“Yeah. She likes school, but she misses her family. Why do you think she comes home so much?”
“Huh. Good to know. I guess I'll have to drop in on her more.”
“Oh, great. Now she'll be mad at me.”
“Why?”
“You know why. How about three weeks ago when you showed up and threw her study partner out of her dorm room.”
She'd heard all about it from Evie, who'd called to complain about her obnoxious brother.
But Reid was all smiles. “Man, that was great. I had to toss him. It was a guy. And he looked suspicious. Like he wanted more than a study buddy.”
Brynne smacked his shoulder. “News for you, big guy. He was a study buddy. Nothing going on. Except that he's helping her bring up her C average in chemistry. And you scared him off.”
“Shit. Seriously?”
“Seriously. She wanted to murder you.”
He went back to the television. “Eh. Wouldn't be the first time. I could have helped her with the chemistry. I was honors chemistry. And then I had four years of it in college. For fun. And really, she shouldn't have horndog college guys in her room. She's asking for trouble.”
Protective brothers. Having only one sister, Brynne couldn't fathom it. “She's a big girl now. This isn't my business, but she's my friend and maybe showing her you trust her judgment will make her feel good. It'll score big points and she won't get mad at you.”
Still watching television, he twisted his lips. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yes. I'll try that. Thank you.” He looked down at her hand still resting on his shoulder and waggled his eyebrows. “Keep that up and this horndog guy will get the wrong idea.”
Men. Total pigs. “You know you're a pig, right?”
“I know a lot of things. Like what I want when I see it. But we're not gonna talk about that now. I'm easing you into it.”
Easing her into it. Funny. “As long as it fits into my five-year plan, that's fine.”
“Pfft. Five years. I bet I can do it in three.”
Ha. So typical and yet not. When she'd offered her opinion on Evie, he'd simply accepted it and didn't try to convince her why it had to be his way.
“You surprise me,” she said.
“Is that good?”
“So far, it is. I'm sure it's no shock to you, but you have a reputation in town.”
“The rumors of my whoring around this town are wildly exaggerated. First of all, there aren't that many women here for me to rack up those kinds of numbers. Second, if I'd banged that many females, by now my body would be riddled with infectious diseases or my dick would have fallen off. I can assure you, neither of those is a problem. Believe it.”
“Oops.” An older woman stood in the doorway, her lips curled in, trying to hide a laugh.
“Crap,” Reid said. “Sorry, ma'am. Didn't see you there. That was…bad.”
If Brynne had the energy to laugh, she would have. Someday, maybe.
The woman held up her hand. “No problem. Although this sounds like a fun conversation to eavesdrop on.”
Color flooded Reid's face and something inside Brynne's chest snapped. Total puzzle. One second a cocky player and the next a contrite teenager who'd gotten busted talking dirty.
The woman left and Brynne turned sideways, grabbing a handful of his shirt. “I'm having a moment,” she said. “Half horrified because, no, you did not just say that to me in front of a stranger and half entertained because, yes, you did actually say it and you have the decency to be embarrassed.”
Reid glanced down at the front of his T-shirt still curled in her hand and pointed. “That right there? Tugging on my shirt? Seriously hot. But I apologize if I embarrassed you. I'm a dumbass.”
“You're not a dumbass.” She grinned at him. “Mostly.”
“Nice!” he said. “But back to the original topic of my reputation. It's exaggerated, but I'm used to it. Most of the time, it doesn't bother me.”
She let go of his shirt, smoothed the fabric. “Most of the time?”
“Yep. Right now it bothers me.” He met her gaze. “I care what you think and I definitely want to obliterate that five-year plan.”
“You're persistent for sure.”
The waiting room door whooshed open and in strode a doctor wearing green scrubs and a surgical cap. He scanned the room, found Reid and Brynne the only ones in there and approached. He moved quickly and she took that as a good sign. No impending disaster. No walking slow and putting off giving them the bad news.
