Protected by a Hero

by Susan Stoker, Cristin Harber, Cora Seton, Lynn Raye Harris, Kaylea Cross, Katie Reus, Tessa Layne

  Lexi: *blush*

  Parker: Prepare yourself, sweetheart. That’s all about to change.

  Lexi: Oh yeah?! :)

  Parker: You should know, you’re…

  Parker: Smart.

  Parker: Gorgeous.

  Parker: Sexy.

  Parker: Crazy intelligent <—guess that’s smart, huh?

  He watched her stifle a laugh and Shadow give her a questioning glance.

  Lexi: It’s easier for me to talk like this.

  Parker: I get that

  Lexi: I’ve msg’ed you a thousand times.

  Parker: Yup

  Lexi: Sorry I ran out on you earlier.

  Parker: Are you gonna explain??

  Lexi: Shadow’s looking at me funny

  Parker: Let him look

  Lexi: Everything I ever wanted was so close. I never saw it.

  Parker: The auction?

  Lexi: No

  Parker: Monarch?

  Lexi: No!

  Parker: Hanging w Shadow, drinking crappy coffee?

  Lexi: No!!

  Parker: What then?

  Lexi: YOU

  Parker: ;) I know…

  She laughed out loud then texted him a smiley face. Now it was his turn to smile, but he hid it from the world while sipping his coffee.

  Lexi: Yeah, this is easier

  Parker: For some things. Agree. Tell me what you’re not telling me IRL

  Her head tilted, and she put the phone down. Picked it up. Put it down. Then she typed out something. Nothing came through though.

  Parker: Hit send, sweetheart

  She picked up the phone to read the text, and he took his eyes off her to gaze around, looking for who knew what. Shadow really should’ve given him more of a heads-up, or even an idea of what was really going on. His phone showed a text message from her, and he opened it.

  Lexi: I’ve so fallen for you

  His stomach jumped into his throat. But he had an easy answer for her.

  Parker: Good. Glad ur right there with me. Cause I’m in deep.

  He checked the time. Shit. Thirty minutes out. He really should be on patrol for whatever lurked.

  Parker: Eyes up, stay alert. After this is over, I’m taking you out to celebrate

  He saw her nod, and he powered away thoughts about just how he’d show her a good time. Parker powered on his tablet and opened the app to monitor all nearby electronic communication and external cyber activity. He tucked his chin and kept his roaming gaze on the lookout, watching and waiting, ready for who knew what.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Giddy and warm under Parker’s stare, Lexi didn’t know how many hours passed as Shadow played auctioneer on his laptop. It was a long time to sit in a coffee shop and watch his wheeling and dealing, especially since never once did she feel Parker look away. Squirming in her seat, she occasionally cast a glance at him and saw his smoldering, protective blue eyes were locked on her. It was enough to make her starstruck.

  Shadow’s fingers banged furiously on the keyboard as he ran bids and countered offers from across the world. “So do you two have a thing I don’t know about?”

  She choked on the unexpected question even though they were eyeballing each other like horny teenagers. “I was engaged until just recently.”

  “And we both know what I think about that piece of shit. Is Matt bothering you?”

  She shrugged. “I’ve been dark. No contact with anyone, even if they reached out.”

  Shadow stopped and twisted the pivoting screen. “Looks like we’re finishing up. Yay or nay?”

  Her focus zoomed in on the screen. The UK had bowed out then started lobbying Shadow to sell Monarch to the Americans. Back and forth the French and US governments bid. The US government was the highest bidder, and the time between bids was lengthening. The dollar amount was absurd.

  “Yay.”

  “Good. We have a deal.” Shadow gave her a thumbs-up then went back to his keyboard. Seconds later, the burner phone on the café table rang as his hand was already moving to it. Without pleasantries, he answered and said, “Process the wire transfer immediately. You’ll have Monarch by close of business tomorrow.”

  The deal was done. Finally, Uncle Sam won the auction, paying big money. She hadn’t expected that high. Not at all. A quick look at Shadow showed he thought the same thing. The guy had just made beaucoup dollars.

