Out of Time. Shirlee McCoy
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Название: Out of Time
Автор: Shirlee McCoy
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Короткие любовные романы
Серия: Mills & Boon Love Inspired
isbn: 9781472023681
isbn:
“And the person with least tenure?”
“Six months.” Marcus Portman had been brought in part-time while Susannah recovered from her injuries. His work ethic and willingness to take any shift had helped him move from part-time to full-time within a month of being hired.
“And he’s fully vetted?”
“Of course.”
“Anyone on the team you don’t trust? Anyone with money problems? Gambling troubles? Drug use?”
“I trust all my coworkers, but I can’t say I know them all well. We have yearly reviews and criminal background checks every two years.”
“And you gave me a list of all the Alamo Rangers who will be working March 6, right?” His brow furrowed as he rifled through the folder.
“It’s here.” Susannah pulled out the last sheet, holding it out to Levi, her eyes widening as he snagged her hand instead of the paper. He turned it over, traced the scar with his finger.
“That was quite a cut.”
“It was.” She tugged her hand away, resisting the urge to hide it behind her back.
“A defensive wound?” he asked, but he didn’t need to. Susannah was sure he’d seen dozens of wounds just like it.
“Yes.”
“Are you going to make me keep asking questions until I come up with one you’re willing to answer, or are you going to go ahead and tell me what I want to know?”
“What do you want to know, Levi? How many times I was stabbed? How many times Aaron choked me into unconsciousness? How I managed to survive after he sliced open my stomach?” The words spilled out, her frustration spilling out with it. Not frustration with Levi. Frustration with herself, with her scars, with the sick feeling of dread that came every time she talked about that night.
“It’s a good thing he’s dead, because if he wasn’t, I’d kill him.” The rage in Levi’s voice took her by surprise, the heat blazing from his eyes, cooling her temper.
“He was sick. I don’t think he even knew what he was doing.”
“No amount of sickness can excuse this.” Levi grabbed her hand, touched the scar again, his finger so gentle, tears welled up in her eyes.
She blinked them away.
“You’re right, but we’re not here to talk about my scars or about Aaron. How about we keep that in mind?” She tugged away, thrust the paper into his hands and poured another sugar into her coffee.
She had no intention of drinking it.
She felt too sick, her stomach churning, her mind filled with a thousand memories she’d rather forget.
She’d always prided herself on her ability to read people, to know criminals from upstanding citizens. But she hadn’t known with Aaron. Hadn’t even suspected until he started calling her twice a day, driving by her house for no reason at all, making himself too much a part of her life. By that time, it was too late.
She shivered, cupping her hands around the coffee cup.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t keep pushing.” Levi took the cup and placed it on the desk, then lifted her scarred hand to his lips, pressing a tender kiss to the ridged flesh.
She shivered again. For different reasons. For reasons she wasn’t even sure she dared acknowledge.
“I guess being curious just goes with your job.” She tried to laugh, but it fell flat.
“That isn’t why I’m asking questions, Susannah.”
“Then why are you?”
“Because I care. Because thinking of you hurt tears me up inside. Because I’d give anything to go back and change what happened to you.”
“You can’t. I can’t. It happened. I’m living with it, and that’s a whole lot better than the alternative. So please, let’s just get back to work.” She pressed her hand to her stomach, taking a step away.
He didn’t respond, just studied her silently, his eyes still blazing with fury and with something else. Something her heart responded to, leaping in acknowledgement and doing the kind of happy dance it hadn’t done in years.
“Susannah? You here?” Chad called out from the chapel, and she did what any self-preserving, scared-of-the-dark, twenty-eight-year-old would do when facing down a man like Levi.
She ran.
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