Midnight Hour (Shadow Falls: After Dark #4)(67)

He looked at the bedside table debating where to leave the flowers.

“What are you doing here?”

Startled, he looked at her face. Her eyes remained closed.

“Just wanted to check in.”

“I wish you wouldn’t. I barely know you and already you and pain are synonymous in my mind.”

He flinched. “I brought you flowers.”

She lifted her head an inch off the pillow and studied him. “So you fry my ass, get me interrogated, accuse me of robbing people I love, get

me shot, and you think bringing me a”—her eyes went to his offering—“a bouquet of flowers that you picked up on the clearance rack will

make it okay?”

“I’m sorry, but—”

“Stop right there! An apology should never come with a ‘but’! You’re either sorry, or you’re not.”

He exhaled. “I’m sorry.” But I was just trying to do my job.

“Good, now leave.” Her head dropped back on the pillow.

He turned to do as she requested, then frustration had him turning back. “Are you always this easy to get along with?”

She lifted up again. “When someone gets me shot. Yes. Now go.” Her gaze shifted beside him. “And … take that pink kangaroo with you.”

“Kangaroo?”

She dropped her head. “Every time they give me a pain shot she pops in. And she can’t sing or dance worth a flip.”

Shawn chuckled. “Can I put your flowers in water before I go?”

“Yeah. I think I saw a urinal in the cabinet.”

He went to the cabinet to see if he could find anything, besides a urinal, to put the flowers in. “I didn’t buy them on the clearance rack. I

picked them up last night, but had to investigate your shooting first.”

“Did you find Chuckie?”

“No. But we will.”

Her soft brown eyes tightened. “Someone’s watching the Crows, right?”

“We’ve got it. Nothing’s going to happen to them.”

“Excuse me if I don’t trust you.”

“How many times do I have to say I’m sorry?” He found a plastic cup that would work as a vase.

“Maybe a dozen.”

He smiled, even though he wasn’t sure she meant it to be funny. Adding water to the plastic cup, he sat the arrangement on her bedside table.

When he looked up, she was staring at him.

“What?” he asked.

“Your eye’s a very pretty purple color.”

He touched his shiner. “Yeah, you did that. I assume you don’t think you owe me an apology.”

“Nope.” She giggled. It sounded pain-med induced, but still nice.

Their gazes locked.

She glanced away. “Did your girlfriend like her bracelet?”

“I haven’t given it to her yet.”

The room went silent. The emotion crowding him felt too big. “I should go.”

She nodded.

He started to turn away, when she spoke up. “Wait.”

“What?” Their gazes locked again. Something in her eyes drew him closer.





Chapter Nineteen

Shawn waited for her to say something.

“I remembered something else … about Jax.”

“Yeah?” He moved closer.

“I got a text from an old friend of mine a few months ago. She said something about a rumor that Jax was going to be a daddy. I didn’t answer

her ’cause … I didn’t want contact with anyone who had contact with him. But if she heard rumors, she might know where he lives.”

Thrilled he’d gotten something to report back to Burnett, he asked, “Do you still have her number?”

“Yeah.” She reached for her phone and flinched in pain.

“Let me.” He handed her the cell. Their fingers touched and Shawn felt the spark. And apparently so had she, because she glanced up.

After swiping the screen, she said, “Here.” She called out the information and he typed it into his phone.

“Thanks,” he said.

“Do everything you did to me, to him okay?”

He smiled. “You’re kidding? I went easy on you.”

Her gaze went to her side table. “Thanks for the flowers. Even half dead, they’re pretty.”

“I could say the same about you,” he said and flinched because it sounded, too …

He turned to leave but stopped when he saw Della Tsang perched in the doorway.

He wasn’t … doing anything wrong, but his last comment rang in his head. He walked out. She followed.

“She gave me a lead,” he said, hoping that explained it.

“Good.” One word and it didn’t sound friendly.

“I should go let Burnett know.”

“Yeah.” Her second word sounded downright pissy. He got about two steps away when she added, “She’s fine, by the way.”

He glanced back.

“I’m sure you wanted to ask about Miranda.” The vamp put a hand on her hip.

I texted her to call me and she didn’t! And I think it has to do with a damn shape-shifter showing up. He almost defended himself, but