She looked at the boots again. They were big, just like the four men. It was crazy how she had met Freeman and Atlanta before. They obviously hadn’t remembered her, and it was silly, but she felt hurt. All she could think was that maybe she was so desperate to feel any kind of connection or bond with another human being that she was foolish enough to hope for more with them. She could tell these men had issues and scars. Jessup seemed the worse off, with that snappy attitude and on-edge, deep, dark expression in his eyes. She knew that look well. Zinc had it. His borderline breakdowns and PTSD had her shaking in her shoes many times when they first started sharing an apartment together. Things got embarrassing for him because he didn’t want to seem weak. He’d arranged the apartment and stayed there only when he was in town, but eventually he moved out. Zinc had lived with her in the beginning only to make her feel safe, as if she had family close by. It was also a fearful time.
Nina felt the tears reach her eyes. She ran her hand over her throat and willed the tears to not fall. She could remember the multiple times he mistook her for the enemy and had her pinned up against the wall or pinned down on the rug. It took her calm, soothing tone to bring him back to the present and make him realize that it was her, and not the enemy soldiers he’d battled while serving his country. It was when Zinc had his gun to her throat that he’d finally decided it was safer for him to live elsewhere, before he killed her by accident.
That time seemed so far away, yet Nina remembered the fear, the sadness, as if it was yesterday. Zinc struggled to live as a civilian. Working for Viktor as security seemed to keep him sharp and ready, which somehow lessened those nightmares and those episodes he had.
Her brother was so determined to keep her safe and make her have a happy life. He was consumed with it, and she wondered what had gone wrong. Who had he angered so much that they killed him and Cobra? Was it something connected to Viktor and the family, or was it personal? Did he double-cross some guys while he tried to make an extra side deal?
Nina heard the floor creak and turned to the right to see Freeman approaching. He looked good, comfortable in this setting. His blue jeans were snug on his hips and thighs, then looser on his calves. The hem sat on the top of what appeared to be cowboy boots, and she couldn’t help but find that sexy. The plaid button-down shirt in blue and white check was rolled up to his forearms and unbuttoned a little at the top, revealing a tan chest.
“You need anything?” he asked, just like he, Corona, and Atlanta did on a daily basis. They weren’t her servants, and she wanted to make that clear. This whole “watching over her” thing seemed silly to Nina.
“I’m good, thank you, but you don’t need to cater to me. I can take care of myself.”
He squinted at her as he came closer. He leaned against the railing and looked her over. She wore a short, beige skirt and a tank top in cream with a sheer, white button-down blouse over it.
“I’m just making sure that you feel comfortable. This is our home, and making any guests feel at home is a priority. It’s a southern thing maybe you should get used to while you’re here.” Freeman said it with his arms crossed in front of his chest and an angry gleam in his eyes. Then, he dismissed her attitude by turning around. She felt guilty for being snappy with him as he looked out toward the fields.
Nina watched him, admiring his firm jaw, his crew cut brown hair, and the way his muscles flexed in his arms.
She felt bad for maybe insulting him.
“I’m sorry, Freeman. I didn’t mean to come off like I don’t appreciate you allowing me in your home. This is supposed to be your vacation. So, what do you usually do when you guys are off from work?”
He turned around and looked her over again. “To be honest, we haven’t done this in years. We take a few days here and there, maybe a week tops, but usually not.”
“That must be rough. It’s beautiful here, and peaceful,” she whispered, now looking out toward the fields again.
“It sure is, and just thinking about the house and the land usually gives me something to look forward to when I’m working. You know, the town is really nice. If you want, we could go check that out.”
She thought about it a moment. They had been here a few days, and Corona had mentioned that Viktor and his team wanted them to come over for dinner tomorrow. She should make something or bring something to Nalia. She was important.
“If we’re going to get together with Viktor and the guys, as well as meet Karlicov’s daughter, then I should bring something. A gift or a cake or something.”
He stared at her.
“You know how to bake?” he asked, and she couldn’t help but wonder if Freeman thought her to be some sort of snob. Like maybe because she worked as the manager and was a workaholic, or perhaps they knew she lived on the streets and had a hard life. She felt her gut clench, and she was embarrassed.
“I don’t often get the chance, but I’m not bad at it.”
He glanced at his watch—a military one, she assumed. It was large and had a lot of stuff on it. It made him appear capable, for some reason.
“We can leave in five minutes. I’ll just check with Corona and the others to see if they want to come along too.”
Freeman walked back into the house. Nina stood up, held on to the railing, and took another deep breath of fresh country air. It felt so different out here.
She walked into the house and headed to her bedroom. She grabbed some money and her little wristlet purse that fit her cell and lip gloss. When she headed out of her room, she heard the door slam and Atlanta curse before he ran his fingers through his very short crew cut. He was wearing dark jeans and a brown button-down shirt and looked pissed off when he locked gazes with her. It looked as though he’d come from Jessup’s room.
As he got in front of her, he gave her hip a little push. “Let’s go,” he ordered.
She turned and stepped from his hold, which earned her a dirty look. She really didn’t care that he was being abrupt, but she wondered why. As they walked down the stairs, he was on her heels.
