Wind River Wrangler (Wind River Valley #1)(86)

“No. He was in the military, but when he got out, he left it all behind. There were never any weapons in our house until Mom married that monster.”

“I don’t mean to push you here, Shiloh, but do you remember the types of weapons he had in the apartment?”

Frowning, she shrugged. “I don’t really know. There were huge, long ones. Rifles, I think. And he had several small handguns, but I don’t know what kind they were. I couldn’t tell one from another.”

“Did he keep up his shooting skills after he married your mother?”

“Yes. He had a membership to several shooting ranges outside of the city. He always invited us to go along, but neither of us ever wanted to.”

“If I showed you some of those long, big rifles he had from images on the Internet, do you think you could identify them?”

Rolling her eyes, Shiloh said, “Yes. Because they were so big, ugly, and powerful-looking.”

“Okay, we’ll do that tomorrow morning, sometime.” Identifying the weapons would help Sarah check with the gun shops in the area. And if a rifle was purchased, it could be the one Leath wanted to use to kill Shiloh.

Shiloh searched Roan’s face. His voice was low and unruffled, but the line of questioning was unhinging her. “Why are you asking me all these questions about his guns? Did Sarah say something to you about them?”

“No. But Leath’s probation officer gave Sarah the background on him. None of us knew he’d been on the Olympic rifle team.”

“What does that mean? I don’t understand.”

Roan hesitated. “It’s just a piece of information for Sarah. The guy is used to using guns. He knows how to handle them.”

She sensed there was a lot more to his remark, searching his dark gray eyes, wishing she could read Roan’s mind. “I don’t know one end of a gun from another.” She frowned. “Do you have weapons here, Roan?” It would make sense that he did because he’d been black ops. Those men were all trained heavily in the use of all kinds weaponry. They had to be.

Nodding, Roan gestured toward the room that would become a second bedroom. “I have a gun cabinet in there. You might have seen it. It’s under lock and key.”

The news made Shiloh feel better. As much as she hated weapons, if Leath was sneaking around, stalking her, he’d have a weapon on him, no question. “I don’t know how to use one.”

“I’ll show you the basics tomorrow.” Roan studied her. “Are you open to that, Shiloh? I know you don’t like guns.”

“What’s my choice? If I don’t arm myself, how am I going to protect myself if he comes around here? He’ll shoot to kill me.” Her stomach rolled over at the thought.

Roan squeezed her hands and released them. “If you feel like it, why don’t I show you some combat moves in the gym tomorrow. Then, I can take you to the indoor shooting range in town in a day or two. Show you how a pistol works, how you shoot it so you won’t be afraid of handling it.”

“I like the idea of working out in the gym with you.”

“And going to the shooting range?”

“I’ll do it.” Even she heard the resolve in her voice. Shiloh had grown up in a household where peace and diplomacy ruled, not guns and violence.

Roan lightly caressed her hair, moving some of the thick, silky strands off her tense shoulder. “I’m going to go clean up, do a little work on my laptop here in the kitchen, and then take a shower. You have a choice. I can either stay and sleep out here on the couch and give you my bedroom or you and I can sleep together. Which do you want it to be?”

Cold reality washed through her. She could die tomorrow. The thought eviscerated Shiloh. “I want to be with you, Roan.” She saw tenderness come to his gray eyes and it muted some of the reality that this could be her last night on earth. And if it was, she was going to spend it with Roan.

*

Roan slipped into bed with Shiloh. They were both naked. He had stayed up until eleven P.M., researching the Internet on sniper hunting rifles as well as the type used by Olympic shooters. If Shiloh would look at the images tomorrow morning and be able to identify what Leath had in the apartment, he could then send the intel to Sarah. In turn, the deputies could look at the list of guns sold the last three weeks and see if the exact same rifle or its equivalent had been purchased. And by whom. He kept all those thoughts to himself as her warm, velvet body slid up alongside his. Shiloh snuggled into his arms, her leg over his, her breasts against the wall of his chest.

“Could you just hold me?” she asked softly, sliding her fingers across his chest, coming to rest on his shoulder.

“Sure,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her mussed hair.

“I don’t exactly have sex on the mind tonight,” she admitted in apology.

“Darlin’, it’s all right. I don’t expect we’ll be making love every night. Do you?”

She nuzzled against his thick neck, inhaling his scent, the sage soap, his maleness that always made her yearn for more from Roan. “I can’t shut my mind off. I can’t focus, Roan. I’m sorry. I’ll probably be so restless tonight I’ll keep you awake half the night.”

“Hush,” he rasped, sliding his arm around her shoulders, drawing her against him. “It’s all right. I’d rather have you in my bed than not. Okay?”