Colton P.i. Protector. Regan Black

tell him what it was. It was nearly 2:00 a.m. when they moved her to a room and he and Stumps followed. He wanted to go home and yet he didn’t feel right leaving her here alone. When she finally came out from under the drugs, she’d have questions. Shane wondered what was keeping her family. With Stumps snuggled beside her, Danica fell asleep again and Shane tried to do the same.

      It didn’t come easy. Hospitals and prisons had that same institutional atmosphere, every surface designed to withstand bleach cleaning with a pressure washer. The background noises were different and yet too similar. Shane could hear the faint undercurrent of machinery peppered with conversations and the occasional moan of pain or weeping. At least the hospital antiseptic smell was an improvement over the general stench of men oozing hate, fear and resignation with every breath and bead of sweat.

      Shane jerked upright at the squeak of a shoe on the linoleum. Instantly awake and braced to defend himself, he glared at the shadow coming through the door.

      “Easy,” Carson said, walking over to the other side of Danica’s bed. “I didn’t expect her to have to stay.” He scratched Stumps behind the ear. “I thought she was okay when you left.”

      “She was.” Shane pushed at his hair and reached for a bottle of water the nurse had left for him. “She had some weird delayed reaction to the drug. She passed out in my car on the way here. Didn’t you get my text?”

      “Had my hands full,” Carson replied.

      Right. Carson had been working the crime scene where his sister had been attacked. “Well, when she woke up in the ER, she was in a frenzy to find Nico. They came and got me by default.” It was becoming a pattern in his life, getting stuck in situations with members of the Gage family by default.

      “Weird.” Carson’s eyebrows furrowed. “And you stayed with her.”

      Didn’t seem like he had much choice at the time. Shane shrugged. “Stumps gave her some peace.”

      At the sound of his name, the dog snuggled closer to Danica and rested his chin on his paws. Shane knew that look. The dog wasn’t in any rush to leave his comfy spot.

      “This is above and beyond for you, Colton,” Carson said. “Thanks. I guess it’s a good thing they kept her overnight.”

      “Guess so.” Shane’s mind kept cycling through recent events. “Did you find anything promising in or around the kennel?”

      “Nothing conveniently obvious. The crime scene unit did their thing and will report back. You know how it is. Everything is calm over there now.” He looked to his sister. “Here, too. You should go on home.”

      Shane agreed. He was so tired he was tempted to mention the text message from Demi, just to get an opinion. As much as he respected Carson, Shane knew it was better to discuss that with his half brother, Brayden, before he mentioned it to anyone else, including their cousin, the chief. “You’ll be at the station in the morning?” He checked his watch. “Well, later this morning?”

      At least Carson could see for himself that his sister would be okay. Not knowing what was really happening with Demi and her pregnancy was like a rain cloud following Shane, threatening to drench him at any moment.

      He stood up and approached the bed. Her color was better and her breathing had evened out. The freckles on her nose were nearly invisible again. He’d always thought she was cute—from a distance. Up close, she always treated him with that guarded professionalism that set his teeth on edge. At least this encounter was over and he wouldn’t have to see her again until his next recertification with Stumps.

      Careful not to wake her, he eased his dog away from Danica’s side. She curled into the space as if hugging the warmth left behind, and tucked her hand under her chin. In that pose, she appeared far younger and more innocent than any Gage could possibly be.

      Clinging to his familiar and reliable ire, he walked out of the hospital with Stumps. His gut knotted with the misplaced attraction he had often experienced around Danica and the more appropriate suspicion of the methods of the dog thief.

      When at last he was home, he let Stumps out into the backyard. While he waited, he sent a text message to Brayden that he needed to talk first thing in the morning. Then he and Stumps retreated to the bedroom for a few invaluable hours of uninterrupted sleep.

      * * *

      Danica woke, momentarily disoriented by her surroundings, jerking away from the woman holding her wrist.

      “Good morning. I’m your nurse, Anna.” The woman said. “You’ve spent the night in the hospital.”

      “Why?”

      Anna only smiled. “How are you feeling?”

      “Better. I think.” Pieces were coming back to her. What should have been a peaceful night had turned chaotic. She remembered walking to Shane’s car, being dreadfully upset and snuggling with Stumps. It didn’t make much sense but, curling her fingers into the blanket, she smiled at the red and white dog hairs scattered there.

      “Any headache?”

      Danica thought about it. “No.” She purposely looked toward the brighter light spilling through the door and didn’t feel the need to cringe or hide. “Definitely an improvement.”

      “Wonderful news.”

      “What time is it?” Danica asked.

      “Nearly 7:00 a.m. The man who stayed overnight with you just went in to take a shower.”

      Did the nurse mean Shane? Had he stayed all night? Feeling better didn’t mean she felt ready to deal with Shane. As she heard the water running in the bathroom, her imagination offered up a picture of Shane on the other side of that door and she felt her cheeks heat. Embarrassment flooded through her as details of last night flitted through her mind. Trying to regain her composure, she looked around the room for Stumps. “Where is the dog?”

      Anna grinned. “He left before I got here. I heard he was a big help when you were upset.”

      So that wasn’t Shane in the bathroom. The two were inseparable, as it should be with a K9 team. She tried to tell herself it was relief rather than disappointment trickling through her system.

      “When can I go home?”

      “The doctor will be around in another hour or so to explain everything.”

      The nurse sailed out of the room, leaving Danica bristling over the vague reply. She felt fine—her thoughts were clear at last. The water in the bathroom stopped and a few minutes later an electric razor buzzed. When her brother Carson emerged wearing dark slacks and a crisp white button-down, he looked fresh and ready for another day.

      “You’re awake.” He crossed over in a hurry, a big, warm smile on his face.

      “And feeling normal,” she said, her mind drifting back to last night. “Finally.”

      He studied her closely. “You’ve said that before.”

      “I have?” She chewed on her thumbnail. “Did you bring Justice?” She hoped asking about his K9 partner would divert the conversation.

      Carson didn’t take the bait. “Shane said something happened when he brought you into the hospital.” His brow furrowed. “And something worse in the ER.”

      She was tempted to smother herself with a pillow as another wave of embarrassment crashed over her. “You remember how normal meds do the unexpected in my system.”

      “Yeah.” He chucked her under the chin. “You’re too small for your own good.”

      “Ha. Not funny.” Her small stature had always been a point of contention. It wasn’t her fault the tall genes in the family skipped her. Desperate to hold her own, she’d studied martial arts for several years and proved she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. As long as that fight was fair and came with a referee, apparently. It would take years to live down this attack.