Tell It Like It Is

by Stanalei Fletcher

  Shelby’s gaze flew to Rosalee. “Of course. I’m not going anywhere without you.”

  Rosalee looked over at Shelby. “That’s not what my nephew was thinking.” She swung around to face him again. “Was it?”

  Kane looked away first. “I was going to suggest that I take over your protection.”

  Rosalee huffed and shook her head. “No. Shelby is staying. She’ll watch my back, and you can watch hers.”

  The tension in the office rose another notch. Shelby shifted uncomfortably as she stood on one side of the author, facing off against Kane, who stood on the other side. Rosalee sat on the couch presiding over the room like royalty. Her determined expression confirmed she intended to have her way. The dog jumped onto her lap with a yip.

  Honesty dictated that Shelby should reevaluate her initial reaction to Kane. He seemed ready to help Rosalee, which was more important than any negative feelings she picked up from him. Having another person around, one as vested as she was in keeping Rosalee safe, only made sense. So why was she still wary of him?

  That the author wanted Shelby to stay, continue the assignment, touched her in a way she’d never experienced. On the other hand, she wasn’t sure how she felt about Kane watching her back. Something in the way he glanced her direction unnerved her. Regardless of the distrust sparking off him, she stood her ground. “Only Rosalee or O’Neal can release me from my duties. I’m not going anywhere.” She lifted her chin, daring Kane to challenge her role.

  “There.” Rosalee turned to her nephew. “You see? Shelby’s with me. You’re outnumbered.”

  He met Shelby’s stare. “It appears so.” His words indicated capitulation, but his eyes told a different story. He wasn’t handing total control over to her, but that didn’t matter. This was the job, and she was here for the duration.

  ****

  Kane studied the petite bodyguard. Her defensiveness when they’d first met wasn’t a one-time thing. Seduced by Aunt Rosalee’s warmth and genuine interest, the Northstar agent had unknowingly revealed more about herself. Shelby cared about his aunt and was committed to her safety, even though she acted as though this was just a job. He suspected that in her typical bodyguard assignments she was more detached. But in this case, she seemed to be invested in not just his aunt’s safety, but her well-being too.

  Regardless, he didn’t entirely trust Northstar’s reputation and refused to leave his aunt solely in Shelby’s protection. Only time would tell if the bodyguard would give him reason to toss her to the curb. Since he’d already made up his mind to stick around, he’d start looking for the source of the death threats, in addition to keeping an eye on Aunt Rosalee.

  His first order of business was to convince his aunt to leave her house for someplace safer. “As much as it pains me to say it,” Kane began, “I agree with O’Neal’s assessment to get you out of the house. Today.” He used his take-no-prisoners tone.

  It worked. Both women looked at him—Rosalee with dismay, Shelby with unexpected appreciation.

  “But…” his aunt protested.

  “No arguments. You’re out of here.”

  “But I have to finish my book. I can’t write the final chapters imprisoned in some hotel room.”

  “No hotel.” He faced her. “Not after what happened in New York.”

  “I’m not going to D.C.” Rosalee’s tone was adamant. “Or your father’s house. I need my space.” Despite her words, there was a touch of fear in her eyes.

  Things that frightened his aunt worried him. She didn’t scare easily. Something he should have remembered when the threats started. “Then where?”

  Rosalee settled back on the couch as she pondered the question, then smiled as the solution came to her. “We’ll go to the cabin.”

  “What cabin?” Shelby gave Rosalee a curious look.

  “My cabin in Tahoe.” His aunt’s smile grew wider. “It’s beautiful this time of year.”

  “Lake Tahoe?” Shelby’s eyes widened. “In the winter?”

  Kane considered the option. “It’s out of the way. Providing we get there without mishap, it’s a very secluded location.”

  “It’s perfect.” His aunt clasped her hands with a tinkle of bracelets.

  The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. Aunt Rosalee’s cabin was off the main highway with lots of land between it and any neighbors. And being on a dead end, no one would have any business on the property. That would make it easier to guard. Because of the resorts in the area, the roads would be maintained.

