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He kept his arrip so I could breathe My entire back was pressed to his front, and he appeared awful glad to see o In those pants of his, everyone would kno very much he liked me

Jessie was still cursing, so Will sat on her "Jeez, Jess, if you're gonna have a catfight, at least tear off some clothes, fall in a lake"

"Find a vat of Jell-O," Damien muttered

Will glanced at him and smirked "Exactly Make it worth our while"

I frowned The two of the each other only moments before; now they were pals?

Jessie and I exchanged glances "Men," we said at the sausted inflection

They ignored us

"I take it you know Leigh," Will said

"And you appear on good terms with the sheriff"

"I thought you were hurting her," Will explained

"We were having acare of her"

"Her is right here," I growled "And she can take care of herself"

"Of course she can," Damien said easily, and released me

I spun around with narrowed eyes His words had sounded suspiciously patronizing The red ht drain out of one by when I'd been a nurturer and a caregiver I was neither any longer, so I tucked my hands into my pockets and turned away

Jessie tried to throw Will off her back but had no luck "Get off h a ton"

"You promise to play nice?"

"Hell, no"

"That's what I thought"

He got off her anyway

Jessie bounced to her feet and sent lare I raised my hands "I surrender"

"Good I don't want to give the two of theaze to Damien's pants

"Although he doesn't seem to need any help" Her eyes flicked to me "What have you been up to?"

"Jess, mind your own business," Will said

"She is my business"

"You wish"

Jessie ignored erald? Where did you come from?"

"Around"

"You're working for cash That's illegal"

Damien held out his wrists "Arrest me"

Jessie's lips tightened "Maybe later"

He turned his attention to me "You had her check me out?"

I shrugged "Better safe than sorry"

"And what did you find?"

"Not one da," Jessie interjected "No one's that perfect You've got secrets, Fitzgerald, and I want to knohat they are"

"Get in line," he muttered

The roolared at Jessie Dalared at me Will was the only one who didn't seem upset Anymore

"So where did you study?" Will asked

Damien blinked and turned to him "Study what?"

"Self-defense"

"The school of hard knocks"

"You've never had for tai chi for quite a few years

You're as quick as anyone I've ever seen"

"Thanks"

Damien didn't elaborate Another little secret to add to the pile I couldn't throw stones I wasn't going to tell him about my past, either

"What are you two doing here?" I asked

The last tiht about now they should beup

"I had a call from Elwood," Jessie said

For aabout Then I remembered Elas the deputy

Jessie had given him the picture of Hector If Elwood had called, then -

The blood drained from my face and I swayed

"Leigh!" Daht me, but I shoved him away

"I'ht"

Jessie and Will were staring at me as if I'd sprouted two heads "What's the matter with you?" she demanded "We need to check out a neolf kill I can't have you puking in the bushes on the way"

"Wolf kill?" I said faintly

"Yes Elwood calanced at Damien "You mind?"

"Uh no Sure" He squeezed et soe to cling "I'll see you later"

The sound of his footsteps clattering down the steps receded far too quickly Why I suddenly associated Damien with safety I wasn't sure, but I needed to stop The only person I could depend on was myself -

and maybe Edward

"Elwood didn't recognize Hector?" I blurted

"What?" Jessie had been scowling at the door "Oh, that's why you hite I haven't shown hi to e reached the site"

Will sighed "Sorry, Leigh Jess gets focused on one thing, to the exclusion of all else She didn't mean to scare you"

Obviously Jessie had told Will about Hector Or at least as much as she knew

"I can apologize for "

I shrugged It wasn't her fault I was crippled by the thought of Hector Menendez anywhere near me

"You think this guy could be the one we're looking for?" Will asked

"I don't know"

"Who else could it be?" Jessie demanded "Herman is Hector He's a cannibalistic serial killer Hector is the white wolf"

"I don't know if the white wolf I saas Hector I never got close enough to see this one's eyes

Besides, I've seen white wolves before when they weren't really there" I frowned "Just not lately"

"He's here," Jessie said

"But - "

"No buts He's here so to find him and cut out the bastard's heart"

"She likes you," Will lare before returning her attention to h, not anymore" I wished I could be as certain of that as she was