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That’s what she thought? “Roxie—”
“Don’t.” She shook her head, looking away. “It’s done. It doesn’t matter anymore.” She got up, grabbed his plate, and headed for the kitchen.
Liam gave her a moment in case that was what she needed. He leaned his head back on the seat.I got pretty far off track, didn’t I?He needed to crack open his Bible when he got home—after he dusted off the thing.
Maybe he’d discover what Gage meant when he said he’d figured out why Liam couldn’t let go. Possibly because his job was all he had. And helikedworking with SWAT. Feeling like a squad of brothers doing good in Benson.
His phone vibrated in his pocket. Liam shifted enough to slide it out and saw Karina’s name on the screen. “O’Connell.”
She gasped. “Someone is breaking into my house.”
He shot up off the couch, then realized why he was here. “I have to get cover here where I am. Then I’ll be right there. I’ll have a car come to you, okay?”
“I-I think they’re coming.”
“Hide. The bathroom. The closet. Get somewhere and stay small and quiet.” He headed for the hall, aware that Roxie had come over from the kitchen. “I’ll be there. Okay?”
“Hurry.”
He hung up and got on the phone again and called dispatch for a car to Karina’s. Then he called Jasper. “Jas, I need cover at Destiny’s.”
“Six minutes.”
“Copy that.” Liam hung up.
“I’ll go with you.”
Liam glanced over, about to tell her no, but the words didn’t come out.
“I’ll tell Destiny we’re leaving and that Jasper is coming over to stay with her.” Roxie trailed off down the hall.
His phone buzzed. A car was on its way to Karina’s house.
He prayed they got there in time.
SEVENTEEN
Liam pulled up in his truck outside a tiny home in an older neighborhood. Not rough, just established with an air of “too busy working to worry about the yard.” Roxie twisted her hands together. She probably shouldn’t be here, what with the cops and Liam doing this in an official capacity. Or perhaps he wasn’t, since he was technically off duty.
He hadn’t told her no, so maybe he wanted her here. If it was so she could support him, then that was what she would do. Bonus, Destiny was protected and being away from Roxie could save her from being a target. Roxie still didn’t know why Clare insisted that she be there.
It was probably what Liam had said about it being easier to protect two people if they were in the same place.
Or Clare had such a big slice of empathy in her that she knew Roxie wasn’t going to be okay alone. Yet another way Roxie should be strong and came up short.
But right now, this wasn’t about her. It was about Liam. So she turned to him. “I’ll hang back. Let you talk to the officers and see Karina.”
“Stay close by. Just in case.”
He wanted to protect her while they were out. Even at a scene where someone he cared about—the woman he’d been having dinner with, actually—was in danger, and he was still conscientious enough to make sure she was safe.
“I will.” Roxie got out but stuck close to the officer.
Near enough to hear the guy say, “House is empty. Signs of forced entry.”
Liam stared at the structure. “I’ll take a look.”
“Suit yourself.” The officer waved at the house. “I’ll call for crime scene techs if you have reason to believe the resident has been kidnapped. We can loop in the FBI as well.”
