by KB Winters
“We’re going to have to leave it behind,” I said. Jackson was munching on fries and not paying any attention to us, but I didn’t want him to overhear the instructions I was about to give his mother. The situation had to be disturbing enough for him, without extra stress from my warnings. “Melissa, you’re going to have to leave the car, your cell phone, and any other personal electronics that have GPS capabilities behind. I need you to get in your car and follow me. I’m in the Explorer,” I thumbed over my shoulder to where I’d parked, out of the line of sight of the security camera mounted on the front of the restaurant. “We’re going to drive to a park not too far from here. They won’t have camera’s in the lot. We’re going to leave the car and the electronics there. You and your son will come with me and we’ll go someplace safe. I’ve already made contact with some friends who’re going to help us out. Do you understand?”
Melissa nodded. “Yes.”
“Good. Follow me close, okay?”
She gathered Jackson and got him buckled into his safety seat. Once she was behind the wheel, I left her to jog across the lot and got into my Explorer. We pulled out of the lot, careful to avoid detection, and drove to the park. If we left her SUV at McDonald’s, it would only be a matter of time before her husband found it. He probably had it LoJacked. And if they pulled the security footage, he’d see Melissa talking to me. I’d ducked the camera’s as best as I could, but it never hurt to double down on security protocol.
In my line of work, it paid to be paranoid.
We ditched her car, phone, and tablet at the park, and I helped her install Jackson’s booster seat in the backseat of my ride and then she got into the seat beside him. The back windows were tinted and even if we got caught on a traffic cam, they wouldn’t be able to see her or Jackson.
I got into the driver’s seat, turned over the engine, and glanced in the rear view mirror and found Melissa staring back at me. “You ready?”
She sucked in a slow breath and nodded. “As ready as I’m gonna be.”
Chapter Four
Melissa
I wasn’t sure what I expected, but after Matt told me about his brother being an ex-SEAL, I’d somehow conjured up the image of a barroom brawler type with bulging muscles, tats head to toe, and a mean stare. The man who’d found Jackson and me at McDonald’s was a stark contrast to the vision my overactive imagination had come up with.
I’d never been more relieved to be wrong.
Chase was tall, at least as tall as Henry, if not an inch or two over. Maybe six one. And while it was obvious he was in kick-ass shape, his muscles were more of a street fighter, not a club bouncer. His shoulders were broad and strong under a fitted navy blue t-shirt and his narrow hips were encased in dark wash jeans. He wore a black baseball cap but the scruff on his jaw showed me his hair was a dark brown, and judging the sideburns at his temples, cropped short.
The most arresting of his features were his dark brown, nearly black eyes, that had me completely unnerved. When he gave me instructions, I found it hard to concentrate on what he was saying.
We hit the highway and Jackson fell asleep against the window, his hand clutched around the toy that Chase had gotten for him back at the restaurant. It was awkward to be sitting in the backseat and try to strike up a conversation with the back of his head, so I remained silent, even though there were about a thousand things I wanted to say. To ask.
“We’ve got about an hour to go, if you want to get some rest too,” Chase said, meeting my eyes in the rear view for the dozenth time since we’d set out half an hour before.
I laughed softly. “I don’t think I could sleep even if I wanted to right now.”
“All right,” he replied with a shrug.
“Sorry,” I added. “I’m just…off…right now.”
Chase smiled at me in the mirror before returning his eyes to the road ahead. “I understand. Just know I’m here and I’m not going to let anything happen to you or your son.”
“Thank you.” A warm blanket of comfort wrapped around me at his promise. “You and your brother are both godsends.”
When I woke up that morning, Henry was downstairs, and while Jackson was in the other room, eating cereal with his favorite show on the TV, he’d reiterated his specific set of instructions from the night before. It had taken every ounce of self-control to not let my fear show through as I’d agreed to everything. I’d even gone so far as to ask him what he’d like for dinner that night if he’d be home.
He’d told me he’d wing it.
As soon as he was out of the house, I raced to call Matt and in scrambled sentences, told him everything that had happened. Thankfully, he’d taken me seriously and offered to call his brother, Chase, to watch over me and Jackson until his PI could figure out what the hell was going on.
Three hours later, I took the bag of cash from the pantry, grabbed Jackson, and beelined to the address Matt had texted me after talking to Chase, and then waited for our rescuer to show up.
It all happened so fast. I was still reeling.
If Henry hadn’t already been planning to have me killed, he would be once he realized I’d taken the cash and his son and gone into hiding. And I wasn’t going back.
“Godsends, huh?” Chase repeated, snapping me back to the conversation. “That’s probably the first time I’ve heard that,” he added, keeping his voice low to not disturb Jackson in the seat behind his. “Matt usually gets called a son of the devil just because of his profession. Understandably, not everyone has flattering things to say about divorce lawyers.”
I shrugged. “I suppose not.”
“But thank you. I’m happy I was close by.”
“You’re not from around here?” I asked, realizing how little I knew about the man whose hand’s I’d put my trust—and my life—into.
