Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
Kay gave him a jaunty salute. “Will do. Hey, anyone want to spar? I was going to do yoga but now all the violent talk made me want to punch someone.”
They were arguing about who got to punch whom as he strode out the door.
His crazy life. This was the only thing he was good at, stepping in front of bullets so smarter people could live. That was his talent.
He was halfway to the lift that would take him down to the kitchen when his mobile trilled. He pulled it out. He always answered. Unless it was her.
It wasn’t. It was a call from the States. From Li O’Donnell, which meant it had something to do with work, and likely something important since it was around midnight in Dallas. With a long sigh, he answered. “This is Carter.”
“Ah, good. Now look here, I’m going to say something and I’m only going to say it once. I’m saying it to allow you to get a good head start and because I’m a fair man. I’m coming for you. Did you think you could sneak in and out of her life like that and there wouldn’t be any consequences? Did you think because her mum died that no one would stand up for her? You were wrong, you arsehole.”
He sounded an awful lot like another Liam. The one who had a special set of talents and murdered people on screen. “Uhm, I think you got the wrong number, mate. This is Carter. Brody Carter. If something’s happened to Avery, I’m sorry, but I haven’t seen your wife in a long time.”
“I’m talking about Stephanie.”
He stopped, his whole body going cold in an instant. “Something happened to Steph?”
“Yeah, something’s happened to Steph and you damn well know it.”
“What? What the hell is it?” His heart thudded in his chest. If some fucker had hurt her, he would have a job to do. A bloody, painful job. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. He’d known. He’d known that clinic would get her killed one day. “Tell me, O’Donnell.”
There was silence on the other end of the line.
“Tell me now!” The waiting was going to kill him.
“You almost sound like you care, Carter.”
“I bloody well do care about that girl. More than you can know. Fuck. Tell me what happened. Is she dead?” He couldn’t help it. He was practically crying. The idea that she was gone gutted him. And yet wasn’t that part of why he’d left? Because she was so reckless?
He should have stayed. This was his fucking fault. He’d been right not to try to be with her. She deserved better, but he’d walked away and left her alone. He’d done that when he knew how reckless she could be. He’d done it knowing how close a couple of her calls had been.
He’d done it because he’d been afraid.
It hit him with the power of a sledgehammer. All this time he’d told himself he’d done it to protect her, to ensure she found someone worthy, but he’d been a sniveling coward protecting himself.
“Brody, she’s not dead.” Liam sounded calmer, less like he wanted to slice a man open and play in his entrails. “She’s alive, though she is in real danger. Why did you dodge her calls if you care about her this much? Don’t lie to me, man. I can hear it in your voice.”
The tightness in his chest eased. “I dodged her calls because you know how it is with women. They get it in their heads that a man is worth something he ain’t. They can give up their lives following a man who ain’t worthy of them. I couldn’t listen to the messages she left because I knew I would break down and go to her and then she’d be strapped with me for life.”
“You’re a stupid bastard,” O’Donnell said and Brody could practically see him shaking his head.
“Yes, I believe that’s my point.” He didn’t need O’Donnell to tell him something he already knew. “Now tell me what’s going on with Steph.”
“So, you haven’t seen her since the Freetown op?” O’Donnell asked.
Only in his dreams. In his dreams, he wasn’t a stupid bloody wanker. In his dreams, he had the kind of job that would make her proud, that they could build a family around. He wasn’t the man who’d screwed everything up again and again. He was the kind of man she could depend on. “No. I haven’t seen her since then. Haven’t talked to her. She called me, but I couldn’t… I thought it best we didn’t talk. I sent a friend of mine down there to watch after her. He checks in and he hasn’t said a thing about her being in trouble.”
O’Donnell sighed and seemed to come to a decision. “Understood. Sorry, I was under a mistaken impression. You’re right. I am calling the wrong number.”