Radiance (12 page)

Hudson tried to reassure her.  “The people trusted with our safety are well trained, Gabriella.  Don’t worry.  The main goal is mostly money.” 

“This attack was in retaliation for my purchase of a factory that laundered money for the Albanian mob.” Harper’s voice drew Brie’s gaze.  “It’s always something but Elijah is
very good
at what he does and he hires other people he trusts.” 

He sat beside her.  “How are
you
, Gabriella?” 

“I’m okay.” 

“You’re a
horrible
liar.”  He lifted her fingers and took in the damage to her nails.  “You fought hard.”  She didn’t know what to say.  He lifted silver eyes to stare into hers.  “Thank you.” 

She frowned.  “For splitting everyone’s attention during a crisis and potentially making a bad situation worse?” 

“No.  For
caring
.”  He gathered her close and kissed the top of her head.  “Elijah will be back soon.  He’ll demand you join us and I agree that you must.” 

“He’s going to be angry.” 

“That won’t be his reaction.  Rest.” 

Listening to the beat of his heart, she fell asleep.

Warm hands smoothed along Brie’s face and neck, bringing her out of a bad dream in a wonderfully peaceful way. 

Meeting Elijah’s lovely green eyes, she whispered, “I’m sorry.” 

He shook his head.  “Come, Brie.” 

Bending, he lifted her in his arms and walked out of the safe room to the elevators.  Several armed men accompanied them.  They were clearly hardened fighting men.

“Soldiers?” she asked aloud. 

“Most of Elijah’s team is ex-military,” Harper replied.  “They’re the best at what they do.” 

“I’m glad.”  Meeting the man’s eyes nearest to her, she said, “Thank you for getting there so fast.” 

Surprise crossed his face.  “Of course, ma’am.” 

Three members of the team went room by room in Harper’s apartment while the other half remained with them in the hall. 

“Clear, sir.” 

Elijah nodded.  “Help with containment and bunk downstairs.  We’ll meet in the morning.” 

Without another word, he carried Brie inside. 

“You can take me to my apartment.”  He didn’t respond. 

Walking into a bedroom, he set her down carefully on a platform bed and shrugged off his jacket.  He opened a concealed cabinet and removed a black metal box. 

Resting it on the bed beside her, Brie realized it was a sophisticated medical kit. 

Harper stood in the doorway with his arms crossed.

Removing nail clippers, Elijah carefully trimmed her broken nails.  With a tweezer, he extracted several metal splinters.  When he was satisfied, he cleaned the tips and applied bandages to two that took skin and bled badly when they broke away. 

He unlaced her boots and took them off.  When his hands settled over the closure of her pants, she numbly lifted so he could shimmy them from her lower body. 

Her eyes widened at the heavy bruising and swelling around her knee.  Elijah broke an ice pack and wrapped it there.  Reaching behind her, he pulled a blanket around her shoulders. 

Settling back on his heels, he watched her intently.  Swallowing hard, she asked, “Are either of you h-hurt?” 

“Minor scratches.  Nothing serious.” 

She nodded and exhaled.  “Are you angry?”  He shook his head slowly.  “I didn’t know what was happening.  I reacted badly.”  Scrubbing at the tears that slipped down her cheeks, she added, “I’ll do better.” 

“You do everything
exactly
as you should.” 

He raised himself and put his arms around her.  Cupping the back of her head, he held her as she cried out her stress and fear.  After several minutes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him hard.

“Thank you for being so good at what you do.  I’m really fucking happy you trained Harper.” 

“How do you know I trained him?” 

“You wouldn’t have trusted it to anyone else and he fights like you.”  She inhaled deeply.  “Had I not been acting like those ridiculous women I can’t stand in movies, I’d have registered how fabulously fluid you are when you fight together.  I’ll just point that out now.” 

He chuckled and hugged her harder. 

A while later, she leaned back to look at him.  “I’m glad you’re both safe, that you weren’t hurt.  I want to ask questions but I’m terrified of the answers.”

