“I think so.”
“Dammit. He’s going to get himself killed.” She sniffles, and that’s my undoing.
I wrap my arms around her, and she sinks into my body. As she sobs, I rub her back. “We’ll find him. But in the meantime, we’re going to go back to my office until we can find a new safe place.”
She nods against my chest. A memory from years ago flashes through my mind. We’d spent the entire day in bed and had gotten up to get something to eat. But even then, we couldn’t not hold each other for more than a few minutes. Damn, that week with her was the best of my life. I always wondered what would have happened if I hadn’t discovered what her dad did when I visited her. Would we have stayed together? Married?
Hell, Brian would have ruined that dream before it could have happened. Once he heard her father’s name, he would have told me that was who he was investigating.
I squeeze her, then let her go. “We better get going before we run out of time.” And if I keep holding her, I’m going to want to do more than simply comfort her.
She nods and walks to the kitchen. I take a quick cold shower because I don’t want to leave her alone for very long. Afterward, I pack up some of the snack food in case we don’t get another chance to eat for a while.
Ozzie:I’ll be your ride today. I’m about three minutes from your door.
“Okay, he’s almost here.”
Sure enough, he arrives in exactly three minutes. I climb into the back seat with Delaney.
Ozzie arches a brow at me in the rearview mirror. “Guess I really am a taxi service.”
“If we need to duck, it’s better I’m back here,” I tell him.
He grins at me in the mirror. He’s not buying it, and I don’t blame him. There was no reason I couldn’t sit in the front seat except I have this strong desire to keep touching Delaney.
Ozzie pulls out on the road. “Reed had second thoughts and decided we shouldn’t go back to the office.”
That makes sense.
“Do you have any idea who is after you?” Ozzie asks.
“Nelson said Ruiz’s men. I don’t know who Ruiz is, though.”
Ozzie nods. “We’ll find out. In the meantime, Delaney, we need to get you somewhere safe. Then Coff and I will go find Duke.”
Wait, leave Delaney with who? Damn, when did I turn into such a jealous prick?
Delaney meets my eyes. “No. I’m going with you. He’s my brother. And if anyone can find him, it’s me. You need me.”
Ozzie glances back at me.
“She does have a point. She’d know where to look for him. But Delaney, you aren’t trained for this sort of thing.”
She leans away from me. “I know how to use a gun, and I’m trained in Krav Maga.”
I blink a few times. “What?” I can’t imagine Nelson would have been okay with her learning any of that. That man is controlling.
She grins. “My dad insisted I know how to use a gun. And a few years ago, Duke hired someone to come to the office a couple times a week to teach me Krav Maga.”
Well, damn. I’m almost starting to like Duke. At least I know he looks out for her when he can.
“Hey, that’s great, but I’m afraid that makes you more dangerous,” Ozzie says. “Because now you are confident and still not trained enough.”
She crosses her arms and stares at Ozzie in the rearview mirror. “I’m not going to run into a room and challenge someone to a fight. I’ll simply show you where he could be.”
I don’t like her coming with us, but then again, I don’t think keeping her cooped up with Axel is a great idea, either. And yes, I’m sure it would be Axel since he’s already met her.
I lean back. Damn, my emotions are taking control, and I can’t let them.
