gaze to the man holding the linen napkin across one arm and saw in that one second, as his gaze locked with the other man’s, that the man had a gun trained on Katherine.
In a move that he’d remember later as pure adrenaline, Shane pushed Katherine to the floor behind the table, threw himself down to shield her and screamed at the top of his lungs, “Everyone down. Now!”
A rush of panic hit the room and then bullets started flying all around them. Chaos took over as people either ducked or ran for the nearest exit. But there in the corner behind the protection of a flimsy table, Shane held Katherine’s trembling body close to his, his heartbeat racing to match hers, his prayers asking for protection as he tried to get a line on the shooter crouching near the big stage.
Speaking with shouted emphasis into his earpiece, he called for backup, his gaze never leaving the determined shooter. In spite of the shouts, screams and confusion all around them, the man crouched and moved with purposeful intent, weaving between chairs and tables to finish the job.
And Katherine was the target.
“Don’t move,” he whispered into Katherine’s ear. “We’re going to get you out of here, just hold on.”
Then he reached for the Glock semi-automatic pistol he was carrying in a shoulder holster underneath his tuxedo.
THREE
She couldn’t breathe.
Kit twisted, her hands clutching one of the lapels of Shane’s tuxedo. He’d shielded her, putting his body between her and the bullets, and now he was trying to peek around the table. He had a sleek, strange-looking gun in his hand. This was real, too real.
“Shane?”
He didn’t answer at first. His body tensed, his gaze fixed on someone across the room.
“I’m here,” he finally said, giving her a quick look. “Stay down. I’m right here. But Katherine, listen to me, all right?”
“I’m listening,” she said, wanting to laugh. He’d tried all night to make her listen but now that she was tossed in a corner like a sack of potatoes—her dress torn, her hair coming undone, and someone hiding in the now-silent room with a gun—she was willing to listen. More than willing. She listened just to hear Shane’s breath.
“Kit, could you let go of my jacket?”
Mortified that she was holding on to Shane for dear life, she dropped her white-knuckled hand. “I’m sorry.”
“No need to apologize. I want to get a better angle. And I want you to stay behind this table, understand?”
She lifted her head then took her first real breath since he’d pushed her down behind the table. And with that breath, she was back in action herself, her fear turning to a rage that screamed for release. “Shane, I can’t stay down here while others are in danger. There are a lot of people in this room besides me. Let me up.”
“No, no. I mean it, Kit. You can’t—”
“How many?” she asked in a tight whisper.
Shane pushed her back down. “Not now. Stay down.”
“How many shooters?” she asked again, her hand now gripping his arm.
He actually appeared shocked. He blinked, looked back at her. “Only one, so far. And if you’ll let go of my arm, he won’t be around much longer.”
“Are you going to kill him right here?”
He watched the still room for movement. “Would you prefer I take him out back and throw him to the hogs?”
“There are no hogs in downtown Austin,” she replied, her words growing stronger. “But I know where a mean, old bull lives.”
He shot her a worried smile. “You’re in shock. It’ll pass.”
“I am not in shock. I’m mad,” she said on a hiss of breath. “And I’ve got a cramp in my foot.”
“Well, I wish that’s all you had to worry about, Katherine. Now let go of me and stay down and we’ll talk about the mean bull later.”
She finally released his arm. “What’s the plan?”
“I’m not quite sure,” he whispered back. “I’m making it up as I go.”
“Some bodyguard you are.”
“Yes, right on that.” He flipped the table onto its side so fast she didn’t even see it fall. A few people down around them gasped but Shane held up a hand to silence them. “Get behind this and stay here. Do not move.” And then, in a flash of black, he was rolling away from her and gone.
“Shane?”
He didn’t answer. She heard people whispering in fear all around her then glanced up for the first time to find Trudy huddled with a man behind the buffet table—the head of catering of all people. Motioning, Kit held up a thumb toward her friend.
Trudy returned the thumbs-up and shot her a wan smile. Then Kit heard a loud thud, followed by a deep groan. She closed her eyes, praying that Shane wasn’t dead. She willed him not to die, not tonight while he was trying to save her. She couldn’t bear that kind of guilt, especially after she’d tried so hard to ignore him and discourage him. But Shane was a good man. She could see that now. He had such a nice smile and he had this air of self-assurance that she’d never witnessed in another man. Not even Jacob.
“Jacob,” she whispered, her heart breaking with longing, her head down and her hand over her mouth. “Jacob, I need you here. Why did you go away?” She didn’t voice her prayer, but heard it clearly in her head. Dear Lord, I need You to help all of us. Don’t let anyone die tonight.
She saw a masculine hand set against a crisp white cuff reaching toward her. The cuff link winked bright and bold and looked like some sort of ancient coat-of-arms. Katherine blinked, thinking this must all be a dream. But the hand reached down toward her with an impatient shake so she had no choice but to take hold of it. She reached up and felt the man’s fingers wrapping around hers, a stirring warmth penetrating the numbness that had frozen her entire system. She gazed up and into Shane’s crystal blue eyes.
“Come with me,” he said, his tone curt and no-nonsense.
Katherine got up but stumbled, her knees refusing to hold her. Then she was swept clear of the floor and into his arms. Wrapping her hands around his neck, she turned away from the few people still hiding in the room and trained her eyes on him. Only him. She heard Shane barking orders, heard her father speaking loudly to the hotel security.
Shane’s voice carried through the ballroom. “One shooter, secured. He went down on the right side of the stage, still alive. I’ll give a full statement later. I’m getting her out of here.”
The room sounded with cries and feet rustling and people running across the marble floor. They were all asking rapid-fire questions, men angry and women crying. The music would not start back up now, of course. It had been put silent by a killer’s intent.
Katherine heard all of it through the
