Page 42 of Cherished By the Sinners

“I need Magnus’s coat,” she said.“I’m not leaving it in there withhim.”She saidhimlike it was a dirty word.

“I’ll get it,” Mason said, reaching in and grabbing it.He shook it out and draped it over her shoulders.“Better?”

She looked up at him with a smile that shook.“Yes, thank you.”Her gaze drifted down from his face, over his neck, then seemed to snag on something.Her eyes went wide and she grabbed him by the lapels of his suit jacket with both hands.“Mason?”Her voice sounded breathless.“Are you—” The last part of the word was lost in a high squeak, as if her throat had closed up.

“What?”he asked.

Her hands slipped under his coat, feeling their way across his chest.

Her breathing sped up and shallowed as she lifted her gaze to meet his.Her pupils were tiny points.“You were shot so many times,” she breathed out.“You should be—”

Fuck,the bullets.Not all of them had been aimed at his body.Any normal human would have blood all over, but not him.

He couldn’t make any explanations while his phone was on and recording.He pulled it out of his pocket and shut it down.

Mason put his arms around Darlene and pulled her into his body.Partially to hide the evidence of how many times he’d been shot, and partially to protect her from the incoming crowd of law enforcement officers.None of the bullets that hit his suit had penetrated, but they had left divots in the nano-fabric.

“I’m okay,” he whispered against her temple.“I’m wearing the best body armor in the world.I promise to explain everything later.”He lifted his head far enough to meet her gaze.“I see some bruises under all this blood.Do you need medical attention?”

Her expression didn’t change.“The blood isn’t mine, it belongs to Thug One.I bit part of his ear off.”

He dipped his head again and whispered, “Well done.”

Chapter Thirteen

Darlene

Darlene could hearshouts on the other side of the van, men shouting at Magnus to step away from the guy he’d been pummeling.But their shouts were a little late, she could see he was already several feet away with his hands up.

More officers surrounded her and Mason, also shouting for them to put their hands up.Mason slowly released her and uniformed officers came up and put them both in handcuffs.

“She’s a kidnapping victim,” Mason told them.“She’s also obviously injured.She needs medical attention.”

She didn’t, but it was nice of him to say.

Someone started laughing, and it sounded deranged.