Unchained

by Suzanne Halliday

  Bella giggled. “You looked funny as a fireman.”

  Brody and George came into view. “Well, right now, Daddy is sort of playing dress up.”

  They stopped walking and looked at each other. “Remember how I told you that Daddy is a cowboy?”

  Bella’s eyes sparkled with delight. “Yep.”

  “Well, Bella Mia, Daddy’s dress up cowboy has long hair. And as long as he doesn’t wear pigtails or use any of our princess clips, he can have all the long hair he wants.”

  The lighthearted moment crashed and burned a second later. Soberly and with a quivering lip, the little girl whispered, “I don’t want my hair cut.”

  Rage bubbled up inside. Sheer, incandescent mother-bear rage. Those sons of bitches running the pathetic excuse for a survivalist’s camp not only corralled all the kids in a pen exposed to the elements, but they also routinely cut off each child’s hair on their birthday.

  Motherfuckers.

  “Sweetie,” she assured the girl with a warm squeeze of her fingers, “it’s your hair. You decide how to wear it. Long or short. It’s up to you, okay?”

  Brody sauntered over just as she ended her statement. “Heather says you’re a cowboy, Daddy.”

  “Did she?” He chuckled. Stooping to kiss Bella’s head, he then leaned in and stole a very nice kiss from Heather before straightening and flashing his signature grin.

  “So does that make my girls lady cowboys?”

  Bella cracked up giggling and corrected her father. “Daddy!” she chided. “Cowgirls!”

  Heather laughed too. “That’s right! Cowgirls, Daddy. Not lady cowboys.”

  They glanced at each other and smiled.

  Georgie sat next to his new best friend and licked her face. Brody handed off the leash. “Your pup needs a quick walk, Bella Mia, and then we’re off to our new house.”

  From behind Brody, Captain Sawyer stepped into their midst. Bella immediately ducked her head, clung to the dog’s leash, and moved so close to her father she practically crawled inside his pants leg.

  “Your luggage has been loaded into a van and is already headed to the house. I see Ben just arrived with the agency limo.” With a crooked grin, he said dryly, “Looks like you’re riding in style.”

  Brody rolled his eyes and muttered, “Aw, Jesus.”

  Heather thought his aw-shucks attitude to being a big-time managing director of a world-class security agency was downright charming, but the perks bothered him for some reason. The private plane. The limo. The first class service wherever they went.

  Sawyer smacked him good-naturedly on the back. “Now, come on, Jensen. Justice is a big deal around here, so you’d best get used to the fringe benefits.”

  He looked down at the small girl trying so very hard to be invisible. Crouching down to her level, he took off his captain’s hat and extended his hand for her to shake.

  “Miss Jensen, it was a pleasure to meet you, little lady.”

  She and Brody held their breaths, waiting to see what the little girl did.

  A fast learner, she picked up manners quickly. Heather was proud of her when she tentatively shook the uniformed man’s hand.

  “Thank you, Cap’n Sawyer.”

  He gravely shook her hand then asked teasingly, “Hey. Wanna try my hat on?”

  “Can I?”

  Bella looked up at her daddy and grinned ear-to-ear when he nodded his approval.

  “Sure, Bella Mia,” Sawyer said with a chuckle as he fit the big hat onto her smaller head and adjusted it so she could see.

  “Take my picture, Daddy!”

  Brody reached into a pocket for his phone, and Heather saw how tough a time he was having swallowing. Crouching like Sawyer, he snapped several shots and even got the captain to move in close for one.

  Heather stood by watching the two grown men on their knees and their gentle interplay with the young child. Out of the blue, she found herself counting all the really good men she was fortunate to know. Her dad, of course. And Travis. And Brody. Good god, Brody. What an extraordinary human. And then there were the Justice men. Honestly, she was still processing what she’d come to know about all of them.

  Now, she added Sawyer to the list. She’d met him previously when she accompanied Brody to the Justice wedding in Boston. This time, however, maybe because of Bella’s complex situation, he was more a funny uncle than a buttoned-up aviation professional.

