Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Shabina clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a sound that threatened to escape. Harlow and Zahra immediately stepped closer to comfort her.
Zale sounded the same, completely in control, but then so did Raine. Vienna was always a bit surprised when quiet Raine suddenly took charge and exhibited very lethal behavior.
Raine stepped back into the doorway. “Vienna? Is this your Zale?”
Vienna had already identified him just by his voice. She nodded. The gun disappeared and Raine stepped aside to allow the others into the house. Vienna went in first, her gaze moving over first Zale, inspecting for damage, and then Rainier. Both looked fit and neither had blood on their clothes, but they would have cleaned themselves up before going out in public. Rainier was no longer playing the part of an older man. He looked to be in his mid to late thirties. There were lines in Zale’s face that she wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t known him so well.
“For heaven’s sake, Zale. Not again.” Vienna didn’t know whether to run to him or throw something at his head.
Rainier looked very pale, almost gray. The lines in his face were much more pronounced. He had looked younger the few times she’d seen him without his mask as Wayne Forsyne. Shabina stood uncertainly inside the doorway, leaning against the wall while the other women began to bring in the gear from the 4Runner. Vienna noted that it was unlike her to just stand in one place when there was work to be done. Shabina was usually the first one to volunteer or just dig in. Vienna feared the situation was too overwhelming to her. Harlow immediately went to the master bath to retrieve the large medical kit she’d brought along.
“What are the injuries and who is the worst?” Vienna asked briskly. She refused to run to Zale and throw her arms around him. She felt awkward, not completely certain of the status of their relationship. She knew that was her issue, but what if all the little vibes that last day together and the way things were worded really reflected how Zale felt? She was very aware that men like Zale became restless easily.
“Snowflake, what are you doing way over there?” Zale’s voice held that low, dangerous purr. She often wanted to kick him when he used that voice, even though her body reacted to it, but right now, she was grateful that it gave her an excuse to go to him.
Still, she was a nurse and she gave him her professional once-over. “I need to know what’s going on with you two.”
“No one followed us here,” Zale assured, as if that would be her main concern. “We took extra precautions. We were ambushed after we checked out of the Northern Lights. Rainier found a tracker in the luggage. We’d gone over it but we failed to find it the first time around.” He began unbuttoning his shirt while he talked to her.
Her breath hitched when she saw the thick bandages across his chest. “You were shot? With a bullet? Someone shot you and you’re just sitting there like nothing happened?”
“Take a look at Rainier. Mine’s a scratch. Rainier took a slug and went down. He’s acting all heroic, but he could be in trouble.”
Shabina slid down the wall, jamming her knuckles into her mouth and biting down hard. After the revelations she’d given the women earlier, Vienna was worried about her. PTSD was a real problem and could lead to panic attacks and even cause individuals to slip into an alternate reality if things became bad enough.
She glanced at Zahra and indicated Shabina with a slight nod of her head. She couldn’t be in two places at one time and needed someone looking after Shabina. Zahra wouldn’t leave Shabina’s side once she was close to her. Zahra immediately set a backpack down and sat on the floor next to her.
Rainier frowned, watching the interaction with interest. He noted the cut on Raine’s forehead and the way Shabina’s hands were shaking. Before he could speak, Vienna did.
“I need to take a look at your leg, Rainier.”
“It’s a through and through. I bandaged it.” He sounded gruff. He wasn’t looking at her, but his shrewd, assessing gaze kept moving back and forth between Raine and Shabina.
“Nevertheless, since you aren’t a doctor . . . You aren’t a doctor, are you?” Vienna asked. Who knew what kinds of letters these men had in front of or behind their names? “Don’t tell me. I don’t even care. I’m going to look at the wound and assess for myself whether or not you need further attention. Do you want to go to one of the bedrooms or do it right here?”
They were in her Airbnb, invading her space. They’d cut into Stella’s bridal shower, and they’d almost gotten Raine, Shabina and her killed just by association. The hell with them dictating to her. She would not be intimidated just because Rainier suddenly turned his intense steel-gray eyes on her. She put her chin up and refused to look away.