Buckner had gotten bold, and come out in the open. He’d probably been heading for Marlene’s house to case the place, or do harm. God only knew what he’d planned. It was time to stop him. Garrett pressed the gas pedal. He had to go faster.
The motorcycle had the advantage, but Garrett kept him in sight. He sped along the winding road, flying past anything in his way. Buckner was jet-propelled along the street, weaving around cars. He was a daredevil, speeding ahead.
Buckner had made a mistake. He’d gotten brave, but he was going to regret it. Garrett was in his element. The chase was on and he had the enemy in his sights. He tailed the guy with a fury, and the car had more pep than he’d thought.
Gliding down the street at a high rate of speed, leaning into the curves, Buckner stayed ahead. But Garrett pressed the car to its limits, holding tight as he swept over the road. He swore under his breath. He couldn’t lose him, not now.
It appeared that Buckner knew this road, and had likely driven Mulholland Drive many times before. The guy didn’t slow or hesitate. He drove like he knew where he was going, like he knew every curve, dip, and bend like the back of his hand.
But Garrett stayed with him. He hadn’t caught him, and Buckner had gained on him, but he was still visible up ahead. The road was long, with wide sweeps to it, so Garrett was able to keep his quarry in his line of vision. If the guy misjudged a corner, or hit a wet patch, he might go down.
Anything could happen. Garrett pursued with a vengeance, ruthlessly focused on catching the madman, almost within reach. There was a signal at Beverly Glen, just above the Hollywood Hills, but the motorcycle raced through the red light. And Garrett did the same, watching and prepared to swerve to miss traffic. He made it through.
Buckner flew down Mulholland, then made a right on Cahuenga, another long boulevard, and Garrett followed. The Cooper was low to the ground, and hugged the road, so Garrett gave it more gas. He put on the pressure, hoping that Buckner would make a mistake. He prayed to see him skid over the pavement, the motorcycle out of control at high speed.
But Buckner and the motorcycle slid over the road without slowing. Just past Franklin, there was a bend in the road, and for a moment Garrett couldn’t see him. He raced ahead and reached the curve but was unable to spot the motorcycle.
Franklin veered west and Garrett went that direction, then slowed. He couldn’t see Buckner, couldn’t tell where he’d gone. Hillcrest Road was to his right. If the guy had sped up there, Garrett wouldn’t be able to catch him. Buckner might have continued on Franklin and not turned at all.
It was impossible to tell. Garrett had lost him. He slammed his fist into the dash. “Dammit.” There was no way to find the guy now. He’d had his chance and missed it. If only he’d been in a faster vehicle…but he hadn’t been. Garrett was furious.
The only good thing was that Garrett’s training had kicked in, and he’d memorized the motorcycle license plate when Buckner had initially skirted in front of him and taken off at the Mulholland intersection. There was little chance that running the plate would reveal Buckner’s address. The guy wouldn’t be that stupid.
It was probably a stolen plate, but Garrett had to try. He called Travis to let him know he was running late, and filled him in on chasing Buckner. It was evident that the creep was close and getting confident, which was good to know. It was only a matter of time until he tripped up, and Garrett had him in his grasp. That couldn’t come soon enough.
Chapter 19
Buckner was enraged. How dare that loser chase him? Shaking with anger, he’d pulled onto a narrow side street to wait. He’d turned up Hillcrest, and hadn’t seen Flynn go by. He’d lost him.
There hadn’t been a chance that small car could catch him, but it was annoying. He had every right to drive by Marlene’s home. It was a public street. Yet he’d been pursued like some common criminal.
Buckner edged out onto a residential street then headed back to Franklin. He observed traffic but saw no sign of Flynn. So he rode to Santa Monica Boulevard and went home.
He needed to exhibit self-control. His neighbors were used to seeing him on the bike, but he couldn’t allow his distress to show. The garage door opened, and Buckner drove inside. He lifted off his helmet and threw it against the wall, then peeled off his jacket and dropped it on the floor.