  She thought of all the years when she’d let one fucked-up asshole’s effect on her life run the whole show. One guy. Just one.

  Her life changed immeasurably the minute she let the majority vanquish the one.

  Wait, she snickered with a gentle laugh. She forgot a very important guy. George. Bella had dropped his leash when Captain Sawyer shook her hand, but the dog never budged from his protective spot at her side.

  Two grown-ass men gushing over some cell phone pics made her insides all warm and gooey.

  “Daddy,” Bella asked hesitantly. “Can we send a picture to Heather’s mommy?”

  Brody looked up and caught her gaze. He was struggling and let Heather see just how much. Every day, she loved this man more than the day before.

  “Sure, honey. Which one?”

  They scrolled and tapped, negotiating which shot was best. The captain even offered his opinion. In the end, they agreed the one of Bella and Sawyer saluting into the camera was the best one to send. Brody started the text message, inserted the pic, and then let his little girl press the key to send it.

  “Here comes Ben,” Sawyer announced as he stood up and winced. “Good lord, did you hear that?”

  Brody was chuckling. “You sound like coffee beans grinding.”

  The captain put his hat on and shook his head. “I know, right? My damn knee.”

  “Football injury?” Brody asked.

  The two men stared at each other. She knew a dude exchange when she saw one. Without anyone telling her different, she was absolutely certain Captain Sawyer’s cricks and cracks had nothing to do with sports and probably a whole hell of a lot to do with something darker. Something unpleasant. The looks they exchanged prompted her to make a mental note to ask Brody at some point what Sawyer’s story was.

  “Mr. Jensen. Ms. Clarke.”

  She looked over Brody’s shoulder and found Ben approaching. He looked like a Wild West sheriff dressed in black pants, a bright white shirt topped with a black vest, and a bolo tie around his neck. In his hand was a straw hat tied with a hot pink polka dot ribbon. Either Ben had questionable taste in headwear or he came bearing a present for Bella.

  While he greeted and shook hands with Brody and the captain, Heather sidled close to Bella and leaned down to pick up George’s leash.

  “Daddy has a lot of friends.”

  A truer statement would be hard to pin down.

  As usual, when the three men turned toward them and moved forward, Bella huddled closer to Heather. She smoothed a hand down the girl’s hair and broke the tension with a happy laugh.

  “That’s because your daddy is one of the good guys. Remember when we talked about that, sweetie?”

  Bella nodded. It was enough. From somewhere deep inside, the remarkable little girl found the strength to meet every new situation head-on. She was a fighter, this one. Just like her father. Life threw a ton of shit at both of them, but they were still standing.

  Hell. Heather too. The three of them knew what it was like to go to hell and back.

  Brody came, took Bella’s hand, and gently tugged her forward for an introduction.

  “Honey,” he said. “This is Mr. Ben. He’s going to drive us to the new house in a great big fancy car. Doesn’t that sound fun?”

  Bella nodded and clung to her father’s hand.

  “Can you say hello?”

  The little girl didn’t look so sure she wanted any part of Ben. When she looked up at her dad’s face, he smiled big and ran his fingers down her cheek. “It’s okay, baby Bella.”

  She was biting
her lip when she stepped up and offered the older man a shaky hand. “Hello, Mr. Ben. I’m Bella Jensen.”

  Ben took her little hand and shook. “Miss Jensen,” he cutely drawled. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

  Every day brought another opportunity to see Bella Mia Jensen in a new light, and today was no exception. With all the aplomb of a polished schmoozer, she gave Ben a big smile and pointed at the dog.

  “This is Georgie. He doesn’t bite. You can pet him if you want.”

  Brody laughed, then slapped a serious expression on his face and cleared his throat when Heather frowned at him.

  The next five minutes were entirely devoted to a captivating conversation between Ben and the five-year-old about dogs and their pooping habits. Apparently, Bella was more invested in her dog’s health than anyone knew.

  Finally, when it was clear Bella had yet another admirer, Ben offered her the child-sized cowgirl hat with little fanfare.

  “You’ll need this, Miss Bella,” he told her with an expression on his face that children recognized as one that meant business. “Pretty little gals like you need to be careful in the sun.”

