“Here, let me.” Jasmine pushed Colton aside and dropped to her knees. “This is going to hurt.”
When she ripped the tape from the girl’s face, Meagan winced. “I tried to protect him.” The tears flowed in earnest now.
“He’s fine.” Jasmine looked at Colton. “Get me something to cut the rope.”
He pulled a pocketknife from the drawer in his bedside stand. Jasmine had stepped in and taken charge. With a terrified child and a babysitter on the verge of hysteria, he was thankful for the help.
“Why did you come?”
“You.” Without looking up, she continued sawing through the ropes binding Meagan’s ankles. “When Cade was leaving, you started acting weird, like you were worried about something. I figured I’d stay outside and watch you.”
Colton shook his head. He’d just met the woman. How could she identify weird when she had nothing to base normal on? Had to be women’s intuition. After seven years of marriage, he still didn’t understand it.
“When you left your front door wide-open, I knew something was up.” The last rope gave way. Jasmine helped a sobbing Meagan to her feet and led her to the bed. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.”
Colton sat next to his babysitter, Liam in his lap. “What happened?”
“Liam and I were sitting on the floor playing with his Legos when I heard glass shatter.” She drew in a shuddering breath, struggling to pull herself together. “I jumped up to get my phone. I’d left it on the coffee table in the living room.”
She swiped at her tears. “I got halfway back to the bedroom when someone tackled me from behind. He was straddling me, flipped me over and punched me in the head. Everything went black. I just woke up a few minutes ago.”
She squeezed her eyes shut. Today’s events would likely trigger some terrifying nightmares.
He put a hand on her shoulder. “Do you know who attacked you?”
“He was wearing a ski mask.” The tears started anew. “All I could think about was Liam.” She stroked his back. “Is he all right?”
“Just frightened.”
Colton had no idea what his son had witnessed and probably wouldn’t anytime soon. Liam had stopped speaking shortly after his mother died.
“Uh, Colton?”
Something in Jasmine’s tone sent fingers of dread crawling down his spine. He followed her gaze toward the door.
His mahogany dresser occupied a sizable section of the wall to the right of it, the massive mirror framed by curved shelves on either side. Letters were scrawled across the glass in his dead wife’s lipstick.
His foundation shifted, and the room seemed to tilt sideways as the message dived deep into his heart.
“The sins of the fathers...”
From the time he was adopted at age fifteen, he’d attended church. He knew his Bible. The next words went something like “...are visited on the children to the third and fourth generation.” Whoever wrote the phrase was taking the verse out of context, but the intended meaning was clear.
Colton tightened his hold on Liam and buried his face in the boy’s hair, soft and silky like his mother’s had been. Determination surged through him. No one was going to get to his son ever again. He’d see to it.
Sirens wailed outside, growing in volume. Soon the police would be there. He’d give his report. And he’d insist that Meagan go to the hospital.
Then he’d find a bodyguard. Someone big and tough and mean.
The fence encircling the yard, with its electronic gate, the rottweiler prowling the property, the alarm when they were asleep. It wasn’t enough. What had previously been empty threats had just taken on flesh and blood.
He’d do whatever he must to ensure Liam’s safety. Even if it meant paying for around-the-clock protection.
Or leaving Atlanta and starting over somewhere else. Maybe both.
Yes, definitely both.
* * *
Jasmine strode down the hall of Burch Security Specialists, her gait heavier than normal. She still had another week blocked off, which would have given her enough time to finish the interior painting before the scheduled carpet installation began. So much for plans. Less than an hour ago, she’d gotten a call from her boss and former commander—she needed to show up pronto for a new assignment.
Gunn didn’t tell her what the assignment was, but something in his tone warned her. She was about to meet another idiot who had his doubts about whether a woman could handle the job. After doing two tours with her in Afghanistan, Gunn didn’t have any of those reservations.
She stopped at the end of the hall. A plaque was affixed next to a closed door—Gunter Burch, Owner in engraved black letters. At her two soft raps, Gunn’s voice boomed a command to enter.
A man sat facing Gunn’s desk, his back to her. He was wearing a suit, sandy-blond hair brushing the jacket’s collar.
“Colton Gale, Jasmine McNeal.” Gunn indicated her with a tilt of his head.
Her jaw slackened when Gunn gave the visitor’s name. “We’ve met.” They spoke the words simultaneously.
“It’s good to see you again.” Colton stood and extended his hand, pinning her with his blue gaze.
Yesterday, his eyes had held panic, desperation, protectiveness. Now a sadness she hadn’t noticed swam in their depths. When he smiled, there was a tightness to it, as if it had been so long since he’d given the gesture a try it no longer came naturally. He and Cade were identical twins, but they wore their personality differences on their faces.
Jasmine accepted the handshake, her grip firm and confident. Colton probably had her five feet two inches beat by a solid foot. The one-inch heel on her boots didn’t make any appreciable difference. He still towered over her.
He wasn’t in bad shape, either, especially for a business type. His jacket hung open. Beneath the dress shirt and narrow tie, the guy was obviously fit. Of course, she’d suspected that yesterday, too.