Elijah used a damp cloth Harper handed him to wipe her face and smoothed her hair behind her ears with his fingers. 

“Most threats are thwarted before they’re carried out.”

“That’s a relief.”  Tilting her head, she frowned.  “Elijah…why were you at the café?  How did you know I was there?” 

“Carlo told me you’d gone for coffee.” 

As understanding dawned, Brie put one hand over her mouth.  “You…you
knew
about the threat and you wasted precious time to get me back to the building.”  Shaking her head, she was suddenly angry.  “You can’t
do
that.  You can’t!” 

“Brie.” 

“Either of you could have been
hurt
or
killed
and it would have been
my fault
.”  She reached out to hold his shoulders.  “Elijah, you can’t
ever
do that again.” 

“We agreed we had to get you,” Harper told her.  “We came in covertly and the team was on their way.  He wanted me in the safe room.  I refused.” 

“Of course you did!  You couldn’t let
him
go out there alone while
you
were safe.  Not after…oh my god.”  She shook her head.  “You can’t let
me
mess up your routine.  I can’t distract you!  Neither of you would
survive
without the other.” 

“Gabriella…” 

“Brie…” 

They addressed her at the same moment but she was shaking again.  “No!  I’m fucking
new
here.  I don’t fucking
count
!” 

Elijah gripped the back of her neck tightly, his gaze intense.  “You fucking count to
me
.”

“I don’t have priority over a relationship that spans
forty years
.  Some woman who’s been around
five minutes
doesn’t get saved first.  Not today, not ever!” 

“She damn well does if you
know
she fucking
loves
you.” 

His kiss shorted out her ability to think.  It was rough, almost savage, and it went on and on.  It blanked out everything but the feel of him, the taste of him. 

When he broke it, she pulled him back in a frenzy and took another.  He gave her exactly what she needed.  He kissed her until her anger and anxiety began to lessen. 

It took a long time. 

Leaning back, he whispered, “A woman has never loved me.” 

She held his face, stroking his cheeks with her thumbs.  Resting her forehead against his, she replied, “You’re a man who’s ridiculously
easy
to love, Elijah.” 

“You’re the only person who’s ever thought so.” 

“That’s not true.  Harper just hides how easy it is to love you.  He doesn’t want to seem weak.” 

“Gabriella.  How the fuck do you
know
so much?” 

Most would have thought he was angry but Brie knew he wasn’t.  All the time she’d spent with Hudson helped her navigate his mannerisms. 

“I’m astute.”  She shrugged lightly.  “One day, you’ll see that.” 

He didn’t answer but she could
feel
his stare. 

Gathering her close, Elijah kissed her head.  “I’m going to feed you.  It helps with the aftershocks.” 

She nodded against him and he lifted her to her feet. 

Wearing a sweater that cleared the top of her ass and fuzzy socks, she cleared her throat in embarrassment. 

“Um, I need to put pants on.” 

Harper raked his eyes down her body and took in her delicate pink boy shorts. “That would be a shame.  Eat,
then
pants.” 

Looking at him, she raised a brow.  “That sounds kind of shady, Harper.” 

He shrugged.  “You have a remarkable ass.  You shouldn’t cover it just yet.  Let me get my pleasures where I can.” 

Laughing, she went to take a step and almost hit the floor.  Elijah caught her.  “Fuck.  Fuck. 
Fuck
.” 

“You banged it pretty bad,” Harper said softly.

“If it wasn’t already
weak
it wouldn’t be a problem.”  She was so angry she wanted to cry. 
Again.
  She growled under her breath, “You start bawling and I
swear to god
, you silly bitch.” 

Gritting her teeth, she straightened and took a deep breath.  “Do you have my stupid fucking cane around here?” 

“I like your feisty side.”  She grunted and Harper winked.  “I particularly enjoyed
kiss my ass, Delkin
…that made me hard.”

“You’re obviously a glutton for punishment.” 

