by Elle James
Hank and Sadie stepped down off the porch and closed the distance to Colin and Emily.
“So glad you two came out together,” Hank said. “Sadie was getting a little stir-crazy with mostly men to talk to lately. All the lady-folk have been busy working or visiting relatives.”
“Oh, don’t listen to him,” Sadie said and pushed past Hank to extend a hand to Emily. “How are you? Hank tells me you’ve had some drama recently?”
Emily smiled. “I’m fine. Thankfully, none of my run-ins have resulted in injury to myself or Colin.” She took Sadie’s hand and shook it firmly. “My car, on the other hand, is toast. And my house is a war zone.”
Sadie reached out and took Emily’s hands. “Let me know when, and we’ll help you set it to rights.”
“Thank you.” Emily pulled Sadie closer and hugged her, her eyes glistening. “You might regret offering.”
“Never,” Sadie said, leaning back to look into Emily’s face. “We’re a small community. We can’t afford to avoid our neighbor’s needs.”
“Come in. Come in,” Hank said, waving his free hand toward the house. “It’s getting too cool out here for Emma. We can gather around the fireplace and warm up.”
“By chance is your computer guy here?” Colin asked as they stepped into the living room.
“As a matter of fact, he is,” Hank said. “I have him working on a project in the war room. Why?”
Colin pulled Alex’s old cellphone from his pocket and held it out to Hank. “Think he could get past the passcode and find out what information is on it?”
“I’m sure he can.” Hand stared down at the device and shook his head. “It’s an older model. Where did you get it?”
Colin glanced across to Emily. “In a secret compartment hidden in the floor of Emily’s house.”
“We think Alex hid it there,” Emily offered. “It might contain information about the people who are trying to do me in.” She chuckled. “Look at me sounding like mafia.”
Colin slipped an arm around her waist. “I’m glad you can laugh about it. I’m having a hard time finding anything funny about someone trying to kill you.”
Emily leaned into him, her body warm against his. “I probably wouldn’t be so flippant if I didn’t have someone like you watching my back.”
“Let’s go down to the war room.” Hank handed Emma to his wife.
“Are you hungry?” Sadie asked.
“No, we just had dinner,” Emily answered.
Sadie nodded. “Then, I’ll make some coffee.”
“Sounds perfect,” Colin said. He was more interested in what was on the cellphone than the coffee, but he wouldn’t pass up a cup.
Hank went to a wall at one end of the large living room and pressed his thumb to a bio-scanner. A moment later, a door slid open, revealing a staircase, leading downward into a basement.
Colin knew about Hank’s bunker, but he’d never actually seen it.
He was impressed by the clean lines, the bright lighting and how big it was once they got to the bottom of the stairs.
The room was large with a conference table dead center, massive whiteboards on two of the walls and a couple of doors leading off the main room.
A man sat at a desk against the wall equipped with a six-monitor array. He glanced up and gave a brief nod of acknowledgement before he went back to work, typing madly on the computer keyboard.
Hank waited until the man was finished and turned to face him, before he spoke.
“Axel Svensen, this is Colin McKinnon and Emily Tremont.”
“Call me Swede,” the man said, his eyes narrowing. “You one of the McKinnon sons?”
Colin nodded.
“Sorry to hear about your father.” Swede pushed to his feet and crossed the room to Colin, holding out his hand. “I know you must be beside yourself over his loss.”
“We haven’t given up on him, yet.” Colin had to tip his head back in order to look the guy in the eyes. Swede had to be at least six feet six inches tall. He had white-blond hair and icy blue eyes. “Nice to meet you.”
“Same.” Swede tipped his head slightly and gave him a once-over glance. “Marine?”
Colin nodded. “How did you know?”
Swede’s lips quirked upward on the corners. “Every Marine I’ve ever known has the corner on high-n-tight haircuts. Army, Air Force and Navy just can’t get it as right as every Marine.”
“And you?” Colin prompted.
