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Jed turned his head as the bathroom door opened and Piper walked slowly fro saw the expression that transforone that far
No, he’d known it had gone that far, he aaze meet her lover’s and saw the unconscious devotion that filled her face and eyes as well
Those tere already so fucking bonded that he doubted even death would separate them And he was certain neither of them was even fully aware of how deep it went
Jed straightened as Piperto reach out for her, he was more than a little surprised when shehis ar’s dark expression and instead gave Piper the silent security he knew she was reaching out for
"Do you re he did? Any odd scents, or an accent?" Dawg asked her as Jed felt the subtle trehtened at the ad ti so closely
It would hurt her to be embarrassed in such a way in front of her brother And it would embarrass her, at the very least subconsciously
"What did he say?" Dawg urged as he pulled his cell phone free and, Jed suspected, hit the record feature
"That’s just it; I don’t remember what he said" Frustration filled her voice, thickened it and hinted at her inability toso about"
Jed rubbed her lower ar in his chest
"You can’t reain, his tone sh he too sensed the effect their anger had on her
"So her head as another tre"
"I have a few contacts in the city," Dawg h the police department I’ll make some calls and see what I can find out"
"I’ at Piper’s senses now
Daas doing everything he could not to explode, to hide his anger
Those bright celadon eyes seeard, and she realized the past week had been just as hard on him, perhaps, as it had been on her
"For what?" he asked then
"I shouldn’t have reacted as I did when you saw my face I was terrified you’d try to lock et when you’re in protection runted as he leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms over his broad chest
The black T-shirt he wore stretched across his powerful biceps created an ihtmares have been brutal, Piper"
And they had been, she knew The Mackay wives, Christa, Kelly, and Chaya, had arrived the day before and, along with her sisters andto tell any of the had been awakening froer, and he had no idea how to protect her
"I love you, Dawg" What more could she say? "You, Rowdy, and Natches saved us But you’ve also smothered us this last year Smothered us to the point that there’s no privacy at all And I just couldn’t handle it any longer"
He leaned forward, his arainst his knees as he clasped his hands between the to bury one of you because I faltered or because I didn’t know one of you was in danger, I don’t know if I would survive the guilt You’re a Mackay Your sisters are Mackays Trouble and danger will always follow the four of you because of the covert jobs you hold Unless" He gave Jed a long, hard look "Unless there’s soh, to deflect it"
Oh, Jed was strong enough And he was dangerous enough
"Perhaps you should teach us properly how to protect ourselves, Dawg I’m certain you and Jed would like to sleep so to the ladies’ roo outside the stall"
She shot hiht, hard smile as irritation flashed in his expression, and Jed’s ar could only shake his head "God, and here I thought you were the least stubborn sister"
"Just the quietest one," she a: No ave you, neither Lyrica, Zoey, nor itives or witness protection candidates You’re going to have to co, forceful caverunted, rising to his feet "I’et out of here and make a few phone calls, catch up with Natches and Rowdy, and see e can figure out" His gaze sliced to Jed’s "Make sure she’s either not in this rooainst anyone deterlanced back
He was staring at her worktable again, only this tilass jewels scattered amid the red and clear cut crystals
"Those will be so pretty on the dress I’hed
He rolled several in amid another batch whose color didn’t seeet the across the roo
Piper watched them curiously
"A craft shop in New York, in the Gar’s eye "You’ve taken aze on the pieces of colored glass
Closing his hand quickly around the stones he held, he flipped the cell phone open again and made a call