“Sure. But there are ways around that.”
Ro drew in a deep, cleansing breath. Releasing it slowly, she reminded herself that Brody and the others were good, decent men. Men who’d lay their own lives down for strangers if they felt there was someone in need of saving.
But she didn’t want Brody risking himself for her. She didn’t want any of them getting hurt. Especially not because—
“Hey.” He brought a hand back to her face. A gentle touch that feathered across her skin like a dream. “We’re just going there to talk.”
“But you said—”
“I know what I said. And I meant every word.” Brody held his gaze to hers. “Yorke turns out to be the one who tried to kill you, he’s finished.”
“He didn’t do this.”
“We’ll see.”
“You can’t kill someone for me, Brody. Even if itwashim, you can’t just murder someone in cold blood. I don’t want that. Not ever. And even if I did, that’s notyou. You’re not…” She paused, giving a quick lick of her suddenly dry lips. “You’re not capable of something like that.”
“Ah, Princess.” Those dark eyes left hers but only so they could soak her in. “If you truly believe that, then you don’t know me as well as you think you do.”
Ro was struck speechless by that remark, unsure of what to even think, let alone say. So she said nothing.
“Do you have any idea how scared I was tonight?” Brody asked after the longest ten seconds of silence ever.
She gave a silent shake of her head.
“You were walking toward me with that breathtaking smile, and I thought, ‘My God. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.’ And then…” His voice cracked, but he cleared it and moved on. “A second later, you were lying on the floor, unconscious and bleeding because some asshole shot you.”
“I’m sorry I scared you. And I know you’re pissed, but—”
“Pissed?” A humorless laugh. “No, pissed was me seeing Yorke put his hands on you in that bar. Carrying your limp, bleeding body out of a building where someone just tried to kill you?Thatmakes me want vengeance, Princess.” He leaned in close. “Fucking. Lethal. Vengeance.”
“Brody?”
The deadly look in his eyes softened as they took her in once more. “It really is true what they say, you know? Sometimes we don’t see what’s right in front of us”—Brody’s gaze fell on her bandaged arm—“until it’s already gone. But I see you, Ro. I finally see you, and I’ll be damned if I lose you now.”
Ro was dumbstruck by the conflicting thoughts and emotions whirling around inside her head. On the one hand, she was mortified by the thought that he could even joke about murdering someone on her behalf.
On the other, she felt an overwhelming sense of elation that he cared about her so deeply he would kill to keep her safe. But Ro was also terrified he’d have no choice but to result to violence in order to end the nightmare she’d been inexplicably thrown into.
But on the other,otherhand, she was still reeling from the fact that the one and only man she’d ever loved had just wildly and thoroughly kissed her. And, by his own admission, he thought she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
So many emotions, so little time…
Brody leaned in one final time for another soft, sweet kiss. “Try to get some rest.” Another peck. “You can take my bed. I’ll be back before you know it.”
“But—”
“Rocky will be here if you need anything.” He turned to leave. “Clean towels are in the linen cabinet by the shower, and there should be an extra toothbrush in one of the drawers. You need anything else, let Rocky know, and he’ll either order it, or we can pick it up on our way back.”
He talked about stopping by the store after paying a man he suspected had tried to kill her as if this were just another Saturday night. Of course, given what he did for a living….
“Be careful!” she hollered out after him. “And…maybe at leasttrynot to kill anyone while you’re gone.”
He’s not really going to hurt Clayton. He wouldn’t…
Brody opened the door but stopped to look at her from over his shoulder. With a smirked lifting one corner of his mouth, he avoided her request altogether and said, “Sleep tight, Princess.”
A quick wink that sent her heart flipping, and then…