Fighting Redemption: A Small Town Romantic Suspense (Texas SWAT Book 1)

by Sidney Bristol

  “It’s my fault,” Jenna said.

  “You smacked yourself in the face? For what? Laughs?” He took her other hand. His gut already knew he wasn’t going to like the reasoning behind what happened, but more important, he needed to touch her. Hold her. Rest assured that she was alive and his, still.

  “No.”

  “Then it’s not your fault.” Too often the victim was made to shoulder the blame for things like stalking and assault. Whatever her choices were, he needed to remind himself that in no way had Jenna brought this on herself. Judging by the way she couldn’t meet his gaze, he tamped down on his anger, too. Only when he was completely in control did he dare ask, “Jenna, what happened?”

  She blew out a breath as if she’d been waiting for just those words. Her eyes closed, and she started speaking, quiet at first, but when he didn’t interrupt her, she settled into the account of the evening’s events. She didn’t struggle for words, which meant Trevor had already made her go over them several times. By the time she finished she was at least glancing at him, little quick looks here and there.

  “Will you say something? Please?” she asked.

  “I need a minute.” Alex let go of her hands and stood. His blood was so hot it was beyond boiling.

  He wanted to shake some sense in her. Yell a bit. She’d acted based on her desire to care for people, and it’d almost gotten her killed. Judging by the way she’d gripped the ice bag, she was ready for him to pitch a fit.

  Outside the clear night sky was full of a million stars. He picked one and stared at it.

  Caring for Jenna meant learning how to be with her. She was a strong willed, independent woman who didn’t need him. She wanted him. If he didn’t figure out how to deal with her leading by her heart, he could lose her.

  “Okay.” He swallowed and turned to face her. He still wanted to read her the riot act, but now wasn’t the time. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

  “That’s it? You aren’t going to tell me I was stupid or not to go there again?”

  “Would it stop you?” If he thought chewing her a new one would make her change, he’d do it.

  She licked her lips. “No.”

  “Then what’s the point? Besides, Trevor has probably griped you out enough.” And Jenna didn’t need both Trevor and him on her case. One of them had to be the bad cop, and the other had to play the boyfriend. Alex knew what he wanted.

  “You’re not mad?” Jenna got up and crossed the cabin to stand in front of him.

  “Of course I am, but what matters is that you’re here, and you’re okay.”

  She wrapped her arms around him, giving him a tight squeeze.

  “I’m disgusting.” He barely wanted to be around himself.

  “I don’t care. You really aren’t that mad?”

  He kissed the top of her head and hugged her back. After they caught the stalker, then he could work on the rest. Genghis lifted his head from his paws and growled low in his throat. It wasn’t a Danger growl, more like the damn dog was having a grand old time being here.

  Lights shone through the front of the cabin.

  Trevor. Made sense. Still, it wasn’t time to let his guard drop.

  Alex reached for his hand gun as he crossed to the opposite wall. Genghis followed him, tail waving back and forth. The headlights flicked on and off three times. The tension eased out of Alex’s muscles. He continued to watch until the SUV stopped and he could make out Trevor’s silhouette in the starlight. He was weighted down by containers of...something.

  Alex stepped out into the evening air and Genghis almost knocked him over in the rush to bound outside again.

  “Give me a fucking hand, Myers.” Trevor juggled the containers while he opened the passenger door.

  Alex took what turned out to be three glass dishes of food from Trevor’s hands, freeing him up to grab two bags and a plastic box that looked suspiciously like a gun case. Alex withheld his thoughts for the moment. He couldn’t deny that the idea of having Jenna armed and ready to protect herself appealed to him. She was a great shot and had combat experience to boot. On the other hand, they were dealing with a whole new situation here.

  “Moving in?” Jenna closed the door after them.

  “You wish.” Trevor dumped the load onto the small dining table. “Liam’s mom sent over some clothes and other stuff. My best guess is that tomorrow IA will bench Alex until this is sorted out.”

  “What? No.” Jenna glanced between them, her mouth hanging open.