Once he was in the house, he swore. That traitor had balls chasing him.
If he’d had his gun, Buckner would have ended it right there. But it had only been a reconnaissance trip. Still, he shouldn’t have gone near the place without a weapon. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.
All it would take was one clear shot and Flynn would be out of the picture. It would happen. Justice would be served. And Marlene was beginning to piss him off too.
She should know better. He was the hero, not that flaky ex-SEAL. But it seemed Marlene believed the guy’s lies. Buckner had seen them together, and he seethed with the unfairness of it all. There she was in photos next to her bodyguard. They were all over the media like they were some romantic couple.
Bodyguard my ass. The guy was a fake, a fraud. Why couldn’t Marlene see it? She was too gullible, too ready to believe whatever she was told. If only Buckner could get close enough, he could convince her, make her see how it really was.
He sank into a chair and stared at the framed photograph of Marlene. Her false smile irritated him. Grabbing the frame, he dashed the picture to the floor, and watched the glass crack then come free of the frame. He was in control; he was calling the shots.
Buckner reached down and lifted the picture, shaking off a few shards of glass. “You owe me,” he said. “It’s taking you too fucking long to figure it out, though.”
He remembered it all, every tiny detail, as if it had just happened yesterday. It had been Iraq, during one of the many battles he’d fought as a marine. Andrew Parks was in his unit, and he’d spoken with him. He knew about his sister, the movie star. And he knew how fond her older brother was of her.
It was touching, really, and it had been a shame that anything happened to Andrew. It shouldn’t have. War had been brutal, but Buckner had been a capable soldier, one of the best. He’d been tough and well trained. His unit had counted on him, and he wouldn’t have let a teammate down.
Fear hadn’t ruled, only courage. In the heat of battle, Buckner felt strong, invincible. He hadn’t cowered to save his own life. He’d been there to protect others, and he would have saved Andrew.
Guns, smoke, shouting to near-deafening levels had ensued. But it hadn’t distracted Buckner from his duty. He’d fought bravely, and killed many of the enemy. He’d been an asset to his team. Yet he hadn’t fought for the glory. He’d fought for honor, and had done all he could for his country.
Then the units had pulled back, scurrying from one crumbling building to the next. Buckner had checked to make sure all the guys were together. He hadn’t seen Andrew, and looked around. They’d been fighting alongside the SEALs that day.
Flynn had shouted, “Move. Now.” And the men had gone in the direction he’d been waving his arm.
Buckner had lagged. “Where’s Parks? I don’t see him.”
But the SEAL had refused to be defied, and shoved him ahead. “Get moving.”
Buckner resisted. “I don’t see him. I’m going back.”
Flynn had slammed his hand into his back, making Buckner fall forward. He slid onto the ground and there had been gunfire all around, leaving no choice but to scramble to the next building. The SEAL had fucked up. Parks still wasn’t with them, and Flynn had refused to let anyone go back.
Buckner had fought, and finally shoved Flynn aside. He’d run back, looking for his teammate. And he’d found him. Andrew had been shot. He’d been shot because Flynn had left him behind. Never leave a soldier behind. But the traitor had done so.
It had cost Parks his life. Buckner dragged him back to the unit, but the marine was already dead—because of Flynn’s cowardice and stupidity. If the traitor
hadn’t gotten in his way, Buckner would have saved Andrew.
But it had been too late.
Marlene was deluded if she thought Flynn was a hero. He couldn’t be trusted, and she might find that out too late. Just like her brother had. But the guy must have told her a different story, one that suited him, and painted him as the macho protector.
Why hadn’t she seen through Flynn’s lies? Buckner had to get to her, needed to get close enough to shed light on the truth. He was the man she could count on, and once Marlene knew, she’d be grateful. That was the only way it could turn out. She’d be indebted to Bucker, and then he’d have her for his own.
Marlene couldn’t possibly choose to be with the man who’d betrayed her brother and left him to die. As soon as she knew that Buckner had been willing to risk his own life to save Andrew, and learned that he could have saved him if not for Flynn, she’d fall into his arms.
