Guarded by the Soldier

by Laura Scott

  Her eyes misted. “I’d like that.”

  “Mommy!” Aaron’s voice cut through the moment and she turned in time to see her son running toward her. Aaron clutched her around the legs, until Ryker scooped the boy into his arms. Then Ryker stepped close, putting his arm around her waist so that Aaron was cradled between them.

  “I missed you.” Aaron leaned over to wrap his arms around her neck.

  “I missed you, too.” She met Ryker’s gaze over Aaron’s shoulder and knew this was the first day of their new life together.

  As a family.

  EPILOGUE

  Five weeks later

  Ryker placed his arm around Olivia’s shoulders as she continued to push. “Come on, sweetheart. You can do it.”

  “She’s a stubborn one,” Olivia said between gritted teeth.

  “Hey, at least he almost waited until his due date.” The baby’s gender was an ongoing joke between them. Personally he didn’t care one way or the other, but Olivia was convinced she was having a girl.

  “You’re doing great,” Dr. Regner said encouragingly. “One more big push and your son or daughter will be born.”

  “That’s what you said last time.” Olivia sounded annoyed, but he understood that this was just part of the process.

  “You can do it. Let me know when you’re ready.” He waited for her to signal another contraction was coming.

  “Now!” Olivia let out a groan as she pushed. Ryker did his best to support her although how in the world any woman survived childbirth was beyond him. He was sweating as much if not more than Olivia.

  “There she is!” The baby immediately started to wail. “A beautiful baby girl!” Dr. Regner wrapped the baby in a cloth and brought her over to Olivia.

  “I was right.” Olivia looked down with awe at the baby cradled against her chest. “A girl. We have a girl!”

  “She’s beautiful, and so are you.” Ryker blinked against the threat of tears. “You did it, Olivia. Aaron has a baby sister.”

  “He’ll be disappointed,” she said with a wry laugh.

  “Nah, he’ll get over it.” Ryker kissed her, then put his hand against the baby’s head. “I love you so much, Olivia.”

  “I love you, too.” She looked up at him. “I’d like to call her Julia, in honor of your foster mother.”

  His eyes burned with emotion. “I’d like that.”

  For a long moment he gazed down at Olivia and their daughter. “Olivia, will you please marry me?”

  It wasn’t the first time he’d asked her. Technically it was the third, not that he was counting. Okay, yes he was. She’d always told him she loved him, but had wanted to wait until after the baby was born to commit to marriage.

  Granted, she probably hadn’t meant the exact moment the baby was born, but hey, why wait?

  She looked up at him and smiled. “Yes, Ryker. I’d be honored to marry you.”

  Her agreement filled him with joy. “I love you.” He kissed her again, knowing he finally had a family of his own, one he’d treasure every single day.

  For the rest of their lives.

  * * *

  If you enjoyed this book, don’t miss these other stories from Laura Scott:

  Shielding His Christmas Witness

  The Only Witness

  Christmas Amnesia

  Shattered Lullaby

  Primary Suspect

  Protecting His Secret Son

  Soldier’s Christmas Secrets

  Available now from Love Inspired Suspense!

  Find more great reads at www.LoveInspired.com

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Hunted by the Mob by Elisabeth Rees.

  Dear Reader,

  I hope you enjoyed Ryker and Olivia’s story. I just knew as I finished Hawk’s book that Ryker and Olivia deserved to have their own happily-ever-after. And please know, that I haven’t forgotten about Duncan. I’m hard at work plotting his story, too.

  Thank you so much for the kind messages you’ve sent through my website or through social media. I’m blessed to have a truly amazing group of readers!

  If you enjoyed this book, I would very much appreciate if you might take a moment to leave a review. These are very important to authors and I’m grateful for each one.

  I love hearing from my readers and can be reached through my website at www.laurascottbooks.com or through Facebook at Laura Scott Books or via Twitter @laurascottbooks. Anyone who signs up for my newsletter receives a copy of an exclusive free novella that is not for sale on any venue.

