by Becca Monroe
“Delaney, it’s me. I’m sorry I couldn’t call on Saturday. Matt came to see me and was asking a lot of questions. One of his goons has been following me. The bureau assigned a detail to me for protection. He’s going out of his mind demanding I know something about your whereabouts. He doesn’t believe you died in the ferry accident, and he’s searching for you. It’s Tuesday night, about eleven p.m. in New York. Wherever you are, please be safe. I’ll call you on Black Friday about five p.m. Manhattan time from my new phone. I’m tossing this one after this call, you need to switch to phone number seven for our next one. Please pick up, we need to check in. I’m scared for you. You’re the only sister I’ve ever had, and I need to hear your voice. I’ll talk to you in a few days. I love you.”
The message ended, and I felt the tears burning a path down my cheeks. Matt believed I was alive, or at least suspected, and Kelly was in enough danger that the bureau believed she needed protection. All of this was my fault. I should have stayed and testified against him, instead I ran like a coward and put Kelly in danger.
Jake knocked on the door. “Hey babe, you ready? We need to leave in five minutes.”
I clicked the phone off, placed it back into the bag, hiding it in the towel cabinet. “Be right out.”
The shift at work was slow, and Kelly’s message kept replaying in my head like a bad dream. He doesn’t believe you died in the ferry accident, he’s searching for you.
The hot coffee burned my hand as the broken coffee pot shattered around me, snapping me back to reality. “Ouch!” I yelled, rushing to the sink for some cold water.
Mary came rushing over from where she was having breakfast with David. “Oh no, let me see that hand. That coffee is scalding hot when it comes out of that dispenser. I’ve been trying to get the company to tell me how to adjust the temperature, but they aren’t sure what the issue is.”
David walked up behind her. “We need to get her to the hospital and get that looked at, it’s already bubbling up.”
“No, it’s fine,” I lied. It wasn’t fine. The pain in my hand was excruciating, and I was afraid to look at the damage.
“Sweet girl, that is not fine,” David said, a look of concern on his face. “I can drive you, or we can call an ambulance.”
“I can’t afford to go to the emergency room,” I admitted.
Mary shook her head. “Stop that nonsense this minute, young lady. You got hurt at work, we will cover everything,” she said, leading me out to David’s patrol car. “David, you just call me when you know anything.”
“Mary, Jake was picking me up after my shift to go shopping for everything for Thanksgiving dinner.”
She waved at me and put a big smile on her face, trying to put my mind at ease. “I’ll call him right now and let him know what’s happening.”
“Thank you,” I said, trying to smile but feeling more like I wanted to scream from the pain shooting up my arm.
David’s glass water bottle was on the passenger seat, and I handed it to him. “I’m sure you don’t want me sitting on this.”
Jake
David was in the waiting room when Mike and I found him. He was speaking with Brittney, of all people, who promptly walked away as we walked up. “Hey, how is she?”
“She got a good burn and some lacerations on her left hand and forearm. They are treating the burns and stitching up the cuts. They should release her in a little while with some care instructions and pain medication.”
Relief flooded over me. “The steam pot just broke? How does that happen?”
Mike looked around, trying to figure out where Brittney ran off too. “Why was Brittney here?”
“She works here now, runs paperwork and samples for the lab.”
“Wow, she got a job. Miracles happen,” Mike joked.
David pulled us into a quiet area of the waiting room and lowered his voice. “Jake, I wanted to make you aware that I got her prints, blood type, and a DNA sample.”
“What?”
“The prints were by accident. She grabbed my water bottle. But I’ll send them to my buddy at the bureau. The blood type and DNA I requested from the staff at the hospital and he will run those as soon as I get them to him.”
“David, I don’t feel good about this. Let me have some more time, she’s opening up to me more every day.”
