“Do what ya have to do to pay off yer debt with Heaven,’ he said, his concern for proper speech abandoned. ‘But ya do not die on me, ya understand? I can’t live without ya. Yer all I got, woman.’ Her breath caught in her lungs. ‘I don’t want to be here if you’re not.”

“I can't face losin' ya, Riley. Yer all I got left in this world.”That brutal honesty again. He'd peeled away more armor, and this time he'd exposed his heart.”

“I’m home. Ya happy now?’ Beck’s gravelly voice demanded. ‘Yes, I am.’ ‘Yer’ treatin’ me like i’m some idiot kid,’ he complained. ‘Gee, I wonder where I learned that?’ He hung up on her.”

“I promised Paul I'd keep ya safe, he said. If that means packin' yer ass out of town so it doesen't get humped by a smooth talkin' loser, that's the way it's gonna be.”

“Paul sold his soul for you, didn’t he?’ Riley turned towards him, astonished, ‘How did you know?’ Beck adjusted the blanket again. ‘I just figured it out. That’s what a man should do for his daughter. Or his woman.’ He looked her straight in the eyes. ‘I’d do it for you if it kept ya safe,’ he said tenderly. He’d go to Hell for me. In that instant, Riley knew she’d do the same for him.”

“I’m not going to faint at the sight of your butt,’ she said. ‘Ya might, and I don’t want that on my conscience,’ he said, tossing the jeans aside.”

“Beck finished his call. Once he was paying attention again, she pointed downward with the pipe. Peering over the edge of the building, he blinked at the sight, then grinned.“Good job. Remind me not to piss ya off. Ya might think of usin' that on me sometime.”“So tempting,” she said. Except I'd aim for your knees. Your head's too hard.”