Safe With Me

by Kristen Proby

  Safe With Me

  Book Five in the With Me in Seattle Series

  Kristen Proby

  This novel is dedicated to my own hero, my husband, Sgt. Alvin Proby. I love you, soldier.

  Prologue

  “Why do we have to go to daddy’s house?” Maddie asks from the back seat of my SUV, her small arms crossed over her chest, holding her dolly tightly against her and her face scrunched in a scowl.

  “Because it’s Thanksgiving,” I reply patiently. “Your daddy wants to see you for the holiday.”

  “I don’t want to go,” Josie joins in, mirroring her twin sister’s pose, and I sigh deeply, scrubbing my hands over my face as I wait for the light to turn green.

  “It’s only until Saturday,” I remind them while doing my best to ignore the pit in my stomach. I don’t want them to go either. Their dad only sees them on holidays or their birthday, if he shows up at all. Of course they don’t want to go stay with him.

  They don’t know him.

  As I pull up to Jeff’s small house in a suburb of Chicago, three men hurry out his front door and jump into a dark SUV parked in the circular driveway. Just before they pull off, one of the men glances back at us.

  I cut the engine and frown as I watch the vehicle take off at a fast clip down the street. My flags are red and flying all over the place in my head.

  I glance back at the girls. “Stay here for a second while I go make sure your dad is ready for you, okay?”

  They both just frown at me, their dark brown eyes looking all forlorn and sad, and I frown back at them. “Stop being sad. Your dad loves you guys. You’ll have fun.”

  They just shrug as I step out of the car and walk up to his front door. I glance over my shoulder, curious who was in that SUV. They could be co-workers of Jeff’s, but if that’s the case, I’m not leaving the girls with him.

  Jeff is an undercover cop, and the people he works with are unsavory to say the least.

  I knock on the door, but there is no answer, and the house is still. I knock again and sigh deeply. If he’s standing the girls up, again, I will kick his ass.

  When there is still no answer, I try the knob and frown when the door opens easily. This is not Jeff’s usual M.O. He always locks the doors, even when he’s home.

  “Jeff?” I call out as I walk inside, but there is no answer and the smell of something hot and metallic fills my nostrils.

  I move into the living room and stop dead in my tracks. Jeff is lying on the floor, his eyes wide open, mouth gaping and a trickle of blood seeps from the single gunshot wound in his forehead.

  Oh dear God.

  My first thought is to run to him, to make sure he’s okay, but I wasn’t a cop’s wife for five years for nothing, and I have my babies in the car.

  I run back to the car, start the engine, throw it in gear and peel out of the driveway, heading in the opposite direction the SUV went in earlier.

  Jeff is dead!

  “Mommy, I thought we were going to daddy’s house,” Maddie has turned in her seat, trying to see out the rear window.

  “Sit down, Mads,” I order more harshly than I should, my eyes also pinned behind us.

  I have to call the police.

  “Where is daddy?” Josie asks, both girls are watching me carefully, and I know my shaking hands and sharp voice are scaring them, so I do my best to look and sound calm.

  I’m sure it’s not working.

  “He had something come up with work,” I lie and check the rearview for the hundredth time.

  “Okay,” Maddie replies and hugs her dolly close.

  Shit, what am I going to do?

  I pull into a gas station, grab my phone and step out of the car so the girls can’t hear my conversation.

  Jeff’s partner answers on the second ring.

  “Why are you calling this number?”

  “Jeff’s dead,” I respond immediately. “I just found him in his house. I’m calling 911, but wanted to give you a heads up first.”

  “Sonofabitch,” he mutters. “Did you witness anything?”

  “I saw them leaving the house, but no, I didn’t see them shoot him. I didn’t even think to get the license plate number of the car. It’s a dark SUV.”

  “That’s no help, Bryn.” His voice is sad and frustrated. Sully worked with Jeff for more than ten years.

  “I know, I’m sorry. I didn’t touch anything.”