Swede tilted his head toward Hank. “Navy SEAL, like Hank. We served together on one too many operations.” His glance went from Hank to Colin and back. “Are you joining us on the Brotherhood Protectors team?”
Colin shook his head. “Not today.” He looked toward Hank. “We heard you were a whiz at anything computer-related. How are you with hacking into cellphones?”
“I haven’t actually done it, but that’s never stopped me.” He held out his hand.
Hank placed the phone in his palm.
“Whose is it?” Swede asked.
“Alex Tremont’s,” Colin replied.
Swede frowned. “I know that name. Wasn’t he the guy who was shot in the head on his way home from Bozeman a few months back?”
Emily winced. “Yes. He was my husband.” She held out her hand to the big SEAL.
“That would explain the same last name,” Swede noted. “I’m sorry for your loss. Did they ever catch the shooter?”
“No,” Emily said. “We hope this cellphone we found hidden in the floor of my house might give us a clue as to who might have done it.”
“And who might be attacking Emily now,” Colin added.
Swede’s blond brow rose. “You’re having troubles?”
Emily nodded.
“Well, let’s get on this ASAP.” Swede returned to his computer, set the cellphone on the desk beside him and fished in a drawer for a cable that would fit the phone with a USB port on the other end. Once he found one, he inserted the cable into the port and the USB connector into his computer.
For the next few minutes, his fingers flew over the computer keyboard.
Screens in the array flashed before finally bringing up a list of what appeared to be phone numbers.
“It’ll take me some time going through all the numbers to find who they belong to,” Swede said.
“How long?”
“I could have them to you by morning.”
Emily’s face fell, but she squared her shoulders and gave Swede a smile. “Thank you. Anything you can do will help.”
“Anyone need some coffee?” Sadie descended the stairs with a tray filled with steaming coffee mugs.
“I could use some,” Swede said.
“Allie called,” Sadie said. “She said she misses you. I told her to pack a bag and come on over to stay the night. She should be here in thirty minutes.”
Swede glanced up with a smile that lit his face. “Good. It’s going to be a long night, and I miss my sweetheart.”
“I told her I’d send one of the boys over to take care of the animals tomorrow.”
“I’ll take care of the animals tomorrow. Allie could use a break from dealing with our father,” Hank said. “Since I’ve been back, Dad and I have a better understanding of each other than we did when I was a kid.”
Sadie cupped her husband’s cheek. “I love you, Hank Patterson.”
“I love you, too.” He quirked an eyebrow. “What did you do with Emma?”
“She got sleepy, so I bathed her and tucked her into her bed.” She held up the baby monitor she’d clipped to her belt. “She’s an amazing child, but I fear she’s going to snore as badly as her father. I feel sorry for her future husband.”
Hank frowned. “Husband? Please, Sadie. Don’t marry off my daughter before I have a chance to teach her how to ride, rope and shoot. That way when she finds a man to love, she can leave if she’s not happy, tie him up if he gives her grief, and shoot him if he causes her any trouble.”
Sadie chuckled. “I
get the feeling Emma won’t have many dates.”
“If I have anything to say about it, she won’t. At least not until she’s forty.”
Sadie frowned.
“Okay,” Hank said. “Maybe at thirty-five, but only if I can come along to make sure he doesn’t try anything funny.”
Colin liked their playful banter about their little girl. He wished he had as easy a relationship with Emily as Hank had with Sadie.
Hell, he wished he had a relationship with Emily, easy or not.
He finished his coffee and waited for Emily to finish hers.
“Hank and Sadie, thank you for your hospitality.” Colin shook hands with Hank. When he held out a hand to Sadie, she brushed it aside and hugged him and then hugged Emily.
Colin grinned. “The boys back at the base will never believe I had coffee with Sadie McClain.”
“You want to take a picture to prove it to them?” Sadie offered. “I don’t mind.”
