Tightly Wound

by Mia Dymond

  Steele nodded while Shadow pressed the button to open the hidden panel. “We were way off base.”

  “Not me. I never did trust the little pecker.”

  “It’s not him.”

  Shadow rubbed his finger across the rifle’s trigger. “Who?”

  Steele motioned to the ladder. “You’ll never believe me. See for yourself.”

  Shadow didn’t waste one more second before he crawled out of the room to the top of the stairs. He stopped and motioned Steele to follow.

  “Den,” Steele whispered.

  Shadow slid down the banister of the staircase, eased back to his hands and knees, and crawled several more inches before voices penetrated the silence. He stopped and plastered his back against the outer wall of the den. Steele followed suit. Very slowly, Shadow lifted his head to peer around the corner. His heart bruised his chest with the force of its beat.

  Brooks sat next to Claire on the sofa, a gun pointed at the both of them.

  Shadow jerked his head toward Steele and mouthed his disbelief. Fuck me.

  District Attorney Rick Lassiter stood in the Windsor family den with a weapon aimed at Brooks and Claire.

  ***

  Claire attempted to focus despite the terror in her veins as Rick waved the gun. “You didn’t know who was outside? Your psychic attributes are slipping, Claire. Now be a good girl and sit down so we can talk.”

  For a split second, she considered running to the loft. The odds of out running Rick were fifty percent at best, but with a bullet added in the equation, she couldn’t risk it. Instinct told her he wouldn’t hesitate to kill Matt either.

  Instead, she sat on the sofa. Rick pushed Matt down beside her.

  Claire summoned every ounce of strength possible from deep inside her. “What’s going on, Rick?”

  “I’m tired of chasing you, Claire. Detective Brooks was kind enough to finally bring the game to an end.”

  “What game?”

  “Hide and seek.”

  A flash of gold from the district attorney’s belt caught her attention. A badge. At least she hadn’t imagined it. “You caused all this, didn’t you?”

  “You’re much smarter than I thought, Claire. Intelligence or psychic ability, I’m not quite sure, but now you leave me no choice. I can’t risk you solving the case.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Fill her in, Brooks.”

  “Rick murdered Gabe and used my weapon to frame me.”

  Rick narrowed his eyes on her. “And I would’ve succeeded if you hadn’t interfered.”

  Pain assaulted every nerve in her body. “I didn’t interfere in anything. You assigned me.”

  “True. I underestimated you. You got entirely too close. And when your SEALs made it impossible to stop your investigation, I knew I must silence you completely.”

  “Why Gabe?”

  Matt answered her question. “Lassiter’s built a successful drug business in Navajo, Claire. Gabe made the mistake of being persistent.”

  Realization somehow managed to seep into her muddled brain. “You smuggled the gun out of the locker,” she murmured.

  “It wasn’t exactly that dramatic. I check out evidence every day.”

  Claire continued to piece together the puzzle. That meant he already possessed the weapon when Shadow was shot.

  “If Detective Brooks would’ve left it in his desk like usual,” he continued, “I would’ve found it sooner.”

  “Did you use the pen to sign it out?”

  “Of course. Why not make Brooks looks more guilty?”

  “You really thought you’d get away with it?”

  “I never did buy into your psychic jibberish, Claire,” Rick scoffed. “In fact, I’m still not sure you know as much as you’d like us to believe.”

  “Yet you threaten to kill me.”

  “Just for my peace of mind. A dead psychic can’t be much help.”

  “Unless she communicates with the dead to begin with,” Claire mumbled.

  Matthew frowned and nudged her knee with his.

  “How will you explain our deaths?”

  “No need. I’m the DA. There are dozens of cold case murders in my office. I’ll just add yours to the stack. Unless I get desperate and pin it on one of your SEALs.”

  ***

  Shadow eased the rifle strap over his head, lifted the gun, and focused on the den. Within seconds, Lassiter’s head appeared front and center in the crosshairs. His finger tightened against the trigger. His heart pounded until he thought it might explode. Then the barrel moved.

  Shadow yanked his concentration from the den to see Steele’s fingers wrapped around the barrel of the weapon. He gestured with his head to follow him back to the sitting room.

  Once in the other room, Shadow thought he might actually have to shoot his best friend. “Why in the hell did you stop me?”

  “You can’t go in there balls-to-the-wall and start firing.” Steele yanked two plastic zip ties from his pocket. “These will have to work for handcuffs.”

  Shadow clenched his teeth, ignoring the ache in his jaw. “Claire is in there.”

  “I know,” Steele spat. “She’s my sister for fuck’s sake.” He ran a hand across his forehead. “Give me the rifle.”

  Shadow worked to push air through his lungs. “You sure this is what you want? He’ll kill both of us in cold blood.”

  Steele held out his hand. “I won’t let that happen.”

  Shadow dragged his dogtags from his sweaty skin. “If something goes wrong, make sure she gets these.”

  “No. Put them back on.”

  “Steele –”

  “Put the sonuvabitches back on, Shadow.”

  Shadow tossed the metal over his head and lifted his hair over the chain. Then he gave Steele the weapon. “Don’t miss.”

