Under Pressure [IAD Agency] (Siren Publishing Classic)

clear voice, Jason held her gaze. “Baby, listen to me. Nothing, I mean nothing is going to happen to you. I’m going to keep you safe, I promise you.”
    Bella nodded again, trying to keep the panic from settling in. She tried to speak, but nothing would come out. She cleared her throat then tried again. “So he found me. Won’t that make it easier to catch him?”
    Jason’s eyes flashed with feral satisfaction as he told her yes.
    “Oh yeah, hon, we will definitely find this fucker,” Tony swore. Sal grunted in agreement.
    Jason continued speaking directly to Bella, his voice calm and gentle. “There was a newspaper clipping in the card. It was a picture of you and Liz at the benefit last week. That’s how he found you. But forget that because I won’t let him touch you. Now that we know he is here, I will find him.”
    “We. We will find him,” Tony stressed, his voice tight with anger.
    Jason continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “Until he’s caught, we treat everything as a potential threat. That means you have to listen to me. You have to trust me to make the necessary measures to ensure your safety. You understand that, don’t you, sweetheart?”
    Bella swallowed then nodded her head again. Jason gently wiped the tear that Bella didn’t feel running down her cheek with his thumb. He leaned forward and brushed his lips softly across hers. She heard her brothers grumbling beside her and was surprised that she had the urge to laugh. How she could find anything funny when someone was out there trying to kill her was beyond her understanding. Nothing made sense anymore.
    Jason pulled back. “Finn is going to watch Liz for the time being.” Looking over at Sal, he promised. “I sent Adrian and Rock over to your parents’ place. They’ll watch over them at the house. They’ll be safe. I’m calling in a team.”
    Sal nodded in agreement. A thousand different thoughts bombarded her head while Bella fought to keep calm.
    Wait, what did he say? “A team? A team for what?”
    The men continued to plan as if they hadn’t heard her. Good God, did he mean more agents? How could Jason possibly call in a team to handle something like this when there were other more important matters for them to handle? She should say something…but nothing came to mind.
    Her brothers and Jason were speaking in terms she couldn’t understand. The men were speaking rapidly about protocol and security measures so fast she couldn’t keep up. She gave up and focused her attention on the man squatting in front of her. Jason’s neck was corded as he clenched his jaw with anger. Every muscle in his body was tight, but his hand remained gentle on hers. This man would protect her. But who would protect her from falling completely in love with him?
    Jason broke off from the conversation he was having with her brothers, turning his full attention back to her. The impact of his gaze hit her full force, comforting her. His fingertips brushed down her cheek as soft as butterfly wings. “You are the most important thing in my life now, Bella. I will do whatever it takes to make you safe. No one will take you from me,” he said softly before he stood to pick his phone up from the table to make another call.
    Oh, wow, Bella could feel her insides melt. She wasn’t falling. No, she loved this man. How had this happened so fast? Oh, hell. Her mind raced with panic as all thoughts of the threat against her life were pushed aside by the tumultuous feelings reeling inside her. She could feel the color drain from her face, leaving her shaking.
    “Bells? Are you okay?” Tony gripped her shoulders.
    “Fine, I’m fine.” Oh God, oh God. She didn’t know how to handle all of the emotions she was feeling, but she’d be dammed if she would discuss it while her brothers were there. She slapped Tony’s hands away from her. “I said I’m fine.”
    Jason didn’t look convinced as he pulled her up from between her brothers and cradled her next to him back on the couch. “Baby, I know you’re scared, but I swear I won’t let anything happen to you.”
    No, he would do everything in his power to keep her safe. A primal urge to protect her nearly rocked him on his heels, and he knew without a doubt in that moment that he would kill anyone who tried to take her from him.
    She gifted him with a brilliant smile. “I know.”
    “Bells, I’ll run home and grab some of your stuff for you. You’re staying here, right?” Tony asked as he