by Alexa Verde
“Let’s just say settling in Austin and getting a GED was an accomplishment. Getting an associate’s degree was a huge accomplishment for me. I spent some time working as a locksmith, then as a private investigator, specializing in investigations of thefts and burglaries. I solved every case, but I didn’t always recover what was missing. It hurt me to see people upset over losing valuables, especially heirlooms, being afraid of future thefts, not feeling secure in their own homes. So whenever I visited my friends, I started giving personalized advice how to make their place more secure and prevent thefts. My friends hired me to evaluate security vulnerabilities of their businesses, then started recommending me to their friends, co-workers, neighbors, and so on. So my business started.”
He studied her. “That’s a bit unusual.”
“I know. I supported myself working as a PI until my client base grew big enough. I’m on vacation now, but I have a waiting list for when I return to work.” She wondered again whether somebody tailing her in Austin and a guy in a hoodie breaking into her place in Rios Azules were connected to any of her jobs.
Her clients had trusted her when they’d hired her, and she valued that trust highly. She’d never expose the vulnerabilities she’d found while touring their homes or the information they’d provided about where they kept their jewelry and important papers. Client confidentiality was key. And she’d done her best to help them fix those vulnerabilities.
So far, not counting Butler, there’d been only one successful burglary among her clients, the home of a person who’d failed to implement her recommendations. Frankly, she’d failed to implement her own recommendations in her rental, and it had way too many vulnerabilities for her liking.
Wait a minute.
Rachel drew a quick breath. What if the reason she was targeted was that someone wanted to use her knowledge and skills to rob her former clients?
Sebastian’s gaze lingered on her. “That’s impressive.”
“Thanks.” Her pulse accelerated.
He leaned closer to her. His gaze moved from her eyes to her lips and then back to her eyes.
Her heartbeat increased more. The temperature in the room seemed to rise. Or maybe that was because she’d drunk too much hot tea.
Oh, who was she kidding?
She was attracted to Sebastian Mora.
Though nothing like Ryan in appearance, who’d been slightly shorter than Rachel was and on the chubby side, Sebastian seemed to share Ryan’s traits. Just like her late husband, Sebastian was an honorable man who’d stand by his loved ones and protect them no matter what. At least, based on his grandmother’s stories.
It was totally opposite from what she’d known while growing up.
Sebastian’s eyes were the brightest shade of blue she’d ever seen, and she found the same curiosity and attraction in them she felt herself. Unable to look away, Rachel leaned to him. Her breathing quickened.
Between the wild beats of her heart, it was difficult to remember why she should move away. But she should remember.
While not voluntarily, she’d done things in her teen years she regretted deeply. Did she even deserve a good man? She’d asked herself that question while dating Ryan. She had the same question now.
Not that Sebastian had asked her on a date or anything.
He reached out to her, as if intending to touch her.
Rachel jumped to her feet. “I have to go. Bye, Sebastian.”
She rushed out the door without giving him a chance to reply. Her instincts taking over, she stopped to scan the street.
A black SUV passed by her house slowly and disappeared around the corner. Chills ran down her spine. She’d seen a similar make and model tailing her in Austin.
Coincidence?
She hoped so.
As Rachel hurried to her rental, she resolved to spend the day going through the list of her former clients. She had to figure out why a target seemed to have been put on her back. She threw a quick glance around as she reached her front door.
Several obstacles stood like large walls of boulders on the way to a new life, ready to fall and crush her and whomever accompanied her on that journey.
Her past.
The mysterious intruder last night.
And the exact same feeling she’d had in Paris before Ryan died. She had it now, too.
The sense of danger.
***
Late at night, Sebastian swigged back a third cup of coffee as he stared at Rachel’s house from the driver’s seat of his truck. He probably needed ten of those cups to keep him awake until morning.
Maybe it wasn’t one of his best ideas to stake out her house again tonight. He didn’t know much about Rachel Evans. But he could guess three things. She was hiding something. She was afraid of something. She knew the intruder last night wasn’t part of his grandmother’s imagination.
Sebastian didn’t know whether he was here to protect Rachel or to find out more about her, but he hoped more of former than the latter. He massaged the kinks in his neck, the result of three hours spent sitting in the car. He also hoped there were no dark stains in her past, because Rachel Evans intrigued him to a great degree.
His heart squeezed in his chest to show him just how great that degree was.
The growl of a motor reached him, and he tensed, but it was just a car passing through the neighborhood. A dark SUV with tinted windows.
He’d ask her out, but she was still too skittish for that if her reaction to him simply reaching out to her was any indication. Reaching out had been a mistake, but he wasn’t going to dwell on that.
Keeping watch on his surroundings, Sebastian drained the rest of the coffee, which was getting cold.
He couldn’t believe he was considering a relationship with someone after Tess’s death, and with practically a stranger, no less. But his heart shifted every time he thought about Rachel, as if woken up after a long sleep. His protective instincts woke up, as well.
He'd done some research online. Rachel Evans had less social media presence than his grandmother, and that was saying something. But her company seemed to be established, well-respected, and with outstanding reviews.
