Page 103 of Dangerous Mission

I startle when the door opens and find my brother’s worried face peering down at me through the opening.

“I didn’t protect you from him.”

The agony in his voice drives a stake through me. “Griff, please don’t.”

There’s a thick sheen coating his eyes as he stares at the ground. Outside the truck, I can hear his boot scuffing back and forth against the roadway.

“I’m not letting anything happen to you again.”

I reach for him, fisting my hand in his shirt. “You didn’t do this Griff. He did. I did. I’m the one who trusted him.”

He makes a rough sound. “A brother never forgives himself when something happens to his little sister.”

“Well, you have to recognize I’m a grown woman.”

Griff reaches inside the truck. His calloused hand comes to rest on my shoulder. “You will always be my little sister.”

The tears that were blocking my throat rush to the back of my eyes. “I can’t believe I did that.”

“You were in shock.”

“I’m really angry,” I admit. “I need to go back to counseling.”

“When did this happen?”

Pained, I press my lips together. “Right before I came to work with you.”

Recognition widens his eyes before they turn to angry slits. “I knew something was wrong.”

“I never wanted you to find out.”

“I want to go down there and choke the life out of him again.”

“No!” I tug his shirt. “You have to leave this alone.”

His hand moves to my hair and he strokes it down the tangled strands. “You know I won’t be able to do that.”

When he steps back, Scout quickly steps into the gap. He leans down and presses a kiss to my temple. “The medic is going to take a look at you.”

I laugh without humor. “So they can commit me?”

He doesn’t reply. Scout, being the guy who seems to be carrying me all the time—picks me up and walks to the ambulance with me tight against his chest. His whole body is vibrating with tension.

When I emerge a while later, I’m medicated.Sedated.Given something to take the edge off because they don’t like what the heart rate monitor says.

So the thing can read broken hearts—who knew?

I don’t even remember the ride back to the farm. All I know is when I wake up in the night the room is dark and I’m alone.

Chapter Fifty-One

Pacing the hospital hallway, I look at my phone for the fifth time in half an hour. Impatient as hell, I send another text.

No reply.

My hand curls into a fist and I have to walk away from the wall to keep from putting a serious hole in it.

When I round the corner, Griffon Kane is standing a few feet from the hospital exit. We stare at each other, crackling with the same deadly energy.

---