Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 138334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 692(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 692(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
This was going to be difficult to admit. “I do have a gun and I know how to use it. I practice every day, but Gedeon, I’ve never killed a single human being in my life. I don’t know if I could.”
“You would have killed the doctor if he suddenly whipped out a knife and was ready to kill me without provocation.”
That was true, but he couldn’t possibly know that. “It isn’t the same thing. You were in a vulnerable position, and I was your only protection.” That and a part of her was fairly certain Gedeon would have pulled out one of the guns, aimed true and shot the doctor if he felt threatened.
“The point I’m making is, you could use a good job and we fit.”
“Why would you think that?” She was a little shocked.
“Because you’re like I am. You have the same gifts. You remember everything. I need your skills. You’re loyal. You’re fearless.”
“You can stop right there. I’m not without fear. If I was, I wouldn’t be in this situation. I would have been the one to kill those men, not you.” She couldn’t keep the shame from her voice. She felt shame that she hadn’t been the one to avenge Libby.
“So, you really are repaying an imaginary debt. You saved my life more than once. I’d say that calls us even. You sent off the money using the exact method necessary to keep me out of trouble.”
“Unless I lied to you.” She couldn’t help giving him a hard time.
“You didn’t lie.” He was that sure of her.
“I’ll tell you what, Gedeon, I’ll hang around and see you through this, and then when you’ve fully recovered your vision and you’re not out of your mind with fever, we’ll revisit this conversation.” She needed time to think things through. She didn’t trust so easily. “For now, I’ve got a lot of work to do. Who do you call when you want to get things done quickly? You need a decent eye doctor and also someone to really look at your leg. You’ve got an infection raging. We’ve got to know where it is and how to get rid of it. Those things come first. Then I’ll need to stock the fridge with healthy food for you and get in cleaners. You need a sterile environment. I’m not cleaning this entire house. If you don’t want anyone in your room, I’ll clean it, but the rest of the house someone else is doing. After that, I have to find my own apartment.”
She began to slide off the bed, but he caught her wrist. Again, he did it so fast and so unerringly, it was difficult not to think he could see. She narrowed her eyes and studied his face, but the bandages were in place. In any case, he wasn’t looking straight at her.
“I told you, I want you to stay here. It’s safer until we know we made a clean getaway.”
“Etienne would never put me in harm’s way.”
“Just what is he to you?” Gedeon demanded.
“You already asked that question. He’s a good friend. I said I’d stay. I just want to see what’s available once you’re back on your feet.” She tried to sound patient, but she wasn’t the nurse type. Unfortunately, he seemed to like the fact that she snapped at him.
“Are you leopard?”
That was the question she’d been dreading. She eased off the mattress, tugging her wrist free and padding barefoot across the room to stare at her face in the antique gold-framed oval mirror. She looked worse for wear.
“You should have run screaming from the jungle when you saw me shift, but you didn’t. You were as cool as a cucumber.”
“I ran.” She opened the door to the spacious and very modern master bath. “I ran because your leopard had every intention of killing me.”
“Actually, you’re wrong. He didn’t. That was the biggest shock of all to me. He hates everyone. He rages night and day. I sleep with bars on the doors and windows. I’m having them installed in this house in a few more days. That way, I can get a good night’s sleep.”
“You slept like a log.” She had too. She didn’t know why she sounded so accusing. She didn’t want to answer his questions.
“That’s because of you. He likes you. You keep him calm. You’re the first respite we both have had in years. Has your leopard come out yet?”
“I don’t have a leopard.” That much was true. There was no leopard inside of her. She was certain of it. Everyone in her lair was dead. She was the only survivor—and she wasn’t supposed to have lived through the massacre. If her enemies knew she was alive, they would hunt her down and kill her. They’d probably hire Gedeon to do the job.