Free Fatal Courage: Shadow Force International, Book 3 (Shadow Force International Romantic Suspense Series) by Misty Evans

left elbow tingled and she felt a warm, sticky substance running down her arm. There was no time to worry about the cuts and bruises covering her body—she needed to get out.
    Her analytical brain cut through her flight impulse. Where was Deuce? Had he fled with the rest of the crowd?
    A part of her wondered if he’d been involved with the shooting.
    A man in front of her went flying to the side. Jax appeared. “Ruby. Jesus, are you okay?” he said bending down.
    In the distance, she heard sirens wailing. The last of the upstairs crowd made it down, and Ruby’s stomach cramped, her entire body throbbing with pain.
    Jax’s hands felt her arms, her shoulders, her thighs, checking her for injuries. “You’re bleeding.”
    The place fell silent as the last of the people downstairs pushed out the front doors. Ruby lowered her voice. “That’s what happens when you get trampled.”
    Calloused fingers lifted her face as he stared down at her. He was backlit by the emergency lights and she couldn’t see his face clearly. Didn’t matter. Urgency screamed in his voice, his touch. “Can you walk? We need to get out of here.”
    She nodded, not sure he could see it as he hoisted her up. “Where’s the shooter?”
    Then, whoopsie daisy, she careened to the side, her balance completely off, the fact she was missing a shoe not helping the situation.
    Jax caught her, pulled her close to steady her. “It came from up here,” he murmured. “We need to haul ass in case the shooter is still here.”
    “Deuce was up here. I need to make sure he’s all right.”
    “Forget about Keon James. He’s probably long gone. We’ll catch him later.” He slid an arm around her waist. “Let’s go.”
    “Are there casualties? We can’t just walk away. We could help whoever was shot until the ambulance arrives. If the shooter is still here, we can catch him.”
    “You’re injured. The cops can handle it.”
    He dragged her forward, keeping an eye over his shoulder.
    “There was more than one,” Ruby said, losing her other shoe as she hobbled along. The ankle she’d twisted didn’t want to cooperate. “I heard two distinct guns.”
    “Me too.” Jax brought her in closer. “They probably went down the fire escape, but one or both perps could still be up here.”
    He smelled good, like a spice bomb of cinnamon, bergamot, and rich leather. He felt good too. She tried not to let her mind go there, but her body was a traitor. She leaned into him, soaking up his rock-hard solidness as he steadied her down the stairs.
    They were only a few feet from the front entrance when Chicago Metro officers rushed in, guns drawn.
    “Hands up!” one of them yelled.
    Jax and Ruby stopped in their tracks. Ruby raised her arms, and damn her left one hurt like a son-of-a-bitch, but Jax didn’t loosen is grip on her.
    “Jaxon Sloan, Rock Star Security,” he said. “ID’s in my right back pocket. I have an injured woman here, and your perps were upstairs, but they’re probably long gone by now.”
    The cops swarmed around them. “Down on your knees,” the lead officer demanded.
    Through the glass window, Ruby saw press vans pulling in and people with cell phones videoing the whole thing. Crap . So much for low profile.
    She didn’t want to announce to the whole world she was CIA, but with six guns pointed at her and her vision swimming, she had to do something before she keeled over. “I’m Agent Ruby McKellen, consultant with the FBI. Contact Special Agent in Charge Richard Timms and he’ll confirm my identification.”
    “She needs medical attention,” Jax said.
    The lead officer—his badge read Officer Perkins—repeated himself. “Down on your knees. Now!”
    “Oh, for God’s sake.” Ruby started forward, ready to get in Perkins’ face when she was hauled back by Jax.
    “Do what he says, Ruby.” His voice was low, controlled. “The sooner we resolve this with the authorities, the sooner we get back to your