Protecting What's Mine: A Security Romance Collection

by Apryl Baker

  We walk back into the hospital and straight to Dad’s room, and before we walk in, I can hear him giving the nurse shit about getting into bed. I walk in and my dad stops talking.

  “Dad, if you want to go home soon, you need to listen to the doctor’s orders. Please stop giving the nice nurse a hard time.”

  “I’m tired of lying in bed,” he grunts.

  “You were shot two days ago. You’re not going to heal overnight.”

  He huffs.

  “Ma’am,” I turn to the nurse, “can we sit him in a recliner or adjust the bed, so he isn’t lying down?”

  “Let me see if I can get a recliner for him. I’ll be right back.”

  “Thank you.” We all move out of the way to let her out of the room. “Maybe if you ask instead of being so demanding, you might get something done. These nurses aren’t your employees.”

  “They damn well should be. We are paying for them, aren’t we?”

  “You’re awfully grumpy.”

  “I’m sorry, but this isn’t how I thought I’d be spending my Thanksgiving.”

  “I know, Dad.”

  “That son of a bitch needs to be caught. I’ll deal with him personally.”

  “We will get him, sir,” Sam asserts from behind me.

  “That’s a discussion for later, Dad. We brought you clothes and toiletries for when you want to freshen up.”

  “Thank you. I’ll take a shower in a bit. Doc said he would release me tomorrow.”

  “Are you going back to Denver then?”

  “Yes. Since Chantelle tried to kill me, the pre-nup is void. I’ll have the legal paperwork drawn up just in case.”

  “I’ll call Jefferson when I leave here in a bit and have him call you later,” I confirm.

  “Thank you.”

  “Oh, I have your new phone in the bag.” I open the bag and dig out his new cellphone. “Craig has already programmed it for you. Everything should be on there.”

  “Okay.”

  “We will get everything ready in order for us to fly home tomorrow night,” Aedan tells Dad. “We will be able to change if we need to.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “And it gives me time to hire a nurse.” I smirk.

  “I don’t need a damn nurse.”

  “You do until Dr. Monroe clears you to take care of yourself.”

  “I’ll pay him off,” he grumbles.

  “You won’t.”

  He stares at me. “You are a hard-ass.”

  “Just like you. Where do you think I learned it?” I smile.

  There’s a knock on the door. “Mr. McCoy, I found you a chair to sit in,” the older nurse announces.

  “Thank you.”

  “Do you want to shower before we move you?”

  “Please.”

  “Let me get everything ready.” She goes into the bathroom, turning on the lights and water.

  “See, being nice helps.”

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  “We’ll be back later to check on you. Let me know if you need anything. Oh, Reese and Tier left this morning.”

  “Yes, they called when they made it back to Denver.”

  “Good. Love you, Dad. Make sure you behave.”

  “I will. I love you too.”

  I hug my dad and Laney hugs him as well. He’s like the father she never had. After we say goodbye, we walk out of the building and back to the SUV.

  “What are we going to do? Sitting around doing nothing is getting old quick,” I say to Aedan.

  “Do you think you can handle going to the ranch?”

  Can I? I don’t know until I go. I need to see if there’s anything that can be salvaged.

  “Yes. I need to see it in the daylight.”

  “Okay.”

  Aedan opens the back door and Laney and I get in, and he and Sam get in the front. Within a few minutes, we are pulling out of the parking lot and heading toward the country.

  Twin Falls is a decent size city and I haven’t spent time in town. We always go from the airport straight to the ranch, and I know as soon as we go over the big truss bridge that we are thirty minutes from the ranch. I’ve never taken the time to take in what was around me. I also haven’t been here since I was a teenager, so that wasn’t important to me. Now, it is.

  Once we pull into the lane, we have to take the secondary drive to the house. I almost forgot the storm knocked the main bridge out. It’s rare to get violent thunderstorms up here, and that one flooded the river that runs on our property. If you look at a map, the river looks nonexistent, but when it rains, it’s a raging river.

  “Has anyone been contacted about replacing the bridge?”

  “Yes. When things calm down, a contractor will come in and put in a new one.”

  “How long will it take?”

  “He quoted me a day. They have premade ones,” Sam replies.

  “I know metal doesn’t fit the scenery, but I think the material needs to be metal.”

  “I agree, and they are doing metal trusses.”

  “Good. That’s what the service entrance is, and it held up through the storm.”

  “Yes, I had an engineer out here this morning. We needed to know if it would hold heavy equipment for the cleanup and rebuild.”

  “Thank you for being on it.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  We go over the bridge and the barns and the ranch hand quarters come into view. Laney grabs my hand, closing it into hers, holding it tight. As we go around the curve, past the barns where the house once stood, I see the stone smokestack from the fireplace in the living room, the appliances in the kitchen, and the gutted truck that my father drove while he was here. The house looks like it’s been through a war. My heart sinks to my stomach. Tears burn my eyes as they spill down my face. How could this son of a bitch do this?

  “Are you okay?” Laney whispers.

  I nod and keep looking at what’s left of the one place that held my mother’s love. The SUV stops in the old driveway and Aedan looks at me in the rearview mirror.

