Shadow Guardian

by Rebecca Deel

  Nico gestured toward the kitchen, the only place with furniture left undamaged by the perps. “Long story. Sit and we’ll explain why protection is necessary.”

  Someone rattled the door knob, cursed, and pounded on the door. “Police. Open up.”

  He scowled. Again? Nico checked the peephole and unlocked the door. He stared down at the uniformed officer who took a step back when he saw Nico looming over him.

  “Where’s Mercy?”

  A popular question this afternoon. Nico inclined his head to the hallway where Mercy stood with her family.

  Relief flooded the cop’s face. “Mercy. Thank God. I was so worried about you.” He strode across the living room, pushed past Mercy’s brothers and tried to sweep Mercy into a hug.

  Joe inserted his body between Mercy and the cop.

  “Get out of my way unless you want to find yourself behind bars, mister.”

  The operative grinned. “Can’t arrest me for refusing to let you hug a woman who’s injured and hasn’t indicated she wants to be touched by you.”

  Mercy’s family spun toward her demanding an explanation about the injuries as did the cop.

  Nico held out his hand to her. Ignoring the clamors for an explanation, she pushed through the men standing between them and clasped his hand. He squeezed her fingers. “Come on. You should sit while you explain.” Silence fell when he dropped a quick kiss on her mouth. Yeah, he was staking his claim. Nico didn’t like the way the cop looked at Mercy.

  She sent him an amused look.

  When her family and the cop were seated at the table with Mercy, Nico positioned himself behind her chair. Although her family didn’t pay attention, the cop noticed that Shadow surrounded the occupants of the table, each one within easy reach of men who might be a threat to Mercy.

  Mercy explained the events in Mexico and her rescue, including the gunshot wound in her shoulder.

  The cop frowned. “You had it treated, right?”

  “Of course, Max. Nico and his friends have taken good care of me.”

  “How do you know these thugs aren’t the ones who orchestrated your kidnapping?”

  “My uncle sent them for me.”

  “Who’s your uncle?”

  Pat sighed. “William Martin.”

  A snort from Max. “Right. Mercy’s uncle is the president?”

  Mercy’s father shrugged. “My wife’s brother.”

  The cop’s gaze shifted from one person to another. “You’re serious. How did I not know this? You sure you’re okay, Mercy?”

  “I had great medical care and I’m recovering well. What do you know about the people who destroyed my house?”

  “Not enough to make an arrest. Stonebridge got a picture of the guys as they left, but it was too grainy to be of use.”

  “Who has the picture?” Nico asked.

  “Stonebridge. Like I said, it didn’t help.”

  The Sherwood Police Department might not have the equipment to do something with a grainy photo, but Fortress did.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Mercy hugged her neighbor. “Thanks, Mr. Stonebridge. You’ve been a big help.”

  The octogenarian smiled. “I’m glad. The cops weren’t interested in my picture. You sure you can use it?”

  “I work for a private security company, Mr. Stonebridge,” Nico said. “We have better equipment than your police department.” He held out his hand for Stonebridge’s cell phone. “May I?”

  “Of course.” He seemed disappointed when Nico sent the picture to his own cell phone. “Well, then, young lady, are you home to stay?”

  “Not yet. Soon, though.” Except if she came home soon, she would see much less of Nico, and Mercy wasn’t ready to do that.

  Her heart skipped a beat. Oh, goodness. How deep were her feelings for the dark-haired sexy warrior?

  Nico slid his phone into his pocket. “Thanks for looking out for Mercy. She’s important to me.”

  Stonebridge studied Nico’s face a moment, nodded. “You have good taste in women, Nico. You’ll protect her?”

  “With my life.”

  A ball of ice formed in Mercy’s stomach. Nico meant exactly what he said. He would do anything to protect her, even take a bullet. She shoved her morbid thoughts aside, stood on tiptoe, and kissed the old man’s cheek. “I’ll see you later, Mr. Stonebridge.”

  Nico’s teammates waited for them at the SUV. “Let’s go,” Nico said. “We’ve been here too long.”

