Forgotten Sins (Sin Brothers, #1)(69)

“It is,” Nathan chimed in. “Always has been.”

Her breath began to come out in short pants. “Give me my keys.” She needed to get out of the cabin. Confusion rioted through her mind.

“No,” Shane said.

Did he just get closer somehow?

Josie backed up until she met the wall. “Why? Why me?” Did he need a cover for a couple months? If so, why had he come back?

“You had something I wanted.” His gaze swept her body, a slight smile tipping his lips.

Even when she was scared and pissed off, her body responded to him. Warmed and tingled. She lifted her chin. “What did you want?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Give me the gun, and we’ll discuss the matter.”

Nathan eased toward the door. “I’ll give you some space. Good luck with this, Shane.” He dodged outside, whistling the Dixie Chicks’ “Ready to Run.”

Josie gasped, starting to swing the gun toward the door and then refocusing the weapon back on Shane.

He smiled. Studying her. Knowing her. “Matt? Take off, would you? I need a moment with my wife.” He emphasized the word wife just enough to snap her spine to attention.

She kept her gaze on her husband. Betrayal burned like cigarette ashes down her esophagus. “You move, Matt, I’m shooting him. Watch me.”

Matt stretched to his feet. “That’s okay. He probably deserves it.” Then Matt opened the door. “I’m going for a jog. See you folks later.” The door shut behind him.

A strangled scream filled Josie’s throat. The gun did not even remotely scare these guys.

Shane blew out a breath. “Josie—” Quick as a whip, he struck, pinning her arm against the wall. His body boxed her in, while the grip on her wrist tightened. “Let go of the gun.”

She bit her lip, holding on with every ounce of stubbornness she owned.

With a growl, Shane yanked the gun from her grasp. He stepped back, flipping on the safety. “I’ve about had it with your defiance, angel.”

Fury. Pure, raw, and deadly, rage raced through her to light her veins on fire. She saw red. Jumping forward, she pivoted and shot a hard kick into his gut. He blocked her with a casual swipe of his hand on her foot.

One eyebrow rose. “Sit down, or I’ll sit you down.”

The tone. Low, dangerous, and commanding. He’d never used it with her before. Never. She faltered, her gaze on the sofa.

Well, it wouldn’t hurt to hear the truth. Finally. “I’ll listen. Then I’m leaving.” With a huff, she flounced to the sofa and sat.

“You’re not going anywhere.” He stalked to the deep cherry wood cabinets in the kitchen and placed the gun on top of one. Where she couldn’t reach it. Then he returned. “You want me to stop treating you like something fragile? Make sure you understand what you’re asking for.” Cushions dipped as he sat next to her on the couch. Broad hands wrapped around her arms and lifted her from the sofa.

She yelped, pushing her hands against his chest, struggling.

“Stop.” He sat her on his lap facing him, her legs straddling him. His hands manacled around her arms, holding her in place. “You want the truth. Sit here and take it.”

His eyes glittered an angry gray. The hard thighs beneath her heated her butt.

Desire, unwilling and unwanted, caused a swirling in her lower stomach. “Fine. Give it to me, then.” He wasn’t the only one who could play word games.

“We targeted you because of Fuller Labs.”

She stilled. In a million years she hadn’t expected his answer. “Why?”

“Scientists at Fuller used to work with the commander. We think. Some of Fuller’s research includes genetic engineering.”

Her mind spun. “Who’s the commander?”

“The monster who trained us from birth. The man in charge of our program.”

“You remember?”

“Yes. Everything but the last two years.”

His childhood was sad and had damaged him. But he’d made the choice as an adult to use her—to hurt her. Right now she needed to let go of her dream of a happy ending. “So you used me to get their financial records?”

“Yes.” Shane’s voice remained steady. “I monitored their finances before and then during our marriage.”

Sharp knives slashed through her insides. Only true force of will kept her from doubling over. Even so, tears pricked the back of her eyes. “Wait a minute. All of my computer problems—the ones you helped me to fix…”

He shifted. “Yes. I messed with your computer to gain access to the files.”

No wonder her laptop was always having issues. She’d been so grateful to Shane for fixing the problems. The bastard had created the problems.

Heat blazed between her ears. Memories followed suit. All those late nights when he was supposed to be working, where was he? All those little coincidences of her files being slightly rearranged in her office gave her a clue. “Did you break into my office, too?”

“Yes.”

She shook her head. “How? I mean, they had cameras.”

“I took care of the cameras. Apparently nobody really checked them, because there was never an outcry.”

There was never an outcry because nothing had ever been taken. There was no warning.