  Shadow led the way back to the den, his gut clenched and his heart squeezed in terror. Icy hot rage blurred his vision and his trigger finger itched. The slimy bastard knew what he was doing. From Lassiter’s position directly in front of Claire, there was absolutely no way to take him out without endangering her. Shadow swallowed hard. And the baby. Not even Steele, a skilled, government-issued sniper, could risk a shot.

  Claire whimpered and cradled her head in her hands.

  Shadow eased back around the corner and took several deep breaths to clear his mind and calm the heated emotion that attacked Claire. Then very carefully and without a sound, he stood and braced himself in the doorway.

  Brooks saw him first. Shadow motioned with his thumb to indicate Brooks move closer to Claire.

  Brooks scooted close and laid a hand to her neck. “Damn it, Rick, she’s sick.”

  “She’s not sick, Detective Brooks, she’s scared. Scared because she knows both of you will die soon.”

  Brooks cursed and then raised Claire’s head. Her dull, dark eyes met Shadow’s for a brief second, silent understanding passing between them, and then she glanced at Lassiter.

  “What are you waiting for?”

  “I want your SEALs to see who’s really the better hunter. Not even they were able to track me down.”

  Claire’s gaze returned to Shadow’s. He widened his stance then cleared his throat.

  Lassiter turned his attention and his gun on Shadow. Claire scooted to the far end of the sofa. Brooks took the opposite end, leaving the perfect opening for Steele’s deadly shot.

  “I knew you’d come running.” Lassiter cocked the trigger. “I saved the first shot for you.”

  Steele snickered and then appeared next to Shadow in the doorway, weapon lifted and aimed at Lassiter. The red laser perched on the sight of the rifle illuminated a target in the center of his forehead.

  “Well, what do you know?” Shadow taunted. “I have one with your name on it too. And it looks like mine’s bigger.”

  Lassiter’s wrist wobbled. “I’ll kill her.”

  Shadow took a step forward. “You won’t. Because if you even move so much
as a millimeter, Steele will blow your head off before your finger touches that trigger.”

  “Don’t patronize me,” Lassiter warned. “I shot you once, I’ll do it again.”

  Shadow took another step forward. “Then shoot me.”

  Steele’s calm, collected voice issued the next challenge. “Do it, Lassiter. I dare you.”

  When Lassiter shifted his gaze to Steele, Shadow took advantage and charged. He plucked the gun from Lassiter’s hold in less than a second; his body bull-dozed over Lassiter until he lay pinned to the floor.

  Shadow rolled to the side, squatted, and placed the gun barrel against Lassiter’s forehead. “You still want to threaten me?”

  Steele gave a cocky chuckle as he stood above the madman, the sniper rifle now bathing his whole forehead in red tint. “Lassiter, you are one stupid individual.”

  Brooks squatted next to Shadow, his brow covered in sweat. “My radio’s at the bottom of the lake.”

  “I called on my way back to the house.” He tossed the weapon to Brooks then rolled Lassiter to his stomach. “One wrong move and Steele takes you out.”

  He pulled Lassiter’s arms behind his back and fastened the zip ties around his wrists. He had just enough time to throw the other man to the couch before Navajo PD stormed the house.

  Claire launched herself into Shadow’s arms as soon as they were empty. Her soft, feminine curves molded to him as he pulled her close and wound his fingers in her hair.

  “I knew it,” she said into his chest.

  Shadow released a sigh of relief against the top of her head. Claire was safe. Safe and pregnant with his child.

  He eased her back a few inches, his gaze scouring every inch of her body. “Do you need to go to the hospital?”

  “No.” She snuggled back against him. “I have everything I need right here.”

  Shadow swallowed hard and cursed the tears that threatened to fall. This woman, this one beautiful, tiny female could break him with one single bat of her eyelashes. Yeah, he would go down hard.

  “You owe Matt an apology.” She pressed her lips to the base of his lips and lightly nipped his skin.

  His cock gave her a standing ovation. Incredible. “Minx.” He unwound his fingers and eased her to sit on the sofa. “I’ll be right back.”

  He found Brooks on the front porch, puffing like a freight train on a cigarette. “Aren’t you on duty?”

  Brooks smirked. “Not my scene.”

  “I was wrong.” Shadow extended a hand.

  Brooks returned the peaceful gesture. “Can’t say I wouldn’t have acted the same.”

  Shadow turned and looked at the lake, the water now choppy and dirty from the flurry of activity. “You ever get sick of the evil, Brooks?”

  The other man exhaled a long breath. “You have no idea.”

  Shadow moved his gaze back to the detective. “We could use you, if you wanted a change.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, I mean you’re not a SEAL.” Shadow paused to smirk. “But we could look past that.”

  Brooks ground out his cigarette. “I’ll give you a call.”

  Shadow nodded and returned to the scene. With Lassiter now in custody and police boats loaded and ready to leave, Claire appeared more relaxed as she leaned against her brother on the sofa.

  Steele stood as he approached. “I’ll see him off.”

  Shadow nodded and sat next to Claire, unable to resist her hair yet again.

