Page 13 of The Norcross Rescue

Ten intruders. All armed.

That was his detective. Damn, he wished he could kiss her.

“Why is this taking so long?” The agitated voice of one guy, Boar, made Vander still.

Fox stepped forward. “Just chill, Br⁠—”

“No names,” Boar clipped out.

Fox ran a hand over his head. “Right. Shit. Sorry.”

“Just let us go,” a woman cried out.

Vander shifted and saw her. An older woman wearing an elegant, bronze gown.

“I agree.” A man in a suit wrapped his arm around the woman. “We’re all innocent.”

Another intruder, Rabbit, strode into view. “You aren’t innocent. If you invest here or work here, you’re all complicit. You break the backs of the little people to get richer.”

“That’s crazy,” the older man muttered. “We’re business owners⁠—”

“I’m not crazy!” Rabbit leaped forward and slammed a fist into the man’s stomach.

The man doubled over and the woman screamed. Rabbit let loose, slamming punches into the man. He fell, and Rabbit added kicks.

“Stop it!”

That voice made Vander’s blood run cold. Don’t do it, baby. Stay clear.

But of course, Detective Brynn Norcross wouldn’t stand by while someone got the shit beaten out of them.

She stepped into view, looking impossibly beautiful in her red dress. Pregnancy made her glow, but it hadn’t made her look more delicate. She kept her sharp gaze on Rabbit.

The masked man’s head jerked up. “Don’t fucking tell me what to do.”

She held out a calming hand. “He’s had enough. He’s just scared.”

Rabbit took a step toward her. “You think because you’re pregnant it’ll stop me hurting you?”

Every muscle in Vander’s body tensed. His hand curled into a fist.

If that guy touched her…

“I think you have more important things to do,” she said.

Rabbit made a sucking sound, then gave the man on the floor one more kick.

Brynn threw out a hand. “Stop it.”

Vander shifted and his elbow hit the side of the duct with a low thunk.

Rabbit’s head lifted.

Fuck.

Brynn suddenly grabbed her stomach with one arm and pressed her other hand to her head. “Oh, I feel dizzy…” She wobbled.

Rabbit’s focus zeroed back in on her. “Get out of my way.” He stomped away, his shoulder hitting Brynn’s arm as he passed. Vander saw her drop her arms and shoot a dark glare at Rabbit’s back, before she went to help the beaten man.