Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
“In my office,” Case said, obviously irritated. “Believe it or not Austin is not so weird that a standoff in a lobby that anyone from the street can see is going to be brushed off. Also, my wife is going to have my ass if she misses this. Gentlemen, please escort the Dawson brothers up to my office. Don’t underestimate them. They’re old and a little soft, but they used to be Navy SEALs. And don’t even try to fuck with Mrs. Kent. She could kill you all and not break a nail, but I think she might behave herself.”
“I want a chance to lay out what I’ve discovered,” Heather explained, sounding reasonable now. “This situation is far more complex than it looks, and I’m worried she’s in real trouble.”
“It’s going to be okay,” Grim said, cuddling her close. “You’re safe, baby.”
“You should let me go.” She felt hollow inside.
“Never,” Grim promised.
She had to force this moment. She couldn’t stand to be in this place where he was loving her and Josh was fighting for her and they would both hate her in mere moments. It was making her ache in a way she’d never before. “I’m wanted for murder.”
Grim’s brow rose, but it was the only sign that he was surprised. “Did you do it?”
Of all the ways he could react, she hadn’t imagined that one. “No.”
“Then that’ll make it easier to get a lawyer.” He looked up at Josh. “We’re going to need to call Uncle Lucas. But for now, let’s get her somewhere warm and figure out what the hell Dad’s done.”
“He’s fucked everything up. Meddling old man,” Josh said as he approached. “You okay, baby? Did they hurt you?”
“I didn’t hurt her,” Ben protested. “And your father is trying to protect you.”
“And I’m going to protect her. Everyone needs to understand that here and now,” Josh announced.
“They say I murdered my husband.” It was obvious her men didn’t understand what was happening. Not her men. Josh and Grim. She needed to put some distance between them. “Grim, let me down.”
“You’re not wearing shoes,” he replied and started for the elevator.
“So the ex isn’t the ex. The ex is a corpse.” Josh followed right beside her. “You sure he’s dead? I have to ask because it happens more than you would think.”
“He was on the floor with a couple of bullets in him. Yes, he was dead.” Now she was even more confused.
“Excellent,” Josh announced as though pleased. “Then we don’t have to worry about him. Let’s get the lowdown and figure out how to proceed. And who your friend is. She looks different.”
Case joined them in the elevator. “That sounds like a plan. If only the Dawsons had thought so far ahead.”
“I’ve found the older generation is overly dramatic,” Josh said as the doors closed. “Probably trauma or something. I hear a lot of crap about the eighties, man.”
“Josh.” Why wasn’t he taking this seriously?
He reached out and took her hand. “It’s going to be okay now, Nic. I’m glad this happened. We’re going to drag whatever is haunting you into the light.”
But they didn’t understand. And when they did it would all fall down around her. The reprieve seemed cruel, but then Nic knew the whole world was.
Chapter Fourteen
Grim wrapped the robe he’d found around Nicole and wished she would relax. She was stiff, her voice a monotone when she was willing to speak at all. She’d been quiet the whole trip up, lying still in his arms.
What the hell had she been through? And who did he need to kill to ensure she never had to go through it again?
He might start with Harlow’s dads. He didn’t have the connection with them Josh had. He didn’t call them uncle. He could easily take them out. Well, maybe not easily since they were still fit and used to be Navy SEALs, though from what he’d heard in the elevator, the blonde had taken one of them down quite easily. Heather. Except that wasn’t her name, and she wasn’t merely Nicole’s friend. She was apparently an ex-CIA operative.
“Hey, Heather who isn’t Heather, are you for hire?” Grim asked. “Because I might be looking for an assassin.”
Josh frowned his way. “I think we can handle it.”
“Is he talking about us?” Ben asked his twin. They were sitting across the big, luxurious space Taggart called an office, putting careful distance between them and he, Josh, and Nicole. He knew it was Ben talking because Chase had a red mark across his neck where he’d nearly been choked out by Heather not Heather and the baton she carried.
“I think so,” Chase agreed. “And they should calm the fuck down because they don’t know the whole story. We were only doing what Jack asked us to do which is look into the potentially dangerous situation his sons are in.”