Page 54 of Decoding Morse

“Ouch!” She shook her hand, standing only to wince again when she straightened her leg.

I leaped out of my seat and cleared the distance between us, grabbing her hand to examine her fingers. There was no blood, only the indentations of sharp teeth. “You okay?”

“Yeah. The feral little beast didn’t break the skin this time.”

Her gaze lifted to meet mine andfuck. We were so damn close. Again. How had I let myself get pulled back into her orbit?

Was I a complete moron?

With her warm, soft hands cradled in mine, I had to fight the urge to pull her against me and taste her goddamn lips again.

“What are you doing here, Morse?”

The question pulled me out of my stupor, and I mentally shook myself. What was I doing? Our situation hadn’t changed, which meant this woman wasn’t mine and never could be.

Right?

One thing was undeniable. If I kissed Amelia again, it would be leading her on since I was a fucking mess, so I released her hands and shoved myself away, gaining control of my body and collecting my thoughts.

Heartbeats passed, and then her eyebrows rose in question. “Are you listing off baseball teams?”

Yes. And I was spinning my fidget spinner ring for all it was worth, but I stopped, not wanting to admit that shit, and leaned against the sofa.

“Link told me you went to see him,” I said instead, finally remembering the reason for my visit.

She blinked and then nodded. “Yeah, about that…. I’m sorry, but I have to go to Idaho. I would have told you myself, but I?—”

“Why?”

She took a deep breath and then proceeded to tell me all about her parents’ stipulations on paying for Morgan’s school, which seemed manipulative as hell to me. I kept my mouth shut, though, and let her ramble as guilt stabbed me in the chest. I should have uncovered the identity of the person who wanted her dead by now, but I’d hit a brick wall. The son-of-a-bitch had hired the hit through a professional service I couldn’t hack into without putting the club at risk. The option wasn’t out of the question—since my brothers could handle their own—but at the very least, I owed Link a conversation before I escalated shit that far.

Amelia wrapped up the explanation for her trip as she leaned against the wall. “So, I decided it would be safer and easier for everyone if Morgan and I went. Hitmen are looking for me here in Seattle. They won’t know to search for me in Idaho.”

“I can guarantee any professional would know where your parents live by now. Besides, how will you get there?”

“Thia will rent the car in her name.”

“But they’ll need your license if you’ll be the one driving it,” I countered.

“I know. We’re new at this whole hiding out thing and still brainstorming solutions.”

“Where will you stay?”

“I booked hotel rooms about a month ago, but you’re shaking your head, and I’m realizing that isn’t a good idea either.”

“No. I’ll have Tap or Hound bring you a burner phone so you can cancel those reservations. If anyone’s watching your credit card activity, we want them to believe you’ve quashed the trip idea. I meant what I said when we were at the….” I swallowed. This was a topic I could avoid revisiting for the rest of my life. “The doctor’s office. If you have to travel, I’ll drive.”

She frowned. “That’s a big ask.”

“You didn’t ask; I volunteered.”

Her eyes softened, and I had to glue my feet to the ground to keep myself from going to her, even as I eagerly enlisted in the next level of torture. Taking a trip with this woman could quite possibly break me. Still, there was no backing out now. Not when her life was in danger.

“Well, I suppose…”

I dipped a quick nod. It was all the confirmation I needed. “If we’re doing this, let me figure out the safest way to get you there and back.”

“You were right.” The grateful smile that tugged at her tempting lips drove home the fact that I was screwed. “Premeditated really is your jam.”

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