Page 45 of Max

“We can do that, Shay, but until then, we can’t do this again. If something happened to you because I was distracted, I’d never forgive myself.”

“Then you’d better hurry up and catch the guy. The need to kiss you is almost more than I’ve been able to control since I met you.”

He smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. “Let’s go get the coffee and get back before Jasper comes looking for us.”

She nodded and let him lead her out of the room. Jasper was leaning against the wall directly opposite them, a knowing look on his face.

Max stiffened for a heartbeat until Jasper grinned at them. “Nice to see you smiling, Shay, but I’m warning you now, you hurt my brother, and we’ll have problems. He deserves to be happy.”

“Jasper,” he warned, but there was no heat behind it.

Jasper pushed off the wall and slapped him on the back. “Thought you might want some help carrying all those cups of coffee.”

“I’m not going to hurt him.” Shay wrapped her arm around him. “I know what it’s like to be hurt, and it makes me all the more sensitive to something good, and Max is someone who’s good and kind and hot as hell.”

A warmth crept into his cheeks, and Jasper laughed. “Oh, my God, you’ve got our jokester blushing. You’re going to fit right in, Shay.”

The truth was, she would fit right in, and while it scared Max, he’d made up his mind to take a chance.

After they’d solved the case.

“Come on, let’s go find that coffee.”

The three of them rode the elevator down and walked out into a shit show.

“What the…” Jasper trailed off as reporters tried to rush them, only to be pushed back by the police. News vans were parked haphazardly wherever they could find a spot without blocking the main entrance and exit from the hospital. Rabid monsters. It was a scene right out of the movies. And one Max despised.

“I’m guessing someone leaked Des’s presence,” Max said dryly. “You two stay here, and I’ll get the coffee. Hell, maybe you should go back…”

It was a sound you never forgot, no matter how long you’d been away from combat—the sound of a bullet traveling at high velocity. It was so close, he was surprised it didn’t hit them.

And while his brain was registering that thought, his body was already reacting, turning and throwing Shay to the ground, covering her as they landed hard against the concrete. More shots rang out, and Jasper cursed, dropping and doing his best to try to get a bead on where the shots were coming from.

Screams erupted around them, and chaos broke out as people started running, the fear of mass shootings in the United States a real reality that struck fear in everyone.

More shots rang out, and the area around him felt like someone threw a bunch of firecrackers right at him. Jasper cursed, and they hunched around Shay, dragging her as fast as they could through the hospital entrance without getting trampled by all the people seeking safety inside.

It took longer than he liked, but once they were behind a solid wall and not glass, he stood, bringing Shay with him.

“I…”

Her shirt was covered in blood, and his stomach dropped. Her gaze went from her shirt to his face, and he watched the color leech out of it.

She’d been shot.

“It’s not my blood!”

Shay rushed to him, holding him close in case he figured out it was his blood and passed out. She didn’t want that to happen because if he fell, he might hit his head and cause a concussion or any number of things.

“Max.” Jasper grasped his arm and shook him. “Shay didn’t get shot. You did, brother.”

Max blinked slowly, but his body didn’t relax. It didn’t react at all. He simply looked down, saw the blood seeping out of a shoulder wound, and nodded. “Did you hit your head? Anything broken?”

“Me! You’re the one who’s bleeding. I’m fine.”

He brushed her concern off and did a quick assessment, running his hands carefully over her, checking her for any injury. While she appreciated that, she was more concerned with getting him medical help.

“Let’s get you to the ER…”

---