The Defender: RYDER (Cover Six Security Book 3)

by Lisa B. Kamps

Ninja knelt in front of one, reached into the side pocket of his black pants and removed something small. Hannah moved closer, watching as Ryder aimed that small light around the heavy lock.

  "What are you doing?" The question was too loud, bouncing off the rough walls as if she had shouted the question instead of whispered it. She winced, wondered if Ryder would remind her to keep her voice down, but he didn't even turn toward her when he answered.

  "We're opening it."

  "But it's locked—" Only it wasn't, not anymore, because Ninja had done something and the lock opened with a small click. He pulled it from the clasp and Hannah moved forward, eager to see what was inside.

  "Stay back. Both of you." There was an edge to Ryder's voice that left no room for argument—not that she would have, anyway. Hannah moved several feet back, tugging Allison with her.

  The two men exchanged a silent look. Ninja turned the small clasp then reached out and eased the lid open with a low creak of hinges. Hannah stiffened, her breath held, waiting for...something. But nothing happened, nothing except another quiet exchange of looks between the two men.

  Only there was something different about this look. Something...she wasn't sure what. Harder? Edgier? She didn't know how to describe it, only knew that it sent a shiver of apprehension along her spine—a sensation made worse by Ryder's low oath.

  "What? What is it?" Allison moved forward, Hannah right next to her. Ryder jumped to his feet, his arms spread out to the side to block their view as Ninja silently closed the lid. It was too late. Hannah's blood chilled as her mind tried to process what her eyes had seen.

  Guns. A lot of guns. Big. Long, like the machine guns she'd seen in all those different war movies her father loved to watch while she was growing up.

  Oh, God. What had they stumbled on? To think she and Allison had thought this was nothing more than buried treasure. That she had been swept away by the romantic fantasy that those metal chests contained gold or jewels or something equally improbable.

  "Time to go." Ryder's calm voice cut through her astonishment. She looked over at him, saw the worry in his gaze before he blinked it away. She started to ask him what they should do now—because they had to do something, they couldn't just leave the guns here—when his entire demeanor changed. His body tensed, his weight shifting as he went instantly alert in the blink of an eye. It was fascinating to watch—until Hannah realized what it meant.

  Until that small, reassuring light blinked out.

  Until Ryder spoke, his voice nothing more than a whisper of breath in the darkness.

  "Someone's coming."

  Chapter Eleven

  Ryder swore to himself, calling himself a fool—and worse—for letting Hannah and Allison tag along. For thinking that this whole fiasco was nothing more than his sister's wild imagination run amok. The weapons in that fucking crate said this was anything but Allison's imagination.

  And now his lack of belief in his sister's story had put both women in danger.

  He'd almost missed the sound. Nothing more than a shifting of sand, a scrape of a shoe and a whispered oath. Close. Too close.

  There was nowhere for them to go except deeper into the cave—which was the last place he wanted to take them. He had no idea what was back there, no idea how deep it went. But he didn't have a choice—going out the front was out of the question.

  What the fuck had he been thinking?

  He moved toward both women, Ninja right beside him. Allison and Hannah were visible targets, the pale skin of their bared arms and legs dangerously visible in the cave's darkness. He should have made them wear long pants. No, he should have made them both stay back at the pathetic compound they called their base of operations.

  It was too fucking late for that.

  He grabbed Hannah's hand, pushed her in front of him and nudged her forward. Thank Christ she didn't fight him or ask him what he was doing. He just hoped she stayed silent, that both women would stay silent and not ask questions because they needed to move, now.

  Maybe they sensed his urgency because they moved with very little prodding. And thank God for small favors because he couldn't spare even a fraction of his attention on them right now, not when he was focused on getting them out of sight. There had been a small bend a few yards back that veered to the left and that's where he headed now, his hand trailing soundlessly along the wall for guidance. Yeah, his night vision was pretty damn good and he could see enough—barely—but it was still fucking dark. For all he knew, the damn ground would drop away in front of them as soon as they moved around the bend—

  That thought was enough to make him stop. He eased around Hannah so that he was in front, placing the two women between him and Ninja. If the ground dropped away, he would be the one to find out first. Although, with Hannah's death grip on the waistband of his pants, he'd probably take her with him.

