Falling For A Stranger

by Barbara Freethy

  "Lower your gun, or she's dead," Valdez said.

  "Then you'll be dead, too," she said, praying Drew would win the fight he was engaged in.

  She met Megan's terrified gaze, but saw determination in her niece's eyes.

  A second later, Megan sank to the ground the way they'd been taught in self defense glass, bringing Enrique's arm down with her.

  As Megan slid from Enrique's grip, Ria fired.

  Enrique stumbled backward, blood spreading across his shirt. He looked at her in shock.

  She fired again—for her sister.

  And a third—for Reynoldo.

  She couldn't stop pulling the trigger. She wanted him dead. She wanted to be free. She wanted Megan to be able to grow up away from this evil man.

  "Ria, stop," Drew said, grabbing her arm. "He's dead."

  She could barely hear him.

  "Stop."

  She stared at him in confusion.

  "He's dead," Drew repeated.

  "Are you sure?"

  "Yes," he said, taking the gun out of her hand.

  She glanced past Drew to see the man he'd been fighting unconscious on the ground. The deck was littered with bodies, and yet somehow they were still standing.

  Megan ran to her, and Ria threw her arms around her niece as a Coast Guard cutter pulled up alongside the boat.

  "It's over," she told Megan. "It's all over."

  * * *

  Within minutes the Coast Guard boarded the yacht. Drew hustled Ria and Megan onto the cutter. They went inside and sat down together on a bench. Drew squatted in front of them, giving them each a sharp look. His gaze settled on Ria, and he frowned. "He hurt you."

  "I'm fine," she said, shivering with the after effects of the adrenaline rush and the cool night air. Parts of her body throbbed with pain, but the feeling of being free of Enrique was so great that she didn't care about the physical injuries. She was alive, and so was Megan.

  "You're cold," Drew said. He jumped up and grabbed two blankets from a member of the crew, wrapping one around Megan and the other around Ria.

  "Thank you," she whispered, meeting his gaze.

  "You're welcome."

  "I couldn't believe it when I saw you coming down that rope. My God, Drew, they were shooting at you. Are you completely crazy?"

  "We were shooting at them. My crew had my back," he said.

  "It was still a crazy stunt," she said.

  "I told you he was a superhero," Megan said.

  Drew smiled at Megan. "I'm more impressed by you, kid. The way you tackled that guard was beyond awesome."

  Megan smiled shakily. "I tried to remember the self-defense stuff, but those guys were big, and they had guns."

  "You did everything, right," Ria assured her. "I'm very proud of you." She turned back to Drew. "And don't try to downplay your heroics. You saved our lives tonight, and I will be forever grateful. I honestly didn't think we were going to make it off that boat alive."

  "You're the one who took out Valdez, Ria."

  She drew in a difficult breath at the memories of those few terrifying moments. "I can't believe I shot him. I've never shot anyone before."

  "Is he really dead?" Megan interrupted, uncertainty in her voice. "You don't think he survived?"

  "No, he's dead," Drew said. "He can't hurt either of you anymore. You're both going to get your lives back."

  After so many months of living in fear, it was almost impossible for Ria to believe that. It would take some time to sink in. She glanced past Drew, seeing the action going on outside and between the boats. "What will they do with them?"

  "The ones that are alive will be arrested and tried."

  "What about me?" Ria said. "I—I killed Enrique, and I took Megan away from her legal guardian."

  "We'll sort it out," he said with confidence.

  She wanted to believe him.

  He met her questioning gaze. "Trust me," he added.

  "I do," she said, knowing it was the complete and utter truth.

  "I need to talk to the captain," Drew said. "Can I get either of you anything right now?"

  Megan shook her head.

  "We're good," Ria said. And for the first time in a very long time, she wasn't lying.

  * * *

  It was almost three o'clock in the morning before Ria walked back through her apartment door. She'd been to the hospital to get her head checked out and was relieved to have only a painful bump on her head and not a concussion. She had abrasions on her face and hands and a sprained finger as well as several bruises on other parts of her body, but she counted herself lucky to have gotten off so easily. And she was more than grateful that Megan was completely fine.

