by Rebecca Deel
Helpless to do more than offer solace, Simon held her until the storm of tears passed. When she quieted, he kissed her temple and turned her toward the parking lot.
As he walked her to his vehicle, Simon quartered the area. His nape prickled as though someone watched him through a scope. He doubted a sniper in Otter Creek waited to nail him in the back. Then again, he hadn’t survived this long in Special Forces and black ops work by being careless and ignoring the warnings from his gut. The question plaguing Simon was whether the watcher was interested in him or Zoe.
Simon scowled. If he was the target, Zoe was in the line of fire by associating with him. Zane Murphy, Fortress Security’s tech wizard, would know if Simon’s name had come up in recent Internet searches. Zane could run a trace on Zoe’s name to see if someone showed interest in her.
He urged Zoe to move faster across the parking lot, anxious to secure her in the safety of his reinforced vehicle. Simon tucked Zoe into the passenger seat, buckled her in, and handed her a box of tissues he kept in his console.
“Thanks,” she whispered.
After a gentle squeeze of her shoulder, Simon circled the front of the vehicle and slipped behind the wheel. He cranked the engine and activated his Bluetooth. When Nick Santana answered, Simon said, “It’s Simon. Macy didn’t make it.”
A long sigh came over the speaker. “I’m sorry to hear that. Has Zoe seen a doctor?”
“She has a mild concussion. She’ll be fine in a few days.”
“Good. Keep close tabs on Zoe. I have a feeling there’s more to this situation than we know.”
“Already planned to do that. Later, Nick.”
Simon drove to the main road. He glanced at Zoe. She’d leaned her head against the seat. Tears trickled down her cheeks.
His heart squeezed. Simon wished he could alleviate her anguish. Multiple losses in his military units and a few fellow operatives over the years taught him that nothing but time would dull the ache although it never fully went away. You lived with the ghosts and memories.
One thing he could do for Zoe was keep her mind occupied. Maybe she’d like a tour of PSI. He had a class to teach in a few minutes. While one of his teammates would cover for him, seeing the facility and the training regimen might focus her attention somewhere other than Macy’s loss.
“Where are we going?” Zoe looked at Simon. The sorrow in her gaze gutted him.
“PSI. I have a class to teach and I thought you might enjoy a tour of our facility.”
“You can take me home, you know. I’ll be fine.”
Praying she wouldn’t reject him, Simon wrapped his hand around hers. “Not a chance. You shouldn’t be alone.” If he had his way, she wouldn’t be alone again until the killer was caught or dead.
“You don’t have to babysit me, Simon. I’m sad about Macy and will be for a long time, but I’ll be all right by myself. I’m usually alone.”
“Not this time.” He drew in a deep breath. He’d hung out in the shadows, watching Zoe and longing for something more with her. Time to put up or shut up. “Although the circumstances are lousy, I’m glad for any excuse to spend more time with you.”
She twisted to stare at him. “You are?”
“Are you interested in having dinner with me sometime soon? You don’t have to give me an answer right away. Just think about it.”
“Would this be a dinner between friends or a date?”
Simon stole a glance at her before returning his attention to navigating through town. “We’re already friends. I’d like this to be the beginning of something more.”
Zoe was silent a moment.
Was the delayed response good or bad?
She grabbed another tissue and blotted her face. Fresh tears tracked down her cheeks.
Not good. Panic roared to life in his gut. He was out of practice, but he’d never expected to make a woman cry when he asked her for a date. “It’s okay, Zoe. Forget I asked.” Man, saying those words hurt. Guess he’d been gently relegated to friends-only status.
She gave a watery laugh. “No way, Simon. I’m not letting you back out.”
“I made you cry.”
“It’s not you. Earlier this morning, Macy said she hoped you would ask me to go on a date soon. Too bad she’s not here to see her wish become reality.” She turned her hand over and entwined her fingers with his. “To answer your question, I would love to go to dinner with you.”
Thank God. “Excellent. Maybe this weekend?”
