by Rebecca Deel
“He pressed the gun into the bruised side of my head. He couldn’t have known about the previous injury.”
Cade frowned and studied her face. “You’re pale. Headache is back?”
“It will pass.” Hopefully before she embarrassed herself by vomiting.
“I’ll give her something for pain, Cade,” Matt said. “We’ll take Sasha to the infirmary. I need to look at your arm.”
“After you check Sasha,” Cade insisted as he rose.
Stubborn man. She wasn’t the one bleeding all over the floor. Sasha gripped the hand Cade extended her and stood. “Come on.” The quicker Matt declared she had aggravated the bruise, the sooner the medic would take care of Cade. “I need an ice pack.”
Liam met them in the hallway. “You okay?” He scowled when he caught sight of Cade’s arm. “Never mind. I can see for myself you’re not. Guess Gerard didn’t bother to change his ammunition.”
“Lucky we suited up before invading Crime Town,” Matt said. “If he’d tagged you somewhere more vital, you’d be on the way to the hospital.”
That comment earned a scowl from Cade.
Sasha pressed closer to his side, afraid he would go after the disgraced trainee again. “What happens to Gerard now?” Would PSI keep him in the program? She didn’t wish him harm, but the thought of him protecting a vulnerable person didn’t sit well with Sasha. He hadn’t concerned himself with Cade’s safety earlier.
“Trent will recommend Maddox kick Gerard from the training program. We can’t trust him on missions if he won’t follow orders. He was given explicit instructions for this exercise that he blatantly ignored. If he was on a mission and decided to do what he wanted instead of staying with the plan, a teammate could die.”
“This isn’t the first time he’s screwed up,” Liam said. “Gerard makes a habit of disregarding instructions. If our lives depend on him, we won’t survive.”
Two minutes later, they walked out of Crime Town and into the main building. Matt led the way to the infirmary and patted the examination table. “Sit here, Sasha. I’ll check you, then take care of Cade.”
After a cursory look at the side of her head, Matt snagged an ice pack from the freezer for her, then unlocked the medicine cabinet and shook a capsule into the palm of her hand. He handed her a bottle of water. “Take the pain medicine and sit for a bit.”
He turned to Cade. “Your turn.”
Cade grimaced as he removed his vest and two shirts.
Sasha sucked in a breath when she saw the injury to Cade’s arm. A deep furrow marred the perfection of his muscle, an ugly wound needing stitches.
Matt whistled. “Glad you’re quick. Not sure where he was aiming, but my guess is he tried for a chest shot.”
“He missed.”
“Yep. Climb up there beside your girl and hold her hand.”
“That’s not a hardship, but why?” Sasha asked.
“He’s afraid of needles. Don’t want him running out of here, screaming like a kid. Messes with Bravo’s image when he does that.”
Cade snorted.
Sasha doubted the truth of those words. Matt must be worried she’d pass out. “Can’t have your reputation ruined.” She scooted closer to Cade, swallowed her pill with a drink of water, then set the bottle aside and pressed the ice pack to her head. “Will Cade need stitches?”
“Several.” Matt washed his hands and grabbed a kit from a cabinet. “Are you squeamish, Sasha?”
“Not over my own injuries. The sight of blood bothers me if it’s someone I care about.”
Cade kissed her temple.
“Lay your head on Cade’s shoulder while I work on his arm. He can use the comfort.”
“Why do I have the impression you’re giving these instructions for my benefit, not his?”
“Smart woman.” Cade wrapped his uninjured arm around her and drew Sasha close.
Knowing he was safe and Gerard was no longer a threat allowed the tension in her body to dissipate. She had it bad for Cade Ramsey. Would he bolt if he knew she was falling for him, hard?
Matt filled a needle with a clear liquid, then capped it and set it aside. “I need to clean the wound to see what I’m up against.”
A moment later, the scent of alcohol stung Sasha’s nose.
“I’m sorry, Sasha,” Cade murmured.
