The Diehard Warrior

by Youngblood, Jennifer

  The kidnapper was in his early thirties. An average looking Joe with hard features and thinning hair. Maddox punched him a couple of times, demanding to know who he was and who’d sent him, but the guy sat in stony silence. He had no identification. No phone. Nothing. He snapped a picture of the guy and texted it to Corbin and Sutton, knowing that Sutton would run it through a database.

  Addie shuddered, her eyes taking on a haunted look. “I keep thinking about what might’ve happened if you hadn’t shown up when you did.”

  Maddox didn’t like to think about that either. “I’ll stay right by your side until this thing’s over. You have my word.”

  “Thank you,” she said softly.

  His mind went back through the events that had led them here. Maddox left the diner in search of Addie. Unfortunately, she’d gotten too much of a head start. He assumed she was going back to the resort. When he realized Addie wasn’t there, he headed to her cabin. He saw another car in her driveway with no license plate. He parked a short distance away and jogged back. He reached her yard just as the man was shoving her into the trunk.

  Addie stepped up and touched his face. Her finger trailed lightly down his skin, sending a jolt of awareness through him. He gave her a questioning look. “You have a bruise,” she explained, frowning, “from your fight with that horrid man.”

  “I do?” A wry grin twisted his lips. “I hadn’t noticed.”

  Her eyes lit with amusement. “Tough guy, huh? The weasel was obviously no match for your hotshot, ninja, Navy SEAL skills.” There was a touch of admiration in her voice.

  He laughed in surprise, not sure how to answer.

  A shadow darkened her features. “When I heard the gun, I wasn’t sure what to think …” She shivered. “I’m so glad you were there.”

  “Me too.” The attacker had an elementary level of combat skill, but he was no match for Maddox’s SEAL training, meaning he wasn’t Special Ops.

  After they got some food in their systems, Maddox planned to question Addie in hopes that he’d find a common thread to help him figure out why she was being targeted. “Is there something in the kitchen we can fix for dinner?” he prompted.

  “We have a few cans of soup. I can make us some grilled cheese sandwiches.” She scowled. “Thank goodness I put the food back into the fridge last night after the break-in. Otherwise, the perishables would’ve been ruined.”

  He touched her arm as the familiar attraction zinged through him. “I’m sorry for all that you’re going through. I know it’s rough.”

  “Thanks,” she said, offering an appreciative smile. Their gazes locked as something akin to attraction flashed in her eyes. For one wild moment, Maddox got the distinct feeling that Addie wanted to kiss him. To his disappointment, she took a step back as if to put as much distance between them as possible. It’s for the best, he reminded himself, even though, he really didn’t believe it.

  Addie motioned to the shelf above her desk. “I appreciate you putting things away.” A sheepish grin tugged at her lips as she rocked forward on the balls of her feet. “Sorry I accused you of reading my journal.” Laughter simmered in her eyes. “Read anything interesting?”

  His eyes rounded as he coughed. Ouch! The guilt was killing him!

  She laughed lightly, brushing his arm. “Just teasing.”

  This was the Addie that he craved—the playful one who kept him on his toes. He motioned with his head. “Shall we?”

  “Sounds like a plan.” She held up a finger. “As long as I’m the one doing the cooking.”

  “Hey.” His face fell. “My cooking’s not that bad.”

  “No, it’s great,” she paused, her mouth giving way to a grin, “if you don’t mind Mohave Desert dry and charred like a brick.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I burn the pancakes one time and never hear the end of it. Just like a woman to never forget.”

  “Never,” she uttered, her eyes holding his.

  What in the heck was happening here? A part of him wanted to call Addie out, demand to know why she was sending him mixed signals. But he didn’t want to throw a monkey wrench in the gears. Better to let it ride … see where the road took them. He offered a slight bow and flourish of his hand. “After you, ma’am.”

  She clucked her tongue. “Always the perfect gentleman.” She tipped her head, her emerald-gold eyes sparkling with mischief. “You know I never could resist that Bama boy charm,” she quipped, traipsing out.