“Is Jessup coming?” Nina didn’t even know why she asked as they got to the bottom of the stairs.
He snorted. “No,” Atlanta hissed , as though she was stupid for asking.
He looked her over when she stopped by the front entryway to wait for Freeman.
“He doesn’t want to come?” she asked him.
He stared at her in a way that made her feel so intimidated she actually stepped back and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Atlanta towered over her, too, and right now, he looked angry.
“He doesn’t want anything to do with you. He’ll stay here,” he stated, and she felt her gut clench. She didn’t know why his words hurt. They shouldn’t, but they did.
“Okay, it’s just the three of us. Corona is in the middle of something,” Freeman said and then headed toward the front door.
Nina followed with Atlanta on her heels.
When they got outside, the trio headed toward the small blue pickup truck. When Atlanta opened the door and Nina climbed up into the front seat, she realized how tight of a fit it was in the cab. Both men climbed in next, and their thighs pressed against hers. She thought she was going to lose it. She gulped hard, and even though she felt both men looking at her, she remained looking forward.
Atlanta exhaled and then rolled his window down a bit as they headed down the driveway. She shivered from the cool breeze and wished she had changed into a pair of jeans instead of the skirt. She wondered why he put the window all the way down. It was chilly out still.
“I think Nina is a little cold, Atlanta. Maybe put that up a bit,” Freeman said, and then Atlanta huffed as he rolled it up a little.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Whatever,” Atlanta replied.
She didn’t know what she did to piss him off, but apparently he didn’t like having to babysit her. It had been only a few days. How would things be in a week? She cringed just thinking about it.
&
nbsp; * * * *
Atlanta was trying so hard not to inhale the scent of Nina’s shampoo or that light, enticing perfume she wore. She was petite, pretty, and looked sexy in the short skirt. He couldn’t help but feel protective, yet he kind of felt annoyed, as though he was too old and not good enough for her. He knew it had a lot to do with what they didn’t know to be true or false about her being involved with a made man, and also Jessup’s attitude toward her. He was cranky, feeling pain, and suffering from nightmares. Atlanta hadn’t liked watching him in his room, sharpening the set of long knives he had in there. It put Atlanta on edge. He needed to talk to Corona about it.
He glanced down at Nina’s thighs. They were tan, appeared silky and smooth, and he couldn’t believe he itched to touch them. Thank God the truck pulled into town and she spoke up and sat forward in her seat.
“Oh, my God, this is so pretty.” She looked from one side of the street to the next. The welcoming sign snagged her attention immediately, as it did everyone who entered Salvation. It was beautiful out today, and a lot of people were walking around.
“How far does it go?” she asked Freeman, who maneuvered into the small community parking lot near the main entrance to town.
“It goes all the way to the edge of town. There are some homes in between, and then a new set of houses and a shopping mall toward the end on your way into Tranquility. It’s really nice. We can do that another day. Today we’ll stick around here.” Freeman parked the truck in an empty spot.
Atlanta adjusted his sunglasses and looked around them to check out the vicinity. He didn’t think they were in any danger here, but just thinking that they could b—and that someone could have found them and tracked Nina because of her brother—made him press his hand to her lower back and guide her along the sidewalk. She, of course, pulled away from him and gave him an annoyed expression. She was right to. He’d been nothing but a prick to her today.
As they strolled along the side streets, giving her a little space, he noticed some young guys saying hello to her or checking her out. For some reason, it bothered Atlanta, especially as Nina shyly said hello back and then went about looking at the stores. He exchanged looks with Freeman, who didn’t miss the attention Nina was getting.
“Can I look over here? Do you mind?” she asked Freeman, and even that bothered Atlanta. Why hadn’t she asked him?
They stood out of the way as Nina looked at the tables set up outside of a boutique. Freeman crossed his arms in front of his chest.
“What?” Atlanta asked, leaning back against the building. Atlanta shook his head and lightly snorted. They both immediately turned toward the table, about fifteen feet away from them, as three guys struck up a conversation with Nina.
Atlanta uncrossed his arms and stood up straight. He didn’t have to look at Freeman to see he was watching, too.
Atlanta noticed how shy Nina was with the guys. Or how she played shy, maybe. He wasn’t certain, but when the young blond reached out and pressed a loose strand of hair away from her cheek, he’d had enough.
Freeman was on his heels.
* * * *
Nina was looking at some of the scarves on the display table and enjoying the atmosphere of the small town. People were very friendly, saying hello and asking if she needed any help finding something when three young guys approached. They were very attractive, and she figured close to her age, as they flirted with her and tried to make conversation. She was okay with that until one guy reached out and moved a strand of hair from her cheek. That was when she felt a bit on edge.
She lowered her eyes and tried to look back at the scarves.
“Damn, you’re really shy. What’s your name, honey?” he asked her, standing in her way so she couldn’t move past him.
She’d started to open her mouth when Atlanta stepped in and stood in front of her.
“Take a hike,” he said to the guy.
“What?” the blond asked.
