Targeted for Revenge

by Karen Kirst

  “I admit I have a personal stake. If you and Mason are together, I get more time with my niece.”

  Tessa felt her mouth stretch into a smile. “I’ve missed our friendship, Candace. Do you think we could start over?”

  “I’d like that.”

  The nurse arrived and gave Tessa instructions on wound care. Before she had a chance to change, Mason showed up in a wheelchair. The right side of his face was battered and bruised.

  “Are you ready to go see Lily?”

  His slight smile and easy tone couldn’t distract her from his careful, solemn demeanor. Was that due to his physical discomfort? The weight of their shared trauma? Or regret that he’d kissed her?

  “Shouldn’t you stay the night?” she asked.

  “No, I shouldn’t. My ribs are cracked, not broken. My internal organs are fine.”

  “What about your head? You lost consciousness for quite a while. Do you have a concussion?”

  “Tessa, I’ll rest easier at the cabin. Rest equals faster recuperation.”

  “Have you heard from the Pigeon Forge PD?”

  “Dante got away.” His nostrils flared. “We’re going to blast these guys’ faces across social media and air them on the local news. Silver even mentioned paying for a billboard. By tomorrow, the tips will be pouring in.”

  Tips took time to sort through, however. And Serenity’s law-enforcement entities were stretched thin. This was the beginning of the tourist season, and Tessa’s predicament couldn’t be their sole focus.

  Pigeon Forge PD escorted them from the hospital to the mounted-police truck parked at the abandoned water park. Candace had driven her own vehicle to the hospital, which left Tessa to drive the truck. Her injuries weren’t as severe as Mason’s, and she hadn’t been given pain medication. One of the officers volunteered to continue with them the rest of the way, and they gladly accepted.

  At the cabin, Silver and Cruz’s welcome was grim. That Silver couldn’t find anything to joke about was telling. His eyes smoldered violet fire as he took in Mason’s battered face and the bruises on her neck.

  Lily heard the commotion at the door and streaked through the living room like a comet. “Mommy!”

  Tessa hoisted her into her arms and reveled in the sweet show of affection. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for bringing us back to her.

  “Guess what? Mimi and me made lots and lots of cookies!” Lily played with Tessa’s curls. “And we made castles out of Play-Doh and watched shows.”

  Mimi? Her gaze found Gia, who was traversing the spacious living area as she wiped her hands on a kitchen towel. “I hope that’s okay. I didn’t explain any details.”

  “It’s fine. Thank you for entertaining her all day.”

  “It was my pleasure.” Tessa shifted, and Gia got a full glimpse of Mason. She gasped.

  “Mom, I’m fine,” he inserted, moving forward to kiss her cheek. The climb up the steep porch stairs had taken its toll. He was in pain and trying to hide it.

  “After we heard about the 911 call and the loss of contact, I prayed for you both nonstop.”

  Lily leaned sideways in her arms and reached for Mason. He smiled and would have taken her weight, but Tessa shifted away. “Not a good idea. Let’s sit on the couch.”

  When they were settled, Lily climbed onto his lap and touched his face. “You have a boo-boo.”

  He took hold of her fingers and pressed a kiss to them. “It will heal. Have you had many boo-boos?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “Mommy doesn’t let me climb up the slide. She makes me slide down like I’m ’posed to.”

  He chuckled, then grimaced. “Your mom is one smart lady.”

  “Will you build a Play-Doh stable with me?”

  “That’s a great idea. First, I have to wash up, and then your mom and I need to eat something.”

  Gia gestured behind her. “I assembled lasagna earlier. I’ll put it in the oven to bake. Lily can help me with the salad if she’d like.”

  Lily scrambled off Mason’s lap. Candace entered the cabin and intercepted her.

  “Where are you going so fast?”

  “Cooking with Mimi.”

  Candace’s eyebrows were swallowed by her bangs. “Mimi, huh? Do you mind if I help?”

  Lily nodded and grabbed her hand. Together, they went to wash up and gather the vegetables.

