“Gun!” one of them yelled, andthen I was on the floor, hands behind my back, being cuffed.
“I’m not the intruder!” I screamed, my breath shallow since I was on my stomach. “There were two men.”
“Clear!” someone called, and I was dragged off the floor (still handcuffed).
“Who are you?” one of the officers—a female—demanded.
“My name is Addison Allen.” I shook my head in an attempt to get my hair out of my eyes. “This ismy sister’s apartment.”
“She’s not actually your sister,” Jake countered as he walked in. “Is she, Addison?”
I wrinkled my nose. “Maybe not legally,” I grumbled.
“I’ve got this,” he said to the officer, and made his way to me, taking my hands and uncuffing me. He handed the cuffs to the woman (who, by the way, was looking at him like she wanted to devour him, which pissed me off).
“Need meto bag the weapon?” she asked.
“I don’t think that’ll be necessary. She has a concealed permit.” Jake smiled. “I’ll take it from here, Miller. You guys get back on your beat.”
The officers walked out of the apartment and I reached for my gun. I didn’t get far. Jake’s large hand covered mine and he leaned down so he could meet my eyes. “What are you doing here, Addison?”
“I could ask the sameof you.” I raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you a little high up on the pay scale to show up for a suspected break-in?”
“I’m here because your brother got your text and I wouldn’t let him come.”
“Oh.” I bit my lip. “Thanks for that. He could have been hurt.”
“Hecould have been hurt?” he snapped. “What about you?”
I nodded toward my firearm that we were both still touching. “I have a gun.”
“Areyou shittin’ me?” he ground out. “Either you’re the bravest woman I’ve ever met, or the dumbest... right now I’m leaning toward the latter.”
“Either you’re the most fascinating man I’ve ever met, or you’re a dick... right now, I’m leaning toward the latter,” I countered nastily.
He dragged his hands through his hair, which meant I could grab my gun and put it back in my purse. “If you’ll excuseme, I have things to do.”
I moved to leave, but he grabbed my arm. “Not so fast.”
His touch electrified me and all I could think about was what it would be like to have those big strong hands explore my body. I swallowed... hard... but managed to keep myself from jumping him. “Please let me go.”
He did. Immediately. “What are you doing here, Addison?” he asked again.
“I’m getting Dylan’sstuff. She’s moving in with me.”
“So you came alone?”
“I didn’t really have a choice, Jake,” I said. “My brother’s with her. It’s not like I could call anyone else.”
“You could have called me.Shouldhave called me.”
“And why exactly would I call you?”
He crossed his arms and leaned against the island until he could see out the front door. “You see that police tape out there that says, ‘crimescene, do not enter’?”
“Oh, you mean the tape just beyond the broken door? You know, the broken door that your people haven’t secured, which means anyone could walk in here and rob her blind and there’s not a damn thing she’d be able to do about it? Ah, no, I must have missed that tape.”
He groaned.