He looked over the Christmas decorations in the neighborhood, Rachel’s house being the only exception. He’d never met a person who didn’t celebrate Christmas and hoped Rachel wasn’t one of them. Was she a Christian? What was she going to answer to his grandmother’s invitation to spend Christmas with them?
So far, the only disturbance he’d heard or seen was an occasional bark from Cuddles. Maybe Sebastian should go home and spend whatever little was left of the night in a comfortable bed. His eyelids were drooping, and even coffee wasn’t helping anymore.
Several short barks from Cuddles put Sebastian on alert. He leaned forward, looking out the windshield, and placed his hand on the handle, ready to check the area.
It happened so fast that, if he hadn’t paid close attention to it, he’d have missed it. A figure in a dark hoodie jumped over the fence leading to Rachel’s backyard.
Adrenaline pumping through his veins, Sebastian shot out of his car and sprinted toward the fence. He called 911 but made it to the fence before the dispatcher answered. He slid the phone in his pocket, figuring he’d call in a minute. He couldn’t allow the intruder to enter Rachel’s house.
Sebastian climbed over the fence.
Once in the backyard, he zoomed in on the dark figure lingering near a window. Sebastian tried to step stealthily, but the person turned around, a gun in his hands.
Sebastian ducked moments before the shot was fired. He rolled, getting behind a large oak, and pulled out his gun. The person in the hoodie ran toward the fence, turned around, and discharged his weapon at Sebastian for the second time. Sebastian rolled again.
Bullets grazed the surface where he’d just been. In hand-to-hand combat, Sebastian was sure he could win easily, but a sniper he was not. Still, he took several shots, then ran after the intruder, who climbed over the fe
nce and was now running away.
Sebastian went over the fence, as well. He heard the door open somewhere behind him.
“What’s going on, dear?” His grandmother’s frightened voice reached his ears.
Oh, no!
CHAPTER FIVE
“GRANDMA, GET BACK INSIDE!” SEBASTIAN moved to shield his grandmother, who stood in the door frame, pressing her palm to her heart.
“Oh, dear. I don’t feel so good.” Grandma’s voice trembled.
Worry for Grams pierced his heart. Sebastian had to choose between chasing the intruder and helping his Grams. It was no contest. Helping Grams won, hands down.
Dear Lord, please help my grandma. Amen.
Sebastian hurried to his grandmother, keeping the disappearing figure in the corner of his eye.
Light footsteps made him whirl in their direction.
Rachel darted toward them. “Grandma probably needs her pills. I already know where they are. I’ll get them.”
“I’ll get water.” He closed the door behind them, helped Grams into the nearest chair, and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water.
Sebastian rushed as much as he could, but by the time he was back by Grandma’s chair, Rachel was already there, handing his grandmother the pills.
The wail of sirens split the air. One of the neighbors probably had called 911 after hearing gunfire.
“Grandma, do you need an ambulance?” Concern squeezed his rib cage painfully.
Grams shook her head. “No. I just got a little scared.”
She did look much better now.
Sebastian said a silent prayer of gratitude.
“Are you okay?” he asked Rachel. After all, several gunshots had been fired in her backyard.
Her eyes narrowed, she nodded. Her fragile shoulders slumped forward. “Somebody was trying to break into my house, right?”
“Yes.” He opened his arms for a hug.
Rachel walked into his embrace, and a wave of tenderness overtook him as he held her close.
Sebastian wanted to help her, but how could he do that if she wouldn’t say what was going on? Somebody deliberately had targeted her place. Why? Her rental was one of the least expensive in the neighborhood, and he’d seen himself there wasn’t much to steal inside the house. Not to mention that the last time this neighborhood had been burglarized was before Sebastian’s birth and probably even before his grandmother’s birth.
As he stroked Rachel’s smooth hair, her flowery scent affected his senses again. The wave of tenderness grew larger inside him.
A knock on the door seemed to make Rachel pull away from him.
“Police! Open up!” His friend Aidan Rowe’s voice filtered through the door.
The next hour was spent giving statements to the police and answering Aidan’s questions.
But only one question repeated itself in Sebastian’s head.
Why had armed burglars been after the secretive newcomer who already affected him too much for his liking?
***
In the morning, Sebastian walked up to Rachel’s porch before he could talk himself out of it.
Once there, he glanced at his watch.
Ten o’clock.
Maybe he should let Rachel rest after all the commotion last night. But there had to be a reason why Rachel’s place had been targeted, why her eyes were guarded, why even his grandmother hadn’t managed to get much information out of Rachel.
Besides, his grandmother’s safety was his responsibility, and the new neighbor seemed to have secrets that could bring danger not only to herself but also to those around her, including Grams. And if Sebastian was honest with himself, which he always was, Rachel’s well-being had become important to him.
Sebastian pressed on the doorbell. Light footsteps sounded inside the house, as if she’d been awake and alert.
“It’s me,” he called out so as not to alarm her.
There was a slight pause, then a noise and several clicks indicated that bolts and the chain were moved and locks unlocked.
The door flung open, and Rachel gestured for him to come in. She closed it as soon as he was inside.