  Trace nodded. “My skin’s crawling. I’ll take point.”

  Mercy’s family stood on the porch. She couldn’t leave without saying goodbye to them. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

  Instead of staying behind with his teammates, Nico walked with her.

  Stubborn man. Mercy’s family wouldn’t hurt her. Mercy hugged her father, breathing in the familiar scent of his spicy cologne and favorite soap.

  “Where will you go from here, sweetheart?”

  She glanced at Nico and caught his slight head shake. Not because he didn’t trust her father, but because he wanted to protect him in case the thieves returned and confronted him, she realized. “I’m not sure, Dad.” And it was true. Even when they arrived in Washington, D.C., Mercy didn’t know where they’d stay. Nico had made arrangements for a safe house. “I’ll be fine. Fortress is the best in the business. Uncle William wouldn’t have sent them for me if they weren’t.”

  “We can protect you,” Chris said, glaring at Nico. “We’re always armed.”

  “The men after Mercy don’t care who they hurt,” Nico said. “This is what we do, Chris. We’re well-trained. Mercy is our top priority.”

  Her father was silent a moment, his gaze locked on Nico. “You know what she’s been through. Don’t make her go through it again.”

  Stunned, Mercy stared at her father. He was the most compassionate, kindest man in town. This Pat Garwood was a fierce protector. Did her father suspect Mercy was falling for the handsome warrior by her side?

  “No, sir. I won’t.”

  “When my daughter is safe, I’ll expect to see you.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Dad.” Mercy’s face heated. “I’m not a child anymore.”

  “You’ll always be my daughter, Mercedes.” He kissed her forehead. “Be safe.”

  After hugging her brothers, Mercy climbed into Nico’s SUV and they followed Trace from Sherwood. Mercy couldn’t stand the silence between them any longer. “Are you planning to return to Sherwood when this is over?”

  Dark eyes locked on hers for a moment before he returned his attention to the asphalt ribbon in front of them. “It’s where you’ll be, and Fortress owes me time off. I’m taking it with you.”

  The coldness in her stomach melted. “You want to spend your vacation here?”

  “I want to be with you, Mercy, whether here or somewhere else.”

  Mercy studied his profile, butterflies flying in formation in her stomach. She was either making the biggest mistake or best decision of her life. “Do you like the beach?”

  Another glance her direction, surprise in his eyes. “Sand and surf, fresh seafood, parasailing, scuba diving. What’s not to like? ”

  “Would you like to go to the beach for a few days? If we rented a house, your teammates could come, too. If you don’t mind and if they wanted to enjoy sun, sand, and the other things you mentioned.”

  Nico’s lips curved as he activated his Bluetooth. “Ask them.”

  Trace answered the call. “What’s up?”

  “Mercy had a suggestion.”

  “Shoot, Mercy.”

  “After I’m safe, I thought renting a house at the beach for all of us to enjoy might be fun.” Why were they so quiet? Mercy cleared her throat. “It’s fine if you and the others would rather spend time with your families. It was just a thought.” She clamped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from babbling.

  “Sounds like a great plan,” Trace said. “We’ll ask Zane for suggestions on
the safest beach and the best house rentals. Thanks for including us in your plans.”

  Thrilled, she said, “You don’t mind vacationing together?”

  “Of course not,” Ben chimed in. “We often take breaks together. Spending time together away from missions is how we bonded so fast as a unit. Besides, running on the beach and swimming in the ocean is not a hardship.”

  “Is anybody surprised by that statement? Ben’s a Navy SEAL. We’ll have to plan the food,” Joe said. “The house rental needs to have an outdoor grill. That’s a requirement. I can’t cook squat in the kitchen, but I can grill with the best of them.”

  “I’ll come up with menus that capitalizes on your skill set.”

  Nico said, “Trace, I have a tango on my six.”

  Mercy twisted in her seat to stare out the back window. A large red truck behind them was closing fast. “What can I do to help?” she asked.

  “Trace, can you drop back?”

  “Nope. Got two tangos inbound. Classic Pincer move. We’ll take care of the clowns in front of us, then drop back to take care of the other one.”

