Dangerous Care (Dangerous Care Saga #1)

by M. M. Cameron

  “Ah Kathryn, I try and stay out of this stuff. No, really. Madoc is really private and I kinda got roped into this by you on our first meeting. I’m sorry we lied to you, but it’s the job.”

  Kathryn wasn’t satisfied. “Tuck, this isn’t my first rodeo working with elite athletes or clients who require discretion. Madoc is hot and cold. Playing games at almost every session—why?” Tuck looked at Kathryn and over at Madoc, who was still working at the quad machine. Tuck turned back to the TV but continued talking. “Madoc is complex Kathryn, he has been through a lot, seen a lot and come back from a lot. He wants to have what everybody else wants but doesn’t see it happening. Being the strong one is the role he is most comfortable with, and you are the first person I have ever seen to make him question that. Try not to fuck with his state of mind too much, eh? He’s a person too.” Tuck finished his water and looked at Kathryn before heading towards Madoc. Kathryn continued to stand in silence. She hadn’t expected him to say so much, and she certainly hadn’t expected to feel guilty.

  Madoc moved through the pain, pushing his weight up and down upon his uninjured leg. He was determined to make a good impression, and was committed to showing her that he could follow her treatment plan. She looked amazing today, with her black tight workout pants and tangerine top. Her hair was in a long fishtail braid down the back of her head. He kept imagining what it would be like to unravel it. What Tuck had said had planted a seed in his head. Could he have a lover, a friend… a girlfriend? Tuck was heading back towards him, followed by Kathryn. The way her hips swung back and forth made him surge with possessiveness. He would keep things professional between them on the surface, but deep down she had become the only wound he cared about.

  Kathryn cleaned up the equipment with Madoc and watched as Tuck made his departure without actually saying goodbye to either one of them. Madoc walked over with his crutches and stood hunched over, looking down into her eyes. “Kathryn, thank you for coming back. I’m assuming you saw the headline?”

  “Yes I did—I have to admit I was surprised you were telling the truth. It’s like something out of a movie. Can you tell me something?”

  Madoc’s face went neutral. “I will try my best”.

  Kathryn crossed her arms. “Okay. If these terrorists are in Canada, are we in danger? Is there any place I should warn my family to stay away from?”

  Madoc sighed. “Yes, that’s a good question. Your friends and family should stay away from any landmarks, events or major airports. They might be looking for some small town where they can overpower local law enforcement or a busy tourist site where they can do the most damage. We don’t know for sure.”

  Kathryn moved around him and went to pick up her duffle bag “So pretty much everywhere eh? Well thanks anyways, I’m sure there are things you’re not allowed to say but I appreciate you answering. We have two more sessions together. Next time we’ll solidify your exercise regime. The last session will be to complete your discharge papers and answer any last questions.” As she finished, she went to turn back to him but moved too quickly, not noticing the round weight to the right of her foot. As she tripped into the large equipment, his large hand gripped her around her waist and stopped her momentum at the last second. He pulled her quickly towards him, swinging them both in a circle. He had never touched her before and both of them were immediately aware of this. His power, strength and speed had left her feeling dazed—she knew he could lift big numbers but the way he had maneuvered her body so quickly was evidence of his high-level training. As she stood, she was pulled up close to his chest. He looked down at her fiercely and kept hold of her lower back. “Sorry Kathryn, I didn’t mean to manhandle you,” he said, taking a step back and but still holding. Kathryn reoriented her clothing and stepped back as well, trying to compose herself. She had a feeling that she was blushing, and it immediately felt hot in the room. “Don’t apologize, you just saved me from falling flat on my face. I appreciate your help. You’re fast,” she added without thinking.

  Madoc smiled in response. “So, when will I see you next and do you want Tuck here again?” Kathryn couldn’t bear to stand and look into his eyes any longer—the physical tension was causing her to ache. “Um, let’s walk and talk,” she said as she turned, breaking eye contact and heading towards the exit. “How about we do Friday at two? And unless you want him there, I don’t see any reason why Tuck should have to be here. You worked pretty hard today, so I would expect the same then.” There was a long pregnant pause as they both approached the door; both knew that by not having Tuck there they were heading back into dangerous territory. Madoc spoke first. “Okay Kat, I’ll see you then.” Kathryn pulled her keys into her hand and gave an awkward wave to Madoc before turning quickly and practically running out of the door. She tried to walk calmly to her car, but she had a feeling she was failing miserably. Madoc watched her from the door. She knew she had given him an olive branch by not insisting on Tuck’s presence at the next session, and he had accepted it. She hoped to God she wouldn’t regret it…

  Chapter 18

  The woman had been at the home multiple times, and her visits showed no signs of stopping. Several other marks had been by the house as well, but none as frequently, except maybe the team agent known as ‘Tuck.’ Basic intel told him that she was probably not important, was just a therapist, but something in the way she grinned as she walked back to her car told Mohamed that something more was going on. She may be important and she should be tracked. Mohamed pulled out his phone. A text to Khalifa started the process of bugging her apartment and car. This was moving along nicely, Mohamed thought to himself as he headed away from the large oak tree in the back and out towards the highway two miles north. Madoc, the team leader, seemed clueless regarding his surveillance. Mohamed had found several security booby traps on the property, but had disarmed them easily and moved with ease over the acres of land without suspicion. They couldn’t take down all of the team members who were advising the prime minister, but they could cut the head off the snake, which was just as good in their books. He had been proud of his plan to target Madoc, and now that things were falling into place, all he needed was the right time and place to finish the job he had started in Tunisia.

