“What do we need to do, then?” Daniel said.
“We’ll put a protective detail on you,” Christina said. “Outfit you both with panic buttons and tracking devices.”
“But how do we get to them?” Daniel’s hands curled into fists. “Before they get to us? Where are they hiding?”
“Whoa, man.” Jason held a hand up. “Calm down.”
“Calm down?” Daniel grit his teeth. “They nearly killed my ma—wife! I’m going to find all of them and tear them to pieces.”
Sarah stared at him, her jaw dropping to the ground. Why was he acting weird? Maybe it was the near-death experience that got him all riled up. And he was a good, selfless person after all. Surely his concern wasn’t for her in particular, no matter how her heart thumped excitedly at the thought.
“We’ll find them,” Christina said confidently. “We have our guys working on it. Top priority.”
“I should not have let them get away,” Thoralf said with a shake of his head. “I was worried for Daniel and Sarah and decided to check on them first. And now The Knights will come back for them both because I failed once again.” Turning to Daniel, he said, “I will protect you and your lady, Daniel Rogers. I swear, I will not leave your side until those who mean you and yours harm have been defeated.”
“I suggest you stay home, Sarah,” Christina said. “As much as you can. But Daniel is their target, and I don’t think they’ll come after you, especially since you’re human. That’s not their style.”
“Stay home?” she asked. “As in here? In Blackstone?”
“Yes.” The other woman’s gaze narrowed. “Is that a problem?”
“But I don’t live here,” she said. “I need to go back to Las Vegas in a couple of days.”
“Vegas?” Jason asked, then turned to Daniel. “But I thought you guys are married?”
“We are,” he said.
“No, we’re not.” She let out a sigh as every single person there except for her and Daniel looked confused. “Oh God, this is so embarrassing, but here goes.” She gave them the briefest version of what happened during that night in Las Vegas. “… and in a couple of weeks, when things die down, I’m going to file the annulment,” she finished.
“I see,” Christina said. “Knowing what you know tonight, do you still want to pretend you’re staying married?”
“Yes,” Daniel said.
“No,” she said at the same time. “Wait, what do you mean?”
“We had an agreement,” Daniel said. “And besides, The Knights already know who you are. The safest thing for you to do is stay here. Where I—The Agency can protect you.”
“But Christina said they won’t go after me.”
“I said I don’t think they’ll come after you,” Christina said. “But I can’t predict what they’ll do if they keep failing to get to Daniel.”
“They can use her to get to me, right?” Daniel asked.
“Possibly, if they get desperate,” Luke said.
“All the more reason for me to leave.” This was crazy. All she wanted to do was get an annulment so she could get her bank loan, and now she was in the middle of some kind of shifter war. “I have a brother and sister back home. They need me.”
“And you’ll be leading The Knights back to them,” Daniel pointed out. “Can’t you see? Staying here is the safest option. Back in Vegas, you’d be vulnerable with no one to protect you.”
“The Knights’ reach is far and wide, my lady,” Thoralf said. “If their eyes are fixed on you—and that is possible after tonight—they will pursue you.”
She looked pleadingly at Christina, as she looked to be in charge. “Isn’t there any other way? Witness protection or something?”
“There are places where we can hide you,” she said. “But that still won’t get you back to Vegas. But I can offer your brother and sister protection as well. I can have two agents watch out for them.”
Sarah tapped her finger on her chin as she contemplated her choices. “I—fine.” She took a deep breath.
“Good,” Daniel said with a determined nod of his head. “You’ll move in with me tonight.”
Her head snapped to him. “What? Move in with you? We agreed I’d stay at the motel.”
“That was before those bastards tried to kill you.”
“They tried to kill you,” she countered. “Not me.”
“But they tried to take you too,” he pointed out. “You heard Christina. You’ll be safer at home. Mine.”
“This is ridiculous, I can’t stay with you.”
“Yes, you can.” He turned to Jason. “Dad put the house under an LLC before they left it to me. That should at least delay anyone digging through public records.”
