Her Master Defender (The Masters Men Series)

by Kerns, Sandra S.

  Copper couldn’t stop her recoil response when his hand reached for her hair. The thought of him touching her made her want to vomit.

  “Pat her down,” he said to the goons holding her.

  “Oh yeah, I always carry guns into my shop,” she said as one released her arm to do as he was told. She pulled back her jacket exposing her low cut tank. “Do you really think I could hide anything wearing this?”

  Copper thought their eyes would fall out. She glanced at Dos. His eyes were narrowed and angry if she didn’t miss her guess.

  “Fine, keep her coat and bring her. She can watch the show,” Cardone said leading the way to the back room. She watched as he returned to his position behind the changing screen.

  “What show? What’s going on?” she asked as one of the men pulled her along. When she was through the doorway she looked at the chair. “Tres? What have you done to him? Someone tell me what’s going on?”

  “Shut-up, princess, before I shut you up,” Garrett said. He slammed Dos into the massage table then forced him to lay on it by pushing on his throat. The other man that had been holding her went over, pulled Dos’ form fully onto the table and started tying him down.

  Copper met Dos’ gaze as he struggled against the choke-hold Garrett had on him. Letting fear show wasn’t an option. She had to keep her wits. That reminder had her looking closer at him. His gaze moved to the right just a bit. She cut a glance that way and saw his cane leaning against a shelf. Meeting his gaze again she tipped her head a bit.

  “What are you doing to him? He’s sick leave him alone.” She strained against the man still holding her. “I swear if you hurt him all four of you will pay with your life.”

  “Finish tying him down,” Cardone said. “And shut her up!”

  Before the man holding her could do anything Copper stomped her foot on his instep and elbowed him in the side. She dove for the cane as glass exploded into the room. Gina had taken out the other man tying Dos down before he finished. Dos held Garrett’s gun hand with his one free hand. Hearing a growl Copper looked to her right. Cardone jumped from his hiding place behind the divider and charged toward Dos.

  Cardone lifted his arm as if to plunge the syringe he held in Dos anywhere he could reach. Copper threw the cane at him at the same time she heard another shot.

  The guy she’d elbowed grabbed her pulling her around so she didn’t see what happened to Cardone. With her free arm she pulled her gun from her boot and slammed it into the side of the guys face. He hit the floor hard and didn’t move.

  “Ace, Gina, get in here!” she yelled, as Ace crashed through a window and Gina slammed through the door.

  Looking back toward the massage table she didn’t see Cardone. In her peripheral vision she saw Tres raise the chair he’d been tied to ready to swing it. Leaving Tres to it she crossed the room to help Dos who still struggled with Garrett. Pinching a spot on Garrett’s shoulder he released his hold on Dos. Copper pressed her gun to Garrett’s temple.

  Ace helped Tres; Gina cuffed the guy Copper had knocked out. Copper held Garrett, and watched Dos work to free his other hand. His movements were stiff, his face a ferocious red.

  The second the rope fell from his wrist he slammed his fist into Garrett’s face. The force of the punch drove Garrett out of Copper’s hold and he fell to the floor, out cold.

  “Ace, tie him up,” Copper yelled. Dos’ hand clamped hold on her arm and she met his gaze. It was frantic, bright, and losing focus. “Oh, God!”

  “Sorry,” he gurgled as the spasms took control.

  Copper looked down and saw the hypodermic needle Cardone had been wielding jabbed into Dos’ abdomen. “Doc, get over here quick. Bring more antidote!”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Dos parked his truck behind the security office and climbed out. He’d gotten back in town last night, but hadn’t gone up to his cabin. Instead, he had spent the night at his parents’ house. He grinned remembering how his mother had babied him royally. For the first time in his life, he’d enjoyed it. It felt good to be home and surrounded by his family.

  When everyone had finally left, he and his mother had spent a couple hours alone. His confessions and guilt poured out of him. Her love and forgiveness replaced it. Shaking his head now he wondered why he’d ever carried it all alone for so long.

