If Nagle didn’t kill her first.

Hal was jerked from happiness to a protective fury in the blink of an eye. He’d finally found his mate, and the most powerful crime lord in the city was trying to murder her.

He knew then that he’d give his life to protect her.

“Mr. Brennan?” Ellie asked. “Are you feeling all right?”

Hal was jerked back into reality. Ellie was peering at him, looking concerned. God knew what sort of weird impression he’d just made on her.

“Yeah,” Hal said shortly. He couldn’t think of anything but getting her away from Nagle, immediately. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Oh, good.” She stood up, then swayed wearily.

Hal caught her elbow, steadying her. Her arm was warm and soft in his hand. “Easy. I know you’re tired. You can sleep in my car.”

Ellie straightened, rubbing her eyes. “I’m not that tired. My apartment is only about ten minutes from the station.”

Hal shook his head as he began to lead her to the door. “We’re not going to your apartment. You have to get out of the city.”

She stopped abruptly, pulling her arm out of his grasp. “I’m not leaving the city. Didn’t Detective Kramer explain that to you? He said he was assigning me an officer to protect me here, in Santa Martina.”

Hal turned to look her in the eyes, trying to convey how serious he was. “First of all, I’m not a police officer. I’m private security.”

She looked dismayed rather than relieved at that. “You’re a security guard?”

“I’m not a mall cop,” Hal replied. “I run an elite private security company. We provide bodyguards for politicians and celebrities— and private citizens like you.”

“Oh. Well, great. Then you can protect me right here.”

“No!” Hal exclaimed. “I have to get you out of the city!”

Ellie’s blue eyes narrowed, reminding him that she was one tough woman. “Mr. Brennan, can you protect me or not?”

Hal gritted his teeth. Of course he could protect her— he’d showed up expecting to guard her right there in Santa Martina. B

ut that was before he’d known that she was his mate. His instincts, not to mention his bear, were roaring at him to not merely stand between her and any possible threat, but to get her far away from anyone who might try to harm her.

“Because if you can’t,” she went on, “I’ll talk to Detective Kramer again and ask him to assign a police officer.”

“I can protect you,” Hal said immediately. “But you’d be a lot safer if you left Santa Martina.”

“I already had this conversation,” Ellie replied. “I’m not going anywhere. I already ran through my sick leave this year. If I take off for more than a couple days, I lose my job. Anyway, I thought no one ever got hurt under your protection.”

Take her home and keep her safe, Hal’s bear demanded. Grab her and carry her away to the forest!

I can’t do that, Hal replied. But I will take her home. To my home.

“All right,” Hal told her. “I’ll guard you here. But you can’t go straight to your apartment. I need to have my team check it first.”

“Check it for what?”

“Hit men. Bombs.”

“Oh.” The delicate skin of her throat bobbed as she swallowed. He could see the fear under her cool exterior, and it made him want to kill the men who had frightened her.

He laid his hand on her shoulder. Touching her, even through cloth, gave him a surge of desire. It was hard to do nothing but keep his palm there, comforting and still, when he wanted to scoop her into his arms, kiss her, and hold her safe and tight.

But she’d shown no sign of responding to him the way he had to her. She wasn’t a shifter— she knew nothing of mates. He had to give her time to get to know him. In the meantime, he’d be professional.

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