aHunter4Trust

by Cynthia A. Clement

  When they reached the bottom floor, Darrogh waited while Breanon and Savis went to clean away any evidence of Tamsin in Saxby’s car. When they came back, they left by the loading door and Savis reset the keypad. No incriminating evidence would be left behind.

  They kept to the shadows as they edged along the warehouse. They were almost at the street when Firbin reached out to him by mind connect.

  “Tamsin’s father is at her house and is insisting on seeing his daughter. What should I tell him?”

  Chapter 6

  Tamsin opened her eyes.

  She closed them immediately.

  The world was spinning and she waited a few seconds until it stopped, before looking again. This time, the bright stream of sunlight that filtered into her bedroom sent a piercing jab of pain through her skull. Her mind was fuzzy and her mouth dry. What had happened last night?

  She struggled to sit upright.

  That was when she remembered.

  She’d gone to Beauvie’s and tried in vain to lose her father’s bodyguards. She’d been unsuccessful until she’d run into George Saxby. He’d agreed to give her a ride home. Glimpses of being in his apartment and talking with him, flitted through her mind. The last thing she remembered was agreeing to have a glass of wine with George.

  A memory of him slapping her and ripping her dress sent a shock of horror through her.

  She jumped out of bed and stumbled to her vanity mirror.

  Her hand ran down the side of her face where the telltale signs of a bruise was forming. She pulled her pajama top down and saw another bruise at the base of her neck. Her hands shook and her legs could barely hold her weight.

  It hadn’t been a dream.

  She forced herself back into bed and pulled the covers up. Questions flooded her brain. Why couldn’t she remember? How did she get home? Who undressed her? Horror and dread filled Tamsin. She’d heard about women waking up and not remembering what had happened, but they’d been drugged.

  “No,” she whispered. “George wouldn’t do that.”

  “He did.”

  The sound of Darrogh’s voice sent her head flying up. He was sitting in the shadows in the corner of her bedroom. One leg was crossed over the other knee and he looked as if he’d slept in his clothes. His dark eyes were unwavering and a shiver of awareness raced up her spine.

  “Why are you here?”

  “Someone had to watch you. We could not risk something happening to you in your sleep.” Darrogh’s voice was matter of fact. “Do you remember last night?”

  “Vague images and feelings.” Tamsin swallowed past the lump in her throat. She dreaded the answer, but she had to ask. “Did he rape me?”

  “No.”

  Relief flooded through her. An image of her head being pressed into the cushion and being unable to move gnawed at the back of her mind. She looked up at Darrogh. His gaze was intense and filled with concern. Another memory came rushing back. He’d looked at her like that last night after the drug had already taken effect and she was immobilized.

  Darrogh had witnessed everything.

  Humiliation filled her.

  Her cheeks heated with embarrassment and for once, she was at a loss as to what to do. How could she ever look him in the face again? He’d seen what George had done to her. She dropped her face into her hands and groaned.

  “It was not your fault.”

  Tamsin wanted to crawl away and hide. “I went with him.”

  “He was not a man to be trusted.” Darrogh put both legs on the floor. “You could not have known that.”

  Tamsin shook her head. “I hadn’t seen George in a few years. I was crazy to accept a ride from him.”

  “We would have taken you home.”

  “That was the whole point.” Tamsin leaned back in her pillows. “I just wanted to go home alone. George said he’d drive me, but once I was in his car, he insisted I visit his flat.”

  “He had taken many women there.” Darrogh’s voice was matter of fact. “He will not be doing that again.”

  Flashes of movement and the sound of an explosion came rushing at her. Her heart hammered in her chest as she remembered the blast of a gun. Surely they hadn’t killed George? The police would be all over her apartment any moment now.

  “There is no need to be concerned.”

  “Is he alive?”

  “No.” Darrogh’s face was impassive. He could have been announcing that dinner was being served.

  “You can’t murder someone in cold blood.” Tamsin’s voice trembled. “You’ll be arrested and sent to jail.”