“No. I won’t do that to you. I figure Montana is your sanctuary where you can come be yourself. I can’t even imagine what it’s like to be hounded by the paparazzi and followed through the streets of L.A. whenever you’re there. I see the photos and the clips on television. It has to be hard.”
Sadie smiled. “I don’t mind. I compartmentalize my life in L.A. I know it’s my job as an actress to be available to my public. But when I come home to White Oak Ranch, I get to put all that aside and be the person I love most. And that’s the mother of my child and a wife to my husband, whom I love dearly.” She slipped her arm through Hank’s and leaned into him. “I love our life together. “If my work as an actress dried up, I wouldn’t be sad at all. I have everything I need here with Hank and Emma.”
Colin nodded. “You’re a lucky woman.”
Sadie smiled up at Hank. “Yes, I am.”
“Now, if you’ll excuse us, we need to get back to the Iron Horse Ranch and leave you all to get some rest.” Colin shot a glance toward Swede. “If you come up with anything odd or out of the ordinary, feel free to call me.” He held up a hand. “No matter the hour.”
“Wait.” Hank ducked into back into the war room and emerged a minute later carrying a pendant on a silver chain. “I give these to all of the Brotherhood’s ladies. It has a GPS tracking device embedded in the pendant. Wear it in case you get separated from Colin.”
Emily smiled and thanked Hank. She slipped the necklace over her head and tucked it inside her shirt. “I hope we don’t have to use it. But if we do, I’ll feel better knowing I have a posse looking out for me.”
Colin escorted Emily out to the truck and helped her up into the passenger seat.
She leaned back against the cushion and closed her eyes.
When Colin slipped into the driver’s seat and cranked up the engine, he thought Emily had fallen asleep. He quietly backed away from the house, turned and drove down the long, sweeping drive. He didn’t want to wake her.
Dark smudges circled her eyes. She looked tired. And who could blame her? Her world had been turned upside down with the death of her husband and her unborn child. And just when she had the chance to ease into her new life…bam! She’d nearly been killed. Not once, but multiple times.
“Do you think Hank and Sadie really do love each other as much as they appear to? Or do they put on a show to fool everyone into believing they’re head over heels?” Emily asked without opening her eyes.
Her question made Colin frown. “Sadie might be a great actress, but I doubt Hank has an acting bone in his body. He loves her.” Colin glanced her way. “Why would you think they don’t love each other?”
“I don’t know. It just seems too good to be true.” Emily tipped her head toward him and peered at him through sleepy eyelids. “Is it possible to love someone that much?”
“I believe it is,” Colin said, and meant it. Seeing Hank and Sadie together with Emma, their little girl, gave him hope that he would someday have that forever kind of love.
With Emily.
After being married to the wrong person, Emily would take some convincing that it was possible to love again.
Hope and determination swelled in Colin’s chest. He’d learned from his father and mother that the best stuff was worth fighting for.
And Emily was the best stuff life was made of. If it meant giving up the Marine Corps, well then, maybe it was time to consider other career options.
Emily had closed her eyes again and appeared to be asleep as they passed through the night, headed back to Iron Horse Ranch.
Colin wanted her more than he’d wanted anyone in his life. So much so, that he felt almost a physical pain, tight in his chest.
When he pulled up to the house, and got out, he rounded the truck to the other side, with every intention of waging war on Emily’s defenses.
He opened her door and helped her down, standing so close, her body slid down the front of his before her feet touched the ground.
“Hey there,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “Can you make it to the house, or do you need me to carry you in?”
She looked up into his eyes. “No one has ever carried me anywhere,” she said. “Wouldn’t be right to start now.”
“Sometimes you have to embrace the adventure that is life,” he said and bent to scoop her up into his arms.
Emily wrapped he arms around his neck and leaned her head against his chest. “Mmm…I could get used to this.”
Colin could, too. He liked the way she felt in his arms. “It’s a beautiful night. You want to sit on the porch for a while?”
She nodded. “As long as I don’t have to move a single muscle.” Emily snuggled into him and let him carry her up the stairs to the swing hanging on one end of the front porch.
