Page 117 of An Indecent Longing

Chapter Ten

Saturday morning, Ian drummed his fingers against the steering wheel waiting for the light to change.

They were a couple blocks away from Haven Hotel, where Dorrie needed to meet a patient for a private consult.

In the rearview, he kept an eye on the increasingly heated discussion between Ben and Dorrie. He’d kept out of it so far, mainly because Ben was handling it better than Ian would have.

“I don’t see why I have to stay at your house all the time. My building is secure. I understand there’ve been threats made but—”

“And whoever made those threats has already made one attempt to take you. If you stay at our place, we don’t have to worry about unfamiliar territory and collateral damage. You probably don’t know half the people who live in your building—”

“What does that have to do…”

While Ben and Dorrie continued to go back and forth, Ian stepped on the gas when the light changed.

And kept an eye on the black sedan three cars behind them.

He’d noticed it about five blocks ago. Traffic in the city wasn’t heavy but this car always stayed behind them and never got close enough for Ian to get a look at the driver. Maybe he was being paranoid but given the situation…probably not.

He hadn’t wanted to say anything to Ben because he didn’t want to upset Dorrie.

“I still don’t think it’s necessary for round-the-clock protection. Blank doesn’t—”

“Blank isn’t here but if he were, he’d say the same thing. You need a twenty-four-seven guard and our house is the safest…”

Ian let them fade out again. He had no doubt Ben would win this argument because there really was no other choice. She would continue to stay at their house because that’s where she would be safest. End of discussion.

Without turning on his signal, he took the next right.

And watched that black sedan make the same turn. “Ben.”

“We are not trying to run your life.” Ben sounded as if he were gritting his teeth. “We are trying to make sure you’re safe—”

“Ben.”

Ian practically barked his cousin’s name, causing Dorrie and Ben to stare at him.

“What?”

“We’ve got a tail.”

Dorrie’s expression screwed up into a frown as she stared at him from the backseat. “What do you—”

“Where?” Ben snapped to attention with head-spinning speed, his focus arrowed onto Ian.

“Three cars back. Black sedan. Been there at least five blocks.”

“You wanna try to lose him now?”

“Yeah. I’m not taking any chances. Dorrie, eyes forward. Make sure your belt’s tight.”

Checking on her in the rearview, he saw her eyes widen as her teeth lodged in her lower lip and felt compelled to add, “It’ll be okay.”

And damn, he hoped he hadn’t just lied to her because the car moved up one spot. Traffic was a little more congested on this street. Shit. If the other car made a move, it’d be hard for Ian to maneuver, and if they needed to use weapons, there were a lot of people on the streets and in surrounding cars. Too much collateral damage.

“Hang on.”

Swinging the wheel to the left, he gauged the break in traffic and stomped on the gas pedal, shooting them into the next lane and down the street, eliciting a chorus of angry honks.

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