Page 107 of Skin Deep

Chapter34

Harrison

We were all in a safe house in the city, but not at Cash and Kee’s place. I didn’t want Georgina to be there when I wasn’t. It was the perfect place for an ambush. She was standing with her back to me, packing my bag. I could tell she was on edge. How she folded my boxers spoke volumes. She was being too meticulous, like the more time she spent on getting my things ready, the more time she had with me.

She asked me something in Sicilian.

“What’s that?”

She shook her head. “How long will you be gone?”

I wrapped my arms around her. It felt like she melted into me, deep beneath my skin. I kissed her head.

“Not long,” I said. “Just some business to take care of.”

“I should be with you.” She dropped the boxers in the bag and turned to face me, her arms around my waist.

“It’s safer for you to be here,” I said.

“My place is next to you.”

I had no argument for that. Because she was right. Her place was next to me. But I had to do this alone. She had to be in New York.

“It is,” I said.

“But there is abutthis time.”

I nodded. “I’ll only use abutwhen I absolutely have to. This is one of those times.”

She sighed. “I do not like this. I am—” She stopped talking suddenly and tried to turn away from me, but I refused to let her. She looked up into my eyes. “I am going to be so worried.”

There was that vulnerability in her eyes. It softened her entire demeanor. It was a glimpse of the true her the world rarely got to see.

Then it hardened.

“I am a good shooter.”

I hid my grin. “You are, baby,” I said. “You’re an excellent shotgun rider. You have all the makings for a legendary ride or die.”

“Like Bonnie and Clydie?”

Laughter barreled out of my mouth. She started laughing, too, but she still thumped me on the chest.

“What? You are Clydie!”

“Yeah.” I leaned down and kissed her. “I’m Clydie.”

She grabbed onto my shirt, holding on tight. “You have become courage to me. I cannot lose that now that I have found it.”

My eyes stilled on hers. “It’s a short trip. There and back. I’ll be back.”

She nodded and turned to zip up my bag. As she handed it to me, I thanked her in Italian, part of my limited vocabulary, and we headed for the door.

Declan and Owen were in the kitchen, arguing over how long to microwave frozen pizza. Cash was walking behind my sister into their bedroom. They were all going to stay together until I got back.

Lachlan insisted on coming with me. He said he knew Boston better than I did. As we headed toward the car we were taking to the private airport, he squeezed Georgina on the shoulder “Don’t worry, G. I'll take care of him.”

“You will take care of each other,” she said.

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