  He stood there for a moment, befuddled. Watching her move was fascinating. The confident bounce in her step. The graceful lines of her lithe body with just the right amount of curves. Her rich chocolate hair bouncing jauntily on her shoulders. Was Addie flirting with him? Or toying with him? Geez. How in the heck was he supposed to remain unaffected by a woman like her? She was playing him like a fiddle.

  “You coming, hotshot?” she called over her shoulder.

  “You don’t have to ask me twice,” he uttered, feeling like a gullible moth going helplessly to the flame.

  8

  Despite the circumstance, being here with Maddox was exhilarating. Addie glanced at his rugged profile, his unruly curls, the determined set of his chin. His penetrating eyes, framed by dark lashes, were a deep ocean blue. He caught her gaze and smiled, displaying his splendid dimples. A goofy grin spilled over her lips, and she felt like she was sixteen again. The prudent thing to do was to remain guarded around Maddox, but the brush with danger had pickled her brain and made her reckless.

  Breaking up with Maddox was the biggest mistake of Addie’s life. When she believed him dead, her heart had shattered to pieces. She realized then that not having Maddox in her life was far worse than living with the fear of something terrible happening to him. Then, she learned he was still alive. Oh, how she’d wanted to run to him, beg him to take her back. Then her stubbornness had set in. She hoped he would contact her, but nothing. Well, until today, that is, when he waltzed into the diner. And saved your life, her mind added. She owed him some latitude for that.

  While it was tempting to just pick up where they were before the break-up, she had to keep reminding herself that Maddox was here because of his loyalty to Corbin. She knew he still cared about her on some level, she could see it in his eyes. Obviously, he hadn’t loved her as deeply as she had him, or he would have contacted her. There never would have been a Felicity. What kind of woman was this Felicity?

  “Is everything okay? You have a strange expression on your face.”

  She forced a smile. “Yep.” A dry laugh rumbled in her throat, her voice going high-pitched. “Well, aside from the fact that my house was ransacked and someone tried to kidnap me, I’m peachy.”

  He frowned. “You’re acting strange.”

  “Am I?” She chuckled. “Well, chock it up to the day.”

  “Yeah, I guess you have a good excuse, for sure.”

  They were sitting side-by-side on the couch. Maddox angled to face her. “Okay, let’s start at the beginning. I want to hear every detail, starting with when Jordan came to the resort.”

  She let out a long breath, gathering her thoughts. How stupid of her to fret about Maddox’s girlfriend when she should be trying to unravel the mystery before them. Her life could be at stake, and she was thinking about Maddox! Stupid, stupid, woman!

  “Maybe you should start by telling me how you met Jordan.”

  “Gram and Jordan’s mother were at the same care center, both had Alzheimer’s. Jordan and I struck up a friendship.” She paused, the awkwardness of the conversation hitting her. Discussing her romantic relationship with Jordan wasn’t something she wanted to do with Maddox. “The two of us dated for a while.” Maddox’s features tightened. Interesting.

  “Why did you break up?”

  She cleared her throat, shifting in her seat. “We broke up because …” heat flamed her cheeks “…well, things just didn’t work out.” She picked at her fingernails.

  Frustration tinged his handsome features. “If I
’m going to help, you need to be open with me.” He probed her with fierce eyes. “Why did you break up?”

  She squared her chin. “Are you sure this is about Jordan?”

  He didn’t back down an inch. “What else would it be about?”

  His expression was unreadable. “You,” she blurted. “I broke up with him because I met you.”

  Maddox blinked in surprise. She couldn’t be sure, but thought he looked pleased. Then the expression vanished, and he was the consummate professional once more. “Continue.”

  “Jordan and I remained close friends. I introduced him to Piper.”

  “I remember you mentioning her.”

  She nodded. “Piper and I met at a support group for caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients. Piper’s mother had Alzheimer’s. Her father Hamilton is a world-renown surgeon, turned researcher. I knew Piper and Jordan would have lots in common. Sure enough, they hit it off and got married. Later, they formed their drug research company.”