“Atlanta,” she said to him, trying to diffuse an awkward situation.
“Take a walk,” Freeman added. They were a lot bigger and taller than the three men, and one look at them must have told the young guys not to mess with Freeman and Atlanta, especially with how intense Atlanta looked with his dark sunglasses on.
“If you’re not buying anything here, then let’s head to the store. I’ve got things to do at the house,” Atlanta scolded. She stared at him and wished she could see his eyes, but instead, she turned away and continued walking.
“You shouldn’t have come with us, then. Freeman said we had time to look around,” she said back to him, with little vigor. Atlanta sort of scared her, in a way. He was abrupt, bossy, and very controlling.
“Let her look around. We’ve got time.” Freeman gave her a soft smile. He was being kind, and that was the guy she remembered from Bailey’s that night. Although, she did remember meeting Atlanta, as well, and thinking he was pretty good-looking. But she wouldn’t admit to remembering them. They would think she was flirting, or maybe even interested in them. Atlanta seemed to just stare at her—or at least it seemed that way, but he wore those damn sunglasses all the time. She couldn’t tell what or who he was watching. She exhaled, and they walked further down the sidewalk.
“Can I go in here, Freeman?” she asked him as they approached a small clothing store.
“Sure. We’ll wait out here,” he said, and she went inside, but not before glancing at Atlanta and again wishing she could see his eyes.
About ten minutes later, Nina found a pretty dress that was on sale for fifteen dollars and decided to go check it out in the dressing room. Heading back into the fitting room to try it on, she glanced toward the door and no longer saw Atlanta or Freeman.
She had just stripped down to her panties and bra when she heard what sounded like police sirens coming from outside. She looked at the dress on the hanger and fell in love with the slim-fitting style but mostly the light green color. It had delicate lace along the bottom and dipped to a low V in the back.
As she started to step into the dress, she heard Atlanta and Freeman calling her name. “In here. I’ll be out in a minute.”
A moment later, the curtain pulled open, and she gasped as she dropped the dress and stared at Freeman and Atlanta. Both men just stared at her, and she reached down for the dress and placed it in front of her. “What in God’s name is going on?”
“Get dressed, quickly. We need to go,” Freeman said to her. He stepped away, but Atlanta stood there.
“Well?” he said.
Her eyes widened. “Get out, so I can get dressed.”
His eyes roamed over her body, and he slowly turned around but didn’t close the curtain. She didn’t see Freeman but could hear him talking on the phone, saying that they had her and were making their way out of the store then back home. She grabbed the dress after she pulled on her skirt and top.
“Ready, yet?” Atlanta asked, and Nina reached for her blouse to put it on. But he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the changing room.
“Wait, the dress—”
Freeman looked at the bench in the dressing room and grabbed the dress.
“Is everything okay?” the store clerk asked.
“Yeah, here. Keep the change and thank you,” Freeman said and gave her a twenty-dollar bill.
They didn’t say much to Nina. Atlanta held her hand still, and they practically hurried toward the parking lot and the truck. She did notice that both men kept one hand on their sides, and she knew they were carrying guns. She was scared and shaking by the time the truck door opened. Atlanta practically shoved her into the vehicle.
“What’s wrong? What’s going on?” she asked, and Freeman got out of the parking lot and headed out of town.
Atlanta kept his eyes on the road and kept glancing behind them. She saw a few more police cruisers and deputy cars speeding into town.
“Nalia and some friends, plus men from Viktor’s team, were in town on the other side. Someone took her whil
e she was in a dressing room,” Freeman said to her.
Nina covered her mouth and gasped. “Oh, God, no. Who was it? Does anyone know? How did they find her?”
“We don’t know, but we’re not taking any chances,” Atlanta said to her.
She felt the tears reach her eyes, and then she couldn’t help but let them fall. “Did these same people kill Zinc and Cobra? Is that what Viktor thinks?” she asked him.
“We don’t know anything. We got the order to keep you under guard. An investigation is still ongoing in your brother’s death. This is a precaution,” Freeman said to her.
She looked at Atlanta then back out the window. “I hope they find Nalia. That poor woman. She’s been through so much.”
Freeman placed his hand on her knee and gave it a squeeze. “They’ll find her, and the ones responsible will pay for it.”
Nina was shocked at the feel of Freeman’s hand on her knee and the bolt of attraction she felt immediately. His warm, hard hand was huge over her knee, making her core tighten and her look to him in shock. He must have felt it, too, as he looked at her, then away, and then stared at the road as he tried to drive and concentrate. She wiped her tears from her eyes. Atlanta opened the glove box and pulled some tissues out of it. He handed them to her. She swallowed hard and held his gaze.
“Thank you.”
“No more town, and no more flirting with guys. Anyone could be in disguise. Anyone,” he scolded.
“I wasn’t flirting with anyone. They started a conversation with me.”
“You were pretending to be shy. Just cool it. This isn’t Chicago. No hooking up with anyone and making your way through the town,” Atlanta said, and she was shocked. Freeman parked the truck, and she turned in her seat to look at Atlanta.
The American Soldier Collection 14: Baby Love (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 5