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I shouldn’t have allowed you to play hostage after your own ordeal. More important, Gerard had no reason to put his hands on you. I should have mentioned the bank robbery and warned the trainees to keep their distance.”
“Your instructions wouldn’t have mattered.”
“What happened after you entered Crime Town?”
“Kelso took me to the room where you found me. He pointed to the corner, told me to sit there quietly, and left. Gerard came and spent his time watching for Bravo and staring at me.”
“Did he say anything to you?”
“Asked if we were dating and told me I could do better.”
“He’s right.”
“A little stick,” Matt said as he uncapped the syringe.
“How can you say that?” Sasha glared at Cade. “It’s not true. I waited for months to have this chance with you. I’m not walking away because of a little bump in the road.”
The medic grinned. “Go, Sasha.”
“Matt.” Cade frowned at his teammate.
“Don’t sell yourself short, Cowboy.” He disposed of the empty syringe before sitting on a rolling stool. “Your lady isn’t running no matter what you tell her.”
Sasha flashed a smile at the medic. “Listen to your best friend, Cade. He’s right.”
“We need to talk before you commit yourself to sticking with me.”
“It’s too late to make me run.” She could handle his job and his past. “You already know about Dean. What could be worse than that?”
Matt’s eyebrows soared. “Dean who?”
“Ingram. He’s Sasha’s brother.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Oh, man. No wonder you’ve been uptight.”
“He’s in town.”
“Why?”
Sasha shifted the ice pack to another aching spot on her head. “Dean claimed to hear I’d gotten myself into trouble and, since he was in the area, decided to check on me.”
“I take it you two aren’t close.”
“I haven’t seen him in twelve years.”
“Wish I could say the same,” Cade muttered.
Matt tugged on a pair of gloves and checked Cade’s arm. “Feel anything?”
“Pressure.”
“Perfect. Sasha, keep your eyes on your boyfriend while I stitch his arm.”
“Cade said you take care of Bravo when you’re on missions. Do you render medical aid when you’re not deployed?”
“Depends on the injury. If Gerard’s bullet had hit Cade, you’d be at the hospital, waiting for the surgeon’s report. With injuries like this, my teammates prefer I repair the damage. We avoid hospitals unless it’s absolutely necessary.” While he worked, Matt talked about an incident on one of Bravo’s missions involving a goat that had taken a liking to Cade.
By the end of the story, Sasha’s sides were hurting from laughing. “Did that really happen, or were you distracting me?”
“Both. Did it work?” He ripped off his gloves and walked to the medicine cabinet. He returned with two packets of pills for Cade. He waggled one pack. “Antibiotics. You know the drill. Two a day until they’re gone. Don’t skip any doses. The other pack is mild pain pills.”
“Thanks.”
Matt took the ice pack from Sasha. “How does your head feel now?”
“Better.”
“Tell me if that changes.” He tossed the ice pack in the freezer, then placed a bandage over Cade’s stitches. “Waterproof. Go clean up. I’ll stay with Sasha.”
The medic waited until Cade was gone before rounding on Sasha. “Tell me the rest of the encounter
with Gerard before Cade returns. I know something else happened. Did he touch you other than what we saw when we entered the room?”
She shook her head. “He moved me closer to the window opening and clamped a hand over my mouth to keep me from making noise.”
He frowned. “Did you cut your lip?”
“No, why?”
“It’s puffy. Now I know Cade was in a lot of pain or he would have noticed and hunted down Gerard.” Matt wrapped a small ice pack in a towel and handed it to her. “If we’re lucky, the swelling will go down by the time Cade returns. What else happened, Sasha?”
“He knew Cade would be the first one through the door. Gerard said if Cade cared about me, he’d be willing to die for me.” Remembering the venom in the trainee’s voice made her stomach churn. “He planned to shoot Cade, didn’t he?”
