Guardian Ranger

by Cynthia Eden

  “Maybe he gets paid when the job’s done. Or maybe he has an account you don’t know about.” Jasper was being so calm and logical.

  It was all she could do to stay seated. “There’s always an up-front payment.” You don’t risk your life for nothing...that had been a Cale Lane rule. Rule number three, if she remembered correctly. “And I know about every account he has.”

  Jasper tapped his chin. She noticed that a faint growth of stubble covered his square jaw. The stubble made him look both dangerous and sexy.

  She yanked her gaze away from that stubble and forced herself to look into his eyes once more. “You know him.” She made her voice smooth with an effort. “He was your friend once. Please, take this job. I’ll pay whatever you want.”

  “Whatever?”

  She nodded.

  His lashes flickered. “You should be careful making an offer like that. You don’t know what I’ll ask for. You don’t know what kind of man I am.”

  “You’re the kind of man I need.” One with dark connections that could—hopefully—lead Veronica to her brother.

  He studied her, and she fought the urge to squirm. After a moment, his lips slowly stretched into a smile. “Well, Ms. Veronica Lane, in that case, I think you’ve just hired yourself a mercenary.”

  An answering smile wanted to lift her lips because, for the first time in months, she could feel hope stirring inside her.

  Jasper rose to his feet. She hurried to stand beside him. This close, she finally realized just how big he was. Jasper’s shoulders stretched as wide as a linebacker’s. “Thank you,” she murmured, offering her hand.

  His fingers closed around hers. “Don’t thank me.” The words sounded a little too gruff.

  She glanced up, her brows pulling together.

  His smile seemed forced. “I haven’t found your brother yet.”

  “But you will.” Keep the hope. Don’t let it fade.

  “Yes,” Jasper said slowly, but with a definite promise rumbling beneath the words, “I will.”

  * * *

  THE CROWD CLOSED in behind little Veronica Lane as she hurried away from him. Jasper watched her go, aware that his gaze had dropped to the curve of her hips.

  The lady had one fine sway when she moved, even if she staggered a bit in those three-inch heels.

  “Are you smiling?” The surprised question came from Jasper’s left as Gunner Ortez grabbed a chair and swung it around. He sat down, looping his arms over the back of the chair. “Man, you know I’ve asked you not to do that. You’re scary when you smile.”

  As if Gunner was one to talk. The ex-SEAL sniper just looked like one very deadly shark when he smiled.

  “Was that who I think it was?” Gunner asked.

  “If you mean was that Cale Lane’s little sister, then, yes, it was.” Talk about easy pickings. He’d been in town for less than five hours. He’d thought that he’d have to worm his way into Veronica’s good graces before he could get a good start on this mission.

  But the woman had just come walking right up to him.

  “Want to tell me what she wanted?”

  He and Gunner were working the assignment together, so there was no reason to hold back. “She just hired me to find her missing brother.”

  Not much could surprise Gunner. The guy had been to hell and back on his missions, but Jasper caught the faint flicker of surprise on his face. “You really have the devil’s luck.” Gunner saluted Jasper with a beer bottle.

  “So they say.” Sometimes it was hard to tell the difference between having luck and being cursed.

  “You didn’t tell her that you were EOD?”

  Even if he’d told her, Jasper wasn’t sure that Veronica would have even known about the group. Most civilians didn’t know of its existence. “Have I ever broken cover?” Jasper tossed back at his friend.

  Gunner shook his head.

  “And I’m not starting now.” As if a pretty face would sway him. Veronica had definitely been graced with a pretty face. Heart-shaped, with high cheeks, a round little nose and the biggest, brightest blue eyes he’d ever seen.

  The eyes had caught his attention first, held it and made it hard for him to look away.

  Then he’d noticed her mouth. Who would have guessed that sweet Veronica Lane had a mouth made for sin?

  Or legs that seemed to stretch forever.

  He cleared his throat and shifted beneath the table. “As far as I can tell, the woman doesn’t know a thing about the EOD. She thinks I’m a mercenary, just like Cale.”

