When Love Intrudes (When the Mission Ends) by Christi Snow Read Free Book Online Page A

I’ll make sure he leaves us alone.”
    Exasperated, she gaped at him. Testosterone was a crazy thing. “And what do you think you’re going to do? You just got out of the hospital and can barely move.” She smiled gently. “I don’t think you’re quite up to defending my honor yet.”
    “Damn, knock a guy when he’s down. You don’t think I could take the alpha detective?” He smirked at her and the sight of those shining eyes smiling at her through the bruises on his face made her stomach tumble. She would not let this kid get hurt again.
    “I’m sure if you were one hundred percent, you’d have no problem with him,” she said, placating him. “But let’s not test it, okay? Brian isn’t a bad guy. He’s just trying to help.”
    “He hurt you before.”
    Toni swallowed, before glancing back over at the kid. “I was in a really bad place then. He wasn’t in top form, either. What happened wasn’t his fault. Take him out of the equation and I still would have been a mess emotionally.”
    “That may be so, but he certainly didn’t help the matter,” Nathan grumbled.
    What could she say to that? Not much. Brian hadn’t helped, but he had been so sick. He had hated that she wanted to help him in his recovery, but he hadn’t had anyone else to sit with him at the hospital, make sure the nurses stayed on top of his pain meds, or to sneak him in contraband food. He didn’t have any family and his friends were all guys who didn’t have the first clue about how to help with his nursing care. Not that Toni knew much either, but she had that feminine nurturing thing down.
    She’d just wanted to use some of that on Brian. She couldn’t stand the idea of him spending those weeks all alone in the hospital, but he didn’t want her there. In fact, he’d forced her to leave after two weeks. Then she had to go home and face her own demons, the fact that she’d killed a man. A man she was supposed to care—
    “Toni, look out! The light is red!”
    Slamming on the brakes, Toni reached across the car to hold Nathan in his seat. The squeal from her tires echoed across her eardrums. She winced as she glanced at Brian in her rearview mirror. He looked furious, but he couldn’t give her a ticket. She’d managed to stop before the light. Barely.
    Turning to Nathan, she realized she had still had her hand holding him across his chest.
    He snickered as he looked down at it. “You’re going to make an awesome mom. You already have the car thing down. Is that something they teach women in driving school? You know, rather than actual safe driving?”
    She pulled her hand back and gave a short, nervous laugh. “Smart-ass. I’m sorry. Are you okay? That couldn’t have helped your ribs any.”
    “I’m fine, but I really can’t afford any more hospital visits so keep your concentration on the road not on the guy behind us, okay?”
    Her face heated as she blushed. Busted.
    Finally, they arrived at the apartment complex. Toni helped Nathan ease out of her car. Brian came up behind her, moved her out of the way, and propped himself under Nathan’s arm to provide support.
    “Go unlock the door,” Brian instructed. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t pass out on the way.”
    “You’re a regular saint, aren’t you?” Nathan harassed him, obviously disgruntled about the fact that he needed anyone’s help. “I’m fine. I think I can make it to the door by myself.”
    As they moved gingerly toward the door, any color Nathan had left in his face, besides the bruises, leeched away. Yeah, he was fine. Not. If Brian hadn’t been holding him, she had no doubt he would have face-planted halfway between the car and the doorway.
    She got the door unlocked, stepped in, and grabbed Sam’s collar. Excited because she hadn’t been home in a couple of days, he made sure she knew she was missed as he twisted around her legs. Her boss, Jake, had been checking and walking him, but Sam was never happy if Toni wasn’t around.
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