  He slowed his pace, reached behind him and took Hannah's hand in his—just in case something did happen, he'd be able to release his hold on her in time. Her fingers tightened around his, the grip surprisingly strong. He gave those chilled fingers a brief squeeze and moved forward, reaching out with the toe of his boot before each step. They were behind that bend now, but was it far enough? If whoever he'd heard came in and lit the place up with light, would they be able to see them, or their shadows?

  Ryder moved a few more feet ahead then stopped, unwilling to go any further without knowing what was ahead of them. He reached past the women, tapped Ninja's shoulder three times. Tap. Pause. Tap, tap. He felt an answering tap on his arm, felt the briefest whisper of air brush against him as Ninja moved ahead of him, Allison glued to his side.

  Ryder tugged on Hannah's hand, repositioning her so she was to his right. Then he lowered himself to a crouch, pulling Hannah down with him. Her body stiffened and for a brief second, he thought she was going to balk and ask him what the hell he was doing. The second passed and she finally lowered herself next to him, the cool air thick with her unasked questions.

  They'd have to remain unasked—and unanswered, at least for now. At least until he figured out what the fuck was going on.

  He eased to the side, blocking Hannah's body with his own, then reached into his boot for the knife he'd grabbed from the make-shift kitchen earlier. It was a shitty knife, the blade only a few inches long and nowhere near as sharp as it should be, the handle too light and insubstantial. It made an even shittier weapon because he figured the fucking thing would probably break the first time he tried using it.

  Damn. He wished he had his fucking K-bar. And his Smith & Wesson M&P 380 Shield. Bringing either one had been out of the question because they'd flown commercial to get down here.

  Just one of the many reasons he fucking hated flying commercial.

  He readjusted his grip around the lightweight handle of the shitty-ass knife. Fuck it. It was better than nothing.

  He leaned forward, tilted his head to the side and strained his ears, listening. The only sound he heard was the faint wash of the surf lapping against the shoreline—and the raspy sound of Hannah's breathing. He reached behind him, closed his hand over her arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze. The only thing his touch did was make her gasp in surprise. He whirled, raised his hand and pressed it over her mouth, leaned forward so his mouth was against her ear. Soft hair teased his lips; the faint scent of tropical flowers and salty air and pure woman teased his nostrils. He closed his eyes, forced himself to concentrate on the here-and-now.

  "Quiet."

  Had she heard the word in his soft breath? She must have because her breathing quieted as she stilled beneath his touch. He released his hand and turned away from her, his attention once more focused on the dark interior of the cave and the sounds drifting back to their location.

  Footsteps, faltering and uneven. A quiet thud, followed by a small grunt and a swallowed oath. Whoever was out there obviously wasn't worried about being heard. Was it one person, or two?

  Ryder dipped his head and closed his e
yes, concentrating. Picking out each tiny sound, mentally sorting them into what belonged—and what didn't.

  Another step, this one lighter but just as hesitant. The scrape of a shoe against rock, followed by the rustle of fabric. Distant, the sounds nearly lost in the rhythmic crash of the waves.

  A murmur. A soft sigh. A small groan. Another rustle of fabric, followed by an impatient whimper.

  "Uh-uh. Not yet."

  "C'mon, baby. Let me taste them."

  A giggle, followed by another rustle of fabric, this one longer. "You can look but no touching. Are you going to light that or not?"

  An impatient sigh then a muted metallic scratch. A lighter? Possibly. Ryder's suspicion was confirmed when he heard a deep inhale, followed by an even slower exhale.

  "My turn." The woman's voice, filled with eagerness. A few seconds later, Ryder caught the pungent odor of cheap marijuana. Christ. Was that what this was about?

  "Hmm. Not yet. Not until you show me everything." Another deep inhale.

  "No." The word was pouty, laced with the barest touch of teasing. "I'm too shy."

