Grayson stared at Kara’s sleeping body. Her blond hair fanned across the white pillowcase, and one curl lay across her face. His fingers itched to slide the blond curl behind her ear.

He had just returned from the gift shop in the motel. The shop was stocked with women’s clothes, and he was able to find her a pair of jeans and a black fitted T-shirt. Kara wearing Grayson’s clothes settled the cave man inside him, but they needed to head to the sheriff’s office and meet up with Hank.

Hank’s call last night had interrupted the passionate kiss he’d been enjoying with Kara, but Grayson had explained everything that had transpired. Hank agreed to let them use the cabin while they worked on a game plan. Bear would stock the cabin with guns and food for them before he arrived.

After his call with Hank, he called the local sheriff. They agreed to meet the sheriff at his office around eight o’clock the next morning. After the meeting, they would head over to the diner and meet with Hank to get the keys to the cabin.

Movement in the bed caught Grayson’s attention.

Kara stretched, her arms reaching above her head. She let out a long sigh before opening her eyes. The bedspread had worked its way down, and her shirt had ridden up. The underside of her boob was peeking out the bottom of her shirt.  

Grayson couldn’t pry his eyes away from her body. She was stunning and made his pants uncomfortable. When she noticed how exposed she was, she let out a loud squeak and a nice rosy blush crept up her neck. She quickly pulled down her shirt. “Sorry,” she rumbled in a hoarse voice.

“Don’t cover up on my account. I was enjoying the view.”

Kara grabbed the pillow from behind her head and threw it in Grayson’s direction. He caught it easily and threw it on the couch.

“How can you look so good in the morning?” she mumbled as she rolled out of bed and headed toward the bathroom.

The corner of his lip twitched. “You do look beautiful this morning, angel.”

“You’re just saying that,” she complained.

Grayson took three large steps across the room and engulfed Kara in his arms. “I need my good-morning kiss,” he mumbled across her lips.

Kara’s eyes dilated. “Then why are you talk—”

He captured her lips before she had time to sass him. She felt like heaven in his arms. His angel. Grayson’s tongue demanded entrance, and when she opened her lips slightly, he used it to his advantage. A slight moan escaped the back of her throat, and he deepened the kiss.

He gripped the nape of Kara’s neck and pulled her closer. Kara worked her hands up his back. After a moment, Grayson pulled away, trying to end the kiss before things went too far, but Kara reached up and pulled his head back down for another.

When she finally released him, her words came out breathless. “Good morning. I’ll jump in the shower.”

She unwrapped herself from Grayson’s arms, but he grabbed her hand and swung her back for one more kiss. Kara giggled like a schoolgirl at his antics. When he released her from his hold, she scooted by him toward the bathroom. Grayson playfully swatted her ass. He heard a yelp come from her lips before she opened the bathroom door.

“Angel?”

“Yes?”

“I picked up a change of clothes for you.” He tossed her a bag from the gift shop. “After your shower, we’ll get you a phone then stop by the sheriff’s office to fill out a report.”

“I’ll hurry,” she chirped before closing the door.

Since Kara had walked into his life, his dick had been permanently hard. The cold shower and the session with his hand this morning had done nothing to solve the issue. The image of her spread out in the bed with her boob slightly showing would be permanently etched into his head.

Grayson’s cell vibrated in his pocket and brought him out of his musings. The number of the local sheriff’s office flashed across the screen.

“Hello.”

The phone line crackled. It sounded like the sheriff was calling from a landline. “Mr. Steele, this is Sheriff Barron. I was wondering if you could meet me at Al’s Diner at nine instead of the office.”

“No problem,” he replied. “We were planning on going there for breakfast.”

Grayson could hear talking in the background. “Hank will meet us there too. See you in a few.”

“We’ll be there at nine.”

Grayson clicked the phone off. It felt good to have friends that had your back.

Kara came out of the bathroom, drying her golden-blond locks with a towel. “Was that the sheriff?”

“Yes. He asked us to meet him at the diner instead of the sheriff’s office.”

“Did he mention whether they were able to send someone out to my dad’s ranch?”

“No. We’ll ask him when we meet with him.”

A flicker of worry flashed across her face. “Do you think he’s still alive?”

