A minute later, one of the police cars at the site of the crash flew past him, sirens wailing.
When he got back to the site, twilight was descending in earnest. Flashing red and blue lights reflected off the red cliff walls below the last of the daylight. A second cop car took off slowly down the hill, probably to check out the sight of the shooting. Jerold Glass was somebody else’s problem now and Brock had no doubt they’d catch him pretty quick—the road followed the South St. Vrain and there weren’t more than three or four turn-offs between here and Lyons. God help the woman he’d conned into aiding him. Brock would give the baggie over to Williams or whoever was still there and be done with it for the night.
Because he had more important things to do.
Brock picked up his pace when he made out Brianna’s outline near the ambulance. She started toward him. In the shadows, he couldn’t make out her features but everything about her body language said she was tense and worried. She clutched her fiddle case like a baby.
Brianna bent stiffly and scratched Valkyrie's head, then she straightened and asked, “Was that a gunshot? Everyone is saying it was a gunshot.”
He put his arm around her and pulled her close. “Ongoing investigation and not your concern right now, baby.” He kissed the top of her head as they walked back. “My first concern is how are you? The EMTs give you the all-clear?”
Brianna nodded. “They said I’ll probably be stiff in the morning, like everyone else, which sucks since we have to play. But the other two groups are happy to switch the schedule around so that we go on last, which is cool. The EMTs gave me a couple muscle relaxants if I need them, but I don’t want to feel fuzzy-brained.” She grimaced. “I avoid any pills stronger than aspirin.”
“So, that calls for a thorough massage later.” He felt her shiver and grinned. “You suddenly cold, baby?”
She grinned back. “More like suddenly hot.”
“You’re always hot.” He kissed her again, liking this line of conversation better.
But it didn’t hold. “Seriously, what happened down there? Did he fire that damn gun? He’s been a little extra scary all day. And,” she lowered her head, “trying to tell anyone who would listen that it’s all because of me and my family.”
Brock stopped and turned her in his arms until she was facing him. “Brianna, I want you to look around, right now.”
“Okay.” She did as he asked. “What am I supposed to see besides an ambulance, some vans, and a tow truck trying to pull out the van that nearly killed me?”
He sighed and shook his head at her smart-aleck response. “Babe. The people. I’m talking about the people.”
“All right, I see my fellow contestants. I see Amber trying to work up the nerve to approach Rachael and ask if she’s okay. I see Twila wearing a sling. I see the guys from Watchdog.”
“Yeah. You seefriends. Everywhere you go, Brianna, it’s like there’s a light shining around you. Twila would’ve been a panicky woman in a lot of pain and probably in my way if you hadn’t helped her. The entire van would have been a hot mess without you, actually.”
“Not true. I didn’t do anything.”
“No,that’snot true. You took charge while Jake was still seeing little cuckoo birds circling his head.”
That got him a laugh.
“You asked how everyone was so he could give report, and that also kept everybody calm and focused in the first crucial moments and set the tone for the entire rescue. Do you know how important that is? You’re a hero, babe, and everyone here knows it.”
She started to protest and he stopped her. “What youdon’tsee is anyone who believes the bullshit about you that Jerold was trying to spread. They know who you are and who he is. Tomorrow, they’ll learn more.” He turned her again and headed for the SUV. “I’m going to keep hammering at you until you see the world as it is—one that isn’t judging you harshly all the time. One that sees the same light that I see.”
She opened her mouth and closed it again.
“What?”
“I love you. That’s all.”
Damn if that didn’t make his heart race. He cupped her face in both hands and pressed his forehead gently but firmly against hers. “Love you, too. So much.”
He reluctantly pulled away. “You’re riding down with me.” He opened the passenger-side door to his SUV and helped her in. “Now, I need to make sure everyone else is cleared for travel and get them divvied up among the other two vans and my truck. And then I’m taking you home.” His cock pulsed, seeing the hungry look in her eyes. He leaned in and kissed her fast and hard, savoring the few seconds of contact.
He crated up Valkyrie, gave her a Kong with extra peanut butter stuffed inside, and heaped praise upon her furry head before shutting the door. “Thanks for the help today, girl, but tonight, you’re back at Watchdog. I know Alex and Kyle are both gonna baby you.”
Twenty minutes later, they were back on the road. An hour after that, Brianna was in his arms again—and this time he had no intentions of stopping.
Chapter 17
Brianna led Brock up the flight of stairs to her apartment, her legs shaking and her heart doing its best to escape the confines of her chest. She didn’t think there was one unfelt emotion left in her body after the day she’d had. By all rights, she should’ve been exhausted, but instead, she’d never felt more awake and alive.
