Chapter Twelve – Wyatt

Wyatt held Monica in his arms, wanting her to understand how he felt, but without experiencing the same loss and guilt, it was impossible to understand. Losing Jonas destroyed his self-trust. He’d always thought he knew people, could read them, it was how they stayed alive when they were in enemy territory. Reading your opponent was a craft he’d been proficient in since leaving Army training.

So how had he missed the signs that Jonas was in a downward spiral that would ultimately lead to him taking his own life?

“Here’s Liam.” Monica sat up and watched the young deputy run toward the truck. “What did your eagle eyes see?”

“I got a picture of the boat on my phone. When we get back I’m going to find out how it got here, where it came from.” He started the engine and drove toward Bear Creek, his face set.

“Is everything all right?” Wyatt asked Liam.

“Yes.” He shook his head. “I was thinking of Trent. I don’t know what I’d do in his situation.”

“Thankfully, the chances are you will never be in his situation, none of us will,” Wyatt replied. “But if ever you are, you have a great group of people around you who will help you.”

“People like you, Wyatt, who do their best.” Monica’s words were like a laser cutting through his past and pinpointing the exact reason he blamed himself. “That’s all we can ever do.”

“And what happens when we fail to do our best?” Wyatt asked somberly.

Liam looked sideways at them both before turning his attention back on the road. “Did I miss something?”

“Nope.” Wyatt took Monica’s hand and held it between both of his. “I’m just trying to get my head around this all. I feel like a fish out of water. The world changed and moved on while I was on that mountain.”

“And in many ways, it stayed the same,” Liam told him. “Love still conquers all.”

“You believe that?” Wyatt asked and cackled as Liam rolled his eyes.

“Beverly likes to watch romcoms. I’ve been brainwashed.”

The conversation turned to small talk, and Wyatt let it wash over him. He allowed the conversation to cleanse him of the pain of the past. Perhaps Monica was right, and he needed to forgive himself and get over the chip he’d carried around on his shoulder for so long. Yet it was easier said than done. Seeing Trent brought it all back. Seeing the pain inflicted on him by bad people compounded that chip and hammered it into his chest.

“Hey, we’re nearly back.” Monica nudged him awake. It was dark out, the kind of dark that swallowed you up the whole, thoughts and fears smothered by the vastness of the sky, where stars twinkled millions of miles away. The pull of the mountain, the need to return to his cabin and the solitary life he lived there, was only pushed aside by the nearness of his mate.

“I can smell the forest.” Wyatt sat up and looked out of the window. “How long have I been asleep?”

“A couple of hours,” Liam said as he adjusted his position in his seat.

“How are you holding up?” Wyatt rubbed the sleep from his face, trying to shake off the remnants of dreams that he didn’t want to remember. Dreams, or real waking memories, he could no longer tell.

“We stopped for coffee. I think it’s the only thing that kept me going, that and the thought of seeing Beverly and our son.” Liam seemed pensive.

“What’s the plan for tomorrow?” Wyatt shook his head and corrected himself. “What’s the plan for today?”

“I’m going to get a few hours’ sleep, I suggest you do the same. Then I’ll find out what I can about the boat.” Liam looked troubled. “Honestly if that gives us no fresh information, we’re looking for a needle in a haystack.”

“We might get lucky with the CCTV for the area around Trent’s house. If we can pick up the car they used to kidnap her, then we should be able to trace it back to where they went.” Monica’s idea sounded plausible. Wyatt was just beginning to realize that there were eyes everywhere in most towns and cities.

“Do you have that CCTV stuff in Bear Creek?” Wyatt asked Liam.

Liam chuckled and shook his head. “No way, Brad outlawed it when it picked up an image of him shifting as he gave chase to a couple of coyotes. There’s no way we would ever want that to end up on the news, or YouTube.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Wyatt flexed his legs as Liam turned the truck off the road and headed toward the dragons’ house. “Just think what would happen if one of our fiery friends was caught on camera.”

“The whole world would descend on the town,” Monica said in agreement. “Are they all asleep?” The house was in darkness, it all seemed so eerily quiet. Whenever he’d visited the dragons, the house had always overflowed with people. Now, it was deserted.

Liam stopped the truck outside the house and waited for Wyatt and Monica to get out. “Want me to come in with you? Just in case.”

But as he spoke, a large reptilian head poked out from the clearing behind the house. “No, I think we’re okay.” Wyatt took hold of Monica’s hand and led her toward the dragon. Liam backed his truck up and headed away from the house. “He’s seen this so many times he is no longer in awe.”

“I can’t imagine there will ever be a time when I’m not in awe,” Monica said as they walked slowly toward the dragon. “Do they really breathe fire?”

“Oh yeah.” Wyatt held out his hand and the dragon puffed at him. “Evening, Ruby.”

“How can you tell?” Monica whispered.

“She’s red. See how her scales shimmer like a precious red jewel?” He stroked the dragon, who held still while Monica reached out and touched her, too. Then she turned and took two running strides before leaping into the air. “I guess we don’t have to worry, she’s the lookout for tonight.”

