Such a subtle guy. She’d bet he’d been listening to every word. His skills appeared to be endless. Superhearing could easily be one of them.
“We were talking about work.” She lied only to save Tyler from any embarrassment. Maybe men didn’t work that way, but she didn’t want to test the issue.
Shane smiled as he walked up the steps to join them. “I figured.”
“We have some work we need to get done,” Tyler said. “You could come back or I could drop her off at—”
“No,” Shane answered right before she could give the same response.
Tyler’s sudden possessiveness creeped her out. She suspected the feelings were new and innocent, but something about his energy felt off. After all those lunches together, she didn’t want to be alone with him, and they certainly didn’t have work. If he expected to spend a few hours berating Shane, Tyler had the wrong audience.
“I think Makena should get to make that decision.” Tyler crossed his arms in front of him, looking far more confident in his position than he should have.
“Right. Good point.” Shane turned to her, the amusement obvious in the way his mouth inched up at the edges. “Makena, you pick which one of us you want to be with.”
Talk about a loaded comment. Not that her answer was in question. This, their relationship, only played out one way. She loved Shane. He was her forever. If he didn’t figure that out soon, she’d have to move on and settle for less than she wanted. The idea of that happening hollowed out her stomach, leaving her raw and twitchy.
Her gaze zipped between the two men in front of her. One with the ego she didn’t want to bruise and the other who needed to stop taking her for granted. Not that there was really any contest. “I’m leaving with Shane.”
Tyler shook his head. “But we need—”
“You heard her.” Shane winked at her. “Ready to go?”
For a second she wished she could love someone else. Someone easier. “We’ll let you know what we hear about the park and anything we uncover.”
Makena didn’t look at Tyler again as she walked with Shane. They’d parked a short distance away just to be safe and the silence made the walk back feel even longer. She waited until Shane stood beside her near the front of the car to whisper, “You don’t have to be a jerk to Tyler.”
“He’s alive, ain’t he?”
He sounded far too amused for her liking. “Why do I think you actually believe that’s an answer?”
“Because we know each other so well.” He followed her to her side of the car and opened the door for her. “Isn’t that what you told him? We get each other?”
“You were listening.” Not a question, because she didn’t need to ask. She knew and had expected all along.
“Do you blame me?”
She slid into the seat and glanced up at him. “Your ego will be unbearable now.”
He leaned in with a wide smile plastered on his face. “Blame yourself.”
* * *
TWENTY MINUTES LATER, Shane understood Makena was not amused. She hadn’t said a word since they pulled away from the curb at Tyler’s house. Just stared out the window, tracing a finger over the glass, humming now and then. Not talking to him or even looking at him, which he found annoying.
Shane decided to put it out there. State what ate at him. Not Tyler’s murky past or questionable choices. Not how his story fell apart if you dissected it. “He has a thing for you.”
She kept her focus out the window and off him. “I know.”
That was news to Shane. “You do? Since when? I swear you denied it when I suggested it earlier.”
She turned and shot him a don’t-be-dumb look. “He all but told me to dump you because you’re all wrong for me.”
And now Shane had other reasons to hate the guy. “Not happening.”
“I wouldn’t.” She smiled. “Because you’re the perfect bodyguard.”
That response didn’t sit right with him. They’d had sex. He’d held her and kissed her. They spent time together and... Shane cut off his thoughts. He’d been the one insisting they keep their relationship on a friendship level and now he was getting all wrapped up over another man wanting her. Talk about sending mixed messages. Not his style at all, but when it came to her, his feelings and common sense, and what he should do versus what he wanted to do, got all tangled up.
“I don’t trust him.” Shane offered the explanation without fanfare.
“He performs an important service.”
Shane wasn’t as convinced. Yes, the site exposed men who deserved to be exposed, but he couldn’t help thinking Tyler had a hidden agenda. Of course, every man associated with the site struck him that way. Maybe his paranoia was running on high.
“You don’t think he’s a little too good to be true?” That was as far as he’d go...for now.
“You don’t trust anyone.”
She wasn’t wrong. “I trust you.”
“Because you like me, even though you fight it.” Makena’s hand balled into a fist against the door. “I hate this part of the drive.”
Shane focused on the road and the narrow bridge ahead instead of her throwaway comment. The span skimmed over the water for half a mile. He understood the concern. Sometimes the sun’s reflection bounced off the water and blinded drivers. “I’ve driven it a million times.”
“Your skills aren’t what has me concerned. Death by drowning is the main thing on my mind.” She seemed to brace her feet against the floor as she stared ahead.
Shane looked at her and did a double take. They’d driven to Tyler’s house via a longer route from another part of the county, avoiding the bridge. “I can turn around.”
She shook her head. “I’m fine.”
She didn’t look it. She’d been shot at and looked less fatigued. Shane decided right then that he would never understand her. “The death grip on the door gives you away.”
“Just drive. The faster you go, the sooner this will be over.”
He admired her spunk. That and about a hundred other things.
The tires crossed the bridge entry with a thump. With the low sides, they could see the open water. It flashed by on both sides, and cables scaled above them. A few other cars passed in the opposite direction, but the road stayed clear.
