“He tried to fucking kill you.”
“He failed.Thanks to you.”
Lawson kept his eyes locked on hers as he drew several ragged breaths.Then he pulled her in for another hug and held her for a few moments.She let his safety surround her.
“I figured he had to be waiting outside for me, but I still had to get us out.”
“You did the right thing.”
“I didn’t want the garage to blow up, so I put my welding helmet over the broken bottle.Then, I used one of the metal rods to slice through the cord connecting the flame to the bottle and shoved it aside while Bibi tugged at my dress to get me to move.Then we ran.”
Lawson hugged her again.“Smart, and brave as hell.”
This strong, incredible man trembled as he held her.“It’s okay, we’re all right.”
He chuckled and drew back.“That’s supposed to be my line.Did the bastard grab you when you left the garage?”
She nodded.“Bibi herded me out.She wouldn’t leave first.Jeremy was waiting.”Another shudder ran through her, but she grounded herself with Bibi’s fur.“Bibi barked and growled at him, but he held me between them.He was too strong, and I couldn’t get away.I didn’t know if he had a gun or a knife, but Bibi wouldn’t let him get far when he tried to haul me away.She herded him back to the garage, and Boomer arrived to help her.They wouldn’t let him drag me to the car.Then you were there, and you saved me.Thank you.”
She swallowed hard against the emotion and snuggled into Lawson to borrow more of his strength.
He kissed her hair.“Using your welding helmet was brilliant.It wouldn’t surprise me if that move saved you and Bibi from burns.”
He didn’t sayor worse, but Dani heard the words, anyway.She’d been thinking the same thing.“I’m guessing that my veto power disappears with me.He must need that merger badly.”
Lawson nodded, but when he turned back to approach Jeremy, she tugged his hand.“Don’t ruin Boomer’s fun.”
Lawson grinned, and she felt more of his tension dissipating.Beside them, Amber smiled.“Agreed.He’s trained for this, and he doesn’t get a lot of opportunities to use his skills.Now that everyone’s safe, he’s having a great time.”
After a moment, Dani whispered.“Do you think my sister knew, or do you think Jeremy acted on his own?”
Lawson tugged her to his side.“I’m guessing she doesn’t have a clue.She seemed to really enjoy the conversations you’ve had.Do you think she’s a good enough actress to hide it if she’s part of this?”
She shrugged, but his words helped.“I don’t want to believe she knew anything about Jeremy’s actions.I felt like we were connecting, but I don’t know her well enough to know for sure.”
“Why don’t you call her?”
“I’m not brave enough.What if she was only talking to me to get those papers signed?Or worse, to get me out of the picture.”
Lawson rubbed his hand up and down her arm.“You’re brave enough for anything, but I’m betting the police would prefer you not to call yet.Once we talk to them, you can decide.”
That gave her a good excuse to put off the call.
It wasn’t much longer before a trail of vehicles arrived.A Phail squad car, a paramedic van, and a couple of electric vehicles.
Dani knew some of the people, and the others by reputation.Marcus Ramirez, police chief.Mitch Robison, a firefighter, and his wife Bella, an arson investigator.Lia Moreno, a doctor and her husband, Joe Cheveyo, one owner of Midnight Security.
All people she could trust.
The police chief sent an assessing gaze over the scene before moving to where she stood with Lawson.Marcus got straight to business.“I’m assuming the scene is secure, and there was only this one perpetrator?”
Lawson nodded.“Jeremy Beaumont, Dani’s brother-in-law, threw a Molotov cocktail through the garage window when Dani and Bibi were inside.”
Marcus’s face tightened as he turned his gaze to Dani.“You’re all right?”
She nodded.“We got lucky.”
Several people around her snorted.Lawson spoke up.“They got lucky because Dani’s brave and smart.She used her welding helmet to contain the bottle and the flame.”