They went back to the front of the house and he opened the door, not surprised when it wasn’t locked. With Ruby monitoring the area from the sky, there was no way anyone was going to break in here. He took Monica’s hand and led her to the stairs. Carefully, they crept up, trying to stop the boards from creaking.

“Which room is it?” Wyatt asked. He’d never been upstairs in this house.

“Jack is in that room.” Monica tiptoed to the door and put her ear to it. “I can hear him breathing.”

She turned back to him and took his hand, leading him through the dark house to the door at the end of the hall. Opening it carefully, she slipped inside, and he followed. The double bed stood under the window, inviting them to lie down and sleep. “I need the bathroom,” Monica said and let go of his hand.

Wyatt took off his boots and his jacket and lay down on the bed, closing his eyes for a moment. Images of the day flashed through his mind. It was hard to believe he’d only known Monica for a day or so. Was it only last night that she walked into his life, carrying Jack?

The bed dipped as she climbed in next to him, and he rolled over, gathering her to him. She nestled against him. So right, so perfect. Sweeping away all his concerns, he whispered, “Good night.”

“Good night, Wyatt.” She planted a light kiss on his cheek. “Thank you.”

“For what?” he murmured sleepily.

“For coming down off your mountain. I don’t think I could have done this without you.”

He chuckled wearily. “I am positive you would have. You are a resourceful woman, Monica. The bad guys don’t stand a chance.”

She sighed. “I’m not so sure. I’ve been undercover, I know that if a person wants to hide their trail, they can.”

“But we might have the advantage.” He nuzzled her neck as sleep dragged him down under its velvety blanket.

“Which is?” she whispered.

“We’re doing this for love.” He fell asleep, and if Monica answered him he didn’t hear her reply. The next time he heard her voice, she was gently shaking him awake.

“Morning.” Her voice dragged him out of his dreamless sleep and he opened his eyes to look into her beautiful face. And was met with a cheeky smile from Jack.

“Hey there.” Wyatt rubbed his face, trying to shake off the last remnants of sleep. “What time is it?”

“Just after eight.” Monica’s hair hung loosely around her shoulders, making her look younger, more feminine. “I left you to sleep as long as I could, but we have a long day ahead of us.”

“I’m awake.” He beamed a smile that didn’t feel right on his face, but Jack giggled and jumped on the bed, making him smile for real. “I need whatever you fed Jack this morning.”

“That would be orange juice and cereal. But Ruby is making pancakes, so you’d better get your butt downstairs if you want some.”

“They’re all mine,” Jack chanted as he hopped off the bed and ran for the stairs.

“Alone at last.” He reached out for Monica and pulled her down beside him. “Did you sleep?”

“I did. At least until Jack erupted into the room to ask if we’d found Trent.” She leaned against his shoulder and he breathed in her scent.

“What did you tell him?”

“The truth. That we saw him, but he can’t come home just yet. And that we are still looking for his mommy.” Monica turned her head; her breath caressed his cheek and he placed a finger under her chin and tilted it up, so he could claim her mouth.

“We will find her.” He captured her lips, pulling her toward him until she lay in his arms. Monica relaxed against him, while the tension in his body grew. He wanted to claim her, to lay her down next to him and make love to her right here, right now, and chase away all thoughts of last night and what they had to accomplish today. They deserved time together, time to get to know each other.

He let her go, and she pressed her fingers under his chin and stroked his jawline. “Maybe when this is over we can disappear up to your cabin for a couple of days. You do have a do not disturb sign, don’t you?”

“No, but I can damn well make one.” He kissed her again, his hands roaming her body. He longed to strip the clothes from her body and explore every inch of her curvy figure. His hand cupped her soft flesh and his thumb rubbed over the taut bud of her nipple. Plundering her mouth with his tongue, he tasted coffee and cinnamon, reminding him they needed to eat. The day was just beginning, and they had a lot to do.

“Come on, let’s go downstairs.” She moved away from him and sat on the edge of the bed while he scooted to the side and grabbed his clothes which he’d discarded on the floor.

“Any more news?” he asked as he stood up and buckled his belt. She turned to face him and shook her head. “It’s still early. Let’s eat and then contact Liam and see if he’s come up with something.”

“I’ll reach out to my old buddies, see if they know anything. Murmurings about terrorist behavior, things like that. It’s grasping at straws, but I’m ready to try anything.” Monica got up and walked with him to the door.

“What if this is an inside job and they link you to Trent and Jack?” Wyatt asked, his protectiveness of her wider and deeper than anything he’d ever experienced.

“If we don’t get a break today, we’ll have to take the risk.” Monica was right, they were running out of time.

“Maybe I should have asked around. People think I’m crazy. I’d be the last person Trent would pick to look after his child.” He held out his hands. “See, there was a reason I became a hermit.”

Monica shook her head, unconvinced. “We can’t lead them here.”

“Agreed, although I don’t think we, or Jack, are on their radar,” Wyatt replied, capturing her in his arms and pulling her close. “I love the smell of you and the feel of you in my arms.”

She twisted around to face him. “You’re growing on me, too, old timer.” She winked and pulled away.

“There’s one man who calls me that,” Wyatt told her.

“I know, he’s sitting downstairs.” She cast a smile over her shoulder. “You’d better hurry if you want pancakes.”