Page 7

Back to his background. “What do you know about my background?” Just what had Memphis and his big mouth told her? Forget the fruit basket. Not happening.

“I’ve…made myself a bit of an expert on you.”

Same, lady. Same. Only he didn’t say those words. “Tell me more.” Hunter could not be more fascinated.

“You’re a former Ranger. You spent years in the military working covert assignments.”

He had. Until he’d been battered to hell and back and wound up fighting to live.

“You are Declan Flynn’s right-hand man. Or you were, until recently. That was Declan who left a few moments ago. Hard not to recognize him because he’s in the news so often.” A careful clearing of her throat. “He, uh, doesn’t have the best reputation.”

Nope, he didn’t. “You don’t need to be afraid of Declan.” Though most people were terrified of his friend.

“I’m not.” She stared straight at him. “He’s not one of the things I fear in this world.”

What do you fear?

“His wife Marley also works for the Ice Breakers. I figure if Marley trusts him, then Declan can’t be as bad as the stories claim.”

Oh, Declan could be. But Marley tended to look for the good in people.

“You have worked as his security chief for years. You only recently left. I figure the timing is perfect. As you said, your business here is still new, so that means you’ll have flexibility that other PIs won’t possess. You’ll be able to make me your priority.”

Done.

“If you take my case,” she amended. “If you take my case, then I can be your priority.” Her long lashes swept down as she stared at the floor for just a moment. “You know who I am, don’t you?”

“Well, you did tell me that your name is Shelby.”

Her lashes lifted. Her gaze collided with his. “I saw the recognition in your eyes when you looked at me for the first time. It’s been years since I was on TV every other moment, so plenty of people have forgotten, but…not you. You know who I am.” This time, her words were a statement, not a question.

“I know who you are.” Low. Then, “Your face is pretty unforgettable.”

“It’s not my face that people remember.” Her lips twisted into a humorless smile. “It’s the fact that six of my friends were brutally murdered. That I was attacked, too. That I was the only one to survive the Sorority Seven Killer.”

Because there had been seven college girls in the sorority house on that long ago night. The killer had gone through the house, attacking them one at a time with his knife, until he’d come to Shelby.

He’d attacked her, too. According to the press, Shelby had been stabbed five times. Yet she’d managed to escape from the killer. To run into the night and hide until the local cops had shown up. Then she’d run out of the darkness…

“You shot him,” Hunter said, aware that the silence in the room had stretched too far. “Saved the cop that the perp had been about to kill.”

“I shot him.” Quiet. Soft. “Then I helped send him to prison.”

Right. Because the bastard hadn’t died. He’d survived his wounds. He’d gone to trial. Got his ass sent to death row because the murders had all occurred in Florida.

Nate Shiloh was currently still sitting on death row as he ran through his appeals and waited for his execution.

Her hands twisted in her lap. It was the first sign of nerves that he’d seen from her. Otherwise, Shelby seemed controlled. Far too calm as she discussed what had to be the worst period of her life.

She bit her lower lip. That plump lip.

Focus, asshole!

He kept his arms folded across his chest. “I’m not quite sure I understand why you need a PI.”

He could hear the faint ticking of the clock that he’d put up on the wall. It kept ticking and ticking as the moments drifted past. Shelby didn’t speak. Should he prompt her? Wait her out? Scoop her into his arms and vow to protect her until the day that he died?

Jeez. Okay, yeah, now he got why Declan had been so worried. He really needed to chill the hell out. Also, he should probably get back to the dating scene because being alone too long had clearly pushed him to the edge. Hunter cleared his throat. “Uh, you⁠—”