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He stuffed his phone into his back pocket, rushed across the room and took her face in his hands. “Have I told you how beautiful you are today?”
“Yes.” She grinned from ear to ear. “But feel free to tell me again, big guy.”
The sparkle in her eyes gutted him. A murdering monster was after his angel. The thought of harm coming to her…of losing her…had all the blood draining from his head.
“Honey, you don’t look so good. You should sit down.”
She guided him to the couch, her cool hands stroking his forehead and cheeks.
“You don’t feel warm. Are you feeling, okay?”
“As long as you’re with me, everything is fine.”
She pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Who knew a big guy like you could be such a romantic? And Lizzie called you a bear! You’re not a bear.” She giggled. “You’re a pussycat.”
Bear, Bear, Bear! Fucking Bear!
He forced himself to smile. “Please don’t share my secret with the rest of the world, angel. I need to protect my red-blooded, tough guy image.”
“Your secret is safe with me.” She kissed the tip of his nose. “Your color’s better now. Are you sure you feel okay?”
“I’m fine. Whatever it was has passed.”
“Alright. Are you hungry?”
“Depends on what you’re serving?” He wiggled his brows.
“Spaghetti and meatballs, salad, and garlic bread. You like?”
“I like.”
“Good. Everything is done, except for the garlic bread. I’m going to run downstairs to finish the tally for today’s deposit. Then, I’m going to steal a loaf of ciabatta.”
“Angel, I don’t think it’s stealing if you baked it.”
“Well, let’s call it repurposing, shall we? Why don’t you set the kitchen table?”
“Alright.” He gave her backside a pinch, as she sashayed by. “Every inch of you is gorgeous!” He hollered, as she jogged down the stairs.
“I’m a sure thing!” She hollered back. “But keep saying those sweet things, big guy! There’s a reward in it for you!”
Damn, he was a lucky man.
As soon as he walked into the kitchen, his phone vibrated in his back pocket. Without looking at caller ID, he slapped it to his ear.
“Talk to me.”
“We just got a call from Betty Sue.” Zak growled into the phone. “A man showed up in her hair salon, saying he was a long-lost uncle of Ellie’s.”
“Fuck.”
“There’s more.”
“Give it to me. Wait. Hang on a second.” Colt shut the kitchen door, then stepped out back onto the deck. He wanted to protect Ellie from hearing any of this for as long as he could. “Alright, shoot.”
“She gave him Ellie’s address.”
An ice-cold chill cut straight through Colt’s body. He spun around, ran through the kitchen, shoved the door open so hard, it put a hole in the wall, then tore down the stairs.
