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The second I heard the ear-rattling bang, I burst through the morgue doors, gun at the ready. Swinging the barrel left and right, I surveyed the room before shoving it into my holster and storming toward the fucker jerking along the ground as the electric current continued to pulse through his entire body.

I could pull the leads free, but I wouldn’t. I could also easily angle my holster toward the fucker’s head and my gun could accidentally go off, but I wouldn’t. Because that would mean prison, and I was way too bougie for that shit.

A dark spot formed on his pants, adding to the stench wafting off him.

“Disgusting prick,” I grumbled.

Using the tip of my shoe, I not so gently rolled him over and pulled both hands behind his back, securing a set of cuffs around his wrists. His incoherent mumbles told me he was still conscious, but clearly the stun gun did its job and kept him incapacitated until I could restrain him.

With the immediate threat taken care of, I swiveled around on the balls of my feet, gaze searching the last place I saw Rain. Her voice drifted from the other side of the room, toward the doors. Jameson sat on the floor, hand pressed to his chest, with Rain ripping at his shirt.

“Check on him, please,” Rain said when I stopped by her side, tipping her head toward the tech now sitting up, rubbing his head. “Damnit,” she snapped at Jameson, “I need to see where you’re hit.”

“The vest stopped it,” Jameson said, voice strained.

Shaking my head, I squatted near the tech, who seemed to sway where he sat. “What happened to…?” The object beside him caught my eye. “Are those nunchucks?” Taking in the red welt on his forehead, I stifled a laugh. “Did you hit yourself in the head with those things?”

His cheeks flushed bright red, which stood out against his pale skin. He must have hit himself, then smacked his head on the floor, knocking him unconscious.

“We’ll get you some medical attention now that we’ve neutralized the threat. You gonna make it until the medics can get down here?”

He nodded and curled in on himself.

Well, shit.

“Listen, it looks like you tried to protect Dr. Evans, am I right?” Again, he nodded, still not speaking. “Well then, no need to be embarrassed. You tried to do something instead of running away from the danger. No matter the outcome, you did good, kid.”

When I turned back around, both Rain and Jameson were gawking at me.

“What?”

“Oh nothing,” Jameson wheezed. “Nothing at all, you big teddy bear, you.”

“Oh, fucking hell,” I groaned as I stood. Pointing at the tech, I shot him the scowl that made most grown men run screaming. “Don’t you tell a single soul I was nice to you. Got it?”

“Yes… yes… sir.”

Knowing my grumpy asshole reputation would stay intact, I stepped over to Rain and Jameson.

“Good job.” I held out my fist, which he tapped with his own. She’d gotten his T-shirt and vest off while I handled the kid. “Way to go on not dying.”

“You should needlepoint that shit,” he grumbled, wincing as Rain poked and prodded around the large red area on his chest. “You scared the shit out of us, Rain.”

“Yeah, well, first, I didn’t do it on purpose. And two… okay, I don’t have a second point. Is he going to be okay?” Her gaze flicked to her ex as two officers dragged him out of the morgue. “I’m honestly not sure how I’ll feel either way you answer that question.”

“He’ll be put away for a long time. Are you okay?” I squatted down to be at their eye level so they could stop straining their necks. I brushed a knuckle down her cheek. “I was so fucking terrified something would happen to you.”

Her responding smile was weak. “Thanks to Jameson, I’m okay. Shaken up, but I knew you two would come.”

“So… spiders?” Jameson huffed before squeezing his lids shut and groaning. “He’s afraid of spiders?”

“Deathly. Like can’t even see them in a movie or show without having to leave the room.”

“Smart and beautiful,” I muttered with so much fucking pride filling my chest.

“We need to get you to the hospital,” Rain demanded.

“Nope. Nothing a little rest and TLC won’t cure.” He shot her a wink. “Know anywhere I can get both? I mean, it is our day off.”