Forgotten Sins (Sin Brothers, #1)(90)

Daniel gave a low groan. “Not this again. Leave her the hell alone.”

Yeah. She’d have to take him out. Josie levered back and kicked her feet toward his face.

“Stop it.” Tom slapped her feet back down without missing a beat. “I’ll knock you out. Don’t think for a second I won’t.”

She bit her lip. Confusing swirled through her brain. “I don’t understand. What do you think is going to happen between us?”

He blew out a breath. “You know, when I first saw you, I figured you for a dumb blonde. Turns out I was right.” The truck accelerated up the ramp to the interstate. “Do you really think I’ve been lusting after you this entire time? That I’m a guy who’d take ‘no’ from you and keep coming back for more?”

Muscles bunched in his forearms as he clutched the wheel. Why hadn’t she noticed how strong he was? How big? “No. I figured we were friends. That you were a nice guy in my building who enjoyed my company.” What the hell was he getting at?

“Damn, Josie.” He glanced at the side mirror and switched into the fast lane. “I’m not a nice guy—nor am I your friend.”

Her entire body stilled. As if frozen into an alert state. “What are you?”

Tom turned toward her, his brown eyes narrowing, and a smirk twisting his lips. “I’m a soldier, sweetheart. One who’s been looking for your husband for a very long time.”

She gasped, leaning closer to Daniel.

Tom laughed, the sound grating in the cab. “So is he. Good old Danny boy is one of my brothers, sweetheart. You think the Gray brothers are the only ones who can go undercover?”

Slowly, she turned her gaze toward Dan.

He grimaced and gave a short nod. “Sorry.”

She shook her head. They’d trapped her between them in the truck. “You’ve both been watching me? I mean, waiting for Shane to show up?”

Daniel slowly nodded. “We found you about five months ago. Our people put Tom and me in place as soon as possible. At some point, we figured Shane would come for you. At least we hoped he would.”

“Why?” she whispered.

“So he can come back home,” Daniel said quietly. “We have work to do.”

“Or so he can die.” Tom snarled. His hand shot out, his fist connecting with her jaw.

Stars exploded behind her eyes. Then darkness.





Chapter 28

An ache filled Josie’s entire head. She groaned, blinking her eyes open. Light lanced her pupils, and she winced, turning her head to the side and closing her eyes. Deep breaths. The sharp scent of bleach stabbed her nostrils. She opened her eyes again.

She reclined in a leather chaise in some sort of examination room. A long peach-colored counter held a stainless steel sink along with cotton balls, tongue depressors, and a blood pressure cuff.

Her arm ached. Glancing down, she gasped at the cotton ball taped to the inside of her elbow. Had they injected her with something?

The door opened. A woman stepped inside, her three-inch heels clicking on the sparkling white tiles. She tapped a manila file in her hands. “You’re awake.”

Josie struggled for reason. It was the bitch who’d insulted her intelligence in the conference room after the breakin at her office. What was her name—“Dr. Madison?”

Sharp blue eyes appraised her. Today the doctor wore a white lab coat and had pulled her hair back in a fierce bun. “Yes.”

“What did you inject me with?” Josie asked, her voice coming out hoarse.

Madison frowned perfectly arched brows. “Nothing. I took blood to see if my young Shane had finally procreated.”

The possessive tone set Josie’s stomach rolling. “I’m not pregnant.”

Madison shut the door. “No, unfortunately, you are not.” She shrugged. “We have had absolutely no luck continuing their line.”

“How unfortunate.” Josie’s vision wavered, and her jaw pounded. “So let me go.”

“No. You’re one of many sacrifices for science.”

“Like you’ve ever sacrificed.” Josie swallowed, tasting blood.

“Not true.” Madison sniffed. “I gave over my only child to them—for Nathan to use temporarily. My poor Audrey.”

“Audrey?” Facts ticked through Josie’s mind. The woman who Nathan had loved? “Wait a minute—the head researcher was Audrey’s mother—is that you?”

“Yes.”

“You’re psychotic. What about the kill chip?” Maybe it wasn’t real.

Madison giggled. “I wondered if they were getting worried. The chip will slice their spines in three months or so, right?” She shook her head. “They really had better make up with us, don’t you think?”

Rage, fear, shock all cascaded through Josie. “You’re a monster.”

The doctor shook her head. “Don’t be silly. You might as well know that since you’re not pregnant, keeping you alive isn’t high on my priority list.” She crossed the room toward the counter.

Josie sat up, settling her tennis shoes on the tile. She hadn’t had the chance to search the drawers for a weapon. “You’re evil.” If she could distract the doctor, maybe she could make a break for it.