by Angela White
Lip bleeding, her face was deadly calm and he brought the Bronco to a gentle stop.
The two Blazers pulled alongside, only Marc understanding what was happening, and he didn’t interfere, hoping Angela would solve the problem on her own.
A thick drop of crimson dripped from Angela’s lip, and her knuckles were white from her grip on the gun as she struggled with herself not to pull the trigger. I hate him so much!
“Next time, you’d better be sure I’m dead. If not, I will kill you!” she spat.
Although Kenn recognized the tone, knew he was as close to death here and now as he had ever been on the battlefield, he couldn’t back down.
“They used to stone whores!” he swore.
Angela drew in a shallow breath, sensing he was thinking of pushing her over the edge despite the gun in her hand. He was more than mad–he was crazy.
“I’ve been loyal to you, even when I didn’t want to be. You can’t say the same. I want my freedom, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get it. Whatever you make me do.”
She slowly lowered the gun, but it only went to her lap and Kenn noticed she didn’t take her finger off the trigger. What all had Brady taught her? Thinking furiously, Kenn took his smokes from his pocket and lit one.
When he offered it to her, Angela didn’t hesitate to take it, sensing it was his peace offering.
After a moment, Kenn eased on the gas, thinking about what she’d said. He believed they weren’t sleeping together. She was too pissed to lie, but there was definitely something going on. The kiss proved that, even if he forgot about all the other signs, the sparks he’d witnessed, and her words: “I’ve always been Marc’s!” What did that say?
Kenn glanced over and discovered her staring in her mirror at the Blazer rolling behind and a little to the right–in the bodyguard’s place. … Were they talking?
The rage flared back to life, and Kenn hit the gas, swerving so they couldn’t make eye contact. “You better remember who I am. He’s tough, and while he’s definitely unexpected, he’s not invincible, and neither are you! I’m important to these people. Maybe he’ll have an accident.”
Angela’s anger was replaced by a thick flood of sadness. “Just let me go, Kenny. You don’t love me. You don’t even like me. It will only cause all of us pain, including you.”
“We have a deal,” Kenn denied. “You owe me six more years, and if I catch you with him or anyone else, I’ll take Charlie out on a supply run, and we won’t come back. Ever!”
4
Obsessed, malevolent brothers watched the small convoy drive off with Rick. The twins were a mere mile away, and while they were glad the traitor had been taken in, the strength of the men he’d joined was a worry. The second Marine was as much of a problem as the first. Clearly, both males wanted the woman, which would make it harder for Dillan’s plan to work.
“They’ll fight to keep her,” Dean observed as they dropped down from the tall walnut tree, and trudged to their hidden jeep.
“Yeah,” Dillan said, taking his place behind the wheel. He picked up the mike. “Package has made contact. Tracking. Report later.”
There was no answer, and the evil twin hung it up, not caring if Cesar got their messages or not. They had a good plan. Fear was a powerful weapon, but the way her men were so willing to fight for her made the eldest twin nervous. Maybe they should have a backup plan in case she got lucky again.
5
Kenn drove hard and fast, fuming in silence. By dusk, he was taking bigger and bigger risks, releasing his frustration on his Bronco. When his luck ran out, Angela wasn’t surprised.
The truck swerved harshly as one of the tires finally popped, but Kenn handled it expertly.
“Damn,” he swore, not sounding mad to her ears.
He wanted a delay, she realized.
Kenn brought them to a rough stop in the middle of the empty, two-lane road that was surrounded by dead and dying fields of wheat. “Ten minute break. Stay close.”
Angela waited for Brady to circle the vehicles and give her a motion before getting out.
Kenn felt an iron hand tighten in his gut. That’s how it was, then. She’d switched owners during his absence.
Kenn got on the tire, expecting them to be together the whole time, but after the bathroom break that they all needed, Angela took her doctor’s bag and went to check on the woman. Marc circled their stopped convoy, Dog at his side.
