by Sheila Kell
Matt could fully understand that. It’d taken nearly six months before he could talk about his SEAL team and the incident that cost them so much. Even then, it all became too much to handle, and he’d hit the gym and worked out his anger and frustration at the unfairness of it all.
He remembered something she’d told him before, and it still bewildered him. “You can really teach them up to eighty-five or so tasks?”
“We typically don’t give that many to a single dog. We give them what we know they’ll need based on their new handler. Chip here just met his future handler the week before you arrived, so we’ve been planning the rest of his training.”
She smiled and stood, then gave a command to Chip who followed her back to his kennel. “I just let him play. I’m sorry he’s in the early stages of training so he couldn’t do any tricks for you.” She winked, and his mouth fell open. Damn if she didn’t get playful after being with the animals. He loved seeing her so carefree.
After she’d closed the gate on Chip’s kennel—palace really with the size of it both inside and outside—she turned right into him. He’d moved behind her to catch his little minx in his arms. Leaning down, Matt kissed her hard on the lips, demanding the same fire in return. When she opened her mouth to him, he took advantage of her parted lips, stroking her mouth with a swipe of his tongue and a possession that told her that no matter the barriers, she belonged to him.
Her hands reached around him, gripping his shirt tightly as if to tug him closer. When that didn’t work, her arms moved between them and crept around his neck before she ran her fingers through his hair. Whether she knew it or not, he loved her hands in his hair, especially when he was dominating her with his mouth.
With a groan, he broke the kiss to catch his breath. Gulping the air to bring in large quantities, he steadied himself to remember where they were. Throwing caution to the wind, he managed to say between much-needed breaths of air, “I want you.”
“Not here.”
He loved how she sounded as winded as he did.
“Yeah. Not here,” AJ said, startling them and pissing Matt off that he hadn’t known of his brother’s approach. That type of protection would get them both killed. He had to do better.
They jumped apart as if on fire. A blush crept up her cheeks until it bloomed bright red. She looked so cute, but damn his brother and his timing. Not that he’d have caught them doing anything more. Or would he have? That ship had sailed, so it didn’t matter except his time with Caitlyn had been interrupted.
“What do you want?” Matt asked gruffly, wanting to pull Caitlyn close to him, but she obviously was trying to put distance between them as if AJ hadn’t just caught them making out.
With a wickedly devilish grin, AJ responded, “I thought you might want an update.”
His heart nearly stopped. Could it be almost over? Then he took in AJ’s grin again. “Did you catch him?” Matt shot back.
“Not yet,” Jake answered, stepping up next to AJ.
Matt wanted to tell them to get their asses out of there until they had caught the bastard, but he knew that wasn’t the right thing to do. They might have information that would be helpful. Hopefully.
“Let’s go to the break room since it’s closer,” Caitlyn offered.
With his hand on her lower back, Matt nudged Caitlyn’s stiff form forward, with AJ and Jake bringing up the rear. Warmth flowed through her back to his hand. He couldn’t get enough of touching her, and now that he could do so without her panicking, he was a very happy man.
Settled at the break room table with Matt and Caitlyn on one side and AJ and Jake sitting on the other, Matt scrutinized his brother’s face, then his foster brother turned brother-in-law’s face. Nothing. Damn them and their cool reserve. Of course, it definitely came in handy in their line of work, but they didn’t need to be that way around him. Then he glanced to the side at Caitlyn. Okay, maybe they did need that stoic resolve with her pale face and worried features.
“Well?” Matt prodded, ready to get it over with so he could go back to kissing Caitlyn. Or better yet—if anything could be better—catching the asshole after her so they could finish kissing.
AJ and Jake looked at each other, and Jake nodded toward Matt and Caitlyn, apparently giving AJ the lead on spilling the information.
His baby brother turned back to them. “First, J.T. Ripley met with his parole officer as scheduled. What he’s done outside of that is anyone’s guess, but as far as we know, he’s obeying the law. He told his P.O. that all his prison talk was bluster and he wants to do whatever it takes to stay out of jail.”