A quick look in his rearview mirror showed a vehicle coming up behind him. It moved too fast, which suggested a kid or a driver confused about the concept of defensive driving. Shane kept watch, stealing peeks.
Then the mood changed. The truck, big and black, lined up behind him, way too close. He took in the large grille on the truck and the tinted windows. He couldn’t make out the driver, but this guy was playing games.
Shane glanced over at Makena. She hadn’t picked up on the tension. She sat there, fiddling with the radio. His gaze shot to her seat belt.
The revving of the engine had his attention zipping back to the mirror. He tapped the brakes, trying to back the guy off. If this was innocent, he should get the hint, but Shane sensed this was deliberate. Someone wanted to make a point. A very dangerous one.
“Hold on.” He knew that didn’t mean much, but he said it anyway.
She looked at him, confusion written all over her face. “What?”
He couldn’t hide the facts. She needed to be ready. “We have company.”
She shifted in her seat and turned around as the truck tapped their bumper. The move sent her flying forward. “What is he doing?”
“Letting us know we’re not wanted around here.” When the truck drifted in again, Shane turned the wheel and swerved the car into the empty oncoming lane.
The truck surged, then fell back. This was a game of chicken played out in three-thousand-pound car and a massive seven-thousand-pound truck. Not exactly Shane’s idea of a good afternoon, especially since the size advantage was not on his side.
He shifted in his seat, sitting up higher as he started weaving from one lane to the other. The move would steal some of his spe
ed but make him a harder target to hit.
His luck held out and the oncoming lane stayed empty. Shane just had to get them across. He hit the gas, thinking to outrun the larger vehicle in a race. But the truck wasn’t ready to give in. He shot forward and smacked into the car’s tail end. The move had the vehicle bobbling and tires screeching.
Makena grabbed the dashboard with stiff arms. Shane shouted for her to get down just as the truck ran alongside the car. Not even, but Shane could see the truck’s heavy front out of his peripheral vision. See the make and the dark metal. Then the truck slammed into them, crashing them into the guardrail and snapping their bodies forward as far as the seat belts would allow.
The crunch of metal against concrete. The deafening screech as the car scraped against the wall. Shane kept his white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel, forcing the wheels straight and willing the car to stay on the bridge. The water seemed to get closer. It could have splashed up over the side and he wouldn’t have been surprised.
With another slam, the car teetered and the wheel shimmied under his hands. He felt the front give and Makena’s side ram into the concrete. They bounced and the world spun around them. The tires squealed and the smell of burned rubber and gasoline filled the air.
He could hear Makena’s screaming as the force of the blow had her bouncing around in her seat, even with the seat belt. Shane fought against the skid and struggled to hold on to control. His heartbeat hammered in his ears as the car’s back end crashed into something. The hit jolted his body until his teeth rattled.
A car horn honked and the sounds of skidding ran through his head. The car bounced and rocked on its tires. It left the ground and he waited for them to flip. A crack echoed around him, and then the car shuddered to a halt.
When his breathing slowed and he focused again, steam swirled out from under the hood. His gaze shot to the other side of the car. Makena had been pushed up against the door and rubbed her head as she mumbled.
He wanted to undo his seat belt, but he didn’t know where the truck had gone or if they were alone. Still, he needed to know. He reached over and touched her hair. “Baby, are you okay?”
She nodded and blinked a few times. When she finally looked up at him, tears stained her cheeks and her hands shook. “You kept us from going over the edge.”
The car felt uneven and pieces of concrete and car parts littered the road. He wasn’t sure part of the car didn’t hang over the edge of the bridge. Just the thought of that had anxiety punching his gut. “Barely.”
He looked up and saw two cars parked ahead of him. People poured out with terror on their faces. He glanced around and realized they’d spun around and now sat on the opposite side of the road, facing the wrong direction. A quick scan sent a pain shooting up his neck. Shane ignored it as he looked for the truck.
He undid the seat belt and reached for his gun. As soon as his hand touched it he dropped his arm again. The people surrounding the car were shouting about the police coming and asking Makena if they were okay.
Friendlies, not hostiles. Someone might have seen something, could possibly identify the driver of the truck. Shane vowed to ask all those important questions once the ache in his side eased. He leaned his head against the seat and said a quick thank-you to the universe for keeping them from going over the edge. He knew how to escape a flooding car, but that didn’t mean he wanted to practice the skill.
His head rolled on the headrest and he looked at Makena. “We should have gone the long way.”
She reached over and took his hand. “Next time.”
He’d spent his entire life thinking he didn’t have an ounce of luck. Anything that could go wrong did. He’d had to earn all he possessed the hard way. But he looked at her, felt her warm hand in his and decided he might be lucky after all.
Chapter Fourteen
Cam grabbed two bottles of water out of the refrigerator and handed one each to Makena and Shane along with pain pills. “You two need to work on the concept of date night.”
“We like adventure.” Makena appreciated Cam’s attempts to lessen the tension. Not that it worked. To be fair, an entire comedy team working round the clock couldn’t restore a sense of calm at this moment.
