Page 13 of Graveyard Dog

“Why hasn’t your life been easy?”

“In a word?”

He lifted one of those boxer’s shoulders. “Sure.”

“Men.”

That crooked smile emerged, one corner of his shapely mouth rising, and she steeled her heart. She and Emma did not need a man in their lives. Never again.

“Care to elaborate?”

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news,Cupcake,” she said, referencing his earlier use of the colloquialism, “but I don’t owe you anything.”

He reached up and rubbed his temple. The one that had darkened from the trauma it’d received.

What had she been thinking? She hadn’t. Plain and simple. She’d gotten a knock at two in the morning. Nobody thought well at two in the morning. Both her brain and body had reverted to their most basic survival mechanism: sheer panic. Maybe because of all the strange things that had been happening to her over the past couple of weeks. She’d been on edge, a razor-sharp one, and it wasn’t helping her stress levels.

She dropped her gaze and took Emma’s hand. “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be. I deserve a lot worse than a frying pan to the skull.”

“Yeah?” Her gaze met his again. “What have you done?”

“Whathaven’tI done?” he said with a comical snort. “But, back to the topic at hand…”

She swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. There are some things I can’t talk about.”

“I could always file assault charges.”

By now, she knew that particular threat was just that. A threat and nothing more. His reaction when the doctor said hehad to report the incident told her everything she needed to know. He didn’t like the authorities, in any way, shape, or form. She would use that to her advantage.

“And I could always report your building for code violations.”

He’d been leaning forward against the bed, his elbows resting beside Emma, but he shot straight up at her words, a look of utter dismay on his face. She had to fight tooth and nail not to giggle. He really was too easy.

“What code violations? I’ve been really careful. Some would even say meticulous.”

She lifted a single brow and gave him a judgmental once-over. “Not careful enough, I guess.”

“Mommy,” Emma said, her voice hoarse.

“Emma!” Izzy threw an arm over her daughter and leaned closer.

Emma’s lips were chapped, her face had grown ashen, and when she finally pried them open, her eyes were watery and lined in red.

A sharp pang of regret rocketed through her. She pushed the curls back from Emma’s face. “Sweetheart, are you okay?”

She placed a hand on one of Izzy’s that cupped her face. Izzy grabbed hold of it and brought it to her mouth, kissing each tiny knuckle over and over.

“I told you. He’s made of light. We can trust him. Even Celie says so, and she doesn’t even like him.”

“Celie?” Michael asked. He stood and looked down at the two of them, relief softening his strong features.

Izzy ignored him and turned back to her daughter. “Then how did he—?” She stopped and glanced at him once more before lowering her voice and leaning closer. “How did he…you know, do what he did?”

Emma frowned and eyed him through squinted lids. “I don’t know, Mommy. You should tie him up and torture him for information.”

“I’m game,” he said.

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