Ryker stared at her, making her feel that maybe he did understand her, just a little.
Mia stood up. “I’m starved. Are you going to feed me or what?” She linked her arm through his, like a real date. It was good to have support. Maybe Ryker was trustworthy. It was a possibility, but she didn’t want to assume too much.
Dinner was pleasant, and Ryker even talked a bit. Mia enjoyed hearing about some of the countries he’d been too, and a few anecdotes that he could share without betraying confidentiality. She was curious about his protection business, too.
Ryker filled her in about what type of cases Black Swan handled. But he didn’t give many specifics. He told her that protection agents don’t reveal any information about their clients. That was good to know. He might be one person that she didn’t have to be concerned would violate her privacy.
It was late when Ryker took her home. Mia lived in a nice part of Philly in a condo she’d purchased once her company began doing well. She allowed him to escort her up to her place. Dim lights in the ceiling automatically turned on at dusk, so the main area was illuminated.
Ryker walked into the expansive room. City lights sparkled outside the wall of windows. The white room glowed under the pale cast of the moon. “This is quite a place.”
Mia stood next to him and looked out. “I bought it for the view. And I like being up high like this.”
“It’s easier to keep you safe.” Ryker turned to look at her, only a breath away. “The ground floor would present more issues.”
The closeness of Ryker’s hard body unnerved her. Mia wanted to take a step back yet couldn’t manage to do so. She stood so near she could feel his heat and hoped he couldn’t read her mind—but maybe he could. When she looked into the depths of his blue eyes, she saw desire.
Ryker’s gaze locked with hers, then he touched her cheek. Mia shuddered with need but didn’t make a move. “I better go,” he whispered, then looked away.
At the door, Ryker said, “The team will work in shifts. You won’t be alone—remember that.” Then he went out and shut the door.
*****
For the next few days, Mia tried to push Ryker out of her mind. But it wasn’t an easy task. She kept remembering how he looked in the dark bar, the electricity between them at her condo. She wanted to indulge, desired intimacy that she had no right to allow.
And she wanted to trust—only she couldn’t.
Mia distracted herself with work, which wasn’t difficult. There was plenty to deal with, and long days were required. It was all going to be worth it, then she’d get a break. Maybe next time, she’d be able to enjoy it—with Ryker. But that wasn’t going to happen; she was dreaming.
After a stressful afternoon, Iris invited her for drinks with the team. But Mia was exhausted, so she declined. After wrapping things up, she went to the lot and got into her Audi. She really loved that car, and it was good to know that she wouldn’t be accosted by her ex again.
Security was around, but Mia got used to that. She saw Caleb frequently, and a few other team members. But they weren’t intrusive, so she allowed their presence to blend into the background.
Mia cruised down the street on her way home. It was a pleasant evening, and since she was late, the traffic was light. She cranked up the music and nestled into her leather seat.
A block from Mia’s condo, a loud crash startled her, followed by the shattering of the glass in her back window. She shrieked, then looked over her shoulder to see that her trunk was covered with flames. The fire burst into her car, heating the leather and igniting the sleeve of her jacket.
Mia slammed on the brakes, and the Audi skidded over the curb. She patted the flames on her sleeve, putting out the fire that singed her skin. She struggled with her seatbelt. Then the car door opened, and Caleb lifted her out.
Vaguely, Mia saw two others putting out the fire. She leaned against Caleb, fearing for her life. “I’ve got you,” Caleb said. “That was a small firebomb. I saw it and got to you as fast as possible.”
Mia glanced back to see burning liquid dripping from her car. Her Audi was trashed; she felt so violated.
“I’ll call an ambulance,” Caleb said. “Your arm is burned.”
“No, please.” Mia panicked. “You take me. I’ll get there just as fast.”
Without argument, Caleb put her in his car. He grabbed a small towel from the backseat then doused it with cool water from a bottle. “Hold this on your skin. I’ll get you to emergency as fast as I can.”