  While she was in the emergency room, Drew had stayed with Megan, watching over her like a guard dog. Then he'd accompanied them both to a series of interviews and intense conversations with various agencies ranging from the Coast Guard to the DEA, FBI and local police.

  Max Harrison was in charge of the police investigation, and he had assured Ria that while custody issues would have to be resolved, he would do everything in his power to help her and Megan stay together. His resolve had been strengthened by the arrival of Emma, who had told Max in no uncertain terms that he better make sure that happened.

  Ria had been extremely grateful to have so much support, not just from Drew, Max and Emma, but also Drew's friends at the Coast Guard. Drew's friend, Tim, had apologized to her for any part he had played in alerting Valdez to her whereabouts. Drew had also asked her if his questions had led Valdez to her and Megan.

  She'd downplayed their involvement, because she didn't want anyone else to feel guilty or responsible. Both Drew and Tim had risked their lives for her. And without them, the night would have had a far different ending.

  "I'm going to lie down," Megan said, her face pale, as she paused outside her bedroom door.

  "Are you okay?" Ria asked.

  Megan hesitated. "I want to be happy, but it doesn't seem real."

  "I know."

  "And what about you?" Megan asked. "I heard you talking about custody. I don't want them to take me away from you. I don't want to go back to Spain, and I don't want to see anyone in the Valdez family. You're my family now."

  Ria saw the fear in her eyes and wished she could erase it completely, but they had some hurdles still to clear.

  "Don't worry about that now," she said. "Max said he would help us."

  "And he will," Drew interjected. "And so will I. The Callaways have a lot of connections, and I'll use every one I have to in order to make sure that you two aren't split up."

  Megan nodded, reassured by Drew's words. And why not? The man was a superhero in Megan's eyes—in Ria's eyes, too.

  "Okay. Are you going to stay here tonight, Drew?" Megan asked.

  "Absolutely. There's no place I'd rather be."

  Relief filled Megan's eyes that Drew's strong presence would be right outside her bedroom door.

  As Megan went into her room, Drew turned to Ria. "You should go to sleep, too. It's been a long night."

  "It has," she agreed. "But I feel tired and wired at the same time. On one hand, I think I could sleep for a week, but on the other hand I'm not sure I can close my eyes. I keep reliving every moment of the night. I don't know how to let it go."

  "Breathe deep. Adrenaline packs a big punch, but the downside is usually utter exhaustion. Once you lie down, you'll start to relax."

  "Relax—what a concept," she said with a bewildered shake of her head. "It's been so long. I'm not sure I even know how."

  He smiled and put his arms around her. "You're safe now. I've got you, and I'm not letting you go."

  "I may not let you go, either," she said, sliding her arms around his waist. She rested her head on his shoulder. He squeezed her tight, burying his face in her hair. And for several long minutes they just held each other. "I was afraid I'd never see you again," she murmured, living her head to look at him.

  "I felt the same wa
y, Ria," he said heavily. "I've never been that scared."

  It was hard to believe that anything scared this man.

  I have so many things I want to ask you," she said. "I don't even know how you knew where we were."

  "I arrived at the docks just in time to see a man grab Megan and throw her into a boat. Then I saw you jump in after her. I couldn't believe it."

  "I couldn't let Megan go without me," she said.

  "You're incredibly brave."

  "I was acting on instinct." Her eyes blurred. "I love that kid, you know."

  He gave her a tender smile. "I know. I'm quite fond of her myself."

  "So what happened next?"

  "I called in the Coast Guard and Max. I told Max to get every agency he could think of involved. And he did. Then I had Tim pick me up and we went looking for you."

  "How did you know where to look?"

  "I didn't. We flew around for far too long before we spotted the yacht. I remembered seeing one that looked a lot like it on the island. When we got closer, someone took a shot at us. I knew we were in the right place."

