Forgotten Sins (Sin Brothers, #1)(20)

Shane exhaled. “We don’t know that, sweetheart. Let me find out what was going on. Possibly I went undercover or something.”

Her vision blurred. Perhaps the flash grenade had given her a concussion. She blinked to clear her head.

Malloy scribbled in his tattered notebook. “Mrs. Dean, please relate what happened here tonight.”

Josie took a deep breath and recalled the grenade and seeing the fight. “But it was all hazy. I didn’t understand what was going on.” Her voice trembled. She would not cry.

Shane scooped her up, blanket and all, and tugged her to his bare chest. Scars lined his angular form, knife and bullet wounds now partially camouflaged by new bruises. Heat radiated from his hard body, an oasis of warmth in the chill of the room.

She didn’t trust him, and she sure as heck shouldn’t be on his lap. But the warm illusion of safety was too tempting to fight—for now. For a moment, she needed to pretend. She wet her dry lips and let him shelter her—temporarily. “How long was I out?”

“Fifteen minutes.”

He’d killed two men in less than half an hour. She shivered and he tucked her closer. His familiar scent of heated cedar surrounded her. He’d killed. To protect her, but still, he’d ended the lives of those two men. Yeah. That scared her.

Malloy flipped his notebook closed. “You folks stay here.” He headed out of the room toward the guest room.

Shane shifted, resting her against the headboard and rising from the bed. His gaze took in the entire room, studying each corner, each nook. “What the hell is that buzzing?” He stilled and seemed to center himself in absolute concentration.

Josie frowned, the room cooling her again without his body heat near. “There’s no buzzing.” Had he been hit in the head again?

Finally, with a frown, he stalked over to the phone base on her nightstand.

“What’s going on?” Josie pulled the blanket up higher.

Shane shook his head, lifting the base and peering at the bottom. His jaw tightened. Flaring his nostrils, he yanked a round silver disc off to throw on the floor.

“What’s that?”

Shane held up a hand and grabbed her cowboy boot from the closet. Quick motions sent the heel smashing the disc into pieces. “Fucking bug.”

A bug? Someone had bugged her room? “What are you talking about?”

“They sent the grenade into the guest room. Where I was sleeping. How did they know?” Shane swept the pieces under her dresser with his bare foot. “Don’t say anything to Malloy. Something happened when I was hit… my hearing is unbelievable all of a sudden.” He stalked toward her, his eyes the swirling gray of a winter storm. “Has my hearing always been beyond the norm?”

She shrugged. “Not that I know about.” Of course, she wouldn’t know now, would she?

He gave a short nod. “Do you need a doctor?”

“No.” A shrink maybe.

“Good. Pack a bag.” He glanced at his bare chest. “Damn it. I’m sure they won’t let me get my shirt from the crime scene.”

Josie blushed, scrambling off the bed. “I, uh… may have another of your shirts in the bottom drawer of my dresser.” He didn’t comment, just tugged open the drawer and yanked on a faded Marine Corps T-shirt. “Thanks.”

She panicked and dressed quickly. If they were going to argue, she needed to be fully dressed. “I’m not leaving with you.”

Reaching into her closet, he tossed her clothes in a bag. “You’re in danger… more than I thought. You are leaving.”

He meant it. He’d try and take her, regardless of the cops in the other room. Chances were, he’d succeed. What should she do? She couldn’t trust him, but he knew how to fight and win. Why didn’t that reassure her? “The cops will shoot you.”

His shrug made him wince as he glanced down at his torso. “I’ve been shot before.”

She edged toward the hallway.

He grabbed her arm, his hold firm. “Josie, I know things are complicated. But three killers just stormed your house. You need protection, and I’m better than the cops.”

Her thoughts slugged through her mind in slow motion. Should she leave with him? What about the police? But he was right—he’d taken care of the threat. What was wrong with her? She didn’t trust him, but she couldn’t walk away. Her lungs compressed. If she didn’t go with him, would she ever see him again? Maybe not, and she couldn’t take that chance. She had to know who he was—whom she’d married. And she wanted to live. For now, he was her best bet. So many conflicting emotions ripped through her that her stomach hurt.

He led her through the hall and into the kitchen.

Malloy met them at the door. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Shane’s nostrils flared. “The hospital. The ambulance is too late, and I’m taking my wife for a checkup.”

Malloy frowned. “I’ll meet you there when we’re finished with the scene.”

Confusion hazed in Josie’s brain, but instinct pushed her to go. Quickly. She stumbled alongside Shane as he led her to the garage and lifted her into the SUV.

“Put on your seat belt.” Quick strides put him behind the vehicle, and he backed out of the garage.

“Why didn’t you tell Malloy about the bug?” She clasped her frozen hands in her lap.