No Escape From War (Trouble for Hire #1) - Cynthia Eden Page 0,20

sober.”

Odin’s lips twisted. “I mean, I get the appeal. That body of hers will stop traffic, but—”

War strode straight for him. Stopped directly in front of Odin. “Forget what you saw.”

“Excuse me?”

“Get amnesia. Don’t think about her body or how fantastic it was. You don’t need that memory. It’s gone. Got me?”

Odin arched one eyebrow. “I think you have some serious issues where she is concerned. She cheated on you. She—”

“No. She didn’t. Things are a hell of a lot more complex than I realized. She didn’t cheat or lie. I’m an asshole. That’s what you need to know for now.”

A second eyebrow rose to join the first. “I don’t need to know why you haven’t turned her over to the cops? That was your plan, wasn’t it?”

“The plan has been altered.” There was more he wanted to say. Like how he already knew that the cops were searching the motel because he’d sent them there. But he didn’t want Rose to hear that part, not yet. He needed to do some serious trust rebuilding with her before he revealed everything that was at play.

“Altered…because you slept with her?”

“Slept. That’s all I did. No sex, but thanks for being all up in my business, buddy.”

“I don’t want you hurt again,” Odin returned. “She hurt you. I’ve never seen you like that.”

War fired a quick glance over his shoulder. The bedroom door was still closed. Satisfied, he focused on Odin once more. “Rose is in danger. The priority is to keep her safe and find the bastard who tried to kill her last night.”

Shock flashed on Odin’s face. “What?”

“He was strangling her,” War confessed baldly. The memory had rage and fear blasting through him. “If I’d gotten in that motel room a little later, she would be gone.”

All of the antagonism had fled from Odin’s expression and body. “What can I do?”

And there it was. Pure Odin. The guy who would have your back in an instant even if he was pissed as hell at you. A friend straight to the core, through blood and pain and battles. Right now, this was their battle. Protecting Rose. Stopping the bastard after her. “You still have that tech guy who owes you some favors?” Odin had some pretty good tech skills himself, but he had an ex-spy buddy who was top-notch.

A quick nod.

“We’re gonna need him.”

The bedroom door opened. War exhaled and stepped to the side. Rose had dressed in jeans, a loose top, and sandals that showed off her cute feet with her blue toenail polish.

“Are you going to say rude things to me again?” Rose wanted to know as her gaze assessed Odin. “Because I am not in the mood for them.”

Odin shook his head. “No more rude things from me.”

Good. War pointed at Odin. “Play nicely while I get changed, and then we’ll bring you up to speed.”

“I’m always nice. Don’t you remember? You’re the asshole. I’m the charmer.”

Chapter Five

“I’m sorry.”

Rose slanted a suspicious glance at the Thor look-alike. She’d been fiddling around in the kitchen, hunting for coffee, and he’d snuck up on her. For someone so big, he moved very quietly. Much like War. “For what?” she asked him. She’d slept far longer than she’d intended. By her calculations, she’d already lost at least four, maybe five, of her promised forty-eight hours.

“For the things I said. War set me straight. Told me you were innocent.”

Innocent? Her brows rose as she turned fully toward him.

“I had…uh, heard you left him for someone else.” A roll of one massive shoulder. “He just said that wasn’t the case. So, yeah…” Halting. Rough. “I shouldn’t have been a dick. I was trying to protect my friend, and I overstepped.”

“You were a dick.” She wouldn’t let that pass. “War is also the one who broke up with me. If you want to give someone a hard time, maybe you can try giving him a bit of hell, hmm?”

“Duly noted.” His blue eyes seemed to gleam. Like he found her response funny. She wasn’t being funny.

“Great,” Rose muttered. “Glad we cleared that up. Now…what is there to eat in this place? I am starving.” She yanked open the refrigerator. Rummaged around and found some grapes. They looked mostly fresh, so she popped a few in her mouth. When she looked up, she found the blond had ambled closer. “What?”

“I’m Odin.”

“I thought you were Thor…?”

His eyebrows wrinkled.

She ate a few more grapes. “But, sure, Odin works, too. I can see it.” She grabbed some orange