Treasured

by Pinder, Victoria

  I first called my mother on the drive, but I got her voice mail. I tapped the wheel and decided to call my Cole Securities contact next. His wife was in the CIA. He answered on the first ring.

  “Mark, we have to talk.”

  “Thunder Thighs, what’s going on?”

  I pulled into Mary’s place, and a silver car bulleted out of the parking lot. I watched and waited till the dust settled and then retrieved Bruce. “Tomorrow, I’ll plant the bug. Have your wife and her CIA intel friends work fast.” I left the stroller and car seat and held Bruce to my chest.

  “Why the sudden rush? Are you suspecting something?”

  I shuffled Bruce while I retrieved the keys and said, “Maybe it’s nothing, but my gut instinct is she’s planning something.”

  “With direct access, we should have everything on her drive within minutes. Trust me,” Mark said quickly.

  I unlocked Mary’s place and locked up. “Good. I want you personally to check everything with Arthur Waterstone’s name on it.” I took Bruce to his crib and laid him down.

  “Okay. Your girlfriend’s ex. We’ll be in touch when we figure it out.”

  “Good,” I said, and I checked to make sure the baby monitor was on then slipped out of the room. Wanda had hired Arthur so she’d not directly deal with criminals, but those days were ending.

  I still had an hour before Mary, so I made lemon-piccata chicken and pasta so she wouldn’t be hungry. Then I checked on amusement park times.

  Perfect. There were later hours in the spring, which would give us enough time for Bruce to have fun while I guided his sexy mother around.

  The idea of staying in Pittsburgh and spending every day with the two of them rushed into my heart like a small dream.

  As the chicken baked, my phone rang, which woke Bruce up. He screamed. I answered my phone while rushing into the bedroom and picking him up. “Momma. Finally.”

  “What’s going on? Do I hear a baby?”

  I tapped his back like I remembered seeing people do when holding babies, and he calmed down while I brought him to the kitchen and grabbed one of the bottles. “I’m babysitting for my girlfriend.”

  “And you’ve not brought her to me.”

  Bruce suckled, and I took him to the couch to hold him as he drank. “Momma, did Devon ever explain why he suddenly left me all the shares of his company before he died? I remember his will was clear on it, and I never complained about the money, but I used to think my brother had a perfect life.”

  My pulse raced. I’d had a gun held to my head and hadn’t blinked, but my mother still had this power over me. “He wasn’t perfect,” she said. “No one is. He hoped he’d guide Wanda to stay on the right path, but she stopped calling us after a while. I’ve been praying for her since you told me what Devon’s friends revealed.”

  I closed my eyes. I’d not written a will. I’d just assumed whatever I had would go to my mother. Bruce giggled as he stared at me. “I should have come home sooner,” I said calmly.

  “You needed to find yourself, and when you left, Wanda was still visiting. Don’t be hard on yourself.”

  “I had blinders on when it came to my brother and Wanda,” I said like that was some answer. Seriously, my brother had trusted me, and so far, I’d failed his memory.

  Owning my brother’s company with his fiancée was very different from what I had expected. When I had decided to come home from the service, I figured I would work with her because I knew people in the military and had connections that might be good for wanting new weapons.

  Mark’s conversation had changed my goals. My mother just said, “You were a kid when he died, and you were serving your country.”

  My skin prickled, but I tried to calm down as I asked, “Can I see his will again? I want to send it to my lawyers.”

  “I’ll email you.”

  “Thank you,” I said then hung up the phone.

  On another day, I would have worked out at the gym for an hour. Today, though, I changed a diaper and settled on the floor to play while Bruce learned to stand up at his play table.

  At three fifteen, the door opened, and Mary returned with a smile on her face that was clearly for Bruce.

  He crawled over to her, and she hugged him. “How was your day?”

  “We were good,” I said, but heat rose in my cheeks, too, the moment her lips met mine. I held them both for a moment then let them go and said, “I made us dinner.”

