by Lara Lacombe
“What happened?”
Emma began to talk, pausing only when a beleaguered-looking waitress appeared to ask if they wanted anything. Matt ordered a cup of coffee, more to stave off any protests about loitering than because he actually wanted it. The woman returned a moment later, sliding the steaming cup across the chipped laminate table with a little huff.
Matt gripped the cup, his blood going cold as Emma recounted her story of the two men breaking into her apartment and her desperate escape on the ledge of the building.
“You could have fallen to your death,” he said quietly, a little surprised that his voice didn’t shake. Even hours after the event, with her sitting safe and whole across from him, fear gripped his heart.
“I know,” she said grimly. “But I didn’t see another choice. I wasn’t going to let them take my baby girl.”
“I wish I had been there.” He wasn’t quite sure what he could have done—two against one wasn’t exactly fair odds, especially if the men were armed—but he could have held them off while Emma and Christina escaped.
“It’s okay.” Emma reached across the table and wrapped her hand around one of his wrists. “You’re here now, and that’s all that matters.”
“I don’t know what you have planned, but I want you and Christina to stay with me until this is all over. We can hunker down at my apartment, or go hide in some rinky-dink no-tell motel off the beaten path, it doesn’t matter to me. But I don’t want you and the baby to be alone again.” There was no telling where the would-be abductors were now, but Matt figured they’d be back. Emma and her daughter wouldn’t be safe until the police arrested those men. Matt knew Emma was a proud, capable woman, but he wasn’t going to let her face that kind of danger on her own.
Not again.
“I was hoping you’d say that,” she said, smiling a little. “I don’t know what the best choice is right now, but I can’t tell you how relieved I am to know I don’t have to make a decision by myself.”
Her look of gratitude made him feel ten feet tall, and he fought the urge to puff out his chest.
“I just wish I knew who those men were and why they came after us,” she continued.
Matt frowned. “My guess? They’re traffickers. Someone probably tipped them off about Christina.”
Emma’s eyes widened. “You mean someone tried to sell my baby?”
Not someone, Matt thought. One specific person. But he didn’t want to rub her nose in the fact that her brother was probably the one behind the kidnapping attempt.
Fortunately, he didn’t have to. Emma’s expression turned thunderous. “That rat bastard,” she muttered darkly.
Matt merely nodded once to show he agreed with her. “He probably got cold feet and sent you the text telling you to leave.”
“Yeah, and a lot of good it did me,” she said. “If Joseph had really meant to help, he’d have given me more than thirty seconds of warning.”
She had a point. Whoever had sent the message hadn’t given her enough time to make an escape before the men arrived. So why send the text at all?
“Maybe he didn’t know the men were so close?” Matt suggested.
Emma snorted. “No, he probably just felt guilty and was trying to absolve himself by warning me. If the men abducted Christina after I got his message, he figured it would be my fault because I hadn’t taken the anonymous text seriously.”
“Is that really how your brother thinks?”
“Yes.” She rolled her eyes. “Everything is always someone else’s fault. He’s never responsible for anything that happens, unless it’s something good. Then he can’t wait to take all the credit.”
“Sounds like a fun guy,” Matt commented. “I know you’re angry with him, but we can’t waste our time on him. We need to figure out our next move.”
“If those men really are traffickers, this is more serious than I thought.” Emma glanced at the sleeping face of her baby, her features softening a bit. “I’ve read a few news articles about people like that. They don’t give up easily.”
“That’s true,” he confirmed. “I think the first thing we should do is find someplace safe to sleep for a few hours. We’ll take my truck. The people looking for you won’t know what I drive, so they won’t be searching for it. Once we get on the road, why don’t you call the El Paso police and tell them our suspicions? They might not take us seriously, but there might be someone there who knows about the traffickers operating in the city.”
“I told the officers who came to my apartment everything that had happened. I also left a message for Detective Randall,” she said. “I’m waiting to hear back from him.”
Matt nodded. “That’s good. Maybe he can arrange to have you and Christina placed under protection until the threat is handled.”
A shadow crossed Emma’s face. “That’s probably for the best.” She looked down at her hands, which she had clasped on the table. “I was hoping things would go back to normal now that Christina has been found.” She met his eyes, her lips pursed as if she’d tasted something sour. “So much for that.”
It was Matt’s turn to reach for her, to wrap his hand around hers. “It’ll be okay,” he said. “This is just a detour. We’ll handle it, and soon you’ll be settling in to your old routine again.”
She smiled shyly. “You said ‘we.’ Do you mean it?”
The look on her face made him suck in a breath. All at once, he realized what his words meant to her. He’d spoken without thinking, but as he watched relief and hope flicker in her eyes, he understood he’d extended a lifeline. Emma was a single mother, used to doing everything by herself. She had to be exhausted and probably a little lonely. He’d only meant to offer her some encouragement, but could he give her something more?
Yes. The voice in his head was quiet but insistent. The answer is yes.
Matt nodded, swallowing hard. “I did say that. And I do mean it.”
