Chosen by Desire (39 page)

M
ax never imagined he’d end up in the kitchen, making coffee with Rhys’s woman, while Rhys and Carrie adjourned to the living room.

He glanced at them, sitting too close together, and clenched his fists to keep from pounding the counter. Or Rhys, for that matter.

He’d called Rhys to warn him off from trying to harm Carrie again. But Rhys denied the attacks—vehemently—and insisted on helping locate whoever had targeted Carrie.

Given his lack of leads, he’d accepted Rhys’s help. Reluctantly. After much swearing on both their parts. The union might have been necessary, but Max didn’t have to like it.

Coming to stand next to him at the counter, Gabe set the cups she’d gotten out of the cupboard on the tray he’d found. “Remember how I told you I’d pull your gonads through your throat?”

What the hell was she getting at? He glanced at her, annoyed, and realized he’d never really looked at her. He could see she’d be considered striking with her long dark hair and vivid blue eyes. She wasn’t nearly as beautiful as Carrie, but that was Rhys’s loss.

She poked a finger in his face. “I wasn’t kidding. If you’re messing with Carrie, I’m going to unleash a world of hurt on your ass.”

Crossing his arms, he glared at her. “And if I find out you and Rhys are behind this, after all—”

“Me and Rhys?” Her voice raised, her eyes narrowing. “What do we have to do with anything?”

He stepped close, pitching his voice low and threatening. “I know Rhys. I know he’ll do anything for power. Including hurting a friend.”

She glanced at his neck before looking him in the eyes and shaking her head. “That was the old Rhys. The new Rhys is different.”

She sounded so confident, he almost believed her. Almost. “And you?”

“Me? What about me?”

“The person who attacked Carrie last night was a woman.”

Gabe blinked a couple times. As comprehension dawned on her face, her cheeks flushed and anger lit her eyes. “You can’t seriously think—”

“I do.”

“Bastard,” she hissed. “She’s my best friend.”

“Everything okay in there?” Carrie called from the other room.

They both looked up to find Rhys and Carrie staring at them.

“Fine.” Gabe banged the sugar bowl onto the tray and glared at him, daring him to contradict her.

As if he’d give her the satisfaction. Setting the carafe on the tray, he picked it up and carried it to the living room, Gabe following on his heels.

He put the tray on the table and poured a cup for Carrie. As he turned to hand it to her, he noticed Rhys holding her hand.

His chest swelled with fury. “Move.”

Rhys calmly held out her hand for him to take and got up to join Gabe where she sat.

Still holding her hand, Max claimed the spot Rhys vacated.

Carrie looked at him, worry etched on her face. Biting her lip, she turned to the other couple. “I’ve put you all in danger.”

“It seems you’re the one being attacked, darling,” Rhys said evenly.

Max’s body stiffened at the endearment, but she snuggled into his side and he found himself soothed.

“Hey,” Gabe called out. “Stop playing footsie and tell us what’s going on.”

He had no idea how Rhys put up with her. If it were up to him, he’d duct tape her mouth shut. In fact, he was sure he had a roll in a toolbox somewhere.

Carrie squeezed his hand as if she knew the direction of his thoughts. “Gabe, you know the time I met you at your house before we went to the Asian Art Museum? I arrived early and heard you and Rhys talking. I heard him mention Wei Lin.”

Gabe set down her cup. “And that meant something to you?”

“Yeah, it spurred me to go to the monastery in China to research Wei Lin and try to prove that there was a historical basis for the Scrolls of Destiny.”

The stunned silence was so thick he could have cut it with his sword.

Carrie sighed. “Long story short, I thought if I could find proof that they actually existed and tie it into my existing research, I’d be a shoo-in for the job at Cal. I never thought I’d actually find anything. But then next thing I know, I’m smuggling ancient Chinese documents into this country—”

Gabe groaned. Max noted Rhys’s expression didn’t change, but he could see his former friend processing the information.

“I know,” Carrie wailed. “What was I thinking? I wasn’t thinking. When I found Wei Lin’s journal, all rational thought escaped me. I never would have taken them if I knew one of the scrolls was the Book of Water.”

Rhys’s gaze darted to Max, looking for confirmation. Max nodded once.

“You took a scroll?” Gabe reeled back. “Oh, shit.”

“I didn’t mean to. I only meant to read Wei Lin’s journal. And I was going to return them. Really.” Carrie toyed with her cup handle. “I’m sorry if you feel I betrayed you. I hope I can make it up to you.”

“You put yourself in danger for a freaking term paper?” Gabe shook her head. “You could have been arrested. Or worse. Like having your apartment set on fire.”

“The documents weren’t in your apartment when the fire happened, were they?” Rhys asked.

“I’d given them back to Max. Except one.” Carrie’s knuckles were white, she gripped her coffee cup so tightly. “The one that listed all the Guardians.”

“So you know?” Gabe asked cautiously.

“Yeah. If it were any other circumstance, I’d want to know everything about being a Guardian, like what you can do and what it feels like. If you can fly.” The excited light faded from her face. “Although I’m afraid I’ll get firsthand knowledge of your powers when I tell you the genealogy—the scroll that lists all of you as Guardians—is what was taken.”

Silence fell, heavy and loaded. Rhys glanced at him, and he knew the same thing was going through his mind. They had to recover the text and eliminate the threat.