She’d been a shaking mess at the crash site a few hours ago. It had taken two people to shoehorn her out of the car. The slam into the sidewall had caved it in. When the fresh air hit her, she’d thought her control would come whizzing back. Then she’d seen the black skid marks along the bridge walls and realized how close they’d come to being trapped in an underwater grave. It was a miracle she hadn’t thrown up her lunch.
Connor and Cam buzzed around the safe house. They’d come with medical supplies. Connor insisted they visit some doctor she’d never heard of. Shane refused. She figured she’d go if he did. And truth was, he’d sustained the most injuries. She’d gotten thrown around and her insides jumbled, but except for the knock to her head and a sore elbow, she was okay. She’d be a bruise from head to toe tomorrow, but now stiffness was the main issue.
From Shane’s scowl she guessed he wasn’t happy about his injuries. “This isn’t funny.”
Nothing about the last week rose to the level of funny, but if she didn’t laugh she might cry, and she could not tolerate the idea of curling up in the corner. She glanced over at Connor. He hovered over his laptop. Was on his phone. Asked question after question. Seemed like overkill to her.
“His neck hurts,” she said, referring to Shane.
“I’m fine.”
“He will be.” Connor nodded in her direction. “What about you?”
“Everything aches. I should be one throbbing pain by tomorrow morning.”
Cam laughed. “Sounds like fun.”
“We need to focus.” Shane got off the barstool, probably too fast, because he grimaced the second he moved. “This last attack went too far.”
“Getting hit by a car is worse than being shot at?” Not in her book. It all mashed together, making every hour dreary. She watched Shane pace around the small space in front of the stove and realized there had been a few nonawful hours.
Shane scowled at her. “I’m serious.”
So was she, but she didn’t belabor the point. “Do you think we were followed from Tyler’s house? If so, we should let him know.”
Silence greeted her question. She’d expected more. A noise of some type. Agreement, maybe. Sure, they didn’t know Tyler and Shane clearly didn’t like him, but they protected. That was what the Corcoran Team did. They rushed in when others ran away. They didn’t leave people behind or put them in harm’s way.
Finally Cam spoke up. “Know what?”
“That the people launching these attacks know where he lives.” It seemed simple enough to her. Tyler could walk into a trap or be the newest victim of a shooting.
They all looked at each other this time. Men frowning and acting confused—not her favorite thing and certainly not expected.
“Don’t we already know that?” Connor shifted in his chair, leaning back as he delivered the question with measured words. “He claims someone broke into his house. You saw the aftermath.”
She caught the doubt. Connor’s tone never changed, only his word choice. The fact that neither Cam nor Shane jumped in to correct him couldn’t be good. “Claims?”
Shane started to shake his head, then winced. “Let this topic go.”
She sensed he was talking to Connor, but she didn’t care. “I want to know what you guys are thinking.”
“You don’t,” Shane said without giving her eye contact.
She sure did now. Inhaling as much air as possible, she tried to calm her flaring nerves and concentrate. “I have been shot at and almost drowned. The least you guys can do is not treat me like a little kid. I’m in this, so tell me.”
Shane glanced at Connor, who nodded. It took another few seconds of silence for Shane to start talking. “His military record doesn’t match the story he tells. Nothing he says makes
sense.”
She sat down hard on the barstool next to Cam. “What?”
“We’ve been checking into the past of everyone on the website and all the files Tyler turned over.” Connor turned his laptop around to face her. “On the surface, Tyler is clean. On the surface, Jeff is dangerous and Frank is contrite.”
Cam took over. “The men you’re researching, that the site is researching, are mostly frauds. A few are clean. They embellish their records but nothing so extreme that it’s worth calling them out and humiliating them.”
She knew most of that, or had guessed it. But the phrase on the surface clued her in to bigger trouble. “But?”
“The man who came to your house and started all of this was on the loop with Jeff.” Shane exhaled. “In other words, all of these men are connected.”
They clearly thought they were saying something, but she could not follow what. “Didn’t we know that?”
“Many claim not to know each other.” Shane stopped as if weighing how much to say and how to say it. “They don’t live near each other or have any public contacts, but there are contacts. Behind the scenes and not through the usual channels, like emails and phone calls.”
“So this is some big conspiracy to wipe out the website.” She could believe that. Push bad men hard enough and they shoved back. Some of the men who had been uncovered didn’t have much left to lose. Going out by taking down the people who unveiled their lies would not be a surprise.
“Normally I would say yes, but there’s more than that.” Connor glanced at Shane.
He filled in the blank. “Tyler doesn’t appear to be who he claims to be.”
Anger rose inside her and she clamped it down. Her inclination was to rush to Tyler’s defense, get indignant on his behalf. He’d never been anything but good to her. But she looked around and saw the faces of men who cared about her and her brother. Men who wouldn’t lie. Men who clearly knew more than she did. “Explain that.”
“The suspicions are in pieces. All circumstantial.” Connor flipped the computer back to face him. “We can’t prove anything.”
Tamed (Corcoran Team: Bulletproof Bachelors Book 3) Page 12