  Madoc closed the door and heard the bolts slide slowly across the door. He was pleased with himself and how things had turned out with Kathryn. He was mostly happy that she had agreed to return at all—he hadn’t expected them to get back on track. But something about her olive branch made him want to make this work. An alarm suddenly interrupted his reverie. A motion detector on his property. Madoc rushed down the hall, his crutches dragging behind him, to the camera room. Just in time, Madoc watched as a dark-haired man in camouflage, his face covered, exited the TV screen. That meant he was approximately one mile away right now and likely heading for the highway. Madoc sat down and swore. Could the man have been a hunter? No, something was off here. Why was someone on his property? And why hadn’t any of his other alarms or cameras picked up his movement? Madoc dialed his phone and called everyone to the house. He had been distracted enough by Kathryn and now his problems had come looking for him.

  ***

  The boardroom had heated up since everyone had arrived. Madoc had shown everyone the footage and Charlie and Adams had gone out to the property to check on the remaining security traps and cameras. Now that everyone had returned, Charlie stood to speak. “Well, it looks like all of your security cameras have been tampered with. Whoever did it missed the last camera and motion detector heading to the highway, likely due to a nest that had set up shop and obscured sightlines from the ground. Several subtle walking trails have been established, meaning they have been here awhile. Likely somewhere between one and two weeks, which coincides with your return from overseas. Given their level of success rerouting your security feeds, we are obviously talking about professionals with some tech knowledge—and I’m not sure if I’m the only one thinking this, but maybe the ‘Four Diamonds’ are back
to finish the job they started.” Charlie was about to continue talking when Madoc put his hand up.

  “Thank you Charlie. Yes, I had considered the Four Ds… but why waste their time and effort on me? Not only are we risky targets, but even if something did happen to one of us, the government would not be affected in any way.” Madoc looked towards the screen. “It just doesn’t make sense. Is it meant as a distraction so we focus on us while the three other members go after the PM or hit a citizen-heavy location?”

  Finally, Adams, who had been sitting back with his hands behind his head, leaned forward and stared directly at Madoc. “Imagine if a government official or prime minister who is out to wreak havoc on the well-entrenched black market arenas affecting trader and foreign policy had a team that assisted him with every sticky political, financial, cultural and economic issue he came across. And without that team, much of the ‘lubrication’ they provide isn’t available and it isn’t so easy for that world leader to make change. Why go after the snake’s tail when you can go after the head. There will always be another prime minister, but there will never be another KWAT leading the way, at least in my opinion.” Adams sat back smugly and crossed his large tattooed arms.

  Everyone was quiet until Madoc spoke. “That makes sense Adams. Amazing, that’s a first for you.”

  Adams grinned. “Thanks boss that means a lot.”

  Madoc looked around at the room. “Does that make sense to everyone? Do we all agree that the Four Diamonds may be targeting us, specifically me as a way of taking the political steam away from the prime minister?” Each member of the team nodded and waited for Madoc to finish. “Okay, consensus. Great. It would seem to me that we may have the advantage now if we’re correct; they don’t know that we’ve seen them or found the tampered equipment. Unless they have night vision cameras on us right now or have bugged the house, they do not know we’re meeting. Charlie, can you do another sweep of the house before you leave to ensure all systems are go inside? You guys all arrived in Tuck’s vehicle in the garage, so even if they’re watching the driveway, they have no idea all of you are here. So our job is to catch one on the property and/or track a vehicle back from the highway and identify their base location. Charlie, add additional angles and cameras to the highway tomorrow without drawing suspicion. My plan is to let them get settled on the property before releasing Max or one of you once their location is triangulated.”

  As the team took their individual orders and moved towards the garage to leave, Madoc realized that Kathryn had likely been seen over the past three weeks by the unknown man. A pit in his stomach formed as he imagined her being tailed by one of the Four Diamonds. Tuck came up and put a hand on his shoulder “I’m sure they don’t think anything of her, and if they’re smart they’ll know she is just an employee with limited access to you or us. I’ll tail her for the next couple of days in case anything suspicious is going on, okay?”

  Madoc turned to Tuck and spoke so nobody else could hear him. “Thanks man, I feel like a dud not being able to do it myself. You are a good friend and I’m sorry I’ve been so shitty for… my whole life.” Tuck looked shocked, and even Madoc was surprised at himself.

  Images of Kathryn being tortured plagued Madoc through the night. He needed to put distance between Kathryn and this whole four diamonds shitstorm. He knew he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if she got caught in the crosshairs. He was ready to admit that she meant something to him, but that also meant she was in serious danger. He would need to end their relationship no matter what after the eighth session; he would do it sooner, but he didn’t want to raise suspicions. Until this situation was put to bed and all four targets were caught, Kathryn needed to appear to be distant memory for him. It was the only way he could truly show her how much he cared for her, and she would just have to accept that. It wouldn’t be easy, but nothing in his life ever had been.