  “Job well done, Silver.”

  She nodded. “No kidding, right?”

  “Pull another one like this off in the next year, and you’ll be my most profitable client.”

  She already knew she owned the top of his client roster but didn’t let that slip. “Already working on something, though I don’t see how it will beat this one.”

  “Alright. Let’s get ready to transfer the files so you can get out of here. Maybe go talk to Black, who can’t take his eyes off you. That might do you some good.”

  Heat crawled up her neck. It was almost unbearable. She’d never been so distracted, so consumed with lust-soaked thoughts. “You hired him to watch us. He’s doing his job.”

  Shadow chuckled. “The job’s done. He knows it. Auction went off without a hitch. Not the first time he’s worked jobs like this. Auction ends, he leaves. Simple.”

  She shifted to take in Parker. “Nothing’s simple about that guy.” She hesitated. “At least by the look of him.” Because she wouldn’t admit to knowing him in real life. Ha. She wouldn’t even admit anything to herself at this point.

  “Go say hello. Introduce yourself.”

  She grimaced, not wanting Shadow to see that side of her. “Small talk isn’t my thing.”

  “You guys are old buds. Go say hello. I’ll upload the last part of Monarch, and we’ll be done here.”

  Then the threat would be over, and Parker could stop his scorch-the-world protective scowl. She withdrew a flash drive from her back pocket and slid it across the table. “Last piece of the puzzle.”

  He took but didn’t plug it in. “Silver, go say hello already.”

  “Maybe. Well, truth… it turns out we’ve… known each other.”

  Shadow’s jaw flexed as he studied her. She was familiar with that look. It sprouted on his face before he felt the need to impart fatherly wisdom. “I know you don’t have…”

  “Any father figure,” she finished for him.

  “Anyone who has held that role.” He nodded. “Except me. I’m always around as a set of ears you can trust.”

  Lexi regarded the man she’d been in business with since her late teens. “He’s a good guy, isn’t he?”

  Shadow nodded but said nothing.

  “I’m not sure I trust my judgment.” She sucked her teeth.

  “Well, if that’s it, shake it off. Check your bank account tomorrow then go to an island somewhere and have a drink. Bring Black.”

  “Ha,” she snapped, her cheeks lighting on fire.

  “Go to Barbados. Hit the Virgin Islands. Something. Lay low. Forget about Matt the dick and…” Shadow flipped the thumb drive in his fingers before plugging it in. He paused, staring at the screen, and she waited for him to enter the string of codes that would combine the files. When his fingers stopped moving, his eyes tightened as he reread, then he smiled. “And trust your judgment. It’s gotten you far in life with things like this.” He tapped the side of the screen. “I—”

  A burst of movement made Lexi jump back, knocking over her coffee and sending it spilling. A blur of a person swooshed by and grabbed Shadow’s laptop.

  Shadow’s chair clattered as he jumped up. “Motherfucker!” Running as if he had any chance to catch up with the guy, Shadow panted as he sprinted across the café. “Damn, Black. Go!”

  But Parker had moved toward her instead. His worried eyes tightened on her as an arm wrapped around her neck from behind. The rough fabric of a muscled arm caught her throat, choking her.

  “Let’s go,” an accented voice growled in her ear. “Move fast.”

&nbs
p; She was surprised and stupefied, but she snapped out of it as she saw Parker clawing his way across the crowd. Lexi struggled and kicked, slamming her head back. Her gaze tracked to Parker as he threw tables and chairs away to get to her. His hard body leaped, and the massive weight of him slammed onto the man at her neck, dragging her into the throes of Union Station.

  Lexi hit the ground. The thud of fists clashing bled through her ears as the crowd screamed and scurried. People ran, some shouting for the cops, some shouting just because. Parker’s punches rained on her attacker. Two security guards descended out of nowhere, struggling to get the pit bull off his victim. They hooked arms around Parker and struggled to pull him back.

  “I’m good, I’m good.” Parker’s muscles bunched as he paced in a tight circle, and she saw his mind working over what had happened.

