Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
“She is away from home for long periods of time,” Vienna confirmed. “She has alarms on her windows and cameras everywhere. She has a little Jack Russell she adores and she takes that dog with her when she goes. They almost always send a helicopter for her.”
Vienna peered into the large medical bag Harlow had brought with her. “That thread trick didn’t work on Rainier or you. I don’t see that it did Raine much good.”
“Only because we were looking for any security measures. Rainier knew Shabina was here, and he expected the dogs and at least one man left behind,” Zale supplied. “Remember, he thought Shabina’s personal security team was with her. Rainier doesn’t get upset, or at least he doesn’t show it, but I could tell he wasn’t happy when there wasn’t a dog or a man left behind in this house. Ow, are you trying to stab me with a needle?” He glared at Vienna. “I thought you didn’t have any antibiotics.”
“That was in my little medical bag. Harlow brought the much larger one. I told her we might need it. Stop being such a baby.”
“If you quit waving the needle around, I’ll stop.”
Stella burst out laughing. “He sounds like Sam. What is it with these big, bad men when they see a needle? You were shot, Zale. Did you act like a baby when you were shot? I’ll bet you didn’t. You acted all stoic and manly, didn’t you?”
“I am stoic and manly. Vienna, get that damn needle away from me. And stop wiping my arm with alcohol.”
“If you don’t stop acting like a child, I’m going to give you the shot in your butt, Zale.”
“You don’t have a very good bedside manner.”
“I don’t do that kind of work. I’ve told you that before. I’m a surgical nurse. I can crack open your chest if you need that done. And I can give you a shot of antibiotics with no problem. Do you want Stella or Harlow to hold you down? Would that help?”
Zale glared at her when both women snickered. “I think getting in that accident made you mean.”
She straddled his thighs and bent her head. “Close your eyes and look away, you big baby.”
He wrapped one arm around her waist. “I’m not that much of a baby, not with you sitting on me.”
She gave him the shot and then leaned in to brush a kiss, featherlight, across his lips. “I was afraid for you.”
“I know, Vienna. I’m sorry. It’s not what I wanted for you. We had the opportunity to disappear and we took it, but that meant using you to get rid of the truck for us. It was the wrong decision.”
Before he could tighten his hold on her, Vienna slipped off his lap and began to clean up the gauze and empty wrappers. “What is it with Rainier bossing Shabina around?”
“I honestly don’t know.”
“Dinner’s ready,” Zahra said. “I’ve set out plates buffet style so everyone can take what they want. I even rescued the dishes from the oven,” she added.
“Shabina will be so proud of you,” Harlow said.
“If Rainier wants food, he’d better come in,” Vienna said. “No one passes up a meal Shabina puts together.”
She was certain Zale would be whipping out his phone and texting his partner to come in right away, and Shabina would be saved from having whatever lecture Rainier was in the middle of giving her.
Glaring at her, he pulled out his cell. “You’re exasperating, Snowflake.”
She dumped the stained gauze and wrappers in the kitchen garbage can and cleaned the instruments she’d used with alcohol. “Only you think so, Zale. Everyone else thinks I’m always reasonable.”
“It’s not being reasonable when you won’t let me comfort you.”
She supposed he had a point. “Dinner is ready. Comfort can come later.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Melancholy or dark moods never sat well on Vienna. She was by nature an optimistic person. When there was a problem, she faced it head-on. She knew she wanted to be with Zale. She’d never felt such a tremendous drive to be with any other man the way she did with him, and yet she continued to put up roadblock after roadblock. She didn’t know why, but she needed to find out. It wasn’t fair to either of them. She knew what Zale did. She didn’t want to change him or dictate to him. She wouldn’t want him to ask her to change her life for him.
She was aware of him sitting close to her through dinner. He took part in the conversation with the others far more than she did. At no time did he try to draw her out or even tease her. In his Zale way he seemed to know she needed space. It was strange how he always seemed to know what she needed, as if he had a special gift.