How couldn’t it?
Jamie had been a friend.A bud.They’d lived together, under El’s roof, for nearly a decade.They’d shot shit together, discussed how badly the Patriots were playing that season in the kitchen, and had guarded El with their lives…
How had he missed the treachery?Was he getting soft?Was that it?
He knew he was too close to El.Had been since she’d turned twenty-four.For the past six years, he’d been fighting the need she inspired in him.And had only fought it because he knew the instant her parents even caught a whiff of a relationship between the two of them he’d lose his job.
He didn’t care about the money.Gave less than a shit about the stain on his resume.All that mattered was El.Only he could keep her safe.
At least, that’s what he’d always figured.
Until tonight.
Ryan had kept her safe.Not him.
While that hurt, it also gave him some relief.She was safe, and that was all that mattered.
He stared at Jamie’s lifeless corpse in the SUV from the driver door and wondered how he’d missed the signs.Because there had to have been signs.It was impossible for them to live in such close quarters, and for Jamie not to have revealed anything.
Enrique had lost them along the way, and he’d yet to check in.Shawn left the man to it as he figured Enrique was the reason they’d lost the tail on them.He’d leave it another hour before he called the other guard.The last thing he wanted was to distract the guy when he was busy.
They’d both driven identical SUVs, with nearly identical registration plates.It was easy to mistake one for the other, and Shawn knew that was how they’d lost the tail.Not by going down shortcuts, but by smoke and mirrors.
It had worked for them before, and it had worked for them today.
Someone cleared their throat from behind him.He turned saw the guy Ryan had spoken with earlier.“Something wrong?”
“Your name?I’m Adam DeSoto.”
DeSoto?A relation of Ryan’s?
“Shawn McNamara.”He nodded at the other man.“Security to Ms.Forsythe-Drew.Are the cops on their way?”
“They’ll be along in twenty minutes,” Adam replied as he came to stand beside Shawn.He folded his arms, and asked, “What happened?”
“He’s one of her retinue.Bastard’s been with us for nearly nine years, and turns traitor now.”
“Jesus,” Adam spat under his breath.
“More like bastard,” Shawn grumbled, shooting Adam a look that had them both chuckling a little.Shawn’s amusement faded as he eyed the gaping wound at Jamie’s throat.“When he turned his gun on me, intent on backseat driving I suppose you’d call it, Ryan shifted and… well, did that.”
Adam nodded.“Ryan’s scent is all over the car.”
“That unusual?”
“No, not really.But it’s stronger than it should ordinarily be.He didn’t shift fully.The half-shift leaves a stronger trace.”
Shawn blinked at that bit of knowledge.Along the way, he’d come to learn of paranormals.Had even known a few of them in the army—had served with them, and knew they were fucking insane soldiers.So damn good they were soon sectioned off to serve in the SEALS or the Green Berets.It never took long for the acronyms to headhunt them.
Hell, he’d headhunted them a time or two himself.
“I didn’t even know a half-shift was possible before tonight,” he confessed.
“You knew about Shifters before what happened here this evening?”
Adam’s shock was evident, but Shawn dismissed it.About to speak, the squeal of tires sounded from outside the compound.The gates opened though, so tension flooded from Adam, and when he saw the car, the other man explained, “It’s Trip.He’s… Well, one of Ryan’s partners.”
Why did that feel like there was a whole other tale behind that explanation?
