Page 84 of Blood Money

“And there wasn’t any bloodshed?” Alex cracked a smile, imagining her friend’s restraint. Daisy had never been one to hold back when she got riled up. “I’m surprised she would even talk to him after what happened.”

Gray laughed, then coughed, a reminder that he, too, had suffered smoke inhalation in the warehouse. “Maybe talk is too mild a word. According to Dom, when Daisy opened her door and saw him standing there, she tried slamming it in his face. His boot took the brunt of the blow. When he got inside, Daisy slapped him.”

Alex’s snort of laughter morphed into a cough. Gray touched his fingers to her face, and she leaned into his hand, amazed at how someone with so much strength could be so incredibly gentle. “You’re not kidding. She really hit him?”

Gray nodded. “Twice.”

“What did Dom do?”

Gray shrugged. “Stood there and took it. What else could he do? Then she kicked him right back out the door.”

“Those two are like oil and water,” Alex whispered, finding it easier than full-out talking.

Gray glanced at her then braked for a pedestrian crossing against the light. “Sometimes opposites attract.”

“Maybe.” She angled to face him. “But I don’t think Daisy will ever forgive him for running out on her like that.”

Gray sent her a meaningful look. “She should give him time.”

Alex shook her head. “Patience is not her strong suit.”

They drove the next few minutes in silence. Alex rested her head on Gray’s shoulder as much as the seat belt allowed. His arm came around her shoulders, and she uttered a contented sigh.

At the hospital, she’d given a brief statement to Gray, Dom, and Lt. Frye about what happened in the barn, but Gray cut the interrogation short. A formal briefing was scheduled for the day after tomorrow, giving both of them time to recover and hopefully to pick up Nicky in Hopewell Springs.

Dom felt confident that since working alone was an unspoken Pyramid code to safeguard their identities, the chances of another assassin even knowing about her were virtually non-existent.

Alex’s lids began to close. So much to think about.

The sound of a door shutting startled her awake. Until that moment she hadn’t realized she’d nodded off. She looked around, disoriented at first, then glimpsed the front of her apartment building. Gray opened her door and leaned in to undo her seat belt. When her feet hit the sidewalk her legs nearly buckled beneath her. The next thing she knew she was in Gray’s arms. He kicked the car door shut, locked it with the key fob, then carried her up the steps to her building.

Once inside her apartment, he put her down gently. With her arms still linked around his neck, she pressed against him and pulled his head down for a kiss. “Thank you for saving my life.”

When he kissed her again, his lips were light as a feather. Butterflies tingled in her belly, and all she wanted was to be naked with him and have his hands stroking her skin. His lips, mouth, and tongue on her breasts. To feel him moving inside her, their bodies linked in the most intimate way. She felt him grow hard against her thigh.

He unclasped her hands from his neck. “I need to check your apartment. After that, we both need a shower.”

“My thoughts exactly.” Alex smiled, trying to give Gray her best come-hither look.

“A shower.” He dropped a kiss on the forehead. “Then a quick bite if you’re up for it. After that, straight to bed.”

She grinned then rubbed her hips against his hardening erection. “You are so reading my mind.”

With a groan, he extricated himself from her grasp and headed down the hallway to her bedroom.

Alex wasn’t surprised that her siren act wasn’t working. They’d both been through a lot over the last couple of days, and she understood that Gray wanted her to rest more before exerting herself. Although making love with him was the best medicine she could think of.

With a raspy sigh, she glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. Four p.m. She’d been dying to speak with Nicky before bedtime, just to hear his voice and reassure herself that he was okay, but Mike had taken him and Raven to a park to throw a Frisbee. Tomorrow evening would come soon enough, when they would drive upstate to bring him home. Besides, she needed to be alone with Gray tonight. There was so much she had to tell him. Like the real reason Fatima had targeted her.

Jan.

Fatima mistakenly assumed that if all else failed, Alex would cooperate with the Pyramid in order to keep Nicky’s location a secret from Jan. Alex fervently hoped that since Fatima was dead, she wouldn’t have to worry about that any longer. Lord knew she had so many other things hanging over her head. First and foremost, it was way past time to come clean about Nicky’s father. She owed Gray that and so much more. He’d just saved her life.

She clasped both hands to her cheeks. What will he say when I tell him everything? Regardless of what he might say, she had to tell him. Tonight.

With a sinking feeling, Alex went into the kitchen and grabbed a garbage bag from the cabinet under the sink. She shucked off her shoes and socks then shrugged out of her coat and dropped everything into the bag. Then she stripped down and tossed in her remaining garments. After tying the bag closed she looked up to find Gray watching her. His gaze traveled slowly down her body then up again.

When he came to her, there was a feral, predatory glint shimmering in his eyes. His jaw clenched, and he held out his hand. Alex took it and let him lead her into the bathroom. He turned on the shower, and she watched with greedy eyes as he stripped down. At the sight of his rock-hard erection, she grinned. Now it was her turn to reach out and take him in her hand.