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Molly considered protesting, then remembered how calm and collected he’d been earlier. He’d saved her life when he’d shot that first thug in the neck. “I’d like that,” she said, then stopped herself. My family. She couldn’t leave them. What was I thinking? Slowly she shook her head. “But I can’t leave Chelsea and Harper alone.”
Farrah harrumphed. “What am I? Chopped liver? They can stay here. I’ve got a rifle and André’s trained me to use it. We ran into some trouble last year and I decided I needed to know how to defend myself. I’m no sniper, but I am a decent shot. Plus, André’s got three of his own officers on their way. They’ll be here within the next thirty minutes. We’ll be fine.”
Molly studied the other woman’s face. “Are you sure?”
Farrah met her gaze. “Very sure. You’re Burke’s family, so you’re our family, too. We’ll keep Chelsea and Harper safe.”
“Then thank you,” Molly said fervently. “Thank you so much.”
Farrah patted her hand. “You’re welcome. I’ll make some coffee and put it in a thermos. It’ll help you stay awake.”
Molly tugged on Gabe’s hand. “Come on. We need to put our vests back on.”
Gabe followed her to the room they’d been given and picked up the vest, wrinkling his nose. “We’re not going to be able to hide from anyone. They’ll smell us a mile away.”
Molly chuckled. “Take off your T-shirt, Mr. Hebert.” He did so, and she let her mouth water. Just a little. “You have a very nice chest,” she said as she helped him into the vest and fastened the Velcro flaps.
He pulled her T-shirt over her head and looked his fill. She was completely bared to him, her bra in the wash. “So do you. Seems a shame to cover up such pretty breasts.” But he followed her lead, helping her into her vest and fastening her up.
She moved her shoulders, trying to get more comfortable. It felt weird wearing the vest without a bra, but she wasn’t about to ask Farrah to borrow one of those.
Boundaries, after all.
She handed him his T-shirt and they redressed. “You’ll wear a helmet,” she said. “I don’t want to lose you.”
He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. “Same goes. No charging off by yourself like you did tonight. I nearly had heart failure when that guy pulled a gun on you.”
She started to argue, then sighed. “I promise. You were pretty awesome there. You saved my life.”
He kissed her again. “I’m glad you noticed. Now let’s go. I want this whole nightmare over with.”
She held on to his wrists, holding him in place for another few seconds before letting him go. And then? she wanted to ask. What would happen then? What would happen to them then?
But this wasn’t the time to ask. This was the time to do her job. To keep assholes from trying to kill him and Xavier and all of their families.
Then. Then she’d ask and hope that he wanted them to continue.
The Garden District, New Orleans, Louisiana
THURSDAY, JULY 28, 5:00 A.M.
“It doesn’t seem fair that Mule gets to sleep and we’re sitting outside his very fine house not sleeping,” Gabe grumbled. He was tired and cranky and—although he was really trying—unable to keep his thoughts to himself.
Mule’s house was very fine. A mansion, in fact. With pillars in front and everything. The house had to have five or six bedrooms. It was too fine for a cop to afford, even one of the brass. Gabe’s own father had lived in the same small house for Gabe’s entire life. It didn’t seem fair that a crooked cop got to live in a place like this.
Bitterness might have been adding to the crankiness, if he were being honest.
“So you’ve said,” Molly said dryly. “Several times.”
“I’m sorry,” Gabe said on a sigh.
She reached over the console and patted his thigh. “It’s okay. It’s actually kind of nice to know that you have a flaw.”
He smiled at her. “Just the one?”
“I haven’t seen any others.”
“There’s still time,” he said cheerfully.
