Shot Through the Heart by Diane Benefiel

Author:Diane Benefiel [Benefiel, Diane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Published: 2015-02-02T16:00:00+00:00

***

Rane exited the hospital employee entrance carrying her lunchbox. The sun shone in a sky of deepest blue, reminding her why she loved Seattle. She still tingled from her shared shower with John. God, the man made her feel. Everything was just more around him. More color, more heat, more emotion. She couldn’t be in love with him. She wouldn’t let herself love him. Their relationship couldn’t go anywhere. She knew that. She’d enjoy what he gave her in the moment. And if she wasn’t going to blow this meeting with Kyle, she’d better focus.

Approaching the picnic tables, she scanned for him. The “road workers,” Ben and Ty in beat-up hard hats, sat with sack lunches. She deliberately chose a table far enough from theirs that they wouldn’t be able to overhear her conversation. She unpacked her lunch and was chewing her first bite of Caesar salad when Kyle slid onto the bench across the table from her.

He hunched into his pea coat despite the unseasonably warm temperature. “Your cop friend around?”

“No. What’s going on, Kyle?”

“You need to leave town. Before something happens to you.” His gaze kept sweeping to and fro, and she wondered what he was watching for.

His nervousness made her wary. “Why would something happen to me?”

“You think Simon’s going to let you come out of this alive? He’s using you.” Eyes shades darker than his brother’s finally focused on her.

“I know he wants me to inform on the task force. To let him know what they’re up to. He threatened me. I told him I’d do it. I don’t like it, but I’ll do it.”

He gave a harsh laugh. “You think that’s all there is to it? He’s got the perfect setup. He keeps me in line by threatening to hurt you. He keeps you in line by threatening to hurt your old man. Once he’s dealt with the cops, you’re done. He’s going to kill your old man, and he’s going to kill you.”

“Why would he do that? My dad has Alzheimer’s. He’s not a threat. And I’m doing what he asked of me. In fact, you can tell him the task force is going to raid a stash house on South Dearborn tonight.”

“Do you think that’s all this is about? It doesn’t matter that your dad’s mind is shot. It’s payback. Your dad sent me to prison, so he has to be punished. You, you’re even more important because, in Simon’s mind, you’re what set me on the path away from the family business, made me want something other than a place in a drug smuggling operation. He can’t forgive you for that.” He paused, and Rane felt like a dark cloud had crossed over the sun, dampening her mood. “He’s been planning this for a long time.”

“Then you’re in danger, too, aren’t you? By coming here and telling me all this, you’re putting yourself in danger. Simon would see this as your lack of loyalty to the family, to him.”

“I can handle Simon. I’m serious, Rane.

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