  Chapter 19

  Kathryn went to pull into the driveway as usual, but found the gate closed and the puncture rack up, threatening her poor tires. She pulled up closer to the intercom and pressed the call button. She could hear the system ringing. After six rings, Kathryn began to wonder whether anybody was even home. Madoc’s voice eventually came through: “Oh hi Kathryn, sorry, the gate’s closed. I forgot you were coming, please head on in.” Kathryn rolled up her window and followed his directions, feeling a bit ill at ease. She had been looking forward to seeing him alone and getting a chance to get to know him. She had imagined all the conversations they would have and all the questions she would ask. She was hoping she could come to a conclusion about their relationship today and bring up the elephant in the room. It was time to end their professional relationship for good. There were rules about dating clients from her college and Kathryn would follow them to a tee, but she needed to know if a future with Madoc could ever be on the cards before she cut him out of her life for good. Today was the day that could change the rest of her life.

  Kathryn stepped out of her car in her workout gear and runners and headed towards the door. It was still pretty warm for October thirty-first, so she hadn’t worn a jacket and was looking forward to going out tonight without a parka. As Kathryn reached the top step, she wondered if Madoc had ever even gone out partying for Halloween. She couldn’t imagine him in a costume, he was too serious for that. Kathryn knocked several times on the door before she heard the automatic bolts move. She could never tell who or how she was going to be greeted at his house. Kathryn walked in and found Max sitting patiently in front of her, as if awaiting her arrival. Madoc was lumbering toward her from the study, making little eye contact and remaining quiet. Kathryn waited for some acknowledgement of her presence. Madoc spoke after looking to Max. “I guess we should get started,” he said to nobody and turned, heading toward the gym. Kathryn couldn’t tell if he was being awkward or cold. She certainly hadn’t expected either—she skipped to catch up to him and entered the gym.

  “So,” she began, “today my goal is to push you to capacity and see where there are areas for improvement. We’ll develop a two-month treatment plan based upon the results, which will tell you what exercises to do each day to maximize your rebuilding period. That will be delivered at our last session which will be scheduled for one week from today. Does that sound reasonable?” She hoped he would use this opportunity to ask questions but he only looked at her and nodded. Unsure of what to say next, Kathryn started him through the rounds, making sure to stay with him, keeping him engaged. By mid-session they had worked efficiently and had gathered most of the information she needed. This was largely because he seemed dead-set on giving one or two words answers.

  Kathryn was crushed—the chemistry and tension that had been dripping down the walls at their last session was gone. Her memory of him grabbing her waist with his large, strong hands and firmly holding her to his torso was seared into her physical memory. She couldn’t reconcile that feeling with who she was with now… ice king. As the session neared its end, Kathryn began to panic. What if this was the last time she ever worked out with him or had a moment alone with him? She had assumed that today was going to be the moment they acknowledged an interest outside of their professional relationship. But the opposite had happened: she was pretty sure he wanted nothing to do with her and it seemed that the next session would be the last time she saw him. Kathryn made one more attempt. “So we’re almost done, how are you feeling about your impending discharge from my services? Are you comfortable with my treatment plan and ready to do this on your own?” she asked, not making eye contact but focusing on writing her notes. Madoc looked out one of the large bay windows. At first, she wasn’t even sure he’d heard her, but then he said: “You’ve done a great job and I should be able to take it from here.” He looked straight at her, but his eyes were neutral. Kathryn took this as all the information she needed and started to pack up her bags and crushed dreams.

  Madoc was sick to his stomach talking to Kathryn like this. This was the cold side that had
helped him get through a lot of bad shit in his life. He’d never wanted to have to use it on her. He could see her trying to reconnect, but he couldn’t allow it. She hadn’t been desperate and had remained professional the whole time, but he could sense the hurt in her eyes. He had physically hurt her with his coldness. He wanted desperately to tell her that he was interested in more, just not now. He couldn’t tell her yet—he needed her behaviour to return to what it was prior to meeting him so that any target on her back shifted back to him. He wished he could keep her here in his house and have access to her anytime he wanted, but he knew that even his house wasn’t safe with the Four Diamonds still at large. He needed closure now so that he could have her later. Delayed gratification, he told himself, something he was good at.

  Kathryn turned to Madoc as he walked her to the door. She was ready to end this session and put as much distance as possible. Everything she had thought and felt had meant nothing to him. He had played with her emotions like a small boy with a toy who had become bored. He was out of her league in so many ways: looks, money, power—how could she have expected him to be interested in her? He was probably oblivious that she had feelings for him. “Okay Madoc, I’ve given you a rough draft treatment regime that you can use for the next week until we meet again and I’ll be bringing the finalized version and all of your discharge papers too. The next session will be largely logistics so you don’t need to plan to workout. I guess I will see you in a week.” Kathryn felt ashamed; her voice had almost cracked midway and she needed to escape now. Kathryn left the house in a flurry and had almost made it into her car when her phone rang.