Grayson didn’t know how to answer the question. If her father was alive, he might wish he were dead. The mafia didn’t have the friendliest methods of retrieving information. Normally, the mafia tortured people with pliers or electricity. After Kara’s escape yesterday, they might be too angry to continue with the original plan.

“I don’t know, Angel, but we’ll work the case as if he is alive.”

“Okay,” she said sadly. “Do you think I’m weird for still caring about what happens to my father?”

If it were up to Grayson, he would take her father out along with the other men that hurt her. But the man in question was her father, and he still meant something to her. “It doesn’t matter what I think. We will try to help your father.” He shrugged. “Now hurry up. We need to get going.”

Grayson spotted the sheriff’s dark-brown shirt the moment he walked into the diner. Hank was seated with him. It had been a few years since Grayson had seen Hank in person, but he looked just the same.

After spotting them, Hank got up and met them halfway down the diner’s long aisle. He held out his hand, and when Grayson took it, Hank pulled him into a one-armed hug.

“It's good to see you, Gray Wolf.” The man turned from Grayson and gave his full attention to Kara. “You must be Kara Davidson.”

She reached out to shake his hand, but instead, Hank pulled her into a hug.

Frowning, Grayson reached around her waist and pulled her out of his friend’s embrace. “You’ve hugged her long enough. If you need hugs, hug your wife and kid,” he grumbled.

“Why did you call him Gray Wolf?” Kara asked.

“In the military, we all go by nicknames. Grayson's nickname is Gray Wolf, but it’s up to him to tell you how he got it.” Hank motioned to the corner booth. “The sheriff and I were talking about the case.”

They made their way to the booth and introduced themselves to the sheriff.

Kara had barely settled into the seat before she fired off the first question. “Were you able to find my father?”

If Grayson’s dad had been alive, he would have done anything to save him. His father had always been there for him and encouraged him to pursue his dreams. When they failed, Devin Steele had been there to pick his boys up. Kara’s dad might have been a good man before her mom passed, but he sounded like an awful man presently, from what she had told him. Grayson had a feeling she was holding on to the good times, deep down. But she was in trouble because of her father, and he wasn’t the same person he used to be. He had turned evil, and most men didn’t recover once they were too far gone.

The sheriff rubbed the back of his neck. “We sent a deputy out to Montana Gold. The foreman said they haven’t seen your father in over two weeks. He normally shows up at the beginning of each month to get his allowance and then leaves.” The sheriff let out a long sigh. “When was the last time you talked to your dad?”

Kara blushed. “Six months ago. He needed money to get out of a bind. I wired him five grand and haven’t spoken to him since.”

“Your father has racked up a big rap sheet along with a lot of enemies.” He tapped the file in front of him. The folder was around an inch thick. She could see her father’s name on the tab poking out of the top of the folder. She knew without being told that the file was filled with her father’s troubles.

The conversation about Kara’s father came to a halt as the waitress walked up to the table, pulling out her pad and pencil to take the order. Grayson noticed that her name tag read “Daisy.” She motioned to Kara and Grayson. “Now that everyone is here, are you ready to order?”

Everyone at the table ordered the morning special. Grayson heard Kara’s stomach rumbling. She hadn’t eaten much the night before because the conversation had upset her. He would make sure she ate something for breakfast. She needed her strength to deal with what was coming.

When the waitress walked away, Kara gestured toward the manila file and asked, “Is this my father’s arrest record?”

“Yes, for the past year.”

“Can I see the file?” Not waiting for his reply, she reached across the table and snatched it from his hands.

“Kara, you might not like what you see in the folder.”

She rolled her eyes. “After my mother died, my dad turned to alcohol and gambling. I have a pretty good idea what’s in the folder. He wasn’t always a bad man. When my mom was alive, we were his everything. Dad never missed one of my basketball games. The day I graduated from college, he was in the front row, cheering me on.”

“People change when something traumatic happens,” Grayson said quietly.

Hank was tapping his finger on the table. “Have your deputies been able to bring Rovshan and his crew in?”

“Rovshan stopped by the office this morning.” The sheriff leaned back in the booth before continuing. “He said he has no clue what you’re talking about. He has video footage showing him arriving late last night at the airport, and his hotel sent footage of him at one of his hotels during the day. I know you're telling the truth, but we need to find more evidence.”

