Surprisingly, she was, but when Janie made the mistake of trying to nod again, she was hit with a sudden wave of dizziness. She closed her eyes and, in an absentminded move, brought a hand up to her tender cheek.
She must not have hidden her wince very well because with her next breath, Janie heard Emmett’s low, angry growl. The man must have been too pre-occupied checking her pupils to notice sooner.
And now that he had?—
“Hehityou?” The utter rage in his voice sent a sliver of ice racing through her veins.
She startled when he reached up and brushed some hair from her face. Not because he’d been rough or had caused her pain in any way.
No, contrary to his menacing tone, his touch was gentle. Sweet. When Janie opened her eyes, and their eyes met once again, she barely contained her gasp.
In the few times she’d seen Emmett in person, his gaze had been totally unreadable. But now that herealized she’d been physically hurt, it was as if something inside them had changed.
His stare was harder than before. Its rich, brown hue so dark it had nearly turned to black. There was a protectiveness there, too. A responsibility he shouldn’t bare. After all, it wasn’t as if any of them could have predicted the unsettling turn of events.
Unsettling? How about downright terrifying? You could literally be on the floor dead.
“Thank you,” Janie blurted before she forgot to say the words. “If you hadn’t shown up when you did . . .”
Her chin started to quiver, and his ruggedly handsome face began to blur. Not wanting to bawl like a baby in front of this man, she quickly forced the tears away.
A muscle in Emmett’s strong jaw twitched, but his voice was soothing when he spoke up again. “You’re safe now, Janie.” He rested his palm ever so gently against the uninjured side of her face. “I’m here, and you’re safe.”
Janie covered that same hand with one of hers, praying he couldn’t feel her trembles of fear. “Thank you,” she whispered again. Despite her efforts, a single tear fell.
Emmett used his thumb to brush it away, issuing a final, solemn vow. “I’m going to find the man who did this to you. And he won’t ever hurt you again.”
The sincerity in his voice was a comfort she very much needed in that moment. But even as scared as she felt, Janie knew better than to believe Emmett’s promise was one he could keep. She’d stepped into the hornet’s nest, and though she believed he meant whathe’d said, even a man like Emmett Shaw couldn’t guarantee her safety or survival.
Enjoy your freedom now, you nosey bitch. Because the next time you see me, you won’t be so lucky.
Someone out there wanted to kill her, and they wouldn’t stop until she was dead.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Emmett stood with his team near the suite’s balcony door. Arms crossed. Hands fisted. Back teeth clenched together with an unyielding sense of fury and regret. Their client had nearly died today because they had no idea she’d become a target, too.
He should probably be concerned about his future with R.I.S.C. Or, at the very least, his future as Echo’s team leader. But in that moment, what filled Emmett’s mind the most was how he’d nearly lost Janie before even having the chance to know her.
Not as a client, but as a woman. A strong, beautiful woman who’d been viciously attacked in a place where she should have been safe.
You didn’t keep her safe. This is all on you.
The memory of her screaming his name through the phone was something Emmett knew would haunt his dreams.
“She’s okay, boss.” Gwen’s soft words of comfortwere kept low, presumably so those around them wouldn’t overhear.
“I know.” He swallowed hard, the rough, unintended words meant for himself, more than her.
This was on him. He should have known Janie could get caught in the crosshairs of whomever had taken Amy Weaver from her home.
You know, now.
Hell yes, he did. And he’d be damned if whoever hurt Janie got the chance to ever do it again.
“The woman almost died less than a half-hour ago, Winslow.” Blake slid his blue gaze to Gwen’s. “No way she’s okay this soon after something like that. Hell,I’mnot okay.” When she shot him a questioning stare, he added an explanatory, “I’m pissed that the asshole who did this somehow managed to get away.”
“We all are,” Gwen’s expression was tense. “But it’s not like we had any way of knowing something like this was going to happen. I’m just thankful Emmett had the idea of bringing her dinner. Otherwise . . .”