  “I’ll call it in. We will need an official statement. You know the drill.”

  I nod and then realize he can’t see me. I’m shaking. It’s hard to breathe.

  “I think I’m going to leave town, Sul.”

  He sighs and clears his throat. “Where are you going?”

  “Home. Seattle. My family is there. My cousin’s brother-in-law is a cop with Seattle PD. Matt Montgomery. Can I give my statement to him?”

  “I’m gonna need to get your statement before you leave. You know I can’t let you go without it.” It sounds like he’s pulling his phone away from his face. “Bryn, hold on.”

  I pace by the car as I wait for Sully to come back. Jesus, is this really happening? Do I have time to go home and get some of the girls’ things? I’ve wanted to move back to Seattle for years, but never dreamed it would be under these circumstances.

  Suddenly, Sully is back on the line.

  “I think it’s a good idea that you go, Bryn. I can’t tell you who that was, but you were seen at Jeff’s house by the wrong people. Take the girls and get out of town. If you lay low, you should be fine, but I want you gone.”

  Fuck. Jeff, what have you gotten me into?

  “What about my statement?” My voice sounds stronger than I feel.

  “I’ll meet you someplace with one of the other cops to get a statement. But I don’t want you going back to your place. I’ll take care of your stuff in a few days.”

  I scrub my hand through my hair and glance into the car to find the girls watching me.

  “Okay, I have to get some things for me and the girls.” I rattle off the location of the nearest discount department store and hear Sully sigh over the phone.

  “Be careful. And text me Montgomery’s number.”

  “Okay.”

  The line goes dead as I hop back into my car and smile reassuringly at the girls who are watching me with wide, scared eyes.

  Kids are so much smarter than people give them credit for.

  I scramble in my purse for my phone and text Stacy’s husband, Isaac. The Montgomerys’ will know what to do.

  With shaking fingers I type: Plz call me when ur alone.

  I dig in my purse again to make sure I have my wallet and all my necessities, and realization hits that I definitely can’t to go back to our house to collect our things.

  My phone rings, Isaac’s name on the caller id and I answer it quickly.

  “Isaac.”

  “Bryn? What’s wrong?”

  “I can’t go into detail because the girls are in the car with me, but I have to come to Seattle right now.”

  “Bryn, slow down. Are you hurt?”

  “No, we’re all fine, but I don’t think we’re safe.”

  “What do you mean?” His voice has taken on a hard edge and it steadies me.

  “I just saw something I shouldn’t have. I’ll explain when I get there. I just wanted to let you know that I’m driving home.” I glance back to find the girls watching me with wide, somber eyes.

  “You’re driving?” He asks incredulously. “It’s almost December, Bryn. The roads are going to be horrible.”

  “I know. I’ll take my time. I’m going to have to stop at night for the girls anyway. It could take me a week to get there.”

  “I don’t like this,” he responds grimly.

 
“Me either.” As the shock catches up with me, tears run unchecked down my cheeks.

  “We’ll be here, Bryn. Call me every day to let me know where you are. I’m going to talk to Matt.”

  “I’m going to need to talk to Matt as soon as I get there, Isaac. And a detective from Chicago should be calling him any time.”

  “Are you in trouble?” Isaac’s voice is calm and cold, and I know he’s thinking the worst.

  “Not like you’re thinking, but it’s bad.”

  “Drive safely. Keep me informed.”

  “Okay,” I agree, hang up and pull into a WalMart parking lot. “Come on girls, we need to grab a few things.”

  “Are we going to see grandma and grandpa in Seattle?” Josie asks.

  They’re so damn smart.

  “Yes, sweetie, so we need to get some things to take with us.”

  “Yay, we get to see grandma and grandpa!” Maddie dances beside me as we walk into the store to buy necessities such as toothbrushes and underwear.

  The girls have a few days worth of clothes packed with us, but all I have is my purse.

  Maybe some hair dye for me.

