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“Her boyfriend had been hired by kidnappers to lure her out,” Kaj recalled. “You saved her, but the kidnappers killed the boyfriend to snip off loose ends.”
“Yes. The kidnappers were all big. I shot two of them in the leg, disabling them, but I had to grapple with the third because he’d grabbed the girl. She got away and ran back into the house. Grabbed her little brother and took him to the panic room, just like we’d practiced. The third guy was very unhappy with me.”
Kaj’s gut tightened. “Did he hurt you?”
“Knocked my head into the driveway, but nothing else. I kneed him in the nuts and he let me go. The two I’d shot dragged him to their van. The boyfriend was trying to get to the van, too, but one of them fatally shot him as they drove away. He could ID them, I guess.”
“How did you catch them?”
“The cops were already on their way. I’d called them as soon as I realized the daughter was gone. I’d shot out the van’s windows and tires, so the vehicle was easy to spot.”
“And you didn’t freeze or freak out.”
“It was close, but I held it together until I was off duty and alone in my room.”
He hated to think of what she’d gone through, all alone. But she didn’t want pity and he wasn’t her fixer. He’d remember that, no matter how difficult it was. “Any other times you were faced with big men and you came close to freezing?”
“No.”
He wrapped his arm around her. “Then why are you worrying about it now?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe because I’m already attached to Elijah. Or maybe because Drysdale’s the first person to have confronted me with it.”
“In the guise of meaning well,” he said coldly. “It was a dirty shot, intended to distract you. Maybe even hurt you.”
One corner of her mouth lifted. “Gonna beat him up for me?”
He rested his forehead on hers. “Not today. I make no promises if he does it again.”
“You’re not worried that I’ll freeze up?”
He considered, then decided to be honest. “If you’re not worried, then I’m not. If you are, then your mind is compromised, and we should reevaluate our business arrangement.”
Her shoulders sagged. “Maybe I’m not the best bodyguard right now.”
“Good thing you have the night off, then,” he said lightly. “Burke’s already called Molly to take the night shift. You had a rough day.”
“Burke is a good boss, but I think he believed I was stronger than I am, giving me this case. I really thought I could handle it.”
Kaj kissed her firmly. “Stop. When he gave you this job, he believed Dewey Talley and his drug organization were behind the abduction attempt. He had no idea that you’d learn about all the shit your brother did, and neither did you. So stop it.”
She sighed softly. “You’re right.”
He kissed her again, more gently. “Say that again? I didn’t hear you the first time.”
She snorted inelegantly. “You’re right, okay?”
He grinned at her. “Just making sure we have open lines of communication.”
She leaned her head against his shoulder. “Thank you. You seem to know exactly what to say to me to make everything better.”
He hugged her close, his heart happier now. “You ready to go to sleep now?”
“Will you stay with me? At least until I go to sleep?”
“Yes. I’ll stay for as long as you want me.”
“I might want you for a while.” Her tone was light, but her eyes were serious.
