Dirk: A Stepbrother Romance(55)
Plain, simple truth.
“I know,” she replied, but she didn’t look at him. “Who are you?”
Conner scratched his head. “I don’t know.”
This caught her attention. She spun to face him and laughed humorlessly. “You don’t know? You turned into a bear and killed someone, but you don’t know who you are?” Her voice rose and her face turned bright with anger or fear, he wasn’t sure which. It could have been both.
He shrugged. “I was at the hospital. The doctors said I have amnesia, so no I don’t know who I am until my memory decides to come back. What I do know is I’m a man who is also a bear. He’s a part of me, and he killed to protect his mate.” Conner wasn’t going to beat around the bush. Something clicked. It seemed being blunt came natural to him.
“I’m sorry, mate?” she sputtered.
He raised his big hand and cupped her jaw. At first she tensed, but then he rubbed his thumb lightly along her jawline and she relaxed some. “Yes, my mate.” His eyes shined with excitement. Touching her was right. “What’s your name?”
She worked her mouth a few times so he dropped his hand back to his side.
“Lana.”
“Beautiful,” he replied. She still was shocked by him. “We should probably go?” His eyes drifted to the dead man, flaring with anger. Conner would have died before letting him harm Lana.
She shook her head. “I can’t leave. I’m the prosecuting attorney for the case we were building against him. He didn’t like it.” She peeked around him at the body and shuddered. “His brother was planning to take the fall, but the judge threw out the case because there was no evidence. Until now, anyway. The police had finally tied Campbell to the crimes. This isn’t going to look good.” She bit her bottom lip.
Conner nodded, but he didn’t like this news. He wanted to take her away. “What should we say?”
She sighed. “I don’t know. At this point, we’ll both end up in jail. The police will send you back the hospital for your injury first.” She paced. “I can’t go to jail. And you can’t go back to the hospital. They’ll think you’re crazy and lock you up.”
“Then let’s go somewhere safe, and you can call and talk to your police friends. Explain what happened.”
“No, I can’t leave, and I won’t be able to come back. My DNA is on his body.”
Conner growled. “Why?”
“Probably because he rubbed all over me.” Shaking her head, she groaned. “I know what I have to do.”
“What’s that?”
“I have to call my mother.” She said it with both fear and awe. Conner wondered what her mother would be able to do to make this better. Even without his memory, he wasn’t dumb. He knew the implications she would face, and the ones he would face as well. It wasn’t a good situation. And he didn’t think his mate’s mother would be able to do much to help.
“I think we should go somewhere first, before you call your mom. It’s only a matter of time until they find him. We have a little time, though, since it’s late.”
“I can’t just run.”
“I didn’t say that, but maybe you shouldn’t be here when you call her.”
Lana nodded. “I guess. I should probably go home—and you’re coming with me. I might have something you can wear.”
Conner nodded, but he didn’t like hearing that she had men’s clothing that would fit him. His bear growled and plopped down unhappily, jealous of a past he didn’t know.
Chapter 3
Her angel's attitude changed, and she didn’t understand why. She gestured for him to get in her car and he did, but now he sat in the passenger’s seat in stony silence. She started to ask what was wrong, but the glare he sent her way changed her mind. She had no idea why he was so mad. She was taking his advice and leaving the scene of a crime he committed. It wasn’t like her. She had always followed the rules and breaking them was tough.
She pulled out of the parking garage, carefully avoiding Campbell’s body, and shuddered. She never imagined being a part of a crime. But if it weren’t for the man sitting next to her, she wouldn’t be breathing. Deep inside, she knew he had saved her life, and now it was her turn to save him because he was going to need it. He killed a man with his bare hands. No one was going to believe it was an accident. Hell, she wasn’t even sure if it was. He hadn’t said it was. He just told her he had to protect her.
She drove out into the night. Luckily it was getting late and the sun was down. She had some time before she had to call it in, and she needed a drink, or three. But first she needed to find out what the hell she did to piss him off. He had been so sweet, calling her his mate, and now he wouldn’t even look at her.
She stopped at a red light and put her hand on his bicep. He tensed and his muscle flexed beneath her fingertips.
“Why are you mad?”
And why the hell wasn’t she yelling at him for being an *? Instead she was calm and actually felt like she should be apologizing for something. She didn’t understand why she felt so attached to him, why she cared so much about what he thought of her, and why she was not being her normal bitchy self when a man pissed her off.