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She opened to him, and he thrust in, tangling his tongue with hers.
Remy could get lost in Shelby so easily.
He broke it off first, gripped her arms and set her away. “Go to bed.”
She blinked up at him, her mouth opening and then closing. Finally, she nodded. “Good night.” Shelby turned and hurried to her bedroom, closing the door between them.
As soon as she did, Remy spun toward the kitchen and spent the next thirty minutes dumping gumbo into containers, scrubbing pots and pans and drying every last drop off their surfaces. He cleaned the stovetop, ran a rag across the counter and looked for anything else he could do to keep busy.
The kitchen was clean. It was dark outside, or he’d mow the lawn and edge the sidewalk. No matter how hard he worked, he couldn’t quit thinking about Shelby and that kiss.
Why had he stopped and sent her to her bed?
Alone?
A knock sounded on the front door.
Remy grabbed his gun from the counter where he’d placed it before he’d started cooking and approached the front door. Moving into the living room, he peered around the edge of the window to find a man standing on the stoop with a large bag slung over his shoulder. The man turned his head toward the streetlight.
Alan. Shelby’s brother-in-law.
Remy opened the door. “Hey, Alan.”
Alan nodded a greeting. “Remy. Gerard had me bring this to you. Thought you might need your things. He would’ve come but thought it better to stay with Chrissy and the kids.”
“Great. Thanks.” Remy took the duffel bag from the other man.
Alan frowned. “You really think Chrissy and the kids are in danger?”
“We don’t know. But better safe than sorry, right?”
Alan nodded. “Yeah. I don’t like it. The sooner they find the guys who attacked Shelby, the better.” His eyes narrowed as he met Remy’s gaze. “Shelby’s family. I love my family and don’t want anything bad to happen to them.”
Remy got the message. Don’t fuck with Shelby. “I care about Shelby. I don’t want anyone to hurt her either.”
He tipped his head back as if weighing the truth of Remy’s declaration. Finally, he said, “Good. I feel better knowing you’re looking out for her. And thanks for sending Gerard to help me look after Chrissy and the kids. Call me if you need me for anything.” Alan didn’t wait for a response. He walked back to his minivan, climbed in and drove away.
For a long moment, Remy’s gaze followed the man in the minivan. He’d come to deliver Remy’s things and a message to treat Shelby right.
Some men would take offense to such a warning. Not Remy. He liked that Chrissy’s husband cared about his wife’s sister. That meant more people were looking out for her.
He closed the door, locked it and found a wooden chair to brace under the door handle. He took another chair to the back door and wedged it under the door handle. Then he went around the house, checking all the window latches to ensure each was secure.
When he came to Shelby’s bedroom door, he tapped softly.
No answer.
Careful not to make a noise, he turned the doorknob and opened the door.
Light from the hallway cast a beam across the floor to the bed where she lay, her eyes closed.
Remy entered her room and checked the latches on her bedroom window and the one in the bathroom.
When he emerged, movement from the bed caught his attention.
Shelby’s arms and legs twitched, and her head moved from side to side. Her brow furrowed, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes, and her mouth opened on a low moan.
Remy’s heart pinched hard in his chest. He bent over her and touched her shoulder. “Shelby, honey, wake up.”