“J.T.?” she asked panicky before turning to him. “Who’s that?”
Shit. Matt forgot to tell her. “That’s Ripley’s son.”
“I didn’t know he had a son.”
AJ spoke up, “He was in jail during….”
She took a deep breath and released it. “Is he— Is he after me also?”
His heart broke for her with all she’d dealt with… all she was dealing with… and what might be on the horizon. He offered her a smile in reassurance. “No. We just wanted to check on him. As far as we know, he’s never said a word about you.” That wasn’t a lie. He’d only said he wanted his father out of jail. It was his uncle who decided he didn’t care if it was at Caitlyn’s expense.
Hoping to avoid discussing the younger Ripley any longer, he turned back to AJ. “What else do you have?
“Luke Ripley has definitely been around the area.”
Even knowing this already—or strongly suspecting at least—Caitlyn gasped, and her right hand covered her mouth.
Without looking at her, Matt reached over and grasped Caitlyn’s left hand under the table and rested it on her thigh. He squeezed the limp digits until she turned her hand over and they intertwined their fingers. “How do you know for certain?” he asked.
“He had a hotel room at this flea-infested, rent by the hour type of place, but he’s been gone for a couple of days now. Turned in the key and everything.”
Taken aback, Matt couldn’t believe Ripley would be that stupid. “Did he use his name?”
“No. He used a false name and that motel, well, they don’t care about matching an ID to a person if they can make a buck.”
Hmm. If only he’d had the men before the gas leak, they’d have had this wrapped up nice and pretty with a fucking huge-ass bow on it for Caitlyn. “Where is he now?”
AJ cleared his throat and shifted. “We don’t know. There’s not another motel like that in the area, so I’m not sure where he’s staying. But”—AJ grinned—“we did get the make, model, and license plate of the car he drives. That motel might not care about who rents from them, but they definitely care about the possibility of any damage. They have hidden cameras nearly everywhere.”
“They just let you see their camera feed?”
“Of course not,” Jake stated as if Matt had lost his mind.
“Dev?” Matt asked, already knowing his older brother probably hacked into the feed.
“Yeah. It wasn’t easy for him to find the feed, not that he couldn’t do it, but luckily we had a laptop that linked into the hotel’s WIFI, and Dev somehow made a backdoor into it through that computer. At least that’s what he called it.”
Matt shook his head in disbelief at his brother’s ability and the illegal shit he sometimes had to do for protection purposes. “Damn, he’s a fucking genius.”
The men nodded, but AJ spoke. “He can’t do everything, but he somehow comes through when we need it. Could you imagine what he could control and how much money he could accumulate as a hacker? It’s mind-boggling.”
Realizing Caitlyn hadn’t seen Devon since they’d been a couple back in the day, he turned to her. “Remember, he was in the CIA?” He furrowed his brow trying to remember the last time she might’ve seen his brother. “Anyway, he was in it for a while and between that and his own smarts, he can do just about anything with a computer. I mean, there are lim
its of course, but not that many where he’s concerned.”
She murmured, “Wow. I always thought he was a book-smart type of guy.”
“And,” Matt asked, “we weren’t?”
Smiling, she chuckled. “No, I just saw the rest of you more of a brawn type of men compared to Devon.”
“Anyhow,” AJ said, probably saving them from an uncomfortable conversation, “I came to let you know we don’t have eyes on Ripley, but the sheriff’s department has a BOLO out on that car, assuming he doesn’t dump it. It might even be where he’s staying, and that helps us out a lot since everyone is looking for that vehicle.”
Nodding, Matt asked a few more questions that AJ and Jake didn’t have answers to, then noticed Caitlyn flagging in her chair. He squeezed her hand to remind her he was there with her.
“Thanks,” Matt offered. “I think it’s time for us to head to the house.”
Seeming to understand, AJ and Jake stood. “We’ll let you know if we find anything else helpful.”