Kenn glanced up at Marc as he walked by, but the man’s gaze was on the dark South Dakota borderlands they’d crossed into.
Kenn’s anger grew. That level of automatic responsibility was exactly what Adrian was always hoping for in new arrivals. Despite his bluffs, Kenn already knew Adrian would welcome them warmly and do what he could to get them to stay and help with the dream. It was an ugly thought for Kenn, envisioning a life in Safe Haven while Angela and Marc were not only a legal couple, but also both in the chain of command. The only thing worse would be if Adrian gave his place to one of them.
“Will he really want us?”
Kenn swung around in surprise.
“I think you’ve told some big lies and don’t want them to find out what kind of person you are,” Angela stated. “Does that sound like the truth, or have you forgotten what that is?” She studied his red face and sullen eyes. “Wanna make a new deal?”
“No!” Kenn scratched the idea off his list of things to try. He stood up and roughly kicked the hubcap back on.
“Get in, we’re leaving,” he ordered, hating this new Angela. Where was the timid mouse he had curled into the corner with his fists, and how long would it take to get her back?
“You can’t. Ever. I’ll die first!” she stated flatly, hand on her gun as she stepped around him to the open passenger door.
Marc came by on a round; holding out a pack of smokes, and the nod of encouragement from him gave her a warm rush of confidence and a frenzy of longing. She was already wishing their time alone hadn’t been wasted. She’d denied Marc for nothing, and there was night in her heart.
6
As dawn neared, Angela was wide-awake, still bitter as she stared at Marc in the mirror. She couldn’t wait to hug her son, was unbelievably grateful that she had made it so far, but she was tense and scared again–the way she had spent so many years. It was depressing that the best she could hope for was Kenny letting his guard down enough for her to grab her boy and run. He hadn’t changed. He thought he still had her trapped, but this time she had Marc in her corner. Would it be enough?
Kenn scowled when she lit yet another cigarette without asking for permission, but he only lowered both front windows a bit to clear the smoke. He noted her eyes on her mirror again and he swerved the truck violently, throwing her a warning glare that had the old Angela bracing to fight again.
“We’ll be there in about an hour, and we need to talk about what you’ll do and say,” he dictated.
His hard tone and body language sent flashes of blind obedience through her mind.
“No, Kenn, we don’t,” Angela responded flatly. “You want to tell me the rules and the way things work? Fine, but save all that other shit. You don’t own me anymore. That life ended with the war I survived alone!”
Kenn was speechless as he fought the guilt her words caused.
“I won’t embarrass you. I won’t go to him, and I won’t run my mouth. In return, you remember that I’m a person, not your property. You don’t own me,” she repeated, stubbing out her butt. “You never have.”
Kenn burned at her words, her tone, even hating her using the short version of his name. It made her sound less needy, less weak, and he knew who was responsible.
“This is all his doing, isn’t it?” he accused angrily.
Her response was quick. “Because of Marc, I’m here and alive, two things you didn’t want to happen!”
Kenn said nothing and enjoyed her pain.
“Can’t you be even a little glad to see me?”
“Woul
da been easier if you hadn’t brought your lover along,” he sneered.
“You left me there to die, Kenn. Don’t think that I don’t know that. I did what I had to, and I went through hell to get here.”
Kenn gave her a disbelieving once over. “You look fine.”
“I am…now,” she taunted, clearly implying that Marc was the reason for it.
Kenn let out a frustrated hiss. “Send him on his way!”
Angela shrugged indifferently, but her hand remained by her hip. “I don’t think I can. We’ve become close.”
Kenn stomped on the gas, throwing her back in the seat. “I’ll kill you both!”
Angela was suddenly overwhelmed with what had been caged before–anger.
“I owe you a lot, Marine, and if you miss, if you underestimate me, it’ll be your body they bury.”
Kenn barely controlled himself, almost sure she was trying to get hit this time, so she could shoot him. And, while he was fast, Kenn wasn’t sure he could grab her arm in time if Brady had taught her to fire from that hip holster. The way she was keeping her fingers on the butt hinted that the wife-stealer had.
