If You Know Her: A Novel of Romantic Suspense

sweetheart. Not happening.”
    She narrowed her eyes at him. That was all the warning he got—and fortunately, it was about all the warning he needed.
    She ended up stretched out under him on the floor, their bodies wedged between the coffee table and the couch. Her eyes snapping, her mouth twisted in a snarl, she glared at him. “Get
off
,” she ordered, bucking against him.
    “Why, so you can take off into the woods again andmaybe this time do something that really pisses the killer off so he comes after
you
?”
    She bucked under him once more.
    He pressed his hips against her, used his weight to keep her trapped.
    “You son of a bitch.” She twisted against his hold and the fury in her eyes gave way to heartbreak. “Damn it, I can’t
not
do something.”
    His own heart ached—damn near shattered as tears glittered in her eyes. Lowering his head, he pressed his lips to her cheek, caught a tear. “I’m not asking you to not do anything … I just don’t want you running off blind. I want you
safe
, Nia. Hell, I
need
that. I need you …”
    I need you …
    The words hung between them, but he didn’t take them back. Didn’t try to explain them away. He did need her. He couldn’t explain how it had happened this fast for him, couldn’t explain just what
this
was … he just knew from the time he’d laid eyes on her, he’d felt something, and it had been growing ever since then.
    “You can’t need me,” Nia said, her voice quiet, sad. “You don’t even know me.”
    His mouth twisted in a bittersweet smile. “You can’t tell me what I need, what I don’t need, baby. That’s kind of up to me.” He eased the grip he held on her wrists, fully prepared for her to try to slip away.
    But all she did was ball up her fists, press them against his chest. Her head turned to the side and she blew out a breath.
    “What do you want from me, damn it? I can’t just ignore this,” she said, closing her eyes.
    “Not asking you to.” He caught one wrist, lifted it to his mouth and pressed his lips to the reddened flesh there. “I’m sorry.”
    “You haven’t answered me.”
    “I’m going to call Ezra, have him come over. We talk to him, see what he says.” He kissed her other wrist, wincing as he saw the angry red marks left by his grip. Damn it. He wasn’t sorry he hadn’t let her take off blindly, but he didn’t like seeing that he’d left marks on her either.
    Easing back, he watched her face, wondered if he’d torn what he was just now realizing he needed from her.
    She sat up and he reached up, stroked a hand down her face. She stared at him, scowling. “I ought to deck you,” she muttered. But she turned her face into his hand, rubbed her cheek against him. “Jerk. Most of the guys I know can’t take me down that fast.”
    Law grimaced. “I … shit. I can’t even say I’m sorry straight up, because if you try to make for the door, I’ll do it again. But I didn’t mean to leave a mark on you. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
    “You didn’t.” Nia sighed and glanced at her wrists, flexed her fingers. “I just bruise easy. Only thing hurt is my pride. And I still ought to deck you. But I suspect you could stop me pretty damn easy.”
    “I won’t.”
    She rolled her eyes. “It’s no fun if you
let
me.” Then she scooted back and stood.
    Law remained alert, ready to grab her again. She wasn’t running off on him, damn it. He didn’t care if he had to tie her to a damn chair. But all she did was settle down on the couch, eyeing the map with a sidelong look. “Fine. Call Ezra.”
    “Ah … okay.” He tugged his phone from his pocket.
    “Wait.”
    Lifting his gaze, he looked at Nia. Her golden eyes rested on his face, direct and serious. “If he brushes this off, I’m going back out there. I don’t care if you go with me or not, but you can’t stop me. You know that.”
    “Yeah.” Law grimaced. “I know that. And you can bet your ass I’m going.”
    “I said,
not
today,” Ezra repeated over Law’s insistent voice.
    “Damn it, Ezra, would you just listen—”
    “You need to listen,” Ezra snapped. “Look, it’s getting late and it gets dark damn early in those trees. Plus, I don’t plan on traipsing around in there and leaving Lena alone.
Not
today. Come over tomorrow—I’ll take a fucking personal day. I’ll call Remy, see if he can do the same—he’s one person I know
isn’t
involved in anything like this. He can stay with Lena. He and