“You realize what escalates means? He could try to approach you or worse. You need to let the authorities know about this.” He paused. “Do you think they could be from Curtis?”
A chill raced down her spine. Curtis Milburn had stalked her on and off for years, since she’d won her first medals. She’d been a young teenager then and that seemed to be what attracted him. He’d finally been arrested and committed to a mental health facility. “I haven’t heard from him in years.” Maybe because she was almost thirty years old. Curtis liked them young.
Kurt’s eyes suddenly widened. “Pey, look at the envelope.”
Ignoring his irritated growl, she lifted the four by six white envelope with her name scribbled in red and turned it over. “What about it.”
“There’s no postage. Whoever left this not only knows where you live, but they were actually here.”
Chapter Two
Noah Addison slowed his pace to a jog and checked his heart rate on his watch. The COBRA Securities gym featured an amazing two-level suspended overhead track that was perfect for running, but sometimes, like today, he just needed to be outside and feel the natural air in his lungs. The roads were all blacktopped, so the surface was good. The only obstacles came from the crews working hard to rebuild in the wake of the attack waged on the compound a few days ago.
Nine people died in the invasion when armed intruders attempted to kidnap Annabelle St. John, not counting Annabelle’s brother or The Viper, the woman behind the assault. They’d lost the entire airport maintenance crew and their lead pilot, Chet Rudd. Noah’s coworker Wyatt Hollister had just exited the building when the bomb landed, launching him through the air. Injured and barely conscious, he’d managed to take down the helicopter when it circled to drop another bomb. Another two intruders died when they’d encountered the electrified fence that protected the perimeter.
Wyatt was recovering, as was Tucker Nash, who oversaw security. He scarcely managed to escape when his guard shack had been blown to smithereens by an RPG. The worst of the injuries had been to coworker Kellan Polizzi. He’d been shot by The Viper and the bullet nicked his femoral artery. Thankfully they were able to stabilize him before he bled out. He’d be up and mobile soon.
The operation to take down The Viper had been Noah’s first since he’d been shot multiple times when a gunman opened fire outside a downtown shop run by Melody Franklin, now Colton. She’d married fellow SEAL Grant not too long ago. Noah had rehabilitated and was back at full strength. He just needed Dante Costa, who supervised their training, to clear him for full-time duty. He was damn tired of desk work.
Right before the compound had been attacked, Logan Bradley and Luke Colton, the two men who established and ran the company, negotiated a huge contract that would double their already packed workload. Additional agents would need to be hired to help with the increased duties. Noah wanted to be back in the field before the new crop arrived.
Now construction crews worked on cleaning up the destruction and rebuilding the damaged structures. Security measures had been in place before the attack, including the electronic fence, cameras covering the entire property, and underground bunkers that were bomb-proof. Tyler Redmond, resident computer genius, had devised a trap where if an unknown car drove over a plate in the road, they’d drop into a pit. It worked perfectly, but not before three men jumped out of the vehicle with missiles and shoulder launchers. Tyler was currently working on additional snares that would prevent that from happening again.
God help any perp stupid enough to try to infiltrate the compound again.
His cell phone buzzed a tune he’d set for unknown callers. He removed it from the armband he used to hold it while running and glanced at the screen. He didn’t recognize the number, but it was an overseas call. He still had friends serving in the military.
Stepping away from the construction noise, he answered.
“Hey Noah. How the hell are you?”
It’d been almost a year since Noah talked with his former teammate Owen “Reaper” Durant. “I’m doing good, Reaper. How’s it going there?”
“Ah, you know how it is. Heat that’s unbearable, sand in every orifice, MRE’s that taste like an old shoe. Same old.”
Noah did know and he was glad he was heading to his air-conditioned apartment instead of the sweltering desert. He’d put in ten years with the SEAL team and loved every minute of it, but when the opportunity arose to join COBRA Securities with both his siblings, it was an offer he couldn’t refuse. Though he didn’t miss the heat, crappy food or constant danger, he missed his brothers in arms.
Before he could ask, Owen said, “I’m calling because I need your help.”
“Anything.” And he meant it.
“It’s about my sister.”
Noah stumbled and almost dropped the phone. Owen only had one sister. Peyton. Her stunning face graced everything from cereal boxes to Times Square billboards in New York City. She wasn’t just a celebrity; she was the golden girl. Literally. She’d won more gold medals than any female athlete in Olympic history.
Noah admitted to having a crush on the woman who was the darling of the past four Olympic Games. The poster of her emerging from a pool draped in her medals—all sixteen of them—and nothing else had fueled his fantasies many long, lonely nights. The medals covered the important bits, still, his imagination filled in the blanks. Spectacularly.
He needed to beat those inappropriate thoughts into submission. She was his friend’s baby sister, therefore, off limits. There were unwritten rules. Younger sisters were top of the list. If Owen had thoughts about Noah’s sister Maggie like the ones he had for Peyton, he’d have beaten the shit out of his friend without remorse. He knew Owen felt the same way.
“Peyton? What about her?”