Colton released her hand. “I take it you work here?”
“For the past three years.” They hadn’t exchanged personal details yesterday. He’d helped her carry in a bucket of paint, then left. At his place, they’d been occupied with more important things.
“What do you do for the company?”
Great. He probably thought she did clerical work. Gunn did that on purpose—referred to her by her nickname when talking to potentially difficult clients and introduced her by her legal name in person.
She straightened the zippered black jacket she wore and lifted her chin. “Bodyguard. Former MP.”
He cocked a brow for a half second before understanding flooded his eyes. “Jaz. Jasmine.” His jaw tightened, and his gaze went to Gunn. “This isn’t what I had in mind.”
Jasmine bristled. “I’m sure he told you my qualifications.”
Those blue eyes turned to her again. But the sadness she’d seen was buried under layers of determination. “He did. But I’d assumed Jaz was a man.”
Heat built in her chest and spread. “You felt those qualifications were impressive until you found out they belonged to a woman.”
“I know this sounds sexist. I don’t mean it that way.” He heaved a sigh. “You know what I came home to yesterday. No offense, but I’m looking for someone a little more...intimidating.”
Yeah, someone like her coworker Dom. But Gunn knew what he was doing. Other than the fact that the former sniper was assigned elsewhere, he was built like a linebacker and unintentionally terrified small children.
She drew in a calming breath. Colton was trying to protect his little boy. The reminder was like water splashed on a fire. Enough to slow it down but a long way from dousing it completely.
He continued before she had a chance to respond. “I’m an assistant district attorney, and I’ve put away some really bad dudes. One has decided to go after my son.” He crossed his arms. “I’m sure you
’re good at what you do, but I need somebody big and mean.”
He stared down at her, exuding an unmistakable sense of power. In the courtroom, he was probably a force to be reckoned with.
But when it came to protection, so was she. “A thirty-eight stops a man cold, regardless of the size of the hand holding it.”
“What if someone sneaks up behind you?”
“They’d better hit me with a tranquilizer dart first.”
“That’s exactly what they did to my dog.”
Oh. “You’re assuming they could get close enough. Not gonna happen.”
He dropped his arms to his sides. His gaze swept downward to her feet and back up again. Something changed. His eyes held a momentary flash of indecision, then coldness.
She stepped back with her right foot, weight distributed equally between both legs, knees slightly bent. She didn’t get where she was by not being able to read people. Unless she’d completely lost her touch, Colton Gale was preparing to administer a test.
One she was determined to pass.
He lunged toward her, arms swinging upward to capture her. She didn’t give him the opportunity to complete the maneuver. In one smooth motion, she grasped his arm, twisted, crouched and thrust one hip into his legs. Using his own weight and momentum against him, she jerked him forward as she straightened.
He sailed over her, did a flip and landed hard on his back, the plush carpet muffling the thud. Before he could recover, she rolled him over, dropped to one knee and wrenched his right arm behind his back.
He slapped the floor like a wrestler conceding a match. “Okay.” His voice sounded strained. “Point taken.”
She held him a moment longer before releasing him, then rose and watched him get to his feet. “So, tell me about my assignment.” The words were for Gunn, but she kept her gaze locked on her tall neighbor.
“You’re going to live at their home. While Mr. Gale is there, you’ll be responsible for protecting both of them.”
Colton settled himself in the chair where he’d been when she first entered. “But Liam will be your first responsibility.”
“Understood.”
She tamped down her annoyance and sank into the chair next to him. Dom likely never had potential clients doubt his competence. The other three Burch Security people probably didn’t, either. Though not as large as Dom, they were all men.
Colton continued. “Tomorrow morning, we’re heading to Murphy, North Carolina, two hours north. We moved from there a year ago.” He heaved a tension-filled sigh. “Probably should have never left.”
The last words were soft, like a private thought that spilled out without him realizing it. Life had apparently not gone the way he’d hoped. Of course, that was typical for those who walked through Burch Security’s door. People didn’t need a bodyguard when everything was sunshine and roses.
“Where is Liam now?”
“With Cade.”
Colton’s brother rather than his wife. Maybe he was a single parent.
She frowned. She wasn’t good with kids, particularly ones that young. At least, that was what she assumed. In actuality, she’d managed to avoid them. With the exception of a sixteen-year-old amateur model who’d picked up a stalker, all her assignments had involved adults.
“When do I start?”
“Tonight.” Gunn tapped a pen on his desk. “I’ll fill you in on what you need to know. Then you can get your personal belongings together. Corine will be in touch with you after she checks out the leads Mr. Gale gave us.”
She nodded. Corine had worked for Burch Security since a month after Gunn opened shop, and she was a whiz on the computer. If there was information available, she’d find it.
Colton continued. “By nine tomorrow morning, I want to be on my way to Murphy. The sooner we leave Atlanta, the better I’ll feel. Whoever’s threatening us likely doesn’t know about the Murphy house.”
A good reason to go there. But likely not Colton’s only reason. Whenever he spoke of Murphy, his tone held a solid dose of nostalgia. It wasn’t just a physical haven. It was likely an emotional one, too.