Matt wasn’t sure what they’d learned today was helpful except the sheriff now had a specific car to keep an eye out for in the area. Assuming he didn’t change the plates or steal a new one.
He and Caitlyn stood, their hands slipping apart, making him feel stupidly mournful for the loss. He wasn’t a chick who had all of these touchy-feely emotions. Sure, he loved her and desired her, maybe even had more emotions along the way—especially during sex—but not those mostly feminine emotions that made them all gooey.
After saying goodnight to AJ and Jake, he led Caitlyn to the house with his hand on her lower back. Over the years, he hadn’t realized how much he’d missed even that little bit of contact with her.
Although it was early, he led a wilting Caitlyn to her bedroom. She appeared to be in great need of comforting. Maybe she’d expected the men to say they’d captured him and she’d be free. Maybe he shouldn’t have let her sit in the meeting to gain hope and then lose it in the next breath. Maybe was a word that had lately begun to piss him the hell off.
“Are you okay?” He closed the bedroom door behind them. He was staying, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Well, if she said no, he’d leave. No question there. Thinking again, he turned back and locked it, knowing her concern about someone catching them together. Not that anyone couldn’t actually get in the room—a shoulder to the door would do it—but to give him that last measure of safety.
She nodded, then looked at him. “Yeah.” At the croaked sound of her voice, she cleared her throat. “Yeah, I’m okay. I just wish they’d captured him.”
Closing the slight gap between them, he wrapped his arms around her while her head rested on his shoulder. “Soon. Just know that you’re safe with me and the men.”
“I do feel safer than I’ve felt in years. It’s just—”
When she broke off, he waited, thinking she needed to think through what she’d wanted to say. After what seemed like an interminable amount of time, he prompted, “Just what?”
“I want to send everyone away so no one else gets hurts. Melvin got hurt. You and some of the men could’ve died in this house.” She looked up at him with watery eyes. “I don’t want anyone to die protecting me, but I can’t leave my dogs.”
As if in tune with her, he realized there was more she needed to say, so he prompted her again, “And?”
“And, I don’t want any of your men to go, because I do feel safe. It’s so wrong of me to want people to put their lives on the line so I can have that safe feeling surrounding me. It’s just wrong of me to wish it, but I can’t stop.”
Wiping at a tear sliding down her cheek with his thumb, he kissed her forehead. “First, putting our lives on the line is what we do, so you aren’t asking us to do anything except our job.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “And it’s not wrong of you”—he kissed the left corner of her lips—“to want other people safe. Nor is it”—he pressed a light kiss to the right corner of her mouth—“wrong to want to feel safe.” He scraped his teeth along her bottom lip.
A wave of need rushed over him, but he tamped it down before all logical thought escaped him. He couldn’t push her, and tonight, he wanted to hold her and keep away all the dark thoughts and fears running through her mind. And they had to be there, swimming around, and while they submerged sometimes to ease her mind, right now they were jumping up to do a high dive and sending the ripples of anxiety through her.
“Let me help you undress,” he offered. “Let’s get you into some pajamas.” He almost spat at the thought of her covered while they slept. “And we’ll get you to bed.”
Her large blue-green eyes shone brightly, and he knew he’d do whatever she asked, even if it meant leaving her alone for the night. Although he prayed that wasn’t the case.
“Will you stay with me?” she asked quietly.
He could’ve jumped for joy at her request. Damn feminine emotions, he chided. “Of course,” he offered calmly. “I’ll always stay with you.” The words left his mouth before he could think straight.
His heart sank at the thought that he couldn’t promise her that. No matter how much he wished it were so.
“YOU’VE HAD HOW many RSVPs?” Caitlyn gasped at Tonya. “This was a short notice event. I’m surprised people are attending.” She’d expected some who were loyal to their cause, but most donors were booked out months in advance.
“I just took the list you marked people with serious donation potential and invited all of them, then added your possible donors to the list,” Tonya said happily. “These are prior donors who have probably forgotten about us, and I think they’ll make contributions this year. Now that we’re back on their radar.”
