Free Savior by Jessica Gadziala

not, I'm tapping out Barrett and stepping in. Don't know what the fuck you got yourself involved in, but make damn sure I will find out. I'm gonna be visiting my brother in a hospital room for a good three days and I want to know why. So you can go ahead and try to hide in a gated community behind security guards, but mark my words, babe, I'll get in and I'll get my answers."
    I was just opening my mouth to snap when Tig was suddenly beside me, Barrett in one of his arms like he weighed nothing. Which, well, was somewhat true. His other huge hand lifted and moved out toward my neck. I felt myself stiffen, unsure, but all he did was brush the hair away and run a finger down the column of my throat gently, way too gently for someone so massive. "Ice and ibuprofen," he said, dropped his hand, and moved with Barrett toward, then out, the door.
    I watched him go before looking back at Sawyer whose piercing eyes were on me, looking right into my soul. Then he wasn't by the door, he was stalking across the room toward me in such a predatory way that I took a few steps back before Barrett's desk stopped me. He kept coming until the toes of his shoes touched mine, his face mere inches from mine.
    "Keep your head down until I can figure your shit out. Get your nails done. Have twenty dollar cocktails with your girlfriends. Don't poke your fucking nose in any more of this. I don't have the time to be visiting your clueless ass in the hospital too."
    With that, he was gone.
    I sank down onto the desk for a second, my heart thumping against my ribcage so hard it was almost painful. My hand rose to the lowest point of my neck and settled there and I realized for the first time that there must have been a bruise there. That was how Tig knew I needed to ice and take pain medicine. Great. That was just great. I would need...
    "Get your tight ass in your sweet fucking car and get home," Sawyer's voice barked at me from the doorway. I yelped and jumped to see him standing there, looking decidedly displeased.
    "Jesus," I gasped, putting a hand over my heart.
    "Now Elsie. I don't have all night to stand here and watch you get all hysterical. Do that shit at home."
    "You're such an asshole," I snapped, getting off the desk, snagging my purse off the floor and looking around for my keys.
    "Under the pile of shit in the corner."
    My brows scrunched together as I moved across the room to where he indicated, not seeing a single key sticking out. But lo and behold, when I moved the papers, there they were. "What, you have x-ray vision too?" I asked, storming over toward the door and slamming him hard in the shoulder to get him out of my way so I could step outside.
    "I don't want you involved in my case at all."
    "Too fucking bad."
    "Fine. Then you're fired and so is Barrett."
    "Porsche. Now," he growled, advancing toward me again and damn if I didn't retreat. Again. "I'll be in contact like it or fucking not." When I didn't immediately move, he took another, more threatening, step forward. "You don't get in the fucking car, I'll throw your ass in it."
    Somehow, I believed him.
    "Fine," I snapped and turned to storm across the street. I turned back suddenly to find he was still standing there, watching me. "I hope he's alright," I said and watched as his hard face softened.
    "He'll be fine," he said in a voice that was almost... reassuring.
    Before I could rethink my idea that he was just a heartless, arrogant, dickhead, I ran across the street, threw myself into my car, and got home like I was told to.
    Then I iced my neck and took some ibuprofen, also like I was told to.
    And then I decided that Sawyer was right; I needed to keep my head down. I needed to get my nails done and sip overpriced drinks and let people who knew what they were doing handle things for me from now on.
    I might have been stubborn and determined, but two run-ins with very dangerous guys and an innocent guy getting caught in the cross hairs, yeah, I wasn't stupid. I needed to