“He didn’t. I did.”
“Oh, Miah.”
“Nah, sis, no sweat. I’m a freaking cop and cops shoot criminals if they have to, so…”
“Wait. You’re a cop?” I ask as Wyatt shoves me into the horror tub and starts ripping my clothes off in a frenzy.
Roman and Miah both turn their backs as Wyatt starts scrubbing and rinsing at my skin, saving me from what would no doubt be some pretty unpleasant burns.
“Yup. Don’t tell Ma. She still thinks I work for this jackass.”
“Scout’s honor,” I whisper, crying when Wyatt finally deems me clean and pulls me into his arms, his body trembling with emotion when tries to inhale me with a kiss that’s all about the relief he feels at having me back, safe and sound.
“You’re my hero, Wyatt Lane, and I love you more than words can say,” I whisper, kissing him back when tears start pouring down his cheeks.
“Hey! I shot her.”
“Yeah, but he saved me twice. Didn’t you?”
Chapter Sixteen
Wyatt
The flight back home to New Orleans is spent with Ellie in my lap despite the flight attendant’s protests and my solemn vow never to let her out of my sight again.
That’ll be tricky since I still need to work, but the way I’m feeling right now, I might teach my little accountant all there is to know about investment banking and clinching the perfect deal.
We’ll see.
No one talks much and I can’t say I blame them. I’m still feeling raw after telling Ellie about Pop’s heart attack, made even worse when she started crying inconsolably and refused to settle down.
We reached the hospital in record time thanks to Roman’s police escort and Miah’s very intimidating glare any time someone tried to stop us from entering.
We look terrible, unkempt from the long drive through sandy, dry terrain. And poor Ellie reeks of gasoline.
Pop’s okay, though, and for that I will always be grateful. The heart attack was a small one, but the doctors are already making noise about early retirement and some such nonsense, so it looks like I’ll be even busier in the coming months, running all three companies since my useless brothers would all rather die than give up their policing.
Jerry survived even after losing so much blood. Who knew that old fart had that in him?
Of course, he’s not welcome in our family, anymore, because no matter what he tried to do in the end, my baby almost died because he kept his mouth shut while trying to save himself and his other family.
I should forgive him, I guess, but I never really liked the guy, anyway.
“Can we go home now?” Ellie asks hours later when the nurses threaten to call security and Ma and Pop shoo us all away, promising to call if anything changes with his condition.
Sweeter words were never said, and I kiss my woman with all the love and hope I now have in my heart.
“Let’s go home.”
Chapter Seventeen
Miah
The woman is a menace. If she shakes her sweet ass my way again, I won’t be responsible for what happens. Nuh-uh. A man can only take so much temptation, and Clara Elms is a package that is made of temptation, wrapped in seduction and sporting a bow that screams “try me if you dare.”
See, this is why I’ve avoided good women like the plague since I was old enough to get a boner. I just always knew that once I got a whiff of good, I’d start salivating after her ass like a damn lovesick dog.
My sister-in-law Ellie sits on her chair like the queen she is, her hugely pregnant belly taking up so much space that I can’t imagine how she walks around like that, never mind does the hundred and twenty things Wyatt is still trying to forbid her from doing.
“Christ. Tell me again why we’re attending a baby shower and eating pureed peas that taste like dog vomit,” Jared growls, scowling at the sound of feminine squeals and the aroma of brooding females everywhere.
“Wyatt said he’d break our legs if we left him alone to deal with all this shit.”
Not that I care much what he says. He might be my big brother, but I can take him any day of the week. That is, if I ever had the heart to hurt him after what he’s already been through so far.
He loves his Ellie more than I’ve seen anyone love a woman, and that’s saying a lot when Pop loves Ma so much that he ate all of her sugarless cookies and never uttered one complaint.
I look back at the gaggle of females, lock eyes with Clara again, and feel my heart stutter even as my dick takes up the call and starts trying to rip its way through my pants.
Settle down, asshole. That one isn’t for us, remember? I snarl at my erection, cursing him to hell and back.
I’ve known Clara for a good year now, ever since Ellie got back in touch with her and the woman moved to New Orleans to be with her best friend.