Chapter 49
He hadn’t gotten much sleep on her damned couch.
For one thing, it was too short and he was a big man.
For another…it had smelled like her, and just knowing the woman was right down the hall—no, his dreams had been full of things they definitely shouldn’t have been.
Like him taking those shorts and that tank right off of her and showing her how much he… adored her.
Madison had fed him breakfast—by tossing an instant package of Cream of Wheat at him and snarling.
Madison did not do mornings very well, that was for sure.
Her hair had been all tangled down her back, and she’d looked soft and sleepy.
Dom had almost growled in response. He’d wanted to grab her and carry her back down that hallway to her bed, and show her what her mere existence did to him.
Then when they were finished, tuck her back in and just hold her. For as long as he could.
He wasn’t going to survive this.
He just wasn’t. But after the call he’d gotten from his good old pal Tony—no.
Dom wasn’t going to risk her at all. And all the pieces fit.
The threat had been to forensics techs—Tony had said rumors were going around that one of the women in the lab had pissed a cop off somewhere.
And that cop was going hunting. Well, Dom wasn’t taking any chances.
And he’d made it clear to every lab tech in the building to watch their backs.
But this one—he was watching Madison’s back personally.
Just like Miguel was moving himself right in next to the gremlin.
“How long do you plan to be my new roomie?” she asked him, pushing reddish brown hair out of her eyes and still glaring at him as he dutifully ate his pitiful little breakfast. Hell, he’d eaten far worse before.
He’d grab something far more substantial after he made sure she was tucked safely inside her lab.
“As long as it takes to keep you safe.”
“We’ve been working on the TSP corruption for years. How much longer do you think it will take?”
He just shook his head.
“Great. You’re going to be stuck here forever. I’m not ever getting rid of you, we’ll end up married with six kids and a mortgage we really can’t afford, and only have sex on alternate Saturdays. The other Saturdays, you’ll be too busy mowing the yard to know I exist.”
Dom snorted. “Not likely. You think I’d go a day without being able to touch you?”
“I think that…sounds exhausting, actually. And time to change the subject. Fast.”
“Then you go stay with Mel Barratt. That’s the option.
Either me, or Barratt’s little toy army he likes to parade around every now and then.
” Houghton Barratt had a security staff of twenty-four guards.
All were ex-military or ex-cop. They were damned good at what they did—and they were loyal to Barratt, as far as Dom could tell.
Madison and Barratt’s wife were good friends.
Madison would be safe there. For as long as it took.
That was one option. That was the option he wanted her to take.
Because if he stayed with her much longer, he’d be doing exactly what Gunnar and Jarrod had done with the gorgeous, maddening, fascinating women they’d been guarding recently.
He’d be getting Madison naked as fast as he possibly could.
And damn the consequences.
“I am not going to go into hiding over a vague threat. I have been threatened before. Was just a yesterday in court, you know. Guy said he was going to eviscerate me with a cotton swab.” She paused for a long moment.
“Unless I absolutely have to go into hiding, and then…get my cave ready. I’m not an idiot, Dom. I know…anything can happen.”
One little hand went up to her shoulder and she rubbed it absently. She did that now—when she was afraid. Rubbed where the bullet had struck her before.
Hell, Dom just couldn’t take it.
He put the Cream of Wheat on the counter and crossed the small kitchen. He wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her closer. He hated it when she was afraid.
“Just until I figure out where the threat is coming from. Then…you can be rid of me forever.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
“Tell me something. What is with the shit in the dining room? What are you up to? What have you found? We’re going to talk about it tonight. I have questions.”
“Did you see it, too?” She just looked up at him. And blinked that little scientist look she had that turned him on completely. “There’s a pattern there. I just…need to go digging in some things we’ve found recently. Like—”
“The Scott evidence. I’ve seen this before.” He held up her list of accounts or something.
“That’s where it was? I knew I’d seen it before—I just couldn’t remember where.” She had that puzzled look in her eyes again. She’d have made one hell of a detective; he’d thought that before. This woman saw patterns better than almost anyone he had ever seen.
His phone buzzed. “Hold that thought. We’re going to go digging into that together. Tonight.”
“I’ll hold you to that. You might…just might…come in handy around here. For just a little while. I do have some lightbulbs in the bathroom I can’t quite reach even with a ladder, that kind of thing. But this is definitely not a permanent thing, so don’t go getting any ideas.”
“Oh, sweetheart. The ideas I have already had—if you only knew—” Dom took a step toward her. The growl came out instinctively.
This was his mate, and he was a bit of an animal at times. He wanted.
She yelped.
And took off down the hallway.
Dom just stayed where he was, Cream of Wheat a cold, and rather pasty, compensation for what he really wanted.