Page 36 of Dark ’N’ Deadly

Tiger had been about to plop down on his dog bed but instead turned and sat in front of Eric, lifting his paw and focusing his gaze on him. Yeah, even his dog knew.

The conversation he’d had with Jesse had torn loose a Band-Aid he’d kept securely fastened on old wounds. Exposing those wounds had screwed with his reality, leaving him totally dazed and disoriented. Because he’d just done something he’d never done in his entire life, something he’d sworn would never happen.

He’d given a woman—and not his sister—the key to his house.

Chapter Twelve

Tess readjusted the shopping bags in her hand. “What did you and Eric talk about?”

They’d driven into town again to grab a few more essentials. Not Flemington this time, but Clinton, another charming town twenty minutes away. Again, just to be cautious.

“Guy stuff.” When she stopped walking and grabbed his arm, he rolled his eyes. “What? Will you stop treatin’ me like I’m still eight years old?”

“I’m sorry.” She released his arm and took a calming breath. “Just because you’re eighteen now doesn’t mean I automatically stop worrying about you. You’ll have to learn to accept that. What’s going on with you, Eric, the ATF, and—” She didn’t even want to say his name. “I know you like Eric, but you can’t take him into our confidence. You might inadvertently let something slip.”

“I didn’t. I swear it.” He crossed his heart, the same way he did when he was a little boy. “But I think we should tell him the truth. About everything.”

“I want to,” she began. She really, really did, but keeping things in perspective was paramount. Eric was a sworn federal law enforcement officer and as such had reporting obligations that would override her and Jesse’s fears. “We can’t risk it. If the ATF knew where we came from, let alone the details, they’d get their federal hooks into us and never let go.”

“You’re wrong.” Jesse shook his head. “He’s an okay guy, and he wouldn’t do that to us.”

“I’m sure he is an okay guy.” He was more than okay. Eric was exactly the kind of moral, upstanding influence Jesse needed. Given that her brother had been living with her stepfather most of his life, it was a wonder he hadn’t turned into a carbon copy of the bastard. “But it doesn’t matter. We still need to get out of here as quickly as possible.”

“You sure about that?” Jesse grinned. “If you wanna know the truth, mostly we talked about you.”

“What about me?”

“He likes you.” Jesse puffed up his chest. “As your brother, I’m obligated to look out for you. I told him it was okay to kiss you again, but that if he was only usin’ you to get into your pants, I’d have to kick his ass.”

“Very funny.” She playfully punched his arm. “I’ll try to forget you said that.” If only she could forget the way Eric had kissed her.

The man was more than just an okay kisser. On a scale of one to ten, he rated a solid hundred. The second their lips touched, her libido had gone ballistic, setting her body on fire and making her want to throw caution to the wind, get completely naked with him, and damn the consequences.

“Seriously, Tessie. It’d be okay with me if you guys kissed again. Just do it in private, would ya?”

The look of feigned agony on his face was so real, she laughed. Then he wrapped his arms around his belly. He uttered a tight cry as his legs buckled. She reached for him, but he’d fallen to the sidewalk on his knees, doubled over in pain.

“What’s wrong?” she shouted.

Her brother’s eyes were shut tightly, his face turning bright red. “My stomach…it’s killin’ me.” He began falling onto his side, and she held his shoulders, easing him down so he didn’t crack his head on the sidewalk.

“Jesse, please!” she cried. “What is it?”

Sweat poured down his temples. He didn’t respond, and it scared her to death.

Grabbing her purse, she dug for her phone. Unable to find it, she dumped the contents on the ground.

“Do you need help?” A woman knelt beside them.

“Ambulance,” she mumbled. “I need to call an ambulance!” Finding the phone, she struggled to punch in 9-1-1, but her hands were trembling so much she couldn’t manage it.

“I can do that for you.” The woman held out her hand, and Tess gratefully handed her the phone.

“Jesse, hang in there.” She adjusted her brother’s head so it lay in her lap. Tears leaked from her eyes, and she felt completely helpless. Seeing her baby brother in such agony was unbearable.

This can’t be happening. It was, but it was so surreal.

Vaguely, she heard the woman talking to someone on the phone. Other people gathered around, offering some kind of assistance, but she barely comprehended a word they were saying. Watching Jesse hug himself into a tight ball, his body shuddering, only one thought penetrated her brain.