  “Where Jordan developed PZT.”

  “Yes.”

  “Does Piper live nearby?”

  “She and her dad have a family estate in Liberty Falls, the next town over, about twenty-five miles from here. Their research facility is in New Jersey. They go back and forth between New Jersey and Liberty Falls.”

  “Corbin said Jordan and Piper were having marital problems.”

  It was crazy how fast irritation spiked through her. “Corbin’s wrong,” she shot back. “Jordan and Piper were going on a cruise together. In fact, he stopped by to ask if he could pick up some jewelry I had in my possession. He wanted to give the pieces to Piper.”

  Maddox leaned forward. “What kind of jewelry?”

  “Earrings and a bracelet. They belonged to Jordan’s mom. He gave the pieces to me when we were dating.”

  Maddox lifted an eyebrow. “And you kept them even after Jordan and Piper got married?”

  Heat crawled up her neck. “Yes, I tried to give them back, but Jordan wanted me to have them. I was close to his mother.”

  “I see.”

  “See what?” she fired back.

  “Jordan still had feelings for you.”

  Her throat tightened. “That’s ridiculous!” she squeaked. “He loved Piper. I was just a friend.”

  “Do you still have the jewelry?”

  “Yes, it’s in my room. None of it was taken during the break-in.”

  He rubbed his chin, a look of intense concentration settling over his features. “Tell me everything Jordan said to you.”

  She repeated the conversation.

  He looked thoughtful. “Okay, from what you said, here are the points of interest: ‘Piper’s a good woman, but she doesn’t understand. You’re the only one I can trust.’ Then, he asked you to forgive him.”

  She wrinkled her nose, more confused than ever. “None of it makes any sense. I’m hoping to get more information, tomorrow, when I meet with Piper.”

  “Good.” He tipped his head. “Corbin said Jordan was meeting with a divorce attorney. It seems strange that he and Piper were leaving on a cruise the following day if they were having severe problems.”

  “Exactly.” She folded her arms over her chest.

  “Did Jordan give you anything the day he stopped by?”

  “No.”

  He let out a breath. “Tell me again everything that happened, leaving out no details.”

  “Seriously? How many times do we have to go through this?”

  “As many times as it takes to get to the truth.”

  She told him again, right down to the part about Jordan helping her collect the items in her purse. “I got the feeling that he’d seen someone or something that frightened him. I tried to see what he was looking at, but the terrace was filled with people eating lunch.” She spread her hands. “People come and go all the time at the resort. I have no idea who Jordan was looking at.”

  His brows furrowed. “Maybe, the guy who tried to kidnap you?”

  “Yeah, maybe.”

  “Someone must think that Jordan either told you something, or gave you something.”

  She threw up her hands. “Assuming this is even about Jordan.”

  He rubbed his chin. “From where I’m sitting, I’ll bet this is about PZT. A drug with the potential to cure Alzheimer’s could be worth billions.”

  “That’s what Corbin said.”

  A new light came into Maddox’s eyes. “Let me see your purse.”

  “Huh?”

  “You said you tipped over your purse and Jordan helped you put the contents back.”

  “Yes,” she said, not sure where this was going.

  “Is it possible that Jordan slipped something into your purse without your knowledge?”

  “Yeah, I guess. Anything’s possible, I suppose.” She scrunched her eyebrows. “Why would he do that?”

  Maddox gave her a checkmate look. “Because you’re the only one he could trust, remember?”

  She stood. “I guess there’s only one way to find out, right?”

  “Right.”

  She retrieved her purse and sat back down beside him.

  “Dump it out on the coffee table,” Maddox instructed.

  Great! Now Maddox would see the tampon, just as Jordan had. Oh, well. It was a fact of life. She turned over her purse, the contents falling onto the table.

  “Does anything look amiss?”

  Her mind clicked through the familiar items—her wallet, keys, phone, gum, the tampon, bits of scrap paper, loose change, a silver key. Wait a minute! She reached for the key, her heart picking up its beat. “This.” She held it up. “I don’t know where it came from.”