The pain was bad. It had to be a second-degree burn. Mia was thankful that protection had been nearby. She couldn’t imagine how she’d have survived otherwise. She agonized over her physical distress but was more enraged at being a victim. Once again, she’d been a woman alone, an easy target.
Caleb sped her to the hospital, while the rest of the team handled her beloved Audi. There was only one person who could have done this, one person who was jealous and frustrated enough to resort to such tactics. He’d warned her, and he’d made good on his threat.
Chapter 6
The night Ryker had escorted Mia to her condo, he’d resisted the urge to kiss her. That wouldn’t be right, as he was there to ensure her safety. Indulging in pleasure wasn’t on the agenda, as much as he wanted to. Unleashing his desire for a client was unprofessional, as well as dangerous.
If Ryker allowed his emotions to take over, he might make a mistake. He couldn’t chance that. He was good at keeping such things buried. Since his wife had died, he’d managed to uphold his duties whether military or civilian.
He’d had to dig deep for the strength to go on, but he was certain that was what Amy wanted. She’d respected him, loved him. He wouldn’t let her down. No matter how much he wished for it, he couldn’t bring her back. But he could continue to be honorable, to make her proud—and he would.
In the few days since Ryker had seen Mia, she’d been on his mind. It was time to schedule her next self-defense lesson. The only thing was that he feared being close to her would be tempting. One of the other guys could do the training. Only he couldn’t bring himself to pass up the opportunity to be with her.
Mia ran hot and cold, but there was something about her that intrigued him. He admired her strength of character. It seemed odd to like a woman for her mind, but he did. She was educated but also street-savvy. Carrying a lipstick taser was an example of her self-reliance, her ability to look out for herself.
Ryker couldn’t blame her for resenting the need for protection. She was strong and independent, so he was sure it rubbed her the wrong way. He scrolled to his calendar to look for an open slot for her training. Then his phone vibrated.
The text was all Ryker needed to see; he was out the door and on his way. Caleb’s message was that Mia was at the hospital. The thought of her injured sent adrenaline flooding through his veins. Whoever did this would pay.
The drive to the emergency room was a blur. All Ryker could focus on was Mia. He tried not to envision the worst, but it was best to see for himself. Caleb was in the hallway outside the treating room.
“How is she?”
“Mia is going to be fine,” Caleb said. “When the doctor is finished treating her burns, she will be able to go home.”
Ryker let out a breath. “What the hell happened?”
Caleb relayed the details of the incident. “I saw the bomb toss but there was no time to follow the vehicle. It was more important to rescue Mia. The damn car was on fire.”
“Shit, she could have been killed.”
“I was behind her, and the other guys were in a second vehicle,” Caleb said. “But it took all of us to avoid disaster. The bomb was lobbed at the rear of her vehicle.”
“Did you get a look at who did it?”
“The perpetrator was driving an older model Nissan, but it had blacked-out windows,” Caleb said. “It all happened so fast, and like I said, it would have been a bad idea to take off after the car.”
“Did you get the
plate?”
“Couldn’t…he sped toward her and threw the bomb on the way by,” Caleb said. “He had no front plate.”
Ryker was pissed. “Why was Mia driving alone?”
“She refused to have one of us drive her around, said we could follow, but she wasn’t going to be chauffeured.”
That sounded like Mia. “What kind of injuries?”
“The Audi is totaled,” Caleb said, “but Mia scraped by. The doctor is treating a second-degree burn on her right arm.”
Ryker raked his hand over his head. “I need to see her. Which room?”
Caleb nodded toward an open door, so Ryker strode down the hall. He pushed open the door to see a nurse tending to Mia.
“I just gave her something for the pain,” the nurse said.
Mia looked pale and disheveled, but alive. She had a gauze bandage wrapped around her upper right arm. “Ryker…you got here fast. I just finished with the doctor.”
“Are you in much pain? Is there anything I can do?”