  Mason lightly touched Tessa’s hand. “We need to tell her the truth as soon as possible, before my mom and sister do it for us.”

  “Tonight?”

  He considered the idea. “Tomorrow morning after breakfast. We’ll both be refreshed.”

  “Okay.” Tessa wasn’t sure how much of the conversation Lily would understand, but she was ready for her to know Mason’s true role in her life.

  “You and I should talk, as well.”

  Her stomach lurched. “I think I know what you want to discuss, and it can wait until we’re no longer in danger.”

  He appeared to be on the verge of disagreeing. Then he thought better of it.

  “I want you to know that I wouldn’t dream of hurting you again.”

  He obviously regretted that moment in the woods. “I know, Mason. I feel the same.”

  “We’re on the same page then.”

  “Yes.”

  Were they really? Honestly, she hadn’t ever stopped loving him. If she was offered a second chance with the love of her life, she’d snatch it. But he wasn’t looking to be with her again, and she couldn’t blame him.

  * * *

  Mason tucked into the mouthwatering meal his mom had prepared, content to absorb the conversation around him. The shower had washed away the grime and loosened his muscles, and, while the medication had merely taken the edge off his discomfort, he felt well enough to sit with his family and friends and thank the Lord for his blessings.

  Silver, Cruz and Raven occupied one side of the rustic table. Candace and his mom were seated at either end. Lily was in a booster seat between him and Tessa. A wrought-iron globe chandelier cast a broad circle of light over the serving bowls, dinnerware and glasses. The meaty, tomato-rich aroma melded with his mom’s tangy homemade salad dressing and garlic knots. After a solemn prayer of thanks offered by Gia, everyone dug in.

  Mason was pleased to see that Lily was willing to try most foods. The more time he spent with her, the more he came to appreciate Tessa’s mothering skills. She’d managed to keep their daughter safe in a town where she had no roots and no family. Not only that, but she’d also given her a normal upbringing.

  Over Lily’s head, he studied Tessa’s profile. She had also showered and changed into fresh clothes. Her glossy black hair had been tamed into a tidy French braid, and tasteful earrings sparkled at her ears. Since he’d known her, she hadn’t gone for flashy or expensive. She’d grown up surrounded by luxury, but she’d turned her back on that life out of principle. That said something about her character.

  She glanced up and caught him staring. For a moment, they got lost in each other, reliving that moment of rejoicing in the aftermath of ugliness. He would like to tell her she was the strongest woman he’d ever met. He would like to ask her exactly where she’d gotten the courage to defy the mighty Vitale family.

  The invisible connection was broken when Lily tugged on Tessa’s sleeve and asked for more juice. He looked away, only to encounter the combined focus of Silver and Cruz. Their disquiet was obvious. Silver, especially, had reason to worry. He’d had a front-row seat to Mason’s implosion following Tessa’s departure.

  He gave a brief shake of his head, a silent signal that he was fine.

  After the meal, Tessa and Candace whisked Lily to the master bath for her bedtime routine and his unit cornered him outside on the balcony. Cruz propped his body against the corner post while Silver paced. Raven dropped into the chair beside him.

&
nbsp; Light from the dining room combated the hazy, purple-tinged dusk cloaking the woods on either side of the cabin. The mountain peaks in the distance had become smudged, indistinct shapes.

  “What happened out there?” Silver said. “I want a bullet-point list.”

  Fingers of fatigue whispered over him. This day ranked up there as the second worst of his life, and he wasn’t eager to explain the gory details. But his partners were putting their lives on the line for him, Tessa and Lily, and they deserved to know exactly what sort of enemy they were dealing with.

  He inhaled a lungful of honeysuckle air, trying to ignore the unhappy response in his rib cage. The others were quiet as he relayed the facts with as much professional detachment as he could muster. They didn’t immediately respond. Their silence added an ominous weight to the otherwise innocent night.

  Cruz crossed and uncrossed his ankles. “I’ve come across his type before, back in Texas. Our department lost three officers before we managed to capture the guy.”

