Chapter 27
LAUREL
The temperature in the room plummeted and stiffened my muscles until I was immobile. He hadn’t used the front door. Maybe the garage? But how had I not heard him come in?
A strangled cry died in my throat. This man had to have a gun, and if I screamed for Jason, he’d get shot coming to save me.
My voice was flat. “Are you going to kill me?”
“For breaking into my house? That seems a little extreme. I was thinking more along the lines of calling the police.”
My whole body shuddered with relief. “Shawn.”
He stood in the living room, just outside the wide doorframe of the dining room, wearing a suit and tie, and there was no doubt he was Jason’s brother. He had a good three inches on Jason, but he was more narrow and less imposing.
This man was polished and professional. He didn’t have the edge of danger that his younger brother did.
“I should tell you,” he said, “if there’s an award for most creative seduction attempt, they should name it after you.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Breaking into my house so you can dance in your underwear? That’s a new one. I assume this is because of the Forbes list? It’s not even out yet.”
“What?”
It triggered an alert that I was standing in front of Jason’s brother without pants on. I scanned around for something to cover up with, but that was abandoned when I spotted Jason. His hair was damp, and he wore only jeans and a focused look as he barreled toward me.
“Jason—” I tried to warn, but he came too fast, not noticing we weren’t alone.
“I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep my hands off of you.” He slid one hand inside the back of my panties and squeezed while he kissed me, silencing my protest.
“Oh, I see,” Shawn said.
Jason’s embrace was gone as he whirled to face the voice he assumed was a threat and then blinked with recognition. He stepped in front of me, trying to shield me from view.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Me?” Shawn made a face. “This is my place. I’d ask you what the fuck are you doing here, but I think I know the answer.”
“It’s not like that.”
“If you and your girlfriend want to hang out here, that’s fine. But you could have let me know. Or asked.”
“She’s not my—”
Oh, wow. How was he going to explain what we were, especially when we had no idea ourselves?
“You’re right,” Jason said. “I should have asked.”
Shawn’s face softened like his irritation was gone. He said something, a long sentence in a language I didn’t know, and it took a moment to place. German. It sounded like he’d asked Jason a question.
Jason sighed and answered in the same language.
“You speak German?” I asked.
“He is German.” Shawn was dubious and maybe a little offended. “She doesn’t know?”
Annoyance rolled off the younger man. “No,” he said. “You’re German. I’m American.”
Then Shawn said something else in German which got him even more worked up.
“I’m not embarrassed about it.” Jason’s tone was clipped. “But people act differently when they know. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Yes, because I don’t understand anything you do.” The taller, older Dunn didn’t say it like he was trying to be mean. It came out sounding like he was indifferent about it.
“What are we talking about?” I asked, giving both men a hard look.
Jason rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. “Maybe you should put some clothes on first.”
“You don’t have to do that on my account,” Shawn quipped, drawing a glare from his brother.
I wanted to know what was going on, but the desire to be decent was stronger. I turned and started toward the bedroom—
“Wait a minute.” Shawn’s face went dark and authoritative, a scary version that showed he could, in fact, look just as dangerous as his brother when needed. “What the hell happened to you?”
Because he’d noticed all the bruises. “Oh,” I said, looking for an explanation. “I . . . got mugged.”
“Are you all right?”
“She’s okay,” Jason said.
“Did you catch the guy who did it?”
His expression was as serious and cold as his tone. “Not yet.”
I hurried away into the laundry room and yanked my jeans on before pulling the sweater over my head. When I came back to them, they were speaking again in German, and it sounded like they were arguing. I put a hand on the table for balance as I worked to undo the ribbons at my ankle.
“Does she have a name?” Shawn asked when he noticed me. “This woman who’s chosen to date the less attractive and successful version of me?”
I knew I was supposed to pick a fake name, but my mind was utterly blank.
“Uh . . .”
“Just call her L,” Jason said.
Shawn’s eyebrows pulled together. “Elle?”
“Like the letter.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Shawn,” I said, my focus going to Jason. “What is it that makes people act differently around you when they know?”
He took an enormous breath and held it for so long, I was convinced he wasn’t going to answer.
“Can I tell her?” Shawn asked, earning him a second glare.
“The reason I thought Shawn wouldn’t be here,” Jason said slowly, as if stalling, “is because he lives in Munich.”
Was that supposed to be enough information? “Okay. Why does he live in Munich?”
“Munich is where the world headquarters are.” He looked conflicted. “Our mother’s maiden name is Osterh?gen.”
It didn’t register.
He turned to his brother. “She said the beer tastes like swill.”
Shawn looked insulted but quickly brushed it off. “It doesn’t taste as good from the North American breweries. Something to do with the pasteurization process.”
Oh. My. God.
Osterh?gen beer, as in the one the theater had on tap for purchase during intermission.
It meant Jason’s family was extremely wealthy. But if that were true . . .
“I wasn’t meant to be stuck behind a desk,” Jason explained and gestured to his brother. “He loves it, but it’s not for me, and occasionally I get to shoot someone.”
“What?” I asked.
His expression was fixed. “That was going to be your question, right? Why am I a marshal if my family’s loaded?”
I bristled. “I don’t think I would’ve said it like that.”
It was uncomfortable under his gaze, like he was waiting for me to dramatically change before his eyes. But this information didn’t change anything. Frey was still after me, and my life was in shambles. The fact that he came from money was irrelevant.
“I’m not sure what you’re expecting me to say.” My tone was pointed. “That doesn’t change how I . . . It doesn’t change the situation.”
“That wasn’t as much fun as I thought it would be,” Shawn said. “Maybe we should go into the kitchen, make breakfast, and talk about something else.”
Jason nodded. “Get started without us.”
Shawn’s face twisted into a look that said he didn’t take orders from anyone. But he must have decided to let it slide and was out of sight a moment later.
Even with his brother gone, the atmosphere in the room was still tense and Jason’s posture was awkward.
“You’re right,” he said. “It doesn’t change your situation.
” He placed his hands on his hips. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but it’s not something I like to talk about, and we’re not supposed to share personal information with a witness.
It’s easier to transition into the program that way, for both sides.
Neither of us is supposed to develop personal attachments. ”
The absurdity of his statement made a ridiculous laugh burst from me. “Okay, I’ll try my best not to.”
“Yeah, that ship has sailed,” he said, grim.
“Is it safe with Shawn here?”
“As long as we’re not crushed by his enormous ego.” He glanced down the hall. “I’ll go grab a shirt. Don’t go in there without me.”
“You just said—”
“His second wife was an American. He’s got a thing for American women, and I suspect blondes, too.”
I thought he was joking, but he looked entirely serious right before he turned and started down the hall. My focus zeroed in on the ugly, purple knot on his skin.
“What is it?” he asked, concerned when he heard my sharp intake of breath.
“Your back looks awful.” I set a gentle hand on his shoulder blade, a few inches away from the wound. “How bad did it hurt when it happened?”
“I don’t remember.” There was no emotion in his voice.
“Because it knocked you out?”
“No.” He struggled to find the answer. “Because that was when he was dragging you away and you were screaming my name.”