Jemma looked up at him. Shadows slid over his face.
“He had a motorcycle waiting at the edge of the woods. The guy jumped on it and got away.” Grayson’s voice was grim. “Brad, we need to get your deputies searching for him, now. This wasn’t some amateur hour. He had his ride stashed, ready to go, and the guy’s gun was fitted with a silencer.”
It had been? She hadn’t noticed. She’d been rather busy diving for cover and trying to not scream. Or die. “It was a robber,” Jemma said.
His hold tightened on her. “I don’t think so. Not after the asshole who was at your home last night. And this guy—he was aiming at you, Jemma. If this was a breakin, the perp would have focused just on running. Not shooting. He wanted to hurt you, and that shit is not going to happen on my watch.”
She shivered. From the cold. From the fear that was growing inside of her.
And…from the absolutely lethal tone of Grayson’s voice.
She looked up into Grayson’s eyes. “Who are you?”
His eyelashes flickered.
“Gray?”
“I’m a man who can keep you safe.”
She pulled from his arms. Looked at the gun in his hand. Then back at his face. You’re also a man used to hunting, used to attacking your prey. Because there had been no hesitation from him. No fear, no panic. He’d gone cold and hard and he’d attacked without even a second thought.
He’s friends with Brad. Brad is law enforcement. “Are you a cop?” Why hadn’t they had this talk before? She’d been so focused on the here and now with Grayson. But…
I need to know more about him.
“Not exactly,” he said.
What kind of answer was that? “Gray, what are you?”
His gaze cut to Brad. Brad was stone silent.
And Grayson didn’t answer her.
***
That sonofabitch.
He braked his motorcycle on one of the long, twisting dirt paths that cut through the woods. His shoulder was throbbing and bleeding too much—mostly because he’d yanked out the knife when he’d been running.
I should have left it in. Everyone knew a wound bled more once the freaking knife was taken out, but he hadn’t exactly been given a whole lot of options.
His back teeth clenched. It had been too close. And he’d gotten nothing from that shop. He’d barely had time to search for anything before Grayson had come rushing up. Grayson, always trying to be the hero.
You’re not going to win this time, jerkoff. I won’t let you.
He’d have to hide his bike. Try not to catch too much attention. This town was too small. He couldn’t hang around much longer, not without attracting notice.
So do the job. You know Grayson’s weakness. Attack. No more waiting.
Yeah, yeah, that was exactly what he needed to do. Attack.
His head turned. He knew where Jemma White lived. She’d be heading home soon—she had to go there. After the scare, she’d probably want a familiar place.
I’ll wait for her. I’ll get Jemma. Kill her. And then Grayson can find her broken body.
No more dicking around.
Time to attack.
***
Jemma stared at him as if he were a stranger.
And, yeah, sure, they hadn’t exactly known each other long but…
“I’m still the same man,” Grayson said, aware that his words came out sounding far too much like an angry growl. Hell, what was he? Some kind of bear? He cleared his throat and tried again. “Jemma, I’m the same man you kissed at that ice skating rink. The same man that Brad has vouched for. You can trust me.”
But she turned away from him and pushed open the passenger door of his SUV. They’d stayed in town, talked more with Brad, waited and hoped that the deputies would turn up their perp…
And the temperature had started to drop. Jemma had shivered and hunched into her coat and Grayson hadn’t wanted to keep her out there—where she could be in danger—any longer. So he’d brought her back to his place.
He jumped out of the SUV and hurried to her side.
She stared up at his cabin. “You should have taken me home.”
“He knows where you live, Jemma.”
Her gaze cut toward him. “You think he’s targeting me.”
“I think there have been two…incidents.” Attacks. “Your home and your store. And when he fired, sweetheart, he was aiming at you.” He didn’t want to remember the fear that had burst inside of him during that terrible moment. Grayson took her hand in his and led her up his porch steps. “You’re safer here. Let the deputies search tonight. No one will bother you here.”
He unlocked his door and waited for her to cross the threshold first. The cabin actually belonged to Brad, and he owed the guy for letting him use the place. Not too big—kind of a cozy place with one unforgettable view of the mountains.
“I should have gone home,” Jemma murmured as he shut the door. “I could have done that.” She turned toward him. “But the truth is…I wanted to stay with you.”
He leaned back against the door and tried to figure out how not to screw this up.
“I don’t want any secrets between us.” Jemma lifted her chin. “Is that too much to ask?”