Her Covert Protector (Rogue Protectors Book 4)

by Victoria Paige

  She crawled over trails of blood, grabbed two kitchen towels, and pressed one on her dad’s shoulder, before scrambling over to Dugal who was groaning on the floor.

  “You’re crazy,” she muttered, staunching the flow of blood right below his heart. “And what are you smirking about?”

  “That was quite the charge,” he boasted.

  But she couldn’t respond because a map of red began to pool from under him. “Oh my God.”

  “He was shot in the back,” her father said.

  “Here, take this.”

  She glanced up to see John holding out a protein bar and a bottle of water. Three hours earlier, she received word that her father was okay. John checked on her periodically, asking her to be looked over by a doctor. She refused. It was hour six now. Nadia realized how thirsty she was.

  She accepted the water but shook her head at the bar.

  “You need to eat something.” His tone was firm.

  “Not hungry.”

  John sank to his haunches and held her gaze steadily. “Babe. You’re scared. I get that. But Dugal’s not going to be happy if he finds out you’ve been waiting in this ER without sustenance.” His expression turned somber. “Please take care of yourself too.”

  She shook her head again.

  A muscle bounced in his cheek, and she knew he was fighting with his steamroller nature, not to force the issue of eating, but her gut was twisted up with acid. His mouth compressed into a thin line and he nodded. “Please eat this. Put something in your stomach.”

  He left the bar on her lap and stood, walking back to where he waited with Bristow.

  “He’s right, lass,” Alec said. “Pa, wouldn’t have wanted you getting hungry, especially with the baby.”

  “This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have been around your dad.”

  Colin nudged her leg. “In case you haven’t learned this about Scots yet, fighting is in our blood. If you were in any sort of danger, Pa would’ve been the first one to protect you.”

  “Aye,” Alec said. “There’s nothing like a Scotsman loving to be in the thick of it.”

  The doors to the ER opened and an exhausted-looking man in scrubs walked out. “Dugal Cameron?”

  Nadia surged from her chair with Colin and Alec. Arthur and Clyde rose up with them and crowded the surgeon.

  “He’s out of surgery and is stable …”

  Nadia heard no more. Her legs gave out as darkness swallowed her.

  “Are you sure she’s fine?”

  John’s gravelly voice hovered overhead.

  “She’s dehydrated.” An unfamiliar female voice answered him. “And the stress just got to her.”

  “She’s pregnant.”

  “Yes. I checked the records sent over by Dr. Ryan. And we agreed that since she’s not spotting, an ultrasound right now might be too stressful since it’s early in the pregnancy.”

  “I know that!” John snapped.

  There was a moment of charged silence before the doctor—at least Nadia presumed she was a doctor—added, “I’ll check back later, but she has the best care with Bristow here.”

  A door opened and closed.

  “I’m going to wring her neck when she wakes up,” John muttered.

  “No, you’re not,” Bristow said, amusement lacing his tone. “You’re going to be all over her and not let her out of your sight. Ever.”

  “Got that right.”

  “Are you bullying me even when I’m unconscious?” She croaked as she opened one eye, and then another. The blurry image of John slowly came into focus. He looked terrible and a bit feral.

  “I fainted,” she announced.

  “And damned near shaved fifty years off of my life,” he snarled. “I thought to give you space, that you needed other people around you more.” An expression she’d never associated with John was carved into his face. Remorse. Distress. “I’m sorry I fucked up. If I’d picked you up when you told me to, this wouldn’t have happened.”

  Was that why he was blaming himself? Nadia thought. Well, she could see that as much as she could see her own fault.

  “I called the DNI and told him I’m out—”

  “Whoa, hold on—” He was making her dizzy.

  At this point, Bristow had backed away to the door. “I think you two need to have this conversation alone.”

  “Can you check when I can see my dad and Dugal?” she asked.

  “I can do that.” The SEAL retreated from the room, closing the door behind him.

