more. They finally left.”

He tried to imagine being on the ground and having a horse rushing at him. Yeah, that would scare the ever-loving piss out of him.

“Well, it’s a good thing you were with him,” he murmured as she pushed some hair back behind her ear. Her face had gone from happy to troubled, and he longed to see the smile that made him feel like someone had injected him with happy gas.

“Yes. I was very fortunate.” She looked down at her feet. “I’ve never been so scared in my life than I was that day. I just hope they catch whoever was responsible.”

Before he knew what he was doing, he reached out and put his finger under her chin and tilted her face up until she had to look at him. “I can imagine that would be terrifying, but the most important thing to remember is that you’re safe now. While you’re with me, nothing is going to happen to you, okay?”

She reached up and took his hand in hers. The light on dark contrast made him think of Oreos. As she squeezed his hand, her soft touch sent energy rippling through him, making his groin swell.

Damn. What was it about this girl?

“Thank you, Garrett,” she whispered. “Thank you for watching over me. I do feel safe here.”

He could tell she meant it, her earnest face truthful and full of gratitude.

They were having some type of moment; the kind where time and space seemed to disappear and all that mattered was the woman in front of him. The urge to kiss her overcame him.

Instead, he pulled his hand away and stepped back, very uncomfortable with the way this woman affected him. She continued to surprise him by being nothing like he expected. Instead of the snotty bitch he’d thought he’d have to deal with—and had been ready for—Ruby had waltzed in, shy, polite, and sincere. She’d totally thrown him off his game with her unexpected behavior.

The ringing phone inside the cabin broke the spell, and he hoped it was Joe.

“We better get back,” he said, clearing his throat. “I’m expecting a call from Joe and that’s probably him.”