  She looked at the hat with suspicion and asked Heather, “Do you have a hat?”

  Brody’s eyes widened with an ‘Oh, shit’ look. She did not as of yet have her western wardrobe on point. Mostly, she was hoping to get by in jeans and t-shirts until she had a chance to do some shopping. The last couple of months had been all about Bella and the move.

  “Of course,” she assured the child. “Um, they’re in one of the boxes we sent,” she answered.

  Three points for thinking on her toes. Luckily, Bella automatically accepted Heather’s answer at face value.

  “Thanks, Mr. Ben,” she chirped as she accepted the hat. “Can I wear it now?”

  “How ‘bout you just hold on to it, okay?” he answered. “It’s hot outside, but we’re going straight from the terminal to the car.”

  “But I can wear it at my new house?”

  “Damn straight!” Ben chuckled.

  Brody groaned. Heather rolled her eyes. Sawyer chuckled, and Ben looked at all of them and said, “What?”

  Sawyer set the man straight. “Ixnay on the amday,” he said with a pointed look in Bella’s direction.

  Took Ben a minute and then he laughed. “Oh, shit,” he muttered. “My bad.”

  Heather rolled with it and smiled. Keeping a lid on the language Bella heard was going to be next to impossible around these guys.

  NOTHING COMPARED TO a leisurely morning ride. It was Stephanie’s favorite activity. Especially when her mount was a grinning Calder with his hands tucked beneath his head as she slowly rode him.

  Sighing happily, she put on a little show for her sexy fiancé, caressing her boobs, biting her lip between moans, and swinging her hair around.

  “Love your form, Duchess,” he groaned when she tightened her butt and bore down on him with gusto.

  “Is that so?”

  Three, rapid jolts followed as she slammed down aggressively when she started the turn for home.

  “Yeah.” He probably had more to say but his eyes closed, and he grunted softly as Stephanie did the Circle C. A special bump and grind she’d nicknamed in honor of her lover.

  Moving with sinuous grace, she rocked her hips while his glorious manhood remained buried in her wet heat.

  Yep. A morning ride. The best way she knew to start the day.

  Much later, they were lathering each other up in the shower and having a perfectly normal conversation as if she hadn’t just ridden him to a thundering climax that ended with him shouting her name.

  “What’s your plan for today, m’lady? Parker wants to talk to me and …”

  Something in his voice didn’t seem right.

  “Why? Is everything okay?”

  He stuck his face into the water and made her wait for an answer. Was he stalling? Looking for a way to explain?

  “Calder,” she snapped when he swiped a hand down his face to get rid of the water. “What’s going on?” Stephanie knew she was using her dragon-lady voice and didn’t care.

  “Everything is fine, sweetheart,” he assured her. “Stop worrying so much.”

  Oh, yeah. Like that was even possible. Almost from the moment they returned to Arizona after an estrangement that felt like nails in a coffin, shit had been steadily building until everything was off the hook in one way or another.

  He wrapped his arms around her and pulled their wet bodies together. “Babe, relax. We just made love. We’re engaged. Not a lot to be concerned about if you ask me.”

  That was his answer to everything, and she loved him for it. Calder had this way of cutting through the noise and bullshit—going straight to the heart of almost any matter with a keen eye for what mattered.

  “Parker wants to see me about the property. That’s all. He knows we’re eager to move into our own place before Alex and Meghan come home.”

  She hung her head for a moment and stared at his throat. Guilt washed over her. Wrapped up in her own worries, she wasn’t thinking about him. With Cam M.I.A. and Alex gone, it was all on Calder and Drae’s shoulders. The family and the agency. She’d seen how the stress was working on him.

  “I love you,” she murmured.

  He hugged her tight. “It’s okay, Stephanie. You’re allowed to be concerned. We bit off more than we can chew. I honestly don’t know how Alex does it.”

  She’d had the same thought a hundred times.

  “Let’s rinse off before I get all pruney.”

  He laughed and turned her around under the water so she could rinse her hair.