“You have
no
idea.”  Bending, he picked her up and carried her into the dining room.  Setting her on a chair, he explained, “I don’t know what happened to your cane.” 

“I hope it got run over by a bus,” she mumbled. 

Elijah walked in the kitchen and started removing the makings for sandwiches.  “You’ll have another one in the morning.” 

Tilting up her face with the side of his hand, Harper kissed her and she forgot what she was about to say.  She reached for him and held the back of his head. 

A long time later, he lifted his face, changed his mind, and took another kiss.  She moaned softly as her tongue coiled with his.

Eventually, he let her go and stared into her eyes.  “Don’t love me, Gabriella.” 

She sighed.  “I’m doing my best.” 

“Elijah will love you.  You love him.”  She didn’t respond.  “That will be enough.” 

“You really have
no idea
how the human heart works, huh?”  She shook her head.  “Go be stoic, Harper.  I’ll watch.” 

A few minutes later, they joined her at the table with positively enormous sandwiches and drinks.  She stared at the creation for a long time before picking up her knife and cutting it in half, then cutting the half into two equal pieces. 

Pushing her plate across the table, she gestured at it, “I don’t move around much.  I’ll tackle this side.”  Grinning, they each accepted a section.  “This is less overwhelming.” 

She placed her napkin over her lap and Elijah followed the movement with a frown. 

“I have to maintain
manners
at least.”  His eyes flicked up to hers.  “I shall expose myself the moment I’m done.” 

“We don’t eat with women.”  The statement from Harper surprised her. 

“At all?”  She tilted her head when he shook his head.  “How the hell have you managed to avoid it?”

“They aren’t here long.”  He lifted his glass of wine. 

She burst out laughing before she could stop herself.  “Well, that’s one way.  Do you keep little snacks they can take with them?”  She winked.  “I imagine they must not have much strength left when you shuttle them out the door.” 

Watching the infamously stern Harper Delkin snarf white wine was one of the best experiences of her life. 

Elijah grinned at her.  “I never considered snacks.” 

“You need granola bars, dried fruit, and juice boxes for nutrient replenishment.  Maybe those packets you get on flights.  Hope you enjoyed your trip, have some pretzels.” 

Both men laughed and it was incredible. 

“Okay, I’ll stop or you’ll never get to eat.  I’m the worst choice for your first female dinner guest.” 

“You’re the best choice,” Elijah said.  “You have a gorgeous laugh.” 

“So do you.” 

They focused on their food and she managed to squash the sandwich to a size that fit in her mouth. 

When she was done, they took her plate.  Harper frowned at her wine glass.  “You don’t drink?” 

“Are you kidding?  My share of the umbrella corporation is a winery and distribution facility.”  She inhaled the scent of the wine and her lips parted in surprise.  Taking a small sip, she confirmed.  “This is one of mine.”

“Yes.  You make some of the best wines in the United States.”

Sighing sadly, she said, “I can’t drink yet.  Too many meds.” 

“Ah, I forgot.”  He reached to take the glass and she held it with a small dog bark that made him laugh. 

“I’ll just
smell
it.”  Bracing his hand on the table and the back of her chair, he stared into her face.  “Relaxation looks good on you, Harper.” 

He whisked away the cloth in her lap.  “That napkin did
not
look good on you.” 

She rolled her eyes dramatically.  “It was
so
last year’s fashion anyway.  The in-crowd prefers hemp napkins handwoven by arthritic natives.”

“Your imagination and quick wit are fascinating.” 

“Thanks.” 

“I want to fuck you.” 

She fluttered her hand.  “You say that to all the girls.” 

“Tell me about your time with the couple.” 

“No actual sex.  Well,
they
had sex.” 

Harper’s eyes darkened.  “You didn’t fuck them.” 

“Not technically.  I received mad orgasms and they took care of each other.  They took requests.” 

“You
told them
what you wanted them to do?” 

“Mm hmm.  In detail.”  Her smile was slow.  “I rather enjoyed the picture they presented and had to sketch it.  They’re
outstanding
at following directions.”