Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 61427 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 307(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61427 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 307(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Caleb moved closer, then stopped and caught Marley’s eye. The panic on her face tore at his insides, but he pushed away the primal urge to launch himself at Patrick Grier and wrench Marley away from him. Instead, he sent her the signal they’d agreed on back at her house, two quick nods and the lift of his right shoulder.
She answered with an imperceptible nod and followed his orders to a T.
Pride mingled with the fear pumping through Caleb’s blood as Marley made her move. With a little cry, she pretended to trip, then dove to the side, pressing her body flat to the ground.
While Patrick blinked with shock at losing his hostage, Caleb charged forward. “Put the gun down!” he yelled.
Grier blinked again. He suddenly snapped out of whatever trance he’d gone into, his lips tightening. He stared at Caleb running toward him, then at Marley, who was a couple of yards to his left.
With lightning speed, he spun the gun at Marley.
Caleb didn’t hesitate. He squeezed the trigger of his Glock, eliciting an outraged shriek of pain from Patrick as his arm took a hit. The other man stumbled, but not before his gun spat out a wild, desperate bullet in Marley’s direction.
A bullet that Caleb dove in front of.
* * *
MARLEY LIFTED HERSELF onto her elbows in time to see Caleb’s big, strong body thudding to the ground.
Chaos ensued. The hurried footsteps of the other agents rushing for Patrick. Patrick’s shouts of indignation as he was thrown down, his arms yanked behind his back.
Still stunned, Marley watched as a pair of handcuffs were snapped around Patrick’s wrists. And then the agents hauled him toward one of the cars, while he spat and struggled.
She winced when she heard him call her name.
“Marley!” he wailed. “You tricked me! You little bitch!”
He was still shouting at her as the cops shoved him into the cruiser.
“Are you okay?” a deep voice asked, and then a big hand helped her to her feet.
She flinched when she realized the hand belonged to Detective Miguel Hernandez. “I’m fine,” she squeezed out.
“Ms. Kincaid,” the detective started awkwardly. “I wanted to apologize for—”
She was already rushing away before he could finish the sentence. She didn’t want or need Hernandez’s apology, not when Caleb lay there on the grass after taking the bullet that was meant for her. What if the bullet had missed the vest?
“Caleb,” she said urgently as she fell to her knees beside him.
He let out a groan and then, to her relief, sat up. Marley scanned his torso, wincing at the neat hole in the middle of his dark-blue button-down shirt.
“It got the vest, right?” She ran her fingers over him, checking for damage.
With a soft chuckle, he unbuttoned his shirt and spread it apart, revealing the black Kevlar vest molded to his broad chest. A small bullet was lodged in the material, an inch to the right of Caleb’s heart.
“They always aim for the vest,” he said gruffly.
“Unless they’re aiming at your head,” she said, mimicking his earlier words. “Seriously, are you okay?”
“I feel like I got the wind knocked out of me, but I’m okay. I’m more worried about you.” Caleb stumbled to his feet, pulling her up with him. “Did he hurt you?”
She stared into his gorgeous blue eyes and the love and concern she saw shining there robbed her of breath. He was worried about her. He’d just taken a bullet while trying to save her, and he was thinking about her?
“He didn’t hurt me,” she assured him. “He was too busy planning our happy little life together. I did good, didn’t I? I really had him going.”
Caleb’s eyes became cloudy. “You took a big risk, Marley. You could have gotten yourself killed.”
“I knew you would protect me,” she murmured. “I knew you would save me.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but someone called his name. Agent D’Amato, a tall man with shaggy red hair, stalked toward them. “Agent Ford, we’re taking the perp to lock-up. Stevens said you’d want to head up the interrogation.”
Caleb didn’t even glance at the other man. “You take care of it, D’Amato. I’m staying here.”
“Yes, sir.”
As the other agent walked toward the cruiser by the curb, Marley shot Caleb an inquiring look. “Shouldn’t you go with them? You’ve been working this case for months. Don’t you want to be there to see it come to a close?”
He shook his head. “I’m not leaving you. D’Amato and AJ can take care of Grier. I need to take care of you.”
“I told you, I’m fine. I—” She halted. “But I do want to see Dad and Sam.”
He reached out for her arm, stopping her. “Wait. I…I wanted to tell you something.”
He bent forward a little, and she experienced a spark of concern, but when he met her eyes again, she realized the pain he was feeling had nothing to do with the fact that he’d been shot. “I thought he was going to kill you,” Caleb whispered.