of the bed. He’d go and call Dallas again, cook something, wait for Selena to wake up. He padded out of her bedroom, shut the door halfway, pulled on his jeans. He retrieved his cell phone from the kitchen counter and switched it on again.
When he saw that she’d called again – fucking eight more times, Jesus Christ ! – he scowled. What the hell did he have to do to get the woman to back off? Did he have to tattoo the message to her forehead that he wasn’t interested, because if so, he was game.
He scrolled down through his call history, found Dallas’ number, dialed. As he waited for the other man to pick up, he stared out of Selena’s kitchen window at the Rockies. God, the mountains were amazing this time of year: all blazing gold and burnt orange and vibrant red. Luke was from Denver, born-and-bred, and he’d never seriously considered living anywhere else. The mountains kept him grounded.
“Luke?” Dallas’ deep voice in his ear broke his reverie. “How’s Selena?”
“Still sleeping.” Luke kept his voice low. “How’s Griff?”
“Still sleeping.”
“Wow. They’re a couple of party animals, huh?”
“I know, right? You’d think that being stabbed and heavily medicated would keep them up dancing all night, but nope. They’re flat on their backs like a couple of wimps.”
Luke chuckled. “So how is he, really?”
“He woke up a few hours ago, went crazy trying to make sure Selena and the client were safe. As soon as I reassured him, he kind of dropped off again.”
“So he’s talking?”
“Not really. More like strangled whispering. Sounds like it hurts like hell, too.”
“Urgh.” Luke grimaced. “So it’s best if we show up tomorrow, not tonight?” He checked the oven clock. “I mean, visiting hours are over in less than two hours anyway, right?”
“Yeah. So for sure just take it easy tonight, come on over in the morning. I think Griff needs the extra time to rest up, anyway.”
“And how are you doing?” Luke said.
“Me?” Dallas sounded surprised. “I’m good. Nobody stabbed me .”
“Yeah, I know, but… I mean, these are your people, Dallas, and I know you care about ‘em. It had to have been a shock for you and your team when they got so badly hurt. Upsetting.”
Dallas was silent for a few seconds, then he spoke in a quiet voice. “I’m doing better. Thanks for asking, man. I was a fucking wreck this morning, but as soon as I got word that Griff was going to be alright, I settled.”
“OK. Good to hear it.”
“So.” Dallas’ tone was brisk again. “You take care of our girl and drop by tomorrow. Yeah?”
“Sure thing. You staying there much longer?”
“Another three hours, maybe, then I figure they’ll boot me out. I kinda like pushing my luck about things like visiting hours and rules, though.”
Luke laughed again. “Why am I not surprised?”
“Yeah, yeah. You know you’d be here backing me up and digging in if you could, Rhodes.”
“You’d better believe it.”
“So, goodnight. Give Selena a hug for me?”
“Consider it done.”
Luke disconnected and opened the fridge. He was getting hungry now, and he pulled out chicken and vegetables and some stuff to make a sauce. He also grabbed the bottle of white wine that he’d bought earlier and uncorked it. Selena was on painkillers, but half a glass with dinner should be OK.
He was almost done chopping the mushrooms when his cell beeped, indicating that he’d received a text. He set down the knife, wiped his hand, opened the text. What he saw made him reel back in horror and almost drop the damn phone.
It was her again, but she’d obviously decided that simply calling wasn’t enough anymore – she’d upped her game. And how.
Luke averted his eyes from the naked breasts and pouty mouth, deleted the photo. He was just contemplating calling her back and telling her to fucking cut it out when he heard the bedroom door open behind him. He switched the phone off, set it
When he saw that she’d called again – fucking eight more times, Jesus Christ ! – he scowled. What the hell did he have to do to get the woman to back off? Did he have to tattoo the message to her forehead that he wasn’t interested, because if so, he was game.
He scrolled down through his call history, found Dallas’ number, dialed. As he waited for the other man to pick up, he stared out of Selena’s kitchen window at the Rockies. God, the mountains were amazing this time of year: all blazing gold and burnt orange and vibrant red. Luke was from Denver, born-and-bred, and he’d never seriously considered living anywhere else. The mountains kept him grounded.
“Luke?” Dallas’ deep voice in his ear broke his reverie. “How’s Selena?”
“Still sleeping.” Luke kept his voice low. “How’s Griff?”
“Still sleeping.”
“Wow. They’re a couple of party animals, huh?”
“I know, right? You’d think that being stabbed and heavily medicated would keep them up dancing all night, but nope. They’re flat on their backs like a couple of wimps.”
Luke chuckled. “So how is he, really?”
“He woke up a few hours ago, went crazy trying to make sure Selena and the client were safe. As soon as I reassured him, he kind of dropped off again.”
“So he’s talking?”
“Not really. More like strangled whispering. Sounds like it hurts like hell, too.”
“Urgh.” Luke grimaced. “So it’s best if we show up tomorrow, not tonight?” He checked the oven clock. “I mean, visiting hours are over in less than two hours anyway, right?”
“Yeah. So for sure just take it easy tonight, come on over in the morning. I think Griff needs the extra time to rest up, anyway.”
“And how are you doing?” Luke said.
“Me?” Dallas sounded surprised. “I’m good. Nobody stabbed me .”
“Yeah, I know, but… I mean, these are your people, Dallas, and I know you care about ‘em. It had to have been a shock for you and your team when they got so badly hurt. Upsetting.”
Dallas was silent for a few seconds, then he spoke in a quiet voice. “I’m doing better. Thanks for asking, man. I was a fucking wreck this morning, but as soon as I got word that Griff was going to be alright, I settled.”
“OK. Good to hear it.”
“So.” Dallas’ tone was brisk again. “You take care of our girl and drop by tomorrow. Yeah?”
“Sure thing. You staying there much longer?”
“Another three hours, maybe, then I figure they’ll boot me out. I kinda like pushing my luck about things like visiting hours and rules, though.”
Luke laughed again. “Why am I not surprised?”
“Yeah, yeah. You know you’d be here backing me up and digging in if you could, Rhodes.”
“You’d better believe it.”
“So, goodnight. Give Selena a hug for me?”
“Consider it done.”
Luke disconnected and opened the fridge. He was getting hungry now, and he pulled out chicken and vegetables and some stuff to make a sauce. He also grabbed the bottle of white wine that he’d bought earlier and uncorked it. Selena was on painkillers, but half a glass with dinner should be OK.
He was almost done chopping the mushrooms when his cell beeped, indicating that he’d received a text. He set down the knife, wiped his hand, opened the text. What he saw made him reel back in horror and almost drop the damn phone.
It was her again, but she’d obviously decided that simply calling wasn’t enough anymore – she’d upped her game. And how.
Luke averted his eyes from the naked breasts and pouty mouth, deleted the photo. He was just contemplating calling her back and telling her to fucking cut it out when he heard the bedroom door open behind him. He switched the phone off, set it
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