Page 45 of Rogue Survivor
With bold strokes of his tongue, he claims me—there’s no other word for it—and if I could, I’d grab him by his impressive length and steer him right to the bed.
By the time Connor releases me, I’m breathless, and my core aches in a way I’m not sure I’ve ever felt before. “That was…wow.”
Chuckling, he pinches one of my nipples until I have to stifle my squeal. “Wow?”
“Don’t mock me, stud. Or there will be noknockin’ bootstonight.”
He backs away, hands in the air. “Zipping it. Understood.” With a wink, he adds, “Kinda like it when you call me ‘stud.’”
“Give me one of those burner phones and I’ll do it again. Stud.” I shouldn’t joke around when my daughter’s life is in danger, but I need this. A shred of normalcy in this veryabnormalsituation.
Connor tugs on a fresh pair of boxer shorts—green this time—and rummages through his duffel bag for a t-shirt. “One call per number per phone,” he says. “I doubt these assholes have the resources or the brains to run a trace, but I’m not takin’ any chances.”
“I need to have the Academy make a list of Veronica’s assignments, then call my boss and let him know why I haven’t checked in for three days.” Sinking down on the bed, I drop my head into my hands. “I love my job. And I’m good at it. But if I’d never started working for Second Chances, Mitzi and Veronica would be at the library right now. I’d be having coffee with Leah and talking about…nothing in particular.”
The mattress dips, and Connor drapes his arm around my shoulders. “I’d do just about anythin’ to change the past, darlin’. Be a better brother. A better son. A better man. But I can’t.”
“The past led us here,” I say quietly. “And as much as I wish most of the past few days had never happened, there’s one part ofhereI don’t want to live without.” Raising my head, I meet Connor’s gaze. “Us.”
The Academy principal—whobless her heart was actuallyworkingon a Saturday—promised to have Veronica’s assignments put together by 5:00 p.m., and she’s happily flopped on the couch binging the most absurd reality show on the planet—Extreme Obstacle Course. In the kitchen, I lean against the counter, staring out the tiny window at the top of the next building. An exhaust fan mesmerizes me until the call connects and my boss’s executive assistant answers.
“Roger Haskel’s office. How can I help you?”
“Maggie? It’s Isabel Lopez. What are you doing in on the weekend? I thought I’d be talking to Roger’s voicemail. Is he actually working today?”
“He’s at lunch with one of our Platinum-level donors, but we’ve been trying to get in touch with you for two days. Luke’s in the office as well. He can explain what they need. Can I transfer you?”
I roll my eyes. Luke is thelastperson I want to talk to, but the office hold music plays briefly. Dammit. She didn’t even wait for me to answer.
“Isabel? Finally. Where the hell have you been?” Luke’s voice grates, his holier-than-thou tone not what I need right now.
“My daughter was in a car accident. I’m sorry if that’s beeninconvenientfor you, but she needed me. Still does.”
“I went to your house yesterday. No one was home.”
“Why, thank you for being so concerned with Veronica’s well-being. Or mine, for that matter.”
Connor pokes his head out of the bedroom, his phone pressed to his ear. “Hang on, AJ. Everythin’ okay, darlin’?”
“Just need to remind one of my colleagues whatmannersare.”
“Isabel,” Luke says, again with the patronizing, calm, almost sing-song voice. “The New Dawn Foundation rejected our grant application!”
“What? On what grounds?” I went over that proposal for hours Monday and Tuesday and submitted it well before the deadline.
“I don’t know. You handle all that stuff. But Roger’s pissed, and if we don’t fix it by tomorrow, they’ll allocate the funds to someone else. You have to come in and fix this.”
“I can’t ‘come in.’ Veronica needs me here.”
“Then I’ll come to you. Bring your laptop and whatever else you need. This can’t wait, Isabel. They practically assured Roger the grant would have already been ours had you followed the rules.”
Oh, you little shit. I followed every single one of the rules.
I have half a mind to tell Luke he can go fuck himself, but what else am I going to do here all day besides work? Watch hour after hour of reality television? “I’ll be in later this afternoon to get my laptop and my paper files. I can’t stay, but once I have my stuff, I can fix the application from here. Tell Roger it’ll be done by morning.”
“What time will you get here?” he asks.
“I don’t know. When I can. I have to find someone to stay with Veronica.” That’s a bald-faced lie. Veronica has two Texas Rangers with her at all times, but I’m not sharing that with Luke. “Before five. And if anyone tries to guilt me into staying, they can fix the damn application themselves.”