  “Do you want to get out?”

  I can’t say anything. I’m afraid a sob will come out instead of words, so I just nod. He gets out and opens my door, offers me his hand, and I get out with his assistance. Aedan doesn’t release my hand and pulls my body into his. He knows I’ll need help getting through this.

  “The cleanup crew is coming tomorrow. They will work tomorrow and be off Thanksgiving and be back Friday and Saturday. They said it shouldn’t take that long to clean up,” Sam says from behind us.

  “Thanks, Sam,” Aedan says.

  I pull away from Aedan, because I need to take this all in by myself. Charred lumber crunches under my boots as I walk through what used to be the dining room. I walk over to the stone fireplace and look around for anything that could have survived, and I bend over to turn over a large piece of metal. I see it’s one of the old-fashioned signs that used to hang around the fireplace, and below the sign, in perfect condition is a family picture from when I was fourteen. I pick it up and hold it to my chest and I let the tears consume me. I can feel Aedan come up behind me and wrap his arms around me. I know everything will be okay, even if it’s falling apart around me.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Jesse

  The flight back to Denver seemed to take longer than normal, because I was worried about my dad’s health, worried about our safety, worried about everything. Since he’s still recovering and will be for weeks to come, I hired a nurse to make sure that he takes it easy. But he won’t. I know he won’t. I told the nurse he would be a pain in her ass. She just laughed and said he won’t be her first difficult patient.

  Trent is staying with him in the condo. I wish he would sell it and travel the country, the world. I will talk to him about doing so after he heals. The property would sell fast, and he could get something smaller if he wanted to keep a home address. I just want him out of here, so he can get rid of all these bad memories.

&nbs
p; The past four days back from Idaho has gone by fast. We didn’t do anything for Thanksgiving since we were still recovering from everything that happened. Tomorrow will be my first day back in the office, and the first day of work in December—my favorite month. We normally have a company Christmas party, but I want to have a family and friends party too. We have so much to celebrate this year. Even though it’s been a roller coaster, we are all here and that needs to be celebrated, and we need a party since we didn’t celebrate Turkey Day with everyone.

  I hope Aedan will be okay with this. Chet is long gone, and Chantelle is probably living it up on some tropical island while he does her dirty work. Just the thought of her makes my blood boil. How can so many people be fooled by this bitch’s sob story? Feel sorry for me because my dad didn’t know about me until I was twenty-two. Boo-fucking-hoo.

  Make something out of your life instead of expecting someone to hand it to you because you think things have been unfair. I know. I have been there myself. I expected to have the company handed to me as soon as I came back to Denver, but I was wrong. I’ve worked my ass off the past two years to get back in the good graces of my father, and I had to prove I deserved the company, not because I’m a McCoy, but because I know how to the run the business and make people money.

  I shake my head at all the mistakes I made in my life. Chet wasn’t a mistake…letting someone interfere with what I had promised my family, my life…was my mistake. I won’t lay the blame completely on him. It takes two. I can’t take back anything in my past that has happened, but I can make it right. The lessons that I learned while working, going to school, and paying off my debt made me grow up, made me realize that if you don’t work for what you want, it’s not worth it.

  The relationship Chet and I had scared me from being in another relationship. I didn’t want to end up in the same place again, and I didn’t know whether I could be in committed relationship again. Aedan changed that. He made me realize I could be loved for who I am, flaws and all, but I’m still scared. I’m scared that I will screw up and our relationship will be over.

  We’ve been official for six months, but I feel like I’ve known him most of my life. Maybe it’s because he’s been in my life for the past eight years in some way or another, but for the past year, he’s purposely placed himself in my life. He was positive about his feelings for me, while I was still trying to decide what to wear to work. I was mad at him for how he tricked me. Even though I thought I was meeting someone else, he got to know the real me, my perverted thoughts, and everything else. The first time our lips touched, I was his, and I want to be forever.

  I won’t compare my relationship with Aedan to the one I had with Chet. Neither of them are alike, nor are the relationships themselves. I’m sure in some sick, twisted way, Chet liked me, possibly loved me…but I have no doubt about the love Aedan has for me. He makes sure I know daily his feelings for me. That makes me happy.

  “What are you over there smiling about?” Aedan asks as he walks into the family room and plops down on the couch.

  “You.”

  He pulls me on his lap, and I put my arms around his neck, lacing my fingers behind his head.

  “What about me?”

  “Just thinking about you and me…and how we ended up where we are.”

  “We are here because I wanted you and I needed to have you.”

  “Um, that sounds stalkerish.”

  “Well…”

  “I’m kidding! I know you’re not a stalker. Well, not the bad kind. You were doing your job.”

  “I was. Maybe I should have told you about my feelings for you sooner…”

  “No, the timing wasn’t right. I had a lot of shit to work out. You know that.”

  “Yeah…” He pulls me into him, and he places his head on my chest, so he can hear my heart beat. “Jesse…”

  “Yes?”

  “Will you officially move in with me?”

