Page 72 of When He Lies
“I want to focus on you.”
Too bad. “I don’t normally pull up my pain and introduce it to strangers, but thanks for the invitation. Sadly, I’ll be declining that request.” The suite that had once felt massive now seemed incredibly small. “I need to get out of here.” She stormed for the suite’s main door. Simone flipped the deadbolt and yanked on the golden door handle. The door began to open.
But his hand flew down and pushed the door closed almost immediately. She felt his body, his heat, surrounding her even as Ryan warned, “It’s not safe out there. You can’t go out alone.”
“Fine. Then you come with me. My big, bad bodyguard.” Simone stared dead ahead. There was a warning sign pasted to the back of the door. A little map that showed the room’s occupant where to go in the event of a fire. The hotel’s staircases and exits were clearly marked.
She made a mental note of that handy little map.
“There’s a bounty on your head,” Ryan rumbled.
“It’s night.” The last of the daylight had long since faded. “No one will be able to see me clearly out there. I need air. I need to breathe. I need out.” Because the walls were closing in on her. Dammit, just mentioning her parents had stirred up the old fears.
Can’t breathe. Too tight. Closing in. Everything is closing in. I am drowning.
“Why are you so afraid?” His breath blew against the shell of her ear.
“I need to get out of this suite. Now.” She’d shown him too many weaknesses. It was getting harder and harder to hold her shiny mask in place. If the mask fell, he’d see what she was really like. He’d find all the darkness that she tried to bottle inside.
“I wish you’d turn to me when you’re afraid,” Ryan rasped.
The words seemed to pierce right through her. Her body trembled.
“Because I would slay any fucking dragon for you.”
Her gaze fell to his forearm. To the twisting, scaled tattoo of a dragon that had been etched into his skin. “What if you are the dragon?” Simone asked.
A swift inhale. “I will never hurt you.”
“I need to get out of here, Ryan. Now. Out. Take me out of here.” Did a plea enter her voice? Maybe. Definitely.
He swore. “Let me finish dressing and get my gun.”
Yes, he was just still wearing his pants. Awkward. Sexy but awkward.
His breath blew against her ear once more. “Do not dare leave this room without me. There are guards stationed throughout this hotel.”
Guards or CIA spies? Maybe MI6? Where had Harry gone?
“If you try to run, they will just bring you right back. Then I’ll probably have to handcuff you to me because you will not get away from me.”
Yes, she would get away. Soon. “I’ll stay here while you dress.” She could certainly hold it together for that long. “And while you get your gun. Guessing the gun was in the bag Jezebel brought to you?” She pushed hard for a breezy, flippant tone. “How unfair. She only brought me makeup.”
He choked out a sound that could have been a laugh or a curse. Then he was gone. She eased out one breath. Then another. She began to count in her mind as she tried to slow her racing heart.
One.
Two.
Three.
Counting did not help. Memories crashed through her mind.
“Mom! Dad! Please, please, wake up! Wake up!” Water rushed up her body. So cold. So icy. It was swallowing her whole, and she could not breathe.
Her hand flew out for the door.
“Let’s go,” Ryan said from behind her. He yanked open the door. Simone immediately tried to bound out, only to have him clamp his hands around her waist and lift her up. He put her down behind him. “Sweetheart…” A sigh. “In case there is another jackass waiting to collect the bounty on your head, let me go first, okay? That way, I can either take a bullet for you…”
