Forgotten Sins (Sin Brothers, #1)(67)

“I don’t know.” He ran the rough pads of his fingers along her bare arm. Goose bumps rose. “We can clone cows. Eliminate genetic diseases in crops. I guess the thought isn’t too far-fetched to think we can manipulate genes that deal with strength and senses.”

“Especially if funded by the government. Think of the money involved.”

“Yeah. Money.” His body tightened around her. “You know, it was one thing to be certain about my ability to kill. That I had training. But to discover I was created in a test tube to be a killer, well now…” His tone went hard and flat, but pain echoed.

Sadness filtered through her. The need to comfort him, to heal him, made her heart actually ache. He must’ve been such a scared little boy to turn into such a hard man. “You don’t know that. Sure, you’re trained. But you’re freaky smart, too. Maybe you were created to do something great. Cure a disease. Fix the economy.” She turned in his arms to face him. Only the deep glow of his amazing eyes filled her sight. “What you do with your skills… well, that’s up to you. Not them.”

He exhaled. “Right now I want to find out who killed my brother. In fact, I’d like to remember my brother.” Shane’s large hand spread out between her shoulder blades, and he caressed down to press her lower back into him. His erection jumped against her clit. “After making sure you’re safe.”

He kissed her temple. So much emotion rose in her, she curled her fingers over his shoulders. His heated mouth wandered down the side of her face to take her mouth.

Safety was an illusion she didn’t want—and one she didn’t believe in. This, this she wanted. He was what she believed in. With a sigh, Josie sank into the kiss.

*

Several hours later, Nathan cast Matt a look. “Think he’s coming back?”

“Would you?” Matt flipped open a file folder, irritation swirling through his thoughts.

“Probably not.” Nathan punched in keys on the laptop. “He’s lost, Matt. He doesn’t understand he needs to let her go.”

“It’s more likely she isn’t letting him go this time,” Matt returned. For which, well, he couldn’t blame her. As he perused her file again, he understood her need for family. While death had hung over his childhood, at least he’d shared his days with his brothers. Family. They fought with each other. Shit, they fought for each other. Little Josie had been all alone.

“Perhaps. If she discovers the full truth, she may kick him to the curb.” Nathan grabbed a bag of chips half smashed underneath yet another monitor.

“Yep.” Matt leaned back in the sofa. He was so f*cking tired. But sleep had become a luxury. “Have you been able to hack into her files at work yet? We need to find out who bugged her house.”

“You think the situation has to do with the commander?”

“No. I think this has something to do with her job. Not us. But she’s family, and we need to figure out who’s gunning for her.”

Nathan started, swinging a startled gaze at his older brother. “Wow. She got to you.”

Yeah. The little blue-eyed minx had wormed right into the small circle of people he gave a crap about. Matt fought a growl. “She’s Shane’s wife. Like it or not, we put her in danger two years ago, and it’s even worse now. Shane might have alerted the commander when he tried to Google his past.”

“Yeah. Every instinct I have says they’re coming for us now.” Nathan rubbed his neck. “The commander is close. I can feel his presence.” He cleared his throat. “Do you think Shane found out who killed Jory?”

Matt exhaled, forcing the heavy weight of guilt out of his body. For now. “I hope so.” The need to draw blood roared like a tempest between his ears. “I shouldn’t have let Jory go.”

“You didn’t have a choice. Jory was good at his job and did what needed to be done. If he had a lead, nothing could’ve stopped him in pursuing it.” Nathan glanced at his phone with a frown. “Not even you, Mattie.”

The thick taste of the foreign beer failed to wash away the bile in Matt’s throat. “I failed him.”

“No. It was my job was to keep track of the three of you in the field—I failed him.” Nathan reached for a plain manila file holding a list of Josie’s current clients.

The blame game was useless, and they didn’t have time for it. Matt threw his file down on the coffee table. No need to read any more—he knew Josie’s life by heart, had since Shane married the woman. “Shane took the news of his imminent death well.”

“What choice did he have?” Nate sighed. “We’ll find the doctor. I promise.”

“It had better be soon.” Matt shook his head. How the woman had managed to hide from him for so long was a mystery.

A monitor beeped. Nathan punched in keys. “My results are in. I hacked the ME’s office for the autopsy results on the three men found down by the river. No evidence left on the bodies.”

“How did they die?” Matt asked.

“They all had lacerations from a good fight but died from broken bones in the neck.” Nathan raised an eyebrow. “Military style. The cops found a metal bat by the bodies, but the river washed away any and all DNA.”

Jesus. Matt huffed out a breath. Three guys had gotten to Shane with a bat. “How did they get so close?”