Page 7 of Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad World

Carefully, he eased the phone from her shaking hand.

“Ms. Grant,” he said, not taking it off speaker. “I’m here, and we’re dealing with the situation. I need to hang up now.”

“Just make sure you keep my witness in one piece, Merchant. Or I’ll make sure this is Benson Security’s last case in my district.”

“Understood.” He ended the call while looking at Annabelle. She didn’t know what to do or say. She was barely able to remain upright. The room moved around her, picking up speed like a ride at a fair she remembered from her childhood, and all she wanted was to find a cool space to lay her head until the world stopped spinning.

“You’re shivering.” Noah picked up the handmade quilt from the narrow bed and wrapped it around her shoulders. Suddenly, she was enveloped in more than an heirloom comforter. His warm, masculine scent surrounded her. It felt reassuring. Almost heady. And for a second, she had a crazy urge to curl into him and fall asleep in his arms.

“I c-can’t leave,” she told him. “I have a-a condition.” Her cheeks heated with shame. “I’m not normal.”

“Who is?” His lips quirked. “How about we deal with one thing at a time?” He gently led her to the bed. “Sit down and rest while I try to find something for that fever.”

The mattress was a cotton cloud beneath her, making her want to sink into it and float away. As she watched, Noah rummaged in the first aid box and fetched a glass of water.

He crouched in front of her. “Aspirin,” he said, holding up the bottle to prove it. He emptied a couple into her palm and handed her the water.

As she swallowed the pills, she studied his face. There was something fascinating about him.

“You have soulful eyes,” she said seriously. “You remind me of a sad bulldog.”

He flashed her a lopsided smile. “Is it the drooling or the jowls that give it away?”

Annabelle frowned, confused by his question.

His phone rang, and he answered it, putting it on speaker. “I asked for some time, Violet,” he said as he took the half empty glass from Annabelle.

She wasn’t sure if it was the soft bed or the warm quilt, but her eyes began to close all on their own. If she could just rest for a moment, everything would make much more sense. Just a moment…

“There are eight men.” His partner’s voice came from far, far away. “Heavily armed and heading into the building. Time’s up.”

Her words made no sense. It was as though they bounced off Annabelle and faded to nothing in the surrounding air. Sleep had her in its hold, wrapping her up in its comforting embrace, soothing her with promises of relief and safety. Of peace. There was no fighting this temptation. All she could do was surrender.

Through barely open eyes, she watched as the room toppled onto its side. The blissful touch of cool cotton against her cheek, and then her eyes closed completely.

Chapter Three

Noah ran a hand down his face as he watched Annabelle lose the battle with sleep. She was out cold by the time her head hit the bed, her feet still on the floor. He took the phone off speaker and held it to his ear. This assignment had gone to hell. What should have been a simple protection job had turned into an armed siege. He wished he’d ignored the call from his new boss and gone to the Irish bar as planned. Or better yet, quit Benson Security when he left London.

“Where are you?” he asked Violet, keeping his voice low because he was aware that the room wasn’t soundproof. His partner had proven that not five minutes earlier.

“In the alley across the road, behind a dumpster. I was watching the street when the cars arrived. They split up, taking the back and front entrances to the building, so I headed down the fire escape between the buildings and scaled the fence.”

“You called the team?”

“Of course I called the team. What did you think I’d do? Go all Rambo on their backsides and take them out one at a time?”

That’s exactly what he’d thought. “Okay, that’s good,” he said into the phone.

Behind him, Annabelle snored gently.

“What about the cops?” he asked Violet.

“On their way. I called it in as an armed robbery.”

He thought for a second. “The alarm didn’t go off.”

“Told you it was a piece of crap.”