AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Why the women, though? That’s gotta mean something. Feels really personal to me.”
Maria raised her eyebrows. “You might have a second calling as a detective.”
“I don’t think so, love,” Teag said.
Something flashed over his face that Maria couldn’t decipher but was gone in an instant. He sighed and dropped his head back onto the pillow, exhaustion and pain now obvious in his worn expression.
“You know Cam is going to be following this case closely, and I am not going to let anyone get near you. I promise.”
“I don’t doubt it. You’re fierce, Maria,” Teag said, eyes closed but with a small smile on his face.
Maria knew she should step away and let Teag rest, but she couldn’t seem to make her legs work. She couldn’t seem to let go of his hand either. When she didn’t move, he peered up at her from beneath heavy lids.
“Are you okay, love?” he asked.
His deep blue eyes seemed to be looking straight into her soul.
“I’m sorry,” she repeated.
“We’ve covered this already.”
“I’m sorry for how I treated you. Before. I made a judgment about you that wasn’t fair or accurate.”
“It was a little bit accurate,” he said, with a teasing grin.
“Yeah, but there’s more to you than your womanizing ways,” she said, trying to adopt the same lighthearted tone.
“There is, indeed.”
Maria sat silently, trying to gather her thoughts.
“Talk to me, love. What’s on your mind?” Teag coaxed gently.
“When I got the noise-complaint call and headed up to your room, I was so pissed. Pissed at you for taking those girls to your room. For moving on so quickly. But mostly, I was pissed at myself because I probably missed my chance at something real with you.”
“You didn’t miss your chance,” Teag said, so softly Maria could barely hear him. His thumb caressed hers, the motion gentle yet incredibly intimate.
She felt her eyes fill, and heat rushed into her cheeks. “When I opened the door to your suite, I knew something was wrong. I saw the women first, the blood. It was so quiet. Deathly quiet. I get why that’s an expression.” A tear dripped down her cheek and she drew in a shaking breath. “Then I found you on the bathroom floor, and I was so fucking terrified. You were so still and so pale, I didn’t expect you to be alive.”
“Guess I’m pretty hard to kill.”
“Thank god,” Maria said, half sobbing and half laughing.
Teag brought Maria’s hand to his lips and kissed her palm. “Don’t cry, love. I don’t like seeing you cry.”
“Well, it’s a rare thing. Don’t get used to it,” she said, trying to lighten the moment and compose herself. She never let anyone see her cry.
“I’m honored, then,” he said, and it didn’t sound like a joke.
Maria sniffed, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, and stood. “I’ll let you sleep.”
“Maria,” Teag said, stopping her in her tracks. “It’s not too late. Not for me anyway.”
She held his gaze and gave him a small nod. “When this is over,” she promised softly.
