step. Shane twisted out from under her and whipped around to sit on his butt on the patio.
“Her brother’s a police officer?” she asked Rafe in complete bafflement.
Rafe rested his hands on his hips and tried to slow his breathing. He was staying out of this one. In fact, he wanted to drag Lisa back to the boat and pretend none of this had happened.
Hailey’s attention jumped back to Shane. “What the hell were you shooting at me for then? I identified myself.”
“I wasn’t the one shooting at you,” Shane tossed back, pushing to his feet.
That got Rafe’s attention. “Someone else was here?”
Shane’s gaze finally darted his direction, and there was a clear don’t-fuck-with-me warning in his eyes. “I don’t know, Romeo, but it sure as hell wasn’t me.” He held his hand out to Hailey, palm up. “Gimme my gun back.”
She set her jaw. “It’s against the law for an out-of-state, off-duty officer to carry in Florida.”
A vein pulsed near Shane’s temple. He ripped the gun from her hand. “So fucking arrest me then.” He looked at Lisa. “I’m gonna take a look around. You. Stay put.” His fiery eyes shot to Rafe. “You. Don’t even think about leaving.” He cast Hailey a withering look before disappearing into the shadows.
Lisa scrubbed both hands over her face.
Wide-eyed, Hailey turned toward both of them. “What the heck was that?”
“That,” Lisa said, “was one of the Windy City’s finest detectives.” She dropped her hands. “And you just pissed him off.”
“What’s he doing here?” Hailey asked.
“My guess? Making sure I’m not dead.”
That jolted Rafe back to reality. He ushered both women into the house. If there was really someone out there, he preferred having the cover of the house for protection. Right now he felt exposed in more ways than one. “Come on.”
They moved into the kitchen. Lisa started the coffeepot and pulled mugs from the cabinet. He resisted the urge to tell her it was three A.M. and too early for java, but he had a sinking suspicion their romantic night was over and things were about to get a whole lot more interesting. And not in any way he wanted.
He looked toward Hailey. “What happened?”
Hailey checked the kitchen doors and windows for signs of a break-in. “I had the terrace door open upstairs and heard a noise. When I came down to check it out and realized it wasn’t either of you, I stepped outside to take a look. Someone fired three shots at me. I saw a shadow dart into the trees and went after it. That’s when I ran into Rambo out there.” She shifted toward them. “I’m gonna do a quick sweep of the house. Stay here.”
She disappeared into the living room.
Lisa stepped to the fridge, pulled it open and reached for the carton of half-and-half.
She’d been moving around the room like she didn’t have a care in the world. Like the last few minutes hadn’t shaken her at all. A mixture of relief and anxiety rushed through him. Followed by a surge of disbelief.
When she closed the door, he plucked the carton from her hand, set it on the counter, gripped her at the shoulders and pushed her back against the stainless-steel door. He kissed her hard and pulled back. “The next time I say stay behind me, listen.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. That could have been Winters out there. Or Kimbel.”
“It was Shane. I heard him. I’m not stupid.” Her eyes sharpened. “And sleeping with me doesn’t give you the right to tell me what to do.”
No, but loving her did.
His jaw clenched at her blasé attitude. “You didn’t know who else was out there when you went running off. Who could still be out there.” When she rolled her eyes, he tightened his grip. “Don’t you get it, Lisa? Those aren’t squirt guns they’re shooting, and running out in the open without thinking is how people get dead. I guarantee they didn’t take potshots at Hailey for the fun of it. They want Stone’s research, they know you have it, and they thought Hailey was you.”
The color drained from her cheeks. “You said no one knew we were here.”
“I was obviously wrong.” Fear crept into her eyes, making him feel like an ass for being tough with her, but he wanted her to get it. He wasn’t going to lose her. Not now. Not ever. “You either listen to me, or I’ll get somebody to lock you up until this is