  Yours in faith,

  Laura Scott

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  Hunted by the Mob

  by Elisabeth Rees

  ONE

  The heat of summer hung in the air, moist and heavy under a midday sun. Agent Goldie Simmons stepped from her vehicle into the humidity, wishing she had worn something other than jeans and sneakers that day. Standing in the driveway of a beautiful stone mansion in the exclusive suburb of Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, she could smell chlorine from a pool in the backyard and closed her eyes to imagine slipping into the freshness of clear water.

  “Oh boy,” she muttered to herself. “This assignment might be my best one yet.”

  Retrieving her case from the trunk, she waved at a female police officer standing guard at the front door of the palatial home.

  “You must be Agent Simmons,” the officer called. “I was told to expect you and you’re right on time.”

  Goldie laughed. “I have many flaws, but time management is not one of them.” Wheeling her suitcase along the path, she held up her ID badge for the officer to scrutinize. “Did my partner, David McQueen, arrive already?”

  “Yes, ma’am. He got here two hours ago.”

  Goldie read the name tag attached to the woman’s shirt. “You look a little hot, Officer Diaz. I hope you’re keeping hydrated.”

  The officer smiled. “Actually, ma’am, I could do with some water. The force doesn’t supply us with a bottle, and I’ve been on guard duty for three hours without a drink.”

  “That’s not right,” Goldie said, shielding her eyes against the blazing sun. “Come inside and get some water.”

  “I’d appreciate that. The house is so secure. It’s kept locked at all times. This place is like Fort Knox.”

  Goldie retrieved a key, which she’d been issued beforehand, from her jeans pocket. “It’s no surprise that this house is on lockdown, right? The lady who lives here has the power to bring down one of the biggest Mafia families in America.”

  Mrs. Louisa Volto was the wife of the infamous Leonardo Volto, a ruthless Mafia boss, who, alongside his brother, Joseph, was facing multiple criminal charges, ranging from money laundering to murder. Mrs. Volto had cut a deal with the prosecutor in exchange for immunity and a sizable chunk of assets, but that betrayal had put her in potential danger. Despite being seven months pregnant with her husband’s child, she was still a potential target, the star witness in a trial currently taking place in a Philadelphia courthouse where she was due to give her testimony in just two days.

  Goldie unlocked the door and entered the wonderfully cool interior where polished floors, large paintings and an aroma of lilies reminded her of an upmarket art gallery. Officer Diaz followed her inside and Goldie locked the door behind them and pocketed the key. “It’s quiet in here, huh?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I guess Mrs. Volto is resting, what with being pregnant in this awful heat.”

  Goldie walked along the wooden boards in the hallway, a faint scent of polish rising to her nose. This home was remarkable, likely more than one hundred years old but pe
rhaps still as beautiful as the day it was built, with many of its original features well preserved.

  “I’ll go find David while you get yourself a drink,” she said, admiring the intricate molding on the high ceiling. The kitchen was clearly visible directly ahead, so she pointed the way. “There’s bound to be some ice in the freezer to cool you down.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.”

  As the officer left her side, Goldie walked through the living room and raised her eyebrows at the overt display of wealth. Sculptures, gilded mirrors, vast white sofas and Persian rugs all combined to create an opulence that she had never seen before. Coming from a dirt-poor and unhappy childhood home, luxury was completely alien to Goldie, and she could only imagine the kind of privilege that Mrs. Volto’s baby would soon be born into.

  Hearing Officer Diaz running the faucet in the kitchen, she continued her tour of the first floor, noticing an open door to the patio out back and heading that way. Just as she stepped onto the brightly colored tiles, she stopped in her tracks. A man was standing next to the pool, his back to her, staring over the endless rolling hills beyond the perimeter fence. He wore a Hawaiian shirt and boat shoes, one hand in the pocket of his beige shorts, the other casually resting on the handle of a holstered gun. With his mousy blond, tousled hair and olive-toned skin, this certainly wasn’t David McQueen, her FBI partner of eight years. And with no sign of David, or of Mrs. Volto, this stranger’s presence could only mean one thing: danger.

