by Rita Herron
He watched to see if she looked back at him. But Mila didn’t look at him once.
* * *
THREE WEEKS LATER, Mila was still crying into her pillow at night.
She didn’t dare show her feelings to Izzy, who talked about Brayden and Blondie and the ranch and the Hawk family every single day.
The apartment the US Marshals had put them in was in the middle of this small town in Colorado, far away from Hawk’s Landing and the people she loved.
Brayden’s face haunted her. She wanted to see him, talk to him, be with him. Every day she relived the sound of his voice telling her that he loved her.
She hadn’t said it back. If she’d admitted her feelings out loud, she wouldn’t have been able to leave him.
And how could she have asked him to abandon the job and ranch and family that he loved for her? Not when being with her might get him or his mother or family members killed. Ava had lost one child. Mila refused to take away another.
Izzy finished drawing another sketch of Hawk’s Landing and the horse she’d ridden. “I miss Blondie, Mommy.”
Mila nodded, vying for patience. It wasn’t Izzy’s fault they were in this mess.
“Do you think Santa will find us here?” Izzy asked in a tiny voice.
Mila pulled Izzy into her lap. “Of course he will, sweetie.”
“Will he bring me a puppy?”
Mila hesitated. She hated for Izzy to get attached to anything else, and then possibly lose it, but she’d be damned if her child would have to sacrifice owning a pet. They couldn’t have a horse here, but maybe a puppy...
“Santa knows you’re the best girl in the world and he’ll remember you on Christmas Eve.”
Izzy laid her head back against Mila. “I asked him for something else, too.”
Mila closed her eyes and rocked Izzy in her arms. “What was that, sweetie?”
Izzy shrugged. “If I tell you, it won’t come true.”
Mila kissed her forehead and ran her fingers through her daughter’s hair in a loving, soothing gesture. In time, they’d both adjust and accept their new life.
She just wished Brayden was in it.
* * *
THANKSGIVING CAME AND WENT. Now it was five days until Christmas. Brayden was miserable.
His family had gathered for their weekly dinner. Lights and decorations adorned the tree. The scent of cinnamon apples and pine filled the air.
Harrison and Honey were cuddled on the couch laughing as they discussed baby names.
Charlotte and Lucas were almost as obnoxious. With Charlotte’s announcement about her pregnancy, Lucas would barely let her out of his sight.
Dexter piled another log on the fire to keep it going, while the girls who’d taken refuge at Hawk’s Landing decorated cookies in the kitchen.
But someone was missing.
Two people—Mila and Izzy.
His mother pushed a coffee in his hands. “I know it’s difficult, son. You love her, don’t you?”
Apparently his poker face only worked in the courtroom. He was as transparent as glass around his family.
“It doesn’t matter. She doesn’t love me.”
His mother made a low sound in her throat. “Don’t tell me you believe that.”
He shrugged. “I told her how I felt and she said nothing. No, wait, she did. She left.”
“She left to protect her little girl.”
“I know that, and I love Izzy, too. I could have protected them both.”
“Men.” His mother rolled her eyes. “Mila left because she loves you.”
“What?” That made no sense.
“Mila is loving and kind and donates her time to help kids and families. Do you think she would have stayed if being here endangered our family or you?”
Brayden rubbed a hand over his eyes. “No, but—”
“Go after her,” his mother said. “She wanted to protect you and us. I heard her talking to Charlotte before she left.”
Emotions welled in his throat. Was she right? Did Mila love him?
“But, Mom, I can’t leave my job and you. I know how hard it was when you lost Chrissy and then Dad—”
His mother gripped his hands and turned him to look at her. “We all had a difficult time. But one thing I learned from all of it is that when you love someone, you have to show them. You have to treasure every moment you have with them.” She kissed his cheek. “You and your brothers are awesome men, Brayden. I’m so proud of you I could burst. That means I want you to be happy.”
Brayden swallowed hard.
“Mila and Izzy need you.” She gestured toward the kitchen, where the girls had burst into Christmas carols. “I’ll be fine. And one day when the danger is over, you’ll all come back to us.”
Brayden sucked in a breath. “I love you, Mom.” He kissed her on the cheek, then gave her a heartfelt hug.
He headed toward Lucas to tell him to arrange for him to join Mila and Izzy.
He just hoped his mother was right and that Mila wanted him.
He motioned to Lucas that they needed to talk. Dexter and Harrison followed them onto the deck with tumblers of whiskey.
Then Brayden explained his decision.
Lucas shook his head. “We can’t let you do that,” Lucas said.
“Do you know where she is?” Brayden asked.
“No.” Lucas sighed.
“Then find out,” Brayden said. “You never should have talked her into this without consulting with me.”
“It was Mila’s choice,” Lucas said. “She came to me, Brayden.”
“Because she wanted to protect us,” Brayden said. “But she’s dealing with all this alone, and that’s not right.”
Lucas offered him an understanding smile, then held up a warning hand. “Listen. We have a lead on DiSanti. I got a call last night. I’m heading out to track him down.”
“I’m going with you,” Brayden said.
