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The chest under her cheek turned rigid, and a hts bea light "Let’s see, girl" The anger in his voice reverberated like the bass turned up as he cupped her chin and lifted

Thelines across her neck

Z touched her neck, then smiled "All superficial You did well, Saoddamned active-duty crap" Saet you bandaged, baby"

Above the Shadowlands in Z’s third-floor hoed, he thought Her face remained as white as the fluffy blanket he’d wrapped around her Her hair held the only color, ht into his life

He’d alainst the arled with his; her cheek rested against his chest Her breath created a warm spot on his shoulder, a tactile proof she was alive

So dah the cops had been shocked at what the bullwhip had done to Aaron’s face, Sa at how close the bastard had co her

And she wouldn’t have been the first When she’d told the cops that Aaron had planned to cut off her hair, they’d gone quiet A call had gone out

A while later, Marcus and Dan had come upstairs to share what the detectives found at Aaron’s apartment Mementos from the wo his thoughts, then pushed back to look up at hi on her face made him want to find the bastard and deal out more punishment "Did I remember to say thank you?" she asked, her dark brown eyes the color of the chocolate she liked so well He’d need to stock up

"For what, baby?" He brushed his hand over her hair

"The rescue" She pulled in a breath "For letting the choice be ers as he squeezed her shoulder Too thin She’d lost weight in the last week Since he’d been such an ass "The choice is always yours" He closed his eyes for a second "I could have got you killed" He foresaw having nightainst her throat, the dark trickle of blood on her pale neck

She flattened her palm on his cheek "You didn’t And I wouldn’t have let hi lot"

He’d known, goddae come packed in someone so soft and sweet? He kissed the top of her head

"I wondered…" Her forehead furrowed "Why didn’t you wrap the whip around his arm and pull the knife away?"

The cops had asked the same question Seemed they all watched too many Indiana Jonesthe position in which Aaron had held the knife "Need space around the target to wrap a whip And got to wrap the leather a couple times so it will hold when I pull" He used a corner of the blanket to make a few turns around her wrist, then opened it to show her the length "There wasn’t enough room The tail would have hit your face"

"Oh" She sed "You knehat you’d do to his…face when you hit him, didn’t you?"

"Yes" He tucked the blanket back over her shoulder, hating that she’d gone paler He’d hoped she wouldn’t see Aaron, but of course, she’d looked "In a scene, a single-tail is used…lightly…even when you intend to draw some blood With Aaron, I didn’t hold back"

Her shiver reminded him that her friend, Holly, had been whipped to death

"It was a bad gamble, baby Get surprised by a punch to the face and you’re stunned Paralyzed for a split second Only a second But when the whip hit him, it wouldn’t have worked if you hadn’t jumped away"

Brave, brave woman

She squeezed his hand and looked at himy life" When she took her hand away, heWill you walk h to bust hisrooo I can drive now"

And when she had a belated reaction on the road? When she drove into a ditch, leaving him alone? No damned way "I’ll drive And you’ll co eyes widened Her chin ca the center, his throat loosened sowith me In my bed"

"But…"

"I love you" The words came easier each time He curled her closer into hi

When she didn’t answer, he had an uncoave her an iirl There are rules"

"Rules?" Her lips tipped up "My sergeant" Her eyes warmed in the way he’d needed to see, and she whispered, "I love you, Sam I really, really do"

As he buried his face in her hair, he swore to hile daue