Protected by Shadows

by Aliyah Burke

  “Are you sure it’s safe to be in the open like this?”

  He looked around, determined to keep her safe. “They said Trevor was dead. I still told them to run the DNA on him, but they were confident it was him. What remains of The Watchers have scattered, well, those not dead or in custody.” He slid even closer to her, hating the memory of her lying in a pool of her own blood.

  “You’re thinking about my getting shot again, Val. Forget it. I’m fine.”

  “How do you know what I was thinking? And I’ll never forget it as long as I live.” He wouldn’t ever forget the pulse draining warm blood as it pumped from her over his hands as he tried to staunch the flow. He couldn’t. The panic he’d felt. The worry. And of course, the recognition of the love he had for her.

  “There was emotion on your face. Seems to be the only time you show any.”

  He frowned. Was that truly how she saw him? Even now? He thought he’d been getting better. “Can I ask you a question?” He played with the shorter strands of her hair.

  “Knock yourself out, handsome.”

  He rotated slightly on the seat so he faced her fully. Her expression was pure Lexy. Partially amused, part arrogance, and of course with Lexy, there was always a bit of impatience. For the first time in a very long time in his life, he felt uncertain. He tried a few times to begin only to falter. Lexy crossed her arms and arched one plucked eyebrow.

  “You okay? Never seen you stutter so.”

  He hadn’t either. Heat crept up the back of his neck and he shifted uncomfortably. Had the entire park fallen silent, waiting for his attempted reveal of feelings? Damn it, even the driver seems interested in what I’m trying to say.

  Licking his lips, he grabbed her hands. “What I’m fucking up instead of saying is—”

  Her face had drained of color and her eyes were wide. “That looks just like Trevor, Val. Oh my God, it is him!”

  It wasn’t the fear in her voice but the raw fury that told him she wasn’t imagining things. Val turned in time to see the man who had caused so much pain and suffering in their lives. Trevor stood a short distance away from them, his coat flipped back and the weapon raised. Then he fired.

  Screams erupted as Val fell forward, using his body as cover for Lexy, pain burning in his back. His larger form pressed hers to the floor of the carriage and she struggled beneath him.

  “Get off me!”

  The horse began moving faster and Val looked over the side, blinking away pain, and saw Trevor crumple to the ground. “Stop!” he hollered at the driver.

  “Christ, Val, you’re shot,” Lexy said, pressing her hand to his soaked shirt.

  Her words weren’t making sense and he struggled against the approaching darkness. He had to protect her. He couldn’t fail again. Not again.

  “Beauregard?” Lexy asked. “Red?”

  “Damn it, woman, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?” A short pause. “Or Scarlett.”

  “What the hell is going on here? And get me a medic, Val’s been shot.”

  The carriage no longer moved and he stared up at her from the mire determined to suck him in. He fought with strength he didn’t know he possessed. Trying to sit up, he scowled when she pushed him back down. He saw her with an SIG in one hand and blinked as he tried to make sense of it all. Then Anabelle Lee peeked in at him and her mouth moved but none of her words registered. That was followed by Beauregard’s head. The man also said something.

  “Love you, Alexsa,” he grated out, determined to tell her how he felt.

  Lexy bent over him and brushed a hand along his head. “I love you, too, Valentino. You hang on. You hear me?”

  He heard her. With a small nod, he grabbed at one of her hands, hating how he fumbled, but didn’t give up until their fingers were laced with one another. “Marry me.”

  Tears spilled over her eyes as she looked away from him briefly. “We’re already married, fool.”

  “Again. Big. Families.”

  Her hand let go of his and before he could complain, two more men moved him onto a stretcher. He could see the medic uniforms and one of them gave him a shot of something. The pain melted away.

  “Lexy. Lexy!” He tore the mask off his face and called for her again.

  “I’m right here, Val,” she said, putting the mask back on him. “You need this on.”

  “Answer me,” he said, removing it long enough to speak. “Or I don’t go in the ambulance.”

  “No choice about that, hoss.” She brushed a kiss over his cheek and placed her mouth by his ear. “And yes, I’ll marry you again. Big wedding. Family included.”

