by Rebecca Deel
He led her to the living room and tugged her down beside him on the couch. Snatching the fleece blanket he’d tossed aside at her scream, he draped the cover over her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She settled against his chest with a sigh of contentment much as she had on the plane. Gradually, the shivers stopped and she relaxed.
“Rio?” she murmured.
“What is it, sweetheart?”
“Thanks for staying with me.”
He tightened his grip. “I won’t be anywhere else, Darcy. Not until I know you’re safe.”
Within a few minutes, her breathing evened out. Good. He knew a short night’s sleep would hit Darcy far harder than it would him or Trent. Fatigue was one of the worst symptoms she battled every day.
An hour later, Nick walked into the living room. His gaze dropped to Darcy’s sleeping form, his lips curving. “Got prints this time,” he whispered. “I’ll let you know what I find out.” With a wave, he slipped out the front door and closed it softly.
Rio spent the next hour enjoying the time to hold his girl close. At 5 o’clock, he slowly moved his arm and tried to shift away from Darcy. His intention had been to lay her on the couch, but she stirred and opened those beautiful hazel eyes. “Sorry, baby,” he murmured. “I need to leave soon.”
She gave him a sleepy smile and wrapped her arms around his neck. “How long?”
“About forty-five minutes.”
“Go shower. I’ll make breakfast.”
“You don’t have to do that, Darcy. I’d planned to pick up something on the way to Nashville.”
She leaned in and kissed him. Oh, man. He could so get used to this on a regular basis. This was what he’d envied his newly married teammates over. The tenderness, having a woman in his life who cared for him and his needs. Selfish, maybe, but he poured everything he had into his teammates, especially when they were injured. He knew he mattered to them. They would take a bullet for him in a heartbeat, but he wanted someone who was only his, a woman who would pour herself into him as he did for her. Yep, he was an official card-carrying sap.
“Now you can stop for more coffee and a snack instead of breakfast.” Another kiss. “Let me do this for you, Rio.”
Who was he to argue if his girl wanted to take care of him? “Thank you, sweetheart.” He helped her stand and steadied her until she was stable, then retrieved his clothes and shaving kit from the bag stashed in his room.
When he emerged from the bathroom, the scent of fresh coffee greeted him along with something else he couldn’t quite identify. He dropped off his gear in the guest room and followed the mouthwatering scents into the kitchen.
Darcy turned at his entrance, smiled. “Breakfast is ready.”
His gaze skated to the breakfast bar and the plate and mug waiting for him. “What’s this?”
“Breakfast burrito.”
“Fast work.”
“Nate left several ingredients in the refrigerator. I combined a few things.”
He bit into the wrap and closed his eyes at the explosion of flavors. “Darcy, this is incredible. Is this one of the wraps you plan to sell in your deli?”
She nodded.
“If this typical of the rest of what you plan to offer, your deli will be a huge success.”
She beamed. “Thank you. I hope the rest of Otter Creek has your food taste.”
Before he’d finished with the first wrap, she slid another onto his plate. Once he’d finished eating and polished off the rest of his coffee, Rio carried his dishes to the dishwasher, and wrapped his arms around her. “Take care of yourself today, baby. Rest when you need it.”
“You’re okay to drive? I can go with you if you’re too tired.”
Rio’s heart melted. “I slept enough to get through the day.”
“With coffee?”
“Goes without saying.” He captured her lips with his. When she pressed closer to him, Rio deepened the kiss and spent several minutes enjoying the taste and texture of Darcy’s mouth. By the time he eased her away, his heart was racing. He knew he was in deep already.
He gently stroked her cheek. “I don’t know how late we’ll be.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll be waiting for you and Mason. His room will be ready for him.” She paused. “Where should I put him?”
“He won’t care, baby. I think he’d like a room to himself.” Rio would if he’d been incarcerated for years with constant cellmates.
“I’ll figure something out. Be careful, Rio.”
