by Anna Blakely
When she didn’t find it right away, Brynnon went back downstairs and looked around. Still not seeing it, she made yet another trip upstairs, kicking herself when she found it on the floor of her closet.
Grabbing the bag, she carefully made her way down the darkened staircase. She was about to leave when she thought about how long it had been since she’d gone to the bathroom.
Knowing she had another hour in the car, Brynnon set the bag down by the front door with a groan and weaved quickly between her living room furniture to the bathroom at the back of the cabin.
She took care of business and had just stepped out of the small room when she realized the back door had been left open. The flimsy, screen door was the only thing keeping someone from breaking in.
“Jesus, Bryn. Why don’t you just put up a bright, neon sign that says, ‘Break In Here’.” Continuing to mentally chastise herself, Brynnon went over and closed the door, making sure to lock it.
As she walked through the kitchen toward the front of the cabin, something caught the corner of her eye. The dark, odd-looking object had been left on the floor next to the edge of her counter. With the lights off, she had to get right up on it before she was able to make out what it was.
Staring down at the black duffle bag, Brynnon tried to figure out where it had come from. She didn’t remember Grant having one like that, but it was possible he’d brought it in without her seeing.
Curious, she leaned down and unzipped it. Pushing the two halves apart, Brynnon’s heart nearly stopped from what she saw.
Bright red numbers shone back at her from within the bag, their display attached to something she didn’t dare pick up. Several wires weaved in and out of the device, and Brynnon froze when she realized the numbers were steadily counting down with every second that passed.
It took a few seconds for her body to catch up to what her eyes were seeing. A bomb. It was a freaking bomb.
“Jesus,” she exclaimed, the word barely a whisper.
“I know it’s only been six minutes, but a deal’s a deal.”
Coop! Brynnon’s eyes flew back at the display...only eighteen seconds remaining. Move your ass, Bryn!
She shot up from the floor and immediately started running for the door. “Move!” she screamed at Coop. “Go! We have to go!”
“What?” Alarm crossed over his shadowed face as he started in her direction. “Brynnon, what is it? What’s wrong?”
“A bomb,” she choked out. “There’s a bomb in the kitchen! It’s about to go off!”
Coop’s eyes grew as big as saucers. He reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her with him as they ran for the door.
As a last-second thought, Brynnon scooped her computer bag up as she passed by it. She and Coop ran out the door and down the porch steps. They’d only made it a few yards when a deafening sound filled the night air, the powerful rush of heat sending them both flying.
****
“Where is she?” Grant demanded, pushing his way into the hotel room.
Coop stepped aside. “Bathroom. She just got off the phone with her brother a little while ago. He was pretty upset, which only added to her anxiety level. I suggested she take a shower to help her relax.”
“When you called, you said she’d hit her head. Should she be doing that alone?”
Shrugging, Coop smirked. “Sort of figured you’d frown upon my joining her.”
It took less than a second for Grant to invade his teammate’s personal space. “Do I look like I’m in the mood for fucking jokes? She could’ve been killed.”
“I know,” Coop shot back, suddenly serious. “I was there, remember? I’m fine, by the way. Thanks for asking.”
Shit. He was right. This was his friend. His teammate. And he hadn’t bothered asking if he was okay.
From the moment Coop called to tell him what happened, Grant hadn’t been able to think straight. Pictures of deadly scenes he’d witnessed as a SEAL. Along with all the what-ifs, horrific memories from what felt like a lifetime ago played through his mind.
Grant knew the only thing to put it to an end would be to see Brynnon with his own two eyes. To touch her and know for a fact that she was okay.
He could hear the water running from behind the closed bathroom door. Coop had explained over the phone that their boss had instructed him to bring her to a hotel, rather than back to her condo.
Grant looked back at his teammate. For the first time since barging in, he noticed the scrapes on Coop’s cheek and chin, stark reminders of just how deadly the explosion could’ve been.
