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“I’ve got her, man,” Swift said evenly.“Nothing is going to happen to her.”

“Yeah, right,” Tyson grunted, but he stood.

Which, honestly, was a miracle.

He walked over to me and wrapped me in a careful, brotherly hug, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.“Be careful, sis,” he muttered.“And call me if you need anything.”

“Will do,” I lied.

Tyson pulled back, glanced once at Swift with all the warmth of a tax audit, and then headed for the door.

He didn’t say another word on his way out.The door clicked shut behind him.

I waited two whole seconds while grabbing my coffee before saying, in the driest tone I could manage, “I really think he’s starting to warm up to you.”

Swift nodded and took a sip of his coffee.“Oh yeah,” he said.“Totally.”

That did it.

I sputtered with laughter, almost sloshing my latte down the front of my shirt.

Swift let out a chuckle of his own, and the sound of it, rough, low, real, did a stupid little somersault in my chest.

I sighed and rolled my head carefully.“Is it crazy that I’m already tired?”I asked.

Swift shook his head.“Not at all.You had a big day yesterday, and you’re still healing.”

I sighed again, hating how true that was.“Maybe I can take a little nappy nap.”

He nodded toward the hallway.“Sounds like a solid plan to me.”

Of course it did.If I was passed out in bed, it made his whole protective mission easier.

“You know soon I’ll be raring and ready to go, right?”I asked.

A little smile crossed his lips.Not big.Just enough to catch.“I look forward to it, sugar.”

God.

That man’s limited use of words had a way of sticking.

I set my coffee cup down on the counter and pushed away from it.“Don’t have too much fun while I’m sleeping,” I called over my shoulder as I headed down the hallway.

Behind me, I heard his low chuckle.“I’ll try to keep the fun to a minimum.”

I made it to my bedroom and promptly collapsed onto the bed like a Victorian woman with a delicate constitution.

Carefully, though, because… bullet wound.

I pulled the blanket up over myself, shifting until I found a position my shoulder didn’t hate.

The apartment was quiet again.

And somewhere out in the other room was a gruff biker drinking plain black coffee like a man with no imagination and guarding my front door like it was the entrance to Fort Knox.

My eyes drifted shut, and before I could even think another thought, I was out.

Chapter Six