Gunner’s gaze sharpened. “She knew nothing. That should have protected her.” His eyes shifted to Yardley, his expression softening. “I had no idea that you would look for me.”
“Then you don’t know Yard.” Kye surged to his feet, tempted to block his view of her with his body. The urge was primitive. “When Yard wants something she goes after it. Nothing gets in her way.”
Her back came away from the wall. “Still here. Talk to me, dammit.”
David spared her a half smile. “What’s why I took her at her word when I asked her to come with me—”
“—You did that?” Kye couldn’t keep the surprise out of his tone. His gaze moved from the bed to Yardley, who refused to meet his eye. “You asked her to go into hiding with you? What did she say?”
“That’s enough!” Yardley swung away from the wall and faced Kye. The look in her eyes had backed down men twice her size. “What I said is none of your damn business, McGarren. You’re sticking your nose in where it doesn’t belong. You think it hurts now? Do it again.”
Kye almost smiled. The old Yard was back online. She’d been so subdued since he’d packed Purdy in the closet, he was beginning to wonder if she was afraid of him. She only knew the laid-back happy-go-lucky Kye. She’d never met him on the job.
“He has a right to know, Yardley.” David shifted his gaze left to Kye. “I never got that far. My time ran out. The feds picked me up and took me into protective custody the next day.” His gaze softened when Yardley turned toward the bed. “You’ll never know how sorry I am I didn’t just ask you then and there.”
Kye’s stomach muscles contracted, hard, as he wondered what her answer would have been. He turned to her, hoping and fearing the answer was written in her expression now.
Her expression said Go to hell. But that was okay. She hadn’t jumped in to say she would have gone with the doc. Kye let out a slow breath in relief.
Yardley moved to the bed and brushed the hair back from David’s brow. “You’re exhausted. We’ll talk later, privately. Right now, we have decisions to make.”
Kye realized the conversation had just moved on without him. He was the third wheel in a lovers’ quarrel. Something hard and heavy was solidifying in his chest. He’d been outmaneuvered. It sparked his competitive spirit.
He lifted Lily from his lap and approached the bed. Oleg turned to face him, ever on the alert.
Kye didn’t as much as glance at him. “Great plan, Gunnar. But you didn’t stop to think that maybe the bad guys already knew about Yard because she was looking for you. Maybe they’ve been watching her all along, waiting for her to uncover your whereabouts? Perhaps her inquiries were what was protecting her? They couldn’t do anything to her without bringing the feds down on them.”
David rallied, anger shining in his feverish eyes. “Easy for you to say. I didn’t know who to trust. That’s why I came myself.”
Abandoning Lily, Kye leaned his fists on the bed and said in a low but menacing voice, “Right now I’m all that’s standing between you and Yard, and some very bad people. That’s why you’re going to trust me.”
Yardley turned her head to glare at him over her shoulder. But he noticed something else in her eyes, a dark tide of fear rising. It acted like a splash of ice water over him. He didn’t want her frightened. He wanted her safe.
He stood up and focused on his would-be rival. He was sweating, feverish, and clearly in pain. He felt the urge to lay a reassuring hand on the man himself. Getting him medical help had just become goal numero uno.
“I’m calling the sheriff. And I don’t give a flying fuck who in this room thinks that’s a bad idea. Purdy didn’t know we were on to him. But he might have called for backup after he lost Gunnar. That person will come looking for Purdy if he doesn’t hear from him.”
Yardley nodded. “I agree. We need to do something with Purdy and I don’t need to tell a doctor that he’s in need of medical attention.”
David didn’t argue, just stared at Yardley in a way that made Kye want to smash his face.
Instead, Kye turned and walked out.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Yardley followed Kye out into the living room. He was pacing with Lily right by his side, who was taking hurried steps to keep up with his long stride. He looked awful. Blood still dribbled from one nostril. His face was swollen and red in places. His eyes were bloodshot. And his poor nose. It hurt to look at it. He needed medical attention, too. This was her fault. She should never have let him cross her threshold yesterday.
He glanced at her, looked as if he was about to say something, thought better of it, and continued pacing.
“I know you’re upset, Kye.”