  She thought again about his daring rescue from the helicopter. "I couldn't believe it when I saw you coming out of the helicopter with people shooting at you. What the hell were you thinking?"

  "That I wasn’t going to lose you again. It almost killed me the last time, and I barely knew you." He paused, his gaze darkening with emotion. "I love you, Ria. I have from the first minute I saw you."

  Her heart turned over at the truth in his eyes. "Oh, Drew, I love you, too."

  "Thank God," he said with relief.

  She licked her lips. "But—"

  He put a finger against her lips. "No buts, not tonight. In fact, I don't want to talk anymore. I just want to hold you. We'll figure out the rest later."

  "All I have to offer you is a pullout couch," she said apologetically.

  "I don't care where I sleep, as long as you're next to me."

  They pulled out the couch, kicked off their shoes, and stretched out on the bumpy mattress. Drew rolled on to his back, and Ria curled up next to him, her face resting his chest, his arm around her waist. She could hear his heart beating, and his solid, warm length made her feel safe and protected. She closed her eyes and let the rest of the world fade away.

  * * *

  Drew couldn't sleep. The events of the night replayed over and over again in his head. He remembered the gut-wrenching fear he'd experienced when he's seen Ria and Megan on the yacht, fighting for their lives. He'd had only one thought—to get down to that boat and save them. He was more than grateful to his team for providing backup. But the real heroes of the night were truly Megan and Ria.

  Ria had taken on bodyguards twice her size. And Megan had not hesitated to do the same. Both women had tremendous will and emotional strength. They hadn’t cowered and cried; they'd fought back. Ria had grabbed a gun and shot Enrique in order to protect herself and her niece and also him. She was one hell of a woman. He'd never met anyone like her. He doubted he ever would again.

  He tightened his arm around her as she shifted in sleep. He didn't want to let her go, not tonight, not tomorrow, not ever.

  But would things change in the morning, after the adrenaline burned off? The night had always been their time, the mornings not so much. Would she push him away again as soon as the sun rose?

  She was independent, and she had Megan to raise. She'd no doubt try to make it sound like he'd be better off dating a woman without baggage. He didn't care about her baggage. Actually, he did care. He was crazy about Megan and watching the kid in action tonight had only left him in awe of her resilience. She'd lost her parents. She'd been hidden away on an island with bodyguards, then she'd been taken away by an aunt she barely knew and forced to live a life of deception.

  But Megan hadn't broken under the stress, and she'd never lost her hope, her faith in a better future. She'd called him a superhero, but his actions didn't compare to what she'd done, or what Ria had done.

  Megan was a special kid, and he was happy that she was finally going to get to be a kid. She wouldn't have to look over her shoulder anymore. She could get a permanent phone, spend hours on it texting her friends. She could get a driver's license. Go to college. Have a life.

  And Ria could have a life, too.

  Maybe a life with him.

  He tensed a little at the thought. He'd never told a woman he loved her, never. Something had always stopped him. He couldn't tell someone they had his heart unless it was true, and it had never been true—until now.

  Closing, his eyes, he blew out a sigh and let his mind drift. It took him right where he wanted to go, to memories of Ria, kissing her, running his hands through her hair, making love to her.

  As she snuggled against him, he was tempted to wake her up. But he couldn't do that to her. She needed to sleep, to heal. For now, he would just hold her, and that would be enough.

  * * *

  Ria woke up alone. She sat up in bed, realizing that the sun was brighter than when she normally got up. The clock on the wall read ten past nine, and the apartment was really quiet.

  She was a little surprised that Drew would leave without telling her. Had he had second thoughts about telling her he loved her? Perhaps he regretted his words now that the danger had passed. Drew had been determined to save them, and he'd done that. So what now? They were safe. They were free.

  She knew he cared about her, and the chemistry between them was unmistakable. But Drew was a hot shot helicopter pilot who could have any woman he wanted—women who weren't raising sixteen-year-olds.