Chase shook his head. “No. I’m from the Bay Area. I have a little condo up there I use as a crash pad between jobs. I’ve done a lot of security stuff like this since getting out of the SEALs and I don’t spend much time at home. I was in the area on a week-long vacation. Soaking up some sun before my next job.”
“Oh,” I said, glancing down at my manicured nails. “I didn’t realize I was cutting your vacation short. I’m really sorry.”
“Don’t be. I was getting restless anyways. I have a hard time staying still these days.”
The sound of the turn signal clicking on interrupted my train of thoughts as I tried to land on my next question. “Where are we going?” I asked, leaning forward in my seat.
“Sit back, please,” Chase said, his tone firm but not harsh. I did as he asked. “We’re stopping at a buddy of mine’s to get some supplies. We served together and he has stuff we’re going to need.”
“Like what?” My head spun.
“Do you really want to know?” He caught my eye in the mirror after securing our place at the light off the exit to turn right.
I faltered. Did I? I glanced over at my sleeping son and shook my head. “I trust you.”
“Good.”
A few minutes later, Chase turned and we started down a two lane road. Eventually we turned left into a neighborhood and after a few more turns, we came to a stop in front of a two story home in a sea of nearly identical homes. A little slice of suburbia.
It looked like heaven to me.
Normal.
Kids bikes left in driveways, freshly planted flower beds, the soft spray of a sprinkler. Dogs barking, birds chirping, and the occasional rumble of a car the only sounds breaking the peaceful lull of the neighborhood.
“Stay here. I won’t be long.”
Chase exited the vehicle before I could object and once the driver door slammed shut, I leaned back in my seat and dragged my gaze along the interior of the car, wondering for the millionth time if I’d made the right decision. What had started out as a plan to file for divorce, and barter for custody of Jackson, had radically shifted gears into going underground with a stranger, while Henry had his goons out
looking for me and Jackson.
I didn’t even allow myself to think of what he’d do if he found us…
Asshole.
Jackson snored softly and I reached across the seat to swipe away a strand of hair. I’d rescheduled his last haircut appointment. It was supposed to be on Saturday. That was going to be an appointment we’d miss.
Would life ever go back to the way it was?
I shook my head, already knowing the answer.
I’d already gone down the rabbit hole. There was no way out now.
My fate rested in Matt’s hands and my safety lay in his brother’s.
* * * *
“Where are we?” I asked, cringing. I hoped I didn’t sound like an impatient child on a long road trip.
Chase had just brought the Explorer to a stop in what appeared to be a campground parking lot. I’d seen the sign at the beginning of the drive but the name hadn’t looked familiar. After loading up the Explorer with a few bags of supplies from his friend’s house, we’d taken off again, and driven for at least another hour.
Chase turned around in the driver’s seat to face me. “We’re leaving the car here. Matt has a boat docked on the other side of this property. We’re going to be staying on the boat for at least a couple of days.”
“A boat?”
I glanced sidelong at Jackson and my heart melted at the excitement on his face. Ever since he was two, he’d had an obsession with boats. Henry had a yacht and the few times we’d taken Jackson out on it were some of his favorite memories. Like the kind that get brought up every few months, asking when we could go back again, kind of memories. “Sounds like it, sweetheart. What do you think?”
Jackson clapped his hands and pumped his little fists. “Let’s go, let’s go!”
Chase and I laughed and caught each other’s eye in the mirror right before he pushed out the driver’s side. A strange shiver swept over me at the lingering glance but I shoved it down. Yes, he was handsome, and kind, and had managed to soothe my frayed nerves in the course of a day, but that wasn’t a good enough reason to lose my head and read too much into a shared smile.
This wasn’t high school. He wasn’t the captain of the football team and I sure as hell wasn’t the head cheerleader.
He was a bodyguard hired to keep me away from my borderline psychotic, soon-to-be ex-husband.
Oh my God, how had this become my life? I was rapidly turning into a living and breathing soap opera star.
“Let’s go, buddy!” Chase said, lifting Jackson out of his booster seat. He set him on the ground and we started off down the paved path. Chase stopped at the booth to pay for the parking permit and then led the way towards the docks where Matt’s boat was waiting.
Jackson’s excitement grew with each step and when we finally got sight of the marina, he broke into a run, determined to see every single boat in the dock. “Jackson, stay close,” I called after him.
Beside me, Chase adjusted the large duffel he had slung over his chest. I clutched my own bag—inside of which was a grocery bag with the money I’d taken from the duffel bag. It was unnerving to have so much cash on my person, but I didn’t know what else to do with it.
“This is us,” Chase said, stopping in front of a large, white and silver boat. It was a lot smaller than Henry’s yacht, but I was impressed with the size. It looked like it had a decent amount of space for the three of us.
We boarded and Jackson immediately busied himself running all over the place until I finally barked at him to chill out. Chase smiled at him as he went up to investigate the captains wheel. He turned to me. “I’m going to run back to the car and get the rest of the bags and then we’ll set sail.”
“Okay.”
I watched as Chase walked back down the ramp and then up the dock. Halfway there, he stopped and turned back. Our eyes locked and after a heart-stopping moment, he smiled and then continued on his way, rounding the corner of some trees and out of my line of sight.