  If she only knew the truth.

  For the past two years, Jasper had been working for the Elite Operations Division. The hybrid group of ex-military personnel took on some damn dangerous missions...missions that no one else could handle. EOD agents generally worked off the grid. Way, way off.

  But someone had started to hunt EOD agents. Three men had been killed in the past six months, and all signs were indicating that the killer was...

  Cale Lane.

  “So I guess you took the job?” Gunner asked.

  “We came to an agreement.” One that they’d hash out more later. “That agreement...it does involve me getting full access to Cale’s house and all of his personal files.”

  “Lucky SOB,” Gunner muttered, shaking his head.

  Jasper shrugged. “He’s missing. She wants me to find him.” He still couldn’t quite get over the shock of seeing her come for him, pushing out of the crowd, looking so out of place and so—

  “What’s going to happen when she finds out that you’re in town to catch her brother? That Uncle Sam wants Cale locked up tight so that the man never sees daylight again?”

  This time, Jasper’s shrug was forced. “I guess she’ll hate me then.” Her blue eyes had flashed with so many emotions. Fear. Desperation. Hope.

  Soon enough, he’d see what her gaze looked like when hate burned in those blue eyes.

  “You’re playing with fire.” It was a warning that Gunner had given him before.

  And, as before, Jasper’s answer was the same. “Good thing I like to get burned.” Then he rose from the table, and, because he was still thinking about her, still wondering about the lovely Ms. Veronica Lane, Jasper made his way out of the bar.

  The EOD had already run a full background check on Veronica, and, yes, the woman was as innocent as she looked. No skeletons in her closet. Just a desperate woman looking for her brother. A woman who is about to trust the wrong man.

  Outside he saw Veronica hop into a small blue sedan. Nothing fancy or particularly noticeable about it. Her taillights flashed on, and she quickly reversed.

  Then she pulled away from Last Chance.

  He watched her, his gaze lingering and...

  Another pair of headlights flashed on in the parking lot. His gaze shot to the right just as a vehicle’s motor growled and a car lurched forward. When it reached the parking lot’s exit, the vehicle turned to the left and headed in the same direction that Veronica had just taken.

  Just another bar patron, leaving for the night.

  Only Jasper hadn’t seen anyone get in that vehicle. So the driver had been sitting inside for a while, doing what? Talking on his phone? Yeah, maybe.

  Waiting for Veronica?

  That made no sense. So the driver had taken the same road that Veronica had taken.

  It didn’t mean anything, despite the kick in his gut.

  He was seeing danger where there was none. A definite downside of his job. After so many missions, so many deaths, he saw danger everywhere.

  Jasper turned back toward Last Chance.

  Sometimes a car was just a car.

  He looked over his shoulder at the darkness, unable to shake the tension that had tightened his body. Because sometimes danger could really be anyplace.

  * * *

  SHE HAD THE radio blaring. The loud music helped to keep Veronica’s mind off the fact that it was after midnight and she was on one long, lonely stretch of Texas road. />
  There were no streetlights. Streetlights weren’t exactly a priority on this seldom-traveled highway. Darkness surrounded her, a pitch-black night cut only by the flash of her headlights.

  The music kept blaring, and she gripped the steering wheel tightly. Thirty more minutes, and she’d turn off this road and head back toward the ranch.

  She’d done it. She’d gotten Jasper to help her and—

  Bright lights suddenly filled her rearview mirror. The whole interior of her car lit up, and her eyes had to squint against that strong glare.

  Guess I’m not alone anymore.

  The other vehicle came up behind her, driving fast. Going far faster than she was.

  Veronica eased her foot off the gas. If the other vehicle wanted to pass her, that was fine. She wasn’t about to try to race anyone in the dark.

  The vehicle came closer and closer, eating up the miles between them. It was hard to tell what kind of car was behind her. The driver had on his bright lights, too, and that vehicle was right on her tail now.

  She lifted her hand, waving vaguely to indicate that the other vehicle should pass her.