He shook his head. “I love your mother. While I realize you and Josh don’t want to know the details of our relationship, we love one another, and I’ve tried everything in my power to find any information I can on Delaney Newcomb and I can’t find a damn thing about her in the system. Nothing, Jake. The person doesn’t exist. I’m scared for your mother, so I sent her prints to my buddy. He said he will get back to me.”
I stared at David in disbelief. “You think Delaney’s a danger to momma? You can’t be serious.”
David shook his head. “I don’t think Delaney is a danger to anyone. I’m not so sure about whoever she’s hiding from.”
I shot Mike a concerned glance. “Will you call me and let me know as soon as you know anything?” I asked.
He nodded, and my mind went to the worst possible truth. “It’s got to be something or someone bad to fake an identity, don’t you think?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
“That’s what scares me. I think Delaney’s a wonderful woman, but if she is bringing danger here, we all need to be aware of it so we can try to help however we can.”
“You’re right. Just keep us in the loop on this. All of you will be at my house tomorrow for dinner, I just want to have a pleasant holiday and Delaney wants that too. She told me she wanted a peaceful holiday. I would like to give her that tomorrow.”
“I just want us to know the information, so it can prepare us. Once the lab sends me the blood and DNA, I will send it to my man. Like I said, he already has her prints,” David explained.
“Alright, I’m going to take her home and get her settled.”
David huffed a laugh. “She won’t go straight home. Said something about you guys needing to shop for tomorrow.”
“She’s worried about cooking food for fifteen people?” I asked.
Mike just shook his head and chuckled. “Selfless all the time. Why don’t you make me a list and I’ll go shopping for the stuff you guys need and bring them to the house later? That way you can get her settled.”
“That works. Thanks, Mike.”
Delaney’s voice echoed down the hallway. “That doesn’t work! We were going to do all of this for your first holiday in your home. It has to be perfect, that includes shopping for the goodies, all the prep and cooking.”
They turned to see her walking towards them, with a smile on her face. I met her in the middle of the hall and kissed her. “You okay?”
“I’ve been better, but it could have been worse. Let’s go shopping.”
“You’re ridiculous,” Mike said, laughing. “At least let me tag along so you can ride in one of those electric wheelchair things, and I will push the cart for the groceries,” he joked.
“You can come, but I’m not riding in one of those.”
I wrapped my arm around her waist. “You okay on pain?”
“They gave me some heavy pain killers, I’ve had worse.” Mike and I glanced at each other but said nothing. “I feel great, so let’s get it done.”
My mouth crashed down on hers, and we both smiled when David and Mike gave their brief comments about us getting a room. A thought running rampant through my mind now.
Three hours later we were home, groceries put away, courtesy of Mike, and Delaney was lying on the couch, her eyes heavy. “Why don’t you head into bed and rest? We have a long day tomorrow.”
“I feel horrible because I won’t be able to help cut things up to prepare them.”
Mike laughed. “I can come over early in the morning and help do that. You can just sit there from your throne and bark orders at us.”
Excitement filled her tone. “Oh, I like that idea!”
/>
I kneeled beside her and kissed her cheek. “Can I take you to bed? I want you to rest and you have to be hurting by now.”
“I’m okay. Pain medication makes me feel funny, I don’t like it.”
“Believe me, I understand what you’re saying, but you need to take it at least tonight so you can rest.”
Mike came around and blew a kiss to Delaney, making her laugh. “You, goofball, get out of here,” she said.
“What time are we putting the turkey in?” Mike asked.
“We are baking one with stuffing and deep-frying one. The oven one needs to go in about seven.”
“I’ll be here early to get her stuffed,” Mike said and waved. “You two get some rest, tomorrow is going to be a wonderful day.”
I kissed her again. “I’ll walk him out. Be right back.”
Mike’s phone rang as he got to his truck. “David, what’s up? Yeah, he’s standing right next to me, hang on.” Mike placed the phone on speaker and motioned for me to get into the passenger side of the cab. “Ok David, we’re both on, go ahead.”
