Leigh waved her hand."You can't stop him."
They had no idea what he was capable of.They didn't realize how he could handle business and hide the evidence so well that no one would ever find it.Men who abused women shouldn't be allowed to breathe.
He wasn't about to let Jason Stevens get another shot at touching either one of them.If he got caught, it would be worth knowing they were no longer in danger.
Her skin was warm beneath his calloused fingers."Rest."
She appeared ready to argue, but exhaustion held her back.He gently led her to the room and then carried the soup to them, hoping that when they were alone, they'd eat.
Then he returned to the kitchen, skipping the spoon, and lifted the bowl of soup to drink.Dead on his feet, he shut off the light, kicked off his boots, and stretched out on the couch.His mind churned, sharper than any blade.
He needed Jason's schedule.Needed to know when he came and went from the house.Needed to find the cracks in his armor, the weakness that would bring him down.
Every detail mattered.Every move needed to be precise.He wasn't dealing with a regular citizen.He was going up against law enforcement.
Like Royalla, the police had a built-in brotherhood.But like him, Jason would be alone at times.He needed to find that time when no one was there to protect him.
Hunter closed his eyes, the plan forming piece by piece in his head.
Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.
Chapter 23
Annie sat at one ofthe round wooden tables in the clubhouse with Leigh.Usually, they ate in the bedroom, but they were both antsy and needed a break from constantly feeling sorry for themselves.
Baker shuffled over and set steaming bowls of stew down in front of them with a grunt, his weathered hands steady despite the years.Annie thanked him.
"Eat up," he said.Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, "The fire takes what it takes, but the ashes give you a fresh shot to start over."
Annie blinked.The message settled over her like a strange kind of prophecy.Leigh glanced at her, and for the first time in weeks, a small smile of amusement tugged at her lips.
Once they were alone, Leigh leaned in closer and whispered."He sounded just like Mom when she used to read our fortune cookies while imitating some guy named Kung Fu."
"Oh, my God.I haven't thought of that in a long time."Annie sighed."She always made that the best part of eating Chinese food.She always said..."
"Be wise, grasshopper," they said in unison.