  “It was necessary. He pulled a pistol on me.”

  “It was self-defence.” Tamsin nodded as legal strategies raced through her mind. “That means you’ll probably go free.”

  “I would have executed him anyway. He could not live after what he did to you.”

  “It’s wrong to take another’s life.” Tamsin’s head was whirling with the calm manner in which Darrogh was talking about killing George.

  “A Hunter lives by the Sacred Code, and metes out justice when necessary.” Darrogh stood. “Your laws cannot hold me.”

  “The police would have arrested him.”

  “They will not be involved. We have taken care of everything.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “We made certain that no one could connect you to Saxby.” Darrogh flexed his shoulders.

  Tamsin was transfixed by the sight.

  She had never seen him in anything but a loose jacket before. Now, he was in a tight T-shirt and it emphasized his impressive physique. He looked as if he spent every waking moment in a gym. She didn’t know how she’d missed that about him before. She’d been so intent on hating the men that her father had hired to spy on her, that she’d hardly noticed them.

  “We do not spy.”

  Tamsin’s breath caught in her throat. That was the second time he’d anticipated what she was thinking. “How did you guess my thoughts?”

  Darrogh shrugged. “You face is easy to read. I am a trained warrior and even though I have spent little time around women, I do understand facial expressions.”

  “So what am I thinking now?” Tamsin crossed her arms over her chest.

  Darrogh gave her a lopsided grin. “You would like some privacy. I will get your morning tea. After that, we will talk.”

  He left the room with a quiet click of the door.

  She had to stop thinking about Darrogh. He was her bodyguard, nothing more.

  Tamsin released the breath she’d been holding and pushed back her covers. Maybe she was too transparent. What she needed now was a shower, long, and hot enough to wash away George’s brutal attack from last night. Nothing would truly take that away, but a shower would go a long way toward making her feel better.

  When she was finished, she dressed in an old pair of ripped jeans and a loose blue blouse. She was bare of makeup and glamor this morning, and it felt good. She’d been on edge since her father had installed his henchmen in her house. She didn’t care what they thought of her appearance anymore. They’d probably seen her at her worse last night. She deserved to be comfortable in her own home.

  Breakfast was waiting for her in the kitchen. Tea, eggs, and toast were sitting on her glass dining table. Darrogh was also there, elbows on the tabletop and a cup of coffee in his hands. He looked comfortable. None of the other men were in sight. This was the first time since he’d been hired to guard her that they were alone together. He’d said they needed to talk and she had to agree with him. He deserved an explanation after last night, and she had some questions she wanted answered.

  “I see you’ve been paying attention to my morning ritual.” She pulled out her chair and sat.

  “It is our role to attend to your needs.” Darrogh watched her as she sipped her tea.

  “My father only paid for you to guard me, not to be a servant.”

  “It is true that a Hunter usually protects and fights.” Darrogh’s tone was
serious. “All men are meant to serve women, though.”

  Tamsin choked on her tea. She coughed for several seconds before she could catch her breath. Darrogh looked as if he was going to pound her back, so she raised her hand to stop him. When her breathing returned to normal she sat back and looked at him.

  “You have to be kidding me.”

  Darrogh frowned. “Why would I do that?”

  “All week you’ve referred to yourself as a Hunter.” Tamsin shook her head. “What is a Hunter and why do men serve women?”

  “A Hunter is an elite soldier that has been genetically modified to be the best warrior in the universe. We are a brotherhood and there is no force that can defeat us. We help those who ask for us.”

  Tamsin tilted her head. “You’re mercenaries.”

  “We right wrongs.”

  “You’re vigilantes then.”

  Tamsin rubbed her head. She was still a bit groggy after last night and Darrogh’s explanation about who he was didn’t help. It sounded as if science was involved, and that had never been her strong point. It only confused her. She’d let the comment about serving women pass for now.