  She let Bruce down and followed me into the kitchen. “Where are we going after?” Her gaze narrowed.

  I grabbed some plates out of her cupboard. “Are you ready to go to Kennywood Park?”

  She bounced then grabbed the silverware. “I’ve not gone since I was a girl.”

  I set one of the baby bowls out for Bruce so he could try the pasta without sauce, but I added the lemon sauce and chicken to the adult plates. “Well, it’s my treat for the afternoon. Hopefully, Bruce will enjoy himself.”

  “Thank you for all of this,” she said, smelling the food on her plate.

  Then she put it down and curled her arms around me.

  Her kiss made me ache and filled me with hope. No other woman had ever made me want to kick up my heels and stay forever—only Mary.

  Chapter Ten

  Mary

  The evening air was getting cold. Neither of us were in jackets, but I wrapped a blanket around Bruce so at least he would be warm.

  Soon, Dwayne would be a memory in my life, but for now, he was here.

  Young teenagers were screaming on the roller coaster we passed, but Bruce was quiet. He’d been overwhelmed, but the fact that Dwayne was here, holding my hand and there for us, was new.

  We headed toward the main gate, and I squeezed his hand in mine as we pushed the stroller. “Thank you for tonight, Dwayne,” I said.

  He smiled at me, and my heart swelled a little as he said, “Soon, we get that dinner date I want.”

  “Maybe,” I said. When he left for good, I would probably be heartbroken.

  We headed past the bumper cars, but Dwayne stopped me and pointed toward the funnel cake stand in the distance. “Is that Arthur?”

  His blue eyes met mine, and for one second, cold ice rushed through my veins. Then he walked in the other direction.

  Dwayne had crossed his arms like a silent sentinel as he stared him down. I took a deep breath and motioned with my head to keep going. “Must be a coincidence. He’s leaving.”

  We continued, but he scanned the area like he was surveying everyone we passed. Once we made it out the gate and headed toward his rental car, he asked, “Have you seen anything strange at work?”

  I sucked on my bottom lip, and a memory hit me. “I thought I saw his car, but the restraining order is now in effect. He’d go to jail if he comes near us, and he respected that for over a year.”

  Dwayne waited behind the stroller and let me get Bruce out, then he opened the car door for me. He waited till I strapped my baby in, and then he said, “Or he thinks he has a perfect plan. Do me a favor and don’t be alone for a while.”

  Having a black eye and not being able to call my brother for a week when I’d been a client at the shelter now flashed in my memory. I’d been so afraid Arthur was tracking my every move for months, including adding an app to my brother’s phone. “I can’t live my life afraid. I’ve done that, and I can’t go back to being so scared that I can’t enjoy fresh air and sunshine,” I said.

  He kissed my forehead then said, “Let’s go back home.”

  He got in and started the car. A few minutes later, we were on the curvy country back roads that eventually led to my house. The trees of the surrounding area and the hills where only deer could run had only amplified my fears once, but I’d slowly let that fear subside.

  But this city in the middle of what would otherwise be a forest was all I knew, and it was a small place, with nature that called to me. I rested in the seat and said, “Since Bruce is sleeping, we’ll have an easy ride ho
me.”

  Dwayne gripped the wheel as he drove. “And I want you to realize that you have me now.”

  I’d always wanted someone strong enough to take on the world at my side. I’d never met anyone like him. He was my girlhood dream.

  “Hard to believe.” Part of me wanted him to last forever, but dreams were just that, and I’d never been good at holding out hope. I let out a sigh and said, “Besides, you live in Virginia.”

  His eyes narrowed, and he patted my knee. “Not if my lawyers come through. Then I’m moving here.”

  My heart raced as if he’d just offered me a diamond ring. “Really?”

  He met my gaze. “Would you want to see me?”

  “I shouldn’t. I’m not… deserving.” I wasn’t sure how to be in a relationship, but Dwayne gave me butterflies in my gut and warm goose bumps on my arm just from that sexy smile of his with those dimples. My own lips curved higher as I said, “But yeah, maybe I’d like for you to stick around.”