  “Let’s go home,” she mumbled.

  “Where do you want to go?”

  “Diablo. Our family is there.”

  Shadow sighed a silent relief. He didn’t care where they ended up as long as it was together, tightly wound in an eternal embrace.

  EPILOGUE

  From the picnic table in her brother’s backyard, Claire glanced at the patio and grinned. To the naked eye, the four men standing there painted a picture of hardcore strength and take-names-and-kick-ass attitude. No one would ever believe that two tiny bundles wrapped in pink could bring each and every one of them to their knees.

  The proud papa switched his bundle to one arm while he squatted next to his wife’s chair. “Wanna trade?”

  Cameron gave Max a sideways grin. “We had a deal, Big Guy. If she’s wet, you change her.”

  Beside them, Hawke laughed and scooped his daughter, Harmony, into his arms. Little girl giggles filled the air as he tickled her tummy.

  Holly nudged Claire with her elbow. “Have you told Shadow yet?”

  Claire smirked, not surprised by her future sister-in-law’s question. In fact, Holly’s psychic intuition made her all the more confident. “No, I’m thinking I should save it for ammunition. Sometimes that alpha needs a good swift kick.”

  “He seems to have accepted fatherhood in stride.”

  Claire lengthened her smirk into a full blown smile. “Yes, but he thinks we’re having one baby. Uncle Brett will be pleased as punch.”

  Rachel sat down opposite Claire. “I think you two have a secret.”

  “Who has a secret?” Cameron plopped down next to Rachel.

  Claire giggled. “No one. We were just discussing Shadow’s alpha.”

  Cameron snorted. “If it’s anything like Captain Sterling’s, it needs a leash.”

  “Amen,” Holly muttered.

  Rachel shrugged and took Cameron’s bundle. “You have the solution right in front of you.”

  Claire raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?”

  “When Hawke gets a little too cocky, I pull out the big guns.” Rachel paused to place a kiss on the sleeping baby’s forehead. “Harmony has his alpha wrapped around her little finger.”

  “I’m counting on that,” Cameron mumbled.

  Claire cleared her throat. Wouldn’t hurt to share part of the secret. She’d corner Shadow later, on the patio under the stars. “Funny how they’ve all fathered girls.”

  Rachel’s eyes widened and then flickered with amusement. “Actually, male births have drastically declined in the last thirty years.”

  Cameron grinned. “See? The universe is truly balanced.”

  Claire looked down at the sparkling treasure Shadow placed on her ring finger three days ago. Despite her insistence that he not let go of something so precious, Shadow mounted his mother’s diamond in platinum and wasted no time staking his claim.

  She sighed and rubbed a hand across her stomach, confident Shadow had finally found peace. Cameron was exactly right, the universe was balanced.

  Didn’t matter that it was slightly tilted in her favor.

  Dear Reader:

  I hope you thoroughly enjoyed reading my SEALS, Inc. series. Now that each sexy male has finally found his match, I find myself wondering if there wasn’t someone I missed! Maybe Detective Brooks will come around later.

  However, I’ve moved on for now and am preparing to release my next novel. Tune in to read something a little different this time. Although the hero is not a Navy SEAL, he is just as sexy and alpha. Be sure to download Never Cry Uncle, coming December 2011.

  Thanks again for reading,

  Mia

  Other books by Mia Dymond:

  Leather, Lace and Rock-Roll

  (Book 1 of the SEALS, Inc. series)

  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87362

  Brains before Beauty, that’s Rachel Newberry’s motto, especially when her quiet, orderly life is interrupted by international rock star, Jaydon Hawke. And true to her word, brains take center stage when she discovers Hawke has a lot more on his mind than beautiful music. Targeted by a madman, Rachel puts her trust in Hawke, a move that may cost both their lives.

  Outspoken Angel

  (Book 2 of the SEALS, Inc. series)

  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/90312

  Handbags, stilettos, and spa dates — not retired SEAL Max Sterling’s usual m.o. Until Cameron Tremaine. Duty bound, Max tolerates her sass and smart mouth until she pushes too far. Cameron doesn’t need a bald, bossy
bodyguard, thank you very much. Especially one oh, so delectable as Max. Except, when someone decides to silence her for good, Cameron realizes bold and brassy go hand in hand.

  Freaky By Nature

  (Book 3 of the SEALS, Inc. series)

  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/97541

  Brett Steele, PI didn’t realize there was a politically correct term for stripping until he met Holly London. Initially drawn to her talent, he soon learns there is much more to the “sensual dance” instructor than he thought. Holly has a secret that may change her life forever. When the atmosphere warns her she is the target of a madman, she must expose the secret and trust Brett to stay alive.

  Need a suggestion for a good read?

  Read reviews on my books and scads of others:

  http://www.maldivianbookreviewer.com

  Visit me on Facebook:

  http://www.facebook.com/miadymond

  On my Smashwords author page:

  http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/miadymond

  On my website:

  http://www.dymondintherough.com

  or read my blog:

  http://miadymond.blogspot.com

  Table of Contents

  Tightly Wound

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  EPILOGUE