  At the soft click, John continued his tirade. He edged his seat closer, grabbing her hands in his. “I should have held off the intel gathering on Vovk. Nothing matters more than you, but you’ll have your pound of flesh, Nadia. I’ll be the best costumed Locke Demon at StreamCon and you’re going to be my demon bride—”

  “Okay, back up,” Nadia interrupted.

  “No. Listen to me—”

  “John, I —”

  “I’ll be damned when you fainted and I was clear across the room and couldn’t catch you—”

  Nadia extricated one of her hands from his grip, leaned forward, and slapped it over his mouth. “Staaahp.”

  They glared at each other.

  “Let me speak, dammit. You’re stressing me out,” she growled.

  His eyes panicked. “Do I need to call the doctor?”

  “If it’s to make me relax by kicking you out, then by all means.”

  His mouth flattened, and he sat back in his chair. “Obviously, I’m missing something.”

  “You’re missing a whole lot, buddy,” she grumbled. “I never blamed you for Dugal and Dad getting hurt at all.”

  Garrison’s jaw hardened. “You should.”

  “Then I should be wracked with guilt too because I insisted Levi go home. But you know what? In that waiting room? Colin and Alec didn’t blame any of us because they know the man their father is. He will protect his friends like his own family.” She inhaled and exhaled raggedly. “None of us could have predicted that Sally would have escaped Morris and come to me.” She paused as her mind did a rewind. “I did hand over my phone to Kelso, right?” Everything from the evening was a jumble.

  “They were able to piece together what happened from those messages.”

  “They weren’t after me. They were after Sally.” Nadia emphasized the words. “There were more than enough officers there to guard me, but the confusion of Halloween … ” she trailed off.

  John closed his eyes briefly and opened them again. “Yeah.”

  “Now is the time I say the words back to you.”

  A corner of his mouth quirked up.

  “Suck it up, John Garrison.”

  His mouth twitched. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “So you’re going to call the DNI back and say you’re not quitting.”

  John sighed. “I was pretty final when I talked to him.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He said I should sleep on it. I told him that’s not going to change anything.”

  “You’re going to give up your pursuit of Dmitry Vovk? I thought you’ve been after him for thirteen years?”

  He sighed. “It appears I’m not getting through to you, so I’ll state it plainly. You’re more important than any job, got it?”

  John’s gaze was piercing and held her captive. He’d wrapped both her hands in his two as if to make a point.

  “I don’t know what to say.” Her lips trembled. Nadia couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth, but his the emotions in his eyes were too turbulent to interpret.

  He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. “Nothing. Just accept me as your man. Your protector.”

  “I do,” she said. “But, you can’t give up on the Argonayts case.”

  He sighed again. “I know.” His mouth turned wry. “Because the LAPD needs my access.”

  Her lips curved. “You got that right.”

  “I feel so used,” he deadpanned.

  Her smile grew wi
der. “Suck it up.”

  27

  “I’m going to wear my scars like a badge,” Dugal said.

  Three days after the carnage at her apartment, her Scottish neighbor was coherent enough to talk to the detectives to give his statement. The room was crowded. Besides Gabby and Kelso, John, and Bristow, as well as Arthur and Clyde, her father—who was released yesterday—gathered to give a full reconstruction of how Morris and his partner got to the rooftop.

  “I just want to make it clear since all of you are here, everything was done by the book,” Kelso said. “It was the responsibility of the LAPD to provide our crime analyst with security, not Homeland Security.” John, Bristow, and Levi were still playing the DHS card. “There was a patrol car in front of the apartments. Because of the Halloween festivities, Officer Tarrant was stationed in front of Nadia’s apartment. Officer Nero was positioned at the bottom of the stairs that led straight to the rooftop. It’s my understanding, Mr. Cameron, that you noticed an officer down.”

  “Aye. On my way back from handing Arthur and Clyde their food, I noticed the officer disappeared. Is he going to be all right?”

  Nadia learned that Officer Nero was shot in the back and then dragged behind the dumpster right beside that particular staircase.

  “He’s expected to make a full recovery,” Kelso said.

