Read Online Talon: Combat Tracking Team (A Breed Apart) by Ronie Kendig - Free Book Online
Authors: Ronie Kendig
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there.
Watching.
Six
A Breed Apart Ranch
Texas Hill Country
W hat do you mean you don’t exist?”
Sunlight peeked through the cedar trees whose branches waved in the unusual summer breeze. Aspen hated the nerves that skittered through her veins. As she waited for his answer, noting that Heath and Jibril now stood a little taller.
The almost-there smile flickered for a second before it vanished, and Dane lowered his gaze. “I was being facetious.” He shrugged those broad shoulders. “Have no idea why I wasn’t mentioned in the reports. I was there.” He motioned to Talon. “He even recognizes me.”
Instinctively, Aspen’s hand went to the Lab’s broad skull. The big lug leaned against her leg panting, oblivious to the tension that had just coated the afternoon.
“Seriously.” Dane held up his hands. “If you aren’t comfortable with me being here, I can leave.”
“No.” The word shot out before Aspen could process her response—or the why. The urgency that tightened a fist on her didn’t let go. This guy was the first possible good news she’d had in a very long time. “No, I want to hear your story.” Something sparked in his blue eyes that unsettled her. “Then, I’ll decide for myself if you need to leave.”
“Fair enough.”
“Why don’t we take this up to the house?” Heath said.
“Yes, yes.” Jibril started up the hill that led to the house. “I have tea and lemonade.”
“You or Khat?” Heath taunted him.
Laughing, Jibril stepped onto the wraparound porch. “It is my house, not my sister’s, yes?”
Though Heath and Jibril continued with their banter, Aspen drew into herself. Dane might have the answers. Or he might not. And what good would it do to hear his story for herself? Even if he did see Austin in Africa somewhere, it wasn’t proof.
Seated in the cluster of deep-cushioned sofas that overlooked the pool and outdoor area, Aspen motioned Talon to her side. He lumbered to her and flattened himself against the cold tile floor.
Dane folded himself onto a chair next to her. Somehow, the low ceilings and short sofas amplified the guy’s height. While he stood several inches taller than her, he wasn’t a giant. Though his presence carried powerfully in the room.
“Let me get some refreshments,” Jibril said. “Don’t wait for me.”
Hands folded, elbows resting on her thighs, Aspen steeled herself. “So, Brittain shared the interview with me.”
He sat on the edge, forearms on his knees, and nodded.
“So, you were there when the bomb went off.”
“I was.”
“Tell me what you remember.”
“I told Ms. Larabie everything I know.”
“I know.” Aspen drew in a breath and looked at Heath, whose presence gave her the gumption to push. Not that she was weak. But something about this guy unsettled her. Left her feeling nervous. “But I want to hear it for myself.”
“Okay.” As he launched into his story, into being down on the ground when the bomb went off, getting knocked unconscious and coming to, it all rang true.
“And in Africa?” Prompting him felt artificial. As if he wasn’t willing to tell her what he saw. But he couldn’t come this far then drop her off a cliff. Aspen inched closer. “You saw him there?”
He darted a look at her then to Heath before sloughing his hands together.
She touched his arm. “Please. Tell me what you saw.”
“That’s just it—I can’t guarantee what I saw was real.” He snorted. “I mean, I saw
someone
, but…”
“It could’ve been anyone.” Heath towered over both of them.
Dane’s blue gaze rose to Heath’s. “Yeah.” He skirted her a glance. “I just…I don’t want to get your hopes up, ya know?”
“I appreciate that.” She smiled, noticing for the first time how much depth rested in his face. “But you wouldn’t have gone on national television if you didn’t think there was a chance it was my brother you saw, not just
anyone.”
Ice clinked against
Watching.
Six
A Breed Apart Ranch
Texas Hill Country
W hat do you mean you don’t exist?”
Sunlight peeked through the cedar trees whose branches waved in the unusual summer breeze. Aspen hated the nerves that skittered through her veins. As she waited for his answer, noting that Heath and Jibril now stood a little taller.
The almost-there smile flickered for a second before it vanished, and Dane lowered his gaze. “I was being facetious.” He shrugged those broad shoulders. “Have no idea why I wasn’t mentioned in the reports. I was there.” He motioned to Talon. “He even recognizes me.”
Instinctively, Aspen’s hand went to the Lab’s broad skull. The big lug leaned against her leg panting, oblivious to the tension that had just coated the afternoon.
“Seriously.” Dane held up his hands. “If you aren’t comfortable with me being here, I can leave.”
“No.” The word shot out before Aspen could process her response—or the why. The urgency that tightened a fist on her didn’t let go. This guy was the first possible good news she’d had in a very long time. “No, I want to hear your story.” Something sparked in his blue eyes that unsettled her. “Then, I’ll decide for myself if you need to leave.”
“Fair enough.”
“Why don’t we take this up to the house?” Heath said.
“Yes, yes.” Jibril started up the hill that led to the house. “I have tea and lemonade.”
“You or Khat?” Heath taunted him.
Laughing, Jibril stepped onto the wraparound porch. “It is my house, not my sister’s, yes?”
Though Heath and Jibril continued with their banter, Aspen drew into herself. Dane might have the answers. Or he might not. And what good would it do to hear his story for herself? Even if he did see Austin in Africa somewhere, it wasn’t proof.
Seated in the cluster of deep-cushioned sofas that overlooked the pool and outdoor area, Aspen motioned Talon to her side. He lumbered to her and flattened himself against the cold tile floor.
Dane folded himself onto a chair next to her. Somehow, the low ceilings and short sofas amplified the guy’s height. While he stood several inches taller than her, he wasn’t a giant. Though his presence carried powerfully in the room.
“Let me get some refreshments,” Jibril said. “Don’t wait for me.”
Hands folded, elbows resting on her thighs, Aspen steeled herself. “So, Brittain shared the interview with me.”
He sat on the edge, forearms on his knees, and nodded.
“So, you were there when the bomb went off.”
“I was.”
“Tell me what you remember.”
“I told Ms. Larabie everything I know.”
“I know.” Aspen drew in a breath and looked at Heath, whose presence gave her the gumption to push. Not that she was weak. But something about this guy unsettled her. Left her feeling nervous. “But I want to hear it for myself.”
“Okay.” As he launched into his story, into being down on the ground when the bomb went off, getting knocked unconscious and coming to, it all rang true.
“And in Africa?” Prompting him felt artificial. As if he wasn’t willing to tell her what he saw. But he couldn’t come this far then drop her off a cliff. Aspen inched closer. “You saw him there?”
He darted a look at her then to Heath before sloughing his hands together.
She touched his arm. “Please. Tell me what you saw.”
“That’s just it—I can’t guarantee what I saw was real.” He snorted. “I mean, I saw
someone
, but…”
“It could’ve been anyone.” Heath towered over both of them.
Dane’s blue gaze rose to Heath’s. “Yeah.” He skirted her a glance. “I just…I don’t want to get your hopes up, ya know?”
“I appreciate that.” She smiled, noticing for the first time how much depth rested in his face. “But you wouldn’t have gone on national television if you didn’t think there was a chance it was my brother you saw, not just
anyone.”
Ice clinked against
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