Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“This is Juric. Was this the guy?”
I shook my head.
“You’re sure? If his hair was shorter and lighter, could this be him?”
“No.”
Jason’s disappointment was clear. He wanted it to be, and I did, too. I’d like nothing more than to bash Juric in the head with a frying pan and end all this.
“I told you it wasn’t,” Shawn commented quietly.
Jason shot his brother a glare before turning his focus back to me. “I need to know everything you can tell me about your attacker,” he said. “Had you seen him before?”
“No. He was young and short. Dark brown hair.” I tried to remember what I could. It felt like a blur. “Uh, green shirt and black jeans.”
“Eye color? Build?” Jason’s gaze went from me, to Shawn, and back again.
“I don’t remember his eye color. He was small, kind of skinny. He spoke English like it was a second language.”
“What kind of accent?”
“Italian, maybe?”
Shawn retrieved his wine glass and sat on the bed. It felt like he was considering Jason’s questions but was studying me even more.
“Did you see any tattoos or scars?”
I frowned, wishing I had more to give him. “He looked pretty ordinary.”
“What about the knife, what kind was it?”
“It was long, with a black handle,” I said hesitantly. “And it was sharp.”
Jason didn’t react, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw Shawn turn away and take a long sip like he was uneasy.
“What about you?” Jason’s question was directed at his brother, and there was a distinct tone to it, like he’d just barely left the word “asshole” off the end of it.
“That sounds right.” Shawn’s voice was less confident than normal.
The conversation went right back into German, and I couldn’t take it anymore. “English!”
“He wants to know,” Shawn sounded bitter, “why I can’t remember any details.”
I swallowed a breath. “It happened fast.”
His focus returned to his brother. “When I came out, blood was pouring down her neck, and I thought she was dying. So, no. I don’t remember what he looked like or the knife.” His gaze swung to me. “I remember that you put him face down on the floor, when I should have been the one to do that.” His expression made it hard to breathe. “All I remember is that he hurt you and I failed.”
Shawn liked his control, which probably meant he couldn’t tolerate feeling helpless.
Yes, I’d been the one to strike the man down, but I wouldn’t have been able to do that without Shawn’s distraction. Why on earth did he think he’d failed?
“Shawn, no,” I said softly. “You didn’t fail.”
I wanted to go to him, but the intense look on Jason’s face and his previous angry tone echoed in my ears, keeping me motionless. My statement hung in the room.
“Tell us what to do,” Shawn asked his brother. “Should we stay here or get out of the city?”
“She should stay put for now. Moving might draw attention. I’m working on a secure location and how to get her there.” He motioned to the hulking stranger standing closest to him. “Kara, this is Markus, your primary.” The man nodded an acknowledgment, his professional face unchanged. Jason then motioned to the other. “Alex will be your secondary. You won’t notice him much, but that’s because he’s good.”
Alex had a pleasant European face that could pass for German. Or French. Or a half-dozen other nationalities. It made sense that he could blend, at least physically.
Jason produced another phone from his pocket, this one smaller than the other, and passed it to me. “Here’s a burner phone. My number and L’s are programmed already. Don’t use it unless you need to, though.”
“Okay.” I clutched it tightly. “Thank you, Jason.”
He nodded and his attention turned to his brother so he could deliver more German that sounded angry. Shawn said nothing, his expression set as he was reamed out.
Jason didn’t stay long after that, stating he wanted to get back to Laurel. The security guards he’d brought exited with him. Alex, I was told, would be in the lobby while Markus patrolled the hallway outside.
Tension compressed every inch of the room once Shawn and I were alone again.
“Let’s order dinner,” he said finally, not meeting my gaze. He flipped open the menu, but I stalked toward him, stilling his hands.
“What did he say that freaked you out?”
He gently brushed off my grip and stared at the menu like it had Juric’s location written on it. “Nothing.”
A bald-faced lie, and after what we’d done, it hurt. “Unbelievable.”
He finally lifted his gaze to me. “He told me that the water damage in the corporate room had spread to the one next door.”
He was speaking English, but I didn’t understand. “Explain.”
“The Palace Hotel had a plumbing issue, and water damaged the Osterhägen corporate room. It’s unsuitable for use until it’s repaired.”