“‘She’s mine, I saw her first,’” Darryn murmured.“That’s what he said before he hit me.So, in his mind, he saw you first and if he can’t have you—”
“Nobody else will either.He’d rather me dead,” Hannah said.“Well, let him try.”Lifting her chin, she pushed her hair back.
Chapter Thirteen
Darryn stared atHannah, not sure whether he should hug her or throttle her.She lifted her chin.
Strong women.That was what David called his wife and his brothers’ wives yesterday.And he loved a strong woman as well.Look at her.Her blue eyes were clear, her shoulders pushed back—she was ready to take on the world.
“I can’t let you do that,” he said in a soothing voice and stepped forward to pull her closer.
But she shook off his hand and turned her fiery blue eyes on him.“What did you say?Letme?”she asked, her voice ice cold.
“Oh, man, you shouldn’t have said that.”Dale snickered behind him.
“You never, ever tell them that.”David guffawed.
“You have a lot to learn.”Don, who had just finished his phone call, snorted.
“Oh, yeah?”Caitlin said coolly and turned to Don.“He’s not the only one.Just the other day you tried to send us to the kitchen while we were looking for Hannah.”
“I didn’t send you to the kitchen, damn it to hell, I tried to protect you!”
Caitlin crossed her arms and moved so she stood next to Hannah.Dana and Zoe joined them.
“So, now that you know we’re quite capable of looking after ourselves,” Caitlin said, “let us think of plan to get this bastard.All of us,” she said.“Together.”
Darryn swallowed all of his objections.He would find a way to keep Hannah safe, but that was clearly not something one said out loud.He was learning all right.
“I’ve spoken to the private detective,” Don said.“He didn’t know about the fire, but he followed White up to Langebaan before he lost him.I’ve told him White is probably on his way back.”
“Well, hell,” Darryn said.He wanted to storm outside, find the bastard, and kill him with his bare hands.But his head pounded, the roaring in his ears was back, and fatigue settled over him.He was bloody useless at the moment.Frustrated, he sat down.
Hannah dropped down next to him.“Won’t you please lie down for a while?You’re not going to be any help if you don’t rest.”
“Only if you come with me,” he said, knowing full well he sounded like a petulant kid.But even if he couldn’t do anything, he would feel better if Hannah was with him.
“Darryn, I’m not going to hide away here.I have a life, and I fully intend to carry on with it.I have a photo shoot tomorrow and have to find out more about it…”
“When did you hear about that?You only decided last night to come back?”Dana asked the question he was also wondering about.
“I spoke to Karen this morning.This came up a while ago when I didn’t want to come to South Africa, but now that I’m here, I can do it.It’s a shoot for an advertising campaign for one of the big retailers.There will be plenty of people around, so no need to worry about me.”
She turned to Darryn.“You get your rest; I’ll be back this evening.”
He started to protest, but Zoe patted his shoulder.“Don’t you worry, we won’t leave her side.”
“So what’s the plan?”Zoe asked.
“I’m going to switch on my old phone again and keep it with me as well.If Stephen is so smart, he’ll track me down.Only difference is, this time I’ll be ready for him.”
“You can’t do this on your own,” Darryn began hotly.
Hannah gave him a cool look.“I know.And I’m not going to.Fortunately, I have three big and bad brothers-in-law who can take turns following me around until you are better.And Don will also arrange for extra security.”
“One that will not be duped and let you slip away?”Darryn asked.
Again her blue eyes rested on him coolly.“I told you, I’m sorry.You should know I won’t do that again.”
