now. Her hand shook as she touched the
picture.
Lawson Anders stood up, shoving some file folders into his
briefcase. “To answer your question, Princess, yes. My gut tells me that
whoever is responsible will come after you again. They had a bleak future all
planned for you, and it didn’t involve you being rescued and coming home. I
don’t know why you weren’t killed, but if someone wants to wipe you off the
face of the Earth, I suspect they won’t hesitate to snuff you out next time.”
Alea’s eyes fluttered, and her shoulders dropped. “And you
believe this is someone I know, someone I spend time with?”
There was no hint of emotion in Lawson’s eyes. “Yes. No idea
who yet, but we’ll find out.”
Tal cursed and glared at Law. “Did you have to be quite so
blunt?” Without waiting for an answer, he turned to Alea. “Are you all right?”
She nodded, looking drawn and still.
Straightening his tuxedo jacket, the sheikh cleared his
throat, hiding a whole lot of pissed off. “Then I’m retiring back to the
ballroom. I probably only have a few more hours of peace left. Once Piper finds
out about this meeting, there will very likely be hell to pay. The good news
is, she’s adorable when she’s mad. We’ll leave the cleanup to you three. After
all, you wanted to be responsible for her. Be careful what you wish for.”
After Tal had gone, Alea swayed on her feet. Cooper moved
across the room in a flash as her eyes closed and her body crumpled. He caught
her just before she hit the floor and lifted her weight into his arms as if she
was a precious burden. Dane and Lan stood right beside him, wearing matching
expressions of concern.
This wasn’t how he’d pictured holding her for the first
time. But no matter. He held her close now, even as her eyes fluttered open.
“Lea, you’re going to be okay.” Damn, was that his voice
shaking?
“I think I’d like to go to my room, Cooper. Could you please
take me?” She wasn’t fighting him. He’d expected her to struggle and tell him
she could walk, but she let her arm drift up around his shoulders and she laid
her head on his chest. She could probably hear his heart pounding.
“Absolutely.” He glanced back at his friends. “Someone get
my med kit.”
Without waiting for Dane and Lan to answer, he started out
the door. If someone was still after Alea, it was time to start putting her
first.
Chapter Three
Alea dragged in a long breath as Cooper strode toward her
private apartments. “I changed my mind. You can let me down now. I need to talk
to those investigators and look at that report.”
She enjoyed being in his arms far too much. He made her feel
delicate and feminine, loved and almost innocent. And it was all a lie.
“Not until I’ve examined you, Princess. You passed out.”
“I got woozy. I never lost consciousness.”
No, but that would have been nice. She’d been brutally aware
of all of tonight’s events. Her cousins, whom she trusted more than anyone in
the world, had hired investigators and not bothered to mention it to her. Coop
and Dane had gone along with the plan to keep her in the dark. When had they
planned to tell her that someone was out there waiting for another chance to
send her back to hell?
Cooper used his foot to kick the door open. “You were about
to hit the floor.”
Alea frowned. “Well, the dress is tight.”
She could barely breathe. Her evening gown hadn’t been
designed for comfort. And now she was a little worried that if she tried to
take a deep breath, her breasts might peek or plop out.
“Then maybe you should get out of it, but I’m not leaving
here until I know you’re all right.” His dark eyes were full of glittering
determination.
He swept her through the living area and back toward her
bedroom. He didn’t need to be pointed in the right direction. He, Dane, and Lan
knew every square
picture.
Lawson Anders stood up, shoving some file folders into his
briefcase. “To answer your question, Princess, yes. My gut tells me that
whoever is responsible will come after you again. They had a bleak future all
planned for you, and it didn’t involve you being rescued and coming home. I
don’t know why you weren’t killed, but if someone wants to wipe you off the
face of the Earth, I suspect they won’t hesitate to snuff you out next time.”
Alea’s eyes fluttered, and her shoulders dropped. “And you
believe this is someone I know, someone I spend time with?”
There was no hint of emotion in Lawson’s eyes. “Yes. No idea
who yet, but we’ll find out.”
Tal cursed and glared at Law. “Did you have to be quite so
blunt?” Without waiting for an answer, he turned to Alea. “Are you all right?”
She nodded, looking drawn and still.
Straightening his tuxedo jacket, the sheikh cleared his
throat, hiding a whole lot of pissed off. “Then I’m retiring back to the
ballroom. I probably only have a few more hours of peace left. Once Piper finds
out about this meeting, there will very likely be hell to pay. The good news
is, she’s adorable when she’s mad. We’ll leave the cleanup to you three. After
all, you wanted to be responsible for her. Be careful what you wish for.”
After Tal had gone, Alea swayed on her feet. Cooper moved
across the room in a flash as her eyes closed and her body crumpled. He caught
her just before she hit the floor and lifted her weight into his arms as if she
was a precious burden. Dane and Lan stood right beside him, wearing matching
expressions of concern.
This wasn’t how he’d pictured holding her for the first
time. But no matter. He held her close now, even as her eyes fluttered open.
“Lea, you’re going to be okay.” Damn, was that his voice
shaking?
“I think I’d like to go to my room, Cooper. Could you please
take me?” She wasn’t fighting him. He’d expected her to struggle and tell him
she could walk, but she let her arm drift up around his shoulders and she laid
her head on his chest. She could probably hear his heart pounding.
“Absolutely.” He glanced back at his friends. “Someone get
my med kit.”
Without waiting for Dane and Lan to answer, he started out
the door. If someone was still after Alea, it was time to start putting her
first.
Chapter Three
Alea dragged in a long breath as Cooper strode toward her
private apartments. “I changed my mind. You can let me down now. I need to talk
to those investigators and look at that report.”
She enjoyed being in his arms far too much. He made her feel
delicate and feminine, loved and almost innocent. And it was all a lie.
“Not until I’ve examined you, Princess. You passed out.”
“I got woozy. I never lost consciousness.”
No, but that would have been nice. She’d been brutally aware
of all of tonight’s events. Her cousins, whom she trusted more than anyone in
the world, had hired investigators and not bothered to mention it to her. Coop
and Dane had gone along with the plan to keep her in the dark. When had they
planned to tell her that someone was out there waiting for another chance to
send her back to hell?
Cooper used his foot to kick the door open. “You were about
to hit the floor.”
Alea frowned. “Well, the dress is tight.”
She could barely breathe. Her evening gown hadn’t been
designed for comfort. And now she was a little worried that if she tried to
take a deep breath, her breasts might peek or plop out.
“Then maybe you should get out of it, but I’m not leaving
here until I know you’re all right.” His dark eyes were full of glittering
determination.
He swept her through the living area and back toward her
bedroom. He didn’t need to be pointed in the right direction. He, Dane, and Lan
knew every square
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