Free Her Master Defender (The Masters Men Series) by Sandra S. Kerns Page A

a look first.”
    Before he could deny her request, Copper pulled up the leg of the flannel lounge pants he’d put on. Jagged scars covered much of his calf. They didn’t detract much from the bruised swollen knee. He grabbed her hand before she could touch his knee and see if there was a break.
    “Don’t -- touch it.” He exhaled loudly.
    “I’m a licensed nurse. I know what I’m doing. With this much swelling in such a short time it could be broken or dislocated.”
    He shook his head.  “It’s not. It just needs ice and aspirin.”
    “Aspirin? That’s all you took?”
    “It’ll help with the swelling.”
    “But not much with the pain. I can’t believe you don’t have anything stronger.”
    “Aspirin’s fine. Drop it. I forgot my cell on the dresser. If you get it we can make the calls.”
    Copper held her tongue, again. If he wanted to be macho man, who was she to argue? Pulling the pant leg back down she placed the peas as he’d asked then went to get the phone.
    “We can call the police, but I’m not calling my father.”
    “You don’t, I will.”
    Standing directly in front of him she met his gaze. “Look, you might be able to talk to your men that way, but I’m not under your command. Got it? I’ll call my father, when I feel like calling him. It’s late and he can’t do anything from Georgia anyway. There’s no need to ruin his night.”
    “You getting killed wouldn’t ruin his night?”
    “But I didn’t get killed. I’m safe, and it won’t hurt to wait until morning to tell him.”
    Kismet had come over and laid his head on Dos’ other thigh while they argued. “Is she always this --"
    “Sensible?” Copper offered. She enjoyed watching him interact with her dog. Kismet liked everyone, but he had really taken to Dos.
    “Stubborn?” Dos asked. The dog thumped his tail.
    Copper had a feeling she’d been replaced as the favorite human. “Traitor,” she said shaking her head.
    “He knows we guys have to stick together. But trying to distract me won’t work. Your father needs to know. He needs to make arrangements for someone to protect you,” Dos said, looking up at her. “Can you sit if we’re going to debate?”
    “Sure, which chair?”
    “It doesn’t matter since no one else is here.”
    “Then why did it matter which one you sit in?” she asked, sitting in the one to his right. It didn’t matter, she totally understood having a favorite spot, but it might tell her something about him.
    “I’m the middle brother. I sit in the middle chair.”
    So she’d been right. The other two were for his brothers. “What about other family? Where do they sit?”
    “Only my brothers come up here. I go down to see the rest of the family.”
    “Why? Are your parents ill?”
    He shook his head. “No, I go there because it’s easier to leave than kick someone, especially my mother, out of my home.”
    “I take it she mothers you,” Copper said, and received a raised eyebrow as if to ask, ya think? “She’s just concerned. It’s obvious you were badly hurt.”
    “She doesn’t know half of it, and I plan on keeping it that way. My mistakes are my problem. I’m thirty-six years old; I don’t need to be mothered.”
    Mom off limits, Copper saluted her understanding. She also filed away for examination later, the blame for what she believed a mission gone horribly wrong. “Okay, what about--"
    “Calling your father.”
    “You’re a broken record.”
    “And you’re in danger.”
    “Why? Someone tried to break into my house. They probably thought about breaking in yours, but realized the security was too good. Mine was just the next house down the road.” Her attempt to lessen her fear failed when he met her gaze with a shaking head.
    “There’s nothing above here but mountain, there’s no place for them to be coming from. They were at your place on purpose. Two break-ins, on property you own, is too coincidental. You have something they want, or considering