It fascinated her, the way Denver popped his neck, then his knuckles. An enraged sort of energy pulsed off him in waves.

“Understand something, girl.” He pinned her with his gaze. “I would never hurt you.”

He looked hurt, so with apology she whispered, “I know.”

Thank heavens he was headed for the rec center and a prolonged workout. Not that Denver maimed innocent people. He had awesome control and from what she could tell, a real leash on his temper. But he still looked like he needed to blow off some steam.

“We’re clear?”

“Yes.”

“And you trust me?”

She’d been waiting for that trap. “As much as you trust me.”

His demeanor darkened even more. “I trust you.”

Baloney. “Great. Then let me handle this.”

“After what you just told me?” His expression went from clear annoyance to accusing her of being nuts. “Fuck no.”

“It’s my business,” she reminded him.

He gathered her close. “And you’re my business.”

That was...okay, sweet. But he didn’t understand just how psycho the brothers were—and she’d prefer to keep it that way. “If I call him, he might not show up here.” But he probably would, because whatever Carver wanted, she couldn’t give it to him.

“Come on, girl, we both know if he can find you, he will.”

“You’re not turned on right now, so why did you call me—”

“Who says I’m not?” He pressed his mouth to hers in a quick smooch, then slid a hand down her back to her bottom. Against her lips, he murmured, “I’m pissed, yes. And it’s still undecided if I’m going to take them apart or not.”

“Denver—”

“But no matter what, when I see you I want you. Hell, I think about you and I want you. You plastered against me? Finally opening up to me a little? Yeah, I’m turned on. Never doubt it.”

She sighed. “I’m the same with you.”

Groaning, he hugged her off her feet. “Thank you for telling me.”

“It wasn’t news. You already knew how much I cared for you.”

“No...” He looked struck, then resigned as he shook his head. “Not that—and quit talking about it or I’ll blow off the rest of the day when I shouldn’t.” He sucked in a chest-expanding breath. “I meant about the foster family. The Nelsons. Their asshole sons. I know it wasn’t easy to tell me everything.”

Telling him everything would be impossible. Whoever said sharing problems made them easier to bear didn’t understand her problems.

“Know what I think we should do?”

Every time he said “we,” her heart leaped, and then her stomach cramped. She’d never really known love before. It was as foreign to her as wealth or security. But with Denver, she was so ate up with him, she loved him more than she’d ever thought possible. No way did she want him anywhere near Carver.

But how could she both keep him, and keep him away? No words would emerge, so she mustered a questioning look.

“I’ll call him.”

“No.” No, a million times no.

“I’ll set him straight.”

The laugh nearly burst out. Carver was so crooked, so bent, no one, not even Denver, could set him straight. If Denver tried, he’d end up on Carver’s radar—more than he already was.

His brows tweaked down, and he half smiled. “You’re worried for me? Seriously?”

Oh crud. He sounded disbelieving and irked. How did he do that? How did he read her thoughts even before she’d sorted them out?

Her mouth felt dry. “I know you can take care of yourself.” Denver was an amazing man and an incredible athlete.

But he wasn’t superhuman.

And he wasn’t the scum of the earth, willing to stoop as low as it took to get his way.

His advancement to the SBC was still new enough, his career so fast-growing, that she didn’t want her troubles to interfere in any way.

Carver was that type of man, the kind who brought destruction. He didn’t fight fair. Not face-to-face, man to man, as Denver was used to. No, he’d fight dirty in ways Denver would never expect—and couldn’t prevent. She knew well the cruel and abnormal way Carver’s brain worked. He justified the most unjustifiable forms of brutality. He made up reasons for unreasonable acts of violence.

He did it all without a conscience.

And took pleasure from it.

She couldn’t tell Denver everything she knew about Carver and his brothers, because that would only encourage him to want to defend and protect her. But she had to try to talk him out of digging in. “You don’t understand how Carver is.”