  I’ve been here for six months, and even though this is his house, it’s felt like home since the first day I was here. What will I do with my house? I guess I could keep it, but what would kind of sign would that give Aedan? I want to live with you, but I want to have my house in case things don’t work out…just say yes already, you idiot.

  “Yes! I can’t think of anywhere else I rather be.”

  “I have another question for you.”

  Oh my…is he popping the question?

  “Okay…”

  “How about waiting to move the things you want from your house here and we buy a house together?”

  “I love your house.”

  “That’s the thing. It’s my house. I want it to be our house.”

  “I would love that.”

  He grabs my face and kisses me. “You make me so happy. I love you,” he confesses, placing our foreheads together.

  “I love you too.” My heart fills. The fear I felt leaves my chest. He’s in it for long-term. “When do you want to start looking at houses?”

  “After the holidays. Speaking of holidays, I was thinking we could have a big family Christmas party. Both of our families together along with our close friends.”

  “Sounds like a good idea. It would cut down on having to attend a lot of parties.”

  “That’s what I was thinking. It is the time of the year that needs to be spent with family, but how can you spend much time with your family if you’re too busy traveling?”

  “I like the way you’re thinking. What time will our families be here today?”

  He looks down at his watch. “In an hour or so, why?”

  I hop up, pull on his arm to follow, and run up the stairs, yelling, “Catch me if you can.” I need some alone time with my man.

  ***

  Aedan

  I stand in the kitchen, lost in my thoughts. Every time with Jesse is amazing. I can’t get enough of her. She does something to me. I can’t control myself when it comes to making love to her. I replay making love to her and going for seconds in the shower, only to finish moments before my sister and her family arrived. I still can’t believe I blurted out asking Jesse to move in like that. It’s been on my mind for a while, but I guess in my subconscious I needed to make it official since I want to ask her to marry me soon. Maybe it’s too soon, but it feels right.

  The family Christmas party would be the perfect time since our family and close friends will attend. I want to do this right way. I’m going to ask Pearse for her hand. It’s the only way to do it since Chet screwed that shit up the first time. I want to be the last person she marries, because I’m in it for life.

  The house is loud with both of our families here and I love it. If the glow on Jesse’s face is any indication of how happy she is, then I must be doing something right. I hope so, because I don’t want to mess up our relationship with my urge to protect her.

  “There’s my favorite son,” my mother says as she kisses me on the cheek.

  “Hey, Mom. I didn’t hear you come in.”

  “Kevin let us in. We ordered dinner and it’s going to be delivered shortly. Sandwiches from the deli on the corner.”

  “Thank you. I was going to order pizza once everyone got here. I guess I don’t have to now.”

  “Nope. Don’t need that stress.”

  “I appreciate it and I’m sure everyone else will too.” She smiles and walks toward the family room.

  “Hey, Denny,” Dad says as he walks by and pats me on the shoulder before following my mom.

  We are waiting on Laney, Reese, and Tierney to get here. Sam will be here later, but Laney doesn’t know that. He stayed back in Idaho to get the ranch secured, and to watch the cleanup of the house. With winter coming, Pearse will wait until spring to rebuild the house, but he wanted to get the old house rubble removed. The ranch hands know how to protect themselves and their living quarters were untouched, so they will remain and run the ranch as normal.

  I walk into my man cave and open the mini bar. There’s an unopened bottle
of Glenlivet twenty-five-year-old scotch in the cabinet. I pick it up and set it on top of the bar and remove the plastic from the cork and bottle. The glasses are sitting above the bar and I pick up one and pour two fingers of the amber liquid. I take a moment and drink the glass in one gulp. The alcohol warms me as it goes down, and I pour another, drinking it as quickly as the first. I don’t want to be drunk, so I cork the bottle and put it away, and I carry the glass into the kitchen to be washed later.

  Jesse is in the kitchen talking to my mom when I make my way in there. She stands on her tip toes and kisses me, and she looks at me when pulls away.

  I hold up the glass. “Scotch.”

  “Oh, tastes good.”

  “It is. It’s on the bar in my room if you want some.”

  “I’m good for now, thanks.” She smiles and returns to talking to my mom.

  Voices echo in through the hallway from the garage, and Laney enters the kitchen followed by Reese and Tierney. Finally, everyone is here. As I get everyone’s coats, Jesse gets their drinks, and we get everyone settled in before dinner arrives. Once we have everyone taken care of, Jesse places her arms around my waist and hugs me.

  “Thank you, Aedan, for loving me and my family.”

  “I should be the one thanking you.”

  “You know we will be spoiling your nephews at Christmas.”

  “Oh, they are going to love you. I normally don’t know what to buy them, so I have Leigh buy what they need.” She looks at me like I’m crazy.

  “That’s not what we are doing this year. I’ll get with her later and get sizes and what they are into. Then you and I are going shopping.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I’m glad you see it my way.” She giggles and kisses me on the cheek before she walks into the family room and sits on Laney’s lap.

  Since everyone is occupied, I walk into my office and shut the door to call Pearse. I shouldn’t be interrupted, and I pick up my office phone to dial his number.

  “McCoy,” he answers.

  “You’re supposed to be taking it easy.”