Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 145091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
He struggled, trying to pull his arm away. If he was running at full capacity he probably would have given her hell, but he immediately went to his knees, obviously overwhelmed with the pain. Blood stained the snow around him.
She sighed and let go. “Can we please go inside and take a look at your side?”
He seemed to find some energy and brought his head back. If he’d had some speed he might have caught her on the chin and sent her to the ground.
But he didn’t, so she simply brought her arm forward and knocked him back down.
Stubborn man.
With a low groan he managed to turn over, gray eyes staring up at her. “Are you really Agency?”
She sighed. “If I wasn’t, wouldn’t I have killed you by now?”
“You want the drive. I won’t tell you where it is.”
“The drive is hanging out of your pocket, buddy.” She reached down and grabbed it, dangling it in front of him. “Now we have two choices. I can help you inside and patch you up and let you get this to base, or I can leave you here and I’ll go and send this in. I’m going to warn you, if you choose the second path, there are a couple of bears out here and one lynx. If you want to go out being a meal for an endangered species, this is the way to do it.”
He frowned and put a hand to his side. “Okay, now I believe you’re Agency. Fucking sarcastic assholes every single one. Can I have the drive back?”
“If it will make you feel better.” After all, she could always take it back when he died.
She put it in his outstretched hand. He caught her, holding her palm against his, the drive there between them. “This is important. Promise me if I don’t make it, you’ll get this to command.”
He wasn’t some pampered prick whose daddy had gotten him a cushy job. He was aching and still trying to fight to complete his mission. She dropped to one knee. “I promise. I’ll do everything I can to save you and to get this where it needs to go. I’m with you… What’s your name? Don’t give me Black or White. We’re about to get real cozy because even if you survive, that storm is going to keep us together for a while. Make up a name if you’re still worried about me, but no Agency crap.”
She wasn’t sure if what he did next was about the fact that he was beyond weary or that he needed comfort. He pulled her hand down with his, laying it over his chest and letting her feel his heartbeat.
“It’s Drake. I’m Drake. Like the duck.”
It made her grin. “Well, Drake like the duck, I’m Taylor. I’m going to save you and your mission.”
His lips curled up in the sweetest smile, and she could see how gorgeous this man was when he wasn’t passing out from possible blood loss. “Taylor. My hero.”
And then he passed out.
Fuck. Was he going to die on her? She didn’t want him to die. She shoved the drive in her pocket and felt for a pulse. If she needed to, she would start CPR out here.
His pulse was strong.
His breathing was steady.
She pulled back the corner of his dress shirt, revealing the wound he’d taken. He’d been shot in the side and needed a stitch up, but it should have been easily handled in any ER or back at the Kraków safe house. Hell, he likely could have done it himself with a needle and thread.
“Stubborn boy.” She sighed as she stood again. Beautiful boy. He was quite stunning, and she was going to have to find a way to get him all the way back to the cabin because he’d passed out from blood loss. Luckily there was a mini clinic inside, and she was well versed in stitching up stubborn men. After all, she’d learned at a young age.
“Stitch him up, wait out the storm, send him on his way.” She said the words out loud so she could make it happen.
Because she was already attracted to him and he was half dead and had tried to halfheartedly kill her.
She was not going there. Nope. No way.
She hopped in the car, praying it still worked. It would be easier to drive him the last hundred yards than carry him, and infinitely better on him than dragging him through the snow.
The car was still purring, the expensive engine not at all damaged by its bump with the big beech tree. She put it in reverse and eased it back onto the actual road before parking it again and getting out to open up the back seat door.
Maybe he wasn’t as pretty as she’d thought. Maybe it was a trick of the light. It was soft, but dawn was here with its yellows and pinks and purples and blues, and it would reveal him to be another normal, run-of-the-mill dude who would not be worth the effort.