“I’d like that. A date with you gives me something special to look forward to after a week sure to rank at the top of the worst weeks of my life. I’ve been hoping you would ask me out for months.”
“This isn’t Victorian England. You could have approached me.”
“Ha. I’ve heard the women around town bemoaning their rejections by you when they made the first move. I almost caved last week and asked you to breakfast, but I didn’t want you to see me as one of the hordes of females vying for your attention.”
Interesting. She knew him better than the women who had been putting themselves out there, hoping to win a date like he was some kind of prize. If those women knew what he’d done over the years, they wouldn’t be interested in a date with him.
The women also reminded him too much of military groupies. Simon had learned his lesson well. Most women who thought they could handle him and his job were wrong.
“While it’s true I turned them down, the reason wasn’t because they made the first move. I wasn’t interested in them. I wouldn’t have rejected you.”
She groaned. “Wish I’d known that sooner.”
Her tart tone made him chuckle. “What kind of food do you like?”
“Anything except Asian. I can’t handle the MSG.”
“We’re a perfect match. I’m not a fan of Asian food myself. Other than that, I’ll eat anything that doesn’t eat me first.”
“I guess you’ve eaten interesting things while you and your team were deployed.”
“Oh, yeah.” He frowned. “Durango has it much easier than we do. Nate Armstrong can cook anything and make it taste like a gourmet meal. The man is truly a food artist. Bravo, on the other hand, has to pack in food on missions. None of us cook more than the basics. Fortunately, we can grill with the best of them. We don’t have Nate’s skill, but we don’t starve when our MREs run out, either.”
“MREs?”
“Meals ready to eat.” Simon lifted one shoulder. “Not half bad, especially if there’s nothing else handy. We burn a lot of calories and have to eat frequently.”
“Must be nice,” she muttered. “If my metabolism was like yours, I wouldn’t be packing around ten extra pounds.”
Although he wanted to refute that statement, they were approaching the security gate at the PSI compound. Simon lowered his window and swiped his ID card through the scanner.
He drove to the back of the main building and parked. When Simon came around to open Zoe’s door, he said, “My class starts in fifteen minutes. I’ll give you a tour when I’m finished.”
“What class are you teaching?”
“Hand-to-hand combat.” He laid his hand on her lower back as they walked to the building’s back entrance.
“You teach bodyguard trainees to fight?”
“They must be able to defend themselves and their principals. The bad guys don’t pull punches and if they land too many, our bodyguards and their principals will die.”
“Do you and your teammates take turns teaching that class or is hand-to-hand your specialty?”
“The only class we don’t take turns teaching is the first-aid course. Rio or Matt handle that class.”
“Having medics on your teams must come in handy.”
More than she knew. Matt had saved his life more than once while Bravo was deployed and the other members of his unit would say the same.
He swiped his card through another scanner and entered a personalized code into a keypad beside the back door. When
the lock disengaged, Simon opened the door and led Zoe inside the building.
Hand firmly wrapped around hers, Simon navigated the hallways, nodding to co-workers when he passed them.
At the entrance to the dining room, Matt Rainer waited. He straightened from the wall when he saw them and headed their direction. Matt folded Zoe into a tight hug, dropping an affectionate kiss to the top of her head. “I’m sorry about Macy.”
“So am I,” Zoe said. “How did you know we lost her?”
“Grace has been communicating with Trent who kept the rest of us in the loop.” Matt released her and tipped her head up to examine her bruised forehead. “What did the doctor say about you?”
“Mild concussion. No driving for a couple of days.”
The medic studied her face for a moment. “Headache? Nauseated?”
She nodded.
Matt glanced at Simon. “Soft drinks are in the refrigerator in the kitchen. If you can’t find what she needs there, check the fridge in the infirmary. I’ll escort Zoe into the dining room.”
He squeezed Zoe’s hand. “Stay with Matt or another member of Bravo until I return.” After a pointed glance at Matt, Simon hustled down the corridor to the kitchen’s secondary entrance.
