Page 11 of Crazy for You (Loco, Texas 1)

Suddenly, his concerned face was in front of hers. “Stay here. I will be right back.”

Deana nodded and didn’t even protest when Finn yelled, “Jake! Jake Hansen! Get over here!”

When Jake Hansen came jogging over, he asked, “Hey, Finn, what’s going on?”

“I need you to stay with Deana until I get back.” Finn didn’t give Jake a chance to protest as he took off around the gym.

Jake’s gaze flicked from her to Finn’s retreating back, and he frowned. “Hey, you okay, Deana?”

Deana didn’t answer, just watched Finn disappear into the dark, worrying her lip. He has a gun and a partner. He’ll be fine.

/> Releasing her bottom lip, she realized she didn’t want anything to happen to Finn. Not as a citizen of Loco, but because…well, just because.

When did she suddenly start caring what happened to Finn Meyers?

* * *

He’s gone.

Finn gritted his teeth as he hit the wall with his fist. “Damn it!”

“Hey, man, at least she’s not hurt, right? Knowing Disaster—”

“Don’t fucking call her that,” Finn growled, turning his back on his partner to head back toward where he’d left Deana. The fact that some lunatic had terrified her made him want to break shit. Preferably the bastard’s bones.

“Hey, sorry, man. Didn’t realize you were sweet on her.”

Finn heard the obvious smirk in his voice and growled, “I’m not sweet on her.”

Finn picked up Deana’s discarded heels, knowing he was lying through his teeth. When he turned the corner to find Jake, Red, and the third musketeer, Miranda Coleman, hovering around Deana, Finn regretted leaving her alone with the men. Finn didn’t like the way Red and Jake were looking at Deana. Especially Jake. The guy had always been easy on the eyes and good with women. Very good.

Finn came upon the little group and reached out. “Thanks, y’all, for staying with her. De, why don’t you come over here and give me your full statement?”

Deana stepped toward him, and he nodded at the trio as he guided her a little way away with his hand on her lower back.

“Okay, so you were heading toward the back exit when the man approached you with the knife?” Finn asked, pulling out his pen and notepad. He ignored Gunn, who stood off to the side with a smirk on his face.

“He didn’t approach me. He slammed me into a wall, and that’s when I saw the knife.”

“Did he say anything?” Finn asked.

“He said he’d been waiting a long time for me.”

The words were chilling, and Finn started to reach for her, to give her some comfort.

“Can you give a description?” Gunn broke in.

Finn stopped moving, hoping they didn’t notice as Deana shook her head. “It was dark, and he had a black hood over the top half of his face. His voice was really raspy, though, like he smoked. His lips were thin, and he was probably about five-nine. He wasn’t very big, but he was strong.”

Finn caught her shiver and wished he had a jacket to slip over her shoulders. Flipping the notepad closed, he reached toward her, but, catching Gunn’s raised eyebrow, just patted her shoulder reassuringly. “We’ll look for him. Meanwhile, maybe you should head home? Get some sleep?”

“No, I can’t. They need me at the Haunted House. They’re already shorthanded,” Deana argued.

With a smile, Finn, knowing he was going to get shit from Gunn, handed her the shoes she’d dropped. “Fine, I’ll walk you. Smart move ditching the skyscrapers, by the way.”

“Thank you.” She kept her eyes downcast as she took the heels and seemed very interested in the dirt by her bare feet and Finn’s smile dissolved. Why wouldn’t she look at him?

“Well, since you have this, I think I’m going to go patrol. Catch up with you in a few?” Gunn wiggled his eyebrows at Finn behind Deana’s back.

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