Mission: Impossible to Protect (The Impossible Mission Romantic Suspense Series Book 6), стр. 38

She stood within inches of him, close enough that he could get a whiff of her lemony scent without touching her. Her fiery eyes, combined with her bruised, mottled face, created an almost scary appearance.

“I’m so tired of you talking to me like I’m an idiot. I know exactly what’s at stake. I haven’t forgotten for one lousy minute since this all began what it was like to be kidnapped. Those 14K creeps were only after my research. I totally understand what Miro wants… Me.”

He had to suppress his urge to touch her. She had suffered under the Chinese gang and was rightfully frightened despite her bravado.

He had to remain firm with her. She had a husband. She played him. He was her bodyguard. His only mission was to protect her.

“Is this Jax going to show up in a fighting rage, demanding you return to him now that he knows where you’re staying? It kind of blows the whole strategy of disappearing.”

She ran her hand through her hair. “I’m sorry. I was shocked to see Douglas…and I didn’t think.”

“We’ll need to change hotels. Miro most likely knows about Jax.” And that was what really burned. Miro probably knew more about Danni’s husband than he did. Hell, until ten minutes ago, he didn’t know she had a husband. As her protector, he was looking at every possible scenario of how Miro could get to her but didn’t know that he was missing information about a giant chunk of her life.

He flashed through how quickly he could arrange her detail and get away from her. Nick’s men were totally capable of protecting her. He’d meet with his publisher and editor, then leave. She’d remain in New York. He’d make sure he had reduced any threat, established or new, that were raised by this latest twist, and then he’d disappear. He was through as her personal protector.

Self-disgust had him by the throat. He had fallen again for a woman who had no sense of honesty. He had admired Danni for her loyalty to her friends.

“And FYI, I don’t have sex with married women. I know you think I’ll fuck anyone, but you bloody hell should have told me that you were married. I would’ve walked away. I sure as hell wouldn’t have brought you to New York.” The trip was more than just the logical choice for safety. He’d wanted to share his writer’s life with her. He had never shared this part of himself with anyone.

Her eyes flashed with fire. “If I ever get married, I’ll try real hard to let you know, so we don’t fuck again.”

He moved closer to get in her face, wanting to shake her and kiss her and return to a time when he thought she was good for him. God, his hands were shaking. He allowed this woman to make him do what he swore he’d never do—trust her with his feelings.

“What the hell does that mean? What? You plan to divorce this Jax’s sorry ass so you can pursue your one-night stands? Is this some new stage for you? Does Hardy know that you have a husband?” Was he the only one who didn’t know? Reeves must not know. He’d never send Lars after Danni if she were married.

“You lecturing me? The man who never sleeps with the same woman. Who probably doesn’t even sleep over?”

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m a jerk. But I never made any promises to any of those women. Remember, I’m not married.”

She hit his chest hard with her cast.

“Neither am I, jackass. I never married Jax. He didn’t show up. He let me face the two hundred guests at Trinity Church alone. And now the bastard wants me back. As if…” She walked away, moving toward the bedrooms before she turned back. “A man at the age of thirty-two, afraid to make a commitment. Sound like anyone you know?”

Lars couldn’t move. The shock almost knocked him to his knees. He felt dizzy. The room was spinning.

She waved her cast in the air with her back to him. “Don’t say a word. Not a single word. And no, Jax won’t make a scene. He’s too sophisticated for that.”

“If he shows up, I’m going to kill him. Slowly and painfully.”

Danni stopped and turned to give him the sweetest half-smile, her eyes softening toward him. “Thanks for the offer, but he isn’t worth the effort. And if anyone deserves the privilege to kick his ass, it’s me.”

He wanted to pull her into his arms. She had been really hurt, jilted in front of her family and friends, made a public spectacle. And suddenly everything he knew about her, her fierce independence, her drive to protect herself, and her anathema to men who slept around, clicked into place like a moving lock sliding into place.

“I’m going to put my foot up and order room service.” She limped toward the bedrooms.

He wanted to sweep her up in his arms as he had done when she couldn’t put weight on her ankle. He wanted to return to LA and redo this whole fricking day.

“I have a Jax in my past. Her name was Carmen Cook.” He shocked himself by his admission.

She paused in the middle of the room but didn’t turn.

“Will you listen?” He heard the desperation in his voice.

She turned and scanned his face. Of course, she was skeptical. Why shouldn’t she be? His feelings for her caused him to have hurtling mood swings like a bipolar off his meds.

“Will you sit down? You can put your ankle up on the couch, and I’ll open the champagne they always keep ready.” He never drank champagne, but Danni loved it. And he would do anything to make things better—to take away the flash of pain in her eyes when she described facing the wedding guests.

Was he really going to tell her about Carmen? He had never told anyone, not even Sten. But Sten had a pretty clear idea from the mess Lars