  “Are you certain my father didn’t tell you why I was in danger?”

  “I do not lie.” Darrogh straightened his shoulders. “He did not elaborate.”

  Tamsin frowned. “My father has been trying to get me back under his control since I called off my wedding last year.”

  “I know nothing about a wedding.” Darrogh took another sip of his coffee. “He requested our help. He is paying us for our security services, not to spy on you.”

  “Let me get this straight.” Tamsin tapped the table with a finger. “You protect people without knowing where the threat is from?”

  Darrogh nodded. “I was given a team and instructed to guard you.”

  “Who sent you here?”

  “Ardal, the leader of our unit.”

  “And he didn’t bother to find out the details?” Tamsin shook her head. “I don’t believe you.”

  “I follow orders.” Darrogh’s voice was harsh. “Your father requested our help.

  “I still am not convinced it’s necessary for your team to be here.”

  Darrogh’s eyes narrowed. “You needed help last night.”

  “And I am grateful that you came to my rescue.” Tamsin’s voice shook. “I just don’t understand how you found me so quickly.”

  “A warrior needs the skills to hunt people. Your planet may have different technology, but some things are the same.”

  Tamsin raised her hand to stop him from speaking. He’d said planet, but he must have meant country. She knew that her father had hired these men from North America. Their accents were definitely not British. Still, he kept referring to himself as a warrior and that was a term that had gone out of favor in the middle ages. Her head hurt too much to try and figure out his meaning.

  “You tracked me.” Tamsin took a bite of toast. “I get that. What I want to know is how you can be so certain the police won’t find me. We all leave evidence on a camera somewhere.”

  “We erased it.”

  “Are you certain you got everything?”

  “We wiped the feed from Beauvie’s, the streets you passed through, Saxby’s apartment, and we took the memory card from his video camera.”

  “That’s pretty thorough.” Tamsin didn’t hide her approval.

  “None of that would have been necessary if you’d allowed us to stay with you last night.” There was no anger or recrimination in Darrogh’s voice. “We almost did not find you in time.”

  “And you think I’m ungrateful.” Tamsin grimaced. She was grilling him about his methods and instead she should be thanking him. “Believe me, when I realized that George had drugged my wine, I wished I hadn’t given you guys the slip.”

  “What did you slip?” Darrogh frowned.

  “It’s a saying. I should never have left the club without you.”

  Darrogh nodded. “We are in agreement.”

  Tamsin smiled and took another bite of toast. In the end it didn’t really matter why her father had felt the need to hire these men. They’d saved her life and she was thankful for that. They’d also kept her name out of the whole incident and that was a miracle. The last thing she needed was more negative press. The fallout from her cancelled wedding had been bad enough. To be caught in a murder investigation would have been a nightmare.

  Tamsin finished her breakfast and pushed her plate away.

  “Where are the rest of your men?”

  “They are waiting for us to finish our discussion.” Darrogh leaned back in his chair.

  “There’s more?”

  “It is necessary to know if you are unhappy with my command.”

  That was the last question Tamsin had expected. “How can you think that?”

  “There is no other reason for your refusal to accept our protection and because of that, I failed to keep you safe.”

  Tamsin shook her head. “You don’t understand.”

  “Explain.”

  She clasped her hands and took a deep breath. “You make me nervous.”

  “So it is my command you do not trust.” Darrogh’s eyes narrowed. “I will request another team leader for you.”

  “No.” Tamsin reached out and touched his arm. A jolt of sensation raced up her fingers and when she looked up at Darrogh, his expression was grim. “You felt that too.”

  He nodded. “It is best that I leave you.”

  “I don’t want anyone else.” Tamsin’s voice was low.

  “I cannot provide protection if you continue to fight me.”

  “If I understood the reason for you being here, it might be easier.” Tamsin stood and picked up her plate. “You can’t ask me to blindly believe that I’m in danger.”

  “There was no doubt of it last night.”