  A motor revved behind her. Then the other car shot into the left lane. Her breath eased out and she slowed down even more. He was going to pass her. Good. That was—

  The other vehicle was right beside her. Only the driver wasn’t going so fast now. He’d lowered his speed to match hers.

  A shiver slid over her, and Veronica glanced over at the other vehicle. She couldn’t see anyone inside. Too dark. She just had the impression of a long, heavy car.

  The other car seemed to be coming closer to her. Coming closer—

  She slammed on her brakes.

  The other car kept going.

  Her breath eased out even as her heart pounded frantically in her chest. For a moment there, she’d remembered another wreck, a time that had destroyed her life. Her eyes squeezed shut. “You’re safe. Everything’s okay.” Cale had told her those words, over and over again as he comforted her through the nightmares that had seeped into her life when she’d been a child.

  She wasn’t a child now. Her eyes opened. She stared straight ahead.

  Then she saw the red flash of the other car’s taillights. After that brief stop, the vehicle spun around and came right toward her. The motor was snarling.

  She shoved her foot down on the gas and tried to swerve around that vehicle, but the driver anticipated her move. His car lunged toward hers. Veronica screamed and yanked the steering wheel to the left.

  Her car narrowly missed the other vehicle, but her little sedan careened off the road, bounced and slammed into a wooden fence. She flew forward, her head snapping down, even as the seat belt bit into her shoulder and yanked her back in place.

  Holding her prisoner, trapping her...just like before.

  Her air bag deployed, sending a white cloud all around her, and she fought against it, pushing with her fists and calling out for help.

  Someone yanked open her passenger’s-side door.

  Help?

  “Get her!” a voice barked. “Hurry the hell up!”

  The air bag deflated instantly—because someone had just shoved a knife into it. The gleaming blade of the knife shone in the darkness.

  Then that blade came toward her. Veronica screamed.

  But who was out there to hear her cries? She was in the middle of nowhere, and the man with the knife wasn’t hesitating as he jerked her out of the car.

  Chapter Two

  It was a scene out of a nightmare.

  Jasper slammed on the brakes when he rounded the corner and saw the crashed sedan. The front of the vehicle was lodged in a fence, and the driver’s-side door was hanging open.

  His gaze shot back across the two-lane highway. The other car—the bigger vehicle—was parked sideways, cutting across the pavement, and its doors were open, too.

  Jasper jumped out of his truck.

  Two men were trying to shove something—someone—into the trunk of that gray car. Veronica? Hell, no.

  He had his weapon out in less than a second’s time. “Let her go!” he roared even as he raced toward the men.

  A swear broke from one of the men. They dumped Veronica into the trunk. One guy tried to slam the lid shut on her.

  “I will shoot you! Get away from her!”

  Veronica tried to jump out of the trunk. One of the thugs shoved her back inside.

  I warned you.

  Jasper aimed at the man who’d pushed Veronica. Fired. The bullet tore into her attacker’s shoulder, and he stumbled back, screaming. The other man rushed toward the driver’s side. He dived into the vehicle even as Veronica leaped out of the trunk. She started running toward Jasper as the driver rushed away with a screech of burning rubber.

  The driver thought he was getting away. Just leaving his bleeding buddy behind. Think again. “Get down, Veronica!” Jasper shouted.

  She instantly hit the pavement. He fired. Once. Twice. The bullets found their targets as he aimed at back tires. The vehicle was still lurching forward, but the driver wasn’t getting far, not on those tires. Jasper yanked out his phone. He had Gunner on the line in less than five seconds. “Got a fleeing vehicle on 59, back tires are out.”

  That was all he’d need to say. Gunner would stop the driver. If not Gunner, then one of the other agents in the area. The EOD always had his back.

  Jasper kept his weapon out as he hurried toward Veronica. The gray car had disappeared around the curve, but Jasper knew he’d be seeing that guy again real soon. But right now, Veronica was his priority.

  She was still lying flat on the ground. “Is it...okay to move?” she called out, voice trembling.