  Laughter, loud and obnoxious. "Sure you are. We, uh, we could always go into the cave."

  A long pause. "No. It's too dark."

  "But there's nothing in there."

  "Have you been in there before?"

  "No."

  "Then how do you know there's nothing in there?"

  "I dunno. Just do."

  "No, I don't think so." The woman's voice was a little sharper now, showing the first hint of impatience. "I don't even know why we had to come all the way down here when we could have stayed at the camp."

  "Somebody might've seen us."

  "I don't care. This was stupid."

  "Babe, no, don't. They're too pretty to cover up."

  "I don't care. I want to go back. Coming here was a stupid idea."

  "Then here, take it." Desperation laced the man's voice. The woman said something, the words to low to make out—but Ryder understood the tone well enough. It was the sound of someone who'd gotten their way.

  "Ooo, this is good."

  "Yeah? You like it?"

  "Mm-hm."

  "Enough to take everything off?"

  A giggle, followed by another long exhale that ended in a cough. "Maybe. I want to see your party favor first, make sure it's worth it."

  Party favor? Fucking shit. And fuck, Ryder was losing patience. He knew who it was—had known the second he heard the voices: Casanova and Darla. Had they come down here just for the sake of getting high and getting laid? Maybe. He didn't want to give the asshole enough credit for anything more but he didn't believe in coincidences—and their timing was one hell of a big, inconvenient coincidence.

  No matter what their reasons for being here, Ryder sure as hell didn't want to wait for them to get their game on. And he sure as fuck didn't want to hang out here until they were finished, not with Hannah and Allison here.

  Allison.

  Fuck! If his sister really did have a thing for the asshole, what was going on at the entrance of the cave must be tearing her apart. She must be fighting against Ninja, ready to tear out of their hiding space so she could go after the man.

  No, there was nothing but silence coming from his right—for now. But for how long?

  Ryder didn't plan on waiting to find out. Yes, what he was about to do was risky—but he weighed the risks with the odds and decided it was a chance he had to take.

  He slipped the knife back into his boot then dropped to his stomach and belly crawled toward the edge of the wall that formed the bend. His left hand swept in front of him then out to the side, back and forth, back and forth, until it closed over a rock. Not a big one—not that he wouldn't be able to bash the asshole's head in with it if he wanted to—but big enough for what he needed.

  He slid forward, his progress silent as he eased around the bend. He drew his hand back and threw the rock, heard a satisfying thud as it hit the wall near the cave entrance.

  Even more satisfying was the startled oath and muffled scream coming from the couple outside.

  "What was that?"

  "I dunno. Probably nothing." Fear laced Casanova's voice, only to be replaced by a wail of disappointment. "Darla—Darla, where are you going?"

  The sound of running footsteps sliding in loose sand drifted toward Ryder. He waited, breath held, listening—

  "Dammit. Darla, wait up!" Another set of hurried footsteps, heavier than the first, fading as they disappeared up the beach.

  Silence settled in the wake of the steps. Ryder remained where he was for several long minutes, his ears attuned to the slightest noise, waiting to see if the pair would come back. He moved forward on his belly, drawing closer to the entrance, still listening.

  All he heard was the sound of the waves drifting in from the beach.

  He pushed to his feet and quickly brushed the front of his shirt and pants, then called over his shoulder. Ninja appeared a few seconds later, guiding the two women in front of him. Ryder aimed the penlight toward the ground and quickly turned it on, just long enough to get a glimpse of their faces, to make sure both women were okay.

  Hannah looked worried, maybe even a little confused, but there was no sign of the fright he had felt running through her earlier. He turned to Allison, trying to figure out what to say to her—he sucked at consolation, always had because whatever he tried to say always came out the wrong fucking way and made things worse. But he didn't have to say anything because she didn't look upset.

  She looked...stunned. Not in a shell-shocked kind of way, at least not what he'd been expecting. Maybe dazed was a better word. Or distracted. Or...hell, he didn't know. He was just glad she wasn't upset and on the verge of tears like he had expected.

