Chapter Thirteen

Tanner

Neither of us slept that night. Instead, I held her and told her the truth. All of it. Every down and dirty detail I’d never told another living soul. I told her how Biloxi had sucked the life out of my mother when my father left her alone and broke, with two little boys to raise. How she didn’t mean to neglect us, but circumstances, and eventually addiction, made her. How my younger brother, Jake, and I would dodge any hint of CPS so we wouldn’t be taken away until we were finally old enough to be on our own. How we were bullied, tormented, beaten, for being poorer than poor. How we went a while being homeless. How I joined the military and got the hell out of there as quick as I could and so did Jake, and we’d never looked back, and my mother had eventually remarried, moved away, and hadn’t bothered to leave a forwarding address.

Rebekah was quiet a long while after that, her head resting on my chest, her fingers playing along my abs. “Do you miss her?” she finally asked quietly.

I blinked up at the ceiling. “Sometimes,” I admitted. “She’s the one who taught me how to make grilled cheese sandwiches.”

She shifted and looked up at me. “Well, regardless, she raised one hell of a son.”

I ran a hand through her hair. “Thanks.”

“Where’s your brother now?”

“He’s a firefighter in South Carolina.”

“You’re close?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s good. I always wished I had brothers or sisters.” Her voice was wistful. Sweet. “That’s why I want a big family someday.”

I lifted a brow. “You do?”

“Yeah. Four kids at least.”

I didn’t say anything to that because, really, what was there to say? That was her dream. It had nothing to do with me, though the idea of her having a family with some other man gnawed at my gut like acid.

I rolled us until we were facing each other on our sides and cupped her hip. “You should get some rest, baby.”

She ignored that. “Why do they call you Maverick?”

I shifted closer, lifting her thigh to cover mine. “Because. I’m pretty much a free spirit. Tito, our team leader, says I’m a wild child.”

She smiled. “I can see that.”

“Yeah?” I nuzzled her throat.

“Definitely.”

“And you . . .” She inhaled when I licked her ear. “You know my . . . my cousin?”

I nipped her skin. “I do, but I’d rather not talk about him while I’m trying to seduce you, if that’s all right.”

“Right.” Her head lolled to the side, giving me access. “We can talk later.”

“Better yet, you can meet him tomorrow.”

“Okay . . .”

“Okay.”

Then she let me make love to her again in the still of the night as the moonlight kissed our flesh and the night camouflaged any lurking danger.

~ ~

I might’ve dozed off for ten minutes when my cell phone’s buzzing woke me. Rebekah was sound asleep in my arms, so I slid out of bed and rummaged around in my jeans for my phone. I squinted in the darkness when the screen lit up with the time.

0317.

Tito: Watch your six. We’ll be there in the a.m. but Tex says the threats are coming in hot and heavy and our white wolf friend is encrypting that shit to within an inch of its life.

Me: Roger that.

My fingers hovered over the keys to type the all clear when I heard a rustling outside Rebekah’s window. I froze and narrowed my gaze as I slowly inched my hand toward my gun.

A shadow moved through the moonlight.

I released the safety.

Rebekah shifted behind me. I slowly peered over my shoulder and met her wide eyes. I lifted a finger to my lips in a shushing motion. She nodded. I crooked my hand so she’d come to me and she flew from the bed, into my arms.

Keeping my gaze trained on the window, I wrapped her in a robe, yanked on my pants, and inched us both toward the door, one tiny step at a time.

The floorboard creaked when we stepped into the hallway. I froze and drew her into my chest. Her breathing grew heavy as she clutched me around the waist.

No movement, but the shadow remained.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could see the definite outline of a man. Mother. Fucker.

I leaned down to her ear. “To your grandfather’s room,” I whispered as quietly as possible. I was only one man, and until my team was here, I needed to focus my attention in one place. Lucky for us, her granddad’s bedroom was in the back, with only one window and with relatively good tree cover.

As we crept down the hall, I shot Tito another quick text. Hurry the fuck up. They’re at the house now.

Tito: Hold on, brother. We’re on our way.

I tucked my phone away as we got to her grandfather’s bedroom door. She gently pushed it open. It was silent except for the gentle hum of his oxygen tank and his deep breathing. I shut us inside.

“Better wake him up and explain,” I said.

She nodded and moved to kneel next to the bed, gently shaking his shoulder. “Grandpa?”

James came awake with a jolt, his eyes sliding from Rebekah to me. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“Well . . .” She shot me a look as if she wasn’t quite sure where to start.

I stepped in. “My name is Sergeant Tanner Richardson, United States Marines, sir. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the whole truth when I arrived, but I was sent here on a mission to protect your granddaughter by her cousin, Navy SEAL, John Keegan. Some threats have been made against my team and his team, as well as our families.” My gaze slid to hers. “Including Rebekah.”

James struggled to sit up and she rushed to help him. “Threats?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you’re here in my bedroom at . . .” He glanced at his alarm clock. “Three in the morning because . . .?”

“Because those threats are viable and outside your home, sir, and I intend to protect you both until my team arrives in a few hours.”

He blinked, studying me with new eyes. I was no longer the fun-loving stranger who laughed with him over coffee and sports pages. I just couldn’t tell what he thought of that. I waited while his gaze slid down my disheveled hair and naked chest to my unbuttoned jeans and bare feet. “Well, do what you have to do, son,” he finally said, “but put a shirt on, for crying out loud. You can borrow one of mine.”

I smiled and yanked one out of a drawer. I really needed to get back to my apartment for another weapon and more ammo, but I was stuck. There was no way I was leaving them alone now.

“Would you happen to have any guns in here?” I asked.

“There’s a shotgun in my closet.” James pointed.