Carrie turned to him. “I was going to give it back to you. I swear. Last night. Only I got attacked—”

“And she took it,” Max finished for her.

“Yeah.” Carrie worried her lip as she studied her friend. Finally she said, “You aren’t angry with me?”

Gabe snorted. “Of course I’m angry with you.”

“I’m so sorry—”

“Not about the scroll, babe. That you put yourself in danger over something so meaningless. I used to think you were so levelheaded. Who knew you had such a melodramatic streak in you?” She shook her head. “Yeah, I’m still going to talk to you. You’re my best friend.”

Carrie hopped up and gave Gabe an awkward hug that landed her in a pile on top of both her and Rhys. “I love you so much. I’m so sorry I screwed up, but I promise I’m going to make it right.”

“You’re not doing anything,” Max said tightly, wanting to rip Rhys’s hand off Carrie, even if it was just on her arm.

Brow furrowed, she glanced at him. Some sort of understanding lit her face, and she pushed herself off them and came back to him.

Damn if that didn’t melt what was left of the hard shell around his heart.

“As much as it pains me, I have to agree with Max,” Rhys said mildly.

“They’re right, babe. You aren’t equipped to deal with this.”

“I can—”

“No,” Gabe and Max vetoed together.

“Darling, I’m going to have to agree on this.” Rhys set his coffee cup on the table. “We have connections you don’t. I’m sure we can get this matter resolved in no time. Without any further danger to you.” His gaze hardened as he looked at Max. “Isn’t that so, Max?”

Max clenched his jaw so hard he felt his bones creak. But he had to protect his scroll and Carrie. He gave one jerky nod.

Carrie huffed, frowning at them. “I don’t see how you guys could be privy to any more information than me. It’s not like the person who took the genealogy is going to sell it.”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Rhys stroked his scar.

The same way he always touched his scar. Max ran a hand over the burn mark Rhys gave him, not sure he liked the similarity.

“It could be that the person took it to auction it to the highest bidder,” Rhys continued.

“I don’t know that I agree.” Carrie pursed her lips. “Everything just seemed so, I don’t know,
personal.
The threats made it sound like I’d done something to thwart him, which is why I thought it might be Trevor.”

Max stiffened. “Who the hell is Trevor?”

“A colleague.” She grabbed his arm. “Are you absolutely sure it was a woman last night?”

“Yes.” His eyes narrowed. “Who’s Trevor, and why haven’t you mentioned him?”

“I mentioned him, just to Ramirez. But if the perp was a woman, it couldn’t have been Trevor. Unless he hired someone to attack me.” She frowned.

“Give me his name anyway.” Rhys pulled out a PDA and began tapping. “It won’t hurt to officially cross him off the list, and it’s a place to start.”

Max noted the name mentally as Carrie gave it to Rhys. He’d do his own checking.

“If we’re looking for a woman, I have a suspect.” Carrie stared at him oddly.

“Who?”

“Francesca.”

“Francesca?” He shook his head. “She has nothing to do with this.”

“Of course not. Silly me.”

He frowned at the heavy sarcasm in her voice.

“Never mind.” She rubbed her head, looking wrung out. “I’m so sorry, guys. I’ll ask around—”

“No,” Max and Gabe said simultaneously again.

Gabe frowned at him before turning to Carrie. “Let us handle this. We have an advantage because the baddie won’t expect us on his or her ass, and we have our powers to back us up. Not to mention that you’ll be chilly going out like that.”

Flushing, Carrie shot him an accusing glare as she tugged down the edge of the shirt. “Max threw my only clothes away.”

“Uh-huh.” Gabe winked. “You want me to bring you some clothes, or are you happy as you are?”

“I’ve arranged for new clothing,” Max said coolly. He’d take care of his woman.

Rhys helped Gabe to her feet. “I’ll let you know as soon as I have information.”

With another glare at Max, Carrie escorted Rhys and Gabe to the door. He followed behind like a lackey.

The women hugged, whispering things he couldn’t catch. And then Rhys faced him.

He felt the air around them shimmer, full of memories of the past—good and bad. He remembered the way he’d thought of Rhys as his brother, and how Rhys had lied to him. As if to protect him,
j
n ch’i
rose inside him.

He hadn’t loved Amanda, he’d always known that. What he felt for her was nothing compared to what he felt for Carrie.

But Rhys… His jaw clenched. He could deal with Rhys in this situation. Forgiving was going to take work.

“She staged that day, you know,” Rhys said. “She wanted to pit us against each other. I hadn’t realized what she was up to until you arrived.”

He hated admitting it, but Rhys’s words rang true. A truth he’d suspected deep down but hadn’t wanted to accept before.

“I may have been tempted by what Amanda offered, but I would never have carried through with it. It would have meant destroying you, and I’d never harm someone I loved.” Rhys and Gabe exchanged a look before he continued. “I’m not sorry she came to the end she did. She made her own fate. I am sorry, however, that it drove a stake in our relationship. I’m willing to let the past rest between us if you are.”

Was he? Could he?

Rhys led his woman out, the door closing softly behind them.

“If you can forgive me, Max, I don’t see how you can’t forgive Rhys.” Carrie shook her head and stepped around him.

He grabbed her arm. “Where are you going?”

She eased out of his grip. “To take a shower while I wait for clothes.”

He watched her walk to the kitchen. She couldn’t go anywhere without clothes—it should have been reassuring. And her words rang true. If only he didn’t feel like she was up to something.