“Must be handy in a fight.” Shane jerked his head at Nathan.
“I read people. Facial expressions, movement, everything. I’m a human lie detector.” Nathan grinned, all rogue. “Very handy with the women.”
Matt lowered his tone. “Josie shouldn’t know all of this.”
Shane nodded. “I’ll discuss the matter with her, and then you and I can go over Jory’s death. Maybe figure out where I’ve been the last two years.”
“Sounds good. And we need to get out of town as soon as we solve her problem.” Nathan grabbed his cell phone again. “My contacts are supposed to check in with any new information.”
Shane nodded, stretching his neck as he strode toward the hallway. A scurrying sounded before a door clicked. Ah, angel. Nice try.
*
Josie’s heart beat a rapid pattering in her chest. She kept her gaze on the dark entrance to the room. The door opened. Faint light from down the hallway filtered inside, silhouetting Shane’s strong form in the doorway.
She caught her breath in her throat. Still. Stay very still.
“Did you hear everything you needed to hear?” he rumbled, crossing inside and shutting the door. A rustling sounded and his jeans hit the floor before he tugged open the sheets and slid inside.
The scents of warm cedar and male filled her nostrils. Heat encompassed her.
He yanked her butt into his groin, curving an arm around her waist. “Well, did you?”
She shrugged, her mind spinning. “Your childhood sucked.”
A barked-out laugh stirred her hair. “Yeah, sounds like it.” He sighed. “Though the scientific explanation rings true. I mean, some of my senses aren’t normal.”
“Not even close.” She wiggled to get more comfortable, her chest aching. “Do you think Nathan is right? Are you going to die in three months?” The words hurt to say.
“I think Nate is right that there’s a kill chip in my spine, but no, I’m not going to die. We’re going to figure it out.” Calm reason filled his tone—too much calm.
That was a promise he couldn’t make. He seemed so invincible—how could he die? Tears welled in her eyes, and she shoved them back. Crying wouldn’t help a damn thing. “How is genetic manipulation possible? I mean, I can understand taking a soldier’s sperm and making babies, but how do you explain the enhanced hearing? Sight? Strength?”
“I don’t know.” He ran the rough pads of his fingers along her bare arm. Goose bumps rose. “We can clone cows. Eliminate genetic diseases in crops. I guess the thought isn’t too far-fetched to think we can manipulate genes that deal with strength and senses.”
“Especially if funded by the government. Think of the money involved.”
“Yeah. Money.” His body tightened around her. “You know, it was one thing to be certain about my ability to kill. That I had training. But to discover I was created in a test tube to be a killer, well now…” His tone went hard and flat, but pain echoed.
Sadness filtered through her. The need to comfort him, to heal him, made her heart actually ache. He must’ve been such a scared little boy to turn into such a hard man. “You don’t know that. Sure, you’re trained. But you’re freaky smart, too. Maybe you were created to do something great. Cure a disease. Fix the economy.” She turned in his arms to face him. Only the deep glow of his amazing eyes filled her sight. “What you do with your skills… well, that’s up to you. Not them.”
He exhaled. “Right now I want to find out who killed my brother. In fact, I’d like to remember my brother.” Shane’s large hand spread out between her shoulder blades, and he caressed down to press her lower back into him. His erection jumped against her clit. “After making sure you’re safe.”
He kissed her temple. So much emotion rose in her, she curled her fingers over his shoulders. His heated mouth wandered down the side of her face to take her mouth.
Safety was an illusion she didn’t want—and one she didn’t believe in. This, this she wanted. He was what she believed in. With a sigh, Josie sank into the kiss.
*
Several hours later, Nathan cast Matt a look. “Think he’s coming back?”
“Would you?” Matt flipped open a file folder, irritation swirling through his thoughts.
“Probably not.” Nathan punched in keys on the laptop. “He’s lost, Matt. He doesn’t understand he needs to let her go.”
“It’s more likely she isn’t letting him go this time,” Matt returned. For which, well, he couldn’t blame her. As he perused her file again, he understood her need for family. While death had hung over his childhood, at least he’d shared his days with his brothers. Family. They fought with each other. Shit, they fought for each other. Little Josie had been all alone.