As he paced before the door, he rubbed a knot at the back of his neck. Screw it. He unlocked the door and entered.
“Jenna?” He called out.
Something was off. He scanned the living room where he’d spent many hours with Jenna and the cheery sage green kitchen where they’d shared meals. It was quiet. Too quiet.
Ah, the reason came to him. No furry four-legged friends came running out to greet him the way they did whenever he entered. “Hey girls. Where are you?” He listened for signs of them moving. None. Hmm.
He squared his jaw and walked by the bathroom. The door was open, and she wasn’t there. Then he entered her bedroom.
Her closet was open, and drawers were half-closed. Clothes were tossed aside on the bed. She’d packed to go somewhere and in a hurry, and she must have taken Lola and Trixie with her.
He searched the rest of the apartment for any indication of where she’d be. Her laptop was gone, solidifying his suspicion that she’d left.
Matty pulled out his phone. Please still be on.
He opened that app and attempted to find her phone’s location. If she truly wanted to sever ties, she would have taken his key back and disconnected their location sharing right away. The map on the screen revealed nothing while it searched for her location.
It zoomed in to a pinpoint. It found her!
Or her phone at least. It tracked her to a town he’d never heard of up north. She was in the forest. Why would she be there?
He checked the driving time. It was less than an hour away. Time for a road trip. He paused outside her apartment.
What are you doing—stalking her like her ex?
Damn it, he was following her. But this was different, right? He wanted to protect Jenna, not force her to be with him.
Ugh, enough with the introspection. It could lead to indecision. What he needed to do was act. He climbed into his car and set the driving directions to her location.
If she called him back during the drive and reassured him that she was okay, he’d abort this mission.
But nothing was more important than making sure she was safe.
Chapter 19
Jenna
“Make arrangements to fly to Aruba tomorrow.” Roberto tapped his manicured fingers near the gun on the side table.
While he barked directions to someone, Jenna searched around the log cabin for any possible means of escape.
She pictured being holed up in some gilded prison with Roberto and shut her eyes to force that image away. No, that wouldn’t help the situation. She popped them open and continued to scan for a way out. The cabin had one main room with the hearth where she sat on an armchair and Roberto leaned back on the worn floral sofa. The front door wasn’t far from him, but too far for her to run out without him being able to stop her.
Or shoot. If not her, he could kill Lola or Trixie without hesitation.
She eyed the gun. Was reaching for it an option?
Nope. Not only would she have to lunge across the room, she’d have to do so while he was distracted. How would she pull that off?
She listened to his side of the conversation to glean any information that might help while she continued to search. The kitchen had a couple of small windows. Not much there. The bedroom had two bigger ones. The one in the bathroom was too small for her to climb through. The best option would be if she could slip out of a window or a door while he was sleeping. And she’d have to find a way to do so with Trixie and Lola.
But if Roberto woke during her attempt?
He might hurt them to get to her. Or he might take precautions so she couldn’t escape—like tie her up. Her ribs tightened around her lungs. She had to find a better way.
A knock at the door startled her. Trixie started barking and ran to it. Jenna she sucked in a breath.
Roberto glared at her as if she’d planned it.
Another knock. “Jenna, it’s me.”
Matty! Although his deep voice was tinged with unease, her heart screamed with joy at his arrival. Trixie barked some more, wagging her tail. Lola sauntered beside her.
Jenna glanced at the window, but Roberto had pulled the curtains closed. Her heart thudded.
His expression contorted with fury. He ended the call with his admin and grabbed the gun. “Did you invite him here?” he spat in a low, accusatory tone.
“No. I told you I ended it,” she protested.
“Don’t lie to me.” He reached out. “Give me your phone.”
She reached into the front pouch of her overnight bag. When she spotted the notifications with Matty’s missed call and texts, a strange mixture of hope and dread churned within.
Roberto grabbed it from her and swore under his breath? “Why all the calls and texts then?” He leaned forward.
She threw her hands up and spat, “You of all people are seriously asking that?” She arched her brows. “I told you it was over and look how you reacted.”
He rose and grabbed her wrist. “Why?” he demanded. “You’re lying. You invited him here. Why else would he come?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t. I swear.”
“Jenna. I know you’re here,” Matty said. “I see your car and can hear Trixie. We need to talk.”
Roberto dragged her to the front door and stood off to the side. “Get rid of him,” he whispered and then raised the gun. “Or I will.”
Matty
The sound of the cabin door creaking open surprised him. Jenna opened it only a few inches, keeping Trixie from running out. He released the air from his compressed lungs. She was okay.
“What are you doing here, Matty?”
Her tone sounded neutral, but she peered at him from troubled eyes.
“I was worried about you.”
“I’m fine.” She pursed her lips and then blinked a few times. “You need to leave.”
Something was up. Her eyes didn’t match her words, it was as if she was pleading with him. “Can we talk first?”
“I can’t right now.” Her eyes darted to her right.
“Five minutes, Jenna. That’s all I’m asking.”
She exhaled. “Now’s not a good time.”
“Jenna,” he insisted. “Why are you here?”
More blinking from her worried eyes. “You need to go.” She bit her lip.
