Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
“See, it’s nothing more than a graze,” she said, holding her arm out.
He moved behind her because the red line where the bullet had grazed her seemed to start at the back of her arm. He held her in one big hand, gently running a thumb over the raised scratch. “Still needs to be cleaned.”
He reached over and grabbed a tissue from the box on Liam’s desk, soaking it with the hand sanitizer the Irishman kept by a picture of his kid. She was perfectly still as he touched the cleaner to her wound, though he couldn’t miss the hiss that came from her mouth.
“Sorry, but if you think you need better care, I can take you to an ER,” he promised.
“I think we’re avoiding the ER. Liam doesn’t want the police to get involved,” she replied, her whole body stilling as he leaned over and blew across the wound, trying to cool the heat from the alcohol. “Li doesn’t have a lot of faith that they can handle something like this. They don’t have the kinds of contacts in Africa that McKay-Taggart has.”
She seemed fragile. Despite the weight she’d gained, she was still dainty compared to him. He could wrap his hand nearly all the way around her arm. This was why he’d been reluctant to touch her at first. He was a hulking beast and she the fairy princess who deserved a prince.
“Are you sure there’s nothing else wrong?” Brody asked quietly.
“Besides the fact that I’m tired and I’ve barely slept because I’m terrified a maniac is going to kill me and my son? I’m great.”
He put his hands on her shoulders. She always held her tension there. How many nights had he run his hands along her shoulders, rubbing until she finally relaxed? It had served as a way to quell the deep need to touch her. He let his thumbs slide along the rigid muscles, satisfied at the way she sighed.
“I came as soon as I found out you were in trouble. I don’t intend to leave. I’m going to take care of this for you.”
“It’s fine, Brody. I’m hiring bodyguards and Li is sure that they’ll figure out how to handle this man.”
“What does he want from you?” He wanted to talk about Nate. Desperately. He wanted to know everything about the kid, but she was talking to him, allowing him to touch her. He wasn’t about to stop. They would have plenty of time to talk later.
“I don’t think he wants anything but revenge.” Her voice was softer now.
He would rather keep that sweet voice of hers softening up. He knew how to do it. She melted when he touched her, responded like no woman ever had to him. But that would have to wait. Li would be back any moment and they needed to solve the problem.
“That’s not how he sounded on the phone. He wanted something. He said he knew what you had and he would get it back one way or another.” He’d thought about those words over and over again. He’d carefully typed them into his phone so he would have notes on the conversation.
Her shoulders were tight again and she moved away from him. “I didn’t take anything except Nate. I barely had time to shove a can of formula in his diaper bag. I left my phone behind, my laptop, everything except my purse. I had to buy clothes and a small suitcase when I got to Guinea. I only did that because I knew there would be questions about a woman traveling to the States without a suitcase.”
“That was smart.” He kept his voice low and soothing despite the fact that he wanted to shout a million questions at her, wanted to drag her back into his arms. “They likely would have questioned you and that would have cost you time.”
“Well, I didn’t actually think of it. Alfi did,” she replied. “He’s another Aussie, believe it or not. I can’t seem to find a security guy who wasn’t born in Oz.”
Alfi. Bloody Alfi. Oh, he should have known better than to think Alfi could do one favor for him. “What did he do?”
“The boss? I don’t want to go through this again, Brody. I’m tired.”
“I meant that wanker Alfi Dauterre.”
She was quiet for a moment and then her jaw dropped. “How did you… Of course. You sent him. I should have known he was too good to be true when he showed up two weeks after you left and wanted nothing but room and board.” Her hands went to her hips. “And you say you had no idea about Nate? Alfi knew. And by the way, if you sent him to take your place, sorry, I turned him down. I’d had enough larger-than-life Aussie sex for a lifetime.”