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Chapter Ten
Lark sat on the couch.She’d been sitting there for the last hour.Memphis Camden lounged to her right.Midas Monroe paced like a caged tiger to her left.She cleared her throat.“Do you both really need to be here?”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
Two instantly growled responses.
Her breath blew out.“What is it that Oliver thinks is going to happen?That Nate Quest is going to burst through the front door and come gunning for me?”
The front door flew open.She flinched at the sound even as Memphis leapt to his feet and Midas lunged forward.
“Lark!”Oliver rushed into the den.He shoved past a glowering Midas and went straight to her.His hands locked around her shoulders.He hauled her off the couch and into his arms.
His hug was tight.Fierce.
And she didn’t know what to do.Hug him back?Never let him go?Her hands fluttered in the air and skimmed his shoulders.
“Shit,” he muttered.“I’m not supposed to be hugging you, am I?”He eased back but didn’t fully release her.His stare raked her face.“Nate got away.Security camera picked him up fleeing near the loading bay.There’s an APB out for him.Authorities are searching the city.”
Nate got away.She swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat.“Figured he’d slipped from the hotel when both Midas and Memphis pulled guard duty and refused to budge.”She doubted the two huge, dangerous-looking men would enjoy knowing she’d been calling them the M&M duo in her head.Midas and Memphis.That hour had really, really ticked slowly past.And the men hadn’t exactly been talkative with her so time had gone past in extra slow motion.“I thought…you were gone a while so IhopedNate had been found, but when those two just kept glaring at me—”
“We weren’t glaring,” Memphis corrected with a sniff.“We were protecting you.Huge difference.”
“I was protecting you with my very life,” Midas declared righteously.“Just like Oliver asked me to do.”
Uh, huh.“When they kept glaring and protecting, I figured Nate must be on the loose.”
“I wanted to come straight back to you.”His fingers caressed her shoulders.Did he realize he was doing that?She did.And his touch made her body tense.Tense and yearn.
Swearing, he let her go.“I wanted to come straight back, then I ran into one of your oldfriends.”
She had zero clue what friend he meant.
Her confused expression must have indicated as much because he said, “State Representative Blain Montgomery.And are you ready for one hell of a coincidence?”He paced toward the fireplace.No fire danced.He turned his back on it and focused on her.“He’s checked into the same hotel we just left.Arrived in town late last night.”
At the mention of Blain’s name, Lark had sucked in a sharp breath.
Oliver’s stare sharpened as he added, “Oh, did I not mention that your brother told me about Blain?When we had our cozy chat as your brother tried to decide if he wanted to cooperate with me or attack me.Luckily, he chose the first option.”
Lark shook her head.“Y-you didn’t mention Blain.”
“Probably because we were busy rushing out…only to discover that Nate Quest came to town gunning for you.”Anger beat in his voice.“I tried to find the sonofabitch.Got a tip from Theo that Nate had been spotted near the Ferris wheel.Hauled ass over there just to discover that beat cops had taken the wrong man into custody.”
Do not let the fear take over.“He’ll turn up,” she said, voice determined.She forced determination into every word as she added, “He’ll have to use a credit card.Have to buy food.Have to get on some sort of transportation where he’ll be spotted.The cops or your agent friends will find him.It’s just a matter of time.”
“I’ll help on that hunt,” Memphis offered.
Her attention slid to him.
He rolled one powerful shoulder in a shrug.“Bounty hunting is my bit.Or, it used to be.I’m really good at tracking down the people who like to run.And by really good, I mean I’m the best.I’ve got lots of connections in this town.I’ll start beating the ground and see what shakes loose.”He quirked a brow toward Midas.“Assuming you’ll be watching their six?”
“I am the bodyguard,” Midas returned with a shrug.“It’s my bit.”
“Really?That’s all you’re gonna act like you are?”Memphis laughed.A mocking sound.“Nice try, but I’ve heard plenty about you.”
Midas’s face darkened.“Don’t believe everything you hear.”
