Rebecca Zanetti - Forgotten Sins

He exhaled. “Right now I want to find out who killed my brother. In fact, I’d like to remember my brother.” Shane’s large hand spread out between her shoulder blades, and he caressed down to press her lower back into him. His erection jumped against her clit. “After making sure you’re safe.”

He kissed her temple. So much emotion rose in her, she curled her fingers over his shoulders. His heated mouth wandered down the side of her face to take her mouth.

Safety was an illusion she didn’t want—and one she didn’t believe in. This, this she wanted. He was what she believed in. With a sigh, Josie sank into the kiss.

* * *

Several hours later, Nathan cast Matt a look. “Think he’s coming back?”

“Would you?” Matt flipped open a file folder, irritation swirling through his thoughts.

“Probably not.” Nathan punched in keys on the laptop. “He’s lost, Matt. He doesn’t understand he needs to let her go.”

“It’s more likely she isn’t letting him go this time,” Matt returned. For which, well, he couldn’t blame her. As he perused her file again, he understood her need for family. While death had hung over his childhood, at least he’d shared his days with his brothers. Family. They fought with each other. Shit, they fought for each other. Little Josie had been all alone.

“Perhaps. If she discovers the full truth, she may kick him to the curb.” Nathan grabbed a bag of chips half smashed underneath yet another monitor.

“Yep.” Matt leaned back in the sofa. He was so fucking tired. But sleep had become a luxury. “Have you been able to hack into her files at work yet? We need to find out who bugged her house.”

“You think the situation has to do with the commander?”

“No. I think this has something to do with her job. Not us. But she’s family, and we need to figure out who’s gunning for her.”

Nathan started, swinging a startled gaze at his older brother. “Wow. She got to you.”

Yeah. The little blue-eyed minx had wormed right into the small circle of people he gave a crap about. Matt fought a growl. “She’s Shane’s wife. Like it or not, we put her in danger two years ago, and it’s even worse now. Shane might have alerted the commander when he tried to Google his past.”

“Yeah. Every instinct I have says they’re coming for us now.” Nathan rubbed his neck. “The commander is close. I can feel his presence.” He cleared his throat. “Do you think Shane found out who killed Jory?”

Matt exhaled, forcing the heavy weight of guilt out of his body. For now. “I hope so.” The need to draw blood roared like a tempest between his ears. “I shouldn’t have let Jory go.”

“You didn’t have a choice. Jory was good at his job and did what needed to be done. If he had a lead, nothing could’ve stopped him in pursuing it.” Nathan glanced at his phone with a frown. “Not even you, Mattie.”

The thick taste of the foreign beer failed to wash away the bile in Matt’s throat. “I failed him.”

“No. It was my job was to keep track of the three of you in the field—I failed him.” Nathan reached for a plain manila file holding a list of Josie’s current clients.

The blame game was useless, and they didn’t have time for it. Matt threw his file down on the coffee table. No need to read any more—he knew Josie’s life by heart, had since Shane married the woman. “Shane took the news of his imminent death well.”

“What choice did he have?” Nate sighed. “We’ll find the doctor. I promise.”

“It had better be soon.” Matt shook his head. How the woman had managed to hide from him for so long was a mystery.

A monitor beeped. Nathan punched in keys. “My results are in. I hacked the ME’s office for the autopsy results on the three men found down by the river. No evidence left on the bodies.”

“How did they die?” Matt asked.

“They all had lacerations from a good fight but died from broken bones in the neck.” Nathan raised an eyebrow. “Military style. The cops found a metal bat by the bodies, but the river washed away any and all DNA.”

Jesus. Matt huffed out a breath. Three guys had gotten to Shane with a bat. “How did they get so close?”

“My best guess is that our brother was distracted.” Nate’s face remained impassive, as usual. No emotion for so damn long. At least, none Matt could see. God help them all when he finally exploded. “I’ve traced Shane’s movements and hacked into the files of some of his old contacts. I’ve confirmed his theory that he bugged Josie’s house.”

“Why?” No way would Shane bug his wife’s house just because she was dating some construction worker. He’d be more likely to break down the front door and beat the guy to a pulp.

“My guess is that he discovered the other bugs and figured the commander was watching Josie. Knowing Shane, he wanted to trace the bugs back to the bastard.” Nate crunched a chip. “So, what’s our plan here?”

“First we figure out who’s after Josie while Shane gets his memory back. Quickly, considering we’re sitting ducks here. Then I assume he’ll try to send Josie to the compound with you while we deal with Jory’s killer.”

Nate visibly jumped. “He’s not keeping her, Mattie. He can’t.”

“I know. He’ll figure that out soon enough.” Matt kept his face expressionless. He steeled his shoulders. “You’re flying home to Montana tomorrow.”

Nathan tossed his file down. “I’m not leaving.”

Exactly what Matt expected. He hardened his face into true big brother mode. “Yes, you are. We don’t know how long it’ll take for Shane to get his memory back, and I sure as hell don’t need help with whoever’s after Josie. Go home and do your job.”

Shane loped barefoot into the room, yanking a T-shirt over his head, wearing ripped jeans. And a relaxed jaw. Bastard.

He glanced at Matt. “I need to fill in the blanks. Now.”

Matt nodded. “Let’s get down to business.”

Early morning, Josie pinned her wet hair up, smoothing lip gloss on her face. Shane had retrieved clothes and toiletries from her house. Thank goodness. Though the isolation was beginning to bother her. She needed to get back to work. Now that might be a battle.

The thick socks masked her steps as she meandered down the hallway toward the smell of coffee.

At the living room, she stopped short.

Matt and Shane lounged on the couch reading files while Nathan stood near the door, a ball cap on his face and thick sunglasses over his eyes.

