by Rebecca Deel
“Good enough.” Dr. Anderson patted her hand. “I’ll let you dress. Charlene will be along with your discharge papers soon.”
Rio’s wife, Darcy, had stopped by the apartment to pick up a change of clothes for Grace before she opened her deli.
After a quick shower, she emerged from the bathroom, dressed and more than ready to leave. Grace loved her work but didn’t love being a patient. Charlene was waiting for her. “Hi, Charlene.”
“How are you feeling?”
She grimaced. “Truthfully, not that great, but don’t tell Doc Anderson. My head is pounding and I’m sore all over.”
“I bet. You’re lucky you weren’t injured worse, Grace.” She had Grace sign, gave her a quick rundown of instructions, then told her to take it easy.
Right. Guess she wouldn’t be jumping out of airplanes or rock climbing today. Not that she would do either on a normal day. She hated heights. And yet Trent did all those things plus more, like swimming with sharks. A shudder wracked her sore body. The man must have nerves of steel.
Would he be happy long term with someone like her, a small-town girl who had no yen to be a world traveler or live in a big city? Uneasiness swirled through her. Trent lived in Nashville, was based out of there with his team. He couldn’t live in Otter Creek and stay with his teammates. They’d been together for years, had served together in the SEALs. He wouldn’t leave them.
Grace sighed. What was she worried about? Trent hadn’t indicated he was ready to move their relationship beyond dating.
Curious as to who her bodyguard was, she opened the door and peered to the side of the doorway. Rio’s teammate, Alex Morgan, glanced her way with a quick smile. “Hi, Alex.”
“How do you feel, sugar?”
“I’ll live,” she said, not about to complain to a Special Forces soldier who’d had much worse injuries than hers. “How is Ivy? I haven’t seen her for a couple weeks.”
The sniper’s face lit up. “Fantastic.”
“Is she feeling okay?”
“The morning sickness has subsided.” He grinned. “Now she’s eating everything in sight.”
Grace laughed. “That’s a good thing. It means the baby’s growing. You’re a lucky man, Alex.”
A deep longing formed around Grace’s heart. Though she was so happy for her friends, it didn’t stop the wistfulness she felt. Grace dreamed of having a home filled with children. One day, she reminded herself, she would be the one carrying a precious baby, sharing love and laughter with the man of her dreams. Was that man Trent?
“I know,” Alex said simply. “I never forget what a blessing she is and now we’ll have a son or daughter to love.”
Trent walked toward them, a to-go coffee in his hand. “What did the doctor say, baby?”
“I’m free to leave.”
“Excellent.” He waggled the coffee cup gently. “We can stop somewhere and buy real coffee.”
She smiled. “I warned you.”
“I had hoped the rumors about the bad coffee were exaggerated. No such luck.”
“You can stop by the bookstore or Darcy’s deli,” Alex said. “They both use Serena Blackhawk’s coffee blends. Need me for anything else, Trent?”
“In a hurry?” Trent asked.
“I’m taking Ivy to her doctor’s appointment. He’s doing an ultrasound today.”
“Go. We’ll be fine.” Trent held out his hand. “Thanks, Alex.”
“Yep. Keep us posted. We want to help.”
“Appreciate it.”
With a nod at Grace, the sniper left.
“Ready, sweetheart?”
She nodded. “I need to grab my belongings.” Trent followed her into the room. Grace picked up the bag with her clothes and her purse, glanced at his face, and froze. “Trent, what is it?”
He gave a huff of laughter. “You know, I’m supposed to be harder to read than this.”
“Tell me,” she whispered.
“About three o’clock this morning, a man tried to gain access to your room, claiming he was to take you for X-rays. Quinn wouldn’t let him inside because he didn’t have a hospital ID.”
She blinked. That didn’t make sense. She’d had X-rays when she was admitted to the ER and Dr. Anderson didn’t mention wanting more when she talked to him earlier.
“He never returned, baby.”
Cold chills surged up her spine. “What does that mean?”
“He wasn’t here for X-rays. He was here for you.”