“Jake, does Delaney have a scar on her left hip?”
“Man, what the hell?”
“Just answer the question.”
“Not that I know of, but David, we haven’t taken things that far yet. I told you, we’re taking things slow. Why are you asking?”
“My buddy at the bureau wanted confirmation of the scar, her prints came back, but he said he needs to be sure before he sends me the information. Something about it being a big deal to be accurate on this one.”
“Why do I not like the sound of that?” Mike said.
This whole thing was making me uneasy. “I don’t either. Did he tell you who the prints belonged to?”
David sighed. “No, said he needed confirmation first.”
“Tell him no,” I said. “Tell your guy, no, there’s no scar. Something about this is way off. A friend of yours would send you the information, no questions asked. That tells me something or someone flagged her prints. If we confirm she has that scar, we will lead whoever is after her, straight to her.”
“Nice to see we agree, Jake. I told him before I even spoke to you she didn’t have any scars or birthmarks, but if they have that flagged, which it appears they do, whoever is watching for a hit, just got one.”
We all knew that this changed things. If someone was hunting Delaney, they had a good idea where she was now. “He knows she’s here, or did you cover it with a story?”
“I covered it. Said it was someone who had been through town last summer, and I just gathered intel from a place they stayed. He’s a friend and I trust him, but I think this is bigger than him. Maybe even bureau related.”
We couldn’t take any more chances with her safety or any of ours. “Call Josh, tell him to call his old captain. He’s a high-level man on the east coast with them. Maybe he can tell us something,” Mike said.
“Will do, as of right now. We all need to be vigilant. Delaney is in some serious trouble,” David said. “I’ll see you two tomorrow. I’m having my deputies do extra patrols around your property while she’s there.”
“No need for that. Josh and I will stay here at Jake’s. You just take care of Mary,” Mike said. “Josie is at the Kodiak station tonight because their corpsman is on leave, so she will be by tomorrow. She’s safe there for tonight.”
“Will do, see you boys tomorrow,” David said, disconnecting the call.
Mike tossed his phone on the dash. “I’m going to head home, pick up some shit, and grab Josh. We’ll be back later tonight.”
“Thanks. What the hell did she get herself into?” I asked.
“I don’t know brother, but we all care about her, and my friend, you’re falling in love with her. Everyone sees it. So, we got her.”
There was a split second where I wanted to correct his assumption about me falling in love with Delaney, but I couldn’t. My best friend was right. I was falling head over heels for the woman lying on my couch and that changed everything. “Thanks, Mike. You still have the code to get in, right? I plan on setting the alarm from here on out.”
“It’s the best resort in town. Just don’t shoot us when we come in later,” he said.
Delaney was in her bathroom, by the time I made it back inside. I locked up the house, set the alarm, and headed for her room. “You okay in there or do you need some help?”
“Um, could you turn the lights down? My head is killing me.”
I turned the lights down, lighting a candle on the nightstand, thinking the soft light would be easier for her headache, and removed my shoes, placing them by the bed. Holding Delaney every night had quickly become my favorite thing to do. When she opened the door, I turned to face her, finding her with only my Army hoodie wrapped around her. It draped down to the middle of her perfectly shaped thighs. “You okay?”
“I’m good, but I need your help with something.”
“Anything.”
She played with the drawstrings on the hoodie, dropping her eyes to the floor. “I need you to make love to me.”
My eyes roamed over her. I couldn’t help it, she was breathtaking. There was no way that I would ever tire of looking at her. She held her hand out to me. “Please, Jake. I need to feel close to you tonight.”
“You sure about this? Because baby, if we do this your mine and I’m yours. I won’t share you with anyone else, and I won’t lose you. No running. Whatever we face in our life, we face it together. Do you understand?”
Her eyes sparkled with moisture. “You make me believe in the good for the first time in a long time, and I want to share this with you.”
