Promises (Blood Brothers #1) (9 page)

Grinning, she gathered the jeans and tank top and sauntered toward the bathroom with an extra twitch to her hips, but could not help throwing a final comment over her shoulder.

"Promises, promises!"

With a quick skip, she quickly closed the bathroom door.

"Tease!" he whispered, then grinned.

It seemed his mate had more backbone than he had first given her credit. That was a good thing. Walking to the French doors, Kayne leaned against them looking out onto the surrounding woods, not actually seeing any of the beauty before him. Intel was still coming in from their sources and it did not look good. The files and papers he had found in the cabin before it was destroyed indicated that there was more going on than just simple human trafficking but they could not seem to connect it with any of the other occurrences. The only differences were the types of females taken.

All were young, yes, but had different backgrounds. Most had exceptional educations with high IQs but were of different socio-economic classes. There were no connections between races, locations or families. The reports indicated all of the subjects had such radical tests performed that it still terrified Kayne to wonder what these assholes were up to considering how many of the victims had died as a result. The ones Kayne and his group had managed to rescue were the lucky ones but it would take a long time for many to return to a normal life, if ever.

The suspicion that the same groups he and the Team had worked so hard to destroy once they had gained their own freedom from the hidden testing facilities for the military might now be active again would not go away. There were too many similarities. He heard the bathroom door open and soft steps enter the room, causing Kayne a ghost of a smile.

"You are doing that more often, brother! It looks good on you."
Rafe's voice echoed softly in his mind as Kayne felt his mate's hands rub up his back.

"What has you scowling so hard?" Chayle slipped up behind him, hesitant to touch the hard back that leaned against the doorjamb but unable to resist. She wedge into the opening next to him, looking up.

It still amazed her that this man, this warrior, did not terrify the daylights out of her. On some elemental level, Chayle knew he could never harm her. Standing there watching him in deep thought it was scary to realize that in a very short time she had come to trust someone this much when in her twenty-eight years that had never happened.

"Let's walk and I'll show you around," he said instead, choosing to postpone the questions he knew Chayle had for him.

"We need to talk, Kayne." Never one to be put off, Chayle laid her hand on his forearm, once again reminded of just how strong her warrior really was.

Damn - there it was again - her warrior.

"In a bit, Chayle, but let's walk first," he whispered, and took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips. She could tell it was a foreign gesture for him, something he had not done every day but needed so she did not pull away.

"Ok, but we talk - later! Promise?" She pulled back on his arm just a bit, waiting for his answer, knowing, deep in her soul, that he would never break a promise to her.

"Promise," he whispered, licking her fingers.

A shiver coursed down her spine, causing her clit to swell and her juices to flow, wetting her silk panties she had just put on. Her eyes darkened and Chayle knew the instant Kayne was aware of her arousal because his breathing escalated and his body tensed.

"We need to get moving or I'll have you naked and back in bed for the rest of the day!" He growled, tucking her hand in the crook of his arm and started out the door.

The winding stairs to the first floor lead to a large open foyer that welcomed anyone who might be admitted. Chayle had been instantly reminded of old world elegance and functionality as the entry branched off toward a very masculine library and office complete with several seating areas and two huge desks. Large windows offered ample light during the day while a huge fireplace took up one end that could easily warm the entire room. On the opposite side was a small sitting room, dainty and elegant, looking so out of place. When she turned to look back at Kayne, he grinned.

"Every home should have a lady's room so she can entertain," he commented, straight faced.

Chayle could not stop the laugh that bubbled up.

"You hardly fit the profile of having a room like this in your home. Why in the world haven't you turned it into something more functional?"

Kayne's hand cupped her cheek, unable to stop the reaction. "Because until now my brother and I had not found mates, so we had no idea what they might want in a home." Her indrawn breath whispered loudly in the cavernous foyer with its high ceiling leading to the upper floors.

"Let's move it, or we might not finish this tour," she whispered, barely taking her eyes from his face.

"Yes ma'am!" The snappy answer had her smiling but it could not stop the need crawling through her womb or the ache pulsing in her veins. Chayle had never craved like this before and it was starting to worry her.

The rest of the tour inside of the residence went smoothly, with Kayne showing her the huge kitchens complete with stainless steel appliances and long countertops. He explained most of the staff were only there during the daylight hours and had residences on the property but were protected. When they stepped outside the first thing she noticed was the breeze and smells of the heavy woods around them.

"When are you going to tell me where we are?" She looked up at him, waiting, wondering if he would answer.

"We are just outside of a small town west of Dallas, and this is actually our home. There used to be a military base here in the '70s, which trained helicopter pilots, among other things. The property has been in the family since before Texas became a state." He pointed to the north, and she could see the slight rise of hills. "There is a popular resort on the other side Lake Mineral Wells, which is surrounded by a state park of the same name just north of here. There is access and egress to and from the lake, which is protected and guarded at all times, as well as security on all perimeters with cameras and other types of devices around the property line. We have over seventeen thousand acres, Chayle." He saw the surprise and fear creep into her eyes. "No one can get to us without someone knowing," he whispered. "I promise you!"

"Wow, you went to a lot of trouble to hide me, didn't you?" Her troubled gaze met his, searching it. "Why? Why all of this when I'm a nobody?" she whispered.

Kayne growled, reaching for her shoulders. "Never say that again!"

"What?" she squawked, taken aback by his sudden actions.

"You are not a nobody. You're a person of worth, and I never want to hear you say that again!" He growled, pulling her to him, crushing her mouth with his in a possessive assault that took her breath away. When he finally lifted his head, Kayne laid his forehead against her's, breathing hard. "You test my patience, do you know that?"

"The feelings are mutual, believe me!" she whispered.

"Come, before I find a closet or other dark place to hide you," he grinned, pushing away from her.

