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CHAPTER 11

There were a world of undertones in her words. Houston wasn’t lost to that, at all. He covered her hand with his. Her hand was so soft. He wanted to feel it on places other than his chest. He wasn’t stupid; now that he saw the real her, the attraction he’d been feeling for her for months was threatening to erupt.

It was probably the only damned thing keeping the fear for his family at bay. He knew his parents were probably ok—his dad ran the Finley Creek County General emergency department, and his mom worked as a radiologist. Far inside the building, in a small room with few windows.

They were ok, he was ninety-nine percent certain.

But Mike and A.J…there was no word. And hadn’t been in hours, since the initial reports that the TSP building had taken a direct hit.

A.J. had nearly been killed when the TSP building had been bombed before. She had been in a small alcove that had been sheltered, but she had been one of the few who were trapped after the explosion. Mike had helped dig her out that day. The idea that she would probably not get that lucky twice had him terrified.

“We need to get back to work,” Brooke said, significantly. “All of us. The night…isn’t over yet.”

As if by magic, the phone down the hall rang. “The landline!” Brooke took off, fast. He knew she was terrified for her father, who they hadn’t heard from yet.

Houston paused for a moment, and looked back at Hoby. “Leave her the hell alone, or I’ll have my brother with the TSP dig into every damned thing you’ve ever done wrong in your life, understood? Whatever beef you have with her father is between you and him. You leave his daughter out of it. Or I’ll damned well annihilate you. Are we clear? And Hoby…I’m the last man on the planet you want to piss off, got me?”

“I sure hope she’s that good in the sack, pal. Doesn’t look like she’d be able to handle much, but I bet she knows exactly what to do. Is that it? You screwing the boss’s baby girl?”

The man just didn’t know when to shut up.

Houston knocked him back into the wall with one hand lightly. As a warning. “Remember. I don’t make idle threats.”

He followed Brooke back into her office. She was taking notes quickly. When she looked up, there was hesitation in her eyes.

“Just tell me.”

“That was Jody. She walked to Todd’s. They took the van to the TSP building. They may actually have news footage, if we have anyone over in the TV station building able to get the station on air.”

He tensed. “Any word on injuries?”

“The rescue efforts are being led by Detective Mike Evers, Houston. He’s the one coordinating survivors and emergency transport, I think she said. But rumor is his younger sister is still one of the missing. I’m so sorry. Jody called because she thought he was related to you and thought you would want to know. She’s going to call me…with more…later.”

Houston flinched, fear for his sister making him almost ill. Making him want to rush out there and get to her. To dig her out with his bare hands, if he could. She was his baby sister—it was his and Mike’s, Boston’s, Latham’s, Dante’s, Nolan’s, and Caspian’s job to take care of her.

But he couldn’t.

To his surprise, Brooke came right to him and hugged him.

Houston buried his face in her soft red hair and just held her close.

For as long as he could.

Then…it was back to work. He had a job to do now. Other people’s baby sisters and brothers and mothers and fathers and children needed someone to help guide them through. They would be tuning in to car radios and emergency radios and whatever they could. To listen to him tell them what to do next.

He couldn’t screw up now. People were counting on him.