Chapter Ten.
Hallie
I woke with a man’s arm over my waist, and his cock between my ass cheeks, and it was a very impressive one to say the least. But as nice as it was, that wasn’t my pressing concern.
“Shane, wake up,” I demanded. Shane grunted and squeezed me closer.
That did not help my bladder. “Shane, get the hell up before I piss on you,” I ground out. His eyes shot open, and Shane chuckled as he realised we were still cuffed.
“One moment,” he muttered and shuffled to the edge of the mattress and grabbed his jeans. Shane pulled out the key and, within moments, unlocked me. Like a heat-seeking missile, I was off and in the bathroom, where my bladder thanked me gratefully.
“What time is it?” I called, seeing that it was still dark outside.
“One. We’ve hours yet; come back to bed.”
“Get dressed. That shouldn’t have happened.”
“That’s going to happen frequently, and me being inside will too,” Shane replied, and I growled.
I quickly washed and glanced down despairingly.
I’d been so desperate for the toilet, I’d not noticed I was naked.
Oh well, it’s not as if Shane hadn’t seen me already.
I marched out, grabbed my bag, and pulled out a pair of yoga pants and a tee.
As I slipped them on, I began mentally preparing to tell Shane this wasn’t happening like he thought.
The words fled when I turned and saw Shane grinning. That fucker!
He was sitting up, arms behind his head, biceps bulging and his chest and abs on display. The sheet had pooled around his lap, and there was an impressive tent forming down there.
“No!” I snapped, pointing at his cock.
“Yup, he’s not listening to you. Can you blame him? Look at you, you’re a work of art,” Shane said appreciatively.
“Shane…”
“Rascal.”
“What?”
“I go by Rascal now. Shane’s the asshole who didn’t believe you. Rascal believes you but will burn the world down for you.”
I shook my head in disbelief. Who was this man? “You’re the same person.”
“Nope. Shane was a sap; he got played and lost his woman. Me? Baby, I know what I want and ain’t afraid to claim it.”
I folded my arms and glared at him. “So, in the last couple of days, you’ve had a personality transplant and grown some balls?”
“Babe.”
Did I suddenly turn into Medusa? My head felt ready to burst. “Babe? Is that meant to mean something? One word explains everything? What the hell are you drinking, Shane, because I want some too!”
Before I could blink, Shane was up and kissing me. I winced a little; he’d done a lot of that before I fell asleep, and my lips were sore.
“Shut your smart-assed mouth and get in bed.”
I went to argue, because that’s what I did, when Shane bent, scooped me up and threw me on the bed. He climbed in—still naked—and cuffed me again. He swallowed my screech with another kiss and tucked me in beside him. “Rest, babe, talk tomorrow.”
I rolled onto my side and jabbed Shane with my elbow. I’d give him talk tomorrow! Shane Morris could get ready. A yawn escaped me, and my eyes closed.
Rascal
Sirens blared, and I jolted awake. Completely forgetting Hallie was cuffed to me, I dragged her across the bed as I yanked my jeans on and stamped into my boots.
“Shane!” Hallie yelled.
“Shit!” I uncuffed her and grabbed my tee. “Wait for me. This is gonna be Jane.”
“You think?” Hallie demanded, hauling on a sweatshirt.
“Fuck, yes. What are the odds we’d have a fire at the hotel we’re staying at? Stay by my side, okay?”
There was a banging, and we jumped.
“Hallie! Rascal!” Jonas yelled.
“On our way, Lieutenant,” I called back in reply.
Hallie grabbed her bag and mine as I opened the door. To my surprise, I saw smoke billowing from the end of the hallway.
“Shit! The hotel’s actually on fire!” I gasped. Some guests rushed past as Jonas pulled his gun out. “Woman’s a fuckin’ lunatic.”
“Stay close; this is too coincidental to be anything but an attack,” Jonas ordered.
I immediately sandwiched Hallie between us, and she growled, but Jane had already proved Hallie was her target. We made our way to the stairwell as the smoke thickened behind us.
Jonas checked them over and then nodded.
Hallie held onto the back of his shirt as we headed downstairs.
We’d been on the fourth floor, so there were eight sets of stairs.
The smoke was much thicker here, and I yanked my tee off and tore it into strips.
We covered our mouths and continued downwards.
The air was acrid, and within moments my eyes stung badly.
Jonas’s were the same, which was why he missed the initial movement.
We had two staircases remaining when Jane burst out of the first-floor doorway.
Jane aimed a knife straight at Hallie’s face.
Hallie screamed and raised an arm. Jonas shoved Hallie back, slamming her into me, and I grunted as I staggered, swinging Hallie out of the way.
Two shots boomed loudly. Moments later, two more shots rang out as I straightened up.
