Page 112 of Sinner's Secret

Baz chuckled. “No, I can’t read your mind, Smith. You just look like you got your hand caught in the cookie jar.” Baz got in the car.

Smith didn’t say anything until he’d pulled away from the curb and they were driving down the street.

“I have some questions,” Smith said. “Well, one actually.”

“Shoot,” Baz replied.

“The paramedics told me you should have died.”

The fishing expedition was on again.

“I thought someone explained, that wasn’t me, but...I have some questions about that accident myself.” Baz smiled grimly. “The ambulance was stolen right out of the bay, right? How did that happen? Were there no guards on duty? Didn’t the security cameras get any shots of the thieves’ faces?”

Smith’s suspicious expression turned thoughtful. “Those are good questions.”

Nika put her head back and closed her eyes. Baz wasn’t going after the bait, and she was too tired to get involved in their verbal sparring.

A few minutes later, someone gave her a gentle shake. “Nika?”

It was Smith. “We’re at your house.”

“Nifty,” she said, working hard to keep her eyelids up.

It took effort to grab her purse, get out, and open the backdoor so Baz could get out as well. “Thanks for the ride,” she said to her partner.

“You’re off until a doctor clears you to return to duty,” he said, and for a moment he just stared at her, as if asking if she was sure about this. When all she did was give him a half smile, he nodded and pulled away from the curb.

She swayed and Baz put his arm around her. “Whoa, how are you doing, Tex?”

She blinked slowly. Really? “I feel like shit.”

“Thank you for not telling me that was a stupid question,” he said as he got her walking toward her back door.

They went inside, locked the door, and at the base of the stairs, Baz picked her up and carried her.

She patted his shoulder. “You’re a handy guy to have around.”

“Once a taxi service, always a taxi service.”

At the top of the stairs, he hesitated and thrust his chin toward her bedroom. “I smell blood. Where else can we...?”

“The spare room has a bed in it, let’s use that one.” She pointed at it.

He carried her into the sparsely furnished room and set her down on the bed. He took a couple of steps back and watched as she pulled off her socks and pants. He didn’t move, not even after she removed her bra and got under the covers wearing just her t-shirt and panties.

“Get comfy and come to bed,” she said.

He didn’t move. “Are you sure...” He let the question hang, his expression open. No filter, barrier, or wall between them. His eyes told her he was uncertain.

Vulnerable.

Hers.

She motioned him closer, and he moved until he was standing next to the bed. “I’m not sure about a lot of things,” she said, taking one of his hands in hers and pulling him down so she could cup his cheek with her other hand. “But you’re the one thing I’m completely confident about. You broke a lot of rules to help me. You risked your very long life over and over again doing it. You’re a simple man living in a complicated, crazy situation. It might take a while for us to navigate all the complications, but what we have is worth it. You’re worth it.”

He lowered himself to his knees next to the bed and rested his forehead against hers. His eyes were blue flame hot and having him so close made her crave more contact. She shifted closer and cupped his face with both hands. He covered them with his own.

“I want you with everything in me,” he said in a rumble that vibrated her whole body. “I want to stake my claim and love you until neither of us can move.” He closed his eyes for a moment. “The strength of my feelings terrifies me, and it should terrify you. If I give in, and take you as mine, and you die...” he ran out of air for a moment and struggled to breathe before he managed to take in a full breath. “I think I will destroy the world.”

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