Josie’s heart began to pound. “Nice glasses.”

Nathan shrugged. “Yeah. Helps with the security cameras everywhere. Standard when I travel.”

Her breath caught in her throat.

Shane glanced up, a frown settling between his eyes. “Angel?”

Memories shot through her head in rapid succession. She took a step back, her wide-eyed gaze on Nathan. “It’s you.”

He cocked his head to the side. “What’s me?”

She breathed out. Hard. “In the coffee shop. Ball cap. Eyeglasses.” Her gaze slashed to Shane and then back again. “It’s you.” She knew he looked familiar. Rage and fear boiled into a lump in the pit of her stomach.

Shane unfolded to his feet, his gaze moving from Josie to Nathan and back again. “Honey, a lot of people have aviator glasses.”

Pure raw fury ripped through her so fast her breath heated. “Don’t lie to me. He was as big as you. Built like you.” She turned on Nathan. “It was you. The asshole in the coffee shop.”

Pain splashed ice over the fury. She rounded on Shane. “You didn’t save me. You set me up.” Two years ago. The scene where Shane had been her hero. When everything started. They’d planned the confrontation. No wonder the bully had left so easily without argument. The bully was Nathan.

He cut his eyes to Shane.

Josie leapt for the black gun on the table, flipping off the safety and backing away. She kept all three men in her sight. “The safety’s off this time, Matt.” Her voice trembled low with fury. Her hands shook.

He remained relaxed from his perch on the sofa. “You know, this is the second time you’ve held a gun on me this week, little sister.” He cleared his throat. “If one of these two tried that, I’d break their hands.”

“You’d try,” Shane and Nathan said in unison, gazes locked on her.

Matt tilted his head in acknowledgment. “Put the gun down, Josie. Let’s talk.”

The keys to her Toyota sat on the coffee table. “Throw me my keys, Matt.”

Shane stepped between the table and Josie. “Not going to happen. Now put down the gun before you really piss me off.”

She widened her stance, swinging her aim to the center of his chest. “So, genetically enhanced boy. Can you stop a bullet?”

“No.” Anger began to burn slate through his eyes. “Now, Josie.”

“It’s true, isn’t it? You set me up.”

“Yes.” His gaze remained on her eyes, not on the gun.

“The whole thing… meeting me, marrying me… you fucking set me up.” Her grip tightened on the weapon.

“No.” He took a step toward her. “The meeting was a setup. The rest was real.”

“Bullshit.” She dropped her aim to his knee. Her own stupidity slapped her in the face. “Take another step, and you’ll limp for life, Shane. If that’s even your name.”

“It is,” Nathan chimed in. “Always has been.”

Her breath began to come out in short pants. “Give me my keys.” She needed to get out of the cabin. Confusion rioted through her mind.

“No,” Shane said.

Did he just get closer somehow?

Josie backed up until she met the wall. “Why? Why me?” Did he need a cover for a couple months? If so, why had he come back?

“You had something I wanted.” His gaze swept her body, a slight smile tipping his lips.

Even when she was scared and pissed off, her body responded to him. Warmed and tingled. She lifted her chin. “What did you want?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Give me the gun, and we’ll discuss the matter.”

Nathan eased toward the door. “I’ll give you some space. Good luck with this, Shane.” He dodged outside, whistling the Dixie Chicks’ “Ready to Run.”

Josie gasped, starting to swing the gun toward the door and then refocusing the weapon back on Shane.

He smiled. Studying her. Knowing her. “Matt? Take off, would you? I need a moment with my wife.” He emphasized the word wife just enough to snap her spine to attention.

She kept her gaze on her husband. Betrayal burned like cigarette ashes down her esophagus. “You move, Matt, I’m shooting him. Watch me.”

Matt stretched to his feet. “That’s okay. He probably deserves it.” Then Matt opened the door. “I’m going for a jog. See you folks later.” The door shut behind him.

A strangled scream filled Josie’s throat. The gun did not even remotely scare these guys.

Shane blew out a breath. “Josie—” Quick as a whip, he struck, pinning her arm against the wall. His body boxed her in, while the grip on her wrist tightened. “Let go of the gun.”

She bit her lip, holding on with every ounce of stubbornness she owned.

With a growl, Shane yanked the gun from her grasp. He stepped back, flipping on the safety. “I’ve about had it with your defiance, angel.”

Fury. Pure, raw, and deadly, rage raced through her to light her veins on fire. She saw red. Jumping forward, she pivoted and shot a hard kick into his gut. He blocked her with a casual swipe of his hand on her foot.

One eyebrow rose. “Sit down, or I’ll sit you down.”

The tone. Low, dangerous, and commanding. He’d never used it with her before. Never. She faltered, her gaze on the sofa.

Well, it wouldn’t hurt to hear the truth. Finally. “I’ll listen. Then I’m leaving.” With a huff, she flounced to the sofa and sat.

“You’re not going anywhere.” He stalked to the deep cherry wood cabinets in the kitchen and placed the gun on top of one. Where she couldn’t reach it. Then he returned. “You want me to stop treating you like something fragile? Make sure you understand what you’re asking for.” Cushions dipped as he sat next to her on the couch. Broad hands wrapped around her arms and lifted her from the sofa.

She yelped, pushing her hands against his chest, struggling.

“Stop.” He sat her on his lap facing him, her legs straddling him. His hands manacled around her arms, holding her in place. “You want the truth. Sit here and take it.”

His eyes glittered an angry gray. The hard thighs beneath her heated her butt.

Desire, unwilling and unwanted, caused a swirling in her lower stomach. “Fine. Give it to me, then.” He wasn’t the only one who could play word games.