Page 22 of Burning Secrets

“Not my guys,” he growled. “I’m not one of them, JoJo.”

Her mouth tightened, and she looked away. Wiped her cheek.

Aw. He stepped back up to her, touched her arm. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

She looked back at him, and he couldn’t stop himself. He put his arms around her, pulled her sooty body to himself.

And for a moment—a delicious, perfect moment—she let him hold her. Even relaxed against him, put an arm around his waist. “I guess, thank you again for saving my life, Batman.”

He hadn’t a clue what she meant by that, but, “Here to protect and serve.”

She gave a tiny laugh, and it rumbled through her body into his, and again, just like that, the darkness broke open, lifted.

As if God had heard his prayers.

She pushed away then and pulled the handkerchief off her hair. “I’d take you up on your shower idea, but I don’t have a change of clothes.”

“I can take care of that.” He didn’t hate the idea of her in his clothes.

Stop. Not a girlfriend.

“Did you find the pups?”

She sank onto the cot. He’d have to get her a sleeping bag too.

“No. But I did find something, and probably that’s why I got picked up.” She reached into her leg pocket and pulled out a mangled weed sprig with a few black berries. Set it on the cot next to her. “A greenhouse. Full of these.”

“Weeds?”

“Atropa belladonna.”

“What?”

“Nightshade berries. Death berries, we call them in the biology field. They’re poisonous, extremely toxic when ingested. They can cause hallucinations and delirium and, taken in the right quantities, death.”

He picked up the sprig. “You found a greenhouse with these?”

“Yeah. When we were jumping into the fire, I spotted a metal building, and when the chopper dropped me off, I saw it again. It wasn’t far from the den, so I thought—I don’t know. I thought maybe it was a homestead, you know? Anyway, I got inside, and there are hundreds, maybe a thousand plants. All in berry. I took a sample. I don’t know why.”

He stared at it. “Could this be what your wolf ate?”

“Brutus. I don’t know. Animals eat these all the time, and it doesn’t kill them.”

But if it was used in some other chemical concoction…

“Can you show me where you got this?”

“Sure.” She stood up.

“Not tonight.” He glanced toward the door. “For sure they’ll be watching you. Us. I’ll figure out how to get away. For now, let’s get you cleaned up.”

“It’s not a group activity.”

“It is here.” He stood up. “Wait here. I’ll be back.”

Her eyes widened, and she drew in a breath. And shoot—his words at the pizza place washed over him. He turned, stepped up to her. “Listen. I know you’re freaking out, and the last thing you want to be is my girlfriend. But if Viper and the rest of the guys know you’re with me, then…well, hopefully they’ll leave you alone.”

“Hopefully?”

---