Under My Skin by Judith Graves Page B

appeared the cops were on a first name basis with Wade. One even patted him on the back as if they were old buddies.
    Nepotism, anyone?
    Brit wrapped her arms around her waist, her face bleak. “No one messes with the chief’s son. He’s untouchable. My dad tried to give Wade a speeding ticket once and almost got fired.”
    I grimaced. “I forgot your dad was a taser toter.” Life with a cop would be the ultimate freak out. You would either get away with murder, or you’d have no life of your own. “So Wade’s dad is your dad’s boss?” I was getting lost in the incestuous nature of Redgrave and its police force.
    “Our families used to be real close. Until Blake died.” Brit shook her head. “My dad hasn’t been the same since.”
    I frowned, about to ask her for more details, when a cop about my height, overweight and barrel-chested, approached us. He gave Brit a brief glance of acknowledgement before settling his probing gaze on me.
    “Eryn McCain?” he asked, pulling a ballpoint pen from a breast pocket monogrammed with the name “Officer Flutie.”
    I nodded.
    “You moved in with Marcus McCain. Is that correct? You’re the niece?”
    I nodded again, slowly. How did he know that? And what did it have to do with the smash-up-derby I’d witnessed?
    “Give your uncle a message for me, will you?” Flutie bared his teeth in a smile. “Tell him the next time he shows up on private property with his group of wing-nut treehuggers, we won’t be so accommodating.” He flicked his pen with a hard snap of his thumb, stuffed it back into his pocket, and stalked to his cruiser. His partner, who’d been chatting with Wade, joined him. They both glared over at me and Brit before getting in their vehicle.
    “Guess he didn’t want a statement after all.” I shot Brit a questioning look, my stomach tense. “Any idea what that was about?”
    She shook her head. “Just ’cause my dad’s a cop doesn’t mean I understand the way their minds work. Especially Redgrave cops.” She looked past me, her expression hard.
    A strong hand pressed down on my shoulder. “You see, Eryn.” Wade’s voice was like velvet—and nails on a chalkboard—as his cool breath fanned along my neck. “If you and Alec’s band of merry men are so concerned with bringing down all of Redgrave’s bad guys, I’m the least of your worries.” He paused and ran his finger down my arm. His touch burned through my jacket like frostbite. “You better start looking in your own backyard.”
    Wade had clearly been snooping around in my thoughts for a while now. He knew I was worried about him getting into my uncle’s house and that I was thinking of working with Alec’s crew.
    I took a deep breath and checked my limestone shield, pleased he hadn’t found a way around it. Part of me wanted to toss Wade to the ground and stake him with the nearest piece of wood, but part of me, the dark predator trying to claw its way out of me, hungered for Wade. A vampire with witchy powers. A hybrid. Like me. Didn’t mean I could trust him. Or anyone.
    “Do you mind?” I shrugged the weight of his hand from my shoulder and shoved any sympathy I had for him to a far, isolated corner of my mind. We were not the same. I was on the good-guy side of the line. Wade? Not so much. “If I wanted something dead around my neck, I’d get a fur coat.”
    “That’s what I like about you.” He placed a hand to his heart. “You’re so honest it hurts.”
    Brit took a step forward. “You want to hurt?” She shot a look to her left as Alec and Matt stalked toward us, their expressions fierce. “We can make that happen.”
    Wade smiled slightly at the crew’s united front. His gaze drilled into mine. “Talk to your uncle, Eryn. Ask him how his day went. I’m sure it will be an enlightening conversation.” He winked, but before I could respond he was at the tow truck, climbing inside. His damaged sports car swayed on the hitch, resembling a crushed beer can