Embattled Hearts by J.M. Madden

Author:J.M. Madden
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary, Romantic Suspense
Publisher: J.M. Madden
Published: 2013-02-13T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

After a restless sleep that night, Shannon rose and dressed in the bathroom, then headed to the kitchen. John was already up and in his chair, and she had to wonder yet again if he had even gone to bed. The blankets were folded the same way she’d left them, although his clothes were different. His short hair was slicked down and glossy, so he must have managed a shower.

“Good morning.” She was determined to play it cool.

“Morning,” he rumbled.

Shannon fought not to react to his rusty voice, even though it sent chills racing down her spine and made her nipples tighten. The man was too sexy for her peace of mind.

She threw something together for breakfast, then escaped to finish getting ready. When she glanced out the bedroom window, she had second thoughts. The snow had really accumulated last night. The boughs of the pines dragged the ground, and she couldn’t see anything moving on the street.

“Hey, John,” she called.

“Yeah.”

“Have you looked outside?”

“Yeah. Don’t think we’re going anywhere today.”

That was what she thought too, but she just wanted to hear him confirm it. She pulled a favorite sweatshirt over top of the long-sleeved t-shirt she already had on and slipped her feet into her slippers to pad down the hallway. John was on his cell phone, obviously talking to Duncan. Shannon picked up the receiver of the house phone. Dead.

She wasn’t surprised. Colorado was notorious for bad weather, and if a person got upset by minor things like dead phone lines and car batteries, it wasn’t the place for them. At least they still had power. She had a generator in the garage if they needed it. Difficult to start, but a necessity, nonetheless. Crossing to the fireplace, she stoked the coals, and within minutes had a wonderful blaze going. The stack of wood beside the grate had dwindled quickly. John was still talking, so she grabbed a jacket from her closet and stepped out onto the back porch.

And screamed.

A bloody, mangled, furry mess lay on the concrete porch lightly covered in snow, and Shannon stumbled back into the house, slamming the door shut. John was right there when she turned, and she clutched his shirt in her hands, gasping. He shushed her and set her gently aside, then opened the door and scanned outside. His gun was already in his hand. Shannon backed farther into the kitchen as he rolled out the door. She didn’t know what the thing lying on the concrete had been, but it had died a horrible death.

John came back in a few minutes later. Shannon had gotten hold of her emotions, somewhat, but she felt brittle.

“It’s just a dog, Shannon.” He pulled her hands into his and stared into her eyes. “It looks like it was hit somewhere else and dragged here. There’s no fresh blood. Whoever brought it here dropped it on the concrete and left over the back fence, dragging a branch or something behind them to cover up their tracks.

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