Cook's Choice: A Bad Boy Protector Romance (Lost Boys Book 4)

by Janice M. Whiteaker

  Unless shit was going bad. Then it was all hands on deck, all the time.

  As long as nothing went wrong, this would be a nice break after working around-the-clock for a month.

  Number five came into view as the Rover bumped down the snow-covered drive. It was the largest of the cabins Alaskan Security owned, with six bedrooms and a large, open kitchen sporting high-end appliances. Usually it was reserved for either their highest paying jobs, or the most dangerous, where multiple guards were required to be on hand at all times. “How many men are on this?”

  “Just two at a time.” Shawn’s gaze didn’t meet his in the mirror. “For now.”

  Wade started to ask what the fuck that meant, but Shawn cut him off, throwing the SUV into park and jumping out. “I’ll introduce you. Then I’ve got to go. Got another job I gotta get lined up before someone dies.”

  “Wouldn’t want that to happen, now would we?” Wade didn’t even try to keep the disdain out of his tone. He used to look at this job differently. Used to think it didn’t matter who he protected, as long as he was successful.

  Now he wasn’t so sure.

  Shawn started up the shoveled sidewalk toward the porch, but stopped suddenly, turning to face them, his eyes trained on Wade. “Be nice to her. She’s been through a lot.”

  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

  Shawn’s head tipped to one side. “Come on, man. I heard you made Courtney cry.”

  “She was being fucking ridiculous.” He wasn’t being paid to go buy a twenty-year-old eyeliner at ten at night. “Someone was trying to kill her and she was treating us like her assistants.”

  Shawn let out a long breath. “Listen. I know lately you’ve been feeling a little...”

  “Pissy.” Brock finished the sentence before wrapping his arm around Shawn and turning him back toward the house. “He’ll be fine.”

  That wasn’t true. Wade hadn’t been fine in almost two years.

  Because two years ago he had a taste of all he was missing and it changed everything.

  One night and one woman had turned his whole world upside down and then set it on fire, leaving him to live in the burned-out remains of what might have been.

  He followed them up the steps and onto the covered porch where Shawn rang the bell before punching in the code to unlock the door. He and Brock walked in first, leaving Wade to close and lock the door behind them.

  When Wade turned around the woman occupying cabin number five was standing in the middle of the vaulted great room staring at him, her full lips barely parted, her hazel eyes wide.

  She was just as perfect as she was two years ago. Just as beautiful as the night she lit the match that incinerated his life.

  Wade took a step, blinking hard, thinking he had to be wrong.

  It couldn’t be her. Not here.

  But then she said a name. The name only one woman had ever called him. “Whitt?”

  It was a fake name. A way to ensure she would never be able to find him if she decided to look. Bringing people into his life wasn’t an option. It was too dangerous.

  But here she was. Brought to him by her own demons.

  Wade took another step toward her. He barely glanced at Brock and Shawn, shoving one finger toward the door. “Get out.”

  Carly—

  No.

  The woman he knew as Carly softly gasped as one hand went over her mouth. “This can’t be happening.”

  Wade knew he wasn’t the only one who used a fake name that night. For two years he wondered what her name really was.

  Now he knew. It wasn’t Carly Smith like she claimed. It was Bessie Hines.

  It fit her so much better.

  Wade dragged his eyes from Bess to glare at the two men still standing beside him. “I said get out. Now.”

  “Are you seri—”

  “Out.” He didn’t wait for them to stall any longer. Wade grabbed Brock by the shoulder of his coat and pulled him toward the door. “I’ll call you later.”

  He shoved the two men out the door and relocked it, taking a breath before turning back to the woman who changed his whole life in one night.

  She stood perfectly still, one delicate hand covering her mouth, almost green eyes still wide with shock. She barely shook her head. “What are you doing here?”

  Wade started walking toward her. “Your father hired me to protect you.” His steps came faster, eating up the remaining space between them. Even then it felt like it took him forever to get to her.

  Because it had taken him forever to get to her.

  He grabbed her, pulling Bess tight against him, burying his face in her hair, never considering she might not feel like he did.

  That she might not have thought about him every night like he had her.

  That she didn’t wish every minute of every day that things could be different.

  That he hadn’t left.

  Bess. Her name was Bess.

  And she was here. With him.

  Finally.

  She collapsed against him, her small frame falling into his arms. “I can’t believe this.”

  He held her close, breathing in the unforgettable scent of her skin. He’d searched everywhere trying to find it, needing something to remind him that she was real, that she had been his, even if it was only for one night, but never once did Wade find anything even close to the warm jasmine scent filling his lungs.

  Her soft body suddenly went still in his arms, stiffening until she slowly pushed from his embrace. He let her go, even though it was the hardest thing he’d ever done. He’d waited so long, never thinking he would see her again.

  Always praying he would. That the same twist of fate that pulled them together once would do it again.

  And it had.

  But maybe Bess couldn’t forgive him for leaving her the way he did. Maybe what they shared hadn’t meant to her what it did to him.

  Wade held perfectly still, waiting.

  Bess took a shaky breath. “I have to tell you something.”

  “Is it about Chris?” He took a step closer, needing to be near her even if he couldn’t touch her. “I don’t care who you’ve been with, Bess. It doesn’t matter.”

  That was a lie. It did matter who she’d been with, but only because now Wade would have to kill the bastard who dared to hurt her. Chris Snyder had worse things to worry about than prison now. Now he should pray for the safety of a jail cell. It was all that would protect Bessie’s ex from the hell coming for him.

  Bess shook her head, the long blonde hair Wade dreamed of almost every night swinging over her shoulders. “I haven’t been with anyone.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Not since you.”

  Wade stilled. “Who is Chris then?”

  He should have listened to Brock. If he’d looked at her file he would know everything. Would know how much he would have to punish the man who hurt her.

  “He’s my ex.”

  Wade tried to catch up. Tried to remember everything he knew of her.

  “The one from when we met?” He knew she was trying to break free of someone. Find her way from a bad relationship. It was what drove her to him no doubt, and he’d been grateful as hell.

  But now he didn’t feel the same.

  Two years and this guy was still chasing her? Not just chasing, but stalking. Assaulting.

  Kidnapping.

  Rage fired through him, hot and angry. Anger at fucking Chris Snyder.

  But mostly at himself.

  Because he knew Bess was different after just one night with her, and he should never have left. He should have stayed. Done what he wanted to do in spite of how wrong he convinced himself it was.

  Fuck the consequences.

  Wade tried to reach for her again but Bess stepped back, away from his touch.

  Still out of his reach.

  He took a step toward her but one small palm came up between them, stopping him dead in his tracks. “Stop.” Her tone was strong, unwavering. “I—�
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  A sound from the first-floor bedroom cut her off.

  The sound of a baby crying.

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