Coop grabbed his shoulder and squeezed, snapping him away from his thoughts.
“It’s okay, man. I get it. But like I told you on the phone, she really is okay. We got thrown by the blast but landed in the grass. The snow helped break our fall.” Though he tried to hide it, a slight shadow fell over Coop’s eyes when he added. “We got out of there just in time.”
Trying not to imagine how close they’d both come to dying tonight, Grant gave his teammate a jerky nod and took a step backward. “What the fuck happened?”
“Someone blew up your girlfriend’s cabin.”
Grant snarled. “I’m serious, Sean.”
“So am I.”
Coop walked over and grabbed a soda from the fridge. With his outstretched hand, he offered it to Grant, but he declined. Closing the small refrigerator, Coop popped open the can and leaned against the kitchenette’s counter before giving him the full story about what went down.
“We were about halfway to the city when Brynnon realized she’d forgotten her computer. I turned around and drove us back to the cabin. She ran inside to get it. I waited a few minutes then went in to make sure she was okay. I’d just walked through the door when she came running at me from the kitchen screaming about a bomb and yelling at me to run.” He took a sip of soda. “I pulled her with me and hauled ass out of there. Made it to the middle of the yard when it detonated. We’ve both got some bumps and bruises but are otherwise fine.”
Coop’s description of what went down left Grant even more shaken than before. Running a hand down his face, he told his friend, “Thank you.”
“Don’t have to thank me for that. I’m just glad she found the bomb when she did.”
Grant clinched his teeth tightly together. “Where was it?”
“Inside a duffle bag on the kitchen floor. Someone broke in through the back door after we left. At first, Brynnon saw the bag and thought maybe you’d left it. She opened it up and...well, you know the rest. Ryker sent a couple of bomb techs out to the scene. He’ll let us know what they find.”
“Christ.” Grant shook his head. Too worked up to stand still, he walked over to the large window overlooking the city.
He knew all too well the way some bombs worked. Some could be picked up and turned every which way and not go off. Others were designed to detonate with even the slightest of movements. If the one Brynnon found had been like the latter, she would’ve died the second she began unzipping that fucking bag.
Like when he first heard the news, Grant suddenly found himself precariously close to losing his shit. Tempted to punch a hole in the fucking glass, Grant shoved his hands roughly into his pockets.
Clamping his jaw shut, he took a few seconds to tamper the fear and anger bubbling up inside before asking, “The cabin?”
“Gone. I didn’t see the bomb, but whoever built the damn thing knew what they were doing.”
Grant’s eyes slid closed. He’d seen first-hand the heart and soul Brynnon had put into that place and how happy she was there. His heart physically hurt, knowing the loss was a devastating one.
I’m so sorry, baby
With a desperate need to find the bastard responsible, Grant filled his lungs and tried to remain focused on that.
“I told Derek to look into Jessica Price. She’s the one who sent the threats and almost killed Brynnon before.”
“Yeah, D told me about her, but, uh...” Coop paused. �
�It wasn’t her.”
Unhappy with that answer, Grant spun back around. “Who the fuck else would it be?”
“I don’t know, but I’m telling you, it wasn’t Jessica Price.”
“Her father, then. Hell, Charles Wright’s the one with a hard-on for Senator Cantrell. He could’ve—”
Coop shook his head. “It wasn’t him, either.”
“How the hell can you be so sure?” Grant growled, his frustration building at an increasingly fast pace.
He needed it to be Wright or his daughter. If it was, if the evidence pointed to one or the other, then Brynnon would finally be safe.
I need her to be safe.
Keeping his cool, Coop responded calmly with, “We know it wasn’t Wright because the man was admitted to Dallas Regional earlier today.”
“When did you find this out?”
“Derek called just before you showed up. Since I was the one still guarding Brynnon, he contacted me rather than you.”
“What happened.”
“Apparently, Jessica went by to take him to lunch at around eleven and found him unresponsive. Hospital security shows her staying with her father from the minute the ambulance arrived with Wright right up until...”
