She laughed bitterly. “They locked me in this room and left. I don’t know how long it’s been.” Her body radiated suspicion. “Why?”
“You must be starving.” It was crazy to think this would work.
She didn’t respond.
“Faintwith hunger?” Killian emphasized the first word. Would she understand what he was asking?
She shrugged in response, her expression asking why he cared.
He wanted to tell her he didn’t. That was another lie, though he still didn’t understand why her well-being mattered. He stared at her, willing her to understand.
Her eyes widened. Her gaze held a million questions, but he ignored them.
“It’s been hours.” She collapsed, sliding off the bed and onto the floor gracefully. A perfect landing.
“Help! She’s collapsed. I think she hit her head. We have to get her to the clinic. Now!”
Her eyelids fluttered, then she winked and he flashed back to the fun part of the gala.
Killian exhaled, relief replacing some of the tension he’d carried since the bombing. Her acting skills concerned him, but not enough to stay here in the bowels of headquarters. For the moment, she’d chosen to trust him.
Too bad he didn’t trust her.
He scooped her up and stood. His hip ached as the metal leg took most of the stress. She might be short, but she was a solid weight in his arms. Not too heavy. Not too light. In his arms, she felt…right.
Chapter10
Dizzie lay still,trying to wrap her head around her current position in Killian’s arms. His arms wrapped around her, creating a sense of safety. Despite the comfort, it was hard to remain limp. Tension rode her body.
After that call, his need to leave had been palpable.
His shirt smelled of dust, blood, sweat, and fear and she shivered. Beneath her cheek, his heart beat loud and strong, but fast. He wanted out of her cell.
At first she hadn’t understood why he was asking her questions about when she’d last eaten. It had finally clicked that hewantedto her to faint from hunger. She didn’t understand why, but if he wanted to get her out of the cell, she was more than happy to play along.
It wasn’t as if she trusted him. She didn’t. But if it came down to being with Killian outside this box or with security inside it…that wasn’t a hard call.
Why was he helping her? Who had called him?
“It could be serious,” Killian said, probably to a guard. Opening her eyes now might get them both caught, so she forced her body to relax. It was harder than she expected, probably due to her proximity to Killian.
Killian St. Johnwas holding her! Wait ‘til she told Alice… Dammit. She wouldn’t be telling Alice anything ever again.
She exhaled slowly to ease the tension from her shoulders and tuned back in to the conversation.
“With head wounds you never know. She needs to be checked out in the clinic immediately.”
He used his most arrogant voice to make it less a sentence and more an order.
“Sir, I don’t have that authority.”
Killian shifted his weight. His chest moved beneath her and his shoulders rolled back, lifting her closer. She pictured how intimidating he looked, covered with visible reminders of the bombing.
The guard didn’t say anything, but she imagined she heard him gulp.
“As a major Tremaine investor,Iauthorize the visit.” He paused and she imagined he was choosing his words carefully. “She witnessed the explosion that put Ms. Tremaine in the hospital and killed her husband.”
Pain coated his words and she swore she felt his heart break beneath her cheek.