  “We’ll drive,” Kane said, taking charge. “No flights, no cabs, no rented limousines, no credit cards. We’ll stay as long as you need to complete your book.” He looked at his aunt. “We have no idea how those threats followed you to New York, or how someone got close enough to push that rat inside the house. We’re going to do this my way. Agreed?”

  “Okay,” Rosalee replied meekly. “But Shelby’s coming with us.”

  Kane glanced over at the Northstar agent. He had no one to blame but himself for forcing his aunt to find outside help. Time to rectify that. “No need. The fewer people who know where we are, the better. I’ve got time off. I’ll handle all the security.”

  Rosalee shook her head vehemently. “That’s not acceptable. You can’t help me finish my book. I need Shelby. She’s already made a huge difference in my work. It will go much faster with her help. Unless you’re willing to add transcribing to your cloak-and-dagger routine.”

  Kane winced. He could type reports, but that was about it. “Afraid not.” He turned to Shelby. “That makes you a rather high-priced secretary.”

  Rosalee came to Shelby’s defense. “Even you have to admit, she’s much more than a secretary. I didn’t think anyone could take you by surprise.” She laughed. “I wish I’d gotten a picture of you with that leash around your neck. I’d have blackmail material for years.”

  Through their discussion, Shelby had remained silent.

  Kane raised an eyebrow in her direction. “What do you say, Northstar?”

  Rosalee’s gaze turned on Shelby as well.

  “I think it’s a good idea to get her as far away as possible.” She nodded slowly, then gave his aunt a sidelong look. “As long as Rosalee agrees.”

  “Tahoe’s very cold this time of year,” Rosalee added cautiously.

  Shelby sat next to Rosalee on the couch. “I have no doubt of that. The important question is will you be able to finish the book there?”

  “I’ll take the materials I need.” Rosalee laid a hand on Shelby’s arm. “The quiet will be perfect.”

  Shelby’s gaze swung back to Kane. “Can you guarantee she’ll be safe?”

  Of course, he intended to keep his aunt safe. “I thought that was your job.” His tone was a bit gruff at her question.

  Shelby nodded. “So it is. But you’re asking me to agree to this plan. I need to convince O’Neal this is the right choice.”

  He couldn’t fault that logic. He crossed to the chair opposite the couch and sat. “The cabin’s isolated. The biggest concern is the weather. Roads are maintained year-round, but we’ll need a four-wheel drive to get there.”

  She glanced at Rosalee. “It sounds more secure than this house. I wish I’d heard about it sooner. Maybe we could have avoided this latest trouble.”

  “I’d rather work here.” Rosalee shoulders seemed to sag a little and she stroked the dog with both hands. “But if I have to leave, there’s no better place. Nelson’s right, it’s extremely secluded.”

  Shelby’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Kane again. “Who else knows about the cabin?”

  He balked at the grilling, but conceded she was within her rights to ask questions about the place. “Just family and a couple of close friends.” He loosened a top button on his shirt; the long night was starting to wear on him. “We won’t tell anyone where we’re going. We don’t typically use the cabin until after the holidays.”

  “Okay.” Shelby’s expression was wary a
s she faced Rosalee. “But only if O’Neal is convinced this is the best alternative.”

  Rosalee dipped her head in acquiescence. “I’m sure of it. Even though the drive to the cabin is almost as long as flying across country, I’ll be in my own environment, which will certainly help to finish the book on time.”

  Shelby offered one last option. “We could still take you to a safe house locally.”

  His aunt shook her head. “I’d rather be someplace familiar.” She cuddled the dog. “So would Oscar.”

  Shelby tipped her head in acknowledgment. “At least at a remote cabin, you can’t hold any more social events.” She turned back to Kane. “Okay. No one can know about our plans or the location except you, me, and Rosalee. Not even Phillip and Marta can know. Understood?”