  With a sigh, she got out of bed. That's when she realized the bedroom door was ajar. She pushed it open. The room was empty. Megan was gone.

  She felt a familiar surge of panic. Then she heard voices out in the hall. She returned to the living room as the apartment door swung open. Megan and Drew walked in with coffees and grocery bags.

  She let a breath of relief. "I was just wondering where you were."

  Drew's gaze met hers, and he must have seen the fear in her eyes. "Sorry, Ria. We thought we'd be back before you woke up."

  "It's fine." She tried to slow her breathing and calm her racing heart.

  "We're safe now," Megan reminded her.

  "I keep telling myself that. I guess it will take a while for reality to sink in. A part of me still thinks it was a dream."

  "It wasn't a dream," Drew said forcefully. "Enrique is gone. He'll never threaten or hurt either of you again. Today you start over."

  "Yes, we do," she agreed. "I assume you have some food in those bags."

  "We're going to make a huge breakfast," Megan announced, dropping the bags on the kitchen counter. "And then…" She glanced over at Drew. "Maybe you should tell her. She might take it better."

  "Tell me what?" she asked suspiciously.

  "I think we should celebrate your first day of freedom," Drew said. "I've taken the day off work. Megan has already missed the start of school, and I think you're free as well, aren't you?"

  "I do have Tuesdays off," she admitted.

  "So let's play tourist," Drew said. "We can walk around the city, see the sights, eat great food and not look over our shoulders."

  "That sounds wonderful, but I think I have to meet with Max today."

  "I already called him. He said we can meet him this evening. He wants to get a little further in the investigation before he talks to you again."

  "Is he investigating me?" she asked, unable to get rid of the lingering fear that she might still be facing some charges.

  "He's investigating Valdez along with everyone else we spoke to last night. And I've also asked Sara to get involved. She's an excellent attorney, and you may need one."

  Ria was touched by his family's support. "Everyone is being so generous; they barely know me."

  "But they know me. And they want to help. I'll start breakfast. Megan requested French toast and bacon."

  "What can I do?"

&
nbsp; "Nothing."

  She watched them unpack the groceries then said, "If you don't need me, I'll take a shower."

  "I need you, Ria," he said with a teasing smile. "But not for breakfast."

  Megan clapped her hands over her ears. "I am not listening to this."

  Drew laughed. "Don’t worry I'm done."

  Ria headed into the bathroom with a smile. She felt so much lighter this morning and listening to Drew and Megan bicker over who was making the egg batter warmed her heart. She felt like she was part of a family again, and that was both wonderful and a little scary. She didn't want Drew to break her heart, but if there was a man who was worth the risk, it was Drew.

  An hour later, after a delicious breakfast, they took a brisk walk to the nearest cable car stop. They hopped on one of San Francisco's famous trolley cars for a somewhat harrowing climb up and down the steepest hills in the city. They got off the cable car by Union Square and roamed around the big department stores. Then it was on to Chinatown for Dim Sum and fresh fortune cookies.

  As the hours passed, Ria felt the tension drain from her body. Two long years of fear had put permanent knots in her shoulders but now her muscles were starting to let go of the need to be ready to run or to fight. She'd done her fighting last night. Now they were free to walk around without looking over their shoulders.

  After Chinatown, they went down to the water, visiting the sea lions outside Pier 39, and buying touristy stuff like t-shirts and hats.

  They finally went home tired and happy just after three o'clock. Ria flopped onto the couch while Drew took the chair across from her.

  "That was fun," she told him. "I needed that."

  "We all did," he said.

  "Hey, you two," Megan interrupted, looking up from her cell phone. "Lindsay just got home from school, and she wants me to come over to her house. Can I go, and can I walk there by myself?"

  Ria stiffened, realizing that Megan was about to force her to put their sense of freedom to the test. "Yes," she said, although it took a lot of strength to get the word out.

  Lindsay lived two blocks away, so she wasn't exactly sending Megan into the panhandle but it was still an important step—for both of them.