A sick feeling settled in his gut. “Until when?”
Regretfully, Coop told him, “Grant, Charles Wright never regained consciousness. He died less than an hour ago, and his daughter was by his side the entire time. The team of doctors and nurses who were assigned to him have already vouched for her, which means—”
“Someone else planted the bomb.” Grant ran a hand over his rough jaw before sliding it around to the back of his neck. With his fingers pressing against the tense muscles there, he sighed loudly. “Does Bryn know?”
Coop nodded. “I told her.”
Damn. “How’d she take it?”
“Not great.” The other man shook his head. “Even knowing the guy had spent years trying to prove her father basically killed those soldiers, Brynnon still genuinely felt bad that she hadn’t been able to give Wright answers before he died. Crazy, right?”
No, Grant thought. Not crazy. It was kind and loving. It was...Brynnon. His heart broke for her, knowing she’d take Wright’s death as a personal failure.
Looking back at his teammate, Grant said, “D’s spent the last few days going back through the files on the P.I.’s computer. He’s gonna stay with Cantrell until you get there, and then keep at it until he finds something.”
Playing musical bodyguards was highly unprofessional, but Grant couldn’t bring himself to care about that right now. Nothing—not even the job he loved—would’ve kept him away from her tonight. Thankfully, the senator had agreed.
Earlier, Grant thought he’d go mad waiting for her to get back to the city. After Coop finally called with the hotel information and to say they’d arrived at their room, Brynnon spoke to her father. Grant had tried to ignore the crushing disappointment he’d felt when she hadn’t asked to talk to him, too.
After ending that call, William Cantrell contacted her brother to fill him in on what had happened. Unwilling to stick around another second, Grant had bluntly told the man he was leaving.
Giving permission he hadn’t asked for, Brynnon’s father simply waved him away as Grant ran out of the office, probably breaking a few land speed records on the drive over. He didn’t care.
His only thought had been getting to Brynnon. To be able to see her with his own two eyes and know for a fact, she really was okay.
“Well, it looks like you’ve got this under control,” Coop broke through his thoughts again. The guy tossed his empty can into the trash. “I’m gonna head over and relieve Derek so he can keep doing whatever the hell it is he does.”
Making his way back across the room, Grant shook his teammate’s hand. “Thanks for keeping her safe. And...I’m glad you’re not dead.”
Laughing, Coop reached out and gave him a half-hug. “Gee, thanks, Hill. That’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
Despite the situation, the corner of Grant’s lips curled. Though he may never admit it out loud, he really did love his team.
“Get out of here, jackass.” He pushed against his friend’s chest.
Grinning, Coop grabbed his go-bag and headed for the door. With a final, shared look, the young sniper left him to face Brynnon alone.
A few minutes later, Grant heard the water turn off. Pacing the room, he waited anxiously. Finally, after what felt like forever, Brynnon walked out of the bathroom.
Wearing a thin pair of pajama pants and a tank top, it came to no surprise when she stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of him. Her eyes landed on his, a giant fist wrapping its unforgiving fingers around his heart when he found hers red and swollen from crying.
Recovering quickly, Brynnon walked over to the room’s small desk. Pulling a folder from her computer bag, he waited silently as she began sorting through its contents.
Without looking at him, she sounded hollow when she spoke. “I’m fine. So, if you’re here out of some misguided guilt from not having been with me, you can leave. The bomb would’ve gone off whether you were with me or not.”
Grant took a moment to look at her. Though he couldn’t see her face, he knew she’d rather be anywhere but in this room. With him.
But she was alive. His princess was safe, and she was alive. The rest would hopefully work itself out soon.
Praying she’d listen to what he had to say, Grant licked his dry lips and admitted, “I couldn’t breathe.” Strong emotions left his deep voice rough. Unsteady.
Brynnon let the papers fall back onto the desk. Turned to face him, he watched as confusion caused her eyebrows to turn inward. “What?”