  “Do you have extra weapons?” Mercy asked Nico.

  “In my Go bag in the cargo area. Why?”

  “Aiden made sure I could protect myself while he was deployed. I can hold off the truck behind us.” At Nico’s skeptical look, she said, “I can handle weapons, Nico. You asked me to trust you. Now it’s your turn to return the favor.”

  “Go.”

  Mercy scrambled over the seat and into the cargo area, wincing at the tug on her shoulder. She scooted to Nico’s Go bag and unzipped it. She peered inside and goggled. Holy cow. He had an arsenal in there. The bag had to weigh a ton, yet he hauled it around like it was easy. “What should I use?”

  “Ever fired an AR-10?”

  “Yes.”

  “Grab it and the Sig. The AR-10 is your best bet for longer distance. If it’s too awkward, switch to the Sig. There are more magazines for each in the bag.”

  She spotted the magazines and grabbed a couple for each. “Got them. Is there a switch back here to raise the hatchback?”

  “I have controls up here for the hatchback and window. I’ll lower the window partway to keep you protected as much as possible. The glass is bullet resistant and the exterior is reinforced. Stay low. I’m growing quite fond of that pretty head of yours.”

  “Sweet talker.” Mercy went through the safety checks Aiden had drilled into her. When she was satisfied, she glanced out the back. “Lower the window, Nico. I’m ready.”

  “Aim for the windshield, kitten.”

  “Aye, aye, Captain, sir.”

  He laughed. “I’m a Marine. The correct response is ‘copy that.’”

  “Copy that, sir.”

  As soon as the glass slid partway down, she lined up her sights for the middle of the windshield. Hopefully, these guys would back off if their target returned fire.

  She took a deep breath as the truck zoomed closer, exhaled half the air, and squeezed the trigger. The driver of the truck swerved and slowed.

  “Keep firing, Mercy.”

  Jazzed now, she repeated the process twice more before the creeps in the truck surged closer and one of them leaned out the passenger-side window with a handgun. Not as much range. With luck, the wind blew in the direction of the truck and would throw off their accuracy.

  Trusting the SUV’s upgrades to keep her safe, Mercy fired a steady barrage of bullets. When the magazine was empty, she dropped lower and replaced it with a fresh one.

  “I’m going to straddle both lanes,” Nico called back. “We’re moving into a heavily populated area. We need those goons off our tail. The windshield’s gone now and they’re still coming. Aim for the grill. If enough bullets hit the truck engine, it will lock up.”

  “One tango in front down,” Trace said. “Going after the second one.”

  “Nico, lower the window all the way.” Mercy got into position and commenced firing at the approaching truck’s grill. After five shots, the vehicle veered off the road, hit an embankment, and rolled onto its side.

  “Yes! You are seriously amazing, Mercy Powers.” Nico hit the button to raise the window. “Come back up here.”

  “You better hang onto that woman, Nico,” Ben said over the Bluetooth connection. “She’s one in a million.”

  “Trust me, I know. I have no intention of letting her get away.”

  Startled at his statement, Mercy returned the AR-10 to the Go bag along with the extra magazine. She kept the Sig and two magazines in case they ran into more trouble. She could hide the gun in the glove box if local law enforcement stopped them for some reason.

  Scrambling over the seats, she slid into the front passenger seat again.

  Nico captured her hand and brought it to his lips. “Excellent job.”

  Mercy gave a huff of laughter. “Right. It only took me one magazine and one quarter of another one to stop the truck.”

  “You didn’t panic and got the job done. That’s what matters. While I’m off, I’ll work with you to hone your shooting skills.”

  “I’m out of practice,” she admitted. “I haven’t been to the gun range since Aiden died. Going there reminded me too much of him.”

  He squeezed her hand. “I’ll teach you to shoot like a Marine.” A smile. “Of course, I’ll have to steal kisses between magazines. You’ll think of me and my kisses every time you go to the gun range.”

  “Hey, that’s too much information,” Sam complained although her voice was filled with amusement. “And I’m seriously jealous about the pending kisses. I haven’t been kissed in a long time.”