“You think it’s the man who ran me off the road.”
Trent curved his hand around the nape of her neck. “I do.”
“The hospital has security cameras. Maybe you can identify him.” If Trent could ID the man, all this madness would stop. Surely Stella could arrest him with the evidence she had collected.
“I checked with a friend who works in security here. None of the cameras caught his face.”
“How can that be? Those cameras are everywhere.” Just because she ignored them didn’t mean she wasn’t aware of them.
“He wore scrubs into the hospital with a baseball cap pulled low on his forehead until he entered a storage closet. When he came out, the baseball cap was gone, but he had a surgical mask over his face.”
She sighed. “Great. So we still don’t know who this guy is or why he wants to hurt me.”
“Doesn’t matter, baby. I’ll find him, no matter how long it takes. He will never hurt you again.”
A promise Trent meant but couldn’t fulfill if he wasn’t plastered to her side. Soon, he would return to work, leaving Grace to fend for herself. “I wish I knew what he wanted.”
“We’ll figure it out.” He dropped a quick kiss on her lips. “In the meantime, are you hungry?”
She grimaced. Just the idea of eating made the nausea churning in her stomach worse. “Not really. I’m sure you are, though.”
His stomach growled on cue. “Come on. Let’s get out of here. Do you feel up to stopping by That’s A Wrap?”
Darcy Kincaid, Rio’s wife, owned the deli that was one of Grace’s favorite places to go for a quick meal. “Sure.”
“We won’t stay long,” he promised.
At the deli, Darcy hurried around the counter as soon as Grace walked in with Trent by her side. “How are you, Grace?” She hugged her.
“I’m fine,” Grace said as she returned the hug. “Thanks for bringing clothes by the hospital for me.”
“No problem. What can I get you? Are you hungry?”
Grace’s stomach lurched. Definitely no food for her yet. “A soft drink to settle my stomach.”
“I have something better.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed her brother’s cheek. “What about you, Trent? What would you like?”
Once he’d given Darcy his order, Trent escorted Grace to a table at the side of the room. He seated her against the wall and dragged a chair around to sit beside her. Ever the Special Forces soldier, always on alert.
Minutes later, Darcy returned with Trent’s wraps and a drink for Grace. “Iced chamomile mint tea. Should be just the thing for an upset stomach.”
“Perfect. Thank you, Darcy.”
By the time Trent finished eating, Grace’s stomach was more settled. “Where did you learn about the tea?” she asked the next time Darcy stopped by the table to check on them.
“Rio, of course. He researches everything he thinks might help me and his patients.”
Trent snorted. “Most Fortress employees would rather puke their guts out than drink herbal tea.”
His sister rolled her eyes. “Thanks for the visual, bro. All I know is Serena Blackhawk, Del Cahill, and Ivy Morgan all swear by this tea’s ability to conquer morning sickness.” She ruffled her brother’s hair and winked at Grace. “Later, guys.”
Trent threw away their trash and helped Grace to her feet. “Let’s get you home, baby.”
“I’ve been in bed for hours, Trent,” she snapped. “I don’t need to sleep more.” Didn’t know if she
could with her head pounding.
He slid a surprised glance her way. “I won’t make you do anything, Grace. I thought you might need to rest for a bit. You look tired.”
Grace closed her eyes briefly, regretting her outburst. Trent had done nothing but take care of her. He’d raced directly from a mission to her side and then stayed awake most of the night, watching over her. “I’m sorry.” She dropped her forehead against his chest, winced when she bumped one of her many bruises against his breastbone.
“Don’t,” he murmured, tucking her against his side as they walked to the SUV he’d borrowed from PSI. Trent opened the passenger door and tucked her inside. Before stepping back, he leaned down and claimed her mouth in a blistering kiss. “No need to apologize, sweetheart. I get it. Your head feels like a mad construction worker is whaling on it with a twenty-pound mallet and your body feels like you went a round in the ring with an MMA champion. Been there. Done that. Burned the t-shirt. Let me take you home so you can relax for a while. No pressure to sleep.”