“Call if you need me or want to talk.” With a last lingering kiss, he grabbed his jacket and walked out of the house. After fueling his SUV, he took the entrance ramp to Highway 18 and headed to Nashville.
Rio activated his Bluetooth and called his teammate. “I’m leaving Otter Creek.”
“Kind of late for you, isn’t it?”
“Rough night.”
“What happened?”
Rio explained the events of the early morning.
Quinn gave a soft whistle. “Think this is the end of it?”
“I hope so.” He heard the doubt in his voice.
“But?”
“I think it’s not over.”
“What do you need?”
Warmth bloomed in his gut. He hadn’t expected anything different from his friend. Rio would have done the same if the situation were reversed. “Keep an eye on Darcy as well as Trent. Make sure she doesn’t skip meals.”
“Anything else?”
He hesitated, not wanting to divulge something Darcy didn’t want out in public. However, the more Quinn knew, the better he’d be able to look out for her, and his friend wasn’t one to gossip. “Don’t let her become too tired.”
“Okay.” His friend dragged out the word.
“She has Sjogren’s Syndrome, Quinn.” Rio summarized the disease and its symptoms. “That’s the reason she retired from the concert stage. She can’t keep practicing six to eight hours a day and keep up with the touring schedule.”
“I’ll do what I can to help her.”
He ended the call a couple minutes later and settled in for the remainder of the four-hour drive. At ten o’clock, he parked in the lot of the reentry facility on Harding Place. He climbed out of his SUV, circled to the front of the hood, and settled in to wait.
At the five-minute mark, the door to the facility opened and a dark-haired, broad-shouldered man strode from the building. He scanned the lot as he walked, hesitated when his gaze locked on Rio. A resigned expression settled on his face.
Rio straightened as Mason approached. His cousin didn’t have anything in his hands. No belongings, then. Of course, whatever he’d owned thirteen years ago probably wouldn’t fit. Looked like he’d filled out quite a bit and gained a few inches in height over the years.
“Rio.”
He smiled, extended his hand. When his cousin took it, he pulled him into a one-armed hug. “Good to see you, Mason. Ready to get out of here?”
A short nod, then, “Dad’s not here?”
Rio unlocked his vehicle and climbed behind wheel before he answered. “He asked me to come get you.”
Mason frowned. “You’re driving me home?”
He cranked the engine. “Uncle James wants you to stay with me for a while.”
His cousin’s head whipped his direction. “Why?”
“The townspeople are upset over your release. Some made threats against you. Uncle James wants you safe.”
He sighed. “Where am I going?”
“A town called Otter Creek.”
“Never heard of it.”
Rio chuckled. “You’ll like it. Otter Creek is about six thousand people larger than Summerton.”
“Is it large enough for me to find work? I have to find a job as part of the terms of my probation.”
“There’s work for you. Don’t worry about that. Right now, we need to make a couple stops.”
“You need something?”
“Nope. You do. You need cloth
es, buddy. You won’t fit into anything I own. Once we take care of that, we should eat lunch before we head home. Any particular type of food sound good to you?”
“Mexican.”
“I know just the place.”
“Rio, I can’t pay for any of this right now.” His voice sounded choked.
He glanced at his cousin, noted the high color in his cheeks. “Consider this the birthday and Christmas presents I haven’t been able to give you over the years.”
Rio drove to the Providence shopping center and walked with his cousin into one of the department stores. By the time they’d finished, Mason had plenty of clothes, work boots and running shoes, and a winter coat, gloves, and hat. When his cousin protested at the last purchases, Rio said, “You haven’t been through an East Tennessee winter. Trust me. You need all of this.”
“How long have you lived in Otter Creek?”
“A few months.”
Mason frowned. “Where were you before that? Wait. Dad said you were in the military.”
“I was in the Army for several years.”
“What was it like?”
“Wonderful and terrible. My teammates are the best. Some of our missions were the stuff of nightmares.”
