Page 9 of One Weekend in Boston

The first officer flipped his notebook shut with more effort than needed. The audible sigh didn't help either. "Is there anything else you can think of that's important?"

Shannon looked defeated when she shook her head no. The original fight she had in her when the officers arrived was gone,and only a shell of the woman still existed. I wanted to go to her and provide some comfort, but that wasn't what we were.

Hell, we were strangers.

A one-night stand.

"We'll be in touch," the officer huffed.

Both officers left, followed by the manager, after assurances that Shannon would be provided a new room if she wanted it. She was quick to decline the offer and promised to be out of the room within an hour so housekeeping could clean up. I waited for the door to close before I spoke again.

"I see what you mean." I had stood off to the side while Shannon was giving her statement, but now I felt the need to be close to her again, so I sat back down on the uncomfortable ottoman. I didn't care what it said about me that I wanted to provide her comfort. I was going to do it anyway.

"At least they were decent enough not to call me a liar to my face. I've had that happen a time or two," she muttered.

I was angry for her. Sure, there were probably a few people in the world who got off on the attention that accusing a high-profile person like Davis Jackson got them, but Shannon didn't seem like the type. For starters, she didn't want attention. From everything she’d told the officers about the previous incidences, she never went public to make her claim. Everything was kept quiet when she filed her police reports.

She stood from the chair and sighed. "Let me just grab my stuff and then we can get out of here. I need to figure out my next steps."

"I'm just going to step into the hallway to make a quick phone call."

Shannon waved me off. I'm not even sure she heard what I said. She was already focused on the task at hand.

I was dialing my brother before I stepped fully into the hallway. Just like every other time I called, he answered on the second ring.

"I expected to hear from you last night. Don't tell me you found a woman to warm your bed instead of calling your favorite sibling," Matthew laughed.

"You're myonlysibling, fucker, and yeah, I did, but it's not like that."

Actually, it was exactly like that, or it had been until we found her hotel room trashed.

"I need a favor," I was quick to add on before my brother could continue to bust my balls. It was how we communicated most of the time, but right now I didn't need my brother, Matthew. I needed Navy Seal Matthew Moore.

"Name it." And just like that, my brother flipped the switch.

"I need you to book me a hotel room under an alias. Preferably one that will hold up under scrutiny."

I knew I was asking a lot, but I also knew it was something my brother could do. Not him specifically, but someone on his team. Again, I wasn't supposed to know what my brother did for a living, but based on how often he traveled internationally and how often he actually traveled under his real name didn't exactly add up, it wasn't hard to put the pieces together.

"Are you in trouble?"

"Not me specifically." I didn't want to tell him too much over the phone. There was no telling who could be listening in.

And now I sounded as paranoid as my brother. Great . . .

"So not only did you ditch me for a woman, but you found one who needed a hero as well."

"Can you do it or not?" The irritation was clear in my tone. I didn't have time for games. Yes, I was in Boston to see my brother, but I wasn't about to leave Shannon high and dry. There was no doubt in my mind if I didn't come up with a solution, shewould be on the road today and out of my life within the hour, only for Davis to find her again in the next town she stopped at.

"Of course, I can do it. Do you plan on telling me what's going on?" My brother was in full operator mode. Nothing would distract him from helping.

"I will, I promise. Just get me the hotel info and I'll meet you there and tell you everything."

After I got the rest of the information out of Shannon. It was clear when she was talking to the police that she left a few things out. I was going to need all the details if I had any hope of keeping her safe.

"I'll have it for you soon. Be careful in the meantime, brother. I would hate to burn my city to the ground because you went and got yourself into trouble."

I laughed at what he said. That was something Matthew loved to remind me of; he might've been seven years older, but we were close, and he didn't take kindly to anyone bothering me. One word and he really would burn the city down to save me.

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