  Entering the office he walked directly to the front window and looked across the street at Copper’s shop. Perfect, her SUV was parked next to it. She was in.

  It had been three weeks since he’d seen or spoken to her. The Colonel and his brothers fed him information, so he knew she was okay. It just hadn’t seemed fair to build her hopes up if the second antidote hadn’t worked.

  Between overseeing the operation to bring in the rest of Cardone’s men and the never ending tests Dr. Martin kept running, he hadn’t had a lot of free time anyway. And most of it had been spent soul searching. Accepting that he still had a soul to search had been overwhelming. He’d talked with one of the shrinks on base, a guy he’d known in boot camp, and let go of a lot of his guilt. The talk with his mother last night had washed away the last of the black sludge that had marred his ability to see the positive.

  Now he was ready. Ready to take that step. Ask that question. Make that commitment.

  And scared shitless.

  After plowing his hand through his hair, he replaced his cowboy hat, thumped his cane and left the building. The two-lane road had never seemed so wide before. By the time he reached the door to Copper’s shop he was sweating. At least this time it was nerves, and not some damned virus.

  Smiling, he opened the door and heard a bell ring over his head.

  “I’ll be right out,” Copper’s voice called from the back room.

  “Take your time. I’m not in a hurry,” Dos said, even though he was dying to see her.

  The last word had barely left his mouth when she appeared in the doorway. “Dos?”

  “Yep.”

  “What? Why? When? Dad didn’t tell me--"

  “I asked him not to.”

  “Why? I could have picked you up at the airport,” she said, then quickly stopped and dropped her gaze. “Oh.”

  “Oh?” He’d never heard such a short comment from her before.

  “It took a minute to register, but I’ve got it. You didn’t want me to know because you don’t want--"

  “I want,” he said into the silence, then held his breath waiting for her reaction.

  It took a moment, but she raised her gaze to his again. Cocking that copper colored head she considered him. He hadn’t felt more undeserving since his first sergeant at boot camp had ripped into him for his too long hair. Her opinion mattered a whole helluva lot more than some drill sergeant.

  “What exactly do you want, Major?” she asked, leaning with her elbows resting on the counter behind her.

  He wanted to rip off her clothes and make love to her on that counter. That probably wasn’t exactly the answer she was looking for, though with his Copper you could never be certain.

  “I want to take you to see The Nutcracker,” he said, pulling two tickets from his pocket. Her reaction was less than enthusiastic, though her eyes were riveted on the tickets. “I figured you liked it since you have the song as your ringtone. The last show is Saturday night.”

  After a long silence she shook her head. “Sorry, I’m busy Saturday night.”

  A sucker punch from one of his brothers couldn’t have knocked the wind out of his sails faster than her words did. Swallowing hard against the jealous knot in his throat he held her gaze. “Busy?”

  “Yep.”

  “Doing what? With whom?” Shit, he sounded like a jealous lover. This was not going the way he had planned. He held up a hand to stop her from answering. “Never mind, I should have asked before I got the tickets.”

  She nodded and Dos felt hope slip away. Then she pushed off from the counter she leaned on. He met her gaze and her eyes were bright. And angry.

  “Yo
u also should have called, emailed, written a letter, hell, you could’ve sent a damned telegram. Something, anything to let me know you were okay. But nooooo, you had to play tough guy. Lone Ranger. A damned island unto himself. I hope you’re happy.” She stood only a step away from him when she finished. Her chest heaving. Her hands fisted at her sides.

  “I’m not,” he said, hoping that by admitting it she would understand.

  “Good,” she said, then quickly turned and walked back to the counter.

  So much for understanding, he thought. Then again, why should she? He hadn’t been considerate of her feelings, why should he expect more than he gave.

  “I have work to do. So, if you don’t mind?” she said, not looking at him. She started flipping pages in what looked like an appointment book from where he stood.