“Your dad’s always been a smart one,” Jason said.
“It would also sell your ‘marriage’ story better,” Christina interjected.
“If you need to craft a statement, I’ll have Lennox’s PR department do it for you,” Jason offered. “They’ll have something done by noon tomorrow and sent out once you approve it.”
Sarah wanted to protest some more, but could see she was outnumbered. “Fine.” An idea, however, popped into her head. “But, Thoralf should come too.”
“Thoralf?” Daniel said, his voice edgy. “What do you want him for?”
“Well, I need someone to protect me, and he said he’ll do it,” she pointed out. “What are you going to do while you’re working? Drag me up and down that mountain with you? And you said your house was huge. You won’t even know he and I are there.”
“Your lady has an excellent point, Daniel Rogers,” Thoralf said. “Of course, if I am not welcome in your home, I understand. I would be happy to sleep outside.”
“Sleep outside?” Sarah placed a hand on her chest. “Seriously, Daniel? This man saved your—our lives, and you’re going to let him sleep on the ground when you have five perfectly good bedrooms in your gigantic home?”
“It’s no trouble at all, my lady,” Thoralf assured her. “I have slept in worse conditions in the last year. Why most of the time, I lay my head on whatever ground, tree, or cave I happen to be near.”
“He hasn’t even slept in a real bed in a while.” She looked up at Daniel. “Please?”
Daniel ground his teeth loudly. “Fine,” he relented. “He can stay with us.”
“That should make our lives easier,” Christina said. “Now, if you don’t mind, maybe you guys can give us more details about the events of tonight, and give us any descriptions and details that might help us track down the men who attacked you.”
Sarah leaned back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. At least she wasn’t going to be alone playing house with Daniel Rogers for the next few days.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to live in his house. Oh God, there was a part of her that wanted it too much. This whole charade was bad enough, but something so intimate … so close to him … something told her it was a bad idea and would not end well. Dreaming of such things would only lead to disappointment.
Chapter Seven
Jason, Christina, and Luke each talked to them separately. Sarah was glad it was Christina who interviewed her as she didn’t feel comfortable with either of the men. Besides, she found herself admiring the other woman. She was obviously the one in charge around here, being a female surrounded by males at work—and the boss, to boot—was probably not easy.
After having their phones outfitted with a tracking app and panic button, they were finally free to go. Since Daniel’s truck was trashed, The Agency lent him one of their SUVs and also promised to get her car back to her by morning. Soon, she, Daniel, and Thoralf were on their way. Before they left, however, they came up with a cover story that Thoralf was an old college buddy of Daniel’s, who had done a year abroad in America and was visiting them for a couple of days.
Their destination wasn’t too far, and the SUV slowed down as they reached a typical suburban street. It was dark but when she lo
oked out the window, she saw that they’d pulled into the driveway of a sprawling Colonial-style home with its typical shuttered windows, pitched roof, and wooden clapboard siding.
“Wow.” She couldn’t help but gape. “It’s beautiful.”
“Thanks.” Daniel stopped the truck and cut the engine.
What was it like to grow up in a home like this? Her own childhood hadn’t been so idyllic mostly bouncing around a bunch of orphanages and foster homes. She was a difficult kid, on purpose most of the time, and the only reason she stuck around the last home was because of Darcey and Adam. Enduring that crappy living situation had been worth it, knowing that the moment she turned eighteen, she could take her brother and sister far away from that hellhole.
“It is indeed a splendid home,” Thoralf exclaimed. “I’m honored you invited me to stay.”
Daniel grunted but said nothing as he got out of the car, and they followed him toward the house. She nearly stumbled as she realized there was a ramp leading up to the front door instead of steps. Probably to make it easier to move furniture and other construction materials, she guessed.
Fishing the key from his pocket, he slipped it into lock. “I’m still finishing up the renovations.”
“What was wrong with it?” she asked.