Damn! He had to get her under control. Kenn foresaw embarrassing explanations, denials, and a trial. There was no way assaulting a woman would be overlooked.
“My…problems are not going to be made public,” Angela stated.
Kenn scowled, realizing she was trying to stay a step ahead by reading his thoughts. He would stop that later, when he had the concentration to bring up the old wall that had kept her in the dark. Right now, he had to find a way to save his place.
“The people here will make it their business to find out. There are few secrets in Safe Haven. Adrian arranged it that way to keep the bad people out.”
“One sure slipped through,” Angela tossed harshly at him, storing his lie to examine later.
Kenn flushed with shame instead of the angry denial she expected.
“A truce? A week or two and see how things go before you spread lies and make me do something ugly?”
“A truce? Hmm… Okay,” Angela answered coldly, knowing she had won the first of many rounds. “You have seven days to convince me that I should forgive you or forget you. After that, I’m free to do what I want.”
His hand flinched toward her again, and Angela held herself still as he grabbed the mike off the dash holder instead.
“Don’t push me!” Kenn warned. “I’ve done a lot of changing, but you owe me six more years. If I’m banished, I’ll sneak back in to slit your throat! You’re free when I say, and not a second sooner!”
Kenn keyed the mike, “This is Eagle Two, calling Safe Haven. You out there, Mitch?”
“You got me, Big Daddy.”
Kenn grimaced, clearly annoyed when he responded to the slurred voice, “I’m half an hour out. Four new arrivals, two of each, adult. One needs medical care. Have the QZ set up and tell the boss he’ll want to talk to a couple of these people.”
“Roger, Eagle Two. Did you find anyone?”
There was a pause, then Kenn’s bitter response, “Yeah, my wife.”
Kenn hung up the mike, wondering if Angela knew from the call that he had climbed to second in command. She wasn’t that smart, was she?
“These are my men, witch, and they’ll hate him because I do. I can make it ugly.”
Determination to make him understand that his timid Angela was gone forever filled her in a roar that would eventually have to be heard.
“A truce, Kenn. Seven days, and then we’ll talk. I’ll walk the line, and so will Marc. If you lose it all, it’ll be your doing, not ours.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Secrets Revealed
April 1st, 2013
Black Hills of South Dakota
1
“You are entering an American Military refugee camp. Identify yourself immediately!”
Angela jumped, but Kenn’s beefy hand had been hovering over the radio before the call came, and he keyed the handset without picking it up. “From sea to shining sea.”
A different voice answered, sounding much younger than the one Kenn had talked to earlier.
“Welcome home, Eagle Two. The QZ is in the corner. He’ll meet you there.”
“Copy.”
As they crested the muddy hill, Angela gaped in surprise. It was a city!
The valley below was covered in fog and huge trees, and between these towering giants lurked a camp of survivors. Dozens of people were in sight through the swirling mist, and Angela sucked in air to ease the panic that suddenly threatened to overwhelm her. So many! How would she hide what she was? How would she keep the witch in line?
It all flashed by too quickly for details as Kenn steered the Bronco to the rear of the camp, where a faint but clear trail was etched in the mud.
Angela concentrated, feeling them out. Would she be hurt here? What kind of place had they come to? Was her son happy? Healthy? A prisoner? Trying not to shake, she forced herself to breathe normally, determined to be the strong survivor she had discovered on the hazardous trip here.
They drove over muddy Indian grass, weaving in and out of tall pines as they drove to an area thick with spruce. Angela counted five small tents inside an area marked with bright caution tape. There was also a large white canvas shelter sporting a red cross and a name painted on it that she couldn’t read from where they were.
Dense thickets surrounded everything, and other than small whirls of smoke from fires and a rusty semi parked inside the yellow tape, patches of grass were all she could view through the fog. The trees around the taped-off area prevented her from getting even a glimpse of the refugees behind them, and she pushed her nerves away, telling herself her boy was alive. That was reason enough to give these people an honest chance.