“That’s your prescription for healing?”
“Dim apartment, hot boyfriend to snuggle with on the couch, and a favorite movie with a chaser of over-the-counter meds. Trust me. It’ll work.”
“Take me home, then. But I get to choose the movie.”
The SEAL barely flinched. “Deal.” He held her hand as he drove to the other side of town and parked in one of Grace’s two assigned parking spaces. Trent circled the SUV and helped her to the asphalt.
Grabbing her purse and clothes bag, Grace led the way to her second-floor apartment. She palmed her keys when Trent gripped her arm and moved her away from the door. She looked over, surprised to see Trent in full bodyguard mode.
He signaled her to be quiet and inclined his head toward her door.
Her eyes widened. The door she knew she’d locked before meeting Nicole now stood ajar with a shoe print near the knob.
CHAPTER FIVE
Palming his Sig, Trent pressed Grace against the wall. “Stay,” he whispered. He doubted anyone was still inside. Grace hadn’t been home in more than eighteen hours. Plenty of time for the creep to search her place if that’s what he wanted to do.
On the off chance the guy had hung around waiting for Grace to return, Trent didn’t want to tip him off that she wasn’t alone and vulnerable this time.
He slipped into the darkened apartment. Enough light shone at the edges of the curtain for Trent to make his way through Grace’s home without tripping over anything. He needed to talk to his girlfriend about safety measures. No need to announce to a potential thief you weren’t home by leaving the place dark.
He waited for his eyes to adjust to the gloom, then began a silent search of her two-bedroom apartment. No one hiding in the bathroom or closets. He frowned. Also nothing out of place. Was it possible the door hadn’t been pulled shut all the way?
Trent couldn’t see that happening. Grace was too careful for that. She worked a varying schedule with odd shifts and was cautious about her safety. Not only that, the shoe print on the door hadn’t been there last week. On a hunch, he returned to the guest bedroom where she kept her laptop. He touched the track pad and the computer came to life, showing Grace’s calendar.
He slid the Sig into his holster as he returned to Grace. “It’s clear,” he said. “Come inside to check, but try not to touch anything.”
Grace dropped her purse and bag on the couch and walked through her home with him trailing behind. She turned a troubled gaze to Trent. “I don’t think anything is missing. Why would someone break in and not take anything?”
“Come here.” He led her to the guest room. “Did you leave your calendar up on your computer?”
“I probably did,” she admitted. “I was entering my work schedule for the next two weeks right before I left to meet Nicole. I don’t remember closing out the program.”
“The person who broke in knows your schedule, Grace. This guy was waiting for you to pass him on Highway 18.”
She sighed. “I made it easy for him to find me. But why would he want to hurt me?”
He wrapped his arms around her. “We’ll find out, baby. In the meantime, we need to call the police.”
She scowled. “What for? He didn’t take anything.”
“He may have left prints.” Trent doubted it, but the police needed to check anyway.
Grace walked to the sofa and sat. “Do you want to call them or shall I?”
“I’ll take care of it.” He dropped a quick kiss on her lips, then grabbed his cell phone and called Nate Armstrong. “It’s Trent. Is Stella working or is she off shift?”
“She goes in tonight at 10:00. Why?”
“Grace’s apartment was broken into while she was in the hospital.”
A soft whistle sounded in his ear. “I’ll call her. She should be awake by now. You still at Grace’s?”
“Yeah. Thanks, man.”
“How’s your girl?”
“She’s fine.”
“Glad to hear it. Stella should be at Grace’s home soon.”
Trent shoved his cell phone into his pocket. “Stella’s coming.”
“Good. Guess it’s best for her to take care of this since she’s looking into the accident.”
“Where are your pain meds?”
“Basket over the refrigerator.” Grace sank deeper into the cushions. “If you need to turn on the lights, let me grab my sunglasses.”
His eyes narrowed. “Headache is worse?”
“Not really. I’m light sensitive right now.”
While he was in the kitchen, he shot off a text message to Rio, asking him to stop by and check on Grace. Trent’s girlfriend wouldn’t like it. Tough. He wanted to be sure she was okay. He trusted Rio’s judgment.
