Fierce Protector: Hard to Handle trilogy, Book 1 by Janine Kane Page B

out of jail,” she said. “He’s depended on me more than I care to admit. Without me, I don’t know where he’d be.”
    “What kind of business?”
    She was quiet for a moment, terrified as to how Zack would react. “Drugs,” she said quietly. “I don’t think he uses them much,” Eva added honestly, “but he’s been moving things around for drugs people.”
    “Guns?” Zack asked immediately, assessing the level of the threat.
    “No, no,” she insisted, “he’s not violent.” Zack gave her a look. “Well, not normally.”
    Zack brought out another cold pack to replace the first one. “So he’s a courier?”
    “Something like that. They use him for fairly simple jobs and I guess he was given something to do and screwed it up.”
    “Was he caught by the cops?” asked Zack, doing his best to follow closely, despite the late mind and the tiring evening.
    “He lost the ‘package’,” she said using hand quotes. “And some money. They’re really pissed with him. And he thinks they’re really serious people, the kind who would just . . .” She held a finger to her temple in an unmistakable gesture.
    “He can’t just go to the cops? They’d protect him.”
    Eva shook her head. “They have cops on their payroll. It wouldn’t be any use, and then they’d kill him anyway for trying to snitch on them.”
    Zack removed the ice pack and took a close look at Eva’s face. “Sounds like an impossible situation.” She nodded, winced slightly as he pressed the swollen skin under her eye. “I’d take a number and get in the line to beat him up, but I guess he’s got enough trouble right now. You’ve got to admit, though . . . hitting his sister is pretty damned low .”
    “I’m not going to argue with that,” she said through the pain.
    Zack reflected on the situation, willing his tired brain to analyze it, to step back and see the larger picture; and to ignore the emotions – Eva’s and his own – which swirled confusingly around the few facts. “I mean, does he really think you’re hiding a pile of cash under your bed?”
    “I know,” she smirked, “it’s kinda ridiculous, right? I mean, Cheryl’s a great boss but it ain’t that far above minimum wage, and all my savings went into fixing up the car and getting out of Illinois.”
    Zack returned to holding her hand, something she found profoundly reassuring. “Did you have to leave because of what Hank was in to?”
    “It was partly that, partly some other things,” she said.
    Zack didn’t press further. “Well, my priority is to keep you safe,” he said. “There’s nobody going to hurt you. Do you understand?”
    She squeezed his large, warm hand between hers and smiled at him, her first since arriving. “Thank you so much, Zack.” Relaxing a little, Eva then remembered her friends with a start. “Would you text Trish or Tyler and let them know I’m OK?”
    “Want me to tell them you’re at my place?” he asked, sensitive to how that would be seen.
    Eva thought for two seconds, then imagined how Trish would smile about it. “Sure. Leave out the details though, OK? I’m trying to keep them out of it. We’ll just say I braked suddenly to avoid a rabbit and whacked my head.”
    Zack eyed her skeptically but brought out his phone and sent the message. “There’s a friend I’d like to call, in the morning. I think he’ll be able to help.”
    “Your SEAL buddy at the DEA?” she said.
    Zack laughed. “So you were paying attention.” Eva nodded, filled with yet more admiration for this caring half-stranger and happy for any support. “It’s late, and I guess you’re exhausted.” He was going to say beat , but it hardly seemed appropriate. “I’ll take this couch. Why don’t you shower and then take my room?”
    He helped her up and walked her to the bathroom, less unsteadily than before. “Lock the door if you want to,” he said, handing her a towel. “And shake me if you need anything, OK?” He