  “I can always tell when your brain is in overdrive.”

  “How?” she asked on a half sputter when she opened her eyes too quickly and water hit her face.

  “You don’t know?”

  “Did I curse out loud? Is that it?”

  She honestly didn’t know.

  Gathering up all her hair, he squeezed out the excess water, left it down her back, and pushed her out of the water fall.

  “No, although I must say, you have the sexiest dirty mouth around.”

  Stepping out of the tile enclosure, she reached for a towel to wrap her hair in. She bent forward to secure it around her head and yelped when he smacked her soundly on the butt.

  “You drop the Georgia sass,” he informed her.

  Wrapping the second towel around her body, she considered this new revelation. Dammit! He was right.

  With a side-glance, she purred, “Shugah, you smack my bottom like that again, and I’ll be showing you some Georgia sass.”

  “Cheeky wench,” he teased as she smiled brightly. “You haven’t said what your plans are. Need a ride anywhere?”

  “No, but thanks. I’m good. Having lunch with Betty and her friend Cheryl. I have some ideas for Cheryl’s business.”

  Calder did a double take between vigorously toweling off and reaching for his clothes.

  “For real?”

  “Sure. Why not? Festivities with a female theme are sort of my thing.”

  “Female theme?” He laughed. “Don’t you mean Chicks R Us?”

  “I’ll stop by Tori’s first. See what’s up. Lacey texted to let me know she took the boys out to Busty’s for breakfast. I think she’s checking up on the construction. Did you see the mock-ups of the western storefronts? Meghan will be delighted.”

  “Speaking of Meghan and the family center, I’ll remind Parker when I see him that we need to draft an agreement for Heather to look over. We’ll have no problem getting our program approved through the veteran’s outreach project once she presents her credentials.”

  She was reaching for a pair of capri pants when he took them from her hands. “Tossing them aside with a dismissive, “I hate these things,” Stephanie nibbled on her bottom lip to stop from smirking. Calder had opinions about what she wore and never had anything been funnier.

  Standing there with her wet h
air wrapped in a towel and wearing only her undies, she waited impatiently as he raided her closet and picked out something she was relatively sure would either be short or low cut. It wasn’t so much tits and ass with him as it was legs, arms, hair, stomach, boobs, and bottom. In other words, he was a fan of the whole package.

  Coming back with a short white halter style sundress, she bit off a snicker. Men. So sweetly predictable.

  “Wear this,” he said. “And those wedge sandals.”

  Stephanie just looked at him but didn’t move. He wanted to dress her up like a paper doll? Fine by her. Except he had to do the work. Raising her arms above her head, she smiled brightly.

  Taking up the challenge, Calder wasted no time pulling the dress over her head. Hell, he even put his hands inside the bodice and scooped her breasts into perfect position for the sexy low cut halter. If she hadn’t been wearing a bra, she was pretty sure he would have taken plenty of liberties with her flesh.

  To her astonishment, he didn’t stop there. Sitting on a stool while he dried her wet blond mane, she decided nothing was sexier than a man playing with her hair.

  She reciprocated and made an enormous production out of dressing him in business casual clothes. If he was heading into Sedona for a meeting about anything Justice, he might as well look the part.

  After admiring the way he wore a pair of jeans—it was Arizona, after all—and a pale blue shirt, she helped him slide on a basic sports coat then stepped back to survey her handiwork.

  “Do I pass?” he asked jokingly.

  Stephanie caressed his chest and gave him a heated look. “Mr. Dane. Yes, you pass. Now, if you know what’s good for you, get your cute butt in gear before I forget to be a lady and take you back to bed.”

  “Oh god, no!” he teased. Grabbing a handful of her ass, he hauled her in for a quick kiss. “Putting you on a sex diet, Duchess. Once is all you get this morning. You be good today, darlin’,” he added with a wicked leer, “and we’ll see about later.”

  She laughed merrily and smacked him on the chest playfully. “Be good? Maybe later? Who are you kidding, shugah?”

  In typical alpha style, he cupped her nape and held her head as he put his face right up to hers. “Behave,” he growled.