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Again the woman shook her head, but this time she yelled out to her companions. “Anyone know a Brett Campbell? What about a Jack Simon?”
“Simon? The American guy? His brother’s an actor or something?” That was from the guy behind the wheel.
Donovan nodded. “Yes. Jack.”
“I know where that place is. Down on millionaire alley.” He hit full throttle and less than twenty minutes later ,they pulled up alongside Jack’s dock. By now the rain was falling steady and after thanking her rescuers, Donovan made her way toward the house. The going was slow because her ankle was killing her and by the time she reached the porch, she was drenched.
Her hand was on the doorknob when it was wrenched from her grasp, her fingers flailing in the air and coming into contact with a hard male chest. She glanced up, throat closed so tight that she couldn’t swallow.
“Where the hell have you been? Jesus Christ, Donnie,” Jack said, his voice low and deadly. “I’ve been going fucking crazy. Do you know that? Do you get that Donovan?”
He shook her and her head snapped back but her body was shaking so badly that she couldn’t answer. And dammit, she was going to cry.
His dark eyes widened as he angled his head for a better look. “What the…” he muttered, his touch gentle as he palmed her cheek. “What happened?”
She winced and managed a few words. “I fell.”
Jack swore and slammed the door shut behind them. Her legs were like limp spaghetti, and if not for his arms around her, she would have fallen. As it was, she whimpered when she took a step, and he cursed again, hands on her face and pulling her up so that there was nowhere to look other than into his eyes.
She noticed that his hair was wet and so were his clothes.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, and then because she was weak and pathetic, she started to cry.
“Goddammit, Donovan. I have the police looking for you. I just got back myself. I thought… Jesus Christ I thought…”
But he never finished his sentence and with a growl, he pulled her close, so that she was tucked under his chin. And for Donovan, it felt like coming home. Like the safest place in the world.
“I’m sorry,” she said again, her voice hoarse. “I got lost.”
She squeezed her eyes shut when he kissed the top of her head. “You’re freezing.”
Teeth chattering, she nodded but couldn’t answer because a fresh batch of tears had her choked up.
“It’s okay,” he said, voice gruff. “I’ve got you.”
Hearing those three words nearly did her in, and she clutched at his shirt, unable to articulate how grateful she was. Even though she was wet and cold and miserable, she was here with him, and right now, it was all that mattered.
Jack scooped her into his arms and headed for the stairs.
Chapter Twenty-one
* * *
Jack Simon could handle a lot of things. He was used to juggling more than one ball, and he was used to dealing with circumstances that weren’t ideal. He’d learned early on in the political arena that when shit happened, you let it happen because most times, there was no way to stop it. You let the chaos ensue and then you put a plan in place to fix it.
He was a fixer. Had the ability to think outside the box. It’s why he was good at his job.
But it was one thing to apply that code to a work day situation. When it came to something up close and personal, it was a hell of a lot harder to keep some kind of perspective. To keep from freaking the hell out.
He’d lost his shit today. More than once. When he realized that Donovan was missing, he’d barely kept it together. Him. The guy they called Stone Cold Simon.
Jack gave his head a shake.
Right now, he had Donovan where she needed to be. In his place. In his arms. He fucking had her.
He strode across the landing and headed for his bedroom. Once inside, he kicked open the door to the bathroom and gently set her down on the counter. She was shaking so hard that he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her.
Her eyes were closed, and a bruise on her cheek was looking nasty. His gut tightened, and he slid his palm over her cheek. Donovan leaned into him, and Jack felt as if he was coming apart. Never had he felt this helpless.
