Page 83 of Concealed

Gabe holds a finger to his lips and silently rises to his feet. I’ve always been amazed that such a big man is so light on his feet, with movements that are quick, sure, and undetectable.

His hand is on the butt of his gun when he glides toward the front door.

I was just starting to believe everything was okay and that I must have been hallucinating Matt. But now my heart is back in my throat and whatever the hell is going on, I’m sure glad that I’m not the one going to check.

Being face-to-face with Matt again is not something I’m prepared for, now or ever.

“Stay where you are, okay?” Gabe whispers.

I nod even though his back is to me. I couldn’t move my legs even if I wanted to. When my freeze response kicks in, I might as well have roots.

But even with my feet planted, I can still reach forward and grab the big kitchen knife off the countertop. That’s exactly what I do, the cool wooden handle comforting in my fist.

Gabe has his hand on the doorknob and is turning to mouth something to me when the power suddenly goes out, blanketing the room in pitch blackness. Light is still seeping in from outside, telling me that the parking lot and other townhomes remain illuminated.

The power didn’t go out.

Someone cut it.

Chapter 19

Wyatt

Idon’tknowifit’s the blood in Wang Yong’s eyes or how shaky he must be from trading full force blows with Dean and then with me.

But the bullet misses my head and hits my shoulder, the impact sending me flying backward with a shocking burst of pain that ricochets through me.

Rather than shoot him – because we need him breathing – Grant and three other cops jump on Wang Yong and cuff him while he screams obscenities at them. Finally, this son of a bitch is going to be cuffed and incapacitated.

All the while, I’m trying to figure out if the bullet went through my vest and if I’m going home or to the hospital. On the bright side, I’m not going to the morgue.

Silver linings. Always there if you look hard enough.

Someone says, “Officer down,” into the radio, and it’s surreal they’re talking about me.

Grant rushes over and rips at my shirt, my entire body trembling while awaiting the verdict. My arm hurts like a bitch and my entire body aches, but hand-to-hand combat and then being shot tend to have that effect on someone.

The damage could go either way.

I grit my teeth against the sharp, throbbing ache, hoping I’m not going into surgery tonight.

A group of officers drags Wang Yong outside so he can be brought to the station and booked. He’s still screaming a colorful litany of curses in both English and Cantonese.

But he’s fucked now and he knows it.

“It didn’t go through,” Grant announces. “You’re good.”

My battle wound will be a bruise instead of a hole, and I won’t need light-duty or annoying rehab. All I want to do is get down to the station and interrogate Wang Yong, not be stuck at the damn hospital.

Thoughts of taking a day off tomorrow have evaporated from my mind.

I can’t miss what happens next.

Not now.

Not after what just happened.

But Grant shakes his head when I explain my plan. “You need to go home and rest. I already know you well enough to understand that you don’t want to do that. But hear me out.”

---