“Are you okay?” Jonas demanded, steadying Hallie.
“What the fuck?” I exclaimed, stuck on the crazed expression on Hallie’s face.
“Shane, are you hurt?” Hallie repeated, shaking me slightly.
“No.”
“Then where’s the blood from?” she shouted.
“That would be from me. The bitch caught me as I shoved Hallie out of the way. Can we get out of here? Jane fled and could be anywhere, and I’m bleeding profusely,” Jonas asked.
“Can you walk?” I asked.
“Jane hit my arm; let’s go,” Jonas replied. He held his wound tightly, but blood was trickling out.
A minute later we burst into the fresh air and saw people in the parking lot. Two fire engines were pulling in, along with several cop cars. Staff were rushing about, and the manager stood with a tablet.
“Please, can you check in? I need to confirm everyone escaped,” he called.
“Paramedic; we’ve an injured man here,” I yelled. Two police officers turned and rushed over.
“Contact Grimes, tell him Lieutenant Richards is hurt. Inform him we saw Jane, and she set the fire and attacked us. I got four rounds off but don’t know if I hit her.
Jane got me too,” Jonas said, holding up his arm.
His legs gave out under him as I rushed forward and caught him.
One of the uniforms grabbed Richards’s other side while the other made a phone call.
Paramedics ran over as I coughed, and soon the three of us were bundled into an ambulance and on our way to the hospital.
Hallie
Jonas had created enough trouble that we were placed in the same room. Grimes came to take statements, shaking his head.
“This woman needs catching. The captain has put out an APB. I couldn’t stop it,” he said. His tone showed he agreed with the decision.
“Well, if you expect me to stay under lock and key, forget it. Your department had best get ready,” I drawled. I was hovering over Jonas, making sure the nurse stitched him up correctly.
“Guess asking you to remain indoor…”
“Nope, not happening, Grimes. I spent enough time locked up and unable to make my own decisions. Nobody’s taking that from me again,” I retorted. The nurse finished up and began bandaging Jonas’s arm.
“We’re flying home to South Dakota. Jane is now unpredictable; I fully expected her to have fled back there. Instead, the psychotic bitch hung around to strike at Hallie. That behaviour can’t be predicted,” Jonas acknowledged.
“I’ll fetch some painkillers,” the nurse offered.
“Thanks.”
“No offence, but get the hell out of my town before this Jane burns everything down,” Grimes said. Jonas grinned.
“Frightened of hard work?” Jonas taunted, but nodded. “There’re more places and people to protect Hallie, back in Spearfish. Keep me updated.” Jonas replied as the nurse appeared with a small bottle.
“I can defend myself,” I chipped in.
“Yeah, we know. You’re a big, strong, independent woman. Even Hercules needed sidekicks,” Jonas countered, and Shane laughed.
Thanks for the support, douchebag.
“I’ve got people bringing your cars here. I’m afraid whatever you left at the hotel is probably toast by now.”
“Just a change of clothes,” Jonas said, and Shane and I stated the same.
“No offence, leave,” Grimes retorted, and we nodded. We felt the same.
Shane was complaining. He’d had to buy a tee at the hospital, and was now sporting a baby blue one with a teddy bear and a rainbow on it. As much as Shane tried to hide it under his cut, he failed. I could see people smirking as we headed to the airport’s gift shop.
“I look fuckin’ ridiculous,” Shane griped.
“No more than usual,” Jonas snapped, and I laughed. Wow, the cop was lightening up. Shane glared and ignored him.
“Did you book us on one flight?” I asked.
“Yes.” Jonas eyed two cops who were approaching. “Oh, here we fuckin’ go.”
Minutes later, we were in a secure room while Jonas phoned Grimes. Half an hour later, they released us, and we were back on our way.
“How many more times will that happen before we get home?” I drawled.
“Are we taking bets?” Shane asked, and I laughed.
“Here come two more,” I chuckled. They saw me, did a double take, and headed over. Jonas yanked his identification badge out, and I watched as we started the dance all over again.
By the time we got back to Spearfish and were in Jonas’s car riding home with Shane behind on his Harley, I’d been stopped ten times. Grimes was cussing Jonas out because of all the calls he was getting. His captain was furious, and Jonas pointed out that they’d been warned.
“Where to?” Jonas asked.
“My place, please. King will be waiting.”
“I’m surprised he let you go,” Jonas replied.
“King knows better than to stop me.”
“You’re almost as close as siblings.”
“No, we’re closer. King never once wavered in his belief in me.
Not even when everything stacked up and I, myself, doubted my innocence.
” I laughed. “King told me to stop thinking I’d had a psychotic break because there was no way that had happened.
He was my sanity in a time of insanity. Without King, I’d probably have let those bitches kill me in prison. ”
“He’s a good guy.”