Instead, she was still with her bodyguard. But that would soon change. Buckner wasn’t jealous. He couldn’t envy a weak-principled man like Garrett Flynn. Yet the injustice of the situation irked him. As the real hero, he should be treated with more respect, and recognized for his deeds.
Marlene belonged to Buckner, and he was going to take her. All he had to do was get Flynn out of the way. He didn’t have his unit with him this time. He was the lone wolf, but he was up to the task.
It would happen soon. Fun and games were over. Flynn had dicked around with him for the last time. The asshole would regret interfering, and he’d be forced to admit that Buckner was the real hero. Before he took the SEAL out for good, he wanted to see the guy’s face when Marlene discovered the truth. And she would. Buckner would see to that.
Chapter 20
Wyatt didn’t hover; he went about his business checking on security, not taking it for granted. “I’ll check in with the team,” he called over his shoulder. “If you need anything, I’m not far.”
When he left, Marlene went to do a yoga workout. It calmed her mind, and gave her the strength for the long days of filming. Plus she had to stay in shape. Her trainer wasn’t scheduled, but would come by if she called.
Instead, Marlene did a workout on her own, preferring the quiet. One section of her fitness room was set up for yoga. The floor had cushy mats, and she had a variety of equipment. After turning on some classical music, she began her stretching.
The warmup felt good, and relaxed her. Marlene’s thoughts drifted to Garrett. As she moved through her routine, limbering her body, she remembered how he touched her. His hands were big and strong, and there was power in his body. A delicious tingle raced over her skin, and she felt so alive.
The intimacy drew her toward a future that she wasn’t sure she could handle. Garrett had allowed her to get close, move into a personal bond that her heart was caught up in. Marlene couldn’t let go, and wasn’t sure she wanted to.
Butterflies fought in her stomach when she considered the future. It was all so unpredictable, but it was more than that. The military had been the source of joy, as well as grief. Having lost two men in her life, she didn’t want to lose another.
It would be better not to have Garrett at all than to have him and endure the loss. Surely that’s what would happen. His career would mandate that. Some women were willing to live that way, always wondering. But Marlene wasn’t certain she was up to the task.
She’d sworn that type of man was off-limits. Then she’d met Garrett. Her heart was pulling her toward a relationship that her head told her could only lead to disappointment. Yet she was torn. If she hadn’t met him, then Marlene wouldn’t have sought out such a man.
But she had met him; that was the problem. And it was difficult to ignore the effect he had on her. Try as she might, Marlene wasn’t able to brush aside her feelings. She couldn’t pretend not to care. Maybe she could put on a show of insensitivity, but she couldn’t hide the truth from herself.
Marlene loved Garrett. Yet the question remained: what was she going to do about it? Each day, she struggled to convince herself that it would be over soon. When the crisis resolved, for good or bad, Garrett would be gone. Then she’d get over him.
But would she? Marlene was no longer sure. There was no other man like Garrett. He was special to her. And when he went, there was every possibility that she wouldn’t fall in love again. She wasn’t even thirty yet, so that seemed extreme.
But the heart had a mind of its own. Marlene couldn’t pick the man to love, or she’d have shut Garrett out from the start. They were wrong for each other, but their feelings weren’t. They couldn’t be. When she was in his arms, it felt so right.
Conflicted, she finished her workout. It had physically revitalized her, but hadn’t soothed her emotionally. After showering and changing, Marlene went to the living room to stare out at the city view. It gave her an expansive feeling, made her feel that she could overcome challenges that had seemed insurmountable before.
Laura brought her some tea, so Marlene sat for a while sipping and meditating on her dilemma. Yet she wasn’t able to get any clearer about the resolution. She reached for her phone to dial her mother, needing to talk it out, and glad she got an answer on the first ring.
“It’s good to hear from you. I just got back from a walk. How are you, honey?”