At least in her mind.
Brynne straightened up, readying for the news. Whatever it might be. Because now that he'd gotten closer with his stoic doctor-face, she couldn't tell what he might say.
“Ms. Whitfield?”
She raised her hand. “That's me.”
“You're here for Nelson Marsh?”
“Yes, sir.”
Next to her, Reid rose from his seat, but Brynne couldn't move. Stuck. Glued to the chair. The doctor squatted in front of her. “He's out of surgery.”
“He's alive?”
“He is.”
She collapsed back in the chair, relief weighing her down, forcing her shoulders to droop.
“The bullet penetrated his lung. We removed the damaged part of the lung and he's in recovery now.”
“Can I see him?”
“Not yet. We're leaving him sedated overnight. We have him on a vent to help with breathing. We'll try to remove that tomorrow morning and evaluate him.”
“Will he…survive?”
“He made it through the surgery. Always a good sign. Barring any complications, he should recover, but it's still early yet. We need to get him off the vent and breathing on his own. You won't be able to see him tonight. I'd suggest going home and getting some rest.”
“I understand. Thank you.”
The doctor left her with Reid and she dropped her chin to her chest.
Reid sat next to her, set his hand on her knee and stroked it with his thumb, and the repetitive motion settled her.
“That's good news,” he said. “Surviving the surgery was step one. Don't let the vent freak you out. It's common. Takes the stress off the body by doing the work for it.”
“I know. I'm just…relieved.” She dug her phone from her purse. “I need to call his parents. Let them know. They couldn't get a flight out so they're driving.”
“While you do that, I'll pull my truck around and pick you up out front. I'll call Maggie and see if they need to talk to you tonight or not. Then we'll go to your place and grab you some clothes.”
“Clothes?”
“You're not staying alone tonight. I'll take you wherever you want to go, but you're not staying alone.”
4
Reid parked in the alley behind La Belle Style near the outside stairs that led to her second-floor apartment. He hopped out and whipped Brynne's door open. It took a second for her to situate herself—the tight dress and heels weren't helping—and maneuver out of the truck. He'd either need a stepstool or she'd have to rethink her clothing choices.
Although, watching her and that amazing ass was worth box office admission.
“Who knew I needed to be an Olympic gymnast to get out of your truck?”
Reid laughed. “You need help?”
“Over my dead body.”
Eee-doggies. The independent sort. How he loved that.
Under the glare of the street lamp, she grabbed her purse and dug out her keys.
Reid scanned the alley. The backs of stores and dumpsters lined both sides. Hiding places. After so many years of military life and the constant need for vigilance, he tended to be hyperalert to those things.
“Is there an entrance to your apartment from inside the building?”
“No. But I don't usually walk through the alley at night. I come through the store, out this back door, and then up the stairs. I mean, I still have to be out here for a minute to get upstairs, but it's better than w
alking down the alley.”
“I'll talk to Grif. We've gotta do better on the lighting. It's a safety hazard.”
“I'd appreciate that. Thank you.”
“My last name is on this town. We need to make sure it's safe.”
He gestured to the stairs leading to her apartment. “I'll walk you up, but I'll wait outside. Give you some privacy.”
“It's all right, you can come in. After what you did for me tonight, I'm not leaving you outside.”
“Suit yourself.” He grinned. “I won't peek while you’re packing your underwear.”
That earned him a scoff. “Lord! You are a beast, Reid. Or a pervert. Not sure which. Maybe both.”
“Hey, I'm a guy.” He leaned in, got right next to her ear. “We say shit like that.”
She gripped the front of his shirt again, crumpled it in her hand, and he straightened, looked down at her as she stared up at him, her gaze locked on to his in the shadowed alley.
Bam.
She kissed him. Just lifted herself onto tiptoes and hit him with it.
Hello, Brynnie. And good-bye five-year plan.
If he had anything to say about it.
