Page 59 of Sinner's Sacrifice

Baz looked at his cousin. “You came here in your limo, didn’t you?”

“Of course.” How else would he have gotten here?

“Is she riding with me or you?”

Yvgeny opened his mouth to give the obvious answer, she was riding with him, but Sam spoke before he could get the words out.

“It would be better if I showed up in a cab. That limo sticks out.”

Oh no, that would never do. Samantha was a loose cannon, liable to go off at inopportune times and with the least amount of provocation.

He was about to explain all this to Baz, but Sam’s gaze caught his and he saw something there he’d never seen before.

Her usual emotions were plain to see: defiance in the set of her jaw, impatience in the way she’d angled her body half out of her seat, and determination in her narrowed gaze. But there was something around her mouth, making her bottom lip quiver ever so slightly. Wariness. No. Not quite. She was braced for disappointment. Expected it even.

She fully expected him to tell her she couldn’t go with his cousin.

He didn’t want to let her out of his sight. He’d barely stopped the creep from stabbing her...but...that wasn’t rational. What was he going to do, lock her inside his hotel for the rest of her life? Was he going to make her a prisoner?

She’d never stand for that. She was too stubborn, too independent, and too strong to ever accept a life like that.

Her face relaxed, the tense muscles around her mouth loosened, and she tilted her head to one side.

She was waiting for him to speak, but he didn’t know what he could say that wouldn’t be offensive. If she might be offering some medical care to her friend... “What would you need to care for your friend at the hotel?”

“Supplies I don’t currently have. Would you be able to get them for me?”

“Supplies?”

“For Darlene. Everything I’ve got at the hotel is first aid equipment. She’s going to need longer-term care items. Possibly IV antibiotics. Can you talk to the people at your clinic? Maybe the doctor who looked at me could help with that?”

“Sounds like you want to create a medical clinic inside your hotel,” Nika said to Sam.

“No, but I know what she’s going to need.”

“Yes, fine, okay,” Yvgeny said when he could trust himself to say it. “Give me a list of what you want.”

Sam pulled out her phone and began texting. A moment later her list landed in his phone. She continued texting. Focusing on her phone as if it held all the answers.

He wanted to rip it out of her hands so she would look at him.

Oh, that would go over well, wouldn’t it? She’d probably punch him in the face. Oddly enough, he liked the idea.

He’d never had a masochistic streak. Maybe he was developing one?

Sam looked up, looked around, and her gaze landed on him. “Darlene doesn’t want to stay at the clinic. She’s getting IV antibiotics and will need to continue to get them for a day or two. I can continue to administer that if I have a doctor’s permission.”

Something that had been wound around his middle too tight, released its stranglehold.

“Is the antibiotic on the list you sent me?” he asked in a calm, measured tone.

She typed something into her phone. “It is now.”

“Very good.” He smiled at her. “I’ll bring the supplies you need and a doctor to the hotel. I’ll arrange for her to be assigned a room and I’ll text you the number as soon as I have that.” He looked at his cousin. “Sam’s friend has been...hurt. Please be kind.”

Baz was watching him with an odd expression on his face. A weird combination of surprise and uncertainty. He nodded slowly. “I’ll be careful with Sam and her friend,” he said.

Yvgeny heard the promise he couldn’t ask for out loud and inclined his head. “Thank you.”