Page 21 of Preacher

"You know," I murmured, "this is dangerously close to cuddling."

“Don’t tell anybody, I’ve got my reputation to keep.”

“I’m building quite a collection of secrets about you.”

His hand moved lazily over my back until my phone rang from somewhere near the floor. I ignored it once, but when it rang again, Preacher sighed.

“Could be Luis.” The possibility got me moving, and I found the phone beneath my jeans before checking the screen.

It was Luis, so I answered immediately. “Hey.”

For a second there was only breathing. Then Luis said, “Holly?”

I sat up because something in his voice was wrong. “Luis, what happened?”

“Freight yard. Somebody—” He sucked in a sharp breath. “Truck window’s smashed. I came back because the alarm went off.”

Preacher was already sitting up beside me, watching my face.

“Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

He didn’t sound remotely fine, and my grip tightened on the phone. “Luis.”

“Hit my head. It’s nothing. I just need—” A sound cut across the line, followed by a man’s voice that wasn’t Luis, and then the call ended.

Preacher was out of bed before I lowered the phone. “What?”

“Luis is at the yard. He’s hurt. Someone else is there.”

Preacher grabbed his jeans and reached for his phone. “I’ll call Gage.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“No you are not.”

I stood and started reaching for my clothes. “Don’t waste thirty seconds arguing with me. He works for me, and he called me.”

Preacher’s jaw tightened, but he nodded once. “Get dressed.”

His phone rang before he could pull on his shirt. He looked at the screen. “Smoke.”

“Answer it.”

Whatever Smoke said wiped the remaining heat from his face. “Where?” He listened for a moment. “Keep eyes on him. I’m coming.” He ended the call and looked at me.

“What?”

“Gage spotted Vega near the old fuel lot. Two men with him.”

My stomach dropped as the pieces snapped together. “They’re up to something.”

“Yeah. Smoke’s closer to the yard than we are, so I’m sending him to Luis. Gage stays on Vega, and I’m cutting them off before they disappear.”

“I’m still not staying here while Luis is hurt. Smoke can meet me there.”

He stared at me for one hard second, calculating, before grabbing his cut. “You go straight to the freight yard, and you don’t get out of your car until Smoke is there.”