Nate Armstrong, Durango’s EOD man, turned toward him. “How is Zoe?”
“Concussion. She needs a soft drink.”
The chef tipped his head toward the first refrigerator. “We’re stocked up. Sorry to hear about Macy. Police have any leads yet?”
“Nick’s working the case. Nothing yet, though.”
“Stella is on day shift this month. She’ll give Nick a hand if another case doesn’t take priority. The bakery’s closed for a while?”
“At least through tomorrow. Do you mind if Zoe uses our kitchen to complete bakery orders already promised to customers?”
“No problem. We’ll make it work.”
“Thanks, Nate.”
“Let me know if she needs anything besides a soft drink.”
“If you want help with something that won’t tax her strength or require much concentration, she needs to keep her mind occupied. I’m in classes all day and I don’t want her alone right now.”
“I’m making strawberry shortcake for our lunchtime dessert. I could use a hand with that. Zoe can sit at the counter and slice strawberries while I handle the shortcakes.”
Simon’s mouth watered. Nate’s strawberry shortcake was legendary. “I’ll tell her you need help and let her decide if she’s up to doing light work.”
He walked into the dining area and scanned the tables until he found Zoe seated with Matt on one side and Liam on the other. Simon threaded through the tables, speaking to trainees and instructors who hailed him as he headed toward Zoe.
When he drew close, Liam met him far enough away that Zoe wouldn’t overhear their conversation. “Have you spoken to Lyons yet?”
“No, but I’d planned on it. Why?”
“Do it before he finds out from someone else that his girlfriend is dead. He’s a jerk, but he deserves to hear the news before it spreads.”
“Where is he?”
“East corner with his buddies. He’s been shooting intense looks at your girl.”
“Good or bad?”
“The kind that would earn him a fist in the face if he looked at Piper that way.”
Simon glanced at Lyons and saw what Liam meant. A protective streak surged to the forefront. “I’ll take care of it and be the bearer of bad tidings.”
“Good luck, buddy. Need backup?”
“What do you think?”
Liam grinned. “I’ll go with you anyway. Lyons is a cheater.”
Simon rolled his eyes. The day he couldn’t handle a two-bit thug like Lyons was the day he would have to turn in his black ops card. “Suit yourself.”
“I usually do.”
The two men headed toward Isaac Lyons who eyed them with disdain. When Simon and Liam reached the table, Lyons leaned back in his chair, arms folded. Instead of greeting them, he stared at the two men. Fine. He wanted to do it this way, Simon would accommodate him. “We need to talk to you, Lyons.”
A sneer crossed his face. “What did I do this time? Forget to fill out my time card or tie my boots the wrong way?”
Lyons’s friends cracked up, laughing like loons. Their amusement subsided when they realized Simon and Liam weren’t amused.
Simon doubted anything bothered this guy, but he’d give him the courtesy of telling him the bad news about Macy in private. “Come with us.”
For the first time, the trainee looked uneasy. “What’s going on?” he asked as he followed the operatives from the dining room to the interrogation room.
“Have a seat.” Simon motioned to one of the chairs at the plain wooden table as Liam leaned against the door. After the trainee dropped into a chair, Simon said, “There’s no easy way to say this. Macy was at the bakery this morning when someone broke in and attacked her with a knife.”
Lyons’s jaw dropped. He surged to his feet. “She’s at the hospital?”
“I’m sorry, Isaac. She died on the operating table.”
“We have plans for tonight. I’m taking her out of town for dinner. Why are you lying?”
“Sit down.”
He stared a moment, gaze raking over Simon’s and Liam’s faces. “It’s true, isn’t it? Someone killed Macy.” Lyons slowly returned to his seat. Fury and anguish burned in the depths of his eyes. “Who did it? Who murdered my girlfriend?”
“The police are looking into it.”
“This is a hick town. I wouldn’t trust the cops in Otter Creek to hunt for a dog much less track down a killer.”
