Shane tossed in the big bed, wandering through the twilight between dreams and reality. His brain relaxed, and he let memories wash over him.
Two years ago, he’d whistled a country tune, walking home from the bakery to his woman. Josie. Doubt had still assailed him, but maybe he had a chance at a normal life. Sure, what had happened to his brother Nathan was a tragedy, and when Nathan was betrayed by Audrey, his life pretty much stopped. But Nate had never talked about the whole story. Something else had happened, and he wouldn’t discuss it. But now, maybe Shane could find a better ending.
The hair on the back of Shane’s neck had prickled. He had shifted the freshly baked baguettes to his other hand, reaching for the knife in his back pocket.
“Not necessary,” a low voice muttered from the alley.
Relief relaxed his shoulders as Shane dodged into the alley to face his brothers. “Matt, Nate. Why are we in an alley?” Humor tilted Shane’s lips. Matt hated drama, while Nate had once lived for it. When he lived for something.
Matt didn’t return the smile, just stared at him with those dark gray eyes.
Dread whispered along Shane’s skin. His ribs instantly had ached. No. “What?”
“Jory’s dead.”
Two years later, the words made Shane sit upright in bed, his gut revolting. Pain filled his body. Jory. The youngest kid, the smallest, the one who tried so much harder than the rest of them. Until he grew and kicked ass.
Shane breathed out, glancing at the sleeping bundle next to him. Tiny. She was so tiny, curled up like a kitten. Her lips pouted in her sleep, and he flashed back to the many times he’d lounged next to the bed. Watching her. He’d meant to talk some sense into her in the shower. Show her who was boss. She’d taken him. Wrapped her little body around him as tightly as she’d bound his heart.
Jesus. He couldn’t keep his own brother safe. How could he keep Josie safe? While memories were flashing home, there were more he needed to find. He’d told Josie he was keeping her, but what if that was a death sentence? Maybe loving her really did mean releasing her. But could he?
His hand trembled when he reached out and smoothed back the wispy hair on her forehead. Her skin felt like the finest of silks. Though the bruise spreading across her jaw made him wish he had killed George.
How could he see so well in the dark?
Time for some answers.
He rolled from the bed and pulled on his jeans, stalking on bare feet down the hallway to the living room.
Nathan glared at him from the table, where he had put together a scanner. His wet hair lay curled against his neck. “You used all the hot water, asshole.”
“Sorry.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Why can I see in the dark? How can I guess the speed of a vehicle thirty miles away? Shit, how can I hear a vehicle that far away?” Anger fought reason for dominance in his brain. “How did I know how to interrogate that bastard earlier?”
Nathan sat back, his eyes thoughtful. “What do you remember?”
Shane growled and strode to the kitchen, grabbing two beers from the refrigerator. Guinness. He handed one to Nathan and dropped into a thick leather chair. “I remember a military academy and breaking my arm. Then I remember Matt telling me Jory was dead.” Even now, pain caught the air in his throat. “Small scenes, small memories scattered throughout. I’m starting to remember everything about Josie.” Shane squinted his eyes, looking into the past. “I know we don’t have parents. I don’t know how I know that, but I remember wanting parents.”
“At two years older than me, Matt’s the closest thing we ever had,” Nathan said softly. He rubbed his chin. “It might be easier not knowing. But you’re right. We don’t have parents.”
“Why not?”
Nathan exhaled. “We’re experiments, Shane. Genetics, psychology, and test tubes.”
Chapter 20
Shane extended his legs, stretching out. The more his mind spun, the more relaxed his body became. Interesting reaction. “Test tubes?”
“Yes.” Nathan took a deep drink of the dark brew. “We’re part of a military experiment. Trained to fight, trained to kill since birth.”
A soft pattering sounded down the hallway. Shane tilted his head to listen. Josie had crept forward. The little eavesdropper. He could whisk her back to bed or allow her to hear everything. It was past time to have his cards on the table. He pinned his brother with a look. “So we’re not brothers?”
Nathan cut his eyes to the hallway and then back at Shane. With a shrug, he shook his head. “We’re brothers. Part of the experiment was to see how we related, how we trained, what motivated us.” A warning light entered his eyes. “We weren’t the only team. There were several.” He shook his head at the hallway.
Too bad. Let her learn the truth. “That explains the eye color.”
Nathan’s jaw tightened, but he continued. “Yes. Same father. Some ultra-soldier, from what Jory was able to hack. Take a genius female and her womb, some serious genetic engineering, and they created us.”