He slid his hands to her waist, pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, added a little tongue. Not too much. Just enough to show her he could be patient. And that he knew, without a doubt, what he was doing.
Letting go of his shirt, she placed her hands on his chest, sliding her fingers up to his shoulders where she held on to him and he pulled her even closer, enjoyed the feel of her tongue on his and…Brynnie, Brynnie, Brynnie, I have plans for you. Because, damn, that kiss rocked. She rocked. And whatever was happening between them, it gave him that high, that sense of being part of something special he'd been missing since leaving the military.
Slowly, she inched back, breaking the contact but watching him, her gaze moving all over his face and settling on his lips.
“So,” he said, “I'm definitely up for more of that.”
She sighed and dropped her forehead to his chest. “I'm exhausted and you're destroying my plan.”
“Good, because that's my plan. I won't rush you, though. And, might I add, you kissed me first. I didn't initiate that.”
She backed away, smiling. “I take full responsibility. I guess all the testosterone ravaged my mind.”
“Whatever it is, you let me know when you're ready to try that again.”
“I will.” She slid out of his grasp, flipped that mane of hair over her shoulder. “Before we go up, I want to grab a couple of things in the shop. Randi has been eyeing a pair of earrings. I'd like to give them to her. And I need to give you the bracelet for Evie. Gosh, everyone has been so nice through this.”
“Don't worry about the bracelet. We have time on that.”
On the way from the hospital, Brynne had called Randi and asked if she could crash on her couch that night. In Reid's mind, it wasn't that big of a deal and didn't require a gift. What were friends for?
But Brynne? The smallest gestures seemed huge to her and that, mixed with the comment she'd made about not wanting any help getting out of the truck led him to think she was accustomed to managing on her own. Not surprising for a divorced woman, but she sure as shit hadn't been divorced that long.
He stood behind her, glancing around while she unlocked the door. In front of the building, Mags and her crew had finished their evidence collection and cleared out. All was quiet in town, but a single woman shouldn't be alone in dark alleys this time of night.
Most nights at this hour Reid would sneak one of his mama's favorite Adirondacks off the porch—or the futon he'd found in the basement and confiscated for his newly acquired bunkhouse—and stargaze. Life in the military meant lots of nights away, hoofing along darkened streets or mountain ranges. As focused on his missions as he'd been programmed to be, he'd learned to appreciate a sky full of stars. Peace could be found in a sky blanketed with stars.
Always.
Brynne opened the door and he held it for her as she stepped into the darkened hall.
Really, she should leave a nightlight on or something. But nope, she walked straight down the hallway. In the pitch black. Was she kidding right now? Where the hell was the light switch?
“Uh, light switch?”
“It's at the end of the hall. On the other side of the door.”
Oh, come on. “Seriously? You don't have a switch near the exit door?”
“No. My fault. I asked my landlord to add a door separating the shop from the hallway. Which left the light switch on the other side.”
Cheap-ass Gus Pippen wouldn't spend the money to make sure his building was safe. Unfuckingbelievable.
And how was that Brynne's fault?
Either way, it had to change. Even if he had to do the wiring himself, she would get a switch by the back entrance.
They reached the door and Brynne stopped, her body frozen in front of him and the energy in the combined space shifted and charged.
And then it hit him.
Noise. She'd heard it too. On the other side of the door. What was it? His nervous system fired, that sweet little buzz that put him on alert.
“It ain't in the desk,” a male voice said. “Shit. Where'd the fucker put it?”
Reid grasped Brynne's elbow, dragged her toward the back door. “Out.” He kept his voice low, barely a whisper. “Right now.” He yanked his keys from his pocket, shoved them at her. “Get in my truck and leave. Call nine-one-one.”
At the door, she spun back. “You have to come with me.”
“In a minute. Call nine-one-one. Now.”
He gently nudged her into the alley and pulled her to the driver's side of the truck where he opened the door and boosted her up.
“Eeep,” she said.