  He smiled and relaxed back. I love you!

  They lifted him into the back and she climbed in with him. The blood on her clothing bothered him and he fought to speak. She held his hand and shook her head.

  “It’s not mine, it’s yours. I’m fine.”

  He needed to check her over himself and struggled to sit. She lifted a brow at him and gave him a look that told him it wasn’t happening. Cupping the side of his face, she leaned down again and whispered in his ear, “I love you too, Valentino Cassano. Rest now and don’t worry. I get to drive home.”

  Her smug smile escorted him into the darkness and she was there when he woke again, in her same clothing as she sat beside him in the hospital room.

  “I love you, Lexy,” he said after watching her in silence for a few seconds.

  “I know. You shouted it to everyone in the park as you were being loaded into the ambulance,” she replied gently, looking up at him with a smile.

  “Let me hold you.”

  Lexy hesitated for about two beats of his heart before she stood up, placed the magazine she’d had in her hand upon the chair she’d just vacated then crawled into the narrow bed with him, staying on the side of him that hadn’t been operated on. She rested her head against his shoulder and placed a hand upon his bare chest.

  “He’s dead for sure this time,” she whispered.

  “Who took the shot?”

  “Red.”

  “She always was our best shot.”

  “Beauregard said they got the results back and wanted to warn you but tracked your cell instead. They’ve been following us since we got to New York. Even Masters is here. They’ll want to see you.”

  “They can wait,” he said, holding her tight. “I’m recovering, remember.”

  Her laugh was light and comforting. “Then you should sleep.” He flexed his fingers on her arm. “I’m staying right here.”

  Kissing her on the head, he closed his eyes. They weren’t home and it wasn’t like he could jump her but he’d take it. She had agreed to marry him again and she loved him. All in all, his life was perfect.

  Coming Soon from Totally Bound Publishing:

  McKingley: Seduction’s Dance

  Aliyah Burke

  Released 27th December 2013

  Excerpt

  Chapter One

  Dimitri Wright rolled the cold bottle between his fingers, his thoughts not fully on what he was doing. He swore he was in the middle of an epidemic of relationships leading to marriage—all his siblings had paired off, one after the other, and their parents were happily planning the weddings. His mother had that gleam in her eye that put dread into every man who was single and enjoyed being so. Dimitri hoped she’d turn her attention to one of the cousins next—the Wright family was large, and they should keep her busy for a while. He was one of those men who liked his life the way it was. He didn’t need a woman to change that—the thought of having to discuss feelings and all the other crap that came with being in a relationship made him want to lock himself in his house until people regained their senses. Hell, even the tentative, trying to figure out if you were even interested in each other was something he hated.

  Give him an honest, blunt, straightforward woman and maybe he’d change his mind. The women who approached him were anything but that. They came at him with some excuse trying to capture
his eye. But what they didn’t realize was that he enjoyed the chase. The woman he wanted could be blunt, but he was old-fashioned and enjoyed being the one to make the first move. After that he didn’t have a problem with her holding her own with him—he wanted her to. But he wanted to make the initial approach. Then if they discovered they had common interests, it was important for him to know she could share his silences as well as his conversations. He enjoyed those moments of being silent more than anything else. With his profession, he saw some of the most horrible things and just needed time to chill and be.

  Dimitri rubbed the back of his neck as his thoughts turned to the fire he’d been sent to investigate earlier. There was no doubt that it was arson. The family in the home had died, all of them including the children—six, four, two and a baby. It was always so damn disheartening when there were kids involved. It was his job to find out who had eradicated the family from the face of the earth. Fire was a nasty business that didn’t differentiate based on race, ethnicity or any other demographic. Once a fire was started, its hunger took all that was in its path. Arsonists lit them for many reasons, but sometimes it was someone who didn’t even think, not knowing that fire isn’t to be played with. These cases were the ones that made his gut burn. He loved his job—investigating fires, tracking down the source, gathering evidence and finding who did it. He didn’t manage the last part all the time, but he damn well tried his best.

