Page 55 of Stripping Bare

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“No,”she said immediately, a bad feeling invading her bones. Pulling out of Jonah’s embrace, she scanned the room for her phone, only to remember she left it in the bedroom. “I’ll call your cousinmyself.”

But Jonah caught her by the wrist to keep her in place. “He’s out there right now. For all I know, he could be hurting someone. Shit…” He shoved his hand into his pocket and groped around. “I need to call myfamily.”

In his haste, he fumbled the phone and Tessa caught it before it hit the floor. He snatched it from her, pushed a button, and jammed the phone against his ear. His face relaxed a few seconds later. “Mom, are youokay?”

Indistinct words came from the other end of theline.

“What about the girls? Have you talked with Micki and Evie today?” His breath released in a rush. “Okay, good. That’s good. What about Britt, Grif, andReid?”

Tessa wanted to wrench the phone from his hands and hear for herself that his family was fine, but she restrained herself. She didn’t even know the Steeles and yet she’d somehow brought danger straight to theirdoor.

“Yes, they are good sons to call you every day. I’ll try to do better, Mom,” Jonah said. “No, nothing’s wrong. I’ll talk to you later.” He slipped the phone back into his pocket and closed hiseyes.

“Why didn’t you tell her?” Tessademanded.

“Tell herwhat?”

“That some maniac is out there and wants to hurtyou.”

“I don’t think this is about me,Tessa.”

“How can you saythat?”

“Because he targeted youfirst.”

She wasn’t buying it. Not for a nickel. Not for a dime. Not for a million dollars. “Were you watching that jumpscene?”

“Cut scene,” hecorrected.

“Whatever,” she said. “But he was talking directly toyou.”

“How do you figurethat?”

It made Tessa stomach rocky, remembering the way her head had separated from her body and how her eyes had stared in death—glassy and empty. “Because I was dead,Jonah.”

“Fuck.” His tone was low and rough, but he pulled her in and wrapped her tight in his arms. It didn’t completely soothe all the crazy emotions swirling through her, but his touch set off something inside her. Something primitively feminine. Something needy andfrightened.

Something that made her want to seek out hisprotection.

And although she appreciated that Jonah had once helped her out of a horrible situation, she wouldn’t let any man make her feel weak. But Jonah would go after this person, whether or not Tessa approved. She’d been around him enough at Steele Trap to know when he pledged action, he wasn’t merely tossing the idea around. He was alreadycommitted.

“If you’re going after him, I’m coming withyou.”

“Nothappening.”

“You can’t do it alone.” She waved a hand toward the VR goggles. “Tell me you can navigate in that thing out in the realworld.”

The way his jaw flexed said he hadn’t thought about that, which meant he was really off his game. Jonah could run angles and options faster than anyone Tessa had ever met. His impulsiveness now scared her, but if he was determined to go on the hunt, then she refused to be left behind. “I guess you plan to call one of your brothers or Micki for help with this,” she said with the perfect lilt ofinnocence.

He rested his cheek against the top of her head. “Fuck. It.All.”

Yeah, she had hisnumber.

“I’m already in this,” she said softly. “I have been since the minute Carson Grimes calledme.”

What did this person have against both her andJonah?