“Nothing, structurally.” He pushed the door open. “But everything inside was outdated. I refinished the flooring, added some more modern lighting and appliances, ripped out the old wallpaper and repainted, bought new furniture, and installed an energy-saving boiler. Here we go.”
They stepped into the entryway and followed him into the spacious living room. She had to bite her tongue to keep from saying wow again. Although the furniture was still covered in drop cloth and plastic tarps, it was obvious everything was done with love and care. The hardwood floors were polished to a shine, the paint cheerful and welcoming, and the lights illuminating the high ceilings creating a cozy atmosphere.
“I’m afraid I don’t have sheets or towels down in the guest rooms, but I’ll grab some from the linen closets. The kitchen has all the appliances and stuff, but I don’t have it stocked with food. Do you need to go back to your motel and get some clothes?”
“I can manage for now,” she said. “I’m honestly just exhausted. I can grab my things when I check out of the motel tomorrow.”
“Sure,” he said. “Now for the bedrooms. We have two upstairs and three down here.”
“I think the safest strategy would be for me to bed down here,” Thoralf suggested. “And you and Sarah stay upstairs.”
“Sounds like a good plan.” He nodded to the hallway on the left. “All the bedrooms down here have direct access to the garden and pool via a glass door.”
“It will give me an opportunity to assess threats from the rear.” He gave them a nod. “If you don’t mind, I would like to perform a perimeter patrol for the next few hours.”
“Patrol?” Sarah asked. “Aren’t you tired?”
“I do not need much sleep or rest,” he said. “Besides, we should always be on alert in case The Knights come back. Do not worry, I shall be quiet and not disturb you. I shall remain Cloaked as well. Goodnight.” With a last bow, he headed down the hallway.
“Interesting fellow,” she said wryly. “He’s like a knight from King Arthur’s time.”
Daniel snorted. “Let’s go upstairs, and I can show you your bedroom.”
She followed him as he led her to the second floor, then headed inside the last door on the left. The bedroom was huge and had a king-sized bed in the middle, along with matching furniture done in dark woods. The bed itself was made with covers and decorative pillows, though there weren’t any personal items anywhere. In fact, most of the house lacked any pictures or paintings, though she suspected that was because Daniel hadn’t had time to put them back up.
“The walk-in closet over there is where I store the towels and stuff. The bathroom’s next to it and the two rooms connect. Let me get my stuff, and I can be out of your way.”
“Your stuff? This is your bedroom?”
“Kinda,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I mean, I still have my apartment, but this is where I sleep on the weekends when I’m out here fixing stuff. It used to be my childhood bedroom, but I expanded and updated it first since I knew I might crash here sometimes.”
“But I can’t stay here.” It felt oddly intimate knowing Daniel had grown up here, slept here. And slept in that bed. “You should give me the other bedroom.”
“That one faces the street,” he said. “Besides, it’s not finished. There’s only a mattress in there and the shower’s not done yet. You’d have to go downstairs to shower and stuff.”
“But I can’t take your bed,” she sputtered. “I mean, I’m your guest. I shouldn’t—”
“Just stay, okay?” Daniel grumbled, running his hands through his hair. “I’m tired, and it’s been a long day. And, damn it, I don’t wanna argue with you anymore.”
His curt words made her shut her mouth. It was the first time Daniel had been anything less than polite to her. “Fine,” she said, her tone chilly.
He must have noticed, because his expression changed. “I didn’t mean to—”
“I’ll stay out of your way,” she said, brushing past him. “Good night.” Striding into the bathroom, she shut the door behind her, then leaned back on it. She didn’t move for a few seconds, not until she heard feet shuffling and the bedroom door closing.
God, she was tired, too. Could nothing just go her way, for once? All she wanted was one signature. That was all she’d came here for.
With a deep sigh, she walked over to the sink and washed her face. The bathroom was spacious and modern, and the deep tub in the corner looked tempting. But there was no time for that. For one thing, she still had to check in with Darcey and figure out what to do.