  I also pull my cell phone apart and throw it in the trash, adding a new cell to my list of things to buy.

  I guess we’re going back to Seattle sooner than I expected.

  Chapter One

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  My alarm shouldn’t be going off yet.

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  I wake with a start to the sound of someone trying to beat my door down, and my heart immediately slams into overdrive.

  I jump from the bed, not bothering to throw anything on over my skimpy tank and panties and search madly for a weapon of any kind.

  “Mommy?” Maddie asks sleepily from her bedroom doorway.

  “Go back to bed, Mads.” I usher her back into the bedroom and give her my best smile, which feels more like a grimace.

  “Someone’s at the door,” Josie informs me and pulls her baby doll into her small arms.

  “I know. I’m going to go answer it. Stay in your room.” My voice is stern as I shut their door behind me and race down the stairs to the living room.

  All of the blinds are still closed, so I can’t see outside.

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  I grab the screwdriver I was using yesterday to put a set of shelves together and open the door just a crack.

  “Who is it?” I ask wearily.

  “Bryn, it’s just Caleb and me,” Matt Montgomery answers, his handsome face grim.

  I step back and open the door wide, sighing in relief.

  “You scared the hell out of me!”

  “What are you doing with the screw driver?” Matt asks and props his hands on his hips just as his younger brother, Caleb, scrowls at me.

  “It’s my weapon,” I tell them both and raise my chin stubbornly.

  “Right.” Caleb steps forward and plucks the screwdriver out of my hand. “It’s very effective.”

  “I could have stabbed you if you were a bad guy.” I step back and push my hair off my face. “Why are you here at six in the damn morning?”

  “Maybe you should put some clothes on,” Matt suggests, and I squeal as I realize that I’m practically naked.

  “Shit!”

  “Mommy, you’re not supposed to say that,” Josie speaks up from the bottom steps of the staircase. “Maddie! Matt and Caleb are here!”

  “Go put something on, sweetheart, we’ll get the girls breakfast.” Matt smiles at my girls and hugs them both, but Caleb is still quiet, watching me with sober blue eyes.

  “Why are you here?” I ask them both again.

  “We’ll talk about that too,” Caleb assures me, and finally offers me a half-smile, showing off the dimples in both of his cheeks as he lets his eyes wander down my half-naked body.

  This man makes me quiver inside. Since I came home more than a year ago and got caught up in this big, loving family, Caleb has given me a permanent case of wet panties. Having him carry my drunk ass into the house after Jules’ bachelorette party last year sealed the deal.

  Even in my inebriated state, my body was on full hum while in his arms.

  “I’ll be right back,” I murmur and run up the stairs, around the girls, trying not to think about the fact that both hot as hell Montgomery men just got a prime view of my mostly-naked ass, and that this is the most skin any man has seen of mine in close to five years.

  Pathetic.

  I can hear the girls loudly talking to the guys as I rush to pull on a hoodie and yoga pants, pull my hair up in a haphazard bun, and saunter back down the stairs.

  “We are having Coco Puffs for breakfast,” Maddie informs me.

  “Okay, but have a banana with that.”

  “Oh, man!” Josie complains.

  “You know the rule. You can have sugar cereal if you have fruit too.” I kiss both of their heads as I walk past them to fill the coffee maker with water.

  Matt grabs bananas and peels them for the kids. “You didn’t tell me about this rule,” he informs them with a mock glare.

  “We didn’t know about it,” Maddie lies, trying to hold in a laugh.

  “You know, I can take you to jail for lying to a police officer,” Matt informs them with a grin.

  “Nu uh!” Josie exclaims and giggles.

  “Yep,” he nods.

  “We’ll eat the banana,” Maddie concedes and takes a big bite out of hers.

  “That’s better.” Matt slides his hand down her ponytail from across the breakfast bar. “No jail for you today.”

  He’s so good with kids.

  All of the Montgomerys are.