  Starting to turn, Dos stopped. She had said she loved him. Had it just been words? Or had he killed it with his silence? He glanced over his shoulder. She still stood at the counter flipping pages with a vengeance. Maybe it wasn’t dead so much as barricaded. Barricades could be broken down. He turned back around.

  “Is there something else?” she asked, her eyes huge as they stared at him.

  If he didn’t miss his bet, she was fighting off tears. Hating that he was the cause, he took heart because it meant she still felt something for him.

  “I want you to answer a question,” he said.

  She rolled her eyes and turned away. “I’m not pregnant, Dos. I told you not to worry about it.”

  “Good to know, but that’s not the question.” Crossing the room and rounding the counter in seconds, his hand grasped her upper arm stopping her exit. She didn’t turn or fight, just stood stock still in his hold.

  Wrapping his other arm around her waist he pulled her to him. He wanted to feel her entire length against him. This was what coming home felt like. He couldn’t give up now.

  “I can’t do this again, Dos. I’ve learned something about myself.”

  “What’s that?” he asked next to her ear.

  “I do want what my mom had. I want a man who loves me so much it drives him as crazy as it does me when we’re apart.”

  “I think I’m certifiable, does that count?” He felt her posture ease a little with his ridiculous question. God, it felt so good. This was definitely what he wanted. Her in his arms.

  “Was that the question you wanted me to answer?”

  “Hmmm?” he asked. Inhaling her comingled oils scent, he lost track of the conversation. “I mean, no. That wasn’t the question.”

  “What is it then? I really can’t take much more of this.”

  Turning her around so he could see her face, he brushed her hair behind her ear. “Will you marry me?”

  “What?”

  He smiled at her saucer-sized green eyes and shocked expression. “Did I say it wrong?”

  “No, I just, I, well, I can’t believe you said it at all.”

  “You were right. I’m not twelve anymore. Isolating myself doesn’t make life better for anyone. I want better. I want to know love and give love. I want you.”

  She eased a step back, but didn’t totally break his hold. “I want you, too, but I can’t do this again. I told you how much I hated not knowing things when we first met. I need someone who’s willing to share the good and the bad, and I don’t mean deal with it, I mean share it.”

  Hope flared in his heart. “I might need some practice, it’s been a long time, but I want that, too. I promise to try my best to never leave you guessing again.” It took every ounce of will power he had not to push her for a response. The seconds ticked by and she continued to stand there and consider him. When she glanced down and scuffed her toe on the floor, he feared she didn’t believe him.

  Copper couldn’t hold back any longer. She threw her arms around his neck, knocked off his hat and kissed him. His arms wrapping around her like a boa constrictor lifted her off the floor. She wrapped her legs around his hips and heat flooded her body.

  “Is that a yes,” he asked, pulling his lips from hers.

  “Yes,” she said, then brought his mouth back to hers. He was back. He loved her. She kissed him until she forgot how to breathe and had to pull back.

  Staring at him Copper saw some changes since he’d left. The last dose of virus had been unbelievably strong. He had almost started aging before their eyes that awful night.

  “I love you,” he said.

  Tears filled her eyes. Such a terribly un-Copper like thing to do, but there it was. That darned L word. “I love you, too,” she whispered barely able to speak. Hugging him until she had her emotions back under control, she let her legs fall down and he eased her to the floor.

  With her hands resting on his chest, she looked up into his dark chocolate eyes. Dark chocolate’s healthy, she thought. Well, he’s definitely good for my health. Smiling she played with the buttons on his shirt.

  “Now I’ve got a question.”

  “Shoot.”

  “The answer doesn’t matter, it would just be nice to know,” she said, his worried look had her cupping his cheek to calm him. “I love you, so stop worrying.”

  “That’s going to take some practice,” he said, kissing her palm. “What’s the question?”

  “Knowing the Masters men as I do, I know you wouldn’t have proposed if you weren’t healthy.” He nodded. “Does that mean we can have kids?”