  Without a second to lose, she ran hard toward him, dropping her gun to the ground before knocking into his upright figure like a bowling pin, sending them both crashing into the pool. The effect was a little like being in a washing machine, spinning below the waterline, uncertain of which way was up. Goldie saw the man’s gun slip from its holster as he thrashed in the water, and she felt a sense of satisfaction watching the weapon glide to the bottom of the pool. She then broke through the surface right at the edge and grabbed her own weapon from the ground. But when she tried to pull herself out of the water, her jeans and sneakers were too heavy, weighing her down, and she repeatedly slid back into the pool with a splash. Instead, she held her gun above the water, waiting for the guy to emerge, and when he did, he was spluttering and coughing, rubbing the chlorine from his eyes.

  “I’m an FBI agent and you’re under arrest,” she said, desperately trying to tread water and maintain control of her weapon. “Swim for the steps and get out slowly.”

  The man stared at her in confusion, watching her struggle. For a good few seconds he said nothing, narrowing his eyes, running his gaze across every part of her face.

  “Marigold?” he said finally. “Is that really you?”

  She kept her gun aloft, heart hammering. Nobody called her Marigold anymore. She’d left that old life behind. “Who wants to know?”

  The man pushed his mousy hair from his forehead. “It’s me, Ezekiel. How long has it been? Twenty years at least.”

  “Zeke?” She could scarcely believe it. “You gotta be kidding me.”

  Could this tall, beefy man really be Ezekiel Miller, the sweet boy she’d once thought she’d marry when she was just seventeen years old? The same boy who’d promised to whisk her away from her horrible home life? The boy who refused to answer her letters and did nothing to try to find her when her father suddenly moved their entire family from the small town of Glenside, Pennsylvania, to Ohio after he’d been discovered embezzling money from his accounting firm to pay his gambling debts?

  “What are you doing here?” she asked, finally beginning to recognize his features, the way his eyes seemed to disappear into slits when he smiled. “This house is off-limits to civilians. Strictly law enforcement only. I could’ve shot you.”

  Breathless with exertion, she clung to the edge of the pool, gun still in her hand, taking no chances with this man she’d once loved with her entire being. Having been part of the same church since babyhood, Goldie and Zeke had grown up together, forming such a tight bond that they were often referred to as “Ezigold.” But just like God, Zeke had abandoned her when she needed him the most.

  “I am law enforcement, Marigold,” he said, hauling himself onto the steps and reaching into his pocket to pull out an ID badge. “I’m with the Bureau in New York. They sent me here to cover for an agent whose wife went into early labor last night. Since I know Philly pretty well, they thought I’d be a good fit.”

  Goldie’s partner’s wife, Lilly, was due to give birth in three weeks, but Goldie had no idea the baby had decided to make an early appearance. Nobody had told her.

  Zeke clearly noticed her concerned expression. “Everything’s okay,” he reassured her. “David left a message on your cell when you didn’t pick up. The baby was born this morning. It’s a boy.”

  “I noticed a missed call from him, but I didn’t think it was important.” David was something of a stickler for detail and often called to discuss minor points of a case. “He’s got a baby boy, huh? That’s great.”

  But try as she might, Goldie simply couldn’t bring herself to feel the level of joy that should accompany news of a healthy newborn baby. All she could think about was Zeke and how on earth she was going to handle her sudden and jumbled mess of emotions.

  “Here,” he said, wading into the water to extend a hand. “Let me help you out. You look a little shell-shocked.”

  She took his hand and allowed him to pull her onto the graduated steps, where she stood with shaking legs. “I have so many questions right now, Zeke,” she said. “You are the last person I expected to see today.” She shook her head, wringing out the water from her long red curls. “Why did Officer Diaz tell me that David was here? She must’ve looked at your ID, surely?”

