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at Ben. “You sure?”
    “Do I look that bad?” He touched his shoulder and hissed out a painful breath. “Man, that hurts like a—”
    “Think positively, Jocelyn might find this sort of beaten-up-and-bleeding thing sexy in a guy.”
    Ben thought back to the look on her face at her apartment and knew she wouldn’t.

Chapter Four
    Light flooded the backyard. Jocelyn heard the shots and bolted out of the safe room before Lara could close the door and lock them in. No way was she going to sit upstairs and wait to see if Ben got killed. Not if all of this was about someone being after her. Not at all, actually. Guns scared her and the idea of being grabbed made her knees buckle, but she could pick up her cell phone and call the police.
    She flew down the stairs and was in the dining room about to make that call when she saw Ben stumble out of the garage at the back of the property by the alley. He headed for the house but his usual cocky walk seemed less steady than usual.
    Through the crashing fear and panic, she saw something dark splotched all over his shirt. He got closer and... Blood. Lots of blood. It stained his T-shirt on his side and painted his shoulder.
    Before she could think about safety, and ignoring Lara’s calls from behind her to stay down, Jocelyn opened the glass doors and stepped onto the small back porch. A wave of humid air smacked her in the face but she didn’t care. All that mattered was the strong man walking up the yard as he stared at something on his hands.
    He was no more than six feet away when he finally glanced up. His face went from pale and sort of blank to furious. His mouth flattened and his eyes grew dark.
    He picked up the pace until he stood one step away, scanning around the yard as he went. “I told you to stay inside.”
    She wanted to throw her body into his arms and hold him to reassure herself he was fine, but his sharp tone stopped her. Falling back on her medical training, she pushed out personal concern.
    She raised a hand toward his shoulder but stopped as she visibly assessed the damage. “You’re hurt.”
    Ben glanced over her head to a spot behind her. “Davis is fine. He’s talking to the guy next door.”
    Jocelyn peeked over her shoulder and was stunned by Lara’s wide eyes. Guilt wrapped around Jocelyn. She had raced through the house panicking for Ben but Lara had to be crazed about Davis’s safety. Not that she showed it. Except for the way she kept biting her lower lip, she appeared calm. Jocelyn had no idea how that was possible.
    “Are the police coming?” She didn’t know if that would be good or bad. Two incidents starring her, and they might jump to conclusions.
    Ben nodded. “Likely on the way.”
    “I hear sirens,” Lara said.
    Jocelyn didn’t understand why the entire town wasn’t already in the backyard. Her whole neighborhood had come out at her place. Here, it was quiet in comparison. “You two live in the middle of town. How can people not be running in every direction?”
    “Luck,” Ben said.
    “He means Davis is calming them down and will put Connor on the job as soon as he gets here, if he isn’t already.”
    Jocelyn couldn’t worry about that now. Ben listed to the side. She knew he’d go down soon. Careful not to jostle him, she shifted her weight and moved in beside him. She took some of his weight against her as she checked his shoulder.
    “What are you doing?” he asked but let his body fall into hers.
    Truth was she worried he’d go into shock, but she didn’t share that. Something told her this protector by nature would not take that news well. “I want to check your wounds.”
    “I’m fine.”
    Lara stopped looking at the yard long enough to scowl. “Ben, let her look you over.”
    “See, everyone thinks you should give yourself over to me.”
    He let out a harsh laugh. “Now you offer.”
    “Ben’s still standing?” Davis came up behind them with a gun still hanging from his fingertips. He gave his wife