Page 24 of Flynn
“I admire your fearlessness, and in any other matter, I would applaud it, but this is not one of those cases. Drop the damn case; nothing is worth losing your life over.”
“I will not drop it, and you cannot tell me what to do.”
Flynn stared at her, and the urge to shake some sense into her was so fierce that he actually found himself reaching out with his hands toward her.
“You are pregnant.” He reminded her tersely.
“I am well aware of my condition.” She pointed out coolly. “I am not some doddering old woman who has to be led around by her walker. I have been doing this for several years now, and I am not going to let some sick bastard make me afraid to do my job.”
Flynn stared at her and realized that he did not like this side of her. She was stubborn, and from the determined set of her chin, he knew she would not listen to a word he had to say.
“Ryleigh-” The sound of her name in his deep voice had her staring at him, startled. “I do not doubt your expertise or ability for your chosen career. All I am saying is that you lay off this case. In my experience, men like Daley will get what’s coming soon enough.”
“And in the meantime, I am supposed to sit back and wait for that to happen?”
“Yes,” he told her. “If you persist in this vendetta-”
“Vendetta!?” She cried. “I am an officer of the law-”
“And there are limits to what you can do.” He snapped, suddenly frustrated at her tunnel vision. “How many times have you gone up against that bastard?”
“It doesn’t matter,” she muttered.
“I think it does. He has unlimited resources-”
“No one has unlimited resources, not even you.”
She got a baleful look for her response.
“He has resources from his ill-gotten gains, ones he is not afraid to use. I read that the last witness had to go to the hospital and refused to testify.”
“He was lying about his condition,” she said darkly. “I wish I could haul him up on charges of perjury.”
“But you have not been able to do so.” He sighed. “Let it go.”
“No.”
The single word pushed him to the limit and had him hauling her up against him, his fingers biting into her arms. “What are you doing?” She screeched.
“Trying to drill some sense into you.” he gritted. “You are carrying my heir-”
“Let go of me.” She started pushing at him, but a pitiful effort made her angry.
“You are carrying my heir, and for that, I am invested in keeping you safe.”His eyes glittered at her. “If you cannot see what you are up against, it is dangerous, and I will have to do something about it.”
Her eyes glowered. “Like what? Locking me in my room?”
“If it comes to that, yes. You have no idea what you're up against.” Suddenly, the atmosphere changed and became charged. Both of them felt the shift simultaneously. His expression altered and became more intense, his glittering eyes landing on her completely seductively parted lips.
“No.” She whispered, fingers curling into the silk of his sweater.
“Yes.” He mouthed the one word, his body hardening, head bending to hers. She should have resisted.
Later, she would tell herself that she had no choice, that she was too weak from the afternoon sickness, that his nearness, the spiciness of his expensive cologne, and the appeal of his hard, handsome face was a combination that had her lifting her head and parting her lips as his head descended.
Not to mention the intoxicating feel of his breath on her face. Uncurling her fingers, she slid them around his neck, her body pressing against his.
Flynn considered letting go of her for a few seconds, telling himself that this was an awful idea, a mistake, and that he should run in the opposite direction.