Grant took in the pure beauty that was his Brynnon and continued baring his soul.
“Coop called to let me know what happened.” He paused, needing to swallow past the painful knot in his throat in order to continue. “It was like my lungs froze inside my chest. Everything went numb.”
Brynnon just stood there, staring back at him with those mesmerizing eyes of jade. Taking a chance, Grant moved a little closer to her.
“He told me your cabin exploded. That you’d gone inside. For a second, I thought...” His voice broke as he worked to convey the unprecedented terror Coop’s words had created.
Some of her anger dissipated as she moved hesitantly toward him. “I-I’m okay,” she said again, her voice much softer than before.
Grant’s eyes fell on the fresh bruise darkening one side of her forehead. His vision blurred, the thought of her being violently thrown in the air from the blast creating a sudden, unfamiliar stinging.
Blinking against his unshed tears, Grant moved a few more inches in her direction and tried like hell to say what needed to be said.
“I was standing there, fighting to breathe, and all I could think of was that you’d died believing I didn’t care about you.” He shook his head, licking his lips to try and stop their quivering. “The truth is I don’t know what I’m feeling, but only because I’ve never felt anything like this before.”
Grant took another step, his lungs stuttering as he attempted to fill them. “What I do know is, in those few seconds I thought I’d lost you, I didn’t know how I was going to go on.”
“Grant.” Brynnon’s chin trembled.
Unable to keep from it, he closed the remaining distance between them in two long strides. He placed both hands on her bare shoulders, thankful as fuck when she didn’t pull away.
“Baby, when I got that call, I felt like my entire world had ended.” Raising a gentle palm to her face, he brushed his thumb back and forth over her flawless skin. “I don’t know what you’ve done to me, but I can’t”—he swallowed hard— “I won’t walk away from you again.”
A tear fell down her cheek, the silver streak hitting his thumb. Grant brushed it away gently.
With a hand to his chest, Brynnon looked up at him, the love in her eyes damn ne
ar bringing him to his knees. Blinking, she set more tears free.
“I don’t want you to walk away, Grant. I never did. I want you with me.” She bit her bottom lip nervously before adding a quiet, “Always.”
Thank. Fucking. Christ.
Taking her face between both hands, Grant looked her in the eye and promised, “I’m here, Princess. And I’m not going anywhere.”
Meeting each other halfway, their mouths came together in a powerful explosion of emotion and heat. Grant’s heart filled to the point of near combustion.
His lips moved against hers as he spoke. “I’m sorry I left.”
“Why did you?” she asked breathlessly, nibbling his bottom lip.
“I thought you’d be better off with someone else.”
Speaking between ravishing kisses, Brynnon’s uttered words were music to his ears. “I don’t want anyone else.” She pulled away, leaning back in order to look him in the eyes. “I only want you.”
With her arms wrapped around his neck, Grant lifted her off her feet. He carried her to the bed where they fell together, their hands working in an almost wild frenzy to rid each other of their clothes.
Grant slid his belt loose and undid his button and zipper. He was just about to push them down with his boxers when Brynnon pushed against his chest to stop him. His stomach dropped.
Despite what she’d just said, he found himself terrified she’d finally come to her senses. From the moment he first saw her, Grant had known she could do a hell of a lot better than him. Maybe now, she did, too.
With his body hovering above hers, Grant waited with bated breath for her to speak. By the grace of God, his fears were quickly put to rest.
“Where’s Coop?”
Grant exhaled with relief. “On his way back to your dad’s.”
He watched as Brynnon’s perfect, bow-shaped lips curled into a seductive smile.
“Good.”
Seconds later, with their clothes tossed haphazardly around the room, Grant slid into her hot, wet core. Overwhelming emotions clouded his ability to think about protection until he was already fully seated.
“Shit,” he breathed. “Condom.”
Brynnon shook her head. “No. I want you like this. With nothing between us.”