Chapter 47

Hope's cell rang at 8 a.m. and woke her. She couldn't believe she'd slept this late, though she'd been awake until well after four mulling things over in her head. She'd made the right choice. The threat to Aaron from Leech and the potential for pain meant getting emotionally involved wasn't worth the risk.

It was safer to be alone, and she was used to it.

She checked the screen. Answered groggily. "ADA Harper."

It was the clerk from the courthouse. "Judge Penton wants to see you in chambers this morning."

"On a Saturday?" She pushed herself upright and realized she was completely naked except for the scrape of a beard across the top of her breast.

A lump formed in her throat, but she forced it down. She'd pushed Aaron away, and he'd gone. No surprise there. She excelled at pushing people away. And the fact his lashing out at her had hurt so much was another indicator she'd done the right thing. They'd already managed to damage one another. Why risk more?

"Ten-thirty a.m."

It was highly unusual to receive a summons on the weekend. "Can I ask what this is about?"

"In her chambers. Ten-thirty. Don't be late."

He hung up, and she sagged against the pillows. "Dammit."

Perhaps it was to do with Jeff Beasley's death and the trial. Perhaps Jason Swann had taken a plea deal? She texted Colin to tell him to meet her there. She hoped he wasn't hungover or with someone. Next, she texted Aaron, ignoring the fact he would still be pissed with her. This was work, and he was the one who'd insisted on accompanying her everywhere. And, until Leech was caught, and Aaron went home, they were stuck together. They had to figure out a way to work with one another because no way was she going into protective custody. Not now, not ever. Nor was she jeopardizing Aaron's career.

She pulled on plaid pajamas and her coziest dressing gown and, ignoring the fact she probably looked like crap, headed down to put on the coffee.

The man on her couch wasn't Aaron Nash. It was Lincoln Frazer. And her cat was curled up on top of the legendary profiler, purring like a Ferrari.

He cracked an eyelid. "Morning already?"

"Apparently." She raised a brow, wondering why she wasn't more surprised. "What time did you arrive?"

He grunted. He was not a morning person, apparently.

She headed into the kitchen and put on the coffee. Her new role in life was coffee girl, but as long as she got the first cup she wouldn't complain.

Frazer had swung his legs down and was sitting up when she leaned on the door jamb and watched him.

"What are you doing here, Linc?"

"It seemed easier to crash here than go back to the Hayes's after visiting the hospital last night."

She frowned and went to stand opposite him. "Hospital?"

He widened his eyes. "You haven't heard?"

Everything inside her knotted.

"I assumed someone would have texted you about it."

She gripped her hands together. "About what?"

"Aaron getting shot last night."

Her legs went from under her, and her vision tunneled. The pain in her body was surely her ribs caving in.

"He's okay," Frazer assured her.

She closed her eyes and slumped back in the chair. "You should have led with that."

"He's fine. Bullet hit him in the chest, but he was wearing a ballistics vest?—"

She drew in a ragged breath. If he hadn't been wearing body armor, he'd have been dead. That's what Lincoln had just told her. A few hours after leaving her bed, he had almost died, and she hadn't even realized. And nobody had bothered to tell her.

Her mouth tasted like ashes. "Who shot him?"

Frazer shook his head. "We don't know."

"I don't understand. How did this happen? I thought he was asleep in the next room." She hadn't heard him leave.

Frazer gave her a long look, and she wondered what Aaron had told him or what this astute man had guessed.

"For some reason, Nash decided to go for a run in the middle of the night and ended up outside Leech's mansion. He spotted a light inside and he, along with the FBI agent supposedly watching the premises, plus Will Griffin, entered to find a man in Leech's bedroom performing some weird ritual."

"Was it Leech? Or Delaware?"

Frazer shrugged. "We really don't know, and the chances of finding out now are pretty slim."

She frowned. "I don't understand. Why not?"

"Because Leech's thirty-million-dollar mansion went up in flames last night—from a fire caused by burning candles that surrounded a photoshopped poster of you doing impossible things on the back of a Harley, nude—or so I'm told. By the time I arrived the top two floors were engulfed, and the FBI agents barely made it out alive."

Aaron.

Griffin.

Hope sat stunned. The horror that overwhelmed her felt eerily reminiscent of losing Danny all over again. Even though Aaron was okay, had in fact cheated death twice last night by the sounds of it, the feeling of grief almost bowled her over.

That he hadn't texted her or knocked on her door to tell her he was okay hurt too. She'd done such a great job of pushing him away that it probably hadn't even crossed his mind. She was well and truly on her own again.

And she didn't like it.

She really didn't like it.

She'd have to get used to it again. Anguish filled her at the thought.

"Thank God he was wearing a vest," she managed.

"He wouldn't be here if he hadn't been. His ribs are bruised, but nothing's broken. He's one very lucky man. He's upstairs sleeping."

She wanted to run up and see for herself that he was okay and to demand that he never put himself in jeopardy again… But this was his job. Jeopardy. Danger. Hazard. These were the things he lived for. He'd probably raced into that burning building without a thought.

Worse, he'd probably enjoyed it.

Frazer left her and returned a few moments later with a steaming mug of coffee and pressed it into her hands. "I'll take him up a cup unless you want to?"

"You do it." Her voice cracked.

She swore she spotted disappointment on his face before he turned away.

Hope knew if she saw Aaron she'd break down and beg him never to do anything like that ever again. Which was bullshit. This was what he was trained for. This was what he loved.

She'd barely survived losing Danny. She didn't think she'd be able to deal with the constant fear and dread every time Aaron walked out the door.

The man deserved someone capable of living with that constant risk. Someone who held their heart out like a gift to him and promised to cherish his in return. She'd made a vow like that before, but death had broken it. She couldn't do it again. She couldn't take that risk. It hurt too much when you were left behind.