“What was your job?”
“Medic.”
“I don’t know a lot about what you went through, but I did see some of the news reports.”
“The media reported the sanitized version from the military brass.”
They stashed the purchases in the back of the SUV and Rio drove them to a small family-run Mexican restaurant he and his teammates enjoyed when they were in Nashville training with Fortress Security. Two hours later, they were headed to Otter Creek. With one stop at Starbucks to get both of them some much needed coffee, the rest of the trip was driven straight through.
At seven, Rio parked in Darcy’s driveway.
“This is your house?” Mason asked, staring at the huge Victorian.
“This is my girlfriend’s house. We’re staying here for a few days. Her brother was injured on a security mission and needs assistance for a few more days.”
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to be here?” he asked, his voice soft.
“Darcy insisted I bring you here, Mason. You’re welcome to stay. When her brother, Trent, doesn’t need me, we’ll go to my house.”
The front door opened and there she was, standing on the porch.
“Is that your Darcy?”
“It is.”
“She’s beautiful, Rio.”
Oh, yeah. She was gorgeous, but that wasn’t what attracted him to her. Her piano music was a draw, no question. What attracted him most was her loyalty, her grit and determination, and her heart. He strode toward the house.
Darcy hurried off the porch and into his open arms. “Welcome back.” She squeezed his waist, then stepped back and turned to Mason who was slowly walking toward them, as if unsure of his welcome.
His girl smiled, held out a hand to his cousin. “Mason, welcome. I’m so glad you’re here.”
Rio noted how careful Mason was with her. “Thank you for letting me stay a few days.”
“Your room is ready. Can I help you bring anything in?”
Quinn stepped onto the porch. “I’ll take care of it, half pint. Get back in the house before you freeze.”
Rio dropped a quick kiss on her upturned mouth. “Go on. We’ll be inside in a minute.”
With an exasperated sigh, she returned to the house.
“Quinn, this is Mason, my cousin. Mason, my teammate, Quinn Gallagher.”
The three of them gathered all the bags from the back of the SUV and carried them inside. Trent was seated on the recliner, television remote in his hand. He climbed to his feet. Rio was pleased to note his movements, though slow, were a bit easier than the day before. Progress. He introduced Mason to Trent.
“You interested in some repair work?” Trent asked Mason.
“What kind?”
“Holes in the floors and walls. Some clown broke in here before Darcy bought the place and did some damage.”
“Give Mason a chance to put down his bags.” Darcy scowled at her brother.
Her brother frowned. “I figured Rio had already asked him about this.”
“I didn’t have the chance.” His cousin had slept most of the way to Otter Creek. From what Rio could tell, it looked as if he hadn’t slept much in prison. Probably too busy trying to watch his back. “He can examine the holes tomorrow, see if it’s something he wants to tackle.”
“Where do I put his stuff, Darcy?” Quinn asked.
“This way.” She led the three of them to the bedroom she’d occupied the night before.
When Rio raised his eyebrows, she flushed. “Alex installed a security lock on the window. I thought Mason might like his own room and bathroom.”
“I don’t want to put you out,” Mason said. “Really, I can make do with the floor.”
“Absolutely not. It’s no trouble. There are several bathrooms in this place. Besides, I haven’t chosen a permanent room for myself yet. We set up the bedrooms down here for Trent’s sake. I want you to have this room.”
With a nod of thanks, he subsided.
While they lined his bags against the wall, Rio’s cell phone signaled an incoming text. He checked the display, frowned. Nick, asking Rio to call when he had a chance.
“Excuse me a minute.” His gut knotted as he strode into the kitchen to place the call. “It’s Rio. What do you have?”
“Break-in artist’s name is Troy Sutton. He lawyered up as soon as I took him into the interview room.”
“Not surprising.”
“Long arrest record, too. He’s done time on three occasions.”
“For?”
“Theft.”
Huh. What would he had wanted to steal in this place? “And you don’t know what he was after?”
