Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 146417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
“Agreed. See you soon,” Beck replied, and the screen went dark. “Jax, can you pull up the replay? I want to go over everything he said again.”
“I’ll do you one better.” Jax had a remote in his hand. “I finally got the Wi-Fi working and I can throw it to the TV screen so we can all watch it. I’m going to send a copy to Eve. She’s been working on a profile of him for a long time. She might catch something we miss.”
“I don’t need to watch it again.” Something about the way Beck had simply made the decision for her rankled. “I need to figure out how to get home. I’ll go and see if Ezra can get the boat again. I don’t want to make you late getting to your plane.”
“You can’t be serious,” Beck replied.
“We’re going home?” Roman stood in the doorway, his eyes wide. “But what about the bad man?”
Beck put his hands on his hips and frowned as Ezra showed up behind Roman. “I thought you were watching him.”
Ezra winced. “He can be slippery when he wants to. Sorry. But I’m also kind of worried about the bad guy. Could I watch the tape so I know who to look for? If we’re going back to Malta, I should know who might…show up.”
She knew what Ezra had been planning on saying. Who might murder us. But what the hell was she supposed to do? She couldn’t simply allow Beck to walk in and take over. It had been one thing when she had no other options, but now she did.
“Set it up, Jax. Owen, see if you can get an ETA on Theo and the others,” Beck said, obviously taking charge. “I’m going to have a talk with Kim, and then we’ll get ready to move out. Roman, I’m not going to leave you. No matter what. Do you understand?”
Her son slowly nodded his head. “Yes. You won’t let the bad guy get us.”
“I won’t.” Beck turned her way, and she felt the weight of all his stubborn will. “Come with me. Roman, I’m going to talk to your mom and then we’ll be back. Ezra, try not to lose my son.”
Before she could say anything, she felt Beck’s hand on her arm, leading her down the hallway. He was right. They shouldn’t have this argument in front of their son.
How would she explain to Roman that yes, his dad was back, but he lived in the States and they wouldn’t see him. Unless…
“What did you mean you aren’t leaving? You can’t promise Roman things like that.” Kim turned on him as soon as they got to the small bedroom they’d spent the night before in.
He closed the door behind him, and the room seemed to get even smaller. “Why won’t you come back to Dallas?”
“Because it’s not my home.”
“No, it’s mine, and it’s the safest place for you and Roman right now. So explain to me why you’re fighting me on this.”
“You don’t know that it’s safe. You don’t know anywhere is safe. And don’t pretend like you’re the only one who can protect him. What the hell is that about?”
He pointed a finger her way. “You are out of practice. You panicked yesterday. You need me. So if I can’t get you back to Dallas, then I’ll uproot my life and move into the fort.”
That would almost be worse. He wouldn’t even have a job to go to. He would be close to her all day. He would try to take his place as Roman’s father, and she wouldn’t be able to hold back. And it would all go wrong because that’s what happened with them. Why would she put herself through that again? Why would he want to? “I don’t want you there.”
He stared at her for a moment as though assessing how to proceed. “This is not you. You are a practical, logical woman. You know that going back to Malta isn’t what’s best for you or Roman. So what are you really afraid of?”
He was right. She wasn’t being practical, but she couldn’t seem to give in to him. “I don’t want to be around you.”
“No, that’s not it either. Or maybe it is, but not because you’re afraid of me.”
Stubborn will rose inside her. “Do you honestly believe I’ve been pining after you all these years? After everything you did?”
“Baby, you lied to me about my brother’s death.” His voice had gone low, intimate. That deep baritone of his was a caress she could feel against her skin. “I’m really hoping you can take my lead and forgive me for some stupid, cruel words that I did not mean. Now tell me why you won’t come with me.”
He’d been slowly moving her back until she was against the wall with nowhere to run.