Page 8 of Cruel Ice

He’d better not be making fun of her. She tightened her grip on what were some very strong shoulders. The thin hospital gown did little to hide the man’s power. He probablyshouldhave looked weak as he sat in the bed. He’d been unconscious for hours.

Only, he didn’t look weak. His dark hair was tousled, stubble covered his hard jaw, and his eyes glinted. He appeared…sexy. Strong. Dangerous.

In a hospital bed.

How on earth was he pulling that off? Meanwhile, she probably looked rumpled, wrinkled, disheveled, and generally like something a feral cat had hauled inside.

Declan Flynn was also just staring at her. Right. Because he’d asked a question, and she should respond and not simply gawk at him as she thought about feral cats. “You never know when your enemies might attack. The cops couldn’t find anyone at that cabin. I hate to be the one to tell you, but…the people who abducted you got away.” No softening that bombshell. It was what it was. “They are still out there somewhere, and they might come after you again.”Let go of his shoulders, woman.She let go. Cleared her throat. “I didn’t want you defenseless while you slept, so I stood guard.”

His gaze dipped slowly down her body. Down, then back up. And his lips twisted into what was almost a half-smile. “What are you?” he asked. “Five-foot-three? Four?”

“Six. I am five-foot-six.” Important inches in her world. When you were surrounded by towering brothers, every inch counted.

“Uh, huh, and you look like if I breathe too hard, I’ll knock you down.”

Irritation buzzed through her blood. “I thought that perhaps you were still traumatized from the night before. Or that you were just not a morning person. But I have now reached a new conclusion.” Her spine could not get stiffer. “You’re an ungrateful ass.”

He blinked.

“Myfive-foot-sixself got you out of that cabin. I got you to my car. I got you to safety. And while I was draggingyournearly unconscious self, you didn’t knock me down. Not even once.” Though it had been a frantic struggle to reach her VW. Not something she’d mention at the moment. No need to give the man more fuel for his fire.

Her words made his smile stretch even more. Why? She hadn’t said anything even remotely humorous.

Her gaze lingered on his face. Such a handsome face. Strong. High forehead. Long blade of a nose. Sensual—if just the slightest bit cruel—lips and?—

“The scar’s a bitch, isn’t it?” Flat. Low. His hand lifted and scraped over the right side of his face.

She didn’t pretend not to see the scar. It was long, slashing as it cut down his cheek and dipping into the stubble that lined his jaw. Maybe other people pretended they didn’t see it. Maybe they politely averted their eyes. She wasn’t those people. “It’s stupid sexy.”

His mouth dropped open.

Whoops. That would be her tendency to be brutally honest…and say the wrong thing. Marley cleared her throat. “I’m sure it hurt horribly when you received it.”

His hand fell away from the scar. “Didn’t exactly feel good.”

“But it really goes with your whole drop-dead dangerous and lethal air. Most people probably wouldn’t be able to pull it off. But you do.” Her gaze returned to meet his.

He stared at her with shock clear to see in his eyes.

She shrugged. “I’m very sorry you were hurt so badly that you scarred.”

“Youaren’tbothered by the scar, though, are you? Not even a little?”

No. Her tongue slid over her lower lip. “I’m more bothered that you haven’t thanked me yet. I expected an uber billionaire to have better manners.”

“Who the hell are you?”

Now this was embarrassing. “Ah, see, I worried you might not remember my name. That would be thanks to the drug cocktail in your system.” She rocked forward a bit. “I’m?—”

“Jasmine and amber.” His nostrils flared.

“Uh, no. That sort of sounds like a stripper name. I’m?—”

“Yousmelllike jasmine and amber.”

That made sense. Probably hints of both in her perfume. “I’m Marley Jones, PI.”And this is the important part.“You clearly need my services, so you should hire me on the spot.”Hire me. Please hire me.It was hard not to sound as desperate as she felt.

Because she wasn’t ready to walk away from Declan Flynn just yet. He needed her.

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