“I’m just… flabbergasted so many agreed to come.” Turning her mind from the donors planning to attend the event itself, she asked, “Are you sure the area will be large enough?”
“Yes.” Tonya touched Caitlyn’s hand on the break room table. “Quit worrying. I’ve got this.” Tonya beamed a large smile, and Caitlyn relaxed. A bit. She was still in awe.
And she still worried about a ton of things, but this was something she could count on her employee—and the closest thing to a best friend—to handle mostly without her. Tonya enjoyed doing public relations events like this little shindig they were putting on to separate people from their money. At least some of it.
Now, she needed to worry about what to wear. She cringed at the thought and knew what Tonya was about to say before the words left her friend’s mouth.
“I think you should wear the red dress.”
The infamous form-fitting red dress with what looked to have a ladder on each sleeve. At least from her neck to midforearm, exposing her skin. It meant a bra was impossible to wear with it. She’d feel naked if she wore it. It’d been a pressure purchase while she’d been shopping with Tonya. Although she’d felt sexy trying it on and spinning around with the mirrors, she’d never had the courage to wear it anywhere. It had hung in her closet for nearly two years. Hell, it was probably out of style.
“It’ll be perfect,” Tonya continued.
If Tonya hadn’t made the event casual, it wouldn’t have worked, because it wasn’t a floor length gown. Which probably helped their women’s RSVP numbers since they didn’t have to purchase a new gown. Most who attended these kinds of events had plenty of unworn dresses in their closets In hers, the red dress Tonya wanted her to wear stopped just above her knees. Another part of her that would be bare. Great. She’d almost be naked in front of everyone. The image of her wearing her shorts and a tied-up shirt in front of the men and staff flashed through her mind. No. That was different. She wasn’t trying to coax money from them. Besides, she’d wanted to look sexy for Matt.
“I know you’ll fight it, but I have a solution. I think a strapless bra will work, but just in case, I’ll get you some of those breast pasty things that allow you to feel covered when you can’t wear a bra. In fact, I’ll pick some up tonight. What size are you? Although I don’t know if si
ze matters.”
Without thinking, she told Tonya while she was still internally screaming no. But wouldn’t she wow Matt if she did wear it? Others would see her dressed like that though. Did she feel that brave just to show off to Matt? Probably not.
“It’s okay. I’ll wear something else.”
Waving a finger in an “Oh-no” gesture, Tonya narrowed her eyes. “You’re wearing it if I have to come over there and dress you myself.”
With impeccable timing, Matt entered the break room. He looked between the two women and must’ve decided they were done meeting. Which, technically they were, and she wasn’t in the mood to continue that conversation. “Ready for lunch?” he asked.
“Sure.” She stood. “We just finished.”
“What’s the dress for your shindig?” he asked.
She looked at him questioningly. Had he heard her and Tonya talk about the dress? “What?”
Waving his hand as if to get his word across, he asked again, “Do I need to get a tux for your party?”
The image of Matt in a tuxedo played on a loop in her mind. He’d be so damn sexy that she wanted to tell him yes and make Tonya change the dress for the party. But she couldn’t be that selfish. “No, it’s casual. Do you have a suit or sports jacket?”
“It just so happens that I had something sent from my apartment in Baltimore for the occasion. So did my brother and the men. Just in case we were still here for the event. It always helps to be prepared.” He had winked at her before his probing gaze made her wonder at his meaning.
Had he had it sent for the event or to wear on a date with her? Not sure why her thoughts went there, she almost scoffed at the idea. Of course he hadn’t. But a girl could wish….
Realizing he’d expected her to speak, she played back their conversation. He hadn’t asked a question. “Okay.” She figured that worked on many levels in conversation.
“Ready?” he asked.
She jumped. “Oh. Yeah.” She turned to her employee. “Thanks, Tonya.” As Matt led her to the back door, she heard Tonya say, “Red dress.”