Page 93 of Evening Shadows

Ken turned to Sam—with nothing in the room keeping his energy and love from her—and with all tenderness asked, “You ready?”

His heart nearly broke at the pain in her mist-filled eyes. While the interview had been short as they didn’t want to dive into Alejandro’s mess or the full extent of Beverly’s crazy, they achieved their goal of ensuring Cody was safe and lived with Sam.

Sam took a deep breath and appeared to hold it. When he thought he might have to help her push out the air in her lungs before she passed out, she released it slowly and nodded. “Yes. I want to see Cody.”

“So do I. You two will be safe from now on, Sam. We’ll always know where she is and with all that’s she’s been involved in, I doubt we’ll see her on US soil again outside a cell.”

“Why would she be in a cell in the States?”

Hell. He walked a tightrope here wanting to keep Sam in the loop and wanting to protect her feelings, knowing her friend had dropped that low. “Just trust me.”

With a shout of “Gun,” the room erupted in activity and shouts, a shot fired, and Ken found himself on the floor with his air whipped from his lungs and Sam on top of him.

The sounds of a struggle with Grits loudly asking who he assumed was Fin, “What the hell were you thinking, jackass, not having your weapon secured?”

Franks knelt beside him, calling to Sam. The fact she hadn’t moved sent a ball of dread straight to his heart. Had she been shot?

Thinking for a moment of what had happened in those split seconds, he hadn’t been focused across the table because Fin should’ve had Beverly in custody. Sam had turned away from him toward Beverly. His pulse raced as he remembered Sam’s eyes widening as she’d stepped between him and Beverly’s line of sight.

A low guttural growl of grief rose from deep within his chest. “Sam?” He couldn’t see her face since her back was pressed against him. He wanted to roll her off him and see if she’d been hit but knew he could do more damage if she’d been injured.

When she still didn’t move or respond, his gut churned at the thought of losing her after finally reconnecting. They’d been so close to Beverly that Sam would’ve taken the bullet in her chest or somewhere on her torso.

He had to stay positive because he didn’t want to live his life without her. Frantically, he reached around her to see if he could feel where she’d been shot. Large hands shoved his away.

Relief gushed from him harder than he’d expected possible, realizing Sam had worn her Kevlar vest. That must’ve been the “stuff” Kate had retrieved from her locker. He tensed again, but not as tightly as before. At that close range, some serious damage could still occur.

“Boss?” Franks asked.

“I’m fine. Sam?”

“Doc’s looking her over. He wants you to stop trying to touch her.”

A “screw you” came to mind, but he held it back since their instruction enabled them to help her.

“Is she—” He couldn’t go on because he knew you should never ask a question you couldn’t handle the answer to.

“She’s just unconscious. The vest stopped it, but she’ll have big-ass bruise. Be patient while he checks for other damage.”

Thank you, God, for allowing the woman I love to live.

“Okay, Doc said we could lift her off you.”

“Please do.” He had to see her, make sure she was okay.

After they lifted Sam off him onto the floor beside where they’d landed, he leaned over her when he heard that infernal woman’s venomous words.

He swiveled toward Agent Anderson, ignoring Beverly’s words. “Get her the hell out of here and don’t forget to add attempted murder to her list of charges.”

Not waiting to see how they got the crazy woman out and to the agent’s car, he knelt down beside Sam and held her hand tightly in his. Stroking her pale face with his other hand, the softness of it and the thoughts of when he’d held it between his hands and kissed her deeply called to him. Something reassuring him.

Yet, he didn’t know if he could handle this—her constantly being in danger. If it wasn’t HIS, she’d no doubt go back to SWAT or something equally as dangerous. It’d be ten times worse because he couldn’t keep an eye on her.

With a painful sounding wheeze, Sam opened her eyes. “Burns,” she whispered, agony sounding strongly in her voice.

Doc had already cut her blouse and unstrapped the sides of her vest, ready to lift it to see the damage. It became obvious she wore another T-shirt beneath it and Doc would have to cut it also. Even though he expected she had on her sports bra, she might not and the men shouldn’t see a lacy concoction on her. Heck, he didn’t really want Doc to see her that undressed either, but desperate times….

Turning around, he found Franks and told him to clear the room. Franks nodded, as if understanding, and ensured the team exited.

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