22. Bradyn
CHAPTER 22
brADYN
“ T hey chased me for a few miles. I managed to make it into a small town, and a veterinarian found me in the alley behind his clinic. He stitched me up and saved my life. I stayed there until they tracked me down the first time.”
Tears stream down her face, and it takes everything in me to remain where I am and not rush to her.
I have to treat this like any other case, though, and its facts first, emotions second.
It has to be. Especially where she’s concerned. I’m already too close as it is.
“As soon as I knew they were onto me, I took off, not wanting to risk Cillian’s life. I moved every two weeks after that. Never staying in one place long enough for them to find me.”
“Until you came to my ranch.”
She nods. “I never meant to put you or your family at risk. It was Cillian who told me about Pine Creek. I never thought they’d track me down there. It’s too small, too off the map. I was so tired of running.” She closes her eyes, and more tears slip free. “It was the first place I felt safe. Like I could breathe.”
“Because of who we are?”
“That’s part of it,” she admits. “I didn’t find out until I was in town that you and your brothers were prior service—or that you ran your own company. Once I knew that, I assumed the security would be top-notch, and if someone came?—”
“We could defend ourselves.”
Her gaze darkens. “It’s horrible. I know. I shouldn’t have stayed. I shouldn’t have risked it.”
“It’s not far off,” I reply coldly. “Except for the fact that we have other employees with no training, as well as my mother, who has never even held a gun.”
Her expression is full of remorse. “I’m so sorry, Bradyn. I was so angry at Olivia for dragging me into this. I imagine you hate me for doing the same to you. But please know I never meant to bring any danger to your door. Please know that.”
“What’s done is done. But we need to get back to the ranch.”
She goes rigid. “I can’t go back.”
“We have to.”
“I can’t. He’s already looked for me there. He’ll come back. You need to go now. Leave me here, and I can disappear. You don’t need to be involved.”
“I’m already involved,” I tell her. “The security there is great, and if I’m going to protect you while we figure out just what’s going on and how to stop it, then that’s the best place to do it.”
“I got out,” she insists. “Without you seeing. Someone got into my place without you seeing too, right? That’s why you thought I tossed it?”
She’s got me there. “That’s currently being rectified,” I tell her. “All areas surrounding our personal residences will be covered.”
“It’s not enough,” she insists. “You don’t understand who you’re dealing with.”
“It has to be enough,” I growl. “Because I’m not leaving you to die in some motel room.”
She pushes to her feet, wincing when she puts too much pressure on her injured foot. “You need to just go. Leave me to whatever comes next. I’m good at disappearing.”
“I’m not leaving you.” The fact that she even thinks I would is absolutely ridiculous.
“You’re going to die. This isn’t some storm where you come running after me, Bradyn. These men are killers. You have no idea what they’re capable of.”
I move in closer, getting within inches of her so I can make sure she understands just what I’m saying. “I know killers, Kennedy. I’ve walked alongside them, fought against them, and suffered at their hands. I can assure you, there is no man who walks on this earth that I fear. And I. Am. Not. Leaving. You.”
“Why?” she asks breathlessly.
“Because I defend what’s mine.”
“You barely know me.”
“I clearly don’t know you at all,” I admit. “But that doesn’t change the facts. You worked for my family, and they found you because of a fire that happened at my ranch. I’m not leaving you to die.”
“Then you should have thought about that before giving them my picture.” The fire is back in her eyes, a fight that I first saw that night when she was tending to Rev’s injury.
“I didn’t give her your picture. Arthur Kidress did.”
“Arthur? How did he get a picture of me?”
“Seems he had a torch for you and took it upon himself to grab a photo.” I turn away, trying to beat back my own anger at her accusation. “Confidentiality is a clause in our contracts. You should have known it wasn’t us who gave her that photo.”
Her cheeks redden. “I should have,” she admits. “I’m sorry.”
“He’s since been fired and escorted off of the property,” I tell her.
She takes a seat back on the bed. “I can’t believe this is happening again. It’s never going to stop. The walls are always going to cave in. I’m never going to be free of this.” She yanks on the thumb drive, but it remains securely on her neck.
“Kennedy.” Kneeling at her feet, I reach up and tilt her face so I can see her eyes. “You’re not alone anymore.”
“All that means is one more body to add to the count.”
“I’m not an easy man to kill,” I reply.
“They’re not easy men either.”
“We’re going to make it through this. You have to have faith. Don’t give up.”