I cupped her face in my hands. “Be mine, stay here with me, be with me, in every way. Can you do that?”
Her eyes dropped to the floor again, a tear falling down her cheek. I kissed it away and brought her flush against me. She fit in my arms like a puzzle piece made just for me. A fact that I was all too aware of over the last week. “I want to be yours, Jake.”
“Then be mine. Delaney, I want you forever.”
“Forever? You’re sure? You won’t change your mind, no matter what?”
I shook my head and smiled at her innocence again. “No matter what, I’ll choose you every single time. You just need to trust me. Please, I won’t let you down.”
“I trust you,” she whispered, as our mouths collided in a heated kiss.
“You said you trust me, so I need you to trust me now. I want to make love to you, but not when you’re hurting and on pain meds. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and it’s going to be a wonderful holiday for all of us. Friday, I want to take you somewhere special, just the two of us for the weekend. Do you trust me enough to wait and go away with me? To spend some time alone, away from everyone for a couple of days?”
“Okay. I can do that. But only if you hold me tonight and don’t let me go,” she whispered.
She was beautiful in her vulnerability. “Scout’s honor. Tonight, and every night until you tire of me and kick me to the curb,” I teased.
I picked her up and carried her to my bedroom. “Why did you bring me in here, if we are trying to be good?” She asked, as I laid her on my bed.
“I want you in my bed. You’re the only woman who has or will be in this bedroom with me, and I want you for as long as you’ll have me,” I said, not taking my eyes from hers. “Come here. We won’t have sex, but that doesn’t mean I can’t bring you pleasure in other ways.”
The neck of the hoodie was large enough on her tiny frame that it gave me access to her skin, and I took advantage, placing soft kisses along her collarbone. The moans of pleasure she gave me in return were all the confirmation I needed that this was what she wanted. I unzipped the front of the sweatshirt, just to the edge of her breastbone, and it fell open, revealing her perfect breasts.
Her eyes seemed to want to tell me a million different things, and I wanted to hear every single one of them. “What are you thinking about?” I whispered, befo
re closing my mouth around one of her nipples. Her gasp of pleasure only encouraged me to continue my passionate exploration of her body.
“Oh God,” she whimpered when my mouth moved to the other one, my fingers pinching the one it had just suckled. “You… that… please don’t stop,” she begged.
“I wasn’t planning on it.” Her body moved, almost outside of her control, writhing under the pressure of my mouth as my tongue tasted her skin. It was perfection to watch her coming undone under my lips.
“So responsive, baby. You’re beautiful,” I whispered, bringing my mouth to hers again. Her eyes were on mine, her breathing heavy, cheeks flushed, and I couldn’t get enough of her. My mind reeled me in, not wanting to let this get too far out of control. Not tonight.
“Touch me,” she said, pushing my hand between her thighs. “Jake please, I need you to touch me.”
The emotion wrapped in her confession tore through me, leaving only the ability to do as she requested. I could never deny her. My mouth continued to taste hers, as my fingers traveled down her stomach to her hip, and I stopped when they crossed over puckered skin.
I moved my mouth away, so I could see what my fingers had crossed over, and the scar held my eyes. The skin looked as though it had burned in the not so distant past. The skin was darker than the beautiful Ivory color on the rest of her body. Her hand went to my face, turning it back to hers. “Please don’t look at it,” she pled.
My mind was reeling with what David had asked.
Did she have a large scar on her hip?
She was the girl in the FBI database. That part of the information was accurate, but I wanted to know how this horrible scar had gotten there. Was it an accident? Intentional? Did someone hurt her that way?
“It’s part of you, Delaney. We all have scars. Some of us carry them on our skin, some of us in our minds and hearts, but we all have them. What happened?” I asked as gently as the weight of the question would allow.
Her eyes left my gaze and looked past me as she tried to pull the hoodie closed to cover herself once again. “No,” I whispered, turning her face back to me. “Hey, talk to me,” I said.