"The laughter left his eyes. He caught her chin and turned her face, his gaze tracing the faint bruise on her cheek. His jaw tightened. "He struck you?" Loretta had forgotten about the shiner Henry had given her. "No, no, that's not important." His grip tightened. "He struck you." "Yes, but that's not why--" She flinched as his fingertips explored the curve of her cheekbone. "It's nothing, Hunter." "He will sure enough die." "No! That isn't why I'm here." She shoved his hand away and pressed the back of her wrist to her temple. "You shouldn't even talk that way. You can't him." "Yes. Very quick."