Page 30 of Her Sensual Protector

He’s right, Leo thought.

“We’re going to get some training in. Nothing like some good one-hundred-and-twelve-degree heat to get a body moving,” Max grinned.

“My money’s on Kane falling behind first. He’s the oldest, I think the heat will do him in,” Raiden said with a grin.

“Nope, Max has me by a month, he’s going down. What’s more, he skips out on training back at Little Creek. He keeps saying he has paperwork to do. Nope, it’ll be Max for sure.” Kane closed down his laptop. He was definitely getting into the mood.

“Based on all this trash talk, and the fact that I’m the best and the youngest, all y’all are going down,” Nic was practically blowing smiles out of his ass.

“A baby like you hasn’t developed the endurance,” Ezio razzed him.

Max looked over at Leo. “What’s with you, Perez? I expected to hear from your corner of the world.”

“I’ve got a bad feeling. I’ve tried to get a hold of Daisy four times today, but nothing.”

Max gave him an intent look. “Do you think she’s skipped out of the hotel again?”

“Nope. I checked with Tom, he said that not only do they have the camera on her hotel room, they have her door tripped, so if it opens they’re alerted. It hasn’t been opened.”

“If she’s as good as you say she is, maybe she disengaged it,” Kane suggested.

“God, I hope not.” Leo pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose.

“Shit, you’re going to be useless out there today and you’ll lose, and you’ll say it’s because you were worried about the doctor’s daughter, so we won’t even be able to rub it in,” Max sighed. “Get the hell over to Kabul and check on the woman.”

Leo brightened. “Yes, sir.” He didn’t need to be told twice.

“Don’t take the motorcycle, take something that won’t kill you.”

“What’s the fun in that?”

“Leo.” Max’s tone brooked no argument.

* * *

Daisy pushed her head under the pillow. Anything to make her head stop hurting and the ringing stop.

It didn’t stop.

God, she felt hungover. She clasped the pillow with both arms and surrounded her head with it so that her ears were covered. Finally, some relief—she couldn’t hear the ringing. She didn’t remember drinking, but her mouth felt like somebody had planted six acres of cotton in it, stinky cotton. It felt like her brain had grown three times its normal size and was trying to burst through her skull.

What in the hell had happened to me?

Now there was pounding, not ringing.

Her dad. Now she remembered. Ethan. The blood and bruises.

She squeezed her eyes shut tight and whimpered but it didn’t shut out the pounding. She thought she heard someone calling her name.

What?

Daisy lifted the pillow off her head and that actually helped. Who knew a feather pillow could be so heavy?

“Daisy, are you all right?”

Pound.

Pound.