But I couldn’t check. Couldn’t do anything that would make Shaun suspect there might be someone else here.
“We’ll get free if we take you with us.” He made a motion with his chin. “Turn around—slowly—and move into the main café area. And remember, one wrong move and you’re dead.”
“You kill me, and any chance your brother had of being released is gone.”
“Then I guess I’ll just have to shoot your boyfriend, won’t I?”
He didn’t shoot Bryan, I wanted to say, but that would only add another name to Shaun’s kill list.
I slowly turned, and keeping my hands up, walked forward. As I neared the storeroom, it took every ounce of control I had to maintain my pace and resist the urge to check if Frank was there. And I seriously wished my olfactory senses were as keen as a wolf’s; at least then, I might have had confirmation one way or another.
I walked past the storeroom door; still no sound or movement from within. The beating of my heart was now so fierce it felt like one long scream, and sweat was dribbling down my spine.
Please be there, please be there, I found myself mentally chanting.
Air stirred the hair at the back of my head, and was quickly followed by a sharp grunt, and then a gunshot.
I yelped and dropped, but nothing more than a spray of plaster hit me.
I twisted around. Saw Frank with a wine bottle in one hand, the gun in the other. Saw him kick Shaun—whose face was bloody and broken, and who looked more than a little out of it—in the nuts. The hunter went down with a gurgle of pain and didn’t move.
Oh my fucking God, came Belle’s mental shout, what the hell has happened? Are you okay?
I took a deep, shuddering breath, and felt the sting of tears. I’m fine. As to what just happened—I just got a visit from the last brother. But don’t worry—everything’s good now, thanks to Frank.
Frank?
Later, as I said. Relax and enjoy your night.
Her confusion and uncertainty washed down the line. Do you want me to come back?
Hell no. I’m fine. Really.
Are you sure?
Yes. Now stop listening to my thoughts and start talking to that luscious man beside you.
Expect to be woken for details when I get home.
Expect grumpiness and swearing if you so dare.
Her amusement swam around me then her thoughts faded from mine.
Frank made the gun safe and then looked at me. “You okay?”
“Yes,” I repeated out loud, but reaction chose that moment to fully set in and the tears that had been threatening started falling and my whole body began shaking. I hugged my arms across my chest and tried to stop the tears but they just wouldn’t be controlled.
“Ah, come now, it’s okay.” Frank knelt down beside me and gave me a rough hug. “The bastard’s out to it and you’re safe.”
“I know, I know, and it’s all thanks to you.” The words came out quickly and were interspersed with hiccups. “I just keep thinking of what might have happened if you hadn’t forgotten your damn keys.”
“But I did, so it’s no use fretting about things that could have been.” He pulled a clean handkerchief out of his pocket and offered it to me. “Now dry those tears. I need to roll the shooter onto his side so he doesn’t choke on his own blood.”
I accepted the handkerchief with a quick, if somewhat diluted, smile. “As much as the bastard deserves to choke, I guess you’d better.”
“I gather from the bits I heard that this is one of the boys responsible for the skinning murders?”
I nodded. “The rangers have the middle brother, and the last one was shot—killed—outside the reservation.”