Broken. Rebecca Zanetti

Finally, Wolfe spread antibacterial gel across the stitches and gingerly planted a bandage in place. “I did my best.” He stood back and made sure the bandage was even.

      Mal stood, almost eye to eye with him. “I’m sure it’s perfect. Now let me stitch you—” He paused, swiveling back toward the sliding glass door.

      A light footstep on his patio caught Wolfe’s attention. “Pippa’s coming.” He glanced at the bloody towels. “Go, now. I’ll take care of the mess.”

      Mal paused for a second and then nodded, already moving to the door. “If you need me to stitch you up—”

      “I don’t,” Wolfe interrupted. “A couple of stitches is nothing new.” Unfortunately, true words.

      “Copy that.” Mal slipped outside, heading off Pippa, their voices quiet as they returned to their house. Wolfe shuddered. What had he been thinking to take Malcolm to that area of town?

      “It wasn’t your fault,” Dana said, once again looking his way.

      Sometimes he thought she could read minds. Nobody had ever seen him so clearly before, and that wasn’t a good thing. Her words were so blatantly wrong that Wolfe didn’t bother replying. Instead, he took Mal’s vacated seat and reached for another clean needle.

      Dana audibly swallowed. “I can do that if you want.”

      The woman would probably pass out. “That’s okay. Not my first time.” He took a lot less care with his skin than he had Mal’s, then slapped on a bandage and faced Dana. “The men in the truck were after you, not me, and I think you should lie low until we figure out why.” Risking her wasn’t an option.

      She blinked. “You’re giving me orders? After being shot at—again?”

      He stiffened, his skin prickling. The world was closing in and he was losing control. That could not happen. “Did you not hear me? They were after you.”

      “Then I’m getting close.” Her chin rose. “That’s a good thing.”

      He took his time exhaling, trying to manage his emotions. From the second those bullets had crashed through the glass, and he’d realized he’d put another one of his team into danger, he’d been on edge. “You don’t want to argue with me today, sweetheart.” He gave her the full truth.

      She stood and gathered the bloody towels. “The heck I don’t. Bring it on, Wolfe.” Her exit was stalled by her phone going off on the table. She sighed, lifted it up, and declined the call.

      Oh, he was too close to losing it. Way too close. “Who keeps calling that you’re ignoring?” Focusing on this problem, for a moment, gave him a needed reprieve from the shit show his life had just become. “Dana?” He didn’t like the irritation in her eyes.

      “Nobody.” She turned again, and the phone went off again.

      Smoothly, he snaked out a hand and grabbed the phone from her. He was being an ass, but at this point, he just didn’t care. He pressed the speaker button and set the phone on the table.

      Dana’s glare could melt concrete. “Hello?” she muttered.

      “Dana. It’s about time you answered my calls.” The voice was male with what sounded like a Northern accent. Maine, probably.

      She shook her head, her gaze leveling Wolfe. “I didn’t mean to answer. Stop calling me, and definitely stop calling my parents to find me. We’re done. Got it?”

      Wolfe cocked his head. When he’d met Dana, she’d been home covering a story about river guides. Hadn’t somebody mentioned that she was just out of a relationship with a guy she never should’ve dated? Was this the guy? If so, he didn’t seem to be getting the hint.

      The guy sighed loudly through the phone, raising Wolfe’s hackles. “Listen to me. I’m sorry about what happened, and I really would like to apologize in person. Please forgive me.”

      “You’re forgiven, Mike,” she said, shuffling the bloody towels to her other arm.

      Wolfe sat back and crossed his arms. It was that easy? What the heck was happening, and what did good ol’ Mike do in the first place?

      Even Mike seemed taken aback. “Well, okay. Thanks, then. When can we get together?”

      Dana drew air in through her nose. “Never. You’re forgiven and all of that, but I’m not going back. So please move on and stop calling me.”

      “Now that’s just silly,” Mike said, his voice turning charming. “I’m going to be at Sally’s wedding next weekend, and she wouldn’t have invited me if there wasn’t still a chance for us. Maybe I can finally meet your parents.”

      Pink bloomed across Dana’s cheekbones. “Sally invited you because she doesn’t like me but loves drama. Don’t come.” At Wolfe’s raised eyebrows, her own rose. “Or come, if you want, but you have to know that I’m going to be busy and have no intention of going out with you again. Though I do wish you well.” The last was said on a rush.

      Mike’s chuckle was like bone scraping bone. “Come on, Dana. You have to at least save me a dance.”

      “No, she really doesn’t,” Wolfe said quietly. “Believe me. Her date won’t like it.”

      Dana’s lips snapped together, and she whirled on him. “You just couldn’t be quiet, could you? Everything was going fine, and I was handling it, but you just couldn’t sit there.”

      “Sorry,” Wolfe said, totally not sorry.

      “Why do you do that?” She waved her free hand through the air. “You act like a boyfriend, but you’re not. You try to take over, but you know you shouldn’t.” The pink in her face blossomed into a lovely rose.

      Wolfe uncrossed his arms and leaned forward, his own temper still barely banked. “I’m acting like a friend who doesn’t appreciate this asshat bugging you. Apparently, your attempts to ignore him haven’t worked, and I feel like taking a different tack. It’s a free world, you know.”

      She sucked in air, her eyes widening. “My world is my world, and when I want your help, I’ll freakin’ ask for it.” Anger turned her stunning eyes a fascinating emerald.

      “Um, excuse me?” Mike snapped through the phone line. “Who the hell is this?”

      Wolfe and Dana both turned toward the phone on the table. Wolfe had forgotten the jerk for a moment. “Name is Wolfe and I’ll be Dana’s date for the wedding.” He knew he was pushing it, but no way would he leave Dana alone to fend off this guy. Plus, food at weddings was usually delicious and there wasn’t much he wouldn’t do for cake.

      Dana sucked in air. “You’re crazy.”

      “Probably,” he agreed. “Head injury makes a good excuse.”

      Mike cleared his throat. “Uh, Dana? Are you in danger there with a guy with a head injury who thinks he’s a wolf? Should I call the police?”

      Dana rolled her eyes so hard she had to have seen part of her brain. “I am not in danger and, yes, this guy is nuts, and frankly I believe he might be more wolf than man.” She tossed the bloody towels onto the table and lifted her chin. “I have not asked you to be my date.”

      Wolfe stood then, gratified when she took a step back. “You don’t think I could get you to ask me?” His voice was grittier than he liked.

      She visibly swallowed, tilting her head to meet his gaze. She was a good five-foot-eight, but he was over six-six, so there wasn’t much else the pretty woman could do. Except reach over and disengage the call, cutting Mike out of the equation completely. “If we’re going to have this fight, I don’t need a witness.”

      “I like cake,” Wolfe returned.

      Her chin lowered. “Don’t try to be cute with me, Clarence.”

      He