Forgotten Sins (Sin Brothers, #1)(53)

Cynthia narrowed her gaze on Shane. “Major?”

He cleared his throat. “The two men I took out meant harm. I didn’t kill them and merely trussed them up for the police.” He pinned Malloy with a hard glare. “Marsh pulled out a gun. Josie was too close to the barrel; I thought she might get hurt. I disarmed him, he struggled, and I knocked him out for a brief time. No damage, not even a bruise.”

Cynthia sighed. “There’s no case here, Detective.” She stood and glanced at an antique watch around a rather delicate wrist. “Let him go.”

“But—” Malloy pushed back from the table, his chair scraping across the hard concrete.

“But nothing.” She opened the door. “You want to take a decorated marine to trial for saving his wife from two attackers and a spurned boyfriend with a gun. If something else comes up, charge him. Right now, there’s nothing here to take to trial. Let him go.”

Malloy stood, his gaze hard on Shane. “Looks like you lucked out again, Dean.” He tapped files against his hand. “Leave town. For once, be a decent guy and let that little girl go. She’s better off without you.” His jaw hardened.

Shane straightened his shoulders and stood. “I’m never letting her go, Malloy.” He pivoted and followed his brother from the room.





Chapter 17

Josie fought the urge to thump her head against her desk. Now she had to convince three larger-than-life jackasses she needed to go to work. There was suddenly way too much testosterone in her life.

The good news was that since Shane had been freed, he could openly bring her to work. No more hiding. Which was good because she disliked lying to her coworkers. But it was bad, because the man sat sprawled in her guest chair, gray eyes focused solely on her.

“Shane. You need to leave so I can get some work done.” Either that, or toss his sexy ass on the desk and have her way with him. Again.

He steepled his fingers under his chin. “So. You and Mattie had quite the discussion, I take it?”

Heat filled her face. “I had some questions.” She leaned forward, her elbows on the desk. “Are you remembering your life?”

“Yes.” His eyes betrayed nothing. “There are many blanks, but the holes are filling in—though my brothers have some explaining to do.”

The veiled expression was one she knew well. Apparently the real Shane was returning… the one who couldn’t trust her with reality or with the truth. She bit back a hurt sigh. “They haven’t explained everything?”

“Not yet. We’re all scrambling right now, but I plan to pin them down soon.”

She nodded. “Don’t you have a follow-up visit scheduled with the doctors?”

“No.” He stretched his long legs out and crossed them at the ankles. “What did you talk about with Matt?”

“I asked him if you loved me and why you left.” She had no doubt Matt had already given Shane the rundown. She had absolutely no reason to lie.

“I told you I loved you.”

“You told me a lot of things.”

He exhaled, giving a short nod of his head. “That I did.”

“Matt also said you were a bad bet, that all of you were bad bets.” He’d said the statement with sadness and a determined jaw.

“We are.” Shane stretched his hand, curling the fingers over. “But that doesn’t mean you’re not rolling the dice, angel.”

“Excuse me?”

“This time, I’m not letting you go.” His voice remained steady and sure, while his jaw tightened.

Her heart thumped hard against her rib cage. “Why did you leave me, then? Why did you lie about remaining in the marines?”

He sighed. “I’m not sure. But I will find out the truth, I promise.”

Hurt filtered through her skin until her heart ached. “Why couldn’t you trust me? Why couldn’t you just tell me?”

“I do trust you, and I will tell you as soon as the memories come back.” Determination flashed in those dangerous eyes. Rough cedar and male scented the space. He sighed. “You’re about to become pissed off at me, and before you do, I’d like you to understand I do love you. Have since the second you flashed those baby blues at me.”

Oh, this so didn’t sound good. “I already am pissed off at you.” She flipped closed the file she’d been pretending to work on. “What do you have to say?”

He cleared his throat. “I want you to quit your job and move to our, ah, headquarters. Where I can keep you safe.”

“Where is your headquarters?”

“I can’t tell you.”

Disbelief had her catching her breath. “You don’t even trust me enough to explain what’s going on, and you want me to pack up and move with you to someplace you won’t reveal?” Anger battled with a temptation she’d never admit out loud. He wanted her with him. How easy would it be to kick reality out of the way and go? “I want to try and trust you, Shane, I really do.” She gripped a pen so tight her knuckles turned white. “But I don’t know you. You won’t let me.” No way was she giving up this life she’d worked so hard to create the last two years. Not without knowing everything.

“You know what you need to know.” He dropped his elbows to his knees, leaning forward. “You’re everything to me, and I’ll keep you safe. I promise.”