Free Deadly Questions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 8) by Lily Harper Hart

drive?”
    That was exactly what James wanted, but he didn’t think admitting it would get him very far. “I’m fine.”
    Mandy shook her head, her lips moving but no sound coming out.
    James pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew he should be cowering – or at least begging – in the face of her anger. She was just so cute. “You know, we only got involved because the women were being mistreated.”
    “I know.”
    “It just got out of hand,” James said. “That Frankie guy was yanking the one woman’s hair, and Grady just reacted. When they jumped him, I couldn’t ignore it. He’s my brother.”
    Mandy scowled. “Is that why you think I’m angry?”
    “Well, you were happy with me in bed this morning,” James said. “Something had to happen between now and then, and getting arrested is pretty high on my list of possibilities.”
    “I’m not angry that you got arrested,” Mandy said. “I’m not angry that you stood up for your brother, or tried to help two women who obviously needed it.”
    “So, you’re just angry about the driving thing?”
    Mandy rolled her eyes. “I don’t care about the driving thing,” she said. “Well, I do, but that’s a mild irritation. Most of the time I find it funny.”
    “Then why are you angry?”
    “Because you could have been hurt,” Mandy said. “Those men are animals. They treat women as property. They treat them worse than … dirt. You could have been killed.”
    “That’s why you’re angry?” James relaxed. “You know, we’ve been trained to fight. We were never in any real danger.”
    “Then why fight?”
    “I … .”
    “You like to fight,” Mandy finished for him. “Admit it.”
    “I don’t like to fight,” James said. “When it’s necessary, though, I’m not going to run from it. Those guys deserved what they got.”
    Mandy made a sound in the back of her throat. If James didn’t know better, he would have thought it was a growl. “You’re cute when you’re angry.”
    “Oh, whatever.”
    James reached over, rubbing his hand over his wife’s shapely thigh. “You’re right,” he said. “I do like fighting.”
    Mandy shifted her gaze to him.
    “Watch the road, baby,” James said. “I only meant I like fighting with you. I like to make up, too.”
    Mandy fought the urge to smile.
    “So, if I buy you dinner, can we make up when we get home?”
    “You are incorrigible,” Mandy muttered.
    “I love you, wife,” James said. “And I would never put myself in a position where I could be taken away from you. I was never in any real danger today.”
    Mandy sighed. “I love you, too.”
    “Good,” James said. “Now keep your eyes on the road. You’re making me nervous. If I knew you drove like this, I would have bought you a tank.”
     
    “HEY, sweetie,” Finn said, letting himself into Emma’s apartment. “Sorry I’m late. I picked up dinner.”
    When Finn turned, the woman he saw sitting on the couch was not the one he was expecting.
    “Who are you?”
    Emma appeared in the living room, her hands clasped tightly at her waist as she met Finn’s worried gaze. “Thank God you’re home,” she said. “I was about to freak out.”
    Finn gave Emma a quick kiss. “What’s going on?”
    “This is Lily,” Emma said. “She’s … she’s in trouble.”
    Finn looked the blonde woman over. Her hair was tousled, her face flushed. And, even though the light in the apartment wasn’t great, Finn was almost positive he saw the hints of a bruise forming on her high cheekbone. “What happened?”
    “She was attacked,” Emma said. “A man came to her apartment and attacked her because she was talking to us.”
    Finn furrowed his brow. “How did he know?”
    “That’s what I came here to ask you,” Lily said, her voice tinny. “I told Emma my story because I trusted her. Obviously you’ve been asking questions of the wrong people.”
    “We’ve been down in Detroit,” Finn said. “We’ve been asking questions,