Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 109777 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109777 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
“As long as I don’t have to move,” she said, resting her cheek against my shoulder. I pulled the blanket up over her, careful not to put any pressure on the bandage on her arm.
“You’re not going anywhere. You’re right, leaving isn’t the answer. I lost my head there for a minute.”
“You’re entitled,” Hope murmured.
“Keep that in mind because we’re not leaving, but I’m about to go a little crazy on security.”
“Should I be worried about what that means?”
“Do you trust me?”
“You know I do.”
“And you acknowledge that we’re in danger until we find out who’s behind all of this?”
Hope paused, knowing I was leading her down a path with my questions. “Considering you almost got run down, then shot at, then shot at again until your car was totaled and I had a tree stuck in my arm, then yeah, I’ll acknowledge we’re in danger.”
I flicked her lightly on the nose. “Don’t be a smartass.” Hope didn’t comment. I pulled up my phone and called Hawk, asking him to meet us up in our suite. Then I called Savannah and asked if we could get soup and a sandwich for two.
Hope struggled to sit up as Hawk came in, wincing as she moved. I handed her the mug of tea and we got down to business. Hawk was already working on the electronic perimeter around the property. We agreed to a second perimeter closer to the house and additional cameras.
I’d talk to Cooper and Alice in the morning and see about ordering a new car from wherever they got the vehicles Sinclair Security used. No Maserati this time. I wanted one of the armored SUVs we’d used for high profile clients. Short of a rocket launcher, it was impossible to take one of those things down. Along with the armored car, Hope learned she was getting a full-time bodyguard and driver.
As I’d known she would, she objected. “I don’t need a bodyguard. I have you. We’re together almost all the time and this is what you were trained for. This was your job. Are you saying there’s somebody better than you?”
Maybe it was relief that she was okay, that she loved me, but I grinned at her peevish objections. “Of course not, Buttercup. No one is better than me. But two is better than one. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I don’t trust the hospital staff to keep their mouths shut. Everyone in this town is going to know you’re pregnant by tomorrow. Even if this isn’t about the will, if this is someone with a grudge, you being pregnant is only going to piss them off more.”
Hope looked at Hawk. He shrugged a shoulder. “Griffen knows his business. You think he’s overreacting, and I’m telling you he’s not. We have extra people coming in, we’re setting up a perimeter, and I’ll get on ordering a new car and finding the driver/bodyguard. But until all of that is in place, as your head of security, I’m telling you that I want you to stay in the house and away from windows. Curtains are closed and no strolling the property. Understood?”
Hope just stared at him.
“My job isn’t to make you happy, Hope, it’s to keep you safe. Listen to your husband and listen to me. Make it easy for us, yeah?”
“Okay,” Hope whispered. She didn’t like it, but she got it.
Hawk stood. “I’ll call Cooper now and get the ball rolling. I’d expect your phone to ring as soon as I get off. They’re not going to take this well. You’re one of theirs, and no one comes after one of theirs.”
He left and Hope sagged against the back of the couch, her face pale. “I wish you could take something for your arm,” I said.
“Me too. I just need to eat, I think. I get so queasy in the morning and then I’m starving at night.”
“Are you happy? About the baby?” I almost didn’t ask. I didn’t want to hear a No.
Hope sipped her tea again and gave me a wan smile. “About the baby? Yeah. I’m happy about the baby. I’m happy about us. I’m not happy about the hole in my arm and someone trying to kill us, but I can’t do anything about that, so I guess I just want some dinner, sleep, and you.”
“I can give you that. Savannah’s on the way with some food and then we’ll curl up in bed. Maybe watch a movie, go to bed early.”
“That sounds perfect.” And it was.
It was perfect right up until dawn—when everything went to hell all over again.
Chapter Forty-Four
Hope
It was my arm that woke me. It had ached and stabbed at me through the night, prodding me from sleep far too often. I blinked gritty eyes against the weak dawn light peeking through the curtains.