An Unforgettable Lady (An Unforgettable Lady #1)(104)

But Smith didn't stop there. Before he was fully aware of what he was doing, he had one hand around the man's throat and the other tight on the grip of the knife. For what the murderer had almost done to Grace, he was prepared to eviscerate him on the spot.

Smith raised his arm high over his head and angled the blade so it would hit Fredrique's chest square in the center. He felt an animal growl come out of him as he started to move.

"John! No!"

Smith froze as he heard Grace's voice. He shook his head to clear it and looked at her. Her face was an unnatural gray color and her hands were reaching out to him.

"Put the knife down," she told him gently.

He became aware of his pounding heart, the sound of the breath coming out of his mouth, the feel of the weapon in his hand. He looked back down, into Fredrique's eyes. The lids were peeled back with terror, the pupils dilated by fear.

Smith looked up again at Grace.

“Are you hurt?" he asked her hoarsely.

"No, I'm okay."

He returned his attention to the killer. The guy was beginning to choke and Smith pictured Grace's life gradually leaving her body. He tightened his grip and raised the knife higher, prepared to show Fredrique everything his victims had felt.

"John, put that down! Please, don't kill him."

The urgency of her voice snapped him back to reality. He knew damn well he was a hairbreadth away from murder so he threw the knife across the room, flipped Fredrique over, and roughly wrenched the man's hands behind his back.

Smith looked over at Grace. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She gave him a shaky smile. "Yes."

When Fredrique started to protest, Smith bared his teeth and got down real close to the man's ear.

"You better shut the f*ck up before I cut your tongue out."

Fredrique didn't say much after that.

"Grace, call your security guys. Marks's men should be arriving soon, but let's get some handcuffs up here."

As she nodded and went over to the phone, all he wanted to do was hold her, but there was no way he was letting the man under him get loose.

Within minutes, two uniformed security officers came into the room. Smith got off Fredrique after they'd handcuffed him and immediately went to Grace. He curled himself around her, surrounding her with his body, and when her arms came around him, he felt a relief that made him light-headed. Breathing in her scent, feeling her living warmth against him, he thought it was nothing short of a miracle.



* * *



With the arrival of Lieutenant Marks and his men, Grace's office turned into a bull pen of cops. Fredrique was carted off, looking dazed and stammering about there having been some kind of mistake.

"Could you give us a sec, fellas," Smith said over Grace's head to the police and security officers milling around. The men in blue were waiting to take her statement, but he needed to be alone with her.

When they were by themselves, he was surprised to feel her stiffen against him.

"So you saved me, after all," she murmured, pulling away. "Burst through the door... and saved me. Just like a bodyguard should."

She went over to the windows, moving slowly as if she didn't trust her legs. The hand she raised to her neck was trembling and she looked at her fingers curiously, as if she was only just now realizing how badly she was shaking.

Smith frowned, thinking about the recovery she had in front of her. She wasn't physically injured, but she was going to be rattling around in her own skin for a while. He'd seen it before. Had been through it himself.

"Grace, you're going to need help getting over this. I can recommend someone you can talk to."

"I'll be fine. Although it's kind of you to worry." She stood rigidly while looking out at the twinkling city. "Would you mind calling the police back in? I'm feeling rather tired and would like to go home."



The words were formal, her voice a false calm that told him she was two inches from the cliff.

"Grace—"

"And by all means, you should go now. You've more than served your purpose. You've saved me."

There was a little hiccup after that last word.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Her hand went to the base of her throat. " There's no reason for you to stay."

"What I'm trying to say is—"

"Or are you going to have me arrested for what I did to Tiny?"

Smith frowned. "We'll talk about that later."

"There is no later for us."

“Yes, there is." He went over to her and turned her around. "I don't know how it's going to work but I can't leave you. Walking away from you this afternoon felt wrong, like I was leaving a part of me behind. I don't want to be without you. I don't know if I can ... live without you."

Her eyes were wary. "What about Black Watch? What about your past? "

"Like you said, we'll work it out together."

"Oh, really?" She stepped out of his reach. "You were very worried about it before, that's changed?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. Everything."

"Now there's an answer." She smiled sadly. "Actually, that's just what I would have expected you to say."