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“What?” She clung to him. “He was going to hurt you.”
“No, I was the bait. Park was ready.”
“Oh… I…”
He smiled. “Protected me.”
She felt heat in her cheeks. “Yes. You make good coffee, and you’re a pretty decent pillow. I don’t want to give that up.”
He pulled her in for a hug. Hollis wrapped her arms around him and held on tight.
He was alive. He was okay.
She looked up. “Your head is bleeding.” She touched his hair where the blood had matted it.
“Just a scratch, I promise.”
Thank God. Hollis was starting to realize how much she needed this man. How much she needed him in her life.
“Who are you guys?” Gallant sounded annoyed. “This was supposed to be an easy job. A woman, alone. An actress with no training or skills.”
No skills?Hollis felt like she should feel insulted.
Sawyer’s body tensed. He carefully set her on her feet, then his hard gaze locked on the man on the ground. “You like killing innocent, defenseless women, Gallant?”
The hitman shrugged. “It’s just business. It’s not personal.”
There was no emotion in his words. This was really just business. She shivered.
Sawyer strode up to him. “Well, this is personal to me. And my business is putting people like you behind bars.” Sawyercrouched down and shot the man a cold smile. “But it’s not personal.”
Gallant sniffed. “I’m not the only one who took the contract. Nor were the idiot trio you took care of at the cottage.”
Sawyer’s mouth flattened. “How did you find us?”
“I followed them. They have a reputation for being able to ferret people out. They must have questioned someone.”
“Anyone trying to get to her will have to go through me,” Sawyer said darkly. “And my friend here.”
The scary tone of his voice made her heart skip a beat.
The hitman stared at Sawyer for a beat, then glanced up at Park, before re-focusing on Sawyer. “You’re not just a dinky Hawaiian deputy.”
“No, he’s not, motherfucker.” Park yanked on the zip ties to tighten them.
The hitman winced.
“We’re Ghost Ops,” Sawyer said. “You picked the wrong job, buddy.”
“Dammit,” Gallant muttered. “This wasn’t what I signed on for.”
“Where’s her bracelet?” Sawyer demanded.
The hitman sighed. “Back seat.”
Sawyer strode over to the car and yanked the door open. He rummaged around inside, then came back holding her bracelet and her bottle of perfume.
Oh. She realized how sad she would have been to lose the bracelet Dave had given her.