by Unknown
“You okay?” he asked, holding out his hand to her, interlacing their fingers when she took it. “You know, I’ve been doing it, too. Wrestling with the waves of emotion. It happens, after. Particularly when you go to extremes to defend yourself.” He met her gaze squarely. “I wish I got there sooner. I would’ve been okay with killing him.”
Phoebe nodded. “I’m kind of okay with killing him, too.”
“It helps to talk about it,” Ian said. “And I’ll be here, whenever you want to. Talk.”
He meant it, and the tears welled again. Damnit. She laughed as she wiped them away.
“Shit,” Ian said. “Come here. I’d come to you, but I’m cuffed to this chair.”
“What?” Phoebe stood up. “Are you seriously …?”
He was. His left hand was attached, via plastic restraint, to the base of the chair, which was, in turn, attached to the floor. No wonder he hadn’t changed his shirt.
“I’ll get someone to unlock you, immediately,” she said, heading for the door.
Ian caught her by the hand. Pulled her down onto his lap. “This is what I want. Problem solved far more quickly.”
Phoebe laughed as he kissed her, but then she stopped laughing and just kissed him back.
“Crap, I keep forgetting … Is your mouth okay?” he asked, pulling back to look at her, grimacing slightly as he gently touched her lips. “You covered it up well, but …”
“I’m great,” she told him and it was true. “Although, I may not be taken too seriously as your lawyer while sitting on your lap.”
“I take you very seriously,” Ian said.
From her perch, she was finally taller than he was. As she looked down into his eyes, she said, “Just so you know, I didn’t believe it for a second—the lies you told Vanderzee. It made me think of Berto and Francine. And your brother.”
“I thought he might’ve put that call on speaker,” Ian said. He closed his eyes and rested his head against her chest as he held her close. “Jesus, that was awful.”
“But in the driveway,” Phoebe said. “When you told me you loved me …”
He looked up at her at that, but then waited, as if he knew she had more to say.
So she kept going. “I was pretty sure the only reason you said it was to keep me from going with him, almost like … a bribe. I love you, now do what I want.”
He laughed at that, but she suspected she was not far from the truth.
“Then I realized,” Phoebe continued, “that you said it as a bribe, but you also really meant it.”
Ian was nodding. “I was desperate,” he admitted. “I would have told you anything. But I did mean it—I do. Very much. Although I don’t know if I would’ve had the guts to say it, if I didn’t think it was gonna get me something tangible.” He winced. “That sounded better in my head. I’m not a total dick. I do know what I get, just from saying it.”
“Sex,” Phoebe said. “And probably a lot of it.”
He laughed at that. “I hope so. We’ll have to see. Won’t we?”
Phoebe didn’t try to hide her surprise as she looked at him, as he looked evenly back at her.
And yes, that had been his way of telling her that he’d never said I love you before, not to any other woman.
Phoebe kissed him again. She had to.
“I came here, half-expecting, I don’t know,” she admitted. “That maybe this was where the pushing-me-away part would really start. I mean, I was all inside of my head about you not telling me that Manny had died. I thought …”
“I didn’t tell you,” Ian said, “because I didn’t want to get my own hopes up. I was hoping that Berto would man up, and take the opportunity to do exactly what he did—which is reach a detente with Davio. Or kill him. Either way would’ve been okay with me, because it finally sets me free.” He smiled at her. “As far as pushing you away? I think we might be past that part. To be honest, what I really want is for you to be closer.”
“I’m on your lap,” she pointed out.
He nodded. “Yeah, I mean … not just here and now physically, but … Jesus, I just really … want you to stick around.”
Phoebe kissed him.
“Hmm,” he said. “I’m starting to see a pattern here. Let’s experiment. I love you.”
She kissed him again.