“Faith.” She chokes on a laugh. “My mom had faith, and look where that got her. Dead and buried without even a funeral.”
Kennedy’s pain is still so fresh, her wounds ripped right open again with having to tell that story. “I’m so sorry for what happened to your parents.” It’s all I can say. Explaining to her that God doesn’t promise us a peaceful life in this world will mean nothing right now. All I can hope for is that, if I remain at her side, she’ll see what I do.
That He brought us together so I can do what I do best and free her from these shackles.
“You good?” Elliot asks through the phone.
“For now.” I lean out and peer through the window. “But it’s bad, Elliot. She’s in deep and doesn’t even know why.”
“We can’t find much either. Tucker ran those names you gave us, but all of it’s buried. The marshals she mentioned are listed as KIA. But not anything else that we could find. It’s all hidden behind security that even Tucker is having trouble cracking.”
“Not surprised. If it’s a senator involved, he’ll have deep pockets and plenty of resources to pull from.”
“We need to know what’s on that thumb drive.”
“I’ll send you more details tomorrow, and you guys can come get us. I had to ditch my truck in Tulsa.”
“Where?”
“Leave it where it is. I was being tailed, and they’ve likely got people watching it. We’ll double back for it when this is all over.”
“Sounds good. You sure you’re okay?”
The bathroom door opens, and Kennedy limps out wearing baggy shorts and a black sweatshirt. Her hair is still wet, her eyes red and swollen from the tears I know she must have cried while hidden behind the closed door.
She’s stunning even in her pain.
A sight to behold.
Light in the darkness.
“Yeah, we’re good. I’ll let you know if something comes up.”
“Same. Love you, brother. Stay safe.”
“You, too. See you soon.” I end the call.
“Who was that?”
“Elliot. I gave him the list of names you gave me, and he looked into them.”
“Anything?”
“They’re working on it.” No need to tell her that we’ve got a whole lot of nothing so far. “Feel better?”
“A bit.” She limps over toward the bed and takes a seat on the edge of it.
“A shower always feels like a reset. Anytime I’ve been out in the field, it’s the first thing I look forward to.” I peer out the curtains again, scanning the parking lot for any sign of trouble.
“Olivia was a good person.”
I turn toward her but don’t respond.
The chances of Olivia not knowing what was going on in her home are low, but given that the senator wasn’t her biological father, it’s entirely possible he kept her out of it as a matter of self-preservation.
“She was one of the kindest people I ever met, and even as she was surrounded by bodyguards all the time, she never acted like the rich kid everyone thought she was.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
“You look like a man who knows how it feels to lose.”
“Something like that.” I shove the darkness down as it tries to resurface.
“Lani said, a couple of years ago when you returned from a mission, you locked yourself in your room.”
“Did she.” I take a seat in a chair by the door.
“She did. If you don’t want to talk about it, I get it.”
“There’s not much to tell. I went after a missing woman and didn’t make it in time.”
Her expression turns sorrowful. “I’m sorry, Bradyn.”
“I wasn’t the one who lost my wife or mother. There’s no need to apologize to me.” It had been a horrific case. One that shook me to my soul and had me locked in my house for two weeks as I prayed my way out of the mental hell it threw me into.
“You still lost something, and for that, I’m sorry.”
I don’t respond, just nod, hating that, even after these few years, that woman’s face still swims into view every time I close my eyes.
“Thanks, by the way.”
“For what?” I question, forcing my gaze back to the sliver of window not shielded by curtains. I’ve been watching for any sign that they found us. Thank God there hasn’t been one yet.
“Coming after me. Again.”
How do I tell a woman I just met that I’ll always come for her? That I feel so drawn to her that it doesn’t matter she lied to me? All I want is to protect her from the monsters knocking at her door. Since I’m not quite sure how to find those words, I simply nod.
“Get some sleep.”
“What about you?” She tugs the comforter down and slips inside, pulling it up to her neck and rolling onto her side.
“Don’t worry about me. You get sleep, and I’ll make sure the walls don’t cave in while you do.”
Her eyes fill, but she doesn’t say anything. I reach over and turn off the lamp closest to me, and the room falls into shadow.
As Kennedy lies there silently, I do the only thing I can.
I pray.
God, I need You. Please show me how to protect her. Please show me the path you want me to take because we can’t do this without You. And Lord, help Kennedy. Soften her pain and help her find her way back to You. I ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.