Temptation in Shadows by Gena Showalter Read Free Book Online Page A

Gabby’s lock turn again, followed by the creak of her door. Footsteps rang out, and then she was barreling down the stairs. She was scowling—and she was holding a 9 mm.
    Shock poured through him because she, too, was heading for the car. Armed as she was, he expected the men to speed away. That’s what any sane person would have done. Instead, they opened their doors and stood, shocking him further.
    He looked them over but didn’t recognize them.The driver was five nine or ten, the passenger easily six one, putting him a little under Sean’s six three. And still, without the shield of metal, neither seemed fazed by Gabby’s gun.
    Did she know them?
    “Pervert,” she growled. “You should be in jail, rotting with other disgusting offenders.”
    With her words, understanding dawned. Sean realized what had happened—and knew what was going to happen. The men were there for Gabby. Rather than attack her, frightening her, they’d put files they knew sickened her on a laptop to draw her to them.
    Clearly, Gabby’s secret had been leaked.
    Shit
. Shit! He was on his own with this. Rowan, trapped in the car and darkness as he was, still had no idea what was going on.
    “Hello, Gabrielle. I knew those files would get your attention,” the driver said with a grin.
    Gabby stumbled, paled. “Wh-who are you?”
    The passenger lifted his arm, his own weapon suddenly gleaming in the muted light. No, not a gun, but a tranq. Sean didn’t think; he simply acted. Rushing forward and withdrawing his SIG Sauer, silencer already attached, shadows holding him close, he fired.
    Pop. Whiz.
    The man grunted and fell as the driver whipped around. But it was too late. Sean had already adjusted his aim and fired a second round. This man fell, too, muscles spasming as his shoulder absorbed the bullet.
    Still in motion, Sean sheathed his gun and grabbed the tranq that had been dropped. Gabby was rushing to the car to see what had happened and he mether halfway. A scream tore from her mouth as he jerked her into his body, and he hated himself for scaring her. Knew it was dangerous, but it couldn’t be helped.
    “I’m sorry,” he said. “So sorry.” And then he pressed the tranq into her neck and squeezed the trigger. Strong as the drugs inside were, the blood-brain barrier was immediately broken and she collapsed, sleeping deeply, and he hoped peacefully.
    He swept her into his arms and held her close. Even though he knew she was safe now, his heart had yet to slow down. “Rowan,” he called. “You can come out now.” Mentally, Sean commanded the shadows enveloping the car to part.
    Rowan jumped out, scanning, trying to take everything in at once. He sprinted over to the fallen men, both of whom were moaning and crying. “Sean? Where are you?”
    Sean shooed the shadows away from him and Gabby with only a thought. “Here.”
    “What the hell happened?” the agent demanded, staring wide-eyed at the carnage.
    “I only wounded them, so you might want to disarm them before you allow yourself to be distracted.”
    With a grunt, Rowan frisked them and tossed their weapons out of reach.
    “They wanted Gabby,” Sean explained.
    “Hired hands?”
    “Probably.” Which meant, whoever wanted her was still out there.
    “Shit,” Rowan said.
    Yeah. That about covered it.
“Get them in the car and take them in for medical care. Just make surethey’re under lock and guard at all times. I want to know what they know.”
    “Consider it done.” Rowan scooped up one man, carried him to the Tahoe, deposited him, and then did the same to the other. Both continued moaning and crying, but only one tried to fight. Him, Rowan used the tranq on.
    In the distance, Sean could hear sirens. Someone inside the building must have heard the screams or watched from their window and called the police. He settled back into the SUV, Gabby in his lap.
    “Get us out of here,” he told Rowan when the agent claimed the wheel, “and let Bill clean up the