  Kane held up his hands. “You’ll get no argument from me. The fewer people in the loop, the better.”

  “Marta’s not coming?” Rosalee groaned.

  Shelby shook her head. “I’ll cook.”

  Kane stared at her. “You cook?”

  “I’m pretty good with a frying pan.”

  “As a weapon?” He couldn’t help the dig.

  Shelby glared at him.

  “I’ll just stay out of the kitchen,” he muttered.

  Shelby glanced at Rosalee. “Do you have any special diet requirements?”

  “None whatsoever.”

  “Then you won’t starve.” Shelby seemed relieved to have the matter settled.

  “I think it’s a splendid idea.” Rosalee seemed to embrace the change without any more objections. “Mealtimes will provide excellent breaks after working on the book. I’ll show you some of my favorite recipes.”

  Kane glanced from his aunt to the Northstar agent. “That settles it.” He stood and looked at his watch. “Let’s try to be on the road early. Say six a.m.” He touched his aunt lightly on the shoulder. “That’ll give you a few hours to sleep.”

  Shelby stood as well, and glanced at him. “I’ll take first watch, and wake you in a couple of hours.”

  He opened his mouth to argue, but Shelby interrupted him. “You’ll be driving.”

  She was right, but it grated to admit it. “Fine. Two hours. No more.”

  Chapter Nine

  Kane cranked up the heater inside the SUV as the temperature outside dropped on the climb into the Sierra Nevadas. Rosalee appeared to have fallen asleep in the back seat. Shelby kept vigil in the passenger seat, staring out the window, and checking her side mirror. He was impressed with her surveillance skills, which allowed him to focus on the road.

  He wondered about the woman sitting next to him, but had a feeling he was better off not knowing too much. She had an odd effect on him. A feeling he didn’t like, nor one he wanted to examine closely.

  Conversation had been practically non-existent since their last stop. He mentally conceded the silence wasn’t uncomfortable, which was odd too. It was rare to find anyone, let alone a woman, who didn’t need to fill the void with talk.

  Shelby twisted in her seat to glance back at Rosalee, then she faced the front again and broke the silence. “I suppose since it’s almost Christmas, I owe you an apology.”

  The sudden opening gambit took him by surprise. He puzzled over the remark for a moment before he realized she was referring to the incident when she’d choked him. The reluctance in her tone amused him. “Don’t let me stop you.” He glanced over at her. “Apologize away.”

  Shelby raised her eyebrows. “It wasn’t entirely my fault, you know.”

  He returned his attention to the road. “And yet I was the one on the ground with a knee in my back.”

  He heard her give a huff over the hum of the engine and smiled to himself. Apparently, apologies weren’t her strong suit.

  “If you hadn’t been snooping in the office, then I wouldn’t have knocked you on your ass.”

  Ego kicked in. He started to protest. But she had gotten the best of him. A feat he still found baffling. His fascination with the Northstar agent was bordering on obsession, so he pushed it aside and focused on the road, deciding it was safer for his libido.

  ****

  Shelby shifted in her seat. The ride wasn’t uncomfortable, but sitting beside the man was. After years in foster care, attempting to understand how her presence affected others, she’d learned to read people. Clearly, she’d touched a sore spot with Kane. Most male egos balked when a woman bested them. She’d learned that fact while in the Navy, and again at Northstar. However, O’Neal never favored gender, only results. That was a major reason she’d liked her boss when they’d first met.

  When it came to Kane, she should let the matter drop, but something wouldn’t allow her to let go. “I was doing my job. You were in the wrong place.”

  “So much for the Christmas spirit.” Kane speared her with a quick glance. “Are you trying to start an argument?”

  If she were keeping score, she’d have to admit she was trying to start an argument, but not on purpose. In a conciliatory tone, she said, “Rosalee is safe with me.” She hoped her earnestness was clear.

  “With both of us,” he replied firmly. “I’m taking charge of her security—personally. You’re going to help her finish the book. Once it’s in the publisher’s hands, the problem will be off both our plates.”