  “If you want volunteers to help you break your dry spell, I’ll get in line,” Ben said.

  “Shut up, Ben,” Joe snapped. More rifle fire came over the Bluetooth connection.

  “Tango two is down,” Trace said. “We’re clear.”

  “Injuries?” Nico asked.

  A snort from Joe. “Not on our part.”

  “Good. Stick with the plan. I don’t want to be in D.C. without our reinforced rides. Zane reserved a suite for us at the Horizon Inn and Suites in Palmira.”

  “Copy that. Let me know when Mercy needs to stop.” Trace ended the call.

  During their conversation, Mercy started to shake. Stupid adrenaline dump. She tried to keep the trembling from Nico. He glanced at her, then turned on the heater in the passenger seat and warmed the temperature in the SUV.

  “Would you like me to find a coffee shop and buy you hot tea? Might help.”

  She shook her head. “Thanks for the offer, though.”

  “Go to sleep when you need to, okay?”

  The way Mercy felt right now, she wouldn’t be sleeping for a week. The buzz would drop her like a rock before long, she knew. And the heat felt heavenly. She might survive after all.

  Nico threaded his fingers through hers.

  After a few more miles, the shaking subsided and fatigue set in. She fought to stay awake, but her eyes grew heavy. The next thing she knew, Nico was stroking her cheek with his rough fingers.

  “Mercy, we need to walk for a few minutes. Sam’s orders.”

  “Can’t defy the medic.”

  “I’m not stupid. That woman works with sharp instruments. I know not to make her mad.”

  He came around the hood of the SUV and opened her door. Nico brushed her lips with his, then lifted her from the cab and set Mercy on her feet.

  The small caravan had stopped at a truck stop off the interstate. After visiting the facilities with Sam, the women joined the others in the convenience store.

  “Are you hungry?” Nico asked her. “They have a sub shop here.”

  Mercy assessed how she felt. Yeah, she needed to eat. Something light, though. “A chicken sandwich would be great.”

  “I’ll take care of it. Find snacks and drinks we can take with us. Sam, what kind of sandwich would you like?”

  “Turkey.”

  “Toppings?” />
  Mercy and Sam told Nico their preferences, then wandered around the convenience store in search of snack food and drinks.

  Fifteen minutes later, they were back on the road. Mercy unwrapped Nico’s sandwich and handed it to him. At ten o’clock, Nico and Trace parked at the back of the Horizon Inn and Suites.

  “Stay here until I’m sure it’s safe.” Nico exited the SUV.

  “I’ll check us in,” Trace said. “Ben used his card in Nashville. Let’s keep your name off the Scorpion’s radar as long as possible.” After obtaining his team leader’s agreement, he loped off.

  In short order, Shadow and Mercy were ensconced in the Presidential suite. Nico placed Mercy’s bag on one of the double beds in the first bedroom. “You and Sam will share a room.”

  “What about you?”

  “I’ll be on the couch in the living room. The rest of the guys will share the second bedroom.”

  “Why not you?”

  “I don’t want to be that far from you.”

  How was a woman supposed to resist a man like Nico Rivera? “Thank you.”

  He kissed her, long and deep. “Rest, kitten. Tomorrow will be a long day.” Nico nodded at Sam as he passed her.

  Mercy watched him walk away and prayed they found answers before Nico or his teammates were hurt.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  Nico sat up when Mercy’s door opened. He glanced at his watch and frowned. A few minutes after midnight. Sam stepped out and closed the door behind her. “Everything okay?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “Mercy is restless. Nightmares or memories from the abduction.”

  He stood. “I’ll make her some tea.”

  “Nico, I think she needs you.”

  Joe turned from the French door where he was keeping watch, his eyebrow raised. “What are you suggesting?”

  “He could watch a movie or a television show with her until she fell asleep.”

  A smile curved Nico’s mouth. “I planned to do that as well as ply her with tea. Tell Mercy to join me. Joe, go rest. I’ll take over.”

  His teammate shook his head. “I’ll sit on the balcony to keep watch. Focus on your girl. Sleep if you can.”