But beyond providing a safe place to stay, relocating wouldn’t fix anything. Whatever had transpired over the past year, Colton couldn’t make it unhappen. Time went forward, never backward. Water that flowed under the bridge never came back.
How well she knew.
“Then I guess it’s settled.” He pushed himself to his feet. “You know where I live. See you in two hours?”
“Two hours.” She stood and extended her hand.
After finishing the handshake, he reached across his torso to massage his right arm. One side of his mouth lifted almost imperceptibly. “Do you always rough up your new clients?”
“Only the ones who need it.”
The smile broadened just a tad. “Staying in Murphy should make your job a lot easier.” That thread of a smile disappeared completely. “As long as we’re not followed.”
She gave a sharp nod. “It’ll be my responsibility to make sure we’re not.”
TWO
The security system’s high-pitched beep punctuated the thunk of the dead bolt as Colton locked the front door. He had no idea when he’d return. After one week back on the job following an almost five-month leave of absence, he’d resigned his position with the district attorney’s office.
Cade had come back after his appointment Thursday afternoon and done a thorough search of the house, making sure he’d moved the last of his possessions. The break-in had shaken him. Apparently, it had taken almost losing his nephew to make him realize life wasn’t just one cosmic joke.
Colton turned from the door, Liam perched on his hip. This time, the house would sit empty. Not only had Cade gotten an apartment, he wasn’t even going to be in town for the next month. He’d teased that he didn’t want to be mistaken for Colton.
In reality, he’d gotten leads on some collections to be auctioned off. Cade’s plans often changed at the last moment. The lifestyle suited him well. He didn’t let anything tie him down, which was why he’d never bought a house, even though he could afford it. Home ownership felt too much like commitment.
Colton headed down the porch steps. A black Suburban waited behind his Highlander. Jasmine stood next to the driver’s door.
Her eyes shifted to him briefly before she went back to scanning their surroundings, ever vigilant. She’d spent the night and slept on the daybed in Liam’s room. Thursday night, Liam had awoken screaming so many times Colton had lost count. Last night’s sleep had been blissfully free of nightmares, at least for his son. Unfortunately, he’d had a few of his own.
As Colton swung open his rear driver door, Jasmine continued to stand guard. Her presence brought just the sense of security he’d hoped.
Before leaving Burch Security yesterday, he’d signed the necessary paperwork. As he had written the check for the first payment, Gunter Burch had reassured him of Jasmine’s qualifications. Between her military background, her civilian assignments and all the advanced training in both capacities, he and Liam were going to be in good hands. Of course, eating carpet fibers had already dispelled whatever doubts he’d had.
Jasmine’s eyes shifted to him, and he nodded. Yes, he was ready. More than ready.
She opened the Suburban’s door. “I’ll be behind you, but I might hang back on the interstate. Keep your phone plugged into your car’s stereo system. Anything suspicious, I’ll let you know.”
“Thank you.” She was only doing her job, a job that was costing him a pretty penny. But that didn’t stop him from appreciating everything she was doing to protect them.
He leaned into the vehicle to secure Liam in his car seat. Brutus sat next to him, tail thumping against leather. Huge brown eyes seemed to hold sadness, maybe even guilt, as if the dog sensed he’d failed in his job to protect.
He straightened and closed the door. Yesterday morning, before going to Burch Security, he’d taken care of the things he hadn’t gotten to on Thursday. Mandy’s jewelry was now locked in his safety deposit box.
Then he’d gone to a thrift store and parked at the open bay door in back. It had taken all the strength he had to climb from the vehicle and pull out the first box. With each one he passed to the volunteer, he’d felt as if he was handing over a piece of his heart.
Now it was done, and several suitcases holding his and Liam’s possessions occupied the space behind the back seat. He’d packed everything he could think of. Anything he’d forgotten, he’d buy in Murphy.
The investigation was far from complete. Cops had viewed the security footage. Besides the knit masks, the intruders had worn gloves, so the likelihood of recovering prints was nil.
As he drove through the subdivision’s exit gate, some of the tension flowed out of him. In two more hours, he’d be pulling up the drive and stopping in front of the log home with its soaring windows and steeply pitched roof.
Warm, cozy and filled with love, it had always held a special place in his heart. He and Mandy had purchased it six years earlier for a weekend getaway and built so many memories.
Four years ago, he and his pregnant wife had decided Murphy was a perfect place to raise children, and they’d made the move. Until the district attorney’s office had lured him back.
Now he was going home.
After several turns, he accelerated up the I-285 ramp. The black Suburban was right behind him, Jasmine at the wheel. Dark sunglasses shielded her eyes. But he didn’t need to see them to know she was watching traffic in more than a defensive-driving sense.
He craned his neck to glance at his son in the rearview mirror. As expected, he was awake, left arm clutching his plush rabbit, right thumb in his mouth. Another change Colton had noticed. As Liam’s speech had gotten less, soon stopping completely, his thumb sucking had gone from only when sleeping to almost all the time. Colton would have to address it eventually, but certainly not now.
Bodyguard for Christmas Page 2