  He thought of the open case of the serial arsonist he’d been trying to catch for the last few months. It had started with a fire in the science building at the university. There had been no fatalities, but there had been many other fires since then and in some of those, people had died. The fires seemed to be random—there was no pattern—which was making it harder to track him. Lately they had been quiet and there had been no fires with the signature Dimitri had found. Others in the community had assumed and even hoped that maybe the arsonist had stopped, but Dimitri felt in his gut they hadn’t—there was something big coming. There was something about all the cases that bugged him, but he couldn’t put his finger on what. That piece eluding him might be the one to solve the case.

  The fire today hadn’t been one of the serial fires. Dimitri lifted the bottle to his lips then drank his beer. He returned it to the top of the bar, rolling his shoulders. He’d been gathering evidence and was tight around his lower neck and back, but he hadn’t felt like going home.

  Absently, he glanced around the bar. It was frequented by cops, fire fighters and those like him who did business between the two places. He was actually based out of the firehouse but worked closely with the police force. The good thing was his younger brother Leonardo was the sheriff, and the cops knew him through Leo, making it easier for him to do his job. Not that he wouldn’t go around them if he needed to in order to get his job done. But he’d rather not get in a pissing match, instead preferring to just get what he needed taken care of accomplished.

  “It was a tough one,” someone with a soft voice spoke beside him.

  Dimitri turned his head then blinked, realizing that someone was sitting next to him. He noted the two empty beer bottles in front of the woman, which meant she had been there a bit. Probably had been when he came in, since he was still on his first. He hadn’t even noticed her. Dimitri studied the woman. Her features blended in a face that he would call lovely but in an understated way. Wire-rimmed glasses covered dark brown eyes with thick lashes. Her hair was away from her face in a neat braid, the tail end resting over her shoulder. He glanced at her hand, noting she was rolling a bottle between her rich, caramel-colored hands as he had been. Her nails were short, neatly clipped, with their natural hue. Dimitri lifted his gaze to study her closer since he thought he recognized her. He tried to place where he knew her from. Suddenly it dawned on him.

  “Deputy Conner. You were the cop at the fire with me.”

  The Sheriff’s department had left a different cop there since they’d wanted to keep the area protected. The officer with him had been silent and efficient, and he had soon forgotten she was there. She hadn’t tried to ask questions or engage him in conversation, for which he had been appreciative. Fire with kids hit him harder than most.

  “Yes.”

  That was it, no other explanation. Intrigued, Dimitri watched the woman who he hadn’t realized was by him. He remembered what she had said.

  “Yes, it was a tough one.”

  She nodded and drank her beer. They fell into a comfortable silence. Dimitri noted a booth becoming available and slid off the bar stool, carrying his beer.

  “Let’s get the booth before someone takes it.”

  The woman blinked behind her wire frames but rose as he bid and followed him with her beer to the booth. Dimitri slid into it just in time. He lifted a shoulder at the fire fighter he worked with. The man inclined his head and went to the bar. Dimitri focused on the woman. She was sipping her beer and glancing around the packed bar. She finally put her gaze on him, her eyebrow rising as if asking what he was looking at. Dimitri lifted his bottle, using it to cover his smile—Deputy Conner seemed a little prickly. A waitress came over and Dimitri ordered some food. Conner ordered too then the waitress left.

  “I don’t remember seeing you before,” Dimitri stated. He knew the cops who worked with his brother.

  “Been here about six months.” Her answer was succinct.

  “O—”

  A cell rang, interrupting them. Deputy Conner reached under the table and pulled out her phone.

  “Excuse me.” She studied the number and frowned before answering. “Conner… What are you doing in jail… Christ, James, I’ve told you about that damn rooster.” She listened then sighed. “I’ll be right there to get you.”

  She hung up then glanced at him. “Gotta go. Just eat my food.”

  She rose, putting some bills on the table then turning away. Dimitri reached for her hand. She stopped, glancing at him questioningly.

  “I don’t even know your first name.”

  “Shannon,” she replied.

  Dimitri thought about her name. “Wait. Are you related to Conner from the ranch that has Sigmund?”

