by Wade, Maddie
Reid nodded. “Fuck, Callie will be devastated. She really liked the woman and will blame herself.”
“Whoever this stalker is, my guess is they knew she was due home today.”
Reid agreed with Liam’s statement. “I agree, which means it’s someone close to her. We need to tighten her circle and have her cancel all but the most important engagements until we can catch them.” Reid sipped his coffee. “Bono?”
“He was found wandering outside, a passer-by handed him into a local vet. Mitch is bringing him over now.”
“Thank fuck. She loves that dog.”
“So, what are you thinking moving forward?”
Liam and Mitch knew London better than he did but still deferred to him on this Op. It was as if by some unspoken understanding they’d decided he’d take the lead because of his relationship to her, or more over, her brother.
“I know you and Mitch know London well, but I’d prefer to get her to Hereford where we have the home advantage. I keep feeling we’re playing catch up on this and I don’t like it.”
“I agree, plus we have back-up if we need it.”
“I’m going to give Jack a call and hear his thoughts on it.”
“Good idea. I’m going to rustle up some food, best to eat while we can.”
Reid stepped outside into the overgrown back yard and hit dial.
Jack picked up almost immediately. “Reid, give me an update.” Jack was always brisk and to the point, but he was also a good man who cared about his men.
“We got back and found Callie’s housekeeper murdered in her bed. We think it happened just moments before she arrived home, so suspect someone close to her.”
“Yes, that would be my thoughts too. What are your plans?”
“If it’s okay, I’ll bring her to Hereford. I want the home advantage.”
“Good call. She’ll be safe here, and you’ll have back-up if you need it.” Jack paused.
He instantly knew something had happened with Gunner. “What’s happened?”
Jack sighed, and Reid pictured him pacing his office. “We heard through a contact of Blake’s that Gunner might be working for someone close to the Royal Household, but we don’t know more than that.”
“That makes no sense. We protect the Royal Household. Why would they want us out of the way?”
“I don’t know yet, but I will find out.”
“Any idea where Gunner is yet?”
“No, not yet. The last sighting was in Egypt but nothing since then.”
“I still can’t believe he betrayed us like that,” Reid mused out loud.
“Yeah, neither can I. Anyway, come in when you get back, and we’ll make a plan for Calista Lundholm and her stalker.”
“Thanks, boss, but you need the manpower to find Gunner and the threat. I can do this alone if I’m on home turf.”
“No, I won’t have my men working alone when we can help. We can spare Liam and Mitch on this for a few weeks. Waggs may need to step in if Liam is needed elsewhere but other than that, we have you covered. Blake and Alex are chasing a lead in Kandahar and Lopez is looking into a few things too, so we have the time. Concentrate on finding this fucker. I hate assholes that terrorise innocent woman.”
Reid smiled at his boss’ overly long and unexpected tirade. Jack, as a rule, was a man of few words so this was a long one for him.
“Will do, Jack.”
Reid hung up and walked back inside to the smell of bacon frying and his stomach grumbled. One thing he loved about living in the UK was their ability to see a full English breakfast as food at any time of the day.
He stole a rasher off the plate and Liam pinned him with a glare which made him smirk. He turned his head at the sound of someone outside the front door, his senses immediately on guard. He moved to the foot of the stairs and drew his weapon ready to defend Callie if need be.
He grinned when he heard Mitch swear from outside and then a clatter. Checking the window beside the door, he saw Mitch on his ass with Bono licking his face. It was quite the sight and definitely camera-worthy, although he resisted the temptation. Instead, he pulled open the door and looked down at Mitch as Bono barrelled past him towards the smell of bacon.
Mitch glared after the dog as he stood. “I’m getting too old for this shit,” he said, pushing past Reid, who did a sweep of the area with his eyes and then satisfied, closed the door.
He headed back to the kitchen but stopped when he heard noise from upstairs. He reversed his direction and went to see if Callie was awake. He knocked gently, not wanting to catch her half-naked, more for his own self-preservation than anything else though. Any more of Callie half-naked and his good intentions would be shot to shit.
He entered when she called out softly and smiled at the sight of her sitting on the bed looking rumpled and delicious. Her sleepy eyes made him think of what it would be like to wake up with her. His body responded instantly, his dick hardening, and he had to try and think of anything else except the vision she made.
“Hey.” Her voice was gentle and slightly husky from her crying jag, and he had to start reciting the phonetic alphabet to keep himself in check.
He moved closer and knelt by her knees. “I have a surprise for you.”
Her head tilted and she smiled at him, making him feel ten feet tall. That was what she did to him, made him feel as if pleasing her was the most crucial mission of his life and one he would willingly do.
“You do? What is it?”
“I think it’s best I show you. But first, we have to talk.” He had to tell her about the housekeeper and the plan to go to Hereford for a while.
“Okay.”
He heard the caution in her voice and hated it. He took her hand, trying to offer comfort and swirled his thumb over the soft skin between her thumb and forefinger. Her eyes held apprehension but also trust and the lingering edges of desire.