“Nope. Wouldn’t say anything except to recite his lawyer’s name and number.”
And that said quite a bit about this guy. “Anything else?”
“He always works as part of a crew, Rio. This guy has partners somewhere.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Darcy entered the kitchen, Quinn and Mason close behind, as Rio slid his phone into this pocket, his expression grim. “Mason, you must be hungry. Does spaghetti sound good?”
“Anything is fine.”
She brought noodles and meat sauce from the refrigerator, and set them on the counter. Within minutes, Darcy placed a steaming plate of spaghetti in front of Mason and Rio. Unlike Rio, who carried on a conversation with everyone in the room, Mason kept his head down, his attention on his plate. A holdover from prison? When the men had cleaned their plates, she asked, “Would you like more? Or maybe dessert?”
“Nothing for me,” Rio said. “Dinner was great, sweetheart.”
“Mason?”
He shook his head. “Thank you, Darcy.”
“The kitchen’s always open. Get whatever you want at any time.”
With a nod, he stood, carried his plate to the sink. “Is there a phone I can borrow? I’d like to call Dad.”
“Take mine.” Rio swiped his screen a few times. “You’re all set. Touch the call button when you’re ready.”
His cousin murmured his thanks and left the room, phone in hand.
“He’ll be all right, Rio,” Quinn said, voice soft. “Being out of prison after living behind bars so long is a huge adjustment.”
“That’s not what’s wrong, is it?” Darcy asked. “Who called?”
“Nick.”
“Did he have to release the guy who broke in?” Sutton going free was the only thing she could imagine upsetting her boyfriend. Her heart skipped a beat at the term. Hard to believe she was dating this amazing man. Who knew moving to Otter Creek would begin so many good things? Her brother had pressured her to relocate to Otter Creek because of PSI and the Fortress operatives who lived here. If Trent was out of the country, he wanted
Darcy to have someone to count on for help. A relationship with Rio was not what her brother had in mind.
Rio shook his head. “He’s still in custody, but not talking.”
“Lawyered up?” Quinn asked.
“Yeah.”
Darcy frowned. “But that’s not the problem.”
He reached over and clasped her hand. “Troy Sutton has been in and out of the system for years for theft. He always works with a team.”
A hard shiver raced over Darcy’s body. Sutton wasn’t working alone, which meant her house was still a target for his cohorts. “Did Nick find out what he wants?”
Regret filled Rio’s gaze. “Sorry, baby.”
“Does he work with the same crew for heists?” Quinn finished off his soft drink.
“I wish. Unfortunately, he chooses new people for each job.”
“Takes a long time to train with new people.”
“They aren’t like us, Quinn. They don’t train. Each person has his own specialty. They also choose high-value heists that take a while to plan. He’s been in prison three times. Sutton doesn’t hurt innocents, which explains why he didn’t touch Darcy this morning.” He cast a troubled look her direction. “His crew, however, isn’t so humanitarian.”
“We don’t know his crew. He might have chosen people like him this time.”
“We can’t count on that, sweetheart.” Rio eyed his friend. “When will the Fortress techs install the security system?”
“Day after tomorrow. That’s why Alex and I installed some basic security measures on the first floor. Sutton’s crew might still break in, but they’ll make a racket doing it.”
“Maybe we should move you to the second floor,” Rio said to Darcy. “It’s more secure. These clowns won’t slip past us to reach you.”
She smiled, pleased she could alleviate some of his concerns. “Way ahead of you. I already moved my belongings to the second floor. I also had the new bed delivered up there.” Trent couldn’t handle stairs yet. She thought Mason wouldn’t want to be far from Rio. That left her. Suited her fine. She had her own bathroom on that floor and all those wonderful candles. Darcy had spent the day on the sleeping arrangements and laundry. Although tired, creating a peaceful, pleasant place for Mason and Rio made her feel good. She’d arranged a surprise for Rio as well.