The last time he’d seen her in person, she was winning her record-setting eighth individual medal. They’d wrapped up an assignment early and were able to hop a military flight to Rio in time to see her last two races in person. Owen had been overjoyed he’d been able to sit in the stands and cheer on his little sister. They’d all felt the overwhelming pride as the Star-Spangled Banner played while the flag was slowly lifted to the rafters. Their window had been narrow, so they weren’t able to stick around and talk to Peyton after she made the rounds with the media. He’d left the Teams soon after to join COBRA Securities.
“It might be nothing, but someone’s been sending her fake medals in the mail. The first two were sent to her publicist and to her sportswear company. The last one was left at the address where she’s living now. She doesn’t give it out, so not only did someone track it down, they left it there. They can get close to her.”
“A medal. No notes?”
“One word taped to the back of each one. For, every and medal.”
Noah didn’t like the sound of that. It appeared to be a threat.
“She’s dealt with obsessed fans before, including one who was arrested.”
He didn’t like the sound of that, either. “What’s his name? I’ll check him out.”
“Curtis Milburn. He was arrested in Baltimore.”
“What do the police say?”
“They don’t say anything because Peyton refuses to call them. Hell, she didn’t even tell me about the packages, and I talk or text with her almost every day. If it wasn’t for her coach giving me a heads up, I’d never have known.”
“What do you want from me?”
“I know you’re busy, but I was hoping you might be able to drive up and check it out on your day off. She’s private coaching a girl in Lake Forest, Illinois. That’s not too far away from you.”
Every day was a day off until he was allowed back in the field, but he wouldn’t tell Owen that. “I can be there tomorrow.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to get you into any trouble or anything.”
“It’s not a problem at all.”
“I’ll text you her address. Also, she coaches at a community center in Humboldt Park on Saturdays
, so that’s where she’ll be most of the morning. I’ll text that address too. It’s not the best neighborhood, but she doesn’t listen to me.”
“I’ll check things out and let you know what I discover.”
Owen’s sigh was audible over the trans-continental phone lines. “Thanks, Shooter. I can’t tell you how much this means to me. I’ll be able to sleep tonight.”
Noah disconnected and headed to the apartment he shared with his younger brother. They’d both purchased plots of land next to each other a few years ago and were in the process of having plans drawn up by Reed Steele to build their dream homes. Reed, a professional baseball player turned television host of a successful renovation show, was married to COBRA Securities agent Hillary Billings. Noah’s sister Maggie and her husband Carter owned a home down the road. The thought of living with his brother and sister so close was a dream he never thought would come true. He didn’t expect to make it out of the Navy alive. A couple of times, he almost didn’t.
He opened the door and came to a dead stop. “What the hell, Ethan? Put on some damn clothes.”
His exhibitionist younger brother just smiled and bit into an apple. Just before he plopped on the couch, Noah shoved him towards his room. “I don’t want your naked ass touching the cushions.”
“Prude,” he called over his shoulder as he sauntered into his room.
Noah shook his head and smiled. He and his siblings had an unconventional upbringing. Their parents had been free spirits. They’d lived in a commune for the first part of their lives. He could remember being about five years old and sneaking out of the small cabin they’d been staying in at the time to see the older members dancing naked around a campfire under the moonlight. Thankfully, he hadn’t spotted his own parents in the buff or else he’d have been scarred for life. At the time, he’d been Nature Rain. Ethan had been tagged with Earth Replenish. They’d legally changed the names when they were old enough. Maggie had been christened with Magnolia Blossom, but she kept it. His parents meant well, but they weren’t the most responsible adults. He and his brother and sister never doubted their love, but Noah had felt it was his responsibility to take care of his younger siblings. He made sure they went to school and then beat up anyone who made fun of their names. Maybe he was the prude Ethan accused him of being. Maggie was responsible like him. Though he loved his brother and wouldn’t want anyone else to have his back, Ethan was more of a free spirit like their parents. He’d been a SEAL too and he’d done well in school, but he had a definite playful streak that Noah sometimes envied, not that he’d ever let Ethan know.
His brother returned in a t-shirt and board shorts. After tossing the apple core in the trash, he plopped down beside him on the couch. “What’s up?”
“I got a call from a former teammate. He wants me to head up to Chicago tomorrow to check on his sister. She’s been getting threatening messages.”
“But we’ve got a big game tomorrow.”
Noah winced. He and Ethan coached a youth basketball team and they did have a game tomorrow. If their team won, they’d play for the youth league championship. Volunteering with children was apparently something he had in common with Peyton.
“Wait a minute.” Ethan narrowed his eyes. “A former teammate. A sister getting threatening messages. This wouldn’t happen to be the golden goddess herself, Peyton Durant, would it?”
Noah winced again. His brother might be a goof-off, but he was damn smart. “Yeah, it’s Peyton.”
Ethan plopped against the back of the couch. “Peyton’s just about the hottest woman I’ve ever seen. I mean, that poster of her emerging from the water like Aphrodite, those medals around her neck…” He whistled. “Screw the game. I’m coming with you.”
Noah narrowed his eyes at his brother and the shit-eating grin on his face. “I’m just joshing ya, bro. I’ll handle the pint-sized ballers while you handle the fetching Ms. Durant.”
“Thanks, Ethan. I appreciate it.”
