Page 108 of The Re-Proposal

“It’s my fault,” Clarissa says. She turns to me slowly with a pained look. “I’m the one—”

“Don’t,” I growl.

“I’ll take responsibility for this.” She rises to her feet, but it’s too soon for her to be moving. She puts a hand to her head as if woozy.

“Whoa.” I slip an arm around her waist to steady her. The smell of her natural hair products fills my nose and overpowers the scent of Hatchen’s blood.

She swallows hard. “I’m okay. I just need a second.”

“Vargas, bring my car around. I’m taking Clarissa home.”

“Sure.”

“Cody,” she murmurs. Her eyelashes make a slow sweep up and down. “It’s okay. I’ll take care of this.”

“How?”

She snaps her mouth shut and thinks about it. “I’ll talk to the police.”

“Clay and Vargas will handle the authorities.”

Her shoulders slump forward.

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” I add.

“What if something happens to you?”

I meet her eyes, smirking. “You’re worried about me?”

“Of course not. I just… don’t want this to reflect badly on our foundation.”

“Whatever you say, princess.”

“Bolton,” Vargas returns to us, “one of the guys will bring your car around, but I have a small problem.”

“What?”

“It’s Joel. I was supposed to pick him up from the hospital an hour ago.”

I groan. “I forgot about the kid.”

“How can you forget a human being?” Clarissa’s eyes spark with disapproval.

“I was a little busy,” I grunt. “And Joel’s a big boy.”

“He’s still a minor.”

“He’s sixteen,” I point out. “Old enough to have a job and drive a car. Back in the day, he could have been drafted—”

“We’ll pick him up,” Clarissa says, shifting to Vargas as if she’s tired of arguing with me. “Tell him we’re on our way.”

Vargas agrees easily, as ifshe’sthe one signing his checks.

“Hey, hey, no.” I lift a finger. “I’m taking you home first.”

“I can wait.”

“No you can’t.”

---