Page 50 of The Hitman and the Psychic

“Okay… where did it happen?”

“I don’t know.” Her voice hitched. “I don’t know, and I don’t know how to stop it.” She held me tight.

“It’s okay,” I soothed. “Did you see anything else? From before I got shot?”

“I… I did see something. You were…” She trailed off, holding perfectly still.

I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to interrupt her concentration.

“You must have been outside, because the sun was shining so brightly. You also held something in your hand, but you dropped it when the bullet hit you.”

She pulled back and met my gaze, determination sparking in her eyes. “I think if you don’t spend a lot of time standing around in the sun, you should be okay.”

I couldn’t keep a smile from tugging the corners of my mouth. “You want to hide in a cave with me somewhere?” If someone was after me, I didn’t think it would matter where I was. If they were determined, even changing something she saw might not be enough. I needed a lot more to go on than being outside, but her determination to save me warmed my heart. If I wasn’t a complete fool, I’d say that she really cared about me.

“That’s not what I meant.” She scowled and started to pull away, but I stopped her, and she relaxed against me again.

“Hey, I know.” I liked having her in my arms. “I just liked the mental image of being hidden away with you.” I glanced at the bed. “Preferably somewhere warm and comfortable.”

She met my gaze, hers searching. “You want to hide away with me?”

I smiled again. Her lips were just inches from mine. “Yes,” I whispered. Unable to resist, I closed the gap, pressing my lips against hers.

She responded with an eagerness that took my breath away.

Like a dam breaking open, the desire I’d been denying came flooding out, scorching me with heat. Her scent filled my senses, and I deepened the kiss. She held me tighter and ran one hand through my hair. I groaned; my need stronger than my reason. Twisting, I sank onto the bed, pulling her down on top of me. She didn’t hesitate to follow, maneuvering to straddle my hips, her knees on either side of me.

Our lips met in a wild frenzy, our tongues dancing and pulling, sucking and caressing. Lost in a haze of sexual desire, I barely heard my phone ringing.

Like coming out of a long, dark tunnel, the tone pulled me back to my senses. Serenity broke the kiss. Sucking in adeep breath, she rolled off of me, her lips red and swollen, her pupils still dark with desire.

Breathing heavily, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone, barely able to contain my low growl of anger when I answered. “What?”

“Hey Stone, it’s Scardino. You sound more surly than normal. Did I interrupt something?”

“Yes… what do you want?”

He huffed. “Look, bigshot… I’m doing you a favor. You should be more respectful.”

My nostrils flared. “Just spit it out. Am I in trouble or something?” It wasn’t every day that the police detective on Vanetti’s payroll called me, so it had to be something I didn’t want to hear.

“Were you involved in an explosion yesterday?”

“Was it in the morning, or last night?”

“Are you shitting me? You were at both?”

I rubbed my forehead. “Unfortunately, yes. I think someone’s trying to kill me.”

Serenity met my gaze, her blue eyes wide and worried.

“Seriously?”

I tried not to growl as she slipped off the bed, straightened her clothes, and pulled on her gloves. Why did she put her gloves back on? She didn’t have to.

“Stone? Mr. Bigshot?”

I stood and began to pace. “Look, the explosion wasn’t my fault. Someone set me up.”

---