"You don't hear me complaining, do you?"

"Stop it!" With that he tucked her hand back around his arm and strode out the front doors and across the manicured lawns.

The property was amazing, more of a compound nestled in the foothills and woods made to resemble a rambling ranch and private property to the outside world. She could see a gun range, complete with soundproof shoot house, garages that Kayne explained housed various types of vehicles and an outdoor area that resembled a football field. When she asked, Kayne actually grinned.

"We use the field to expend our aggression when the teams have too much downtime. Of course, we have several medics on the team, which helps."

"Why on earth would you need medics for a football game?" she asked, shocked as she stared up at him.

"Our teams are different, Chayle," he hedged, trying not to reveal too much yet. "They need avenues to take out tension and sometimes some of them can get hurt." He saw her face and quickly added, "No one means to cause harm, it just happens in the heat of battle."

"Kayne, it's a game, not war." She shook her head, reminded of the times her father had tried to explain how some of his men relaxed during their downtime. It dawned on her that this had to be very similar, men who were always on the edge and the many ways they found to take that edge off once they got back to their base.

"Enough talk about the field, I want to show you the training facilities. You mentioned you wanted to work out, but you'll have to wait for the doctor's approval." He pulled her toward another building, this one closer to the main house but off to the side. She could see it was connected to the main house, which she had not noticed before.

"How do you get to the training faculties from the house? I didn't see any corridors from the inside when we came out." She searched the exterior but could not see how it connected from where they stood.

Kayne grinned, waiting for her to figure it out. When she continued to search the walls he laughed.

"I'll show you once we head back to the house, how's that?"

"You had better. I plan on spending some time in there so I can work out this soreness. I miss my instructor, my muscles miss him!" she huffed, starting toward the double doors.

"What do you mean, you miss him?" Kayne growled.

"You need to stop the growly thing," she turned, pointing her finger at him.

"What do you miss?" he growled again, getting right in her face and refusing to move.

Fists on her hips, Chayle faced off with her tall dark lover, watching as his wonderful blue eyes darkened to almost black. She really wanted to let it draw out a bit, recognizing jealousy when she saw it, but Chayle had a feeling that her alpha male just would not see the pure fun in it from her perspective. When his growling only got louder, she finally gave in.

"Oh for pete's sake, would you stop it! He's my instructor… he would work my ass off and make me earn each workout no matter how tired I was, every day." Chayle reached up and grabbed Kayne's chin, pulling him down to her level. “There was never anything personal between us, so stop growling!"

"What kind of instructor was he?" her lover finally managed to ask without growling, his voice low and soft.

"He's teaching me kick-boxing now. I've been taking martial arts classes from him for about five years since before my dad died, and I love them." She reached up and kissed him, finally letting him off the hook. "Sometimes his bones hurt afterward because at his age he hasn't taken a student like me in a long time but he says I'm worth it."

"How old is he, Chayle?" he whispered, unable to take his eyes from her lips.

"He was seventy-two years old on his last birthday."

"What?" Kayne's gasp made her grin.

"Gotcha!" she patted his cheek, turned and headed back toward the doors of the training facility.

Kayne watched her walk away and groaned.
"You deserved that one, brother!"

"Shut up!"
If he could not growl at Chayle then he could take it out on Rafe.

When he entered the facility Kayne found his mate against one of the walls on a mat, stretching. Watching her gently bend and pull her muscles back into place was a thing of beauty to his eyes so he leaned against a bar bell stand and just watched. The bruises were fading but she carefully stretched hamstrings, arches, hips, the back of the arms, the lower back. He could tell Chayle was practiced at working each part of her body to ensure the muscles were warmed up before any exercise she started. Just as she started for a set of weights Kayne stepped in to stop her.

"Not yet," he lifted the heavy barbells from her hands and put them back on the stands.

"But I need to at least work out the muscles. The doc can't restrict that, can he?" she groused, back to her hands on hips stance.

"Not only has he restricted it, but forbid it for at least another week. You can stretch, do some light workouts, but nothing that will strain the body beyond what it has already taken." Immediately seeing her temper rise, Kayne grinned. "Come, let's check to see if my brother is still alive."

"What do you mean?" Instant alarm in her dark eyes again reminded him of all she had endured in so short of time.

"Easy," he growled, pulling her against his chest. "He is just getting the shit kicked out of him, I'm sure. Let's go watch his humiliation." With a mischievous grin Chayle followed him through another set of double doors that led to the right. Instantly she was assailed by sounds of growls and heavy bodies hitting the floor, and as they rounded a corner partition that hid the room from the doors she saw why.

Two heavily muscled men were in the throes of what looked like mortal combat. She watched as each threw punches and kicks that could have broken bones or killed if they had connected. Chayle had watched many of the advanced students at the gym where she regularly trained, workout at the same level but never with the intensity of the two men on the mats.

"Come on pussy, why are you holding back?" she heard the bulkier of the two men goad his opponent just before landing a punishing kick to his ribcage. "See, you can't even keep your mind in the game when your brother walks in the room."

"Stop playing, Merc, and pay attention." Rafe suddenly flipped over the top of the taller man and chopped him between the shoulder blades, sending his opponent crashing to the ground. "Call me a pussy again and I'll make sure you can't service one for a while!" The feral grin and gleam in Rafe's eyes told Chayle the man would relish doling the promised retribution.

"In your dreams, rookie!" The man called Mercury flipped up from the floor using only his massive legs and neck muscles, rising to his full height.

"I stopped being a rookie a long time ago and you of all people know it!" The two continued to bait each other, landing punches and kicks that Chayle knew would leave bruises later. However, watching the two men was a thing of beauty. The way they moved, knowing and recognizing each other's weaknesses, it was evident they were evenly matched.