All he wanted to do was kiss her and forget about the rest, but he couldn’t, not yet. “The woman in your flat was Tina Pugh.”
Callie gasped, and moisture hit her eyes in a second. “Oh no, poor Tina. Was it quick?”
It was a question most people asked in some variation. Was it quick? Did they suffer? Most people didn’t want to know the truth.
He answered her as honestly as he could. “It was quick in the end.”
“But not the beginning?” she asked.
He should have known she was too smart to fall for his evasion. “No, sunshine, it wasn’t.”
“You find them, Reid, and when you do, make them suffer for hurting her,” she said the words with venom for her friend.
He swept a lock of her blonde hair from her cheek. “I will, sunshine, I promise.” Callie nodded, accepting him at his word. “There’s more.”
“Oh?”
“I want us to go to Hereford until this is settled. I can protect you better there, and things are too hot down here. I know you have commitments, and we can sort those, but this is best way I can protect you.”
“Okay, I’m happy to follow your lead.”
Reid was slightly shocked by her easy acquiescence. “Really?”
“I’m not an idiot, Reid. People are dying. I won’t have anyone else hurt because of me. If you think Hereford is best, I’ll cancel my commitments and do what I’m told.”
“But this could hurt your career.”
“My career is important but not more important than innocent people getting hurt. That could have been Flynn or Briar or Sophia that are lying dead. I won’t risk it.”
“Good, now let’s go downstairs and see your surprise. Then we can eat before we get on the road.”
He kissed her forehead, holding the kiss longer than usual as he inhaled the scent of peaches which he’d come to associate with her. This woman surprised him at every turn, and it was slowly melting all his barriers.
With his hand on her back, he guided her down the stairs. Reid never got the chance to show her the surprise before the surprise j
umped all over her, licking her face and neck. Reid had never been jealous of a dog until now.
Fucking lucky mutt.
Chapter Nine
As Callie ate the last piece of bacon on her plate, she sat back and looked at the three men at the table. They were all protectors, robust, handsome and ready to take a bullet for anyone they deemed to be under their care. Right now, that was her. Liam was a huge flirt, but she sensed it was all for show, to protect himself or hide the real man beneath, who was more vulnerable than he liked to admit.
Then there was Mitch, who was the calm, cool unshakeable one. He didn’t talk a lot, but what he did say was either relaxed and funny or completely serious depending on the topic. When he spoke about work, it was serious but other than that, it was as if nothing fazed him. She would bet he could walk into any situation and instantly adapt.
Her eyes landed on Reid who was absently stroking Bono’s head as her beloved dog sat by his side. Reid was the one she couldn’t figure out. He was a protector, and the way he talked about his sisters and mom made her smile. There was no doubt he loved them and would do anything for them. She knew from Clay his sister had been sick, and how worried Reid had been for her.
Her heart ached for him. To be so far away and not know what was happening, made her realise how Clay must feel. The attraction between her and Reid was palpable, but she didn’t know if he was prepared to take it any further. He wanted her, of that she was sure, but did he want more than a roll in the sheets? That was the question she couldn’t figure out the answer to.
While she had been in New York, Ernesto, the photographer who had taken the shot of her and Reid, had sent her the proofs. To say the photograph was hot was an understatement. The chemistry between them practically burned the screen. In fact, he’d looked at her as if she was the only woman in the world. It made her hot all over and yearn for something she wasn’t sure she could have with him.
Turning her attention away from her sad love life and what may or may not happen with her and Reid, she concentrated on the here and now. “What happens now?”
Reid tipped his head and regarded her, giving her question serious consideration. “Now we head to Hereford. The best idea is to get on the road tonight while we still have the advantage of nobody knowing where we are.”
“I’ll need to have Mel put out a press release regarding what happened at my apartment. It’s only a matter of time before the press gets hold of it and links it to me.”
Reid nodded as he sat back in his chair that was way too small for a man his size. “Fine but keep the details out of it. We don’t want anyone to know who it was, or what exactly happened.” He turned to Mitch. “Can you check with Brant if it’s okay to release something? We need to make sure the family has informed before we do anything.”
Mitch nodded. “Yeah, I can call him now.” He stood and walked toward the back door, Bono on his heels.
“We also need you to have Sophia cancel your commitments. Are there any that can’t be rescheduled?”
“I have a video shoot for my new fragrance but not until the end of next month.”
Reid nodded. “Hopefully we’ll be done by then.” His jaw was hard as he said the words and Callie wondered what had pissed him off.
“I’m sorry to be putting you all to this trouble. Please tell your boss that I’ll pay for your time.”
“The fuck you will.” He stood from his chair and walked to the sink with his plate, the water splashing suds at him as he dumped the plate in.
She stood and walked towards him, standing beside him as he looked out the back window and off into the night. “Reid, I’m taking up three of his men.”
He slowly turned his gaze to her, and she saw heat and desire burning in his eyes but also something else she couldn’t place. “Clay is my oldest friend and has saved my ass more times than I can count over the years. I need to do this for him.” He paused for a second. “And for you, sunshine.”