  “Relax,” Trevor said.

  “It’s actually a good thing.” Alex unzipped one bag and peered into it.

  “That was my thinking, too.” Trevor leaned against a chair.

  “Will you let me in on the secret?” Jenna asked.

  “The chief might have been skeptical about a stalker, but he can’t ignore an armed assault.” Trevor said.

  “I never saw a gun.”

  “Doesn’t matter.” Trevor shook his head. “You thought you saw one and there are two witnesses to the assault. He’s not going to ignore that. Especially when it’s one of our own. This is, more or less, the chief letting Alex lose to play the fierce protector.”

  “I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me.” Jenna pulled out a chair and sat. Her shoulders slumped and her color was pale. She was running on fumes at this point.

  “He’s not.”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  Alex pulled the dishes of food open and steam trickled out. The mystery casserole smelled good enough he briefly considered sticking a couple of forks in it and telling the others to dig in. Instead he snagged plates and silverware from the cabinets and dished out three plates. He didn’t mind Trevor hanging around for a meal, but sleeping arrangements would be cramped for more than two, and Alex wasn’t about to share Jenna.

  “I’m just...what happens next?” Jenna held the fork, but didn’t touch her food yet.

  “IA is going to ask you two a few questions about your relationship. They’ll make a ruling. I think the chief will keep you,” Trevor nodded at Alex, “on leave until we catch the guy. Someone attacking Jenna is just like someone attacking a cop. We look out for our own.”

  “But I’m not a cop. I’m not even a police employee.”

  “Doesn’t matter. You work alongside us. You might as well be one of us.” Trevor shrugged and tucked into the food.

  “But they can’t punish us for being together when I don’t work for them, can they?” Jenna glanced at Alex.

  “If they take issue over it I’ll step down.” Alex grabbed a hot roll out of another container and ripped it in two.

  “Alex—no. You can’t do that.”

  He glanced at Trevor who was watching them without missing a beat.

  “Keep this between us?” Alex waited for Trevor to nod. “I applied and interviewed with Ft Worth today for the SWAT position. The assistant chief reached out to ask me specifically. It’s not a done deal, but it got me thinking that maybe I do want to make a move.”

  “Shit, that would be great. Crappy for us, but good for you.” Trevor sat back and chewed, staring at the ceiling.

  “Really? You did it?” Jenna’s jaw hung unhinged, her eyes large.

  “Yeah. They still might not hire me, but I don’t lose anything applying.” And she was right. He’d grown stagnant. Ransom was the place where he’d healed, rediscovered himself, but it wasn’t where he wanted to spend the last of his years as a cop.

  “That’s fantastic.”

  “I’m never going to get used to this.” Trevor ducked his head and focused on his plate.

  “You, hush.” Jenna jabbed Trevor’s shoulder, and he stuck his tongue out at her. Just like siblings.

  “You still have your gun license?” Trevor glanced at Alex, who nodded.

  “Yeah—but I don’t own one. Why?” Jenna frowned.

  “Because you might want to reconsider.” Alex licked his fork clean and set it down.

  “I’m n
ot so sure...”

  “I’m not telling you to. I’m just asking you to consider it.” He stared into Jenna’s eyes. Despite the stalker confirmation, he knew her arguments; that she might still be the danger that they couldn’t be sure. He was sure of one thing. If it came down to it, and it was the stalker’s life or hers, he’d make the call without a second thought.

  “Think about it,” Trevor chimed in. “This guy is escalating. Looking over your notes and Alex’s foot work, it seems bad. And now we know he’s a danger to you. None of us want to see you hurt. You’re a damn good shot, and you understand what it is you’re doing. I’d rather you have a gun on you than a lot of other people.”

  “I’ll think about it.” Jenna pushed her food around on her plate.

  “Alright, then I’m going to get out of your hair. Jenna, take the pain killers. Alex, make sure she does. I’ll probably see you two tomorrow.” Trevor stood and snagged his keys off the table.

