Page 153 of Gunner

I pulled him into a tight hug and thumped his back. He let out a groan.

“Not so hard.”

“You’re alive.” I drew back and took his face into my hands, then ran them down to his neck and shoulders. “I should kill you for scaring me like that and making me think you were dead.”

He grinned. “So you wanted me alive so you could kill me?”

“Fuck you.” I slipped my hand into his hair and pressed my lips to his. Ben placed a hand around my waist and stepped even closer, deepening the kiss when I’d only meant to kiss him quickly.

I stepped back, breathless, and looked over his shoulder. The cop who’d held the door open for me was watching us along with a small group of police officers. I released Ben and moved a few inches back.

“Shit, Ben, I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

I pointed at the police station.

“Fuck them. I’ve been removed from my duties pending investigation anyway.”

“What? No, don’t tell me yet. Where’s your car?”

I was still flying high on seeing Ben, learning he’d come forward as an alibi, and the way he’d just kissed me in front of everyone. I knew all along he was different. Mason would have done everything to let me walk free except out our relationship.Funnily enough, considering how open he was to showing the world we were together, I didn’t care if everyone had witnessed my personal moment with him.

We hurried to Ben’s car and got in. As soon as the door shut behind us, we nearly butt heads in our haste to kiss.

“I thought you wanted to know what happened,” he said between kisses.

“I do. But I also need to feel you. I thought you were dead.”

“Why would you think that?”

I cupped between his legs, and he moaned into my mouth. I removed my hand. “Seriously, I should stop touching you like this here of all places. Ben, tell me. What did you do? No, first tell me about the shoot-out.”

“I went to see Roland earlier to get answers out of him. You were right. Sometimes we have to use all the force necessary to get to the truth.”

“You went rogue?”

“The fuck I did.”

I laughed. “Then what happened?”

“Before he could tell me anything useful, we were attacked. He was killed. Didn’t even have a chance to move.”

His features turned soft, and he was staring at me with a strange, dopey look.

“What?”

“You had your men keep tabs on me?”

“I did. You’re not mad about that, are you? I knew you’d say no if I’d told you.”

“It made things interesting. I wasn’t sure if they could be trusted.”

“What?”

He started his car and set the A/C going. “You have to understand I didn’t know who was behind the shooting, andsuddenly men were surrounding the house. Of course I was suspicious.”

I frowned. “Of me.”

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