Page 80 of When He Lies
What have you gotten yourself into this time, Simone? And how was he going to reach her?
Simone was being rushed back to the hotel by the spy. Another man was trailing behind her. The watcher was very, very curious about the scene that might have been left in the Arch. He was pretty sure a slumped figure had been shot. Killed or just injured? Did it even matter?
Simone had not been the victim. Simone still lived.
Now if he could just get her away from the spy and make her disappear completely…
“Oh, yes, fabulous idea,” Simone huffed. “Let’s go back to the hotel where not one but two staff members have clearly demonstrated their wish to have me dead. I one hundred percent feel like we are returning to the safest place in the world for me.”
Ryan stopped in front of the hotel. Two doormen froze nearby. “I’m getting you back in the suite.”
She leaned toward him. For the moment, she ignored Harry. Sneaky Harry. He’d trailed behind them every step as they returned to the hotel. And the way he’d just burst out of the rain to block her path…I did not expect that. She’d have to remember he liked to lurk about. For the record, Simone had to declare, “I think we should check in to another hotel. Clearly, this one is not working for us. I may have to leave a one star review due to the fact that staff members keep making attempts on my life.”
Ryan wrapped his wet coat around her shoulders. “We’re going inside now.”
But one of the doormen moved forward to block their path. “Sir, sir, is that a gun?”
Yes, it was. A gun tucked in the front waistband of his pants.
“Deal with him,” Ryan barked at Harry.
“Guns are not allowed!” The doorman appeared scared but still determined. “I will be phoning the authorities!”
Harry pulled the doorman close. “About that…”
Ryan hustled her into the hotel. He was double-timing it toward the elevator bank, and her stomach twisted in anticipation of that tight ride, but then Ryan stopped, right in the middle of the lobby. “Stairs,” he snapped. “We’ll take the fucking stairs.”
Aw, that was sweet. She knew he’d made the change for her. “It’s all right. I’m better now. I can handle the…” Her words trailed away. The light in the lobby seemed incredibly bright. And, under that bright light, she could see the redness on his wet, white shirt. The right sleeve. “Ryan, I think you got some of that man’s blood on you.”
“It’s not his blood. It’s mine. From when the bastard shot me.”
“But he…” She had to pick her mouth up off the floor as she surged toward him. “He shot you? When?” She did not remember that. She distinctly remembered only hearing one blast of gunfire. That had been when Ryan fired.
“When I had you pinned against the wall and all I wanted was to fuck you into oblivion.” Snarled words. “I let my guard down and you almost got hurt. Bastard had a silencer on his weapon.”
What, what, what? “You got shot and you didn’t tell me?”
“Was kinda busy taking down the shooter. And trying to stop you from offering yourself up as a willing victim—stop doing that shit, by the way. Stop.”
He’d been shot. In the arm, yes, but his arm was inches away from his heart. “You got hurt!” She tried to grab for his shirt so she could check out the injury.
Only to find herself tossed over his shoulder. The shoulder connected to his non-injured arm. The arm that did not have a gunshot wound.
“What is happening?” Simone cried out.
“You said you could handle the elevator. I’m not risking it. I’m not having you stressed and scared, so I’ll just carry you up the stairs.” He was hurrying with her across the lobby. Moving past a stunned Charlotte.
“Hi,” Charlotte mumbled. “Having a good night?”
No, they were not. “He’s shot!” Simone didn’t want to struggle too hard because she was trying not to hurt the man any worse than he’d already been injured, but…seriously, he couldn’t carry her when he was suffering from a gunshot wound!
“A graze,” Ryan tossed back as if the wound didn’t matter at all. “Is the stairwell clear?”
“Uh, yeah.” Charlotte shoved open the stairwell door. “You know that your suite is like four flights up from here, right?”
“I can climb those flights in my sleep.”
“Good for you.” Charlotte craned her head and waved to Simone. “Have fun.”