  Shadow was gone, stupidly chasing the laptop, not that he would walk back over with cops around. Parker’s face registered what she was realizing. Whoever had wanted Monarch was still on the hunt. She wouldn’t be safe in the custody of Union Station security or Capitol Hill police or whoever these guys were. She needed to get back off the grid, and she needed to do it now.

  Parker wiped his bloody fists on his shirt, his eyes stuck on hers, and she was certain he was trying to impart a directive. Or was he? Maybe he was out-of-his-mind angry, and that’s how it registered on his intelligent face.

  Nope. Trust your judgment.

  She dropped her eyes to the marble floor. The unconscious man wasn’t Phiber. Neither was the one who’d stolen the laptop. The officers were attempting to question Parker, but his attention was on her.

  Ignoring everyone clamoring for his attention, he tilted his head. “I’ll find you.”

  The cops turned toward her. Their questioning eyes still weren’t sure what had happened, but now they were clued in to her. Soon they’d watch security tapes and see that the man had grabbed her. But for now, she needed to disappear.

  Her pulse thundered in her neck, and that booming sense of dread was going to make her hyperventilate. Parker would be arrested. Shadow would have a damn heart attack running after her stolen project—and God, she needed Monarch back. It was too dangerous to be on the black market.

  Parker pulled back hard when a guard put a hand on his shoulder.

  “Calm down, son,” said one uniform as the other approached her.

  “Ma’am, can we talk to you?” the other officer asked.

  Parker shook his head hard. “Go, Silver.”

  Go. She snapped into action, sprinting through the coffee shop’s chaos to the back room, then she hauled ass down an industrial hallway. She heard the voices ordering her to wait and replayed Parker’s promise to come find her. But hadn’t she caused enough problems? Less than a minute later, Lexi kicked through the fire door, ran through an alley, and scaled a barrier to the garage.

  Tears streamed down her face. She didn’t even know why. Shock? Anger? Terror? Worry? Running from who knew what or who. Monarch had been stolen, she’d almost been stolen, and Parker was likely to be arrested. Blood rushed in her ears, and adrenaline was about to make her heart explode.

  With one long, deep breath, she jumped on her Gixxer, revved it, and rushed out of the garage with no idea where she wanted to hide, but knowing she needed to get there now.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  An hour after Parker had been unceremoniously released, he hovered over his keyboard, pulling the security footage, trying to get a better look at what had happened. It’d taken Titan less than two hours to find him in the system and have him released, but in that time, a lot had happened. Most notably, Lexi had disappeared in broad daylight—thank God—but now he wanted eyes on her.

  He pinged Silver’s screen name and called Lexi’s phone. He waited a couple of minutes and did it again. Nothing. Her cell was turned off, so he couldn’t triangulate her. Despite the tracking software he had that could handle problems like that, he was coming up empty.

  Parker’s gut twisted tightly as he called up another angle of security footage and scrolled through frames rapidly. Nothing… his fingers flew over the keyboard, pulling up video feeds from traffic cameras, running a program that would search for a motorcycle. That was all he had. He wasn’t even sure what kind of bike she had. Wait—there.

  A slender figure on the back of a bike weaving through traffic, heading toward Virginia. The feedback was stilted, but she flowed confidently, maneuvering through DC’s heavy traffic until she exited onto the GW Parkway.

  He sat back, letting the soreness of his knuckles drift over him. Felt good. Fury he hadn’t realized he harbored had exploded when that man put his hands on her. Whoever he was, he was in the hospital now. Never had Parker been more certain that he needed to help her, and never had he been terrified that she needed his help.

  Without intel, he was useless. Normally he totally owned cyberspace, but right now, he knew crap. No—no, he knew she was heading to Virginia and that it didn’t look as though anyone had followed her.

  He needed to remove his emotional response and think about this as if it were a job. Because it was. Even if it was so much more than that. He actually had several things going for him. Lexi didn’t seem like she was avoiding cameras, she was safe, and she hadn’t been trained to disappear beyond just going dark on the web. Even if SilverChaos was a sly fox online, Lex hiding in the real world was out of her element. And she knew he was coming for her.