The weight of his promise settled over his shoulders, but he didn’t feel trapped or bogged down. Rather, it felt like he had slipped into an old shirt, one he hadn’t worn in quite a while. Since leaving Jennifer and her baby, he’d retreated into himself, shrinking a bit to hide his heart from the world. But now he was starting to stretch again, to unfurl his soul and reclaim his true size. It was a heady sensation, one that made him feel like he could take on the world if it meant keeping Emma and her daughter safe.
Her eyes were shiny as she looked at him. “Thank you,” she whispered. She glanced away, discreetly wiping her cheeks. “I need to use the restroom before we go. Do you mind watching Christina?”
“Not at all.” He stood and took Emma’s place next to the baby. Christina was still asleep, one hand curled into a tiny fist next to her chin.
Matt watched her for a few breaths, a wave of tenderness spreading through him as her breath hitched a little. She was so small, so full of potential. Did she have any idea what was going on?
Of course not. How could she? Hell, he was an adult and he still had a ton of questions. Still, his heart did a funny little flip as he watched the baby’s peaceful slumber.
Watch out, his head warned. He’d felt this tingle before, when he’d seen Jennifer standing there with a baby in her arms. If he wasn’t careful, he’d fall in love with little Christina and her mother, and get his heart broken all over again for his efforts.
Christina shifted in her sleep, and he felt some of his resistance crumble away. He could protect Emma and her daughter and still guard his heart. There had to be a way, even if he couldn’t see it right now. He’d figure it out as they went along. Somehow.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, little one,” he whispered. “But I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. You and your mother.”
* * *
Joseph sank low behind the wheel of his car, his eyes darting left and right as he cont
inuously scanned the parking lot of the truck stop. Of all the places for Emma to go, she’d brought him right back into the lion’s den.
His stomach had dropped to his shoes when she’d exited the freeway and turned in here. It was the same place he’d met with the traffickers only a couple of days ago. Fortunately, he didn’t see the boss’s semi parked anywhere, and it didn’t look like Green Shirt was in the diner. But how long could his luck last?
A flash of movement inside the diner caught his eye, and he watched as Emma rose from the table and headed to the bathroom, leaving Christina in the care of the blond man who’d walked in about ten minutes ago. Joseph narrowed his eyes as he studied the guy. His face was turned away from the windows, his head bent as he looked at the car seat. Who was this stranger? And why had his sister called him?
Emma seemed to trust him, that much was obvious. She wouldn’t have left him alone with Christina otherwise. He had a no-nonsense vibe that made Joseph wonder if he was a cop. But no, a police officer wouldn’t be meeting her at a truck stop diner. He’d have come to her apartment, or had her come to the police station. Not a cop, then...
Joseph studied the man’s back as he leaned down. He had broad shoulders, and even from this distance Joseph could tell the man had a fair bit of muscle on him. Maybe a private investigator? Then he straightened, and Joseph saw a bit of color peeking out from under the edge of his sleeve. A tattoo.
Soldier. The word flashed in his mind, the pieces falling into place as he continued to study the man. Short hair? Check. Good posture? Check. Alert, wary gaze, scanning the place for potential threats? Check and check. Yep, this guy was a soldier, or had been at one point.
The realization made him feel a little bit better. Whoever he was, he could likely protect Emma and Christina from danger.
At least he hoped so.
Joseph heard the rumble of a truck engine and turned to see a semi pull into the lot. It drove past his car, headed for the back corner. He couldn’t see the driver, but a sense of horror filled him as he watched the truck glide into a parking spot.
Oh, no. Oh, please no.
He blinked, hoping the stress of the last few days was causing him to see things. But no. It was the same semitruck he’d climbed into not that long ago, pulling into the same spot along the far edge of the lot.
The traffickers were back.
He swiveled his head to look into the diner. If Emma and the baby left right now, they might be able to get away before the traffickers noticed them. Christina was in her carrier, so her face wouldn’t be that visible.
His heart thumped hard against his chest as he watched the blond man take the baby out of her car seat. He put her up to his shoulder, patting her back gently.
Joseph glanced in the direction of the bathrooms, cursing when he saw the doors remained closed. Where was his sister? What was taking her so long?
His stomach lurched as he looked at the semitruck once more. It was parked now, and as he watched, the driver flipped off the lights. They were getting ready to go inside...
Joseph couldn’t let them see Emma and the baby. She’d already escaped them once—she might not be so lucky a second time.
Acting on instinct, he climbed out of the car and headed for the diner. If he could give his sister a bit of a head start, she and the blond guy might have a fighting chance.
He darted across the parking lot, forcing himself to walk so he didn’t draw the eyes of the traffickers. It probably would have been safer for him to text her again, but there was no guarantee she’d see the message in time. Besides, he was committed now. He twitched with the sensation of being watched, though in truth, no one bothered to glance at him. For one brief second he allowed himself to hope that the boss had a different set of guys with him today, but Joseph knew he was unlikely to be so lucky. He had to get in, warn Emma and get out before they found him. Otherwise, he was in for a world of hurt.