Well, if I wasn’t in trouble before…I am now.
Chapter Five
Chase
“Is he conked out?” I asked when Melissa came up from below deck.
She nodded. “Yeah. All adventured out, I suppose.”
“Here, take a seat,” I said, jerking my chin at the seat next to mine. We’d pulled out of the marina after we stopped to eat and after we’d gotten far enough away from shore, I set the auto pilot controls. We’d move slower that way, but even cruising slowly through the night, we’d be able to make a good amount of progress on the journey away from Melissa’s husband.
Melissa sat down and tugged her sweater closer around her shoulders. There was a nip in the air and she bundled up against it. Even with her big sweater and long pants, I’d memorized her curves and couldn’t help but feel a swell of attraction every time she got close enough to me. It was wrong. She was married and even if she wasn’t, as a client, she’d be off-limits.
“It’s so quiet out here,” she commented, her voice barely over a whisper.
I nodded and lifted my eyes up to the inky blue sky and the expanse of stars scattered across it. “I like it.”
“Me too.”
I dropped my eyes to hers and we held each other’s stare for a long moment before she looked down at her hands. She ran her fingertip over each of her lacquered nails in turn. “How are you holding up?”
She looked up, her eyebrows raised. “I don’t even know anymore.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Understandable. It’s all pretty sudden from the sound of it.”
“Yeah. I mean, yesterday, I was on the verge of a panic attack over the idea of serving him with divorce papers. I knew he wouldn’t take it well…but murder…?” Her eyes drifted from her hands off into the distance. “I knew I’d have to leave him soon. I’ve been squirreling away important documents, extra money, and got my own secret bank account a while ago. I was just waiting for the last step. The papers. When Matt told me they were ready to sign…I felt…well, I don’t know how I felt. It’s all so mixed up now.”
I reached across the small table between us and set a hand on her arm, pressing my fingers into the soft fabric of her sweater so she could feel the warmth of my hand. Her eyes flew to mine, wide and alert. “It’s going to be okay, Melissa. I’ve only know you for twelve hours and I can tell you that you’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever met. You’re going through this awful situation with your eyes wide open, with a level head, and sense of confidence that most people wouldn’t have in the midst of everything.”
She smiled but I could tell she’d dismissed my statement. “That’s sweet of you. But, trust me, I am the opposite of put together right now.”
I retracted my hand as her eyes lingered on it. “Well, you fooled me then, and I’m pretty damn good at reading people.”
A silence stretched between us as she batted around my statement.
“Tell me about you?” she said after a long moment. “Here I am running away with you and I don’t even know anything about you other than your ex-profession.”
I smiled, liking the way running away together sounded. “What do you want to know?”
She shrugged. “Anything. What do you like to do for fun? Do you have any pets? Are you…married?”
I laughed softly at her hesitation on the last question. “I’m not married. Never have been. I don’t have any pets, it wouldn’t be fair to them with my lifestyle. As for hobbies, let’s see, I like to read crime thrillers and horror novels. I like deep sea fishing. Well, all kinds of fishing, really. I shoot guns once or twice a week at the range to keep sharp.”
Melissa nodded and I wondered what she was thinking. “What about you? What do you do when you’re not busy being supermom?”
She smiled. “I don’t know if I’m supermom, but I try.”
“Jackson’s lucky to have you. He adores you, it’s obvious.”
“Thanks.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ears as the breeze caught it. Mos
t of her brown hair was piled in a complicated looking style on the top of her head, but over the course of the day, pieces had worked their way loose. Personally, I liked it better wild and free.
“You must—”
My phone buzzed in the holster I wore on my belt to keep the phone secured in the line of duty. I held up a finger, hating to interrupt her, and she nodded. “It’s Matt,” I told her right before answering the call. “Hey bro, what’s the word?”
“It’s not good, Chase.”
I glanced at Melissa and saw the stress etched around her mouth in tight, worried lines. “Okay?”
“Where’s Melissa?”
“She’s right here with me. Her little man crashed out. We’re all good.” I didn’t give away any details on the off chance Matt was being monitored. He’d called from his cell phone but there could be a bug in his office. We’d talked about the details on my way to pick Melissa and Jackson up and from the sounds of it, this Henry O’Keefe guy had no boundaries and unlimited resources.
A volatile combination.
“All right, good.” Matt breathed a sigh of relief and I imagined my older brother looked just as frazzled and stressed as Melissa. “Henry sent a couple of goons to try and shake me down this afternoon. They had guns.”
“Fuck…” Melissa jolted in her seat and I cursed myself for not being more careful.
“You’ve got to get her and Jackson out of there. Go far, far away. I’ll be honest, bro. I don’t see this ending any time soon.”
I clenched my jaw but kept my expression neutral. “Got it.”
“Can I talk to Melissa?”
“Sure.” I leaned over and handed her the phone, noting her hands shaking as she reached for it.
“Hello Matt. I’m really sorry—” she stopped and I smiled sadly, knowing Matt would have insisted she had nothing to apologize for. “Oh…”
She went white as a sheet.
I sat forward, my brows creased, wondering what Matt had told her.