Fevered Nights by Burns Jillian

Author:Burns, Jillian [Burns, Jillian]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, azw3, epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-05-21T23:00:00+00:00

10

NEIL WOKE IN the middle of the night again. This time Piper’s cheek rested on his chest. When she twitched, he brushed her long hair away from her face. Maybe her nightmares were about the water, although that didn’t explain the dark dreams last night. So perhaps they were about her loved ones in India. What had happened to them?

He could tell that was the case when she awoke, but she didn’t say anything. Did she need to, though?

“You want to talk about it?”

The ocean rumbled. Moonlight spilled in from the French doors. Piper remained silent.

He drew in a deep breath. Felt her cling to him. Maybe he needed to try a different tack. “I sometimes have this nightmare where I’m on the roof of a building, covering the troops on the ground as they enter the city,” he said quietly. “And in my nightmare, I can see this ambush about to happen, but I can’t pick off the enemy fast enough. And the troops get slaughtered.”

“Did that happen?”

“No. Not exactly. But losing even one soldier is unacceptable. I feel as if I should’ve been able to save them.”

She shivered and he gathered her against him again, rubbing her arm. Then more silence.

Well, it’d been worth a try—

“Ms. H would’ve told you guilt was a waste of time.”

“You mentioned Ms. H yesterday.”

Neil might not have noticed her subtle hesitation if she hadn’t been snuggled against him. “Ms. Hanson. She was my legal guardian until I turned eighteen. And my agent.”

Yep. A definite edge to her voice. “Seems as if there might have been a conflict of interest there.”

Her shoulder lifted. “She discovered me in India. Brought me to the UK.”

He already knew he wasn’t going to like Ms. H. He turned to face Piper. “Tell me.” He caught the flinch in her eyes.

“There’s nothing to tell. I’m grateful to her. She’s given me a life I never could’ve imagined.”

There was just a bit too much nonchalance in her tone. Neil raised a brow. “So Ms. H is a saint and everything’s peachy. Great.” He gave her bottom a playful smack through the sheet. “Guess we can go back to sleep now.” He turned his back to her. Punched the pillow. Closed his eyes.

Nothing but quiet stillness behind him. He might’ve miscalculated that strategy. She didn’t owe him anything. But when he started to shift toward her, a soft hand landed on his shoulder, and he pulled her into his arms. “You don’t have to talk about it.”

She leaned into his chest. “I—” Her voice broke. “I have a brother,” she whispered. Her body was stiff, her breath held.

Neil tightened his grip. He’d witnessed interrogations before. Both of prisoners and assets. First order of business: get the names of all the players involved. “What’s your brother’s name?”

“Nandan.”

“Is Nandan older or younger?”

“He was ten the last time I saw him.”

The last time she saw him? “Tell me about him.”

She brought a hand up to wipe her wet cheeks, and then snuggled into his embrace.

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