Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88057 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88057 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Yes, beast, your Daddy is okay.” Cressida’s voice was fond as Harley carefully settled Hercules against my side. Harley was in a different shirt—gray with a gym logo. I had vague memories of him sacrificing his T-shirt for my wounds, yet one more thing I needed to thank him for.
“Thank you.” The tension left my neck and arms as soon as I petted Hercules’s soft back and scratched his ears. My voice also softened. “Thank you. So much. For everything. You were here all night too?”
“Eh. Not the first time I’ve had to catch shut-eye in a car.” Harley shrugged before wheeling over a bed table from the corner. He handed me a large mug of iced water with a straw from the tray. “Here. Your info board says you’re cleared for food and drink.” He pointed at a whiteboard on the far wall. “You need to hydrate. Bet your throat is killing you.”
“Yes.” I took a long sip. Water had never tasted so good. “How did you guess?”
“Hospitals and IVs always do that to me as well.” He grabbed the mug from me when I fumbled getting it back on the table. “A hospital is no place to sleep, but last time I landed in one, I woke up like my throat was one of those hats my sister-in-law is always knitting.”
“Exactly. Scratchy wool.” I smiled gratefully up at him, insides warming when he smiled back. He really did have the best grin, one that could almost make me forget where we were.
“You end up in the hospital a lot?” Cressida asked, studying Harley more closely.
“Hazard of the job. I try not to risk injury, of course, but I’ve caught a bullet twice and broken a few things. Happens. I’m luckier than some.” Another of those casual shrugs from him, like being shot at and breaking bones were simply normal everyday occurrences. Maybe they were for him, which was a sobering thought.
“Wow.” Cressida’s expression was somewhere between appalled and impressed. “Thank you for your service.”
“No problem.” His jaw hardened, chin jutting out. I wouldn’t blame him if he were tired of that sentiment. People said it all the time, including me, but I couldn’t truly imagine an average workday that carried so much danger and responsibility. Thank you felt all kinds of inadequate for what he’d surely gone through.
“And thanks for your help getting Ambrose’s car back.” Cressida had a more polished smile for him before turning back to me. “I didn’t want to leave your car in this town overnight. Two of Harley’s company guards came out, checked it out to ensure it wasn’t bugged or rigged, and took it back to LA for us.
“Ah. Thanks.” All the trouble he’d gone to for me had me shifting restlessly against the bed. It was easier to focus on Cressida. “I told you. This was a case of wrong place, wrong time. I’m sure the car wasn’t rigged. This isn’t an episode of Traveling, with car bombs and spy devices.”
Harley frowned. “Can’t be too safe. Your sister says there’s been hate mail—”
“Hate mail?” I struggled to sit up. Harley stepped forward, but rather than pushing me back down, he adjusted my bed upright and handed me the controller. Good. It was easier to glare at Cressida from this position. “You said the protesters were just opinionated fans. There’s been hate mail too?”
“Some.” She made a vague, fluttery gesture with both hands. “I didn’t want to worry you.”
“Worry me. Please. We’ve been over this. I’m not some fragile flower.” I didn’t want to argue, but I made my voice as firm as possible. This was old territory for us, and I truly needed her to drop the overprotective big sister thing and get back to being my best friend and partner in crime, not my keeper.
“I know, dearest. But I don’t like to upset you—”
I cut her off with a raised hand. I’d accidentally moved the one with the IV but ignored the sharp pinch. “I’m perfectly capable of handling the truth.”
“You’re strong as hell. Amazing you weren’t hurt worse.” Harley interrupted in a clear bid to keep the peace. I started to smile at the compliment, but then he added, “And I’m sure the cops will investigate the angry fan angle, but in the meantime, it doesn’t hurt to be cautious.”
“Precisely.” Cressida preened at being agreed with. Harley wasn’t remotely her type, but she was never one to turn down support and gave him a full-wattage smile. “Which is why I was going to ask you about having someone check out Ambrose’s house before he’s discharged. Make sure nothing is amiss there.”
“That’s not—”
“I’ll do it,” Harley said before I could finish objecting. “No problem. Are they letting him go today?”
Cressida nodded. “That’s the plan if the remaining test results come back normal. Are you all right with the dog until then?”