between cars, she was sure anyone who might be trying to keep track of them was not going to succeed.
“You okay?” Bran asked as she clung to her seat.
“How long do we have to keep this up?”
He cranked the wheel, turning the Jeep into an underground parking garage, and pulled into a space marked Unit 1410, next to what appeared to be a brand-new Chevy Stingray, bright red with matte-black trim.
“Home sweet home,” Bran said, grinning. Jessie pulled her gaze away from that amazingly handsome face and ignored the little tug of awareness she felt when he smiled, which only made him more attractive. He turned off the engine and cracked open his door at the same time Jessie opened hers.
“Stay there,” he commanded, back in bodyguard mode, the smile gone from his face. He checked their surroundings, then came around to her side of the Jeep to help her out. He hauled her luggage out of the back, but didn’t offer to tow it up to his condo. Apparently, he didn’t believe in taking chances.
Jessie glanced around the parking garage, which was cleaner than most houses, not a trace of oil on the concrete floor. The neighborhood was extremely upscale, and from the looks of the mirrored glass building, perfectly landscaped flower beds, and manicured grassy open spaces, so were the condos.
She’d known the Garretts had money, but she hadn’t thought about it when she’d come to Dallas. She just needed help, and she believed her brother’s friend would agree.
She towed her carry-on into the elevator and waited as Bran pushed the button for the fourteenth floor. The carriage zipped up as if it had wings, and the doors opened onto a corridor lined on one side with plate glass windows looking out over the city. Opposite the windows, a row of apartments. Bran paused at 1410, swiped his key, and opened the door.
Jessie waited while he disabled the alarm, then reset it to perimeter only. When he turned, she could feel him close beside her, big and male, vowing to protect her. He was former army Special Forces, a Delta operator, just like her brother, one of the most capable and deadly men on the planet. For the first time in days, she felt safe.
“The guest rooms are down the hall,” Bran said. “Each has its own bath. Follow me.”
She took a look around as he led her beneath the modern glass chandelier in the granite-floored entry. Ten-foot ceilings, hardwood floors, stunning views of the city, big sliding glass doors that opened onto a terrace.
“Your place is lovely.”
“Thanks.” He flashed another grin. “Long as my brother Reese keeps the family business making money, I can afford it. Besides, I’ve lived everywhere from a tent in the middle of the Afghan desert to a hammock in the Colombian jungle. I figured it was time for a change.”
She smiled. “I’m betting the Stingray is yours, too.”
“Recent addition. I’ve barely had time to try it out.”
Jessie felt a pang of guilt. “And now here I am, dragging you off to Colorado, into what could turn out to be a very dangerous situation.”
He sobered, walked back and caught her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “I owe your brother my life. In giving it to me, he lost his own. There is nothing his sister or anyone he cared about could ever ask of me that I would not do.”
Her throat tightened. She thought of how much she missed Danny, knew how much her brother had admired and respected Brandon. “I’m glad I came to you. When I left Colorado, I wasn’t sure it was the right thing to do, but now I am. Thank you for helping me.”
“The only thing I’ve done so far is sweep a pile of glass off the floor of my office. You can thank me when this is over.”
Jessie just nodded. Now that they were safely inside his condo, Bran took the handle of her suitcase and tugged it down the hall into one of the guest rooms. The bedroom furniture was modern, dark wood throughout, the bed covered by a pale blue silk comforter, trendy lamps on the bedside tables, a desk, and two pale blue chairs in a small seating area.
“You have very good taste in interior design,” she said.
He tossed the carry-on up onto the bed. “Afraid I can’t take the credit. A friend helped me.”
A friend. The way he looked, there was no doubt what kind of friend. “Female, I