Deadly Illusions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 3) by Lily Harper Hart Page A

it so he could secure it in place again. “You can stay at my place,” she offered.
    Emma shook her head. “I can’t impose on the two of you. You’ve already been so sweet to me. Besides, he looks like he wants you all to himself tonight.”
    Finn chuckled under his breath as he glanced over at James, who was resting his head against Mandy’s as he rubbed her arm and tried to gain control of the oxygen mask in her other hand.
    “I wasn’t talking about his apartment,” Mandy said. “I was talking about my apartment.”
    Now Emma was the one who was confused. “I thought you two lived together.”
    “Not exactly,” Mandy said. “We pretty much spend every night together, but I still have my apartment. You can stay there until you find a place. I’m hardly ever there. In fact, we haven’t spent a night there in weeks. There are even some clothes you can borrow until you get some new ones – although I think you’re about four inches taller than me.”
    “Are you sure you’re not going to want to stay there?” Emma asked, clearly nervous.
    “She’s not going anywhere but our bed,” James said, finally winning the oxygen-mask war and slapping it back into place. “I’m taking her straight there and not letting her out for at least twenty-four hours.”
    “That sounds kinky,” Grady teased, immediately sobering when James shot him down with a terrifying glare.
    “I don’t know what to say,” Emma hedged.
    “Try ‘thank you,’” Finn suggested.
    Emma smiled ruefully. “Thank you.”
     
    THE RIDE back to James’ apartment seemed like it took longer than it should. Mandy was struggling to stay awake. Even though the paramedics had given her a clean bill of health – James had considered hauling her into the hospital on his own.
    When Mandy insisted it wasn’t necessary, James finally relented and loaded her into his Explorer so he could take her straight home. She was so tired during the trek up the staircase, James ultimately lifted her into his arms and carried her the rest of the way, not putting her down until they were safely locked inside.
    “Do you want me to get you some pajamas?” James’ voice was weary, causing Mandy’s heart to flop over painfully.
    “I think I need to hop in the shower first,” Mandy admitted. “I smell like a dirty ash tray.”
    “I do, too,” he said. “Let’s go and get it over with.”
    Mandy arched an eyebrow. “You can’t be serious.”
    “About taking a shower? Yeah.”
    “That’s all you want to do?” Mandy looked doubtful.
    “That’s all I want to do,” James said. “After a good night’s sleep, I’ll probably feel differently. I can’t even wrap my mind around that right now.”
    Mandy closed her fingers around James’ wrist tightly. “I’m sorry you thought … .”
    “That you were dead?” James’ eyes were hard and pointed. “You’re sorry I thought you were dead because you ran back into a burning building to get a photograph?”
    Mandy took an inadvertent step back, the anger in his voice causing her to flinch.
    James ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice softer. “I didn’t mean to yell at you. You have no idea what not being able to find you was like. You knew you were okay. I didn’t. I refuse to fight, though. Let’s get in the shower, get cleaned up, and get some sleep. We’ll probably both still feel like fighting – and then making up – in the morning.”
    Mandy wasn’t sure what to think.
    “It’s going to be all right,” James said, running a hand over her matted hair. “I just … I just need to be able to go to sleep and know you’re there beside me, and things will be better after that. I promise.”
    Mandy bit the inside of her cheek, nodding. She turned and moved into the bathroom, dropping her clothes in a heap on the floor as James started the shower, turning the temperature up as high as they both could tolerate. He stripped out of his own clothes and slipped