LITMIR.BIZ

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to swamp Danielle.

      When the door closed behind the two men, the tension in the room dropped palpably. Danielle sank into the pillow and closed her eyes, willing the world to stop spinning. A Texas Ranger had gone undercover in her shop, then rescued her from kidnappers only to interrogate her now. This had to be a trauma-induced nightmare. The way he’d talked to her, it was clear that he believed she’d done something wrong, but he’d never said what it was.

      The only thing she knew with certainty was that she wanted out of here before Colter Blackthorn came back. If he started in on her again, she didn’t know what she’d do. Too much had happened in the past few hours. The last thing she needed was to fall apart in front of the angry Ranger. He’d probably view the weakness as some sort of confession.

      Her finger hovered over the call button for the nurse. They couldn’t keep her here. She could refuse treatment, tell them she wanted to be discharged. There were plenty of people from church who’d be willing to drive her home.

      But the Rangers knew where to find her. This wouldn’t be over until they got whatever it was they wanted from her.

      Dropping her hand to the bed beside her, Danielle gave up and closed her eyes. She’d have to ride this out and pray she didn’t wind up in jail for someone else’s crimes.

      Jesus, I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t understand anything that’s happened tonight. But, Lord, give Colter Blackthorn the truth about me. Don’t let me go to jail and leave Justin on his own.

      There it was. Her biggest fear. If something happened to her, who would take care of her brother? Especially now, when he was spending more and more time with those friends of his who now had him believing he needed a gun at fifteen. None of this boded well.

      Two light taps on the door drifted across the room, followed by a slight shuffling sound.

      Danielle didn’t even open her eyes. It was probably the doctor. Finally. He could discharge her and get her out of here.

      “Ms. Segovia?” The male voice was quiet, but its speaker was unmistakable.

      Danielle stiffened. He was back.

      She had a choice. Knuckle under and collapse in front of him or put up the brave front she’d used when her parents died, the one that had gotten her custody of her brother when she’d fought for him in front of the family court judge.

      Easing her eyes open, Danielle prepared for battle. She wasn’t backing down to a lie. Fixing a hard gaze on Colt, she bit out her next words. “I have nothing more to say to you.” The fire was unfamiliar on her tongue. She was used to being customer-service-oriented and friendly at all times, used to cooperating with law enforcement even when they didn’t cooperate with her.

      The tiniest fringes of regret blew across her heart. He’d seemed so nice earlier, and to think it had all been an act...

      Disappointment she really shouldn’t feel chewed at her, lighting a fire under a righteous indignation. He deserved her anger. “You can go now. I’ll speak to you when I have an attorney.”

      Standing near the door, Colter Blackthorn stared straight at her, his brown eyes serious but lacking the rage they’d held earlier. Something else was there now, something like regret and possibly sadness. His jaw worked slightly, probably in frustration. Finally, he pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at it, then looked at the chair Justin had pulled up beside her bed. “May I?”

      She should tell him no after the way he’d charged in here the first time, accusing her of vague crimes. But there was something about the air around him that said this time was different. It might be a tactic to get her talking, but he had her curiosity. “If you can be civil, you can sit.”

      His mouth twitched, and a flash of amusement skipped across his face before he could reset his stern Ranger look.

      It was cute.

      Before she could stop herself, Danielle rolled her eyes. Zoe was right. She needed to go on a date soon. Really soon if she was going to think the Ranger who’d just tormented her was in any way attractive. He needed to say his piece and get out the door. That was all.

      Settling in the chair, Colt stared at the window across the room, his thumb tapping his phone screen, but he said nothing.

      The silence stretched so thin Danielle thought she might snap in two. “Is this an interrogation tactic? Stay quiet until I talk? I’ve watched TV, you know. I understand how this works. I get my rights read. I get a lawyer. I get a whole lot of things you haven’t given me, Mr. Blackthorn.”

      This time, a slow smile did lift his lips. Not a big one. Just enough to give a hint of what it would look like if he ever gave up his rigid control and let himself be fully amused by something. “Call me Colt. And you’re right. I charged in here earlier and treated you worse than I should treat anyone—whether they are or aren’t a criminal. You’ve been through a lot this evening, and I apologize.”

      Danielle’s mouth fell open, tugging painfully at the bruise on her cheek. This was the last thing she’d expected. The man before her was contrite and humble, more like the man who’d walked into her shop and shared a moment with her about her mother. “Is it true? You lost someone?” The question popped out before she could catch it. Something in her had connected with him in that moment over her mother’s statue, and she wanted it back.

      His smile faded. “There are some things I won’t lie about even when I’m undercover. That’s one of them.” The heaviness of his voice dropped it into bass territory, the tone thrumming across Danielle’s heart.

      Whatever meds they had pumped into her, she needed to be off them fast. They were making her delusional enough to think she was attracted to this man. “Why would you have to go undercover for me? What exactly is it you think I did wrong?”

      “Ms. Segovia.” Colt leaned forward, his dark eyes serious. “We have a problem.”

      Adrenaline jolted against Danielle’s chest and throbbed in the bruise on her cheek. “Whatever you think I did, I didn’t. I’ve never—”

      “It’s not you.” Glancing down at his cell phone and flicking through a couple of screens, he said, “Do you know who Rio Garcia is?”

      Danielle’s head jerked back in shock. Rio Garcia was the leader of a notorious, murderous drug cartel. Everyone in the state, maybe even in the country, knew that name. In these parts, it brought fear to most who heard it. He was known for his calculated cunning and his murderous rages, for his ability to slip away from the authorities even when they believed they had him cornered. She lay awake at night worrying the group her brother had gotten tangled up with was somehow tied to the cartel, because Garcia had his hands in nearly all of the criminal activity in the area. He squashed any criminal who didn’t answer to him.

      Her stomach roiled. This was about Justin, about his friends. This was her worst nightmare. “I don’t have any connection to him.”

      “But the men who tried to kidnap you tonight may.”

      Danielle’s muscles went weak. If she wasn’t already lying down, she’d melt to the floor. “Why?”

      Colt didn’t answer the question immediately. He stared at his cell phone for what felt like an eternity, then studied Danielle’s face before passing the device to her without a word.

      Hand trembling, Danielle took the phone but didn’t look at it. Instead, she studied the silent man beside her, trying to decide if he was friend or foe. Whatever she was holding in her hand, something told her she was about to need a friend in a very big way.

      The screen went dark, and Danielle swiped her thumb to bring it back to life. At first glance, the woman staring back up at her could be her twin sister. They had the same hair, the same eyes, but the other woman had a small scar next to her ear. Still, the resemblance was enough to make her feel she’d fallen out of reality into a very bad horror movie. “Who is this?” She couldn’t take her eyes from the picture. If the picture didn’t

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