“Yup,” Ian said, “a definite pattern.” He cleared his throat. “Look, there’s a lot to talk about, and figure out. But just so you know what I’m thinking, I’m considering resurrecting my intel-gathering business, get the old team back, maybe do a little PI work to keep me more local, maybe contract out some assignments from that personal security firm that Martell’s connected to.… Bottom line, I’d love to stick around and see where this thing between us goes.”
“I would love that, too,” Phoebe said.
The door opened, and Yashi stuck his head in. “Everything’s good. You’re cleared to go. Whoops, sorry about that, you should’ve told me …” He came the rest of the way into the room, and unlocked Ian’s hand as Phoebe stood up.
“I was very comfortable,” Ian said as he quickly changed his shirt, leaving the borrowed one on the table.
“You need me to walk you out?” Yashi asked, holding open the door for them.
“Nah, that’s okay,” Ian said, as he took Phoebe’s hand and smiled into her eyes. “We’ll find our way.”
To my mother and father, Lee and Fred Brockmann, who taught me that love is the most powerful force in the world, that only with love can we build and grow and learn, and that in the ongoing epic fight against injustice, ignorance, and fear, love always triumphs.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you to everyone who participated in the creation of this book.
Thank you to my early draft readers, Lee Brockmann, Ed Gaffney, Deede Bergeron, and Patricia McMahon.
Thank you to my agent, Steve Axelrod, and to Lori Antonson.
Thank you to my editor, Shauna Summers, and to the rest of the team at Ballantine and Random House, including Crystal Velasquez and Gina Wachtel. Big thanks to the art department for the terrific cover, too!
But thank you most of all to my extremely patient family: my zen-master husband Ed; my shining son, Jason, and his wonderful boyfriend, Matt; my amazing daughter, Melanie; my brilliant grandson, Aidan; my fiercely supportive parents, Lee and Fred (or Mom and Dad, as I like to call them!); my constant-as-the-North-Star friends Bill, Jodie, and Elizabeth; and my schnauzer-powered unconditional-love delivery vehicles CK Dexter-Haven and Little Joe.
Last but certainly not least, I want to thank you, my readers, who trust me enough to follow wherever I take you, and who continue to give me permission to write the stories of my heart.
As always, any mistakes I’ve made or liberties I’ve taken are completely my own.
BY SUZANNE BROCKMANN
RELUCTANT HEROES SERIES
Do or Die
FIGHTING DESTINY SERIES
Born to Darkness
TROUBLESHOOTERS SERIES
The Unsung Hero
The Defiant Hero
Over the Edge
Out of Control
Into the Night
Gone Too Far
Flashpoint
Hot Target
Breaking Point
Into the Storm
Force of Nature
All Through the Night
Into the Fire
Dark of the Night
Hot Pursuit
Breaking the Rules
Headed for Trouble
SUNRISE KEY SERIES
Kiss and Tell
The Kissing Game
Otherwise Engaged
OTHER BOOKS
Heartthrob
Forbidden
Freedom’s Price
Body Language
Stand-in Groom
Time Enough for Love
Infamous
Ladies’ Man
Bodyguard
Future Perfect
A
BOUT THE AUTHOR
After childhood plans to become the captain of a starship didn’t pan out, SUZANNE BROCKMANN took her fascination with military history, her respect for the men and women who serve, her reverence for diversity, and her love of storytelling, and explored brave new worlds as a New York Times bestselling romance author. Over the past twenty years, she has written more than fifty novels, including her award-winning Troubleshooters series about Navy SEAL heroes and the women—and sometimes men—who win their hearts. In addition to writing books, Suzanne Brockmann has co-produced a feature-length movie—the award-winning romantic comedy The Perfect Wedding, which she co-wrote with her husband, Ed Gaffney, and their son, Jason. She has also co-written a YA novel—set in the world of her paranormal Fighting Destiny series—with her daughter, Melanie. Find Suz (or Suzanne Brockmann) at www.Facebook.com/SuzanneBrockmannBooks, follow her on Twitter @SuzBrockmann, and visit her website at www.SuzanneBrockmann.com to find out more about upcoming releases and appearances.
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