Page 52 of Dangerous Mission
But it’s not a drug induced vision and she’s still hemmed in by me, looking like she’s on the verge of an emotional cataclysm.
I’m such an asshole. Selfish bastard. Crazed motherfucker.
“I’m sorry I touched you. It won’t happen again. I’m going outside. You go find that damned doctor, and if he clearsyou, we’re mobilizing the team. And eat something other than junk food, for god’s sake.”
As I’m walking through the house, her voice cuts through the noise in my head as she takes the call.
“Hey, Griff. Yeah. I’m fine. My phone is lost somewhere in my gear. Everything’s happening fast. Listen, Scout’s going to replace Brundage and?—”
Aria’s voice abruptly dies. I halt mid-stride and turn to look at her. She’s pinching the bridge of her nose, looking at the floor with the phone pressed to her ear.
Goddammit. The sight of her, rumpled clothes, tired eyes, tangled hair, dealing with her brother’s bullshit attitude sets me off.
When I stride up to her, she gives me a weak version of a back-off glance. I hold out my hand as Griff yells so loud on the other end of the line that there’s no need for putting him on speaker phone.
Such is Griffon Kane.
One volume. One speed. Full fucking blast.
“Griff, hey…” Aria raises her voice as she closes her eyes, locking me out.
More yelling from Griffon.
She raises her voice higher. “Griff, if you’ll just?—”
I grab the phone from her hand. Her eyes flare in alarm and she tries to reach for it, but I‘m too tall.
He’s still going on. And on. And fucking on.
Out of patience, I yell into the microphone. “Kane. Shut your damned mouth!”
For about four seconds he has to regroup and I can picture his head rupturing. Then he spits fire. “You! What the?! Why areyouclose enough to my sister to interrupt her phone call?”
“Protecting her.”
Two hard words full of a thousand meanings.
He’s silent for a flat second. Voice going low and dangerous, he enunciates his next words carefully. “What does that mean?”
It means I’m about to throw down the gauntlet.
I’m about to own this.
About to cross a line that can’t be uncrossed.
“Exactly what I said. I’m protecting Aria,” I reply, matching his tone as I lock eyes with the woman that’s started a war. “You’re done talking to her like that and Brundage has been fired as far as I’m concerned. That ego-driven idiot will never get in the water with her again. And if I have my way he won’t ever be in the same room she’s in.”
Who knows what’s going to happen after the call, but one thing is certain: Griffon Kane will want my head on a stake.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Scout passes me the phone and leaves.
Just walks out. Talk about a mic drop…
Wow.
Jesus. The man knows how to make a mess of things. And I’m not just talking about what’s going on inside of me.