He sat on the swing, settling her in his lap.
His mother leaned out the door and squinted toward them in the dark. “Is that you, Colin, or is it Sebastian?”
“It’s me, Colin.”
“Oh, okay. I thought Sebastian and Brenna might have gotten back by now.”
Emily sat up straight in Colin’s arms. “Brenna went somewhere this evening?”
“She did,” Colin’s mother said. “She had a phone call from a potential client who wanted to meet with her at the Blue Moose Tavern to discuss what he wanted in the way of land to build on.”
Emily slid off Colin’s lap and stood.
Colin’s dream of snuggling with Emily and convincing her to give love a second chance, slipped away. He stood beside her.
“How long ago?” Emily asked, her voice tense.
“Right after you two left. I expected her to be back by now,” his mother said.
Colin touched Emily’s arm. “We can drive into town and make sure she’s all right. I’d feel better if it was more than just you and me, but right now we don’t have much of a choice.”
“We’ll be all right. I’m more worried about Brenna and Sebastian.” Emily looked up at him, her eyes rounded and worried.
He swallowed a sigh for what might have been and nodded. “Let’s go.”
Chapter 12
Emily’s heart pounded against her ribs as she descended the porch steps and hurried toward Colin’s truck. Brenna had gone out. At night. What had she been thinking?
Colin opened her door and waited for her to climb up inside.
Before she could put her foot on the running board, Mrs. McKinnon called out. “Oh, wait. I see headlights coming up the drive. That’s probably them now. Brenna said to tell you that she wouldn’t be too late.”
Emily held her breath until a truck pulled up beside Colin’s and Sebastian climbed down.
Before he could round the front of the hood, the passenger door opened, and Brenna hopped out. “Oh good, you’re home. I almost had Sebastian drive me out to Hank’s place to make sure you got back here safely.”
“Did you have to go to town tonight?” Emily asked, her tone a little sharper than she’d intended, but the worry she’d felt made her snappy.
“I didn’t know that I needed your permission to leave the ranch.” She turned to Sebastian. “Besides, I made use of my own personal bodyguard and took Sebastian with me to give me backup.”
Sebastian touched a finger to the brim of his cowboy hat. “For what it’s worth, we didn’t run into any trouble between here and there.”
“Why would someone expect you to drop everything and run into town?” Emily led the way up to the porch, giving a brief glance to the swing she’d sat on a few moments before when she thought all was briefly right with her world.
She’d even considered snuggling with the man she’d always loved. For a moment, she’d let her walls crumble only to have her responsibilities rear up and slap her back to reality. She couldn’t relax her guard for a moment.
What if the meeting Brenna had been called to had been a setup? A trap?
Emily’s pulse beat faster.
“Hey, sis, relax.” Brenna came to stand beside her on the porch. “You can’t freak out every time I have to meet with a client. I’m a real estate agent. It’s what I do.”
Emily hugged her sister. “I can’t help it. I love you and would do anything for you.”
Brenna held her at arm’s length, her lips firming. “Which makes me your Achilles heel. I know. I wouldn’t do anything to put myself in danger. You know that.”
“I know that. But you’re all I have left,” she said, her voice catching on a sob. After swallowing hard, Emily squared her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I overreacted.” She gave her sister a tight smile. “You’re a grownup woman with a mind of your own. Sometimes, I forget.”
Brenna chuckled. “And that’s the mama in you. Even mamas have to let go of their chicks, eventually.”
“Yeah,” Emily said. “But not when the mama is being threatened, and whoever is threatening her might take advantage of her Achilles heel.”
“Point made and taken,” Brenna said. “But I did what you asked and took along my bodyguard.” She touched Sebastian’s arm. “He even looks the part, all buff and muscular.” Brenna winked at Sebastian. “Thank you.”
He tipped his hat. “My pleasure. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to catch the rest of the game on television.” Sebastian left the ladies standing on the porch and disappeared inside.