  Zeke frowned. “Yes, he checked my ID thoroughly. Officer Diaz is a man.”

  “What are you talking about? I met her a couple minutes ago. She’s petite with dark hair and...” She stopped, slapped a hand to her forehead. “Oh no! No, no, no. I let her into the house to get a drink of water.”

  The shakiness in her legs dissipated in an instant as she leaped from the steps and onto the warm patio tiles. If Officer Diaz was a man, then exactly who was the woman Goldie had just admitted into the house?

  “We have to find Mrs. Volto,” Zeke said, running toward the house, leaving his weapon on the bottom of the pool. “If she’s in danger, you’ll have to do the shooting.”

  All thoughts of Zeke’s abrupt and shocking return to her life now had to be put aside. He was her partner for this assignment and whatever history they shared had to be forgotten, or at least buried deep. Goldie was a professional adult now, not a scared teenager who desperately needed Zeke’s support and reassuring arms around her. She was a strong and capable person.

  Following his wet footprints through the patio door, she made a grab for his elbow and put a finger to her lips, encouraging him to stop and listen for a moment. From upstairs came the sounds of voices, raised and angry. Then a heavy thud sounded on the floor and a woman cried out, “No!”

  Both agents went into immediate action, tearing toward the stairs and vaulting them two at a time. A specially built panic room had been installed in a corner of the upstairs hallway, but Mrs. Volto had clearly not been able to take advantage of it. The steel door was open, the reinforced chamber empty.

  “Here,” Zeke called, pointing to a door that Goldie guessed must lead to Mrs. Volto’s bedroom.

  With a swift kick from Zeke’s foot, the door flew open to reveal Mrs. Volto on the floor of her lavish bedroom, bleeding from a cut to her lip and clutching her belly. Meanwhile, the phony Officer Diaz was standing over her with a heavy, crystal vase in her hand, an expression of absolute hatred on her face.

  “Stop right there!” Goldie held her gun aloft. “Back away and put the vase on the floor. Slowly.”

  The woman’s eyes snapped up and locked on to Goldie’s as her chest
rose and fell with her rapid breathing. She was highly agitated, by the look of it.

  “Please, Marsha,” Mrs. Volto said in a pleading tone. “Please do as she says.”

  Goldie inched her way into the room, dripping pool water onto the carpet, Zeke right behind her. “Do you know this person, Mrs. Volto?” she asked.

  “This is Marsha Volto, my sister-in-law. She’s married to my husband’s brother, Joseph.”

  Goldie skirted to the side of the room to get a better vantage point, her aim as steady as a rock. “Don’t make me shoot you, Marsha,” she said, addressing the suspect directly. “I don’t want to do that. You gotta back off.”

  But Marsha stubbornly maintained her position, the crystal vase held high over Mrs. Volto’s head. As she was still in her fake uniform, there was a gun holstered at her waist, and Goldie wondered why Marsha hadn’t used it already. Was there a more personal score to settle here?

  “Think of the baby, Marsha,” Zeke said gently, pointing to Mrs. Volto’s stomach. “That’s your niece or nephew in there, right? They’re innocent in all of this.”

  Marsha narrowed her eyes at Mrs. Volto. “You deserve to die for what you’ve done, Louisa,” she spat. “The family trusted you and you betrayed us.” Her voice rose to a screech. “You’re a dirty, rotten liar.”

  She lifted the vase even higher, and Mrs. Volto suddenly turned toward Marsha and kicked out with her foot, making contact with her attacker’s knee. Marsha lost her footing and dropped the vase onto the deep-pile carpet, making a grab for her gun. Goldie yelled out a final warning, but as Marsha yanked her gun from its holster, she was forced into immediate action. She fired her weapon.

  As the sound of the bullet reverberated in the air, Marsha crumpled to the floor, blood oozing from a bullet hole in her chest. Zeke sprang forward, pulling a folded towel from the dresser to press onto the wound and stem the flow.