“Wouldn’t want you to feel naked.”
“I assume you’re speaking from personal experience.”
He smiled. “Been missing the weight of my Sig since that Bronco showed up. Last time I let Chase take it with him.”
“Pretty sure the hospital frowns on their patients having handguns in their rooms. Even ones with deputy badges.” She grabbed two of the bags from the back and followed him inside.
Soft lights brightened the interior, the muted paint colors a nice alternative to the stark white she’d been expecting. Add in the wood accents, and the place felt more than inviting.
“This is impressive.” She took a few more steps inside, drinking in every detail. “How long have you been running Raven’s Security?”
“Nearly three years. It got shuffled to the sidelines until a few months ago, though, we’re slowly making a comeback.”
“That’s when you were helping out Greer more, right?”
Bodie shrugged. “She got put in a pretty daunting position. The former sheriff turned out to be a drug dealer, and when she took over, she had a few trust issues, so I pitched in. The station’s got some reliable help, now, and I’ve been able to focus more of my time on the company. Though, maintaining my deputy status helps bridge some of the cases. Like this one.”
Rowan stopped, glanced back at him over her shoulder. “That sounds like a segue into a bunch of questions.”
“That’s because you haven’t answered any.” He closed the distance. “You obviously know far more about this case than you’ve let on, so… spill.”
She studied him — eyes narrowed, mouth pursed tight with his muscles tensed, the man was more than a bit intimidating. Add in that alpha vibe — not quite as intense as the other night when he’d been in the thick of battle — and the guy was a force of nature.
The files she’d grabbed from her house weighed down one bag, and she had to take a few breaths to calm the riotous beat of her heart. She just wasn’t sure if it was from the car chase, the situation, or Bodie — the man who was quickly clawing his way beneath her skin.
Bodie leaned against the wall, eyeing her as if he expected her to bolt. “Rowan…”
“I’ll make you a deal.”
He snorted. “I’m listening.”
“If you think we’re truly safe, we’ll spend the night resting.” She pointed at his leg. “Healing. Then, in the morning, if you don’t want to pound your head through the wall due to the pain, I’ll give you all my files. You can spend the day going through them — make a few of your own conclusions. Once you’re done, we’ll talk.”
“No one’s getting in here without a few pounds of Semtex. So, yeah, we’re safe. But why not just give me the broad strokes?”
Pain settled deep in her chest, every word from every file sucking more of the oxygen out of the room. But it was the inciting incident that haunted her. The reason she’d spent all her down time over the past two years sleeping in sniper hides and running off-the-books surveillance.
Why she couldn’t let this go.
Bodie frowned as he reached out and tucked a few wispy hairs behind her ear. “Rowan, you okay?”
She forced a fake smile. “If I tell you my theory, it’ll color how you read the reports. And this one’s personal, so… Go through them. I promise I’ll tell you everything I know once you’ve spent some time with them. Dug a bit deeper.”
He stared at her for a while, then nodded. “Okay. But you still didn’t answer my question. Are you okay?”
She sighed inwardly. She hadn’t been okay since this ordeal started. “Just tired.”
He tilted his head, though he didn’t call her bluff. Instead, he waved toward the hallway. “Guest suite or would you feel better in one of the spare rooms upstairs?”
“Are you gonna think I’m crazy if I’d feel better upstairs?”
He smiled, and her pulse fluttered. Either too fast or too slow, making it hard to breathe without gasping. “The room next to mine has its own ensuite. Let me grab one of your bags?—”
“Nice try, but you focus on not falling backwards down the stairs, and I’ll worry about my bags.” She nudged him gently. “You can take that gym bag if you need to feel manly. Ensure everything inside stays secure.”
He laughed. “You don’t mince words, do you?”
“Not if I can help it.”
