Monster by Laura Belle Peters Page B

wonderful,” I whispered in her ear, pulling her against me. “I'm here. I've got you. You're safe.”
     

-Annie-
     
    Quinn's words undid me.
     
    The whole time we were searching for Kelly, hoping and praying that she would be found safe and whole, I thought of Quinn.
     
    His voice had played in my ears, a talisman against evil.
     
    Evil had come, but I still felt so safe in the man's arms. I knew that he would protect me with every fiber of his being. He just radiated that sort of fierce pride that wouldn't allow him to let anyone he cared about come to harm.
     
    Sometimes it made me want to run from him, made me feel smothered and trapped.
     
    That night, it just made me feel cared for.
     
    I let the man I'd grown to care for hold me close and sobbed into his chest.
     
    “I felt so helpless,” I said, throwing out my arm, catching him a glancing blow on the arm. “I'm sorry, damn, I didn't mean to hit you.”
     
    “No, I get it,” he said.
     
    He met my eyes with his own emerald gaze and I knew he did.
     
    I saw the grief and rage I was feeling, mirrored in him.
     
    “Does it ever go away?” I whispered.
     
    He shook his head.
     
    “Sometimes I wake up, pissed as hell, because something happened to some little kid or broke woman eight years ago and I couldn't stop it,” he said. “I'll get up in the middle of the night and have to work out or go to the range or something. Clear my head.”
     
    “Not super comforting,” I said, but I smiled at him.
     
    “I thought you'd want the truth,” he said.
     
    I nodded.
     
    “I do.”
     
    “Will this be your last search?” he asked.
     
    I shook my head.
     
    “No way,” I said.
     
    “The worst part of the whole thing is that you liked it?” he asked, with a small half-smile twisting the edge of his sensual mouth.
     
    “How did you know?”
     
    “If you hadn't, you'd have thrown up and sworn never to go on another hunt,” he said. “You didn't seem ready to swear off it. Some people can't stand anything to do with death, danger, people in trouble.”
     
    “Some people thrive on it?” I finished for him.
     
    “Pretty much,” he said, stroking one hand down my hair absently.
     
    “Does it make me a bad person?” I asked.
     
    I was embarrassed by how small and young my voice sounded, like I was twelve instead of twenty-eight.
     
    “No way,” he said. “Someone's gotta do it. You and I can do it so the squeamish don't have to.”
     
    I nodded.
     
    “Did you do that sort of thing when you were a cop?” I asked.
     
    “Exactly that,” he said. “I worked a K9 unit. My Dragon, he's a big German Shepherd. Only thing I miss about the force.”
     
    “Shit. You couldn't take him?” I asked, knowing the answer.
     
    “Government property, doll,” he said. “They paid good money for him and his training. I heard he doesn't do as well with his new handler. Maybe if he washes out, I can buy him.”
     
    “Who's his new handler?” I asked.
     
    I wanted to tell him I was sorry about his dog, but damn. If I had had to give Urso up to someone else, I wouldn't want to hear anybody's empty fucking platitudes.
     
    I'd have had my heart ripped out. Anyone rubbing salt in the wounds would have gotten their heads ripped off.
     
    “Man named Shane,” he said. “I've known the guy for a while. Bugs the shit out of me.”
     
    I frowned.
     
    The name rung a bell.
     
    “Shane Sandlin?” I asked.
     
    “Yeah,” he said. “How did you know?”
     
    “He and a woman, Nora Allen, came with me and Dan last night. Guy was an ass. Seemed to think everything I did with Urso was wrong.”
     
    “Well, you showed him,” he said. I looked up, and a small, proud smile was on his face.
     
    “I feel terrible,” I said. “Every time I shut my eyes, I see her body. I feel like I should never laugh or smile again, but…”
     
    I trailed off.
     
    “You didn't know her,” he said, gently. “What happened to her was horrible, but