Catastrophic Attraction - Eve Langlais Page 0,46
this because I short-sheeted the bed last week?”
Roark snorted. “What else did you do? Put lard in her boots?”
The scowl on Cam’s face deepened, and a color lit his cheeks.
Roark opened his mouth then laughed. “Holy fuck, you did. No wonder she’d prefer to travel with me.”
Casey could have killed the king when he dropped that bombshell on Cam.
“Traveling where?”
She sighed. “To Port City. We’re going to see if the attacks on Roark are originating from there.” After all, the bounty rumors were making the rounds in the taverns.
“I’ll come.”
“No need,” she hastily said. “We just talked about this.”
To her surprise, Roark had a different reply. “That would be helpful. The road there is dangerous. We’ll take two vehicles, taking turns riding behind someone, with enough supplies we can follow the shoreline for a trip down with no stops.”
“You want him to come?” she huffed, whirling to give Roark an almost betrayed stare.
“Smart man. Knows he could use some muscle,” Cam boasted, suddenly changing his tune toward the king.
“That muscle will be useless if I put a laxative in your food,” she snarled. “So shut your mouth. I’m having a conversation.”
“Are we? Because I got the impression you were going to get mad at me,” Roark stated.
“She is,” Cam crowed, practically singing, “You’re in trouble.”
“I wouldn’t talk,” muttered Roark.
“I’m her brother. I can get away with it.” He sounded so damned smug.
“You might be my sibling, but I will still do something wretched if you keep irritating me. And you.” She glared at Roark who kept stirring things. “Stop it.”
“Stop what? Pointing out the fact I recognize your capabilities?”
“I’m capable now. In Cam’s defense, I was a scrawny and mouthy kid who needed lots of protecting.”
“Not anymore, though.”
Funny how this man, barely more than a stranger recognized something her brother couldn’t. They might have argued more but for the shriek. Three adults trying to wedge through a door might have been more amusing except for the terror in one little girl’s voice.
Roark made it to Charlie’s side first, mostly because Casey was scanning the room for danger. He scooped the girl into his arms.
Whereas Cam glared at the slack-jawed guards just inside and barked, “Talk.”
The guard with the short beard hastily began to explain, the words tumbling over each other. “We didn’t do nuthin’.”
“Swear we did nothing,” hastened to add the other.
“She just started screaming!” the bearded one exclaimed, lifting his arms.
Roark stood with Charlie in his arms. The little girl sobbed and rubbed her face into her father’s chest. “It was just a nightmare,” he advised. “Too much excitement lately. You are dismissed. She’ll sleep in my room tonight.”
Roark went ahead carrying his daughter, and Casey followed, Cam on her heels. In silence, they headed down the single flight.
It was only as she went to follow Roark inside his bedroom that her brother grabbed her by the arm and hissed, “What are you doing?”
“My job. Guarding the princess.”
“You heard her father. She’s staying with him tonight.”
“And?” she queried.
“You can’t go in there.”
“Oh yes, I can.”
“No, you’re not!”
Knowing Roark was perfectly capable of watching his child didn’t mean she appreciated her brother’s bossy demeanor.
“I thought we just had a talk about your attitude.” She stretched, and while she couldn’t meet him eye to eye, she could glare. “Listen here. You do not get to tell me what I can or cannot do. I am a grown woman. I’ve been grown for a long time now. I don’t need someone meddling.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning I can’t do this anymore, Cam. I need some time on my own.”
His expression just about killed her. “You really want me to leave.” His lips turned down, and she knew it wasn’t arrogance or misogyny that made him sad. He cared. Too much.
“You’re my brother, Cam. And I love you. But I need space.”
“Space? Is that what you call sharing the king’s bed?” The sneer was to cover up his hurt.
She knew it, but she didn’t let him get away with it. “Is this really how you want this fight to go? Going to resort to calling me a slut again?”
“You tell me. You’re the one who hasn’t actually said if you’re fucking him or not.” Cam’s brows beetled.
“Is Roark right? Are you jealous of him?”
He scoffed. “Don’t be gross. I don’t trust him.”
“You don’t trust anyone.”
“That’s not true,” Cam growled. “I trust you.”
“What about Axel? And Vera? Benny and Karlos?” She named off more people, trying to show him his family was more than just her.
When she