  Silver ground his teeth. “We’re not losing anyone. I’ve reached out to a private security firm with a stellar reputation and hired two of their men. They start in the morning.”

  Mason didn’t have the energy to launch a proper protest. “You hired them without consulting me?”

  “We need the assistance. We’re spread too thin.”

  Mason couldn’t afford private security. “It will cost a fortune.”

  “I’m footing the bill.”

  “I can’t let you do that. I have a home to rebuild and a truck to replace. There’s no telling how long before I could repay you.”

  “I don’t want to be repaid.”

  “Foster—”

  “Whoa.” He halted and held up a gloved hand. “Stop with the parent-given name, will you? We can’t keep going on little to no sleep, and we can’t monopolize the patrol unit or the sheriff’s deputies. Let me do this.”

  His friend shelling out loads of money for Mason’s benefit wasn’t fair.

  “Think of Tessa,” he urged. “And your daughter.”

  Dante’s sneering face flashed into his mind. “I owe you, brother.”

  Their phones buzzed simultaneously. Raven got to hers first. “Social-media blitz is a go,” she said. “Dante and his henchmen won’t be able to buy a pack of gum without looking over their shoulders.”

  “I’m still waiting on my billboard contact to return my call,” Silver said, scrolling through his phone. “I’d like to get their faces in a high-traffic area.”

  “Mayor Chesney will have something to say about that,” Raven said. “Advertising the presence of Mafia criminals is bad for tourism.”

  “Tourists getting taken hostage and shot by said Mafia criminals is also bad for tourism,” he returned with an arched brow.

  “I’d like to hear you say that to the mayor’s face,” she said, softly laughing.

  “Did the Pascals get back to Florida yet?” Mason asked.

  “Lindsey put them personally on the plane.”

  The sliding glass doors swooshed open, and Lily padded out in her pajamas. She searched the semidarkness and zeroed in on him. He set aside his phone and put his hands out to frame her tiny waist, lest she decide to leap into his arms.

  “You smell good enough to eat,” he teased, deliberately sniffing her hair. “Is your shampoo scented with lemons?”

  She giggled. “No, silly, not lemons.”

  “Hmm.” He sniffed her sleeve. “Is it watermelon?”

  “Nuh-uh.” She braced her hands atop his.

  He smelled her cheek. “I know. It’s pancake syrup.”

  “No, it’s apples!”

  “Ah, apples. Why didn’t I think of that?” He spotted Tessa, who was standing near the sliding doors and watching them with a tired smile.

  “You’re off to bed, huh?”

  “Candace is going to read me a book.”

  “You’ll have to tell me about it over breakfast.”

  “Okay.” Lily surprised him with a kiss on his cheek.

  His partners bade her good-night and watched as she reentered the house. Tessa offered a half wave and followed her inside.

  Mason closed his eyes and asked God to grant her dreamless, restorative sleep. He didn’t like to think what the hours ahead might bring. Each time he worked a tragic car accident or took part in a search-and-rescue operation that morphed into body recovery, he replayed the events in his head for days. He envisioned the victims and relived the relatives’ grieving reactions. After what he and Tessa had been through, there would be flashbacks and memories that refused to budge.

  “I’m going home.” Raven’s announcement brought him out of his private reverie. Looking down at him, she placed her hand on his shoulder. “Get some rest.”

  “That’s my goal.”

  She jabbed her finger at the others. “You two, don’t keep him out here much longer. He’s practically falling asleep where he sits.”

  Cruz pushed off the post. “I’ll walk you out.”

  “Aren’t you the gallant one,” she quipped, nudging his shoulder.

  He looked dubious. “I’ve never been called anything close to that.”

  They entered the cabin, their banter trailing behind them. Silver assumed Cruz’s former spot and crossed his arms as he regarded Mason with a hooded gaze.

  “Should I be worried?” he drawled.

  “My lungs and ribs will heal.”