  Dimitri smiled, thinking of the ornery bird that was a local legend. Like clockwork, Sigmund crowed incessantly from two-seventeen to six-seventeen a.m., every day. A new owner had bought the ranch not knowing about the bird, but they’d soon found out. Now it was amusing for McKingley residents to see who would win the battle—man or bird. There was even a bet about it. Dimitri also recalled that James had helped out in the rescue of his brother Leo a few weeks ago. He’d meant to find him and thank him but had never got around to it.

  “Yes. Cousins. We own the ranch together. Although I’m lucky enough to not live in the main ranch house, which Sigmund has a shine to. I’m at the foreman’s house. Am I glad I decided to pick that one. James is cursing having the main house because of that ‘damn singing fucker’.” Shannon smiled.

  Dimitri’s breath caught. The smile changed her from lovely to beautiful. Shannon twisted her hand, pulling out of his hold. Dimitri drew back, realizing he’d been holding her.

  “I need to get James out of jail.”

  “Leo really arrested him?” Dimitri asked in disbelief.

  “No, a new deputy who thinks he has something to prove did.” Shannon’s face-hardened and her gaze became fierce.

  Dimitri blinked, captivated by the woman who seemed to have a quicksilver personality. He’d first pegged her as reserved then funny and now she looked like a warrior ready for battle. Shannon inclined her head then turned and strode off. Dimitri watched her full-figured shape as she made her way through the tables to the door. Her stride was confident. Her loose purple T-shirt fell to mid-thigh, and she wore black jeans and sneakers. It was understated like herself. Her face, from what he’d been able to see, was sans makeup—it had looked soft and ready to be touched. Dimitri drummed his fingers on the table, unable to look away as she continued her trek. When she exited, he g
lanced at the tabletop, wondering what the hell had just happened.

  You just met a woman who, for all intents, actually captured your attention with only a few words.

  “I’ll be damned,” Dimitri said.

  “Did you say something, Dimitri?” Carol the waitress slid their food onto the table.

  He lifted his head and replied. “No. Wrap that to go.”

  He pointed at the food Shannon had ordered.

  “She left you. Must be crazy.” Carol smiled flirtatiously.

  Dimitri didn’t reply, his mind still on the woman who’d just left.

  Exiting the bar, Shannon Conner resisted looking back at Dimitri. He had a similar look to his brother and her boss, Leonardo Wright. Rugged masculine features that weren’t thought of as traditionally handsome but gave him more of a sexy, edgy look that made a woman wonder if she could tame him. His dark sienna skin made his light brown eyes even more compelling. Then again, it could be the intensity in his gaze. As he looked at her, it was as if he was seeing all her secrets. It was unnerving yet exhilarating. She’d heard of Dimitri from her fellow officers—heck, she knew about the whole Wright family—but hadn’t worked with him until today.

  In McKingley, their name was known along with the McKingleys as descendants from one of the founding families of the town. Both families were well respected. From what she’d heard, Dimitri was the oldest of his siblings and he was known as a loner. Many speculated he would be a hermit if not for his job, and said he only spent time with his family or friends and usually at private gatherings.

  By the time Shannon had made it to her vehicle, she had already dismissed the meeting in the bar with Dimitri. With efficient motions, she headed to the station and to the door once she’d arrived. Her face remained composed, although inside she seethed and would let the deputy who had arrested her cousin know it. Shannon already knew why the jerk Mario had picked James up despite Leonardo telling them to not arrest him. Mario had been trying to get her to go out with him, and she’d refused on numerous occasions. Yesterday he’d gone too far and it had become physical. Shannon had only knocked him on his ass, though she could have hurt him very badly if she’d been so inclined. Hell, James could have too, but he hadn’t out of respect for Leonardo. The men had become friends after all Leo’s visits out to the ranch about James trying to kill the rooster. Even before their friendship, Leo had been more amused by James who had a tendency to run after the rooster naked. Not by choice but because James waited until it was so much on his nerves that he ran out of the house so focused on killing it that he forgot he didn’t have clothing on. Shannon knew it hurt James’ pride that one rooster was out-smarting him.