But not before he saw tears in her eyes.
Hunter hated seeing his wife, so assertive and sexy, looking ready to crumble. Once he figured out who the motherfucker responsible for this threat was, he’d be lucky to live long enough to take a last breath.
She exhaled on a shaky sigh. “But without all that, I can’t hope to have anyone arrested or brought to trial so I can have my life back. Damn it, I’ve never been helpless, and I won’t start now.”
So fiercely independent. No doubt, she was going to keep his life interesting for the next fifty years.
He grabbed her hand, squeezed. “You’re not. Far from it.”
Kata scoffed. “Look at me. I’m shaking and confused. I don’t know what to do next. I have to figure this out quickly.”
“Have any interest in lying down and dying?”
She gaped at him as if he’d lost his mind. “Hell, no!”
“Good girl. Some people crack and, not knowing how to deal, they give up and wait for the inevitable.”
“It’s not inevitable.”
Hunter smiled. It was good to see her moxie again.
“If you fight, it’s not. You, honey, are a fighter. I needed you to realize that for yourself. I knew it because you fended off a professional today, got a jump on him. I’m proud as hell.”
A smile crept across her mouth before it fell again. “But other than fighting constantly, I don’t know any way of dealing with this ... prick who wants to kill me.”
“Deke and his business partner, Jack, will help us dig until we figure out who’s behind this. Until we have more information, I don’t want to trust any of the cops you know. I’ll bet some of them were on duty when your attacker was processed today. And he was murdered. Until we know what’s going on, let’s not involve anyone else.”
“But they’re my friends. They would never—”
“Are you willing to bet your life on that?”
Kata hesitated, chewed on her bottom lip. “No, but why should I trust Deke and Jack?”
“Because they’re the best.” Hunter reached across the cab and grabbed her hand. “Honey, once we figure out who’s behind all this, we’ll have to act. As long as we wait for this guy to make all the moves, we’re at his mercy. Once we figure out who’s behind this, we’ll take the fight to him, dictate the terms and the tempo, keep him guessing and off guard. He’ll get sloppy, make mistakes. We’ll be waiting.”
“The best defense is a good offense?”
“Exactly. Are you up for it?”
“I don’t have a choice.”
She didn’t, and Hunter was proud of her for facing it. A professional hit would send most women into a panicked frenzy. But Kata had done her best to remain calm. She’d acknowledged her shortcomings in tracking down a killer and listened to logic. Even at her most vulnerable, she’d refused to give up the fight.
Hunter damn sure wasn’t giving up—on keeping her safe or preserving their marriage. He hadn’t chased Kata this far to let her slip through his fingers. He tightened his grip on the wheel. Kata scooted across the bucket seat, closer, then leaned her head on his shoulder. As he wrapped his arm around her, she curled herself even tighter around his heart. This woman was meant for him. Damn. Less than a week—that’s all the time he had to save her life and make her fall in love with him. Failure wasn’t an option.
Chapter Eight
IT was damn near midnight when Hunter parked Tyler’s truck in front of Logan’s condo on the northeast side of Dallas. Long f**king day after such an eventful night, but he could go many hours without sleep. Days, if he had to.
Hunter looked over at Kata, snuggled against his side, sleeping peacefully with her head on his shoulder. He didn’t like the smudges under her eyes or that she’d refused dinner when they’d stopped on the road. During the drive, she’d said almost nothing.
He’d refused to let her use her cell phone to contact her family, especially to say where she was going and who she was with. After he’d explained that her phone could be monitored, Kata had been frustrated but resigned. She’d used a pay phone to call Mari and assure her that, despite whatever the evening news said, she was just fine, and to let their mother know. Then Kata had called her boss to arrange a week off. Back in the truck, she’d curled her knees to her chest and stared out the windshield, looking shell-shocked. Damn, he’d do anything to wipe that expression off her face. When he caught the son of a bitch threatening her, he’d force-feed the bastard his own balls.
But first Hunter had to take care of his wife.
Gently, he shook her awake. “We’re here, honey.”
“Hmm.” Her lashes fluttered. Her lips parted.