  Tamsin put her plate in the sink and looked back at Darrogh. “I wouldn’t have been in that situation if I’d been on my own. I don’t enjoy going to clubs like Beauvie’s.”

  “Why go?” Darrogh stood.

  “To bug you guys enough so that you’d leave me alone.” Tamsin’s voice rose in exasperation. “I didn’t want bodyguards.”

  “Then we will leave. No other team will replace us.” Darrogh walked to the counter with his empty mug.

  “As easy as that?”

  “Yes.” Darrogh put his cup in the sink. “There are many who desire our help. We do not need to stay where we are not wanted.”

  Pain shot through Tamsin at the thought of being left alone. It was ridiculous because Darrogh was offering to give her what she’d been asking for all week. Now that she had it, her victory felt hollow. She couldn’t explain why, but the thought of being parted from Darrogh was unbearable.

  “Great.” Her voice was low. “When will you go?”

  “Immediately.” Darrogh hesitated a second. “It is best this way. It has been difficult this past week.”

  Tamsin rolled her eyes. At least she wasn’t the only one who’d found it challenging. “Next time you guard a woman, you should make certain she wants you in her house.”

  “I will suggest it.”

  Darrogh looked down at her with an intent gaze. Her breath caught in her throat and for a second, she thought he was going to kiss her. Instead, he backed away.

  “I will tell the men that we are to leave.”

  “Can you thank them for me?” Tamsin squeezed her hands together. “You all saved my life last night. George intended to kill me.”

  “It is even better that he is dead.” Darrogh nodded and turned.

  At that moment, Firbin entered the kitchen. “Tamsin’s father is insisting that we bring her to his house. He has received another threat.”

  “Does my father know about last night?”

  Firbin shook his head. “He came to your house and wanted to see you. I told him you were asleep.”

  Tamsin frowned. “Do you think he heard about Saxby and tha
t is the threat he is referring to?”

  “I do not know.” Darrogh’s tone was neutral.

  Tamsin bit her lip. Suddenly the thought of facing her father alone was more than she could handle. If there was a threat against her, then it would be best if she waited before sending the men away. What harm would a couple more hours of protection do?

  “Could you stay with me until I find out what my father is concerned about?”

  “As you wish.” Darrogh took her elbow and led her out of the kitchen. “We will take you to Sir Robert’s house.”

  “Do you believe him?” Tamsin grabbed her jacket and purse from the closet.

  “Things may be different now.” Darrogh looked down at her. “You will have to ask your father to be honest with you. That is the only way you can make a decision about whether we need to continue protecting you.”

  Darrogh shut the door of the house behind her. The rest of the unit were waiting for them. The van and Tamsin’s vehicle were parked at the curb. She felt a moment of embarrassment until Savis nodded at her. She smiled and the men gathered so that she was the center of their protective shield. During the past week, it had felt ridiculous to go out on the street like this, but not today.

  She felt safe.

  Darrogh was by her side and that gave her courage. She needed to know why her father was worried and she was determined to get answers.

  Chapter 7

  Darrogh’s eyes narrowed as he entered the study with Tamsin.

  Savis and Kerm, were behind them. Breanon had set up surveillance on the grounds and Firbin and Jehon were with the vehicles. Darrogh had ordered full protection protocol after last night and everyone was on alert. He was not going to allow anything to happen to Tamsin again.

  There was an understated elegance about Sir Robert Creighton’s house. Painted in warm earth tones and filled with plush carpets, antiques, and leather furniture, it was a stark contrast to the metal and glass fixtures of Tamsin’s modern townhouse.

  He guided Tamsin to a leather couch and waited until she was comfortable before turning his attention to her father. Sir Robert was seated behind a large mahogany desk. At sixty-three, he was still in control of the family bank that he’d inherited in his twenties. Creighton’s was one of the oldest and most respected private banks in England. It did business with the very rich and powerful. Sir Robert Creighton understood what it took to command. He was a man used to being obeyed.