Protecting Tessa (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) (Brotherhood Alliance #6)

Chapter 8

8

F ord’s eyes narrowed as he watched Tessa. The woman was lying. That much was obvious. But the way her hands trembled—heck, her whole body tensed, and her eyes darted around the room like those of a cornered deer—she was running from more than an abusive boyfriend.

The words she blurted out when he grabbed her, “I promise not to say a word,” echoed in his mind. Why was that her first reaction and not “please don’t hurt me,” which came second, almost like an afterthought? It should have been the other way around.

So, the question was, who or what the hell was she running from?

Ford had a feeling Tessa would not be forthcoming. Having her tell him whoever or whatever spooked her would take time and trust—two things he didn’t have. Chase penciled him in for a job in a week. Hopefully, this problem could be resolved by then. If not … well, maybe this wasn’t his problem. Besides, Ford could tell she didn’t trust him, and he sure wasn’t trusting her.

In the meantime, her car wasn’t running, and he hoped he could fix it. Although he sensed she was desperate to get out of here but that she was too scared to leave.

Since he had no place to be for the time being and Tessa might be in danger—heck, she was definitely in danger—having her stay here wouldn’t hurt. Even though it was a bad idea, he wouldn’t turn her away.

The peace and quiet he’d been hoping for would have to be put on the back burner. He was a protector first, and Tessa was most definitely frightened of someone or something. Until he figured out who or what, she was staying put.

Ford sighed, rubbing his hand through his hair. “Tessa,” he said, his voice low, like he was calming a child, “how long have you been running?”

Tessa blinked a few times. One lie coming up.

She straightened in her seat, feigning nonchalance. “Oh, just a day or so,” she said casually.

Ford raised a brow. “And this boyfriend of yours … he lives in Georgia?”

Tessa clasped her arms tightly over her stomach, effectively shutting herself off. Her eyes flickered to the floor. “Yes.”

“And you said he was following you?” Ford needed to know if he should be prepared for an angry man showing up at his door.

“For a while, but I lost him,” she murmured.

Ford studied her a little more closely.

She was a pretty little thing. She stood around five feet three or