Mia shivered, and he wrapped an arm around her. She looked up at him with a confidence he didn’t like glinting in her eyes.
“My turn to go look,” she whispered.
He took her hand. “Wait for Russ.”
She shook her hand free. “We have to see what this guy’s up to so we can act if needed.”
“Fine. Then I’ll go.” Ryan moved before she could stop him. At the window, he raised up like a Peeping Tom. The man had wrenched open a file cabinet and was shoving files into a bulging cloth bag.
How odd. Of all the valuable equipment in the room, why take files?
Mia sneezed, breaking the silence. The man spun and started toward the door.
Ryan dropped down and frantically signaled that the intruder was on his way out and Mia needed to move from the doorway.
Instead of moving away, she stood and planted her legs wide. Ryan heard a whirring sound coming from the camera.
“Close your eyes,” she whispered.
The door wrenched open.
Mia fired off picture after picture. The flash’s bright light lit the darkness like sharp retorts of gunfire.
“What the—” the man shouted and his hands went to cover his eyes.
She was trying to blind the guy so he couldn’t see to leave. Too bad Ryan hadn’t taken her advice and closed his eyes. He rubbed them to eliminate the stars and listened. He heard the guy banging around as if he were dazed.
Footfalls traveled past Ryan. The flashes should have rendered this man’s eyesight as useless as Ryan’s. Hoping to tackle the intruder, he shot from his spot. Missed the man. Banged his shoulder into the porch post.
“Think something that stupid will stop me, girly,” the gruff voice came from an area near Mia.
Ryan blinked hard. Through the splotches coloring his vision, he saw the huge male slam into her.
“No!” Ryan leapt to his feet.
Mia went flying and hit the ground hard. Her head snapped back. The camera catapulted into the air.
“Stop!” Ryan bolted toward the man who’d concealed his head with a dark hoodie.
The intruder uttered a foul laugh before charging into the darkness. Ryan wanted to chase after him. Tackle him. But Mia wasn’t moving. She needed him.
Please let her be all right.
“Mia.” He knelt by her unmoving body. “Are you okay?”
She slowly stirred. “What happened? The camera? Chuck will kill me if I broke it.”
Ryan sat back on his haunches and huffed out his worry. Her ability to stay levelheaded when under fire was one of the things he’d always liked about her.
Thank You for protecting her.
“We might be able to catch that guy. Do you think we should go after him?” She’d survived an attack and seemed determined not to run away in fright.
His smile fell away. This was too similar to Cara. She’d said she could handle that creep who’d stabbed her. Said he deserved for her to continue counseling him even when he’d formed an unhealthy affection for her.
Now, Mia, who, God help him, he’d started to care about more than he should, wanted to chase the man who’d just slammed her onto the concrete. If she tried, Ryan would have to insist she remain put. Even if Ryan accompanied her, his heart just couldn’t take the worry of seeing her go after a potential killer.
21
