Page 64 of Her Noble Protector

“The drugs are making me feel pretty good,” she answered.

“You handled the cops really well.” He kept staring at her face, but she couldn’t get a read on what he was thinking.

“Thanks…I think.”

“Lisa, this scared the hell out of me,” he whispered.

That caught her off-guard. “You’re a SEAL, this is what you do.”

“No, I’m talking about this. You. You being taken. Not knowing where you were. It scared the hell out of me, Lisa.” She reached over her body with her left hand and he took it in his.

He stared at her for a long time. “We’re going to be talking about the next steps tomorrow.”

It was like his brown eyes were magnets and she couldn’t pull hers away from his. When she didn’t respond, he gave her hand a little squeeze. “I’ll take you home, people are waiting.”

“Who besides Camilla?”

“There’s Clint’s wife Lydia and a couple of others.”

Her grip tightened on his hand. “How many others?”

Raiden gave her a slow grin. “Are you the woman who shoved her finger into the chest of her kidnapper and called him pussy-whipped?”

Heat suffused her cheeks. “Maybe.”

“Then you’ll be able to handle meeting a couple of new good people, I promise.”

“Where will they be?” She just knew he was going to say her house, and it scared her to death.

“In your really clean house,” he smiled bigger.

Her eyes closed and her hand began to hurt she was squeezing his fingers so tight.

“You can do this, honey. You can climb mountains. You’re magnificent.” His words flowed through her like warm syrup. “Open your eyes.”

She shook her head.

“Lisa, look at me.” She shook her head again, so he continued. “You yelled at those two fools. Got in their faces and yelled at them.”

Lisa heard the laughter in Raiden’s voice and she opened her eyes. “You’re back, baby.”

She took in a shallow breath—a scared shallow breath. “But I’m not really back. That was just the one time.”

“Okay, you’re on the path then. But Lisa, you have to know, you’re going to be fine now.”

God, I hope so.

“But people in my house?” Just the thought of it scared the hell out of her.

“As soon as the doctor gives the okay, I’m taking you there. We’ll call in a to-go order at the Italian place, and eat. It’ll all be good.” Then he looked down at where she was gripping his hand. He tugged her hand up and brought it to his face. He made sure she was looking at him, then he brought her knuckles to his face, and brushed them with his lips.

Heat exploded through her body, and she gasped. Raiden’s eyes didn’t miss any of her reactions and she watched as his eyes darkened.

“We’re going to talk tomorrow after everyone goes home.” His words were whispered against the skin of her knuckles.

She nodded.

* * *