  “I knew Levi was reluctant to leave Nadia alone,” Dugal said. “So I told him I could be counted on as extra security. I even showed him my sword.”

  “Impressive sword,” Gabby said.

  The Scotsman’s grin was smug.

  “Unfortunately,” Gabby added. “We had to confiscate it as evidence.”

  Dugal scowled. “I’m not going to be charged with murdering that bastard, am I?”

  “They better not.” Nadia glared at her colleagues. “I’ll stand witness.”

  “He saved us,” Stephen added. “I’ll vouch for him too.”

  “Don’t worry. I doubt the prosecutor will even bring up charges what with Officer Tarrant’s report insisting it was self-defense as well. Morris and his partner made an armed incursion into your apartment and held you at gunpoint. We just want to have the sequence of events nailed down.” Kelso coughed. “Pardon the pun.”

  Everyone chuckled at the morbid humor in reference to the man Dugal impaled to the wall.

  After another ten minutes of everyone giving their accounts of the incident, Dugal started waning, his eyes drifting close as he fought to stay awake. As if on cue, a nurse, followed by Colin, Alec, and their eldest brother, Jamie, the stuntman, walked in.

  “All right, time’s up, folks. Our patient needs his rest.”

  Kelso and Gabby thanked Dugal for his time and left.

  As the rest of them filed out, Clyde grabbed Dugal’s hand. “I’m so glad it was you watching Nadia. I wouldn’t have known what to do.”

  “You will find your courage when ye need it, old man,” the Scot said.

  Stephen added, “Nevertheless, we’re thankful you took one for the team.”

  “You did too, Stephen,” Dugal said. “Your love for your daughter saved us all. If you hadn’t stopped that bastard from shooting, I would be dead.

  Arthur concurred.

  “I wasn’t going to let anyone take my family from me again,” Stephen replied fiercely. “And my family includes crazy old Scots.”

  Dugal chuckled, then grimaced. “Don’t make me laugh.”

  “All right, everybody who is not family needs to leave,” the nurse repeated more firmly.

  Bristow waved at Dugal and left with the MoMoS.

  Nadia and John took their turns by his bedside.

  “Thanks for saving my woman,” John said.

  “Anytime.” Dugal’s lids flitted to half-mast. “Just take care of her.”

  John wrapped his arms around Nadia. “Count on it. I doubt I’ll let her out of my sight.”

  “You keep threatening that,” she groused.

  “I don’t think it’s a threat, lass … and I’m trying not to laugh,” Dugal groaned.

  At the disapproving look from the nurse again, Nadia slipped out of John’s embrace and went to hug Dugal’s sons. “Your dad is such a brave man.”

  “He’ll be a tough act to follow,” Colin agreed.

  “You all are talking about me like I’m dying,” Dugal complained.

  Giving the younger Scots another squeeze, Nadia returned to Dugal’s side to give him a kiss on the forehead before leaving the room with John.

  Getting all the MoMoS into a safe house was proving to be an exercise in patience.

  Arthur needed to bring some of his exotic plants.

  “They’ll die without meticulous care,” the botanist said.

  It was a wonder that John kept his sarcasm in check. Of course, the plants would die. They were native to the damned Amazon, not California.

  And Clyde couldn’t go without his leather chair.

  John had told him. “I did mention the house was fully furnished, right?”

  “My sciatica has special needs,” Clyde sniffed. “I had that specially made from Burmese rosewood.”

  Which explained why the leather chair weighed a ton for something that looked like a regular armchair. The premium timber was similar to mahogany. John made sure to wrap the whole piece in moving plastic because that shit was expensive, and he’d hate to fuck it up.

  Surprisingly, most of the men were not ornery. John was thankful for that, but they were set in their ways and just the change of environment might turn the merry men into grumpy ones. Nadia didn’t need that shit, and John was sure they would keep it from her, but the downside of reading people so well was they couldn’t hide it from him, and he didn’t need that shit either.

  Although mostly he was patient because he’d grown fond of the old buggers and making them happy was making him … happy.