Kara was about to speak but stopped when Daisy came back with their food.

“One special for everyone. If you need anything else, please let me know.”

Grayson replied, “Thank you.”

Kara didn’t even wait for Daisy to turn before she asked the sheriff the same question that was burning in Grayson’s head. “Why hasn’t someone pulled the video of the airport baggage claim? His men grabbed me there. They shoved a gun in my back. To top it off, Rovshan’s thugs stand out like a sore thumb in Montana. They’re wearing velour, for god’s sake. I can’t believe they can still find those ugly tracksuits. There has to be video footage of the airport.”

The sheriff wouldn’t look her in the eye. “The airport’s cameras had a glitch during the time of your arrival. There is no video footage.”

Grayson wasn’t surprised. Rovshan had connections and enough money to make lots of things, including security footage, disappear. Would Grayson be able to keep her safe? He needed to get her to the cabin, where he could protect her, and get his hands on a gun so he’d have something to protect her with. He knew it was just a matter of time before Rovshan struck again.

“I’m putting you all in danger,” she whispered. It was a statement, not a question. She wasn’t expecting an answer. Kara folded her arms across her chest. Grayson had a very good idea of what she must be thinking.

“Stop that train of thought right now,” Grayson demanded. He pulled her into his side. “You will not sacrifice yourself because you're worried about us.”

“I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“We’ll be fine.”

The sheriff stood up from his seat. “Keep me posted. I believe you, Kara. I just don’t have enough evidence to bring him in. We’ll watch the hotel to make sure he stays in town and doesn’t head north.”

“Thank you, Sheriff,” Grayson said, and the sheriff took his leave.

Grayson and his companions finished their breakfasts in silence. Then Grayson asked, “Is the cabin ready for us to head up?”

Hank was staring into his coffee cup, still and serious. “Yes, but I wish you would let Bear stay up at the cabin with you.”

“We’ll be fine. I’m waiting on information from my brother. When I get it, we’ll come up with a game plan. I might need your help when I go after Rovshan.”

Before Hank had time to respond, the door to the Al’s Diner opened. Kara’s gasp told Grayson who had walked through the door. A tall, skinny man dressed in an expensive suit came in, flanked by two men wearing velour tracksuits.

Rovshan surveyed the diner, and when his eyes landed on Kara, an evil grin formed on his face.

Grayson hadn’t seen Rovshan Nikitovich in person before. A few days earlier, when he was watching the news, he’d seen a report claiming Rovshan didn’t know his father was trafficking women and children. He explained that he had his own business dealings and didn’t need his father’s money.

Rovshan’s father no longer had any money. The FBI had frozen the accounts associated with the Nikitovich family.

Grayson could feel the anger vibrating off Kara’s body. The air had become thick with tension. The smirk on Rovshan’s face made Grayson want to punch the Russian in the face. The information Grayson had uncovered about Rovshan indicated that he enjoyed doing the killing himself. They needed to stay on their toes and not understatement him.

Under the table, Grayson squeezed Kara’s knee. “Don’t act like he’s winning. That's just fuel to men like him. Try not to look upset or show that he’s getting under your skin.”

Instead of sitting at the table the waitress pointed him to, Rovshan headed toward their table. He was favoring his right leg. That must have been where Kara had stabbed him with the scissors. Underneath the smug smile, Grayson could sense a cold-blooded killer. Rovshan was used to getting everything he wanted. Kara had interrupted his plan, and he looked to be seething.

Grayson could see Rovshan clenching and unclenching his hands as he walked toward the table. The man’s right hand sported fresh cuts. Grayson had a feeling the cuts were from hitting Kara’s dad. They needed to find him soon.

Hank’s hand reached under the table. Grayson knew he was putting his hand on his gun, preparing for the worst-case scenario.

“You must be Kara Davidson,” Rovshan said. He reached his hand toward her. “I’m sorry for your issue yesterday. I talked with the sheriff this morning. If there is anything I can do to help you, let me know.”

Kara ignored the outstretched hand. Instead, she gripped her steak knife. Her knuckles were turning white from the force she was using. “Where’s my father?”