  His friend’s expression didn’t change. “I like Tessa. Always have. But she has the power to send you back into the abyss. I don’t want to see that happen.”

  Mason pushed his fingers through his hair and tried not to think about that kiss. “I’m not the same man I used to be.”

  “Because of your faith, I know.”

  If they hadn’t spoken about spiritual matters before, Mason would’ve missed the hint of challenge in Silver’s voice.

  Resting his hands on the chair arms, Mason said, “You can’t measure God’s characteristics as a Heavenly Father against your earthly one.”

  “Easy for you to say. You hit the dad jackpot.” He fisted his gloved hands.

  Mason searched for the right response. Lewis Reed had had his share of faults, like everyone else, but he’d been a hero in Mason’s eyes. Following his early passing, it had taken Mason a long time to work through his grief. He still missed him. Silver hadn’t been so fortunate, with either of his parents, and he bore the scars to this day. His childhood trauma stood between him and a lasting, personal relationship with God. Mason prayed that someday, Silver would lay his burdens down at Jesus’s feet and find healing.

  “I’m not interested in discussing my messed-up family,” Silver inserted.

  “I can’t give you the answers you’re searching for.” He didn’t know exactly what was happening between him and Tessa. While they hadn’t discussed the kiss outright, she’d seemingly agreed with him that it hadn’t been the best idea. They’d waded through enough hurt, and they were both intent on maintaining peace for their daughter’s sake.

  Something clicked in his mind, and he turned the tables. “Is my experience with Tessa the reason you’ve avoided commitment?”

  A sardonic laugh burst forth. “No, what it did was cement my decision to stay single. Emotional entanglements are the last thing a guy like me needs. Besides, I would make a woman miserable long-term.”

  “That’s a convenient lie you’ve told yourself, brother.”

  Silver’s phone buzzed. He fished it from his pocket and skimmed the message. “Lindsey has a pressing question about a reservation. I have to call her.”

  “I’ll give you some privacy.”

  As he trudged to his bedroom, fatigue dogging his steps, Mason wondered what the future held for Silver and if his friend would remain stubbornly alone for the rest
of his life. Would he choose the safety of solitude or would he take a chance on someone?

  His own future was a huge question mark, as well. The idea of Tessa settling down in Serenity and eventually marrying someone else made his chest ache and his stomach churn. As he tested the front-door lock, he glanced down the hallway toward her room. Just like in the past, he found himself wanting to spend every minute with her. An alarming prospect.

  He comforted himself with the knowledge that he didn’t have to make any decisions regarding the future right now. They had an enemy to overcome first.

  EIGHTEEN

  Tessa jerked upright, lungs heaving, as she tried to get her bearings. The night-light in the bathroom bathed the bed and dresser in a triangle of light. She wasn’t in that dank basement anymore. Her pajama shirt clung to her clammy skin. Nausea roiled through her middle. Threading her curls off her face, she studied Lily’s peaceful form beside her and tried to shake the vestiges of the dream.

  Folding back the comforter, she slid out of bed. Her sore ankle protested, and she hobbled into the bathroom, where she splashed cold water on her face and pulled on the wrap that matched her new striped pajama shirt and pants. Wide-awake now, she slipped on her sandals, crept through the silent cabin and emerged into the night. The air carried the scents of honey and flowers’ perfume. Crickets’ chirrups performed a woodland symphony. Stretched out above her, sparkly diamonds patterned the canvas of black sky. God’s handiwork never failed to amaze her.

  “Hey.”

  She jerked toward the source of the greeting, her hand flying to her chest.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  There was no mistaking Mason’s voice. As her eyes adjusted, she was able to discern his body from the shadows. He was lounging on the hand-carved bench tucked between twin planters.

  Tessa circled the wrought-iron table to get to him. “You can’t sleep, either?”

  His legs were stretched out, ankles propped on one another, and his arm rested along the benchtop. “I got a couple of hours’ worth. I was hoping you’d fare better than me.”

  She sat without asking permission and clasped her hands on her lap. “I had a bad dream.”