Grabbing the pain meds and a bottle of water from her refrigerator, he handed both to Grace, then draped a cold pack on the back of her neck. “See if this helps.”
“Thank you, Trent.”
He sat beside her and gathered her close. “Rest until Stella arrives,” he murmured. By degrees, Grace relaxed against him until she fell asleep.
Trent savored the opportunity to hold her without worrying about deployment. He loved his job, but the constant missions were wearing on him.
Minutes later, a light knock sounded on the door.
Grace jerked and sat up, dislodging the cold pack.
“Stay here.” Trent crossed the room, weapon in hand. A check through the peephole and he put away his Sig. “Stella, thanks for coming.”
The dark-haired detective smiled. “I’m glad you contacted me.” She walked into the apartment. “How are you, Grace?”
“Tired of answering that question. I’ll be fine. Headache, a few stitches, cuts and bruises.”
“I’m glad your injuries aren’t serious. You were lucky.” Stella put down her black bag. “Remember anything else about the accident, Grace?”
“Sorry, Stella. Most of it’s a blur.”
“Not surprising. Is anything missing?”
“Not that I could tell. The only reason I knew I’d had an unwanted visitor is because my door was ajar with a shoe print on it.”
“I’m surprised none of your neighbors noticed.”
“Stella, Grace’s computer was open to her calendar.”
The detective’s gaze sharpened. “Do you use the calendar function frequently, Grace?”
“That’s how I keep up with my odd work schedule.”
“If someone broke in after you left for Knoxville, he’d know where you were yesterday?”
“That’s right. I led him right to me.” She sighed. “It’s bad enough that he hurt me. This guy could have injured someone else in the process of running me off the road.”
“I’m happy he didn’t.” Stella glanced around the apartment. “It will take me a while to process your home and I’ll need to turn on the lights. You might be more comfortable somewhere else.”
“How long should we stay away?”
>
“A couple hours.”
“We’ll be at Rio and Darcy’s,” Trent said. He had a key to the house since he used it as his home base when he was in Otter Creek.
“I’ll let you know when I’m finished,” Stella promised.
Trent helped Grace to her feet. “Let me put away the cold pack and we’ll go.” He paused. “I need to do several security upgrades before I’ll be comfortable with you staying here on your own. If you insist on coming back here before I complete them, I’ll be sleeping on your couch.”
Grace’s eyes widened. “Trent, you won’t get any sleep if you stay here.”
“You are my priority, sweetheart.”
“And you are mine. I don’t want you going back to work exhausted. It’s not safe for you or your teammates.”
“There’s one way to fix that, Grace,” Stella said. “Stay at Rio and Darcy’s for a few days. She has a huge house with plenty of room.”
Trent smiled. His sister had bought a Victorian monstrosity that had been a work in progress for months. Now that the renovations were complete, he had to admit the house was a real showplace. The whole town had been buzzing about it for months. “Darcy would love to have you stay, honey.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“I’ll go pack clothes for a few days, then. Why don’t we stop by Delaney’s Diner on the way? We can pick up dinner for the four of us.”
“Great idea. I’ll call Darce and let her know we’ll be staying with them.” Suited Trent very well. That way, Rio could keep an eye on Grace without being obvious.
As soon as she left the room, Stella got to work and Trent stepped into the kitchen to call Rio and Darcy. Just as he’d expected, Darcy was thrilled to have Grace stay for a few days.
He carried Grace’s suitcase to the SUV and tucked her inside for the trip to Delaney’s and then Darcy’s.
When they reached the house, Rio walked onto the porch to greet them. “Welcome, Grace. Darcy said to put you in the room across from Trent’s.” His gaze dropped to the take-out bags in Trent’s free hand. “Oh, man. Delaney’s. You didn’t have to do that, but it’s much appreciated. I’m glad Darcy won’t have to cook or eat my attempts at creating a meal. My cousin is supposed to come for dinner tonight. Show Grace around while I run out and pick up a meal for Mason.”