Page 78 of The Honorable Texan
She chuckled.“He didn’t seem like that kind of man,” she murmured.“I had him figured for a gentleman, not a renegade.”
“We’re all that kind of man,” he replied.
“All?”
He led her to the car and put her into the passenger seat.“There are five of us.The other three are coming up this morning to have a talk with the police.”
“I remember.You said that your brother was the attorney general.”
“He is,” he replied.“We tend to stick together.”
Her eyes went to his hands on the steering wheel.He had nice hands, very lean and strong with neat, clean fingernails.He was a tough-looking man, like a cowboy.
“How’s your face?”he asked unexpectedly.
She shrugged.“It still hurts.It will for a while, but I’ll be fine.”
“You should see that plastic surgeon.”
“Why?”she asked heavily.“My insurance won’t pay for cosmetic surgery, and there’s not much chance that they can do any major repair on tiny shattered bones.”
“You’re not a doctor.Stop giving yourself medical advice.”
She stared at him for a long moment and started to speak, then lost the opportunity when he pulled up in the hospital parking lot, cut off the engine and got out.
Rey waited for her and led her up to the floor where his brother’s room was located.
Leo wasn’t alone.Three other men were with him, one big and dark and missing an arm, the other lean and light-eyed and handsome, and a third big one withblack eyes and a threatening face towering over both the others.
“That’s Cag,” Rey indicated the black-eyed man.“Corrigan,” he nodded toward the light-eyed man, “and that’s Simon,” he finished, smiling at the one-armed man.“This is Meredith Johns.She rescued Leo.”
“Nice to see you and know who you are,” Leo said, alert now and interested as his dark eyes swept over the neat woman just inside the door.“Miss Johns, I presume?”
She smiled self-consciously, because everybody was looking at her bruised face.“Yes,” she said.
Simon Hart frowned when he got a good look at her.“What the hell happened to you?”he demanded.
“Her father,” Rey said for her.“She got in late and he beat her up.”
Leo looked suddenly as intimidating as the other three.“Where is he?”he asked.
“In jail,” Meredith said heavily.“For several weeks, at least, and he’ll have time to dry out.”
“Good.”Leo looked toward Simon.“Maybe you can find a way to get him into rehab before he gets out.”
“I’ll look into it,” Simon said at once.
“And some counseling wouldn’t come amiss,” Rey put his two cents worth in.
“I’ll see about that, too,” Simon replied.“Nice to meet you, Miss Johns.We’re all grateful for what you did for Leo.”
“You’re all very welcome,” she replied.She clutched her purse, intimidated by the group of brothers.
“Come here,” Leo said, holding out his hand.“They’re big and they look tough, but they’re reallymarshmallows.You don’t have to feel threatened.I’ll protect you.”
“She doesn’t need protecting from us!”Rey snapped.
The others gaped at him.It wasn’t like Rey to act that way.