  He squeezed my thigh. “You’re worth far more than you give yourself credit for.”

  “I don’t know the future.” I curled my arms under his. “But for the first time in my life, I’m happy, and you’re a part of that.”

  “So you trust me as more than a booty call and babysitter.”

  My lips parted fast and heat rushed to my face, but I narrowed my eyes and said, “Well, it’s a start.”

  He nodded as we drove onto my street. “I suppose, but I should warn you that my mother wanted to talk to you.”

  I inhaled and held it for a moment. He just leveled up, though my mind screamed that I’d trusted him with Bruce. “Your mother?”

  He motioned with his head to the backseat. “She heard Bruce in the background and assumed you were my girlfriend.”

  I ignored how my insides were twisting and decided to tell him how I felt instead of hiding it. “I’m not ready for that.”

  “She lives in California and hates flying, so don’t worry.” He parked the car. “Moving too fast?”

  I lowered my head and reached for the door handle. “Yeah, but it’s wonderful at the same time. It’s a Catch-22, because I want you here.”

  He got out and carried in everything for Bruce while I picked up my son from his car seat. “Don’t overthink, Mary. Instead, give me time to prove myself.”

  Bruce opened his eyes for a second, and he clasped Dwayne’s finger. We headed to the house, and he held his hand. “My son is clearly enjoying your company.”

  “He’s a good kid,” he said.

  The stars shone above us like we were graced with wonder, and honestly, I was happy. I refused to entertain any other thought, though as we neared my door, Dwayne asked, “What’s your normal evening like without me here?”

  We opened the door, and he locked up as I rushed to get my boy into bed. He followed with a bottle to lay beside him for when he woke up in less than an hour for his late-night drink. “It’s Wednesday, so we’d be at home and probably just finishing tubby time.”

  We snuck out of the room, and as I closed the door, he hugged my waist and said, “So you’d be naked already.”

  I turned toward him, and his fingers brushed against my breasts. “Funny. No. We’re usually curled up in the living room, and I’m looking for something to watch on TV. What about you?”

  I left his embrace and took out the bottle of wine he’d brought over the other night and poured us two glasses. “I’d be working out still.”

  I met his gaze and noticed how his cock was standing at attention for me already. “Really?”

  He sauntered over to me and scooped up his glass. “I have my morning routine and evening routine. I usually finish the evening with a run on the beach.”

  We both sipped from our glasses, but my body was already melting as we stood next to each other. “That sounds hard. I’ve never been a big exerciser.”

  He glanced at me like I was dessert. “I’ve worked you out pretty hard the past few nights.”

  I laughed, though I was getting hot all over. “Well, that’s fun.”

  He rested his hands on the counter behind me and put his glass down. I finished my drink and put my glass beside his. “Mary, you’re beautiful, and I respect you. Plus, you make me calm just by being near you.”

  I hugged him. “And you make me laugh.”

  He unbuckled my pants as he said, “Then we’re both good for each other.”

  His lips suckled my neck as he helped me step out of my pants. “I guess.”

  “You guess?” He tickled my ribs.

  I laughed and pressed my hands to his chest. “I surrender. You’re good for me. Just… nothing in my life has ever been easy.”

  His lips widened as he stayed close and just held me. “So you’re saying I’m a slut.”

  I unzipped his pants and pressed against his pole. “There you go again. Speaking of, how many girlfriends have you had before me?”

  He wiggled, and his pants fell off his body in one easy move. “I’ve not been serious about many.”

  I stilled, and my heart raced. I needed to know this answer. “Avoiding the question. How many women have you had?”

  He reached for my waist and said, “That’s a different question.”

  He nibbled on my ear, and a blaze grew inside me, but I said, “I want answers to both.”

  He stopped, and his brown eyes were practically black. “I’ve had maybe two serious girlfriends.”

  I rose up on my tiptoes and pressed against him. “And?”

  His cheeks almost turned a dark red. “I never counted how many women drifted into my life.”

