Page 53 of Harmless Revenge

He didn’t know what to say about that. So much about her was foreign to him. She wasn’t that big. She looked like her mother from the pictures she had shown him. Petite, with short black hair, and those green eyes. Many people made a mistake when they discounted her. But living on the streets for months after the Tsunami had toughened her up. And he regretted that. Fifteen-year-old girls should be plotting fun with their friends, and not wandering the desolate landscape left after the disaster. He wished he could have been there to protect her. Therefore, he did the one thing he knew his mother would have done. He walked to her and slid his arm over her shoulder and stood beside her.

“Del was saying that he has a friend I can stay with.”

“He does?”

She nodded. “Cat. Says she works for him.”

“Oh, yeah, Cat.” He thought of the best sharp shooter of the Task Force. She was a no nonsense law woman, who would be able to protect anyone. “She would definitely be able to protect you.”

“You seem to think I need protecting. I don’t understand why.”

She seemed so tough, and she was, but he couldn’t help the need he felt to protect her. It was stamped into his DNA.

“It’s what big brothers do.”

She nodded. “We need to end this now.”

“Tomorrow night Randy, Jaime, and I will go to Rough ‘n Ready, do everything to call attention to me. Letov won’t be able to resist.”

She nodded. “Make sure they watch your six.”

He smiled as he kissed the top of her head. Emma was completely infatuated with NCIS. “I will.”

She leaned closer and relished the moment. They had so few of them, and this would be one he remembered forever. They stood there in silence and watched the lights shimmer in the pool. They definitely needed to end it so that all of them could have more moments like this to remember.

Twenty-three

Jaime watched Emma work on her laptop, still stunned by the turn of events. Sean had always been secretive, but as their relationship had progressed, she thought he had been more open. Now, she knew there were probably other things he had kept hidden from her. The fact that he knew Royce was her father was bad enough. She wondered just how long Sean had kept that little secret.

“Is there a reason you keep staring at me?” Emma asked, not taking her attention away from the screen.

Jaime still wasn’t sure how to take Emma. Sean might have been secretive, but he had always been so giving with his affection. Emma seemed to be the direct opposite. “No. I’m just wondering how many other secrets your brother has.”

“And your father. I understand being irritated with Sean, but he had no idea until after you dumped him. He had no reason to tell you.”

It took a few seconds for Jaime to catch on to the dig. There was no anger in Emma’s voice, and she continued to work as if she hadn’t just blamed Jaime for hurting Sean.

“I don’t believe you should be passing judgment on things you know nothing about.”

She shrugged and continued to pound on the keys. “I know he didn’t feel comfortable enough about contacting you. That’s enough.”

“He was trying to protect me.”

Emma finally turned to face her. “He doesn’t think you can handle it.”

That slap hurt more than the last one. “I can handle it.”

“You can’t have it both ways. He didn’t trust you, or he thinks you are a liability. Either way, just know this: If you hurt him again, I will ruin your life.”

Jaime snorted, but her smile faded when Emma kept staring at her. “Did you just threaten me?”

Emma didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

“I was trained to kill with my bare hands.”

The younger woman studied her. “And I not only took out Sean but also Delano. They are bigger.”

“You would have to get the jump on me.”

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