Harrison squared his shoulders. “He messed with my town. I’m in, too.”
Dexter shrugged. “Might as well make it four.”
Lucas hesitated, then nodded.
Brayden’s heart raced. The Hawk men always stuck together. If anyone could stop DiSanti, once and for all, it was them.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Brayden was anxious to get DiSanti.
Harrison met with Jorge to offer protection and arrange for him to be reunited with his family. With Lucas’s connections, they’d already struck a deal to help the man get citizenship.
Brayden and Lucas traveled to the property Corley owned in Juarez. Internet chatter revealed that a large merchandise shipment was about to be transported across the border, confirming the information Jorge had supplied. Dexter was headed to a second location they suspected was used to house more victims.
Lucas called for backup when they arrived in Juarez, and they met two teams of agents on the outskirts of the compound.
“I wish you’d stay back,” Lucas told Brayden. “Let us handle this, brother.”
Normally, Brayden would do exactly that. But this time, he had a personal stake in the case. And he wanted to have his brother’s back. After all, Lucas was going to be a father.
And he wanted to see DiSanti locked up, or dead, himself. It was the only way to free Mila and Izzy so they could come out of hiding and have a normal life.
If they failed today though, he would join her in WITSEC. He hadn’t slept a single night for wondering where she was, if she and Izzy were okay, if DiSanti might have found them. The only way he’d know she was safe was to be with her. They’d face the danger and uncertainty together.
Lucas parked a mile from the compound, a large ranch fenced with barbed wire and only a couple of miles from the border. Armed and ready, they hiked on foot until they r
eached the property. He and Lucas went one direction while Harrison and Dexter joined another team. They split up to approach from different angles.
Gunshots came out of nowhere, and Lucas and Brayden returned fire, taking two guards out. They slipped past the dead guards, snatching their semiautomatic weapons to use if they ran out of ammunition.
The next half hour all hell broke loose. Brayden and Lucas and the teams charged the compound. A helicopter dropped in reinforcements, and they stormed the property.
A bullet clipped his arm as he inched down a long corridor inside the main structure, but he shook off the sting and ducked into a room. Empty.
Lucas’s voice echoed from the mike. “Team A located the merchandise. A storage container on the property. Ten girls. Jade was one of them. They were about to be forced through an underground tunnel that crosses into Mexico.”
“Any sign of DiSanti?”
Static echoed back. Then gunfire.
Brayden’s heart pounded. “Lucas?”
Silence.
Dammit, had Lucas been shot?
“Talk to me, man.”
More gunfire. Shouts. Then a low grunt.
Brayden took off running. He couldn’t lose his brother.
* * *
MILA SMILED AS Izzy added sprinkles to the cookies they’d just baked. A dollop of icing dotted her cheek, and she reached up and wiped it away with one finger.
“I think you have as much on you as you have on the cookies,” she said with a laugh.
Izzy licked a gob of sprinkles and icing from her hand. “Yummy!”
Mila laughed and set the second tray in front of her daughter. They had enough cookies for a party.
But it was just the two of them.
“Can we get a tree, Mommy?” Izzy asked.
Mila glanced at the tiny house they’d rented. It was satisfactory, but nothing about it spelled home. They hadn’t brought anything with them except clothes and a few of Izzy’s toys.
A Christmas tree would at least make the house feel festive. “Of course we’ll get a tree. I saw a tree farm in town. We’ll go pick out one later and buy some decorations.”
“Yippee!” Izzy bounced up and down, and Mila hugged her.
Izzy deserved a happy holiday with Christmas cookies and decorations and Santa Claus.
“Mommy?”
“What, sweetie?”
“Is Santa going to bring me that puppy?”
“We’ll see.” Maybe they’d visit a rescue shelter later, too, and Izzy could pick out a dog. A pet would be good company for both of them.
Mila looked out the window again at the fresh falling snow. It was beautiful, but she missed Texas and her work.
Most of all, she missed Brayden.
* * *
BRAYDEN RACED THROUGH the compound, dodging bullets from two more goons. He found Lucas outside at the back of the compound near a hangar, where he spotted DiSanti’s private plane.
Lucas stood, hands raised in surrender as two men pointed guns at him. One of them was DiSanti.
“I’ll find her,” DiSanti said. “And I’ll get my child back.”
“Why?” Lucas barked. “So you can sell her like you do other people’s children?”
DiSanti motioned to one of his goons, the one with the gun on Lucas. “Kill him, and let’s get out of here.”
Brayden went cold inside. He refused to lose his brother to this monster. DiSanti had already destroyed too many lives.
He moved slightly so Lucas could see him, then held up three fingers, counting down.
When he reached zero, he aimed a shot at DiSanti’s head. Lucas whipped around and punched the goon with the gun, and they fought.
Brayden’s bullet hit its mark, the center of DiSanti’s forehead. Blood and brains splattered as the bastard collapsed to the ground.
A gunshot blasted the air, and he jerked his head back to Lucas and the man on the ground. His heart raced. Lucas?
His brother rolled off the shooter, checked the man’s pulse, then looked over his shoulder at Brayden.
Thank God. Lucas wasn’t hit.