“The incident wasn’t an accident.” Matt pulled out his cell phone and sent a text. Seconds later, his phone chimed with a response. Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes. “He won’t be a problem. Trent was debating giving Gerard one more chance although he leaned toward booting him from the program. Knowing he deliberately tried to shoot Cade sealed his fate. Gerard will be escorted off the campus in ten minutes. Trent and Simon will go with him to his dorm room while he packs his gear.”
“I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Would you want him protecting Cade when we’re in hostile territory?”
Sasha shuddered. “No.”
“Trent will debrief you for his report. There’s also a good chance Brent Maddox will talk to you.”
Cade returned, hair still glistening with dampness. He wore another pair of black fatigues and a long-sleeved black t-shirt along with his combat boots. The man looked good enough to bite.
Sasha sighed. She was a goner.
Matt tossed the medical detritus in the trash and headed for the door. He stopped, glanced over his shoulder at Sasha. “Tell Cade the rest. He needs to know. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Sasha?” Cade sat beside her and curled his hand around hers.
“I didn’t tell you everything what happened with Gerard.”
He listened without interrupting until she finished. “Matt relayed the information to Trent?”
She nodded.
“Gerard should be gone by now.” He frowned. “His remark doesn’t make sense. We risk our lives every time we’re on a mission, whether it’s overseas or on a protection detail in the US. No question I would take a bullet for you.”
Sasha pressed her lips to his in a brief caress. “I don’t want to talk about that.”
Cade’s cell phone chimed. He stared at her for a moment longer, then checked the screen. Frowning, he called Zane. “Z, you’re on speaker with Sasha.”
“I have information on the fake nurse who tried to kill Sasha.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Who is she?” Cade’s hand tightened around the cell phone. Perhaps they would obtain answers about the woman who planned to kill his girlfriend. His gaze slid to Sasha. If she agreed to be called that after he told her about the debacle with her brother and Emily.
“Her name is Celeste Hart.”
He stiffened. No. “Hart? As in Mario Hart, the bank robber I shot?”
“Mario was her brother.”
Hart would have shot Sasha at point-blank range if Cade had waited another second to fire. “Was this simple revenge?” If so, why didn’t she come after him rather than Sasha? His girlfriend wasn’t responsible for Hart’s death. Hart’s poor choices and Cade’s Sig were to blame for his death.
“I don’t know. She and her brother were involved with a mercenary group. I haven’t been able to nail down the name yet, but I’ll keep digging.”
“Thanks, Zane. You’ll probably receive an update soon from Maddox. We had a problem with one of the trainees involving Sasha.”
“Talk to me.”
Cade summarized the incident. “I need you to keep tabs on him. If you see indications he’s hanging around Otter Creek or planning payback for being fired, I need to know.”
“Copy that. You all right, Sasha?”
“I’ll be fine as soon as Cade feeds me dinner.”
Zane chuckled. “Order the most expensive thing on the menu. He can afford to spoil you after the day you’ve had.”
“I might do that. Thanks for the suggestion.”
Cade scowled. “Keep it up, Z, and I’ll send you the bill.”
His friend’s laughter rumbled from the phone’s speaker. “When are you coming to Nashville again?”
“Next month. Why?”
“Bring Sasha with you. I’d love to meet her in person.”
He winked at the woman beside him. “I’ll try to convince her to take a road trip with me.” He got a blinding smile. Guess that was a definite yes, provided she was still with him. Not a guarantee after she knew everything.
“I’ll let you know when I learn something more about the Harts.”
Cade slid his phone into his pocket. “You spent more than enough time in the kitchen today. What restaurant sounds good to you?”
“The steakhouse.”
A woman after his own heart. “Good choice. Matt will appreciate it, too. He loves that place.”
“What place?” Matt walked into the infirmary, his Go bag and mike bag in hand.
“The steakhouse for dinner tonight.”
The medic grinned. “Just what I was thinking about. Food. Sounds great to me.” He turned to Cade. “Unless three’s a crowd tonight. I can go somewhere else if you two want to be alone.”
Didn’t bother Cade if his friend ate dinner with them. However, if Sasha considered this dinner a date, she might not want a third person. “Sasha?”
