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“Oh. Thanks. How’s the asshole?”
“Still unconscious.” Eve sat back on her heels and took a quick self-inventory. She didn’t see any blood, which was no small relief. Most of her clothes were still there, which hardly mattered since they were ruined. “You know, Peabody, I think Roarke owns this building.”
“Then he’s probably going to be pissed. Smoke and water damage is a bitch.”
“You’re telling me. Let’s call it a goddamn day. The credit cops can handle this. I’m giving a party tonight.”
“Yeah.” Mouth twisted, Peabody tugged on the torn sleeve of her uniform. “I’m looking forward to it.” Then she swayed, squinted. “Dallas, how many pairs of eyes did you have when we came in here?”
“One. Just one.”
“Shit. Now you’ve got two. I think one of us has a problem.” With this, Peabody pitched forward into Eve’s arms.
There wasn’t time to clean up. After she’d hauled Peabody out of the wreckage and dumped her on the medical technicians, she had a report to relay to the officer in charge of the security team, then she fed the same data to the bomb disposal unit. Between reports she harassed the MTs about Peabody’s condition and blocked their attempts to treat her to an injury scan.
Roarke was already dressed for the evening when she rushed in the door. He cut off his conversation with Tokyo on his palm link, shifted away from the team of florists currently arranging pink and white hibiscus in the foyer.
“What the hell happened to you?”
“Don’t ask.” She raced past him and hit the stairs at a dead run.
She was out of what was left of her shirt by the time he came into the bedroom, closed the door. “I will ask.”
“The bomb wasn’t a dud after all.” Unwilling to sit down and smear whatever was on her slacks onto the furniture, she balanced on one foot and fought off a boot.
Roarke took a deep breath. “The bomb?”
“Well, a homemade boomer. Very unreliable.” She pried off the second boot, then began to peel off her torn and blackened slacks. “Guy hits a CEC two blocks from Cop Central. Idiot.” She dumped the tatters on the floor, swung around to head to the bath, only to come up short when Roarke took her arm.
“Name of God.” He turned her to get a closer look at the purpling bruise that spread over her hip. It was bigger than his spread hand. Her right knee was raw and there were more bruises blooming on her arms and shoulders. “You’re a mess, Eve.”
“You should see the other guy. Well, at least he’ll get three square and a roof for a few years, courtesy of the state. I’ve got to get cleaned up.”
He didn’t release her, only shifted his gaze to hers. “I don’t suppose you bothered to let the MTs work on you.”
“Those butchers?” She smiled. “I’m fine, just sore. I can get a quick treatment tomorrow.”
“You’ll be lucky if you can walk by tomorrow. Come on.”
“Roarke—” But she winced and hobbled, and he pulled her into the bath.
“Sit. Be quiet.”
“We don’t have time for this.” She sat, rolled her eyes. “It’s going to take me a couple hours to get the stink and soot off. Christ, those boomers smell.” She turned her head to sniff at her shoulder and grimaced. “Sulfur.” Then she eyed him warily. “What’s that?”
He approached with a thick pad soaked in something pink. “The best we can do at the moment. Stop wiggling.” He laid the pad over her injured knee, holding it in place and ignoring her curses.
“That stings. Christ, are you crazy?”
“I’m beginning to think so.” With his free hand, he caught her chin, carefully examined her blackened face. “At the risk of repeating myself, you’re a mess. Hold that pad in place.” He squeezed lightly on her chin. “I mean it.”
“Okay, okay.” She huffed out a breath and kept the pad over her knee as he walked back to a wall cabinet. The sting was easing. She didn’t want to admit that the ripe ache in her knee was backing off. “What’s in this stuff?”
“This and that. It’ll ease the swelling and numb the injury for a few hours.” He came back with a small tube of liquid. “Drink it.”
“Uh-uh, no drugs.”
Very calmly, he laid a hand on her shoulder. “Eve, if you’re not in pain at the moment, it’s due to adrenaline. You’re going to hurt, and hurt big time, very shortly. I know what it feels like to be bruised and battered all over. Now drink it.”
