Stars Over Alaska (Wild River #4) - Jennifer Snow Page 0,95
from Eddie’s desk, exhaustion catching up to him. He’d left base camp and hiked to the Florida station ten miles away, where he’d gotten a ride to the airport. He’d been prepared to pay anything for a last-minute flight back to Anchorage and the entire eight-hour flight, he’d been on edge. Desperate to get back, hating to be out of range, out of contact.
Now maybe Eddie was right. It could have been an insane overreaction.
“So, she was at the cabin these last few days?” Eddie asked, leaning back in his chair.
“Yeah. Listen, I’m sorry, man. She didn’t want me to tell anyone. She thought maybe your family might have a difference of opinion on how she was handling things.” He ran a hand over his scruffy beard.
“She’s not wrong,” Eddie said, then he frowned. “So, were you done in Florida?”
Levi shifted in the chair. “Not exactly.” And if Leslie was fine and just ignoring them the way Eddie thought, his rushing back there, following a gut instinct, was enough for him to maybe hand over his position to Chad. He’d made a judgment call that he never would have made for any other reason, for any other person.
“But you came back early?”
“Yep.” This would be an amazing time for that Forrester guy to be around. Levi’s actions would have highlighted his point exactly. The woman he loved might have needed him and that had taken priority.
“Because you thought Leslie might be in trouble?”
“Yep.”
The knowing look on Eddie’s face told Levi it was time to go before this conversation took a different turn. He stood.
“Are we going to talk about that or...?”
“I’d rather not,” Levi said, heading toward the office door. “Keep trying her and I’ll let you know if I hear anything.” Right now he needed a shower and a nap and time to reevaluate his priorities. The last week he’d taken far too many chances with his career and while he’d give up anything and everything to be with Leslie, he had to start facing reality—a future with her might not be in the cards and he had to salvage what he did have left.
“Sounds good, man. Take care,” Eddie said.
“Hey, Eddie...call for you on line two,” said Jan, the department receptionist, paging his office.
“Do you know who it is?” Eddie asked as he nodded his goodbye to Levi and reached for the landline on his desk.
“I think it’s your sister,” Jan said.
Eddie sat forward and Levi paused in the doorway. “Katherine?”
“Leslie,” Jan said.
* * *
IT WAS ALMOST forty hours since he’d last slept, but the adrenaline pumping through Levi’s body as he paced the station had him wide awake.
“They’re here,” Eddie said, tapping him on the shoulder as the station doors opened and the highway troopers led Selena’s stalker in through the doors, his hands in cuffs behind his back. Eoghan. Leslie’s co-worker. Another agent. She’d been right about it being an inside job and not trusting anyone. Unfortunately, she’d trusted the wrong guy.
Six-foot-two and at least two hundred pounds, the guy’s long hair blocked the view of his face as he kept his head down, shuffling his feet as he passed Levi in the hallway.
Son of a bitch. Levi’s hands clenched at his sides. Resisting the temptation to knock the guy out took everything he had. And several officers watching him.
If this man touched one hair on Leslie’s head...one hair on Selena’s head...
But when the door opened again and Leslie entered, all anger disappeared, replaced only by relief. She was okay. They were okay.
Only her face wasn’t okay. Deep bruising around her right eye and cheekbone, swelling that made one side of her face balloon had Levi’s heart racing and he turned to head back toward Eoghan.
Eddie intercepted. “Hey, it’s okay. He’ll get what he deserves. Channel your energy where it matters most,” he said quietly, nodding toward Leslie and Selena walking their way.
Levi took a breath. “Yeah. You’re right.”
“Hey, sis...looking good,” Eddie said, as the two women reached them, but even Levi could detect the note of concern in his teasing as he pulled Leslie in for a hug. “You good?” he heard the other guy whisper.
“Yeah,” Leslie said. “Fine.”
Her voice was steady and strong. No sign of fear or anguish. Forever the professional badass, she would never let on if this experience had shaken her.
When she pulled back and her gaze met Levi’s, she looked happy to see him but also slightly confused. “Weren’t you...?”
“I came back,” he said awkwardly, staring at his feet.