  Caleb is leaning against my kitchen counter, watching me carefully, his arms crossed over his chest. His hair has grown out a bit from his usual super short military cut, and his chin is covered in light strawberry-blonde stubble.

  Those trademark Montgomery blue eyes follow me as I move about the kitchen, setting up the coffee and making sure the girls are set.

  Just like every time I see him, electricity shoots down my spine and out my limbs and I just want to attach myself to him and devour him.

  But instead I just smile and rub his bicep as I walk past.

  “Coffee?” I ask him. His muscles flex at my touch, and my stomach clenches. Jesus, his arms are the size of my thigh.

  “Please,” he nods.

  “Me, too,” Matt agrees and steals a bite of Maddie’s banana, making her laugh.

  “So, what’s up guys?” I ask as I hand them their mugs of fresh coffee.

  “Girls, you finish breakfast, and we’re gonna take your mom into the living room to talk, okay?” Caleb grins at the girls and kisses their cheeks. “Just yell if you need us.”

  “Okay!” Josie agrees and slurps up some Coco Puffs, dribbling now-chocolate milk all over the breakfast bar.

  Maddie nods and takes another bite of banana.

  I follow the guys into the living room, enjoying the view of their rear ends as I follow.

  “Have a seat.” Matt gestures to one of the chairs, but I just cross my arms over my chest and stay standing.

  Have a seat my ass.

  “Just tell me what this is about.”

  “Brynna, please sit down,” Caleb murmurs softly and sits on the couch next to the chair they want me to occupy. I look back and forth between them, and realizing this is a losing battle, I sink down into the chair and sit on the edge of it.

  “Okay, I’m sitting. Why are you both at my house at barely six in the morning, scaring the crap out of me?”

  “I got a call yesterday at work,” Matt begins and sighs deeply.

  “At the precinct?” I ask.

  “Yeah. It was a P.I., and he asked a bunch of questions about the family.” He looks up at me, his eyes sober. “The whole family.”

  “Meaning, he asked questions about me,” I murmur and feel a light sweat break out on my skin. “And if they’ve linked me to your family, I have to go�
�”

  “You’re not going anywhere,” Caleb interrupts and takes my hand in his, holding it tightly.

  “The investigator didn’t specifically ask about you, but it raised some flags for me. I didn’t like it.” Matt shakes his head and stands to pace around the living room.

  “It’s been more than a year, Matt. Why now?” I try to keep my voice low so the girls can’t hear me.

  “I don’t know.” He turns back to us. “It might not have anything to do with what happened in Chicago.”

  “I don’t think anyone can find me here,” I tell them. “I don’t own this house, I work for Isaac under the table, I haven’t even switched my driver's license to Washington from Illinois. There’s no reason for any flags to have gone up.”

  “I agree, and we’ll continue to be careful, but we think it’s in you and the girls’ best interest to move in with either me or Caleb.”

  “Absolutely not.” I pull my hand out of Caleb’s and pace the living room.

  “Why?” Caleb asks, his voice calm and low.

  “Because, the girls have school. I have a job. We have a routine. I’m not disrupting that. They’ve been through enough.” I continue to keep my voice low, but my entire body is taut and I want to scream. “We’re finally at a place that we don’t jump every time we hear a strange noise.”

  “Which is why you answered the door with a fucking screw driver as weapon?” Caleb asks with a cocked brow.

  “I don’t typically get visitors this early in the morning.”

  “We need to know you’re safe,” Matt insists and props his hands on his hips, staring at me.

  “We are not moving out of this house.” I cross my arms over my chest and stare Matt down.

  “Fine, I’m moving in.” Caleb stands and takes my shoulders in his big hands, his face fierce. “If you’re going to be stubborn, fine, you and the girls will stay here, but I’m moving in.”

  “How is that possible?” I ask incredulously. “You get called out on a mission at a moment’s notice. How is that going to help?”

  Matt clears his throat and Caleb clenches his eyes shut for a moment and then pins me in his blue gaze once more. “Not anymore. My last mission was my final one.”