Page 32 of Protected from Malice
As I’m watching Eden, she twitches. Her features pinch. Tiny lines form between her eyes and across her brow. The soft humming sound she’s been making turns into a whimper. Her fingers dig into my leg.
Another nightmare?
“Shhh,” I murmur as I lightly stroke her hair. “You’re safe. No one can hurt you. I’m here.”
I repeat it several times before she settles.
And of all the things I’ve done in my life, this is right up there as one of the ones that makes me most proud.
Such a small thing, soothing Eden back to sleep. But one my buddies wouldn’t think me capable of. Not tough, emotionless Rafe; the one people call on to get the bad stuff done.
I’d never say it to anyone, not even Indy. But sometimes I ache for something gentle, too. A woman to hold, not because it’s expected after a hookup, but just because I want to.
But not just any woman. Eden.
I want to hold her. Show her Icanbe gentle. Show her I’m more than just Indy’s teammate, but a man who’s been thinking about her for years.
Except I’m not what she needs. Smart, sweet, incredible Eden needs a white knight in shining armor. Not a tarnished one, his armor all bloody and stained from things he’d never,everwant Eden to know about. She needs someone smart. Sensitive. Career-driven. But also someone who’ll protect her with his life, like I would.
Not for the first time, and I’m sure not the last, I wish things could be different.
That I could be her knight.
Shit. If my buddies knew what I was thinking—knights in shining armor and being gentle and cuddling—they’d piss themselves laughing. They’d make fun of me mercilessly. They’d?—
My phone buzzes, jittering across the nightstand.
I snatch it up, silencing it while stealing a quick look at Eden, hoping the sound didn’t wake her. But she’s still asleep, snuggled against my leg, humming her little relaxed snore again.
Good.
My first thought is that it’s my boss. Even though I said I was out of town, he probably thinks he can convince me to pick up a job, anyway. I’m his best bounty hunter, so when the real tough cases come in, I’m always the first one he calls.
Then I see the flashing alert on the screen, and my adrenaline surges.
My muscles tense.
My heart races. Then just as quickly, I force it to steady, drawing on my decades spent in the Army, when a moment of panic could mean the difference between life and death.
The alarm’s been triggered.
Someone’s trying to get in.
The tiny camera I installed above the door shows a man outside it, all in dark clothes with a hoodie pulled tight around his face. He’s hunched over, fiddling with the lock, either trying to bypass the wiring or jimmy the mechanism in the door.
I know that’s what he’s doing, because I’ve done it myself. Although much faster and stealthier than this asshole, which makes me think he’s an amateur.
Either way, he’s no match for me. Not on a regular day, and especially not when it comes to protecting Eden.
I could stop him right now. Yank the door open and bust him red-handed. But then I risk drawing attention from anyone elsewho might be in the hallway. Plus, if I actually let him break in, he’ll be arrested for breaking and entering. Possibly attempted assault, if he has a weapon on him.
I could let him come inside.
Take him down in the privacy of our hotel room. Do a little interrogation myself before turning him over to the police. Because while I know there are some good cops out there, I’ve also seen firsthand how they can fail the people who most need their help. It’s why Cole formed Blade and Arrow all those years ago—to fill in the gaps that police bureaucracy and red tape couldn’t.
I agree wholeheartedly.
There are some great cops, no doubt. But when it comes to making sure the job’s done right, I’d rather do it myself.