Callie heard the door close behind her and guessed Liam had left the room. Reid angled himself so he was fully facing her and lifted his hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Her skin tingled where his fingers brushed against her. “I’ve never met anyone like you.” His words were spoken softly as if he was surprised by his own admission. “You care about everyone you meet. You make people smile or laugh and never let the tension get to you. Even now, with everything that’s happening to you, you still care about others.”
“Kirk,” she said his name as a plea, his words making her heart and body ache for him.
“Let me do this, Callie. Let me protect you and keep you safe.”
Callie watched the emotions play over his face. He needed to do this for whatever reason, and she needed him. Because despite what he thought, she was scared, and she didn’t trust any man as much as she trusted him. It made her wonder how she was going to let him go when all this was over. “Okay, but I want to pay for Liam and Mitch’s time.”
Reid smiled at her, and his dimples deepened, softening the stern handsomeness of the man. “Good luck with that, sunshine,” he said and then went back to washing the dishes as if the last few charged moments had never happened.
Picking up a tea towel, she began to dry them, a smile on her face.
After a few minutes of companionable silence, she spoke. “Can I tell Sophia and Mel where I’m going?”
“I’d prefer it if you didn’t. The fewer people who know, the easier it will be.”
“Sophia won’t like that. Shit, she even has a key to my house, so she has full access to me.”
Reid’s head snapped to her. “Does she indeed.”
“It isn’t Sophia if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“Maybe, maybe not, but it is someone who knows your schedule and habits.”
She shivered at his words knowing someone she knew—had spoken with—was doing this to her.
“I don’t get it though. Why haven’t I had direct contact with this person? There’s been no demands or threats, just a few gifts or misplaced items and then the break-in and now Tina.” Her throat clogged with emotion on the last word.
Reid took the plate she was drying from her hands and placed it on the side before drawing her into his arms and holding her tight. Her head rested against the steady beat of his heart, her senses overwhelmed with his unique scent that she was fast becoming addicted too. His big hand on the back of her head holding her steady as his cheek rested on her head made her feel safe, protected, but more than that, she felt as if she was home.
Callie closed her eyes and drank in the sensation of being held by Reid, wondering what a lifetime of belonging to a man like him would look like and knowing in her heart it would be beautiful beyond her imagination.
“Nobody knows how the minds of these sick bastards work, sunshine, but we will find them, and they will pay. That I can promise you.”
Callie stayed that way until she heard the door to the back open and looked toward the sound.
Mitch tipped his head, but Reid didn’t let go of her straight away. “Brant good?”
Mitch blew out a breath. “Yeah, the family have been informed, and he said we can release a statement but keep the details to an absolute minimum. I told him we’re taking Callie to Hereford and he agreed it’s the best option.”
Reid released her, and she stepped back, feeling stronger for his touch. “I’ll make the calls to Mel and Sophia. Where will I be staying? Also, I have no clothes or anything with me, except the overnight bag from our trip, but it only has a few essentials in it.”
“You’ll be staying with me unless that’s a problem for you? If it is, I can ask Jack if you can stay at the compound.”
In truth, Callie wanted to relish every second with this man and perhaps staying in his home would unlock some of the secrets he kept hidden and help her unravel the mystery that was Kirk Reid. “With you is fine. I can ask Sophia to send me some clothes.”
“No, I don’t want her or anyo
ne else knowing where you’re staying exactly.”
“Oh, all right but I can’t wear the same clothes for weeks on end, Reid.”
He grinned at her and picked up his phone. “Don’t worry. I know just the woman to sort that for you.”
For some reason, his words caused an arc of jealousy to spear through her. The smirk on Mitch’s face didn’t help either.
“Pax?”
“Pax,” Reid agreed and lifted the phone to his ear.
Callie stepped back, pretending to fuss with Bono as she listened and discreetly watched Reid on the phone.
“Hey, Pax, darlin, how you been?”
Callie watched a huge smile stretch across his face and then silently fumed at the soft look that followed. He’d mentioned Pax before, and she wondered who she was to him. An ex-girlfriend, current girlfriend, fuck buddy? She hated her jealously but couldn’t seem to stem it.
“That’s good, darlin, that’s really good. Listen, I need a small favour. I have a friend coming to stay, and she needs enough clothes to last her a few weeks. Can you have some sent to my place?”
Callie watched him nod, and his eyes moved to her a knowing smirk on his face. “No, it ain’t like that, Pax.”
Callie had heard enough of this conversation and walked from the room. He could flirt with the woman as much as he liked, but she didn’t have to listen to it. She was halfway up the stairs when she sensed him behind her. Callie ignored him and went to the room she’d slept in, intending to do what, she had no clue. She tried to shut the door but found herself pinned to it instead.
The heat and hardness of Reid’s body pressed against her. “Like it when you get jealous, sunshine.” His handsome and arrogant face loomed above her as every nerve in her body responded to his close proximity.
Callie glared at him, hating that she was so transparent. “I’m not jealous, don’t be ridiculous.”