“Yeah, it hurts like hell,” Mia said. “But Caleb handled the injury at the scene and sped over here. It feels better. The doctor cooled it down then put on antibiotic cream. It will take a bit to heal, but I survived.”
Ryker looked at the gauze around her arm and got mad all over again. But he held back from exploding about the asshole who had done this. That could wait, as it would only upset Mia to deal with that now. “How long do you have to stay in here?”
“The doctor should return shortly,” Mia said. “He’s going to release me with instructions. I don’t have to stay overnight, which is good. I don’t like hospitals.”
“I can’t say that I blame you there.”
The door opened, and a petite woman with short brown hair ran over to the bed. “Mia, oh my God. I came the instant Caleb called. What an awful thing.”
Mia smiled. “I asked him to call you. I didn’t know how long I’d be in here, but it looks like I can go home.” She looked up. “Ryker, meet my best friend, Iris.”
Ryker took her hand and looked into her brown eyes, feeling as though she knew him, even though he hadn’t met her before. “My pleasure, Iris.”
“Hello, Ryker. I saw you when you came by that first day, but I didn’t get a chance to meet you,” Iris said. “The pleasure is mine.” Her eyes seemed to sparkle.
“Shall I let you ladies talk privately?” Ryker said.
“No, you can stay,” Mia said. “Anything we have to say, you can hear.”
“I’m horrified that you were injured like this,” Iris said. “Things have gotten out of hand.”
“I’ll have to make a police report, but that can wait until tomorrow,” Mia said. “I want to get a grip on the pain. This is the worst burn I’ve experienced, and it sucks.”
“Yeah, no kidding,” Iris said, then looked at Ryker. “Where was her protection?”
Mia spoke up. “That’s on me. Caleb offered to drive me around, but I wouldn’t agree. That was stupid.” She sighed. “And now I’ve lost my Audi.”
“I’d be more worried about your skin,” Iris said. “You can get another car.”
“That’s easy for you to say…you know how long I waited to get that Audi.”
Iris looked at Ryker. “Can you do anything with her? Because sometimes I can’t get her to listen to reason.”
Ryker laughed, then glanced at Mia to see if he’d offended her—but she was smiling. “Not so far,” he said.
The doctor came in to check on Mia. “That burn should heal up nicely,” he said. “It’s fortunate your friend brought you in right away. Your arm will hurt for a few days, but you can pick up some painkillers at the drug store. I’ll have the nurse give you some supplies to take home. You’ll want to keep the wound clean and change the bandage every day.”
When the doctor left, Mia said, “I guess that’s it. I can go.”
“Not so fast, smart girl,” Iris said. “Who is going to take care of you?”
Mia said, “I don’t need—”
“I am,” Ryker said, and both women looked at him. “I’m going to drive her home and stay with her.” He looked at Iris, not willing to listen to Mia’s objections. “Are you satisfied?”
Iris grinned. “Yes, very.”
Mia slipped out of bed without saying a word to Ryker. “Can you help me change into street clothes, then?” she said to Iris. “I had Caleb go the giftshop and buy something I could wear. My jacket was, uh…burnt to a crisp.”
Iris winked at Ryker, then complied with her friend’s request. When the women emerged from the bathroom, Mia had on a loose-fitting top that was too big for her. “Let’s get you home and more comfortable,” Ryker said.
*****
At the condo, Ryker took charge. He didn’t care whether Mia liked it or not; he was going to take care of her. But she didn’t seem to object. The incident had made an impact on her, as she seemed drawn to him—maybe realizing that he cared about her safety.
Ryker settled Mia in a comfortable chair, then gathered the supplies he’d need. He checked the time, so he’d know when to give her more pills. And he brought her a large glass of water. “You need to stay hydrated. It will help you heal.”
“You don’t have to do this, you know.”
“I want to, so enough said. You can chew me out for something another time,” Ryker said. “But I’m not leaving you alone. Period.”
Mia smiled. “I appreciate it. I don’t really want to be alone, in pain, and upset. I’m not that masochistic.”
