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“I prefer the kitchen upstairs.”
Kristi smiled. “So do I.” She led him from room to room, each one containing elegant furniture until she opened the door to her workroom.
She turned on the light and stepped inside. “This is the heart of Kristi’s Bridal.”
Rafe followed, looking at the sewing machines, large table, a long rack with dresses in a rainbow of colors. The dresses were in various phases of completion. On the opposite wall was an even longer rack of wedding dresses.
He whistled and fought the growing urge to back out of the room before he knocked over something. He was definitely out of his element here. “Nice.”
Kristi grinned. “You earned serious brownie points for not running from the room.”
“I’m afraid to move. I might break something.”
“Do you want to see the designs I put together for Maggie, the Marine’s bride?”
Not really. “Sure.”
She laughed and clasped his hand. “Come on. It won’t hurt, I promise.”
As Kristi started toward the computer and design table on the far side of the room, Rafe caught movement outside the window from the corner of his eye. He tackled Kristi as a bullet shattered the glass pane.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Rafe covered Kristi with his body and drew his weapon. When she groaned and shifted, he held her still. “Don’t move.” Had he hurt Kristi when he tackled her?
“Rafe!” Eli called.
“West side, last room on the left. Shooter fired one shot through the window.”
“Injuries?”
“I’m okay. Not sure about Kristi.” He watched the window, weapon aimed and ready, although he figured the shooter was gone since he didn’t continue to fire into the room.
“Stay down until Cal and Jon clear the area.”
“Copy that.” Without taking his focus from the window, Rafe said, “You okay, Kristi?”
“I don’t know. Everything hurts.”
“I’m sorry.” Although Rafe didn’t regret shoving her from harm’s way, hurting Kristi wasn’t his intention. He might not be the tallest man on Wolf Pack, but he carried plenty of muscle from the constant workouts and brutal training regimen Eli and Jon devised to keep them all in shape. He wasn’t a lightweight.
“How did you know about the shooter?”
“I saw movement outside the window and reacted.” Thank God he had. Otherwise, Kristi might have been shot.
He frowned. Why would the kidnappers risk her life? Maybe they were angry that Stewart sent Fortress instead of paying the ransom, but they couldn’t cash in on another kidnapping if the vic was dead.
Kristi’s fast and shallow breathing caught his attention. “Slow, steady breaths, Kristi.”
“Easy for you to say. You’re heavy, Rafe,” she said faintly. “Do you carry bricks in your pockets?”
He smiled as he shifted to place his body between her and the window. “Just packing a lot of muscle. Is that better?”
“At least I can draw a full breath, painful though it is.”
“Stay still. As soon as Cal and Jon are sure the shooter is gone, Jackson will check you.”
She growled. “I’m tired of medical people poking and prodding me. If Dad finds out about this, he’ll push even harder for me to move back home.”