  Maddox reached for it, his hand touching hers. She felt a jolt of attraction and wondered if he felt it too. He held up the key, examining it. “It looks like it might go to some sort of storage facility or locker. Do you know of any place that rents lockers in Birchwood Springs? Was Jordan from Birchwood Springs or Liberty Falls?”

  “He was from here. I don’t know of any place that rents lockers, per se, but there are several storage facilities in the area.” The key was plain Jane, like thousands of other keys. Her heart sank. Had they reached a dead end?

  “Maybe your friend Piper will know what the key goes to.”

  “Yes, we can ask her tomorrow.” She saw the skeptical look on Maddox’s face. “What?”

  “Do you think Piper can be trusted?”

  She rocked back. “Of course,” she said sharply. She didn’t like the direction this conversation was taking.

  He looked doubtful. “I dunno. You said Piper never told you that she and Jordan were having problems, and yet, he’d spoken to a divorce lawyer. Jordan said you were the only one he could trust.”

  Her voice rose. “He also asked me to forgive him, which makes no sense. Jordan never did a thing to me!” She gulped in a breath, trying to rein in her emotions. “Piper’s my best friend. I trust her as much as I trust you … as much as I trust myself.”

  He held up a hand. “Okay. Just making sure. What about her dad?”

  “Hamilton Gentry.”

  He nodded.

  “He’s quiet. Standoffish. Has a brilliant reputation as a surgeon. I know he was fiercely devoted to his wife. He went into a deep depression when she passed away.”

  “According to the intel, he’s the one who secured the financial backing for the business.”

  “Yes.”

  Maddox gave her a meaningful look. “If anything were to go awry with PZT, Hamilton could have a lot to lose.”

  She bit her lower lip. “I suppose.” It was strange to think of Hamilton Gentry this way. She didn’t like having to scrutinize Jordan or Piper, didn’t like thinking that nothing was as she thought. She also didn’t like having her home broken into or almost getting kidnapped. A feeling of gloom settled over her. She just wanted this to be over.

  “I’d like to look at that jewelry.”

  She stood. “Sure.” Addie was weary
, a headache streaking over her forehead. She wanted to fall into bed and sleep a thousand years. First though, she had to call Sadie to make sure everything had gone okay with the conference. Another thought occurred to her, quickening her blood. Maddox vowed to stay by her side. Did that mean he’d sleep in the same room? An unexpected ripple of desire surged through her. How was she supposed to get any sleep with him there? She had the unreasonable urge to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him. Was she losing her freaking mind? How could she be thinking such thoughts right now when danger was pressing down on her? Felicity! She repeated the word over and over like it was a talisman. Yes, she’d loved Maddox, but it was too late for them. Besides, if he’d been the guy she thought he was, he wouldn’t have found someone else so quickly.

  The loud knocking at the door nearly caused her to jump out of her skin. Her knees went weak as she looked at Maddox, her heart thundering against her ribcage.

  Maddox’s muscles pulled taut like a panther ready to spring. “It’s probably Sutton’s guys,” he said quietly. “Stay there,” he ordered, holding out his hand.

  Addie held her breath as he stole to the door.

  “Who is it?” he asked, the muscles in his jaw twitching. He looked every bit the retired SEAL with his chiseled body and fierce expression.

  “Sutton sent us.”

  Addie let out a relieved breath. She was surprised, however, at Maddox’s next question. “What do we do?”

  “Adapt and overcome.”

  “How much adapting?”

  “As much as it takes.”

  His shoulders relaxed as he opened the door and shook hands with the two men. “Thanks for coming.”

  They stepped inside. Maddox closed and locked the door behind them. Both men were dressed in black shirts and slacks. They had stoic expressions and closely cropped hair, like they used the same barber. One was short with a barrel chest and thick biceps, the other tall with lean muscles like Maddox.

  “Where’s the package?” the short man asked, his hawk eyes scoping the room.