second swing.
A strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her away. She swirled to fight back, tripping on her skirt, only to realize it was Liam. He shoved her behind him, but all she could think about was the knife. He couldn’t get hurt—he wouldn’t be able to ride tomorrow. She ran forward and jumped on the bigger man’s back, latching her good arm around his throat, throwing him off balance.
This time the hands that pulled her off were not Liam’s, because he was in front of her. Instead, she caught sight of a utility belt, then a law enforcement emblem. She didn’t have time to register what branch before her hands were dragged behind her and cuffed.
***
“You sure know how to show a girl a good time,” Grace drawled from the emergency room examining table, her gaze averted as the physician’s assistant stitched up her arm.
Liam crossed his arms tighter about himself, forcing himself to watch the needle moving in and out of her skin. He couldn’t quite bring himself to look at her face. Her cheek was scraped from her encounter with the gravel parking lot. Her upper arm had a scrape, too, and her back above her top. She was more beat up than he was. She was going to feel it tomorrow.
“I’m supposed to keep you safe. And here you go flying after the guy like a linebacker.” He’d never forget the sight of her, blonde hair and white skirt flying at the guy, like an avenging angel. But now her white skirt was torn and stained with her blood.
At least he’d gotten her out of the cuffs by explaining very calmly to the nice cops that they’d been jumped. Even that hadn’t gotten them off until he pointed out a surveillance camera and they’d seen for themselves. All the while, Grace’s blood had been dripping down her arm.
She was pretty pale now, but not feeling pain, since they’d numbed her arm and given her a pain killer.
“Not how I expected the night to end.”
“Yeah?” He forced his gaze to hers, forced a smile. Best to distract her, even if he didn’t want to distract himself.
“First date?” the PA asked.
“No,” Grace said, as Liam said, “Yes.”
The PA looked from one to the other, confused.
“Technically, our first date,” Liam said.
“But we have a son together,” Grace elaborated.
“Interesting,” the PA commented, drawing the word out.
“We may be doing things a little backwards,” Liam said.
“My head’s a little swimmy. Can I lay down?” Grace asked.
“Just a couple more stitches,” the PA assured her.
Liam moved to sit behind her, wrapping his arms around her and letting her lean against him.
She sighed and closed her eyes. “I was so scared he was going to stab you,” she murmured. “Wasn’t right, those guys holding you.”
“You were brave as hell.”
“I didn’t even think.”
“You saved me, Grace.” He smoothed her hair back from her injured cheek and looked down at her closed eyes.
“All done. Let me get that bandaged and you can take her home.”
Liam wanted to take her back to the fifth wheel, mainly because he didn’t want to answer any of Teresa’s questions. But she’d be more comfortable in her own bed, in her own clothes. He plucked at her ruined skirt. He’d replace this as soon as he could.
***
“I think it’s funny,” she said as he guided her into the apartment. “I’ve worked in a bar for ten years and this is my first bar fight.”
“I live to serve.” She was almost dead weight. He would have lifted her and carried her to bed, but his shoulder hurt like fire. He should have had the doctors look at it while they were in the ER, but one impending hospital bill was more than enough.
“You do bring a lot of action with you. A car break-in, a knife fight in a parking lot. Maybe I’m bad luck for you.”
He knew it was the drugs talking, but the words hit low. “Maybe I’m the one who’s bad luck for you.”
He got her out of her ruined skirt and blouse, taking a discreet
A strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her away. She swirled to fight back, tripping on her skirt, only to realize it was Liam. He shoved her behind him, but all she could think about was the knife. He couldn’t get hurt—he wouldn’t be able to ride tomorrow. She ran forward and jumped on the bigger man’s back, latching her good arm around his throat, throwing him off balance.
This time the hands that pulled her off were not Liam’s, because he was in front of her. Instead, she caught sight of a utility belt, then a law enforcement emblem. She didn’t have time to register what branch before her hands were dragged behind her and cuffed.
***
“You sure know how to show a girl a good time,” Grace drawled from the emergency room examining table, her gaze averted as the physician’s assistant stitched up her arm.
Liam crossed his arms tighter about himself, forcing himself to watch the needle moving in and out of her skin. He couldn’t quite bring himself to look at her face. Her cheek was scraped from her encounter with the gravel parking lot. Her upper arm had a scrape, too, and her back above her top. She was more beat up than he was. She was going to feel it tomorrow.
“I’m supposed to keep you safe. And here you go flying after the guy like a linebacker.” He’d never forget the sight of her, blonde hair and white skirt flying at the guy, like an avenging angel. But now her white skirt was torn and stained with her blood.
At least he’d gotten her out of the cuffs by explaining very calmly to the nice cops that they’d been jumped. Even that hadn’t gotten them off until he pointed out a surveillance camera and they’d seen for themselves. All the while, Grace’s blood had been dripping down her arm.
She was pretty pale now, but not feeling pain, since they’d numbed her arm and given her a pain killer.
“Not how I expected the night to end.”
“Yeah?” He forced his gaze to hers, forced a smile. Best to distract her, even if he didn’t want to distract himself.
“First date?” the PA asked.
“No,” Grace said, as Liam said, “Yes.”
The PA looked from one to the other, confused.
“Technically, our first date,” Liam said.
“But we have a son together,” Grace elaborated.
“Interesting,” the PA commented, drawing the word out.
“We may be doing things a little backwards,” Liam said.
“My head’s a little swimmy. Can I lay down?” Grace asked.
“Just a couple more stitches,” the PA assured her.
Liam moved to sit behind her, wrapping his arms around her and letting her lean against him.
She sighed and closed her eyes. “I was so scared he was going to stab you,” she murmured. “Wasn’t right, those guys holding you.”
“You were brave as hell.”
“I didn’t even think.”
“You saved me, Grace.” He smoothed her hair back from her injured cheek and looked down at her closed eyes.
“All done. Let me get that bandaged and you can take her home.”
Liam wanted to take her back to the fifth wheel, mainly because he didn’t want to answer any of Teresa’s questions. But she’d be more comfortable in her own bed, in her own clothes. He plucked at her ruined skirt. He’d replace this as soon as he could.
***
“I think it’s funny,” she said as he guided her into the apartment. “I’ve worked in a bar for ten years and this is my first bar fight.”
“I live to serve.” She was almost dead weight. He would have lifted her and carried her to bed, but his shoulder hurt like fire. He should have had the doctors look at it while they were in the ER, but one impending hospital bill was more than enough.
“You do bring a lot of action with you. A car break-in, a knife fight in a parking lot. Maybe I’m bad luck for you.”
He knew it was the drugs talking, but the words hit low. “Maybe I’m the one who’s bad luck for you.”
He got her out of her ruined skirt and blouse, taking a discreet
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