Page 42 of Dangerous Mission

“Um. Yes, why?”

Justice’s brows rock up. There’s not an ounce of humor behind his dark brown eyes. “And he didn’t freak?”

“Oh yeah, he freaked. We talked it out.”

He’s staring at me so hard, a tingle forms at my nape. “What? Please, you’re making me really nervous.”

“I’ll be back.”

He stands up and walks away without looking back.

Chapter Twenty-One

Still breathing hard, I take off through the house. “Where is she?”

Justice, who just came through the door, moves through the kitchen until he’s planted in front of me. He looks me over, head to toe and back again.

Is he mute?

“Where. Is. She?”

“Out on the patio.” He glances toward the dining room. “You okay?”

“I’m fucking fine, but I’ll be better when I see?—”

He grins. “Take a breath, brother. There are no threats to her out there. You need to take it easy.”

“Fuck easy.”

He tilts his head, dark gaze boring into me. “I want you to do me a favor.”

“I wantyouto domea favor. Get. Out. Of. My. Way.”

“I want you to let her in.”

The line between my brows grows tight. “The hell are you talking about?”

“You’ll know.”

He steps aside, moving around me and leaving me staring at the space where he was standing.

Let her in.

No. He’s not talking about that.

No fucking way.

I give myself a mental shake and stalk through the laundry room-slash-mudroom and out the back door.

When I shove the door open, my stomach falls. It’s the relief on her face when she sees me that almost makes me trip over my own feet.

She rises, keeping her gaze locked on me as she wipes her palms on her pants legs.

Lips rolled in between her teeth, she takes a dozen steps and closes the distance between us. When she’s toe-to-toe with me, she tilts her pretty face up.

Ten beats of my chugging heart pass.

“Thank you for defending me.”