“Josh Cahill, head of PSI, is part of the Otter Creek police force,” Liam reminded him. “His brother-in-law, Ethan, is the police chief and Special Forces. If the local police department needs further resources, Fortress will provide it. The killer won’t get away.”
“Class starts in ten minutes,” Simon said. “We’ll clear it with St. Claire and Cahill if you want to take the day.”
“Staying busy will help you cope with the loss.” Liam straightened from the door.
“Is that what you’d do if someone killed your wife? Stay busy?” Lyons stood so fast his chair tipped over backward. “I’m not a cold, heartless machine like you, McCoy. I need time to come to grips with this.”
Liam’s eyes glittered, but he remained silent as the trainee stalked his direction and shoulder-checked him as he pushed past. He waited until Lyons’s footsteps faded before he turned to Simon, his lips curving. “That went well.”
Dragging a hand down his face, he sighed. “Come on. I want to check on Zoe.”
Simon and Liam entered the dining hall in time to see Lyons running full-tilt at Zoe.
CHAPTER FIVE
Zoe glanced up to see Isaac Lyons racing toward her, raw fury and hatred marring his features. Shock rolled through her when she realized Isaac wasn’t going to stop.
Before she could do more than process that thought, Matt was on his feet along with Cade Ramsey, Matt’s best friend and teammate. The two men intercepted Isaac.
Macy’s boyfriend tried to fight them off and ended up face down on the floor. Cade and Matt worked in tandem to control a cursing and thrashing Isaac.
“Knock it off,” Cade snapped. “This isn’t the way to handle your grief.”
“She killed my girlfriend.” His eyes pinned Zoe, leaving her in no doubt as to who he meant. “She has to pay.”
Why would he blame her?
“That doesn’t make sense, Lyons. Zoe was also injured in the attack. You trying to say that she killed Macy and bashed her own head against a wall hard enough to give herself a concussion?”
“She could have had help. Maybe her boyfriend helped her get rid of a problem.”
Boyfriend? Rage filled Zoe when she realized Isaac was accusing Simon of murdering Macy on her orders. What was his problem? Who else would he accuse next?
Being here was a bad idea. She should have insisted that Simon take her home. She was disrupting PSI’s routine and causing dissension between trainers and trainees, not to mention the homicidal rage she’d inspired in Macy’s boyfriend.
Simon sat in the chair next to Zoe’s and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “You okay?” he murmured.
“This isn’t going to work, Simon.”
He stilled. “This?”
“Me being here. I’m disrupting everything.”
The operative lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “I need you with me.”
She dragged her gaze away from the drama playing out in front of her and focused on Simon, his words making her breath catch. “Why?”
“You scared me today. I thought I’d lost you before we had a chance to begin. I need time before I’m ready to let you out of my sight.”
“Can I tell you a secret?”
“Anything.”
“I was afraid I would die this morning before I had a chance to kiss you.”
Eyes filled with emotion, he cupped her cheek. “Zoe.” His voice sounded choked.
He’d thrown her for a loop with the quick turn in his emotions. Simon would have to deal with her confession. “Too much, too soon?”
“You have no idea how happy that makes me.” Simon leaned close to her ear and whispered, “I’ll be happy to remedy the lack of kisses after we leave PSI.”
“Promise?”
His eyes darkened as his gaze dropped to her mouth. “Oh, yeah. Kissing you will be a pleasure and an answer to a prayer.”
That brought a smile to her lips. Zoe wished she could have shared the news with Macy. She would have gotten a kick out of this.
More shouting and accusations from Isaac had Zoe turning in time to see the trainee break free from Cade and Matt’s hold to sprint the remaining few feet separating him from her.
Between one heartbeat and the next, Simon shoved Isaac back against the wall, his forearm pressed to the man’s throat, holding him immobile. The dining hall went totally silent except for Isaac’s buddies who rose and started toward their friend. Alex pointed his finger at them and shook his head. The two men froze.