  “Rosalee’s my assignment.” Shelby clenched her fist, trying to curb her temper, knowing anger wouldn’t help. “I’m quite capable of guarding her.”

  “My aunt is not an assignment—she’s family. From now on, we’re doing this my way. I don’t doubt your abilities, but I’m not leaving her fate up to anyone from Northstar.”

  Snow began falling from the leaden sky. The air inside the SUV turned just as chilly. The center console separating the driver and passenger seats seemed to shrink. Shelby didn’t like the turn this conversation had taken. It felt as though the assignment were crumbling beneath her. Short of bailing—admitting failure—she didn’t have a choice but to accept Kane’s edict.

  “She was right about you,” she muttered, remembering what Rosalee had said during the briefing at Northstar.

  Unfortunately, Kane overheard her. “What are you talking about?”

  She closed her eyes for a moment. “Rosalee said you never got over your accident when Allison was kidnapped.”

  “It wasn’t an accident.” He flipped the wipers on with a sharp movement and snow swished off the windshield. “I was nearly killed in an ambush. If your agents had been doing their job, I wouldn’t have ended up in the hospital.”

  “Allison wasn’t an agent at the time. She was a lab tech.”

  “She was suspected of treason,” he countered.

  “And cleared of the charges.”

  “Not until—”

  “Allison was the one who trapped the hacker.” Shelby defended her friend. “She saved the FBI files.” She turned her head, dismayed the conversation had turned confrontational. So much for a Christmas reconciliation. When would she learn? She and Kane were polar opposites. He had the security of family to stand with him if he failed. He played by the rules because they worked for him. Shelby had scraped through her early years, and the rules rarely landed in her favor.

  “A civilian firm, such as Northstar, should take more care with the power they wield,” he said. “They have too much clout. Not only with the FBI, but they’re in league with Homeland, and the CIA, too.”

  “You’re whining.”

  “I’m stating facts. No one should have that much authority. It’s unbalanced.”

  Shelby had no rebuttal. Northstar carried a big stick. They got the job done when the authorities’ hands were tied by bureaucratic red tape. Anything she said would be throwing gasoline on an already burning fire. It was a pending explosion she should avoid.

  The next several miles passed in an uncomfortable silence. One Shelby refused to break.

  When Kane’s question came, it took her totally unaware.

  “So besides flattening uns
uspecting victims, what are your other qualifications?” He gave her a quick glance before returning his attention to the road. “Why were you assigned to guard my aunt?”

  She let the silence stretch after Kane’s question, unsure how to respond. She was typically straightforward with answers, but this conversation had turned much too personal. He was much like his aunt—finding ways to get her to reveal things about herself. Honesty was the only way she had to battle these feelings of exposure. “I’m good at what I do.”

  He snorted. “Apparently, you’re humble, too. Why should I take your word?”

  She shook her head. “You shouldn’t.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means you should do your homework and find out.”

  “You are the most—” He stopped. “Are you challenging me to prove you’re the best?”

  “I didn’t say I was the best. I said I was good.”

  “How good?”

  “You’re joking, right? Didn’t last night prove anything to you?”

  He grimaced. “Last night was a fluke.”

  She laughed. “Tell you what. Tomorrow, before breakfast, you can test me.”

  “How?”

  “A match.”

  Kane frowned. “What kind of match?”

  “Pick the martial art.”

  He glanced at her again. “Seriously?”

  She offered a wicked grin at the trap he’d walked right into.

  “Okay. Let’s make it MMA.” He wasn’t backing away from the challenge.

  Her grin widened. “Deal.”

  A smothered snort floated from the back seat. Kane checked the rearview mirror and Shelby turned to look into the back. Rosalee still seemed to be sleeping, although she suspected the sneaky author had been listening to every word of their conversation. They were sure to get the third degree about their match tomorrow. Nothing she could do about it now. She returned her attention to the road ahead and continued to check the side mirror for anyone following.