“Come on,” he muttered, stepping into the warm, greasy air of the diner. “In and out. It’s that simple.”
And that complicated.
* * *
Emma finished washing her hands, then bent and splashed water on her face. The cold was a shock to her system, helping her reset her thoughts and get her mind back on track.
“What are you doing?” she asked her reflection. But the answer was clear.
She was attracted to Matt. And if she wasn’t careful, she was going to fall for him.
But come on, who could blame her? He’d come when she’d called in the middle of the night, without hesitation. And when he’d walked into the diner, his first question had been about her daughter. That alone was enough to make her want to jump over the table and kiss him.
Again.
She shivered a little at the memory of his greeting. There was something so deliciously sensual in the way this big, strong man had walked in and kissed her without saying a word. An electric shock had raced through her body as he’d held her, his soft, careful touch an enticing contrast to the muscles of his chest and arms. For the first time since Chris, Emma had felt wanted. It was something she could get used to.
But not now.
She shook her head, casting aside her selfish desires. Right now, she had to focus on her baby.
Having Matt here was a huge relief, and not just because she was attracted to him. Even though she knew Christina was still in danger, being with Matt made her feel like everything would turn out okay. Matt’s presence by her side took away some of her stress and fear. She wasn’t alone anymore; she didn’t have to face the bad guys without help.
But she had to be careful, or she’d mistake his offer of help for something more. Matt was a good man—she knew that already. But that didn’t necessarily mean he had feelings for her. Yes, his kiss had made her toes curl, but that didn’t mean he wanted a real relationship. He might only be interested in a short-term fling once this was all over. It was a truth she had to keep in the front of her mind, or she would start to read too much into his actions and wind up with her heart broken.
“He’s just being nice,” she muttered. As a former soldier, he likely had an overdeveloped sense of responsibility. A tinge of worry crept along the edges of her thoughts. Was she taking advantage of him?
She dismissed the possibility almost immediately. Matt was a grown man. He’d answered her call because he wanted to. She hadn’t held a gun to his head and forced him to meet her here, nor had she blackmailed him into helping her. Everything he was doing was of his own volition.
Emma glanced at her watch as she dried her hands. It was almost five in the morning. Hopefully they could find a hotel before the sun was fully up; it had been a long night, and she was quickly losing what little energy she had left.
She stepped out of the bathroom and started back for the table. Her heart warmed as she caught a glimpse of Matt holding Christina. His head was turned to the side, and Emma could see his lips move as he spoke to her daughter. He seemed like such a natural with kids, and once again Emma wondered why he didn’t have any of his own.
Just as she took another step, she noticed a man walking up the aisle of the diner, headed toward Matt and Christina. A jolt of fear went through her, but then she recognized him. It was Joseph.
She relaxed instinctively at the sight of him, and in the next heartbeat stiffened as rage filled her body. A white-hot anger flooded her system, propelling her forward as the rest of the world faded into insignificance.
Emma moved past Matt and Christina, barely registering the worried look on Matt’s face as she made a beeline for her brother. For his part, Joseph didn’t try to run. He actually looked a little relieved to see her, but she couldn’t say the same for him. All the familial affection she’d once had for her brother was gone, replaced by a gnawing sense of disappointment and a potent anger, the likes of which she’d never felt before.
“What
the hell do you think you’re doing?” She practically spat the words at him, her jaw muscles so tight she could barely speak. Just the sight of him was enough to override her self-control, and she lifted her hand, the need to slap him overwhelming.
Joseph caught her wrist before she could strike. “Emma, I’m so sorry,” he began, but she cut him off.
“No. You don’t get to say that to me.”
“Emma, what’s going on?” Matt’s deep voice floated over her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“Get her away from here,” she said, not daring to look back. She was never going to take her eyes off her snake of a brother again, so long as he was near her child.
“Emma—” Matt started.
Joseph spoke at the same time. “You have to get out of here,” he said urgently. “Right now.”
Emma cocked her head to the side. “Sure,” she said, the word dripping with sarcasm. “I believe you.”
“You’re Joseph,” Matt said quietly. Suddenly, he was standing next to Emma, trying to pass the baby over. Emma reflexively took her daughter and immediately realized her mistake. Now that Matt had his hands free, he looked like he was going to take a piece out of Joseph.
She appreciated the thought, but this wasn’t the place to start a fistfight. She didn’t really care if Joseph got hurt, but she didn’t want Matt to get into any trouble with the police. Nor did she want him to get injured—Joseph wasn’t afraid to fight dirty, especially when his back was against a wall.
To her surprise, Joseph barely glanced at Matt’s towering figure. “Emma, please listen to me. I know you don’t trust me, but you have got to get out of here now.”
Something about his tone broke through her anger. “Why?” she asked warily.
“Those men that broke into your apartment tonight,” Joseph said. “They work for a human trafficker.”
“How did you—?” Emma shook her head, not bothering to finish the question. Joseph’s knowledge of the attempted kidnapping merely confirmed his involvement. Emma didn’t think it was possible to be any more disappointed in her brother, but her heart sank a bit further.