Simply Sinful

With her leaning against him for support, Kane was reminded of last night. His body reacted with instant and urgent need. Ignoring her wasn’t an option, acknowledging and distancing himself was.

Kayla accepted his help only until she reached the chair, then jerked out of his grasp and collapsed into the high-backed cushioned seat.

He knelt beside her. “Kayla…”

“What is it, Detective?” She spat the word like a curse. Her eyes remained closed, an effective physical barrier. He’d obviously added to the damage he’d already done. Her emotional walls were in place-just like his.

The paramedics came barging through the door, saving him from having to answer. As they examined her, he had time to reflect. He didn’t like what he concluded.

He’d put his emotions before his case. Worse, he put this woman at risk. He glanced at Kayla. Bad enough he’d slept with her, but believing for an instant he could have more than one night had been insanity. Foolishness that could only lead to destruction. He’d broken his cardinal rule: he’d gotten involved.

If he’d maintained a distance, he would have been thinking more clearly. He would never have let her walk out the door this morning. Kayla’s ignorance about illegal activities at Charmed! didn’t mean those activities didn’t exist. The captain was right. Kayla had gotten to him and in the process he’d compromised not only the case but her safety.

“Okay.” The paramedic in the blue jacket stood. “Looks like a concussion and some bruising in the neck area.”

A quick glance told him Kayla was still leaning back with her eyes closed in the large office chair. Red fingerprints marred the white skin on her throat and Kane’s gut clenched in anger so strong it blinded him. No one had the right to touch her. Forcing his mind to clear, he let his gaze travel downward. She hadn’t changed out of last night’s clothes. She hadn’t yet been home.

Behind her, Kane saw Captain Reid enter the storefront. Kane turned to the paramedic first. “Hospitalization?” he asked.

“She refused, which is fine as long as someone’s around to watch over her and bring her in if necessary.”

“Someone is,” the sister chimed in.

For the moment, Kane ignored her. “Restrictions?” he asked the younger man.

“Complete bed rest, wake her every two hours, check coherence, understanding, pupil dilation…you know the drill.”

“Got it.”

“No problem,” the sister said, eyeing Kane with a scowl.

With the paramedic gone and the captain getting briefed by the officer who’d arrived first on the scene, Kane turned his focus on Catherine. “You’re Catherine, right?”

“And you’re the louse who used my sister.”

He didn’t see any point in mentioning the using had been mutual. Kayla had been dressed and ready to walk out on him first. “You don’t know anything about it.”

“I know enough and I doubt that official-looking guy in the suit would appreciate that you slept with a…what was Kayla, anyway? A suspect?”

“What makes you think that?”

“The way junior was grilling her.” She jerked her thumb toward the uniformed officer.

“Leave it alone, Catherine.”

“Because you say so?”

“Because I promise you she won’t get hurt again.” He’d make sure of that.

She narrowed green eyes that reminded him of her sister’s. “Prove yourself and we’ll see.”

He didn’t need the aggravation of an overprotective sister at this stage in the investigation, which was by no means over. And yet he couldn’t help admiring the fierce protectiveness and a pang of regret lanced through him. He’d never had anyone to look out for him. “Go check on Kayla,” he muttered.

“I’ll be watching you, McDermott, if that’s even your real name.” Catherine returned to her sister’s side and Kane made his way over to Reid.

“Looks like things are heating up,” Kane said.

“It looks like a botched robbery,” the captain countered. “She walked in too soon.”

Kane shook his head, his instincts screaming in protest.

“Nothing taken, nothing missing,” the junior officer said. He glanced at his notepad. “But the lady claims the assailant was looking for cash she doesn’t have.”

“The night’s take?” Reid asked.

The officer shrugged. “I hadn’t gotten that far in my questioning.”

Kane pinned him with an accusing glare. “Because you need to work on your technique. Grilling victims like suspects isn’t doing your job.”

Reid glanced back and forth between the two men, settling his gaze on the uniformed cop. “Get back to work. We’ll talk later.” The younger man took the hint and headed for the room that had been ransacked. “Could be coincidence,” Reid said.

Kane shook his head.

“She help you any?” He pointed to Kayla.

“She still doesn’t know what last night was about.” And he wasn’t looking forward to enlightening her.

“You’re certain she wasn’t tipped off about us and canceled activities last night?”

“Convince yourself. Have a talk with the lady.”

Reid nodded and walked over to Kayla and her sister. Kane made himself scarce and strolled the perimeter of the small outer room instead. By the time the captain returned, Kane realized Kayla had turned this place into a reflection of herself. Books lined the metal shelving on the back wall, the topics wide and varied.

“You’re right.”

Shoving his hands into his pockets, he turned to his superior. “She’s as much in the dark as we are,” Kane said.

“Seems that way. She’s bright and can hold her own in conversation but if she’s lying about her knowledge, I’d eat my badge, like you said. None of the signs were there. As for the sister, I wouldn’t want to fall into that mouth again, but I doubt she knows anything, either.”

“Kayla’s in danger.” The knowledge sent a flood of emotion shooting through his veins. He welcomed the rush of adrenaline but not the depth of caring she drew from inside him. But he meant to keep his promise to Catherine. He meant to keep her safe.

“That’s debatable. I’m not convinced this was anything more than a bungled job. A druggie wanting cash, hoping for a quick getaway, and coming up empty, maybe.”

Kane shook his head. “Put someone on her.”

“Can’t spare more manpower on a hunch, McDermott, not even yours. The most I can give you is surveillance, an hourly drive-by.”

Kane shoved his hands into his jean pockets. “Not good enough.”

“It’ll have to be.”

“For you maybe. But I’m taking that R &R you seem to think I need.”

Reid raised an eyebrow. “To do what?”

“Babysit her myself if I have to. Instinct has kept me alive and I won’t ignore it now.”

“You too personally involved with this one?”

The words hit the intended target, but Kane refused to back down. “No.”

“Whatever you say. You’ve got one week, but this is strictly off-duty. What about the sister?”

“I don’t need two targets and, considering she’s not involved in running the business, she’s not in any immediate danger.”

“I agree.”

“So I want her out of the picture.”

Reid glanced over at the two sisters with their heads bent close together and his chuckle filled the small room. “Good luck,” he said and laughed again.

Kane didn’t know whether the older man referred to Kane’s ability to lose Catherine or his self-imposed week