His brother was serious now. “What’s going on?”
Noah filled him in on the medals with the notes taped to the back.
“If you get up there and it’s something, you’ll let me know?”
“Absolutely. First I need to run this by the bosses and then convince Dante I’m one hundred percent so he’ll clear me to get back in the field.”
Ethan snorted. “Good luck with that.”
“Yeah, no kidding.”
Chapter Three
The next morning. Peyton pulled into the parking lot of the community center and turned off the engine. She grabbed her water bottle and climbed down. Opening the back door, she withdrew her purse, hooking it over her shoulder before reaching back inside for a box of supplies. She juggled the items in her hands so she could pop the fob to lock the door.
Saturdays were her mornings to volunteer with disadvantaged children at the community center in Humboldt Park. Some of the children didn’t even have a swimsuit when they arrived. She’d had her company send boxes of supplies including t-shirts, gym bags, goggles, swim caps, beach towels and suits for girls and boys in an array of sizes and colors, all with the stylized Streamline logo. Now the children were all decked out in fashionable swim gear and all sported their own suit in their favorite color.
Even though there was only a week before Aurora’s big meet, Peyton wouldn’t miss her last session of the year. The kids counted on her. They were graduating from their first swim class today. It was important. Each one of the kids looked forward to their Saturday morning lessons and they were sponges, eagerly soaking up her teaching.
Usually on her days to volunteer, she let Aurora sleep in but encouraged her to get up anyway and swim on her own. She tried to instill discipline but in the short time she’d been coaching her, Aurora had resisted. It was one more flashing neon sign that said she didn’t have the drive to be a champion.
“Peyton.”
She turned at the call to see a tall, muscular man striding her way. He was dressed in a navy polo shirt with a logo on the left side and khaki colored tactical pants with tan combat boots. The wind ruffled short blond hair. Her breath lodged in her throat and she took an involuntary step back, slamming into her SUV. “Shut the front door,” she muttered under her breath. The man stopped directly in front of her and every coherent thought in her head fled right out. Her heart hammered against her ribs, trying to break free of its cage. Standing before her larger than life was her teenage crush, Noah Addison.
He removed a pair of sunglasses and hooked them on his shirt, revealing royal blue eyes and her vision started to blur. It took a moment for her to realize she’d quit breathing altogether.
“I don’t know if you remember me, but I’m a friend of your—”
“Noah,” she interrupted, her voice wheezing out as if she’d just ran a marathon. “Yes, I remember you.” Understatement. She blinked just to make sure she wasn’t dreaming, but he was still there in the flesh, all six foot five, two hundred and thirty pounds of rock-solid, mouthwatering male.
How many times had she fantasized about her older brother’s friend? From the first time she met him to, well, present day. In other words, too many to count. When she was younger, she used to plan their wedding in her head. At first, she saw them riding up to the altar on white horses. As she grew older, the fantasy changed until she settled on a dream wedding on the beach with waves crashing behind them. The water was important to them both. Her entire life was swimming. He’d been a Navy SEAL like her brother. They lived for the water, too.
His brows were narrowed as he studied her with concern. That’s when she realized he’d asked her a question while she’d been off in fantasy wedding land. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. “I’m sorry, what?”
“I asked if I could carry that box for you.”
She looked down and realized while she’d been daydreaming, she’d dumped the bottle of water all over her feet. She hadn’t even felt it.
“Sure.” Her cheeks were
flaming as she handed him the box and he tucked it under one arm like it weighed nothing. Her group of kids were graduating from their first swim class today, so she had miniature gold medals made up for each student—though much different than the ones she’d been receiving—along with a certificate. She couldn’t seem to motivate Aurora, but she was hooked on teaching children to swim. It was immensely rewarding, especially kids who might not otherwise have the opportunity to learn.
She turned and headed for the pool, hoping Noah hadn’t noticed how unsettled she was in his presence. She could stand on a stage in front of thousands of people and talk with no problem. She could do interviews that would be broadcast to millions on television. But two minutes in the presence of her crush and she was a bumbling idiot.
He caught up to her easily and matched her stride. She glanced over at him. “Why are you here?” He should be overseas with her brother. Was it too much to hope that he was here to profess his undying love? She sighed. A girl could dream.
“I talked to Owen. He said you’d been having some trouble.”
She jerked to a stop and turned to him. “Owen? He called you?”
He nodded.
“Why did he have to call?” Her eyes narrowed. “And why aren’t you with him right now? Are you on leave?”
“I’m not in the military anymore. I work for a private security firm now.”
“You aren’t teammates?” She had no idea. Anytime she tried to casually ask Owen about him, all he would tell her was that he was good. She didn’t want to press for many details for fear her older brother would figure out about her crush.
He shook his head. “A friend started the company and asked me to join.”
“I thought you’d be a SEAL for life, like Owen.”
One side of his mouth curved up in a smile revealing a dimple and her breath hitched again. “I thought so, too, but they made an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
She wished they’d make the offer to her brother. She was so proud of Owen for serving their country, but she worried about the dangers he faced on a daily basis. The world was a scary place and he was in the middle of the worst of mankind.
Golden Girl Page 3