  He turned the small light off and dropped it into the side pocket of his pants. "Come on, let's get out of here."

  Hannah's hand closed over his arm, stopping him. "What about the guns? You can't just leave them here!"

  "For right now, we can."

  "But—"

  "I'll take care of it tomorrow." How, he had no fucking clue—he'd figure it out then. Right now, his priority was getting Hannah and Allison back, before any more late-night visitors showed up.

  Because he had a feeling they wouldn't be as lucky the next time.

  Chapter Twelve

  Hannah absently sipped at her coffee, barely tasting the bitter brew as she watched the four people sitting at the other table. Cindy was hunched over her bowl of fruit, her shoulders pulled up around her ears. Katie was absently stirring her tea, the spoon moving around and around and around in a slow circle, her vacant gaze focused on something nobody else could see.

  And the other two...Hannah wanted to roll her eyes and make gagging noises at the way Tim and Darla were acting. Their arms would brush and they'd move away from each other, only to slide closer a minute later and repeat the whole process. Snippets of the overheard conversation from last night played in her mind and she had to tamp down the urge to go over and knock both of their heads together.

  What the hell had they been thinking, sneaking out and borrowing the van to take them to the beach? Not just any beach, but the strip just outside the cave. Couldn't they have found someplace closer for their own little private party?

  Did Kevin know they'd taken the van? Probably not—he'd be on a rampage if he knew. Hannah herself would have never known—the van was in the same exact spot it had been in when she'd parked it yesterday afternoon. Ryder was the one who had thought to check it by pressing his hand against the hood when they finally got back last night. He didn't say anything—he didn't have to, not when the scowl that crossed his face spoke volumes.

  Was this the first time Tim had taken it? Hannah doubted it—which only made her wonder what else had been going on right under her own nose this entire time. What else had she blindly missed—

  "Ouch!" She jerked her leg back, reached down to rub the sore spot on her ankle where Alliso
n had just kicked her. "What was that for?"

  "Stop staring before they notice."

  "I wasn't staring."

  "Yeah, you were."

  Hannah sighed then leaned back in the chair. "Okay, fine. I was—but not deliberately. I was just thinking."

  "About?"

  "Everything. What we found down there. The fact that Tim and Darla just happened to show up the way they did." Hannah paused, studying Allison's face, waiting for some sign that her friend was more upset about last night's events than she was letting on. The only emotion she saw in Allison's eyes was irritation, and even that was brief.

  Hannah rested her elbows on the table and leaned forward, her voice pitched just above a whisper. "And wondering why you don't seem as upset as I thought you'd be."

  "Upset? Why would I be upset?"

  "Because, you know—you had a thing or whatever for Tim."

  Allison popped a chunk of fruit into her mouth, chewed it, then swallowed. Her gaze didn't quite meet Hannah's when she spoke. "Maybe. I guess I had an epiphany of sorts last night."

  "An epiphany?"

  "Yeah."

  Hannah waited three seconds then nudged her friend's leg under the table. "Well? What was it?"

  "My brother was right: Tim's an idiot and not worth my time." She leaned forward and wagged her finger in Hannah's direction. "And don't you dare tell Ryder I said that!"

  "I won't." Hannah reached for the coffee, took another sip and forced herself not to stare at the foursome. "Do you think last night was the first night he's snuck out like that?"

  "Who? Tim?"

  "Yeah. Or anyone else, for that matter. I mean, think about it: we don't really know anyone here. We get these groups coming in for a week or two or three but what do we really know about them? They have background checks done but we never see the reports. The only thing we know about them is what they tell us and who's to say they're telling us the truth?"

  Allison frowned, glanced around the pavilion, then shrugged. "I guess. I never thought of it that way before."

  Neither had Hannah—she'd simply taken everyone at their word, trusted what they'd said and moved on. But now, looking around, she wondered. Katie, for example. The young woman had just turned eighteen and was down here with her grandparents—but she never seemed to want to be with them, had been hanging around Cindy and Darla and Tim for most of the last week, even though she never really socialized with them.