  I couldn’t decide what I wanted to know at that moment. I let it go and said, “That’s evasive, but okay.”

  He took my hands to lead me to the other bedroom. “No one charmed me like you.”

  We closed the door, and I relaxed when he tossed his shirt on the floor. My mouth watered just from staring at him. “Well, that’s better, but I’ve never been charming.”

  He winked at me then reached for my shirt. “You’re sweet, tempting, kind, loving, and all mine, Mary Steel. For as long as you’ll have me.”

  I wanted to believe him. I closed my eyes and whispered, “You’re one of a kind yourself, Dwayne.”

  Then he kissed me. I forgot all my doubts and fears and kissed him back.

  Chapter Eleven

  Dwayne

  The morning went by too quickly. We woke up, ate breakfast, showered, played with Bruce, and nine o’clock came too soon.

  An hour later, I met with Wanda, and my mission was completed for the moment. Lawyers would handle the rest. Charlie and Mark would go through the data of her company, and we would get those who were selling illegal weapons.

  Part of me hoped the domesticated bliss of the morning would continue. I read my emails—no will was there yet, but it was still early. I finished adding diapers to the bag and asked, “Mary, are you ready?”

  “Yes.” She carried Bruce toward the door, and I followed with the bag. We tugged on our shoes, and she asked, “Will you be done by four?”

  “Yes, and then you and I can have a nice quiet evening.”

  She kissed my cheek and locked the door while I played peekaboo with her son. We laughed as we went down the stairs and stepped into the morning sun in the parking lot.

  All was fine until we reached her car. A memory flashed in my eyes of a car bombing and how Ernie, a guy in my first unit, had died in a flash.

  In the air, at that moment, there was the same smell. I pressed my hand on her waist. “Wait. Stop.”

  She narrowed her eyes and rocked Bruce. “What’s going on?”

  The smell of sulfur went higher up my nose. It was slight, but it was there. I swallowed then said, “Get back with Bruce.”

  She tilted her head but didn’t move away. “We’re running late.”

  I turned toward her and held both her arms. Hopefully, I was wrong, but my gut was fully aware. I pressed my forehead to her
s and said, “Trust me. Give me your key and use my phone to take video of me.”

  She let out a sigh but did as I asked and held up my phone as requested. I pointed for her to step back to the building. She marched. I stepped back a few feet and asked, “Am I in the frame with the car?”

  “Yes.”

  I nodded and pressed the button on her car to open the locks.

  At first nothing happened, but then my skin grew warm, and I flew back from the force of the explosion.

  My shoes pressed against the ground, and I heard Mary scream, “What the—”

  I held up a finger as other residents of her building rushed out. I met Mary’s gaze and then inched closer to her but said, “Stay there. I need to check my rental.”

  Her face was white and contorted as she pressed Bruce to her chest, but she continued to film me.

  Others came out screaming, and I didn’t smell the same thing. Mary put my phone down as others scrambled past her, and she yelled, “I’m going back in with Bruce.”

  Good idea. My rental didn’t give me the same sense in my gut, but someone had broken a window. I called out, “I’ll be right behind you.”

  In the distance, a siren sounded to let us know help was clearly on the way.

  Once I checked the perimeter of the building, I told one of the guys who had said he was army that I was checking on Mary and it was her car. He nodded, and I rushed up the stairs.

  Bruce was in tears and refusing his bottle. I didn’t take off my shoes even though they were covered in ash. “What happened?” she asked.

  Her eyes were misty and glassy, like she wanted me to tell her something else. I pressed my hand to Bruce’s head, and he calmed down, so I spoke in a soft tone. “Someone tried to kill you and Bruce.”

  Her eyebrows furrowed, and she gave me back my phone. “Arthur left us alone for a year. I don’t know what changed.”

  “He saw you with me.”

  Tears rushed down her cheeks. Bruce suckled his bottle in her arms, and I whispered to her, “My rental was also touched, but I guess it had better security.”