An evil laugh erupted from Rovshan’s mouth. “How would I know where your father is? Rumors around town say he was a lowlife. Maybe someone did you a favor and killed him.” Rovshan raised his hand and stretched out his fingers, showing Kara his bloody knuckles. “You would then be in debt to that person for taking the lowlife off your hands.” He shrugged.

Kara lunged from her seat, trying to get to Rovshan with her knife. Grayson grabbed her around the waist and dragged her to the other side of the bench.

“I will kill you,” she threatened.

Everyone in the diner became quiet at Kara’s declaration. All eyes were focused on Rovshan and Kara.

Grayson exited the bench to give Rovshan his full attention. “I think it’s time you leave and go back to Vegas.”

Rovshan glared at Grayson. “I think I like the view in Eagle Ridge.” He deliberately looked around Grayson and gave Kara a once-over.

Hank stood next to Grayson to block Rovshan’s view of Kara. “I agree with Grayson. It's time you leave town.”

Kara touched the back of Grayson’s shoulder and whispered into his ear, “Let’s finish our meal and ignore these lowlifes. He’s trying to get a rise out of us, and it’s working.”

Grayson and Hank stood a second longer, staring Rovshan down, before they sat with Kara in the booth.

“Can’t wait to s—” Rovshan didn’t get the words out before Grayson leveled a punch into the man’s stomach.

Grayson didn’t even use his full force since he was sitting in the booth. He couldn’t wait for the man to threaten Kara again. He was normally so calm in high-pressure situations. Something about Kara brought out a different side of him that he wasn’t used to.

Grayson’s punch dropped Rovshan to the ground. His thugs dropped next to him and helped him up.

“I think it’s time you leave before we call the sheriff,” Grayson stated. He picked up his fork and started to eat his food, not paying any attention to the man wheezing on the floor.

“You hit him,” one of the velour-clad thugs said.

Grayson looked around the diner. He knew the locals would side with them. “I have a feeling the people in the diner will have a different story.”

Before he turned and left the table, he said to Kara, “You will be my wife by the end of the week.”

When Rovshan was out the door, Kara turned and glared at Grayson. “Why the hell were you allowed to punch the fucker and I wasn’t?”

Hank and Grayson both laughed at her statement. Just like that, the tension was gone. All the customers went back to enjoying their meals, and no one paid them any more attention.

“Your hands are too delicate to get hurt.” Grayson heard her mumble about it not being fair. “You can be mad at me later. We need to head out of town. It’s going to take us a few hours to get to the cabin. I have a feeling they’ll follow us, and we’ll need to shake the tail before heading there.”

“Why don’t we take a gun and kill him? Everything would be over then.”

Grayson shook his head. “We can’t go around killing people. There are laws we need to follow to make sure we don’t end up in jail and Rovshan goes to jail instead.”

Hank put on his cowboy hat before exiting the booth. “I couldn’t agree with you more. Once I head to the ranch, I will give the team a heads up on your situation. Send me a copy of the intel your brother gets. Tell him hi.”

Grayson took care of the tab, and they left the diner. He pulled Kara into his side and had his eyes peeled down the street, looking for anything out of the normal. When the streets looked clear, they headed toward the car.

They had parked a few blocks away, hoping to hide the vehicle. A cold April wind blew a few flurries of snow through the air. Grayson could feel Kara shivering next to him. When they rounded the corner, Grayson pressed a button on his key fob the start engine, wanting to get the car warm ahead of time.

Two seconds after pressing the button, the truck in front of them exploded. A bright light flashed before they heard the loud bang of the truck exploding. The force of the explosion sent them flying backward.

Time seemed to slow down. The only thing going through Grayson’s mind was how he could save Kara. He could faintly hear Kara calling his name. It sounded like a whisper. He was sure it was due to the explosion damaging his eardrums. Grayson reached out and grabbed Kara’s hand so he could pull her into his chest. If she were molded to his chest, she wouldn’t hit the pavement with the force they were traveling.

His butt hit the pavement first. Grayson prayed Kara was okay. With his arms wrapped around Kara, he couldn’t use his hands to break the fall. His head hit the pavement with a thud, and everything went black.