Page 72 of Protecting Kelli
And Kelli Colbert most definitely belonged to Flash.
Brant Williams scowled as he watched the hubbub die down outside the bitch’s apartment. How the fuck had he missed her? Where was she hiding? He’d scoured the apartment and assumed he must’ve missed her leaving at some point. But he hadn’t. She’d been there the whole time! He’d fucked upanotherchance for a big payday.
Yes, he was in the US mostly because he hated that the Navy guy and the bitch had escaped, and because he wanted to prove he was smarter than that asshole and all his friends. But it was expensive in the States. After just a few days, Brant realized the money was too important. He needed it. A lot of it. So he could move on with his life…in luxury, like he deserved. So tonight, he’d planned to take the woman and hold her for ransom, just as he’d intended back home.
Then the Navy guy had come to the rescue.
And in the last week, Brant had learned he wasn’t justanyNavy guy…he was a fucking SEAL. No wonder he’d been found so damn quickly.
But Brant wasn’t giving up. Not yet. He’d be patient. He knew where the SEAL lived. That was probably where he was taking the bitch right now.
Eventually, he’d figure out a way to show both the bitchandthe SEAL that in the end,hewas the smarter man.He’d get his money one way or another. And he didn’t care who he had to kill for that to happen.
He needed a new plan—again—but he’d figure it out. And when he did…both the bitch and Wade fucking Gordon would die. The end goal was money, but almost as important…he wanted those two to pay for fucking up all his original plans.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“Where are we going again?”
Flash looked at the woman next to him and was in awe of her all over again. The hits for her just kept on coming, and yet she always bounded back, taking one day at a time. She was exactly the kind of woman he’d been looking for. Someone who didn’t sweat the small stuff, sure…but Kelli wasn’t even sweating thebigstuff.
She had every right to be upset. To be lamenting the fact that she couldn’t go back to her apartment because the person who’d broken in could still be watching and waiting for her. Didn’t cry about life being unfair. Didn’t complain about only having enough possessions that could fit into a single suitcase.
She was still friendly, upbeat, and trusting.
And Flash wanted her more with every passing day. It was getting harder and harder to sleep next to her and not take advantage of their situation. Namely, the fact that Smiley’s apartment only had one bed…a queen-size at that. Yes, he could sleep on the couch, but Kelli had put her foot down and said that if he took the couch, she’d sleep on the floor. Which was ridiculous.
So every evening since her apartment had been broken into, they’d crawled into bed together and slept in each other’s arms. For five torturous nights now. Flash wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold out and not slip his hand under those sexy boy shorts she wore to bed every night…show her just how much he admired and wanted her.
“Flash?”
Oh, she’d asked him a question.
“Aces Bar and Grill. It’s owned by Jessyka Sawyer, who’s married to Benny. You remember them, right?” When she nodded, he added, “I thought it would do us both some good to get out.”
She murmured her agreement. Then changed the subject abruptly. “I think I’ve decided what I want to do. You know, as a career.”
Flash looked over again, this time in surprise. She’d been poring over the literature she’d gotten from the advisor at the community college, and they’d even had a couple of conversations about the pros and cons of a few different jobs. “Yeah?” Flash asked, genuinely interested.
“Uh-huh. Electrician,” Kelli said with confidence.
“Wow! Electrician. Okay, how’d you come up with that?”
“I just thought, what’s something I could do that would be seriously useful? I mean, there are tons of jobs that are important, but are they truly useful in our own everyday lives? Like…linemen or surgical technologists. They’re both vital in our society, but it’s not as if I could use those skills when I came home at night. But if I knew the ins and outs of electrical stuff, I could totally help our friends if they needed something looked at, or I could install fancy lights in my apartment. If I ever own a house, I can put up a gazillion holiday lights and know how to manipulate the electrical system so it’s not overloaded.” She shrugged. “It was either that or plumber…and I think I’d gag if I had to unclog a poopy toilet.”
Flash couldn’t help but laugh at her verbiage. “I think that’s great.”
“You do? You aren’t just saying that or humoring me?”
“Not at all. If that’s what you’re interested in, go for it.”
“Thanks. I feel good about the decision. I’m going to go back to the community college as soon as I get the chance and see about signing up for classes.”
He was proud of her all over again.
“Flash?”
“Yeah?”