“Sorry. But you gotta move. Get out of here. Go get help.”
He stepped back and waited for her to clear out. She reached the end of the alley and turned left, leaving Reid in the dark alley.
Now what?
He'd have to be a dumbass to bust in on these guys. Not knowing for sure how many were in there, what kind of weaponry they had, and just how reckless they were—considering they'd broken into a shop on a street that had been crawling with cops a few hours ago—he wasn't taking a chance they were rocket scientists and had a lick of sense.
Wait.
That's what he'd do. He'd lure them out. Ambush them. If he got lucky, he'd nab all of them.
And he had training. Fierce training.
In the close distance, a siren wailed. Brynne's 911 call getting traction.
Unless they were as deaf as they were stupid, the mopes inside would hear the siren and hopefully haul ass.
Through the back door.
Where Reid would bust their asses.
He scanned the area. Dumpster between Randi's bookstore and Brynne's shop. Potential hiding place. But the angle was wrong and the piss-poor street lamp would cause a shadow. Screw hiding.
He hustled to the building, positioned himself beside the back door, readied for the first guy to come through. Drawing air through his nose, he forced his body to a semi-relaxed state. Controlled his heart rate, kept his mind patient.
Wait.
At least two of them. That he knew of. There could have been a third or even a fourth who hadn't spoken.
Two guys Reid could take. Four? That might be a challenge. He inched his foot back, the heel of his boot coming to rest on something and he glanced down.
A hose.
Wound and stacked by his feet and connected to a faucet. Probably used by the building tenants to clean the alley's walkways. The sirens drew closer and inside he heard a door slam. The interior door.
He went for his weapon, still holstered at his waist and stopped.
Two guys.
Maybe.
And if they were armed? Jeez, that'd be a mess. Mags would kill him. Getting into a firefight now would totally send this sitch into FUBAR territory and he'd spend the re
st of the night being grilled by his cousin and getting his beloved Sig Sauer confiscated.
He bent, grabbed the hose, and found the nozzle. Then he cranked the faucet open.
The doorknob rattled.
* * *
The door swung open and the first thug came through. Whoosh! Water fired from the nozzle and blasted thug number one's face. Hands up, blocking the spray, he turned away and Reid moved to thug number two. He too spun away and—go—Reid dropped the hose, threw a sidekick to the closest man's knee. The knee collapsed and the sound of cracking bone filled the alley as the man fell to the ground and howled.
Seeing his buddy on the ground, thug number one reeled back, swerved, and sprinted down the alley. Dammit. A runner.
And he couldn't chase him. He had the one guy on the ground and wasn't about to leave him and risk losing both of them.
And he sure as hell couldn't shoot the runner.
Crap.
He drew his weapon on thug number two. “Stay there, asshole. I'm not in the mood to get my favorite weapon confiscated tonight. That would really piss me off.”
* * *
Brynne stood on the Main Street sidewalk with Sheriff Kingston—Maggie—and Reid while her shop was fingerprinted.
As much as she wanted to catch the two men who'd invaded her space, she had forty thousand dollars’ worth of merchandise in there, some of it silk, and she dreaded the idea of black powder all over everything.
At first pass, she noted some jewelry gone from the front display and the day's cash from the drawer. Thankfully, due to the higher price points, most of her business was credit-card transactions, and the thieves had only gotten two hundred dollars. Still, two hundred dollars paid a few bills.
She locked her teeth together. Bastards.
First Nelson, then a robbery, now her inventory in jeopardy. Banner day. The only timesaving element here was that she'd given Maggie her statement on both the shooting and the break-in at once.
Another upside was that her parents weren't in town. Although someone—probably one of the town gossips—had called her father, who'd immediately called her. Thankfully, they'd gone to visit some friends in Charlotte and were over two hours away. By the time they got back, she'd be tucked away at Randi's, avoiding the barrage of questions about Nelson and the break-in.
Living Fast: Steele Ridge Series Page 5
