Run To Me (Lazarus Rising #4)(9)

“You need to find the man who shot at her.” Jay’s voice was colder, harder. “Sweep the streets. Pull every single bit of surveillance video you have of that area. I want you to find the sonofabitch who tried to kill Willow before—”

“The shot wasn’t aimed at me.” There, she’d finally gotten her words out. Finally made Jay listen.

His head whipped toward her. “What?”

“The shot was intended for you, not me. I jumped in front of you because I knew—” She broke off, not saying more. I knew I could survive. He couldn’t have.

Jay blinked. Once. Twice. And then anger flashed on his face. No, not anger. Rage. His hold tightened. “You took a bullet meant for me?”

His words were low, obviously intended just for her, but she knew Sawyer could hear him, too. Super soldier senses and all.

“Willow…don’t.” Jay shook his head. “Don’t ever fucking risk yourself that way again.”

But it hadn’t been a risk. She’d come back.

Jay’s eyes blazed.

She cleared her throat and began to pull from his arms. For a moment, she wasn’t sure he’d let her go. His hold tightened. “When we’re alone…” Jay’s voice rumbled.

Willow shivered. She wondered just what would happen when they were alone.

But they weren’t alone right then. She had an audience, and she needed to come up with a story for the detective and his officers.

“Miss?” The detective’s head cocked to the right. What had Jay called him? Haskin? “How did you know the shot was aimed at Mr. Maverick? How could you tell that? Did you see the shooter? See him aiming? See—”

“I could hear the shot coming.” An absolute truth. She’d heard the whistle of the bullet as it flew through the air.

Detective Haskin blinked owlishly. “Come again?”

Jay cleared his throat. “You’ve seen for yourself that Willow isn’t dead. Now, really, don’t you have a criminal to apprehend—”

“You heard the shot, ma’am? Is that what you’re saying?” The detective stalked toward her.

“Everyone there heard the thunder of the gunfire. That’s why everyone was ducking for cover.” West had stepped forward, moving closer to Jay and Willow. “I think what Willow meant was that she’d seen the glint of the weapon, right, Willow?”

That wasn’t what she’d meant.

And Detective Haskin didn’t look convinced by West’s explanation, either. “Big difference between seeing and hearing, and she’s saying that Maverick here was the intended target. Think I deserve to hear more information…” His gaze swept over her. “From Maverick’s, um, companion. Or friend. Or whatever she prefers to be called—”

Her shoulders snapped up. Her hesitation vanished. “I’m his bodyguard.”

Jay swore. Softly, but very inventively.

“I use the cover of his companion.” She gave the detective a hard smile. “But my job is to keep Jay safe. And I did that tonight. I spotted the weapon, the glint…” Her gaze cut to West. She was going to be more careful now. She’d just been shaken before, but she had this. She could lie. Every day was a lie for her. “I rushed to Jay and got him out of the shooter’s range. Then coming back here, that was my idea. Not his. I wanted Jay to be safe. Someone out there was gunning for him, and it was my job to protect my client.”

The detective laughed. “Nice story. I’m really supposed to buy that you are the bodyguard?”

Now he was just being insulting. “Come at me.”

His laughter died.

Once more, Jay swore.

“I can prove I’m exactly what I say.” She motioned to the detective. He didn’t move. So she wiggled her fingers toward the cops. “Try to take me down.” I dare you. “You’ll see that I have plenty of training. I can handle any threat, anytime. Tonight, I was surveying the scene. Looking for danger. I saw the danger, and I reacted.” Willow thought she sounded cool, calm, and in charge.

And no one had to know that her heart was about to surge right out of her chest.

The detective sauntered toward her. A faint smirk twisted his lips.

“Don’t,” Jay snapped at the guy. “Don’t even think it.”

The detective had stilled, less than two feet away from her. His chin jerked up, and based on the sudden stiffness of his body, she knew Haskin was going to heed Jay’s warning. But if he heeded the warning, the detective wouldn’t believe her.

So Willow lunged forward. In a blink, she’d taken the detective’s weapon. Turned the gun on him.

“Christ, Willow,” West barked. “You don’t do that shit.”

Jay had gone statue-still beside her.

She could feel Elizabeth and Sawyer watching her. The uniformed cops had frozen, too.

The detective’s wide stare jumped from the gun to her. “How—”

“What do you fear, Detective Haskin?” Willow heard herself ask him.

“Willow.” Jay’s hands closed around her shoulders. His touch was warm, strong. “That’s enough of a demonstration for tonight.”

She rather thought she’d just been getting started. But, well… “Here’s your gun.” She flipped it around and offered the weapon to the detective. He snatched up the weapon, his cheeks burning red.