Lucas shoved the man’s gun aside, then stood and walked over to DiSanti.
Brayden breathed a sigh of relief when Lucas gave him a smile of approval.
DiSanti was finally dead.
He could go after Mila and bring her home.
* * *
MILA DRAGGED IN the Christmas tree, shaking snow from her boots. Colorado was beautiful but cold.
Izzy’s teeth chattered.
“I’ll make us some hot chocolate,” Mila said. Although first she wanted to make certain they hadn’t been followed. All day she’d had the strangest feeling that someone was watching her. She’d especially sensed it at the Christmas tree lot.
Izzy ran in, yanking off her gloves, hat and coat, then raced toward the bag of decorations they’d picked up at the thrift store.
Mila hurried back to the door to close it. A dark SUV pulled into the drive, sending fear through her.
Had DiSanti found her?
She started to scream at Izzy to run and hide, but the driver’s door opened, and a man emerged. Not DiSanti.
A tall dark-haired cowboy in a Stetson, boots and jeans and a long Western duster coat.
Her heart flip-flopped in her chest.
Brayden.
But fear followed. Was he here to tell her that she and Izzy had to move again?
She opened the door, soaking in the sight of him as he climbed the steps.
A slow smile curved his mouth as his gaze met hers.
“Brayden?”
“He’s dead.”
Relief nearly knocked her off her feet. “When? What happened?” Heart racing, she stepped onto the porch. “Never mind. I don’t care. I’m just glad you’re here.” She couldn’t help herself. She’d missed him so much, she threw her arms around him.
He swept her into a hug and growled in her ear. “I love you, Mila. I want you and Izzy to come home with me.”
Love swelled inside her, and she lifted her head to look into his eyes. “I love you, too, Brayden.”
“You do?”
Her pulse hammered. “I do.”
“Then you’ll marry me?” The tentative look in his eyes warmed her heart even more. Did he really expect her to say no?
She slid her arms under his and wrapped them around him. “Yes, I would love to marry you,” she whispered.
They both laughed, then their lips fused for a tender, passionate kiss. Seconds later, Izzy squealed and joined them. She wiggled in between them, and they all hugged, then Brayden scooped her up.
“Izzy, I want to marry your mommy, is that okay?”
She bobbed her head up and down, her eyes bright with laughter.
“That means that you’ll live with me,” Brayden said. “I’d like to be your daddy, too.”
“Yes, yes, I want you as my daddy!” She giggled and wrapped her little arms around his neck. When she finally pulled away, she looked over at Mila.
“Santa came early, Mommy.”
Mila rubbed her daughter’s back. “What do you mean?”
“I tolded you I asked Santa for something else.”
Mila smiled. “Yes?”
“I asked him to bring me a daddy of my own!” Izzy squealed. “And he did!”
Tears pricked the back of Mila’s eyelids. Izzy and she would have a family now with Brayden at Hawk’s Landing.
Santa would also make all of Izzy’s wishes come true. Not only would she get a puppy, but she’d get a pony. Blondie would be hers forever.
* * * * *
Look for the final book in USA TODAY bestselling author Rita Herron’s Badge of Justice miniseries, Hostage at Hawk’s Landing, coming soon.
&nbs
p; And don’t miss the previous books in the series:
Redemption at Hawk’s Landing
Safe at Hawk’s Landing
Available now from Harlequin Intrigue!
SPECIAL EXCERPT FROM
When wealthy cattleman Callen Laramie is called back home to Coldwater, Texas, for a Christmas wedding, he has no idea just how much his
attendance will matter to his family...and to the woman who’s never been far from his thoughts—or his heart.
Read on for a sneak preview of
Lone Star Christmas
by USA TODAY bestselling author
Delores Fossen.
Join Harlequin My Rewards today and earn a FREE ebook!
Click here to Join Harlequin My Rewards
http://www.harlequin.com/myrewards.html?mt=loyalty&cmpid=EBOOBPBPA201602010003
We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Intrigue story.
You crave excitement! Harlequin Intrigue stories deal in serious romantic suspense, keeping you on the edge of your seat as resourceful, true-to-life women and strong, fearless men fight for survival.
Enjoy six new stories from Harlequin Intrigue every month!
Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!
Other ways to keep in touch:
Harlequin.com/newsletters
Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks
Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks
HarlequinBlog.com
Join Harlequin My Rewards and reward the book lover in you!
Earn points for every Harlequin print and ebook you buy, wherever and whenever you shop.
Turn your points into FREE BOOKS of your choice
OR
EXCLUSIVE GIFTS from your favorite authors or series.
Click here to join for FREE
Or visit us online to register at
www.HarlequinMyRewards.com
Harlequin My Rewards is a free program (no fees) without any commitments or obligations.
Lone Star Christmas
by Delores Fossen
CHAPTER ONE
DEAD STUFFED THINGS just didn’t scream Christmas wedding invitation for Callen Laramie. Even when the dead stuffed thing—an armadillo named Billy—was draped with gold tinsel, a bridal veil and was holding a bouquet of what appeared to be tiny poinsettias in his little armadillo hands.