  “Night, Trevor.” Jenna wiggled her fingers at him.

  Trevor tipped an imaginary hat and strolled out of the cabin, locking the door behind him.

  “Try to eat a little more?” Alex nudged her plate.

  “I’m really not hungry.”

  “When was the last time you ate?”

  “Lunch. With Sterling.”

  “Who’s Sterling?”

  “Did I not tell you about this?”

  “First, I’m hearing of it.”

  “Shit. I guess with everything else I just forgot.” She propped her chin up on her hand and reached out with her other to lace her fingers together with his. “Sterling was a MP at a base I was at for a while. We’ve kind of kept in touch off and on. She called me...last night after we picked up my car and wanted to talk. She got a medical discharge for injuries and PTSD. She hasn’t been doing so hot, but she was up for lunch today so I met her at a diner. Actually, now that I think about it... we didn’t eat. They totally ignored us, so last I ate was breakfast.”

  “Eat.” He shook off her hand and pushed the plate toward her. “You might not feel like eating, but you need to.”

  She stabbed a bit of food and glanced up at him.

  “Why aren’t you angry?”

  “Who says I’m not?” Alex shrugged.

  “I just feel like you’re a powder keg waiting to blow up at me.”

  “I’m trying not to. Like we talked about. It’s not going so well up here.” He tapped his temple. “But I’m trying. Mostly I’m pissed at everyone else. This stalker for doing this to you. The chief for brushing it off. You should have made smarter choices today, but saying it’s your fault is like saying it’s the day’s fault for being sunny. We’ll talk about your charity work another time when I have a cooler head, but right now I’m glad you’re safe.”

  What the hell had she been thinking?

  He wanted to lock her up somewhere to keep her safe, but after they last squared off, he was pretty sure if he put his foot down she’d make good on her statement to leave him. Jenna wasn’t the kind of woman who would stand for that. Even if this whole situation had knocked her off her game.

  “So Ft Worth, huh? That’s a big department.”

  “Eat and I’ll tell you about it.” He spooned a bit more onto her plate.

  “That’s just mean.”

  “Never said I was nice. Eat.”

  “Fine. But you better not skip the details.” Her eyes widened, and she stared at him. “Who is checking on Genghis and Mittens?”

  “Don’t worry about it. My neighbor has it handled.”

  SHE WASN’T AT HER HOUSE.

  She wasn’t at work.

  She wasn’t with SWAT.

  She wasn’t at the cop’s house.

  And the ring was gone.

  Where was she? Where was his Jenna?

  Ahead, the stop light flicked from green to yellow. He stomped on the gas and the car rumbled forward, coasting through the intersection as yellow changed to red.

  She wasn’t anywhere she was supposed to be. She wasn’t where she belonged. How could they have a place together if she wasn’t where he needed her to be?

  He’d followed her, noted her routines, made schedules, and they were rarely, if ever, off. Jenna followed a pattern. One he’d learned so they could spend time together. And now she’d departed from it. First by sleeping with that filthy cop, and now by abandoning him.

  Her rejection was a cold knife in his breast.

  Jenna was the love of his life, and she’d tossed it away. And for what? A kid killing cop?

  His Jenna deserved better than that. So much better.

  He turned, making another circuit around the hospital on the off chance he’d catch a glimpse of her. The box of bullets rolled off the seat and into the floorboard, each one pinging out a reminder.

  If he couldn’t have Jenna, no one would.

  19.

  JENNA PACED AROUND the cabin listening to the shower. Anything could be out there in the darkness. Though her brain knew they were way off the beaten path, she couldn’t help but fret. The stalker had found her jogging down a street she’d never been on. Was it crazy to think he could be here, too?

  The shower turned off, plunging the cabin into silence. Well, almost silence. Mittens sprawled on the sofa licking himself and Genghis lay near the front door watching her. The dog had picked up on her anxious state of mind and every so often he whined.

  “Sorry, boy,” she muttered.