  Shit.

  Stephen, thank God, was a pro when it came to living in safe houses.

  John made two trips with the U-Haul truck. Granted the biggest truck wasn’t available, but with the way Clyde and Arthur packed, one would think they were leaving for a year instead of a few weeks. Dugal would be joining the rest of the MoMoS once he checked out in another few days. Colin was staying to help his dad. He must have packed Dugal’s entire kitchen when John informed him about the concept of takeout. Besides, they had a fully equipped kitchen.

  To which the younger Scot scoffed, “If they are to heal faster, they need proper nourishment.”

  Proper nourishment.

  Who said that?

  Thank fuck, Bristow agreed to stay in the house too. There were six bedrooms and seven full bathrooms. More than enough room and facilities that they wouldn’t be on top of each other. Roarke and Gabby were just a few houses down the same road.

  He sent Levi home to Kelly and his daughters. John didn’t want to be on his wife’s shit list, seeing that he was going to be needing a favor from her soon.

  When he drove through the gates, he was surprised to see an Audi RS Q8 he didn’t recognize parked right at the side of the house. He couldn’t recall anyone he knew driving one, and he immediately went on guard, but eased up when he spotted Nadia laughing with Arthur. They were carrying some pots to put on the bare driveway garden border probably to catch the midday sun. The pavement sloped down from the gate and wrapped around the house to the back where the entrance of the residence was located. Were their visitors Arthur or Clyde’s children? John sure hoped they weren’t handing out the address. The menfolk had been briefed that they were going to a safe house, not Club Med.

  The driveway allowed plenty of room for two vehicles to pass side by side. John had a feeling he would derive immense pleasure if his vehicle kissed the Audi just a little bit. Still, his ego wouldn’t allow him to make such an error—even deliberate—because there was enough room for the U-Haul to pass through.

  When he pulled the truck in front of the double-door entrance, Nadia bounded up to him. He got down fr
om the vehicle. After giving her a quick kiss, he asked, “Who came in the Audi?”

  “Antonio and Charly are here!” Nadia announced.

  His brow furrowed, but a grin touched the corners of his mouth. “Aren’t they supposed to be on their honeymoon? They just got married … like what …”

  “Two weeks ago,” Nadia finished. “But Charly heard about dad …”

  Charly had been infected with a mutation of the weaponized Ebola virus which didn’t work with the antiviral she created. However, Stephen happened to be the scientist who synthesized the virus’s backbone and was able to tweak the existing antiviral to save her.

  John had to admit, their group had formed an indelible bond given the numerous dicey situations that had come their way. Add to that how some had started coupling up, they’d become close to a blended family. Not only personally but professionally as well. John always had planned to build his resources inside the LAPD, but he didn’t expect it to get personal. And now?

  He braced for that suffocating feeling to hit him whenever people got too close. That need to disappear when attachments were getting too personal.

  Nothing.

  He exhaled a breath of relief.

  He was all fucking in.

  “Who’s the Audi?” Roarke asked. He and Bristow ambled up to Nadia and John.

  “Andrade and Charly,” John answered.

  “Why are they here?” Roarke asked, then his brows shot up in realization. “Oh, Stephen.” Then he frowned. “How did they find out?”

  All eyes swung to Bristow who shrugged. “Charly and I still communicate. I thought she should know.”

  John smiled as an idea took shape. “Know what?” he clapped Bristow’s shoulder. “That gives us an extra body to help unload the truck.”

  When they entered the house, Charly was on the couch talking to Stephen, while Clyde was keeping Andrade busy—moving furniture. John had to keep from laughing. The billionaire appeared game, though. One could even say there was an indulgent look on the man’s face.

  John’s thoughts turned somber. Maybe Andrade was missing his friend Luis. Though Antonio didn’t have any military background, the man could hold his own in any fight whether it involved guns or fists. And he could be ruthless if any of his loved ones were threatened. John suspected Antonio had something to do with cartel boss Benito Carillo getting murdered in prison. It was a good thing the billionaire was on their side.