“Of course you’ll come, Matt.” She slid off the exam table. “Both of you will be more relaxed with someone you trust watching your back.”
They may not have spent a great deal time together the past few months, but Sasha knew him better than the woman he’d planned to marry ever did. Although he never thought he’d come to this point, Cade believed he’d dodged a bullet when Emily betrayed him with his former best friend. Sasha knew Bravo was an important part of his life and didn’t seem to have a problem being around his teammates.
Guess that also said something about his taste in friends before he’d hooked up with Fortress five years ago. He’d raised his standard of quality when it came to his friends and the woman he planned to spend a lot of time with.
He clapped Matt on the shoulder. “Sasha and I have plenty of time for romantic dinners and dates. Should we check in with Trent before we leave?”
“I saw him in the hall. He said he’d stop by your place about nine on his way home from the hospital. He’s taking dinner to Grace.”
Matt followed them to the SUVs. “I’ll be on your six.”
When they arrived at the steakhouse, the hostess took them to the corner table. Nice. This table was the preferred place for Fortress operatives. Occupants seated with their backs to the walls could see the room’s occupants, entrances, and exits at a glance. Cade seated Sasha and sat beside her.
His mouth watered thinking about the ribeye with a baked potato and salad. He’d wanted to bring Sasha here for dinner if he gathered enough courage to ask her out. Now he’d find another good restaurant, maybe one in Cherry Hill or Summerton where he wouldn’t have to worry as much about watching his back.
After the waitress took their orders, Matt’s attention shifted to a table across the dining room. He frowned.
Cade went on alert. Trouble? He saw the pretty candle shop owner sitting at a table by herself. She seemed upset. “You want to ask Delilah to join us?” he asked. “Looks like she could use company.”
Matt turned to Sasha. “Do you mind?”
She shook her head. “Go talk to her.”
The medic was on his feet before Sasha finished the last of her sentence. “Thanks.” He wove his way through tables and restaurant patrons
, and sat next to Delilah for a moment. She looked surprised, but nodded and got to her feet.
“Oh, good. He convinced her to join us.”
Cade stood as Matt and Delilah approached. “It’s good to see you, Delilah.”
She smiled. “Thanks. Sasha, I was horrified when I heard about the bank robbery. Are you okay?” Matt seated her before reclaiming his own chair.
“Headaches from a concussion. Otherwise, I’m fine. Matt and Cade have been taking good care of me.”
The other woman darted a quick glance at the medic, her cheeks flaming. “I’m not surprised.”
The waitress returned with their glasses of iced tea. “What can I bring you, Delilah?”
When she gave her order, Matt scowled. “A side salad isn’t enough. You need protein.” He looked at the waitress. “Add four-ounces of grilled chicken to her order.”
“Matt, I’m not sure I can eat that much,” she murmured.
“Take it home, then. You have to take care of yourself.”
Cade and Sasha exchanged puzzled glances. Matt knew more about Delilah than he’d let on. In fact, he was positive his best friend was sweet on the candle shop owner. Why hadn’t he said anything? Bravo knew Cade was crazy about Sasha and had teased him mercilessly. Maybe that was the reason Matt had remained silent. The medic should know Cade was a vault when it came to secrets. He knew how to keep his mouth shut.
Delilah’s lips curved. “You’re right. Add grilled chicken, Trish.”
“I’ll bring your order with the rest.”
By unspoken consent, Cade, Matt, and Sasha kept the topics of conversation light. By the time their meals were consumed, Delilah’s eyes were sparkling with laughter and a genuine smile curved her mouth.
Although curious, Cade refrained from asking questions about what upset her. From Matt’s protective attitude and gentle touches, he was well aware of Delilah’s trouble. If his friend needed help, all he had to do was ask. He’d offer aid to the medic and leave things alone until he was needed.
After dinner, Matt walked with Delilah to the door. “I’m following her home,” he said to Cade.
“That’s not necessary,” she protested. “You have better things to do.”