Kenn pulled behind an area that had a sign labeled “QZ” and put his vehicle in park as Angela’s Blazer pulled in on the left and Marc’s slid in on their right.
Kenn was still searching for an explanation that the herd (Adrian) would accept for her lip. It was obviously fresh. If anyone found out he had hit a woman, he would lose his place.
He glanced at Angela with desperation flickering. “You’ll keep your mouth shut and behave?”
Angela thought his face was worse, but wasn’t sure if that meant Marc would win in a fight to the death. This one had been more like two big dogs sizing each other up.
“Yes. Leave me be for seven days, and then we’ll talk.”
Kenn grunted and got out, calling greetings to the armed, black-clad sentries standing alertly around the perimeter.
Angela could hear him struggling to invent excuses as she opened her door and stood on the Bronco’s wide foot rails. She studied the vague, shifting forms of the foggy refugee camp as the loud, heartbreakingly welcome sound of dogs yapping echoed.
Charlie! I’ve come! She sent, calling to him with her mother’s heart. I’m here!
She heard his answering cry of stunned happiness as shimmery forms of people advanced through the chest-high fog. The hair on her arms and neck tingled, and blood suddenly pounded through her ears as a door in her mind tried to swing open. There was someone here like her and Charlie?
Yes, definitely. He was coming this way.
Three tall men in jeans emerged from the dense fog, and Angela picked out Kenn’s idol easily. She wasn’t surprised to discover that the vibrant sense of strength and power was coming from the great looking blond man with crisscrossed belts and holsters on both hips, like Marc. That was where the similarities ended. This man had sexy, sun-streaked brows, a goatee, and spikes of yellow hair like rippling wheat. He was only average height and weight, but it was the way he carried himself that said he was different. His pace wasn’t a strut, but a confident step that said he could handle what came, that he knew what he was doing, and little would stand in his way.
The rattling door in Angela’s mind swung open as the witch took over, and she pulled hard with no time to resist as the
colors of his energy flooded her.
Stopping in surprise, Adrian stared at the pretty woman with long black curls and a fresh wound on her lower lip. Their eyes met across the distance, and the air became crisp, sharp, and then faded, taking the camp noises away and replacing them with the soft, lapping waves of a calm ocean.
A second later, the sounds snapped back into place, and it startled them both, making Angela jump.
Adrian faked a yawn and forced his feet to move. “We’re done for now.”
Instead of disappearing as they normally might have, Kyle and Seth stayed and waited. Something had given Adrian pause, and the off-duty Eagles would know what.
Who noticed? Adrian casually swept the area. The observant males at his side, for sure, and probably Neil as well, but no camp members were in sight.
One glance at Kenn’s (bruised?) thunderous face told Adrian that not only had he witnessed it, he was angry about it.
Understanding fell into place. This was Kenn’s wife, why he’d left. Surely, she hadn’t beaten Kenn? The guy with her, then. Must be a hard-ass to do that to Kenn.
Adrian glimpsed Neil moving subtly toward Kenn’s wife and her escort, and Adrian scanned the other new arrivals, content that side was now covered. Neil probably had the same questions as he did about the bruises.
Studying the other two arrivals, a deep feeling of unease sank into Adrian’s gut. There was a thin woman with dirty-blond hair slumped against the Blazer on the left, staring hard at the uniformed guards with fear instead of relief. Abused. He could help her.
The thin man with the black bandana around his neck made Adrian’s unease increase. He saw shifty green eyes and a slump to the shoulders that suggested a lifetime of being shit and no desire to change. That, he had only one solution for.
Adrian motioned Billy and Chris toward the couple and strode to Kenn. He scanned the woman with the split lip who was buttoning up her long sweater, more encouraged with her. She stood straight, showed no fear, and was obviously healthy. One of his herd or one of his shepherds? Was she one of those he still needed? Was that the connection he’d felt?