  Fast as his mind would work, he sent out coded messages to various places where she might check in. Only she would know who had sent them and what the encrypted words said. Only Lexi would know that as his fingers slammed on the keyboard, his short orders were laden with a desperation unlike anything he’d ever experienced. Get a hold of me. Find me. Call me. Tell me where the hell you are.

  No responses to any of them came as he sat and waited.

  In over her head and incommunicado, what would her next move be?

  Parker bent over and rubbed his head. Until she reached out, he’d work the other angle. With a few key strokes, he hacked into DC General’s medical records and pulled up the John Doe admitted semi-conscious earlier today. There was nothing noteworthy in his medical charts, but what was interesting were the notations about his unwillingness to give a name and checking out against medical advice. Definitely didn’t want to be there.

  Parker clicked a couple more screens, finding nothing, then went back to the original screen.

  Error. Page you are trying to reach does not exist.

  Parker’s head tilted as he studied the screen, then he cued up the search function for the hospital’s database and typed in the patient ID number.

  No patient with that ID number found. Please try again.

  His eyes narrowed, and his sixth sense tingled. Someone else was in the system at that same moment, hacking this info and erasing it.

  What the double fucks was happening? This info was so in the weeds that it was almost pointless to remove it. It was a complete clean sweep, and he couldn’t grasp which player would risk grabbing Lexi. None of the bidders would. If they were legit, they wouldn’t arrange for an abduction, and if they weren’t, they’d hop town and fly home. No need to hack the medical records.

  Who wanted both the program and Lexi? Who needed to cover their tracks, unable to hide behind the protection of foreign diplomats or bullshit political agreements? Parker’s throat went dry as his mind focused on one dangerous hypothesis. A terrorist organization interested in a cyber-attack could want both the niches, social media centric technology and the mind behind it. Wouldn’t be the first time they’d pulled something like that.

  His fingers tapped the desk as he pulled up Monarch’s social media site and dummied an account for the social network. It was like Facebook, except specifically for women, catering to military families. He opened a different browser to read Monarch’s corporate user stats. Nothing he couldn’t guess.

  Now that he was logged in as a new user
, it automatically prompted him to enter entirely too much information: home address, work address, family names, ages, where they worked, what they did. No wonder Monarch was such a heavy hitter. They had tons information they could sell to advertisers.

  Entering his BS information, he clicked to the next screen. Groups to join. A cartoon caterpillar was guiding him through the process. As soon as Parker clicked one interest, another page with more groups appeared. Users looked at it as Monarch offering community support, but Parker looked at it through the deviant goggles of a malicious third party. There was far too much easily accessible information.

  He shook his head, his stomach dropping at all the information a terrorist could get their hands on with one simple program. The caterpillar inched across the screen, urging him to pick a group interest to find his home to flourish. Shit. Automatically, he picked Military: Marines. Hundreds of Marine Wives and Family groups popped up.

  The gnawing nauseated feeling he’d had before exponentially increased as he joined group after group. Within minutes, he had a social network of several thousand and a reach of hundreds of thousands, all “fellow” military wives. All posting their husband’s rank and location, the change-of-command photos, their well-wishes and concerns, the missed birthdays and postponed homecomings. There was so much emotion on the pages, so much shared with each other, that for a second, all Parker could do was feel sick over the sitting targets in front of him.

  Terrorists didn’t want their fight abroad. They wanted it here in the US and in allied nations. Monarch gave them pinpoint-level accuracy on where they could show up and wreak havoc.

  They were bringing the fight here…?

  But it was only a theory based on instinct and assumptions on what was happening in the world and the international political climate. He had nothing hard and fast to base his theory on, but Parker had no doubt what was happening. Even though there wasn’t much in the terrorist chatter and there had been little given to soldiers’ families in terms of warnings—simple things like don’t post pictures or friend people you don’t know—truth was, no one had told people to stop posting their lives online. And it was finally going to come back and haunt them.