Read Online Kick Start: Dangerous Ground 5 by Josh Lanyon - Free Book Online Page B

phone. He picked up the chunk of towel-wrapped ice and placed it gingerly against the bridge of his nose.
    “You okay?” Will asked.
    Taylor nodded.
    Grant made a sound of repugnance and walked out of the kitchen.
    Will turned, as though to go after him. “Forget about it,” Taylor said.
    “I don’t think I want to forget about it.”
    “Can you boys give me a minute?” Bill asked, with a clear effort at patience.
    Taylor jumped off the counter where he had been sitting, and led the way to the living room. Will followed.
    “ Are you okay?” Will asked, as Taylor lowered himself to the long leather couch.
    “I think the asshole broke my nose.”
    Will leaned in, frowning. Taylor fended him off. “Careful.”
    “Hold still…”
    “Don’t touch it. It’s still bleeding.”
    “I see that. You have to put pressure on the bleeding point.” Will delicately used his thumb and forefinger to pinch the tip of Taylor’s nose. “Like that. I don’t think it’s broken.”
    Taylor brushed his hand away. “It didn’t use to wiggle so much.”
    “I’ve seen a lot of broken noses, MacAllister. Your nose is still in one piece.”
    Taylor huffed his irritation.
    Will soothed, “It’s still a very handsome nose.”
    Pinching his nostrils shut, Taylor said indistinctly, “Go to hell, Brandt.”
    “I’m serious.” But he was smiling.
    Taylor shook his head. His pride hurt worse than his nose.
    Will moved closer, nuzzled his ear and murmured, “Yeah it is. And you’re going to have a beautiful pair of black eyes to go with it.”
    Taylor closed his eyes and sighed.

 
    Chapter Five
     
     
    “N ot your fault,” Will said for the third time. It went over as well as it had the previous two.
    Taylor gave him a bleak look. “Explain to me how losing Cousin Dennis was not my fault? It happened on my watch. Under my fucking nose.” He touched the nose in question cautiously.
    “To start with, he wasn’t your responsibility. Secondly, he’s supposed to be here voluntarily, so of course you weren’t expecting him to rabbit.”
    His father was still talking to his contact at the Marshal’s Service. Will could hear his deep, calm voice floating from the kitchen, though the words were not clear. Not that there was any mystery about his report.
    Taylor gazed bleakly into space. “We have to find him.”
    “What?” Will did a double take. “No, we sure as hell do not. Why would we want to? If the asshole wants to leave the program, that’s his choice.”
    “He stole your car.”
    “I want my car back, but the Marshals Service can worry about Cousin Dennis.”
    Taylor continued to scowl. His bruises were starting to show now. He was definitely going to have a couple of black eyes to go with that split lip. If they’d been at home, Will would have pulled him down to his lap and rubbed his head for him. Taylor reminded him of a cat, the way he liked being stroked and caressed. But here in his father’s house, Will couldn’t —
    His internal reflections broke off. What kind of stupid thought was that? He couldn’t what? Show sympathy? Show affection? Show love? To a man he was as good as married to?
    “Hey.” He rested a hand on Taylor’s shoulder, giving him a gentle tug. “Lie down. I’ll rub your head for you.”
    “Huh? No.” Taylor looked genuinely startled. The flip side of Will’s first reaction, because at home, Taylor wouldn’t think twice about surrendering himself to Will’s care.
    “Yeah.” Will gave him another tug. “I’ve been punched in the face. Don’t try to tell me you don’t feel like hell, because I know you do.”
    “I’m fine, Brandt.” Taylor threw an instinctive look at the hallway down which Grant had disappeared.
    Will tightened his grip. “I said come here.”
    After an uncertain moment, Taylor caved in, stretching out on the couch and resting his head in Will’s lap. He closed his eyes with a little sigh.
    Will gazed down at Taylor’s battered face with a rush