“Ammunition?”

He nodded.

“Great.”

I rummaged around until I found it, then put it on the bed. Next, I shoved the heaviest dresser in front of the door as a barricade, just in case. As I did that, I could feel his speculative stare.

“Would you care to enlighten me as to what kind of threat?” he asked.

I glanced over my shoulder. “The Mexican drug cartel kind.”

He raised a brow. “Drugs?”

“Revenge for us bringing down their leader.” I turned and assessed the window. The blinds were drawn, but I searched for a way to make it darker. I lifted a blanket in a silent question.

He waved the go-ahead and I wrapped it around the rod already hanging.

Once that was done, I faced them both. “I think that’s the best I can do for now. We’ll just have to hope for the best until morning.”

Rebekah looked so small sitting next to her granddad with her knees curled up to her chest. I just wanted to hold her and comfort her, but I knew it wasn’t the time. With a sigh, I slid down the wall to sit next to the window.

I thought I could hear footsteps outside, maybe half a dozen men if my ears didn’t deceive me, and I wanted so badly to go out there and confront them. Blow their brains to hell. But I had to rein in my maverick tendencies. For Rebekah. For James. I needed to be patient and wait for the rest of the guys.

I rested my elbows on my bent knees and pinched the bridge of my nose, my pistol between my feet.

“So . . . Rebekah has a family? A cousin, you say?”

I glanced up at James’s voice. “Yes. John. But we all call him Tex.”

“And he’s a good man?”

“The best.”

James nodded. “I guess he’s related on her daddy’s side? Can’t say I knew anything about the Keegans. Not really.”

Rebekah reached over and gripped his hand, as if to say she was okay with never knowing.

“Well, Tex can give you the whole story I’m sure, but from what he said, their fathers were brothers and they lost touch.”

James nodded. “That makes sense.” He glanced over at Rebekah. “Looks like you won’t be alone after I’m gone after all, baby girl.”

Tears filled her eyes. “Don’t talk like that, Grandpa.”

Crash!

All of our heads snapped around at the sound of crunching glass from down the hall. Rebekah’s room.

I jumped up and stood by the door, listening toward the hallway.

Something wasn’t right . . .

A hissing noise filled the air.

A stench.

Rebekah coughed.

Smoke began to snake up beneath the crack under the door.

Tear gas.

“Fuck!”

Choking now myself, I scooped Rebekah up and hurled her into the closet. “Stay down!” Then I grabbed James and shoved him in right behind her. I tossed in two water bottles. “Wet some towels and cover your faces. No matter what you hear, stay in here and stay down until I come back for you.” I slammed the door, tucked James’s comforter on the floor to block the bottom, then grabbed my own face cover, wet it, and wrapped my head, trying not to gag.

I shoved the blanket aside, swung open the window, and gasped for air. Thankfully, nobody had thought to cover James’s room yet, they were still too focused on Rebekah.

I scanned the yard side to side through blurry eyes, looking for a way out. A dark figure crossed the walkway about fifty feet away. I darted back before he saw me.

We were surrounded. They obviously thought Rebekah was alone and were just waiting for her to come out so they could do God knows what to her.

The thought had a fierce protectiveness roaring up inside me like I’d never felt before. Over. My. Dead. Body.

I shot the closet another look and ducked over.

“You okay?” I asked through the crack.

“Yes,” came her faint reply.

“Don’t move,” I commanded.

I waited a few minutes for the gas to disperse, then shoved the dresser away from the door, grabbed James’s shotgun, and inched into the hallway. The house was silent and dark. Foamy trails from the gas grenade coated the wood floor. I silently padded my way toward the living room, sticking against the wall, my ears and eyes open, praying one of those fuckers was inside so I could take him down.

I made it to the kitchen, where I added a knife to my arsenal.

I was confused.

Nobody was in the house.

I peeked through the blinds.

The yard was empty.

What the fuck?

I loped back to James’s bedroom and opened the closet door. Rebekah stared up at me with startled eyes, then leapt up with a cry when she saw it was me. “Are they gone?”

I held her close and kissed her temple. “Yeah. For now.”

We turned and helped James up and back to bed. “We need to find you someplace safe to lay low until this is over,” I said to him.

His gaze jerked up to mine. “This is my home. I’m not going anywhere.”

I frowned. “I can’t protect you here.”

“I didn’t ask you to protect me. Just take my granddaughter away from here and protect her. You said it’s her they’re after, right?”

“Grandpa!” she cried, but he ignored her, keeping his focus on me.

“Yes, sir,” I agreed reluctantly. “But I can’t say they wouldn’t hurt you if given the chance.”

He waved me off. “Let ‘em. I’m a dying old man. You just protect my baby girl.”

She collapsed onto the bed and grabbed his hand. “I can’t leave you here alone.”

“Of course, you can. Besides, I won’t be alone. I’ve got Mrs. Clancy and that pretty nurse that stops by once in a while.” He glanced up at me. “And Tanner will bring you home once this mess is settled.”

“Of course, I will,” I said.

“See?” He turned to her and patted her cheek. “It’s settled. Go with your young man. Be safe. That’s all I want.”

“But—”

He shook his head, cutting her off. “No, buts, young lady. Go. I’ll call Mrs. Clancy first thing in the morning. I doubt those men will come back in the next couple of hours after causing all that ruckus.”

“Ruckus?” Huge, shocked eyes flew to mine. “You call that . . . ruckus? They nearly killed us!”

“Eh. A little excitement to get the old ticker pumping.” He smiled at her. “Go. I won’t tell you again, Rebekah Anne.”

After a long, silent standoff, she finally relented, standing and taking my hand—which absolutely did not go unnoticed by her grandfather . . . who shot me a wink.