Marlene poured out all that had happened since they’d last spoken. She skipped any details that might be too upsetting, but there was plenty to talk about. Her mother listened while she described the issue she’d had with filming. “I just hadn’t been able to get it right.”
“So what changed?”
“I talked to Garrett and…the emotion opened up for me. I was able to connect with it, finally.”
“I can’t wait to see the film when it’s out. I’m sure you are wonderful in it.”
Marlene’s mother was her most loyal supporter. “I’ll let you know as soon as they announce the date. We’re nearing the end of filming, but it will still be a while before it’s in the theaters.
“You know, Mom, my career is challenging. You’ve seen me go through a lot. But it does have its rewards. And it is a way for me to make the kind of money I need to, in order to support the charities that matter to me so much.”
“That’s true,” her mother said. “But also, you are a star and you love the stage. You’ve loved it since you were a little girl, performing in school plays. I can’t envision you giving it up.”
“I can’t either. There’s always a way to get through something, if I don’t give up.” Marlene shared most things with her mother, and knew she’d understand about Garrett. “Dating is difficult for me as a celebrity, though. You know better than anyone about my history of relationship failures. Then there were the producers who wanted to take me to bed, promising me the sky if I did so.”
“You’re too smart for that.”
Marlene didn’t mention the abusive relationships she’d been in. There were some things it was best not to share with her mother. She’d escaped and put that behind her. “I’m not sure what to do, Mom.” She shared how she felt about Garrett, and confessed that she loved him.
“I really do love him, but I’m not sure we have a chance together,” Marlene said. “It’s not right for me to lead him on if we don’t.”
“Of course you have a chance together…if you love him.”
“I just can’t…allow myself to be vulnerable like that. He’s a former SEAL; he’s military. That’s exactly the type of man I should steer clear of. Yet I’m drawn to him.”
Her mother talked for a few minutes about her brother. “He was a good man, a loving son, and a wonderful brother. I grieve for him too, honey. But would he want you to let what happened destroy your life?”
“I know what you’re saying, but what about you and Dad, then? He was your childhood sweetheart, and he meant everything to you,” Marlene said. “Yet he was taken away from you at such a young age. You didn’t have the life together you’d dreamed of.” She swallowed hard, tears welling i
n her eyes. “I know this sounds awful to say, but wouldn’t you be happier if you’d married a man that you could grow old with?”
For a moment, her mother was silent, and Marlene could sense the emotion on the other end of the line. “There are no easy answers. The loss of the man I loved was devastating; I won’t deny that.” Her mother took a breath. “But it would have been worse if I hadn’t known your father’s love. We were together for as long as was possible, and I haven’t stopped loving him. I wouldn’t trade the time we shared for anything.”
Marlene wiped away the tears.
“So you have to ask yourself, honey…would you prefer not to have grown up with Andrew? Do you wish that you hadn’t been close, that he hadn’t been part of your life, so you wouldn’t endure the grief now that he’s gone?”
“Of course not,” Marlene said with no hesitation. “I wouldn’t wish that at all.”
“I know you wouldn’t.” After a moment of silence, her mother said, “I love you, honey.”
“I love you too, Mom. When this is all over, I’ll come for a visit. I miss you.”
When she hung up, Marlene stared out the window. The conversation had helped to put things in perspective, and she took time to sort out her emotions. She’d been so afraid of loss that she’d nearly made a huge mistake and turned away from the right man.
Beneath her resistance to love, Marlene knew what she’d really been afraid of. She realized that something inside her had changed. She wanted to be with Garrett, wanted to share her life with him, and finally, felt strong enough to face whatever came. Love was a risk, but it was a risk worth taking. Now she needed to talk with Garrett, because she didn’t know if he felt the same way.
*****
Marlene ate an early lunch, then sat at her desk to check emails. There was one from her manager about an upcoming project for her to consider. And there were a couple from her event coordinator with details of the next fundraiser. There were others, but they weren’t urgent.
Cold Peril_Military Romantic Suspense Page 19