Ghostwalker 09 - Ruthless Game

her brothers for income. That would give them some semblance of control over her and, at this late date, now that she was grown, she wasn’t about to let them have any say in her life.
    She flashed a smile at the Lanoux brothers. They had obviously quickened their pace to catch up.
    Beside her, Drake reacted so subtly she couldn’t put her finger on what he did, but the air charged with tension and he seemed al at once dangerous, not at al the easygoing man he had appeared. His gaze settled on the two men and didn’t waver. She felt the difference, felt him coiling in readiness, and suddenly she wasn’t so certain anyone was safe with Donovan. His eyes glittered with menace and he very gently but firmly lifted her by the waist and put her behind him, leaving him to face the two brothers alone.
    Dion and Robert were nearly as bad, splitting apart to come at Drake from either side, looking like professional fighters instead of the easygoing men she knew them to be. She was fast losing control of the situation, the tension in the air stretching so thin it could be cut with a knife. She should have been afraid for Drake, but something, some coiling tension in Drake, made her afraid for the brothers.
    “These are my neighbors,” she reiterated. “My friends .” She curled her fingers around Drake’s biceps as if that might hold him back. His body was warm; no, hot. She felt the ripple of muscle beneath his skin and an answering heat pulsed between her legs.
    Drake hesitated and then, to her relief, she saw him flash a brief smile. His eyes were stil as focused and she noticed that his body stil shielded hers, but some of the tension in him eased. Not tension, she corrected herself—that was coming from the Lanoux brothers. But certainly Drake was coiled and ready should an attack come.
    “Dion.” Saria projected more friendliness than usual into her voice. “How are you? What are you doin’ here?”
    “I could ask the same question of you, chère ,” Dion greeted, stopping just a short distance from them, his gaze running over Donovan, sizing him up.
    Apparently whatever he saw he didn’t like, because there was no friendliness whatsoever.
    “I’ve got a guide gig.” She wil ed Dion to understand it was lucrative and he’d better not blow it for her. “Drake, this is Dion Lanoux and his brother Robert. They’re close neighbors. Dion, Robert, this is Drake Donovan. I’m going to show him around the swamp and bayou.”
    “Real y?” Robert’s eyebrow shot up. “Why?”
    “Robert.” Saria was appal ed. “Mind your own business.”
    “You don’ mind, Donovan, but I need to speak with Saria a moment,” Dion said smoothly, and held out his hand to Saria.
    She felt a sudden surge of power running beneath Drake’s skin. Her eyes jumped to his face. He was looking at Dion, not Robert, and there was something very deadly in his expression. “Saria.” His voice was very soft. “If you’re afraid of them, you don’t have to go with them.”
    He knew. She had thought she’d been so clever and careful. She’d hidden terror from her own brothers, from her neighbors, and yet this total stranger, within minutes of meeting her, knew. She forced a smile, a little impressed that he was obviously wil ing to fight off both brothers on her behalf. “No, even though they have clearly forgotten their manners, they’re friends.” Maybe if she said it enough times, both sides would stop posturing and play nice.
    Ignoring Dion’s hand, she stepped around Drake, or nearly did. He shifted his weight slightly, cutting her off. His fingers just barely trailed down her arm to her wrist, settling with infinite gentleness. “You’re absolutely certain, Saria? I assure you, there’s no need to protect me.” He gave her a faint grin.
    Her heart nearly stopped and then began pounding. He was so gorgeous. And the way he touched her, featherlight—she felt it al the way to her bones.
    Heat rushed through her veins and she swal owed hard, trying not to give in to sheer physical attraction.
    “You’re wrong about that,” Dion said, glaring at the sight of Drake’s fingers loosely forming a bracelet around Saria’s wrist.
    She fol owed his annoyed gaze and had to fight from blushing as she pul ed away and very firmly stepped around Drake. “You could use the phone, Dion,” she said, “if it is so necessary to get in touch with me.” She walked ahead of him, but stopped where she could keep an eye on Drake