Ryker laughed. “Glad to hear it. I was wondering.” He put on some music and let her relax. She needed recovery time.
Mia drank her water then asked for a refill. She had her arm propped up, as the doctor had instructed. It would help to keep the burn elevated. She looked at Ryker. “I’m sure you’re wondering who did this.”
“You know?”
“Not for sure,” Mia said. “What’s your guess?”
“It could have been an angry fan,” Ryker said. “Jealousy knows no limits. Or an investor, blaming you for destabilizing his investment. Shall I go on?”
“It was my ex,” Mia said. “It had to be, but I don’t have any proof.”
Ryker leaned back and put his feet on the coffee table, trying to appear calmer than he was. “Yeah, he was my next guess. What makes you so sure?”
“It just makes sense,” Mia said. “He can’t get his hands on me, can’t release his pent-up anger for defying him. It must be driving him crazy.”
“James is that explosive?”
“You don’t know the half of it,” Mia said. “Someday I’ll fill you in. But my refusal to reunite, or even to talk with him, has pushed him to resort to drastic measures to get my attention.”
“He endangered your life.”
“That’s what’s hard to fathom,” Mia said. “When he’s in a state, he doesn’t think of that. He’s mad…beyond mad, really. He acts without considering consequences, and he’s not thinking about my health and wellbeing.”
“I had Jake look into his background, but he couldn’t find any dirt,” Ryker said.
“James is too clever for that,” Mia said. “That’s what threw me off for so long. He seems so normal, but rage simmers just below the surface. He wouldn’t allow any black marks on his record. He makes sure that the trail doesn’t lead back to him. Or if it does, he doesn’t look like the guilty one.”
Ryker just looked at her.
“I know it sounds bizarre. It took me a while to face up to what I was dealing with.”
“A psycho.”
“That’s one way to put it,” Mia said.
Ryker was livid. He’d like to go after the guy, but there was no evidence of wrongdoing—only conjecture. He was beginning to see what Mia was up against. “What about a restraining order?”
“I tried, but it was ineffective,” Mia said. “James always figured a way around it—like today’s drive-by bombing.”
The depth of insan
ity was alarming. “I’m staying around,” Ryker said. “What I mean is that you can’t be left alone. There’s no telling what that dude will do next. I can’t take the chance…you can’t take the chance.”
Mia closed her eyes. “Can you get me a pill? This burn is killing me.”
Ryker did as she asked. He kept her as comfortable as possible and waited on her for the rest of the evening. He liked doing so, plus had no intention of leaving her on her own.
It was late, but Mia needed to eat. “What do you feel like having for dinner?”
“I have some leftovers in the fridge,” Mia said. “You should find some boxes of Chinese from the other night. I’m sure it’s still good. We can share that. And I have ice cream for dessert. I’ll come in and help you.”
“No, you sit there,” Ryker said. “I can take care of it.”
Mia patted his arm. “I want to. It will distract me from the pain. I’m not disabled, just injured.”
Ryker let her help in the kitchen but kept an eye on her. He was concerned that if she was dizzy or weak, she wouldn’t mention it. She tried to be such a tough woman, and she was. But there were occasions when it was okay to have assistance.
Mia seemed fine during dinner. If her arm hurt, she didn’t complain. She chatted about other things, anything but her ex-husband terrorizing her. That was best; it would take her mind off the trauma and she’d heal faster.
Dessert was vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup, which Ryker learned was Mia’s favorite. He’d have to remember that. It was a joy to watch her eat it, one spoonful at a time. “Mmm, delicious,” she said. “It almost makes me forget that I’m traumatized.”
Ryker brushed her hair back from her cheek. “Have as much as you want. I can call Caleb and have him buy more. He can bring it by when he brings my overnight bag.”
“You’re staying overnight?”
“I thought I made myself clear,” Ryker said. “You aren’t allowed to be alone. You require protection and nursing. And I’m the best man for the job.”
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