Dark circles under her eyes indicated she hadn’t gotten much sleep. She was dressed in black jeans and a black turtleneck, a sharp contrast to her blonde hair, gathered in a messy bun this time. Her pink slippers stood out, too, compared to the dark color of her attire. But from what he remembered, they’d been his grandma’s welcome present.
Sebastian spotted a suitcase near the wall in the living room. Was she leaving already? A sharp stab of disappointment surprised him.
“Would you like to have breakfast? Or brunch?” He half expected her to refuse.
Instead, she nodded. “Yes, thank you. I think you should know some things about me. We need to talk.”
Uh-oh.
Sebastian frowned. Nothing good usually came out of that statement.
Tess used to take about an hour before they’d gone anywhere, and even though this was a casual breakfast, he figured Rachel would need some time, too. “If you need time to get ready—”
“Give me a minute.” She dashed into her bedroom.
A minute?
She must be kidding.
Well, that was about all it took.
Rachel returned wearing a gray jacket over the turtleneck, with her black purse on her shoulder. She’d exchanged her pink slippers for low-heeled black boots and looked up at him. “Let’s go.”
She opened the door just a slit, and it didn’t escape him how she scanned the street before stepping out.
Sebastian tensed. He was right. Something was going on.
Due to his training, he was used to being aware of his surroundings.
But what was Rachel’s reason for always being alert?
“Do you have a preference? What kind of food do you like?” He opened the truck door for her and closed it once she was inside the truck. Then he walked to the driver’s side and got inside.
“I’m not picky.” Her gaze darted around the neighborhood.
He turned the key in the ignition and drove off. “That’s good to know.”
“After you grow up often going to bed hungry, you learn to appreciate any kind of food.” Her voice trailed off, as if she regretted what she’d just said.
Compassion stirred inside him. He’d had a happy childhood, with loving parents and a caring grandmother. “The Café serves fantastic omelets and freshly baked croissants. They buy jams at the local market, and those jams are to die for.” He glanced at her.
“Sounds great.” Her lips curved up, but her eyes were tormented.
What did she want to talk about? Was there a dark secret in her past?
His gut twisted as he as he pulled up to the restaurant and killed the engine. He rushed around the truck and opened the door for Rachel. His grandma had taught him to be a gentleman.
As soon as they entered the Café, she asked for a booth in the far corner. Thankfully, the lunch crowd hadn’t gotten here yet, so there were several booths available.
Rachel’s gaze roamed over the restaurant and then relaxed a little, as if she hadn’t found anything suspicious. Sebastian frowned. What or who was she so afraid of?
Once seated, she didn’t even look at the menu, just ordered an omelet with mushrooms and a croissant. He opted for a Spanish omelet, bacon on the side, and a couple of croissants. He could feel tension in the air as it was coming off Rachel in waves.
As soon as the waitress left with their orders, Rachel leaned forward. “I lied to you. The night your grandma locked herself out of her house, I broke in to get her medications.”
Sebastian felt as if he’d been hit with a brick. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected her to say, but that wasn’t it. “What?”
“I’ve got certain...” Rachel’s voice dipped low. She glanced around, as if making sure nobody could overhear her.
Sebastian waited, doing his best to wrap his mind around her words.
; Rachel drew a deep breath. Her voice became a whisper. “Certain skills. When my older brother, Sean, and I were growing up, our parents drank heavily. He took it upon himself to provide for both of us. First it was food. Then food and clothes. Then electronics and other things. As I started to realize where he got all that from, I implored him to stop. He told me he had no choice. He worked for people who wouldn’t let him go, anyway. Then he taught me to pick a lock, hotwire a car, and open simple safes. He said, just in case I ever need it. I turned out to be a quick learner.” She paused.
Shocked, Sebastian stared at her.
Rachel reached for a napkin and started folding and unfolding it. “One night when I was fourteen, Sean came home angry and with a black eye. The people he worked for had found out about my skills. They wanted me to join them. He said he refused. The next night, he didn’t come home at all. Instead, I had a… visitor.” She kept silent for several long moments, as if the memory was painful for her.
“You don’t have to tell me all this.” Sebastian pushed the words out of his throat.
“Let’s just say, I refused to take my brother’s place.” Rachel glanced around again, as if to make sure the booths near them were still unoccupied.
Sebastian’s heart sank. He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the rest.
Rachel tore the napkin in half. “Several bones in my body were broken that night. A couple of ribs, to be exact. They made sure my hands and legs stayed okay. A curling iron was held to my neck. I was told that if I didn’t cooperate, I could lose my father the way I’d lost my brother.” Her fingers trembled slightly as she tore the paper napkin into tiny pieces.
“Rachel…” His heart went out to her.
“My father was far from perfect, but I didn’t want him to die. I was afraid if I went to the police, I’d never see him again. I agreed to take my brother’s place. I got some more training and did well at the first job, then tried to run away. I was caught, but thankfully, they needed me for the next job, so the beatings weren’t that bad.”
“Rachel…” Sebastian swallowed hard. The situation she’d been in was worse than anything he could imagine.