Page 305 of The Christmas Wife

"No," I snap.

"Yes." Hunter nods. "Your sister and I are in a relationship. In fact, I asked her to marry me."

45

Hunter

"You’re marrying him?" Cade asks.

"I haven’t answered him yet," Zara interjects at the same time.

"Right." Cade drags his fingers through his hair. "I guess I’d best let you two figure this out, but first…" He lowers his hand, and in a move I didn’t see coming, he steps up to me and grabs me by my collar. "You hurt her, and you’ll have me to contend with."

I curl my fingers into fists at my sides, more out of instinct than out of a need to avoid picking a fight with him again. Also, he’s her brother. Of course, it’s natural he’d threaten me. Especially, now that he realizes I’m not just a jealous boyfriend, but a potential husband.

"You hear me?" he growls.

"Crystal clear." I step forward so the toes of our boots collide. "You and I need to have a catch up, separately."

"No, you don’t." Zara jumps to her feet.

"You bet," Cade says at the same time.

"Bloody hell." Zara seems to sway, then sinks back down in her chair.

I twist myself out of Cade’s grasp and leap toward her. "Hey, Fire, you okay?" I squat down in front of her. "What’s wrong? Are you dizzy? Is it because of the stress from what happened? I’m sorry it came to that. I promise, I’ll never pick a fight again—not unless I absolutely have to." I take her hand between mine, and her fingers are cold.

"Fuck!” I turn to Cade. "Dr. Weston Kincaid—he’s on my phone list. Call him; tell him he needs to get here pronto.

"No doctor," Zara says weakly.

"Save your strength, baby." I pull out my phone, unlock it, and toss it at Cade. He snatches it out of the air, then steps out of the room.

"Stop with the histrionics." She scowls. Her voice is stronger, but her color is still pale.

"I will not make any compromises when it comes to your health."

"Do you have any idea how cavemanlike you sound?" she murmurs. Her expression is far from being angry though. If anything, there’s a softening around her eyes.

"I’m glad I’m living up to my reputation."

"Also,"—her brow furrows—"how do you have your phone with you?"

"How do you have yours with you?"

Her lips curve, and god, her smile is so beautiful, so bewitching, so everything. I bring her hand to my mouth and kiss her fingertips.

Her phone buzzes. She reaches for it, but I get to her bag first. I hold it up and out of her reach.

"Hey, gimme my phone."

"Not until the doc has checked you out and pronounced you okay."

"I really am okay, Hunter." She says softly.

"Let the doc give you a clean bill of health."

She looks between my eyes, then blows out a breath. "Fine, if he says I’m okay, then I walk out of here, on my own steam, and you don’t follow me."

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