  Jenna had been calmer, less anxious since Alex’s arrival in her personal life, but with him came more questions. What was it Trevor wanted her to know? And what was so awful he wouldn’t tell her himself? The way people gossiped if it was worth hearing someone would have already said something to her by now. Wouldn’t they?

  Alex had always been the stalwart leader. The man she could trust. Whatever skeleton was in his closet, it couldn’t be that bad.

  Could it?

  “You’re still awake.”

  Jenna turned toward the bathroom. Alex had a towel around his hips and rubbed his hair dry with another.

  “Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked.

  “Thought you might be tired, is all.”

  “I am, but I’m not going to sleep.”

  Alex tossed the towel behind him and strode across the cabin. His bare feet left watery footprints in his wake.

  “You’re safe here. Nothing is going to happen to you,” he said.

  “I know...”

  At least Alex, Trevor and the others wanted her to believe that. If combat had taught her anything, it was that plans made excellent kindling. They could say all the things they wanted, but they couldn’t control what would happen.

  “Trevor should be at the hospital now. They’re going to compile a list of every call you’ve gone on in the last year and start from there. We’ll have a name soon enough.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and tugged her to his chest. He smelled of soap and comfort.

  “Trevor said there was something I should ask you.” She peered up into his eyes, praying the truth wasn’t something she couldn’t forgive.

  “What’s that?” His tone was light, but there was a shadow that moved across his face. Some memory that darkened his mood.

  “I don’t know.” Obsessing about his secrets was the only thing that could take her mind off her problems.

  “How the hell am I supposed to answer a question you don’t know?” Alex leaned back and frowned.

  “He said it like you’d know what he meant.” She shrugged.

  “Well I don’t know what to tell you. How’s your head?”

  “It still hurts.” She wrinkled her nose and the drumbeat in her skull sped up.

  “I’d feel a lot better if you got checked out.”

  “I’m fine. It’s mostly stress, anyway.”

  Alex kissed her temple, a barely there brush of skin to skin. She smiled and tilted her head to the side, offering him her cheek and then her mouth. Kissing Alex was never going to get old.
She curled her toes into the rug and leaned into him, relishing the feel of all that muscle under her palms.

  “You know...” She tilted her head back, new ideas taking root. “I heard there was a study about how sex cures headaches and is a great stress reliever.”

  “What do you think?” His lips continued to coast over her face and down her neck. “Is that junk science, doc, or is there something behind it?”

  “Sex releases endorphins and decreases stress—generally speaking.”

  This was really happening. Alex Myers was kissing her, wearing nothing but water and a towel. She’d dreamed about this for so long, wanted him so very badly, that it was hard to believe her senses. She curled her fingers around his neck and sighed.

  He was real.

  “That so?” he whispered.

  Her shiver was very real.

  Alex bent and slung an arm around her, lifting her easily. She shifted, wrapping her legs around his hips and clinging to his shoulders. His mouth landed on hers, his tongue teasing her lips. Her insides went soft and gooey. She was such a goner when it came to Alex. She’d wanted him, pined for him and by some twisted stroke of fate, he’d been with her, rowing the same boat. He’d worn down her weak defenses in one kiss. If he wanted her, he had her any way he chose. She was his to her core.

  He set her down on the sturdy, wooden table she’d wiped clean not even an hour ago, his mouth never once leaving hers. She slid her hands down his chest, over his abs and traced the deep V marks at his hips. He held her face with both hands, his touch so gentle, so different from the man she’d thought she knew. Under the gruff, team leader exterior, he was more than she’d expected. She hooked her fingers in the towel and tugged. It didn’t take much to loosen the fabric from around his hips and let it fall to the floor.

  Alex didn’t seem to notice the loss of clothing, he just went right on making love to her mouth. His hands curled into her hair as the kiss went on as if he were made for nothing more than this one act.

  He pushed her bra up over her breasts. When had he let go of her face? That detail wasn’t as important when he gently grasped both nipples between his fingers and tugged. She gasped, breaking the kiss and leaned her head back.