  He hugged her until her feet came off the ground again. “A whole house full if you want. As long as you love me, you can have whatever you want. Besides,” he said setting her down again. “I’d kind of like having a little Copper following me around.”

  Copper couldn’t hold back her smile. She’d always considered her life good, now she had everything. Wiggling her eyebrows she started unbuttoning his shirt. “Can we start now? ”

  Dos’ hand covered her busy fingers. “We should probably wait until after the party.”

  “Party?”

  “When I told my mother I was going to ask you, she called Maggie up at the diner and arranged an impromptu engagement party.”

  “Pretty sure of yourself, Mister.”

  “No,” he said pulling her close in a bear hug. Copper heard a wealth of doubt in his tone. “I wasn’t sure at all. Mom on the other hand . . .”

  “I love your family,” Copper said smiling up at him. Then she pulled out of his embrace totally. “Okay, party with family first. Party just us second, and then we get to tell Kismet. He’s going to go crazy!”

  The End

  ~~~

  Please enjoy an excerpt from the next book in the Masters Men series

  - Her Master Detective -

  Izzy smiled at her friends across the table at the Last Bite Diner. Newlyweds, how could you not smile? The two, so wrapped up in each other they barely knew the rest of the world still existed. If they weren’t careful the heat from their kiss would melt the remaining Thanksgiving snow outside the window.

  “Stop staring, Izzy. It’s rude,” Copper Masters said.

  “Sorry, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so much in love.”

  “Hmmm, you should try it.”

  Izzy shook her head. “No thanks. Love and I seem to have a problem getting along.”

  “Oh please, just because the last guy you dated was a total waste of time doesn’t mean every man is.”

  “He wasn’t a waste of time,” Izzy defended. At Copper’s doubting glance, she gave up. “Okay, he was, but he isn’t the problem. It’s me. I’m not good at relationships. I don’t even do friendships well.”

  “Sure you do. We’re great friends,” Copper said.

  “You’re gone most of the time, which makes it easy. I only see you every five or six months when you visit your in-laws.” Izzy laughed. She did really like Copper. She was light-hearted, trusting and carefree. Everything Izzy wasn’t.

  “We were friends before I married this lug and moved,” Copper reminded her as she hugged her husband's massiv
e arm.

  “Yes we were. And we both had our own businesses which kept us busy. You volunteered your time at so many different places I lost count. Add to that all the hikes you took your monster of a dog on, and an occasional lunch or coffee is all your friendship ever required of me. I can handle that much socializing.”

  “You make yourself sound like a recluse,” Copper said.

  Izzy leaned across the table and wiggled her finger at her friend inviting her to do the same. When Copper was close Izzy smiled. “That’s because I am.”

  If Copper knew the real reason Izzy didn’t date or socialize she wouldn’t keep trying to fix her up. But Izzy didn’t tell anyone about that. She tried very hard not to even think about it. She decided to change the subject.

  “Anyway, tutoring kids from middle school through college age I have more than enough testosterone to deal with. I don’t need to look for more on my own time. Have you got any idea how hard it is to get teenage boys to focus on more than the cami top the girl in front of them is wearing?” She shook her head in mock terror. Their food arrived and she hoped the topic of conversation would change with it.

  She glanced at the plate in front of Copper’s husband, Dos Masters. “I’m still amazed at how little food you eat.” The man was a giant, but usually ate less than Izzy.

  “Don’t worry, I eat plenty. I just don’t eat it all at once,” he said. She saw him glance up as a shadow passed the window. Then he nodded his chin toward the door. “Now that guy, he can put it away.”

  Izzy turned and looked where Dos pointed. She almost choked on the bite she was swallowing. A carbon copy of Dos was walking through the door of the diner. She closed her eyes thinking she had to be imagining it. When she opened them again, Dos had left the table and walked to the counter. The man he’d pointed out was smiling and pulling him into a hug. She turned back around and stared at Copper.

  “You’ve got to be kidding. There are two of them?” Her friend smiled widely.

  “Actually, there are three,” Copper said smiling.