“West!”
“And she thinks it would be best for her to leave,” he added, ignoring her scowl.
“What?” Mia sat up straight. “What kind of nonsense is that? Blame you? Leaving? I thought we already discussed that you’re safest here.”
Alec pulled her back against him. “Calm down, kitten.”
“I will not calm down. You’re not going anywhere. West, tell her.” Mia turned her gaze to West. Her cheeks were now flushed.
“Actually, I don’t think it’s a bad idea.”
Mia’s mouth dropped open and she turned to Alec. “Alec! Say something!”
“Kitten—” Before he could say anything more the doorbell sounded. “That’s Doc.”
“Got it!” someone called out.
“We’ll talk about this later,” Alec told them both. “Nobody is going anywhere without my permission.”
She glanced over at West.
You’re not to leave my side.
But what if leaving him was the only way to keep him safe?
13
Flick lay in her bed, facing the wall, worrying about what she was going to do.
Doc had checked both her and Mia out. He’d told West he was to feed her and make sure she slept or Doc himself was going to come and sit over her. West hadn’t been too happy about that.
As for Mia, her blood pressure was a touch on the high side, so she’d been sent straight to bed.
Jake had arrived with an update after Doc had left. One of Jake’s deputies had found the cattle transporter, still loaded with their cattle earlier in the day. And they now had video footage of Snake driving the stolen vehicle when he’d stopped at a gas station.
So, the hunt was on for Snake. He wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, so she had to guess her brother had him well hidden. Jake had spoken to Spencer again, but he hadn’t given him any more information. Jake had left with the promise to be in touch if anything happened.
After that, West had carried her upstairs for a nap. She couldn’t fall asleep, though.
The door to her room opened, and she turned her head to look over her shoulder as West strolled in.
“Can’t sleep?” he asked.
“No,” she replied.
He climbed onto the bed, on top of the covers, and tucked her in against him. Her back to his chest.
“What are you doing?” she asked quietly.
“Holding you,” he told her.
Well, that was obvious.
“But why?”
“Because I want to,” he replied. He snuggled in and wrapped his arm around her waist. The warmth of him flooded her. She held herself stiffly for a moment.
He nuzzled her neck with his mouth. “You need to relax, baby girl. You need me to give you a massage?”