She pushed the door closed, but he stopped it. “Not until I know you’re safe.”
The door opened wider, enough to reveal that Roberto had been behind it. Trixie dashed out, wagging her tail as she climbed up Matty’s leg for attention. Lola brushed against his other leg. But he had to focus on Roberto. He was partially obscured by the door, most notably his right arm, which could heighten the threat level. He could be concealing a weapon.
“Did you not hear my wife?” Roberto spat. “She asked you to leave.”
Every muscle in Matty’s body hardened. “She’s not your wife. You fucked that up.”
“You haven’t heard? We’ve gotten back together.” The triumphant tone in his voice rang as sleazy as his leer. He stepped closer to Jenna and wrapped his left arm around her in a possessive hold. “Haven’t we, honey?”
Matty’s senses heightened for any quick moves from Roberto, but he couldn’t ignore Jenna’s eyes. They burned with resignation as if she had no way out. “Yes.” She lowered her gaze.
There was no fuckin’ way she was on board with this. He had to get her out of this situation.
Matty assessed every part of Roberto’s stance, searching for a weakness. What was critical was keeping Jenna safe—and get her away from this psychopath.
“I’m not leaving until I have a chance to talk to Jenna.” Matty glared at her ex. “Alone.”
Roberto released Jenna and threw the door open, revealing a gun in his other hand. He aimed it at Matty’s chest. “Leave. Never come near me or my wife again.”
“Roberto!” She exclaimed. “Put down the gun.” Trixie resumed barking.
He ignored her plea and stared at Matty wi
th pure venom.
“That’s not what we agreed to,” she implored Roberto.
The weapon wasn’t surprising, and it explained everything. Matty’s pulse raced, but he forced himself to remain calm and assess the situation.
Roberto’s lips curled into a sneer as he glared at Matty. “If I shoot you, I don’t have to worry about you sniffing around my wife anymore.”
Matty’s nostrils flared as he assessed how to deescalate the situation. “If you shoot me, you kill any chance you have at reconciling with Jenna.”
“He’s right,” Jenna added. “Put the gun down or I won’t go ten feet with you, let alone leave the country!”
Matty’s heart thumped and his ribs constricted his lungs. Roberto couldn’t take Jenna out of the country, away from Matty. He’d do anything—anything—to prevent that from happening.
“Don’t talk like a stupid bitch, Jenna. I hold all the cards.”
Stupid bitch? Matty’s heartbeat raged, his body coiled with tension, ready to pounce. “Don’t ever talk to her like that.” He wanted to tear the prick to pieces. But he needed a distraction…
“I’d shut up if I were you, broken soldier. I’ve seen you limp. I’ve seen you cry. You’re not as tough as you claim.”
What an ignorant idiot.
“How dare you talk to him like that?” Jenna cried, wriggling out of his hold. “He’s a far better man than you could ever hope to be. All you know of is power and violence. Nothing about honor. Nothing about love!”
“Shut up!” Roberto backhanded her with his left hand. “You’ll both do whatever the fuck I tell you to do.”
Fury rose like an inferno and Matty stole that precious opportunity to lunge at Roberto. He grabbed his arm with the gun, and they tumbled to the ground. The boom of a shot echoed inside the room. Jenna screamed. Fuck.
The scent of gunpowder rose. Matty stole a quick glance to make sure Jenna wasn’t hit. She was still standing, a good sign. Trixie continued barking. At least that meant she was okay. And Lola…
Matty grappled with Roberto, who kicked and punched and fought like a pussy. It wasn’t difficult to pin him on his back. As Matty reached for the gun, Roberto fired again. What the fuck was he shooting at? Jenna?
Disarming him was critical. Matty wrestled for the weapon, which wasn’t as easy with the way Roberto squirmed beneath him like a wet weasel. Finally prying his fingers off the weapon, Matty thought he’d gained control.
Only the gun slid across the hardwood floor.
The fucker!
They both lunged for the gun, but Jenna beat them to it. As Roberto reached for her, she fired.
Chapter 20
Jenna
She shot him!
She stared at the foreign object in her hand and her stomach lurched. The recoil was unexpected. The unmistakable scent of gunpowder rose.
Roberto howled as he squirmed on the floor. He clutched his thigh as blood poured from the wound. “You shot me, you bitch.”
“With your own gun,” Matty added, giving her a triumphant nod.
She handed it to him, desperate to get it away from her. “Please take it.”
“Gladly.” Matty took the gun and raised it to the level of Roberto’s eyes. “I’m not limping now, am I? At any rate, it doesn’t affect my shooting arm.”
She wanted to run over and hug Matty, but distracting him wouldn’t be a good idea.
Think, think. Not about how you shot someone, but how you can help.
“What should I do?”
He pointed across the floor using the hand without the gun. “My phone fell out of my pocket. Can you dial 911 and hand it to me?”
Her heart pounded as she fumbled to retrieve his phone and follow what he’d asked. While Matty reported the incident and address, his voice was steady. Her heart panged. She was so grateful not only that he’d risked his life to come save her, but he took up the lead in cleaning up this mess. If she had to speak, she’d probably spill out the entire situation in frantic half-sentences that didn’t make sense.