  He glanced at the man he’d shot. The guy had slammed his head into the back of the car when he fell, and it looked as though the would-be kidnapper was now out cold. But Jasper wasn’t taking any chances. “Get up, but stay with me.”

  She pushed to her feet. In the darkness, he couldn’t tell much about her or any injuries she might have. “Did they hurt you?”

  Veronica shook her head. “They were— They tried to kidnap me!”

  Which didn’t make a hell of a lot of sense to him.

  He headed toward the downed man. Veronica’s hesitant steps followed him. His shot had been clean, right in and out of the shoulder. Jasper felt for the guy’s pulse. Found the steady beat. He searched the guy, taking away a very sharp knife from the sheath on the man’s hip.

  Just what did you plan to do with this?

  Another car rushed past them. Gunner. And Jasper could hear yet another vehicle coming from the north, heading in to cut off their escaping kidnapper.

  No one was getting away.

  He risked a fast glance back at Veronica. Her shoulders were hunched. Her arms were wrapped around her stomach, as if she were hugging herself.

  “Did they say anything to you?”

  She hesitated, then shook her head.

  Just what was up with that hesitation?

  Her gaze was on his gun.

  The weapon might be making her nervous, but now wasn’t the time to be putting the weapon up. He’d keep his weapon at the ready until the scene was secure.

  He just hated the way Veronica looked. Shaken. Scared. “You’re safe.” His words were gruff.

  Her chin jerked up. Then she gave a slow nod.

  That wasn’t good enough for him. Damn if he didn’t find himself going closer to her. Pulling her against him. Holding her with one arm while his other kept his gun aimed at the unconscious man on the ground. “I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he told Veronica. He took a breath and caught the sweet scent rising from her hair. Honeysuckle. A scent that he remembered from what seemed like a lifetime ago.

  Her arms curled around his waist. “I thought they were going to kill me.”

  They just might have. If he hadn’t followed his instincts and followed her.

  But he’d been in too many tight situations to just ignore the batt
le-ready tension that served to heighten his senses when danger was near.

  Jasper stared down at Veronica. She’d lost her shoes, and the top of her head barely reached his chin. He wasn’t sure what was happening—some sick punks who’d tried to abduct a pretty woman out on her own or...

  Was this about Cale?

  The faint wail of a siren sounded in the distance. Jasper tensed. Who’d called the cops? Not his team; they wouldn’t alert anyone local. They liked to handle their business in-house.

  And Veronica didn’t exactly have a phone in her hands or wait... His eyes narrowed

  Yes, she did have a phone clutched in her fingers.

  He felt the small ridge of her phone pressing against his side. “Veronica, did you call for help?”

  She nodded. “I texted the sheriff. He didn’t believe me about Cale, but Wyatt was supposed to be patrolling around here tonight. I thought he could help me.”

  He could. The cavalry was flying in toward them. Jasper knew that he had just a few minutes with Veronica before the sheriff arrived.

  So he had to set up his cover and he had to do it fast. “He’ll wonder why we’re out here. And I’m guessing Last Chance isn’t your usual kind of hangout spot.”

  She shook her head.

  “Don’t tell him you just hired yourself a mercenary.” He didn’t want the sheriff getting in his way. In fact, the EOD would have to take steps to move him out of their way. “Tell him we’re together. I’m an old friend.”

  “A friend of Cale’s,” she whispered.

  “Right.” The attempted kidnapping had just changed his plans. I have to stay close to her. “If he asks, tell the sheriff that I’m staying at the ranch with you.”

  “I don’t know...” Veronica began as she tried to ease away from him.

  Jasper just held her tighter. “After what just happened, do you really want to go back to the ranch alone tonight?”

  “No.”

  Good answer. Because he wasn’t in the mood to force his way inside the ranch, but if he had to do it, he would. Paired with Cale’s disappearance, the kidnapping was just too much of a coincidence for him to handle.

  He’d never liked coincidences.

  But since he had her agreement, Jasper eased his hold on Veronica. Only she didn’t step back.