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

Brian anchored Nathan more securely to his side so he wouldn’t be tripped up by the excited dog in case he got away from Toni, he asked her, “Where do you want him?”
    Nathan looked about to drop so she pointed them toward her bedroom.
    Brian half-carried Nathan through the door with Toni and the overjoyed Sam right behind them. Gently, he lowered Nathan to the bed. He straightened and glanced around the tiny apartment. She could see the wheels spinning in his head.
    “This is just a one-bedroom, isn’t it?” He didn’t even wait for her response before he went on. “If he takes the bed, where are you going to sleep?”
    “I’ll be fine on the couch. I fall asleep there half the time anyway.”
    Brian pulled the covers to cover Nathan, taking a moment to examine the boy whose eyes were shut. His face had paled even more. The small move from the hospital to apartment had exhausted him.
    Brian frowned at his prone form and then glanced back at the dog that Toni still held to keep him calm with all the visitors. “How do you manage a dog that big in an apartment this size?”
    “We take lots of walks.” She was starting to feel defensive as Brian asked more questions. No, this wasn’t ideal, but they would manage to make it work.
    “What happens if Nathan needs something or those guys come back while you’re out on a walk?”
    Nathan’s eyes flew open. She thought he’d fallen into an exhausted sleep, but he’d obviously been listening to them.
    “That’s the second time you’ve said something like that. I thought they were in jail.” He gingerly sat up against the pillows. “Why would they come back?”
    Brian exchanged a cautious look with Toni. “We had to release them, but don’t worry, they’ll still go to trial. I just worry about retaliation in the meantime.”
    Nathan’s eyes widened and he looked to Toni for some sort of reassurance.
    She patted his leg, her stomach sinking with how much he counted on her to keep him safe. What if she couldn’t do it? What if those guys came back and tried to go at him again? She tried to smile despite the ice flooding her veins, but it felt brittle.
    Brian took a deep breath and sat on the edge of the bed. “Listen guys.” He looked around the apartment again. “I’ll be honest. The ring leader of this bunch is bad news. I don’t get the feeling he’s going to leave this alone and his dad isn’t much better. I don’t like having you both here. Nathan, you’re still recovering, the apartment complex security sucks, and this apartment is too small for the both of you plus your mammoth dog.”
    All of a sudden, Toni knew how Alice felt as she fell down the rabbit hole. What was Brian proposing here? It’s not like they had a whole lot of options.
    “I’m sure we’ll be fine. We’ll make it work.” Toni glanced over at Nathan for support, but he still looked a little shell-shocked at the idea that the guys who assaulted him could be coming back for more. She hated the fear in his eyes.
    “Toni,” Brian pulled her attention back from Nathan, “I live in a big old farmhouse out on the edge of town. It’s a four bedroom so there’s plenty of room for all of us plus it’s on a couple of acres so there’s room for Sam to roam, too. It’s not even that far from the airport so your commute to Mad Rob would be shorter.” He looked back over to Nathan. “I have an Xbox360 and there’s a pond out back where you can go fishing, if you’re into that sort of thing.”
    “You think Nathan would be safer there?” Toni bit her lip, really tempted. She’d never forgive herself if Nathan got hurt again.
    Brian took a deep breath and nodded. “The entire property is fenced and there’s a gate on the drive so it’s secure, too.”
    She turned to get Nathan’s opinion. She knew he had concerns about Brian. Hell, she had her concerns, too, but if it meant keeping him safe, she could resist the pull to the handsome detective. “What do you think?