Trixie whined at Jenna’s feet. She bent down and pet her with shaking hands. Where was Lola? Probably terrified and hiding.
At least, Matty was here. That would soothe them as much as it did her.
It seemed like decades had passed before all the activity died down. The police and paramedics were gone for now and most importantly—Roberto. She closed the door. What a day. At least the tremble in her hands had stopped. She could drop where she was and fall right asleep on the threadbare rug in the log cabin.
But not before she had a chance to embrace Matty, the way she had been dying to do while they were separated for questioning. They were finally alone. She rushed over and wrapped her arms around him.
“You came for me.” She pressed her head against his chest.
“Of course I did.” He pulled her closer against him and rubbed her back. “Too bad it took me long enough to figure out something was up.”
“What do you mean?”
“I was blindsided when you ended things. I wanted to talk to you, but couldn’t think straight. And I didn’t want to creep around you the way he’d been doing.”
She groaned and pulled her head back so she could look into his eyes. “He threatened to kill you and I was scared. That’s the only reason why I’d push you away. It was the only way I thought I could keep you safe. I should’ve told you and trusted you’d find a way to fix things.”
“You were trying to protect me. I get that. But baby, don’t worry. I can take care of myself. If there’s ever another problem, talk to me, okay?”
“Okay.” She took a long slow breath, grateful that they’d both come through unharmed. They moved to the sofa and she sat beside Matty. Everything about him radiated strength and protection. She breathed in his comforting scent and leaned against him. He wrapped his arm around her.
Trixie jumped on Matty’s lap and he soothed her with his free hand, nuzzling under her chin. “Everything’s okay, Trixie. We’re all going to be all right.”
Jenna sighed. Thanks to him. Lola crawled up beside her and fixed herself against the side of Jenna’s hip, showing more affection than usual. Jenna soothed her with long strokes over her back.
“How did you find me?” she asked him.
He gave her a sheepish grin. “I used the location app to track you and figured I’d just make sure you were safe.”
“Brilliant, Matty. I’m so grateful you figured it out.”
She glanced around the log cabin. All was peaceful and quiet now whereas it had been chaotic with fighting and gunshots earlier.
In a wry tone, she noted, “This might kill my Airbnb rating.”
Matty laughed. “Maybe. I’ll offer to make any repairs.”
She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “You’re too good to me.”
He fixed a serious gaze on her and then swallowed. “If you’ll let me.”
“Of course.”
The cabin seemed to disappear as they came together in slow motion. Trixie squealed as Matty’s movements edged her off his lap.
He laughed. “Sorry, Trixie.” Turning back to Jenna, he said. “Where were we?”
She touched his chin and tilted it. “Right here.” She leaned closer to him.
“Oh yeah, that’s right.” His eyes gleamed with a dark glimmer of heat.
“I may have to share you with Trixie and Lola,” Jenna noted, moving mere inches from his mouth. His warm breath tickled her lips.
“My three favorite girls.” Matty brushed his lips against hers.
That slight kiss was followed with a gentle nudge. She parted her lips more and he deepened the kiss. Electric fire spiked her veins as heat rushed through her. He was all right. Roberto was gone. Everything was going to be all right.
Matty intensified the kiss and all her fears and worries from that night vanished. All that remained was him, her protector and lover. She ran her hands over the hard planes of his chest, and her pleasure spiked.
As he leaned her back onto the sofa, Lola was the next to flee. He and Jenna both laughed as they repositioned themselves to get closer to each other.
Jenna stared up at him. “When we leave here tomorrow, come home with us.”
Matty kissed her again and then moved his lips down along her collarbone. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Matty
All he wanted to do was worship her, touch, and kiss her body and assure himself that she was safe. Nobody was taking her out of the country. No one was taking Jenna from him.
“Let’s move to the bed.” Matty lifted Jenna.
She squealed in surprise and then laughed. What a wonderful sound. How good to hear after seeing her threatened earlier. She was finally safe and free from Roberto’s hold. Matty would ensure that it remained that way.
Once he lowered her onto the bed, he kissed her and ran his hands over her body. She trailed her fingers down his back, a slow gentle caress that soon turned more urgent. She tugged at his shirt and he removed hers. The more they undressed each other, the more frantic the urge to remove all their clothes. When he finally slid her panties off her legs, his gazed raked over her, his beautiful Jenna. From her warm blue eyes to her satin lips and lower down her incredible body. His breath caught as he anticipated burying himself in her sweet body once again.
Jenna eyed him with a sexy gaze from under lowered lids. “Come to me, Matty.” She raised her arms to him.
As if he’d ever resist that call. He lowered himself onto her and kissed her again, resuming his caress over her velvety-soft skin. A bolt of heat shot through his body and stiffened his growing erection.
Matty slid down her body. She smelled so good—her rose scent from her hair products and lotion that reminded him of her. He caressed each perfect breast before suckling them and moaned when her nipples hardened against his tongue. When he reached between her legs and stroked her, he easily slipped a finger inside.
Matty: A Navy SEAL Romance Page 17