After doing her business, she stripped down to her underwear, took her phone out of her pants pocket and placed it on the bedside table before slipping between the covers.
“Oohhh,” she moaned. These sheets are divine. And the mattress, too, was like sleeping on a cloud. Then there was that lingering, masculine scent all around her. A scent she was now familiar with. She’d probably wake up with it clinging to her naked body, a thought that made her shiver and her core clench. It would be so easy to just slip her hand down between her thighs and—
“Nuh-uh.” She sat up, smoothing the covers down tightly around her waist. Have to think of something else. Do something else. Reaching for her phone, she checked her messages. There were several from her friends, but not really having the energy to explain it all, she sent them all the same apologetic message, promising to tell them everything as soon as possible. Then, she looked at the messages from Darcey. Her sister sent a couple of texts updating her on the orders for the day, but didn’t seem freaked out that she hadn’t replied. Thinking of another message to type sounded exhausting, so instead, she tapped on the green call button.
“Hey, Sarah,” Darcey said when she picked up. “Did you get my messages?”
“Yeah, thanks for taking care of those things,” she said. “How’s Adam?”
There were a few seconds of silence, then Darcey blew out a breath. “I picked him up today, and it was obvious he found out while he was in school.”
“He wasn’t happy about it, I suppose.” It was a statement, not a question.
“No,” Darcey said. “He wouldn’t even talk to me. Just locked himself in his room when we got home. But, don’t worry, I’ll talk to him, okay? We’ll sort it all out when you come home. When are you back?”
She bit her lip. It was probably safer if Darcey didn’t know about the whole attempt on her life thing. “In a few days. So, everything’s okay with the site?”
“Yeah. That package went out just in time, and the lady at the Ship N’ Click said you’ll get it tomorrow first thing. So,” Darcey began. “How are things with the hubs?”
“Ha. Were you waiting all day
to ask me that?”
“Of course. It’s not every day you find out you’re married to a national hero. Is he even better looking in person?”
She let out a long, overdrawn yawn. “Woo, it’s really late out here. I should get to bed.”
Darcey giggled. “Oh, is that how it is? Fine. But you’ll give me some real details when you get home, right?”
Home. A pang of loneliness hit her. Las Vegas and their crappy two-bedroom apartment seemed really far away right now. “I will. ’Night, Darce.”
“’Night, Sarah.” It was the way she, Darcey, and Adam always said goodnight to each other, ever since those days back in their foster home. When they turned off the lights in that tiny bedroom they shared, they could pretend everything was okay and they were the perfect family.
Another pang of loneliness hit her, and as soon as Darcey hung up, she sent out a text to Adam.
Can we talk? Just say the word and I’ll drop what I’m doing to call you. Send. Her gaze remained on the screen as the seconds ticked by, but there weren’t even any bubbles popping up on the chat to indicated he was typing.
“Fine.” Putting the phone on the bedside, she sank back into the pillows. Stubborn kid. But she couldn’t fault him for being, well, what he was—a teenager still trying to find his place in the world. When she took on the responsibility for raising Adam, she hadn’t been much older than him, and there was no time for normal teen stuff. But she vowed to let Adam have the space he needed to have a normal childhood and figure out who he was. Be careful what you ask for.
The fake yawn seemed to have affected her more than she realized as she drifted off to sleep as soon as she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, it seemed like only a moment had passed, but light was already peeking through the gaps between the shades. Immediately, she reached for her phone, but still no reply from Adam. With a grumpy sigh, she went to the bathroom to wash up, got dressed, and headed downstairs.
“Good morning, my lady,” Thoralf greeted cheerfully as she entered the kitchen. “An employee from The Agency has brought your vehicle back, and your keys are on the table by the door. He also informed me that Mrs. Lennox herself checked you out of your motel, and your things are in the trunk. Also, Daniel has brought us food and supplies.”
Blackstone Ranger Hero Page 10