Page 25 of Lethal Threat

Her brows knit together as she processes this information. “More puzzle pieces. But the biggest is that I can’t understand how this happened.”

When I glance over, she’s pressing her fingers to her temple. Her lips are mashed together so tight they’ve blanched, and her eyes are full of worry. This is the last thing she needs to be dealing with right now on top of her injury.

I can’t suppress my frustration at the lack of progress in her case. “I don’t understand either.”

What Sierra doesn’t remember is what worries me most. That’s a conversation she and I are not having.

Worry, regret, and anger begin to churn in my blood.

It’s not the first time since Cade called I thought this could all be connected to the last night I saw Sierra months ago.Fuck.

“You’re making noises.”

“Sorry,” I mutter, “just… rattled.”

I’m shocked when her hand touches my forearm.

“Thank you for…for being so determined to keep me safe.”

I shift my eyes off the road and meet her gaze. “I’d do anything for you. Anything, Sierra.”

She nods crisply, just once, and holds my gaze with her luminous eyes until I look back at the road.

Christ.

It’s hard to breathe.

I’m not sure what I feel inside of me is pain. It goes far deeper than that. Marrow deep. Soul breaking. Fucking agonizing.

I’ve driven exactly two more miles when I can’t take any more. “I’m pulling over,” I warn.

Once I stop, I confess what is really on my mind.

“It wrecks me to know I wasn’t there to keep you safe, but I’m here now and you’re mine to protect. I take thatseriously. I’ll lay down my life to keep anything bad from happening to you.”

There’s a thick sheen of tears on her lashes that makes me growl. I reach for her hand and curl my fingers around hers. “We’ll figure this out, I promise.”

When I lean toward her, she goes perfectly still. As I touch my forehead to hers, she tenses.

“Now, I need to do this,” I rasp.

I do what I should have done in the hospital. I wrap my arms around her. “Come here, babe.”

After a beat of hesitation, she lets me pull her fully into a hug. God, she feels good. Like sweet home.

With my heart rioting, I let the heat between us settle in my uneasy bones.

So damned long since I held her. It’s been torture.

“Babe, I’ll lay down my life to keep you safe.”

She doesn’t move. Doesn’t even breathe until I cup her head and cradle her to my shoulder. Then the dam breaks.

“Let it out, sweetheart. I’ve got you,” I whisper.

With a storm of sobs, she fists my shirt and burrows deep. Yes, this was what we both needed. I hold her tighter as her small body curls into mine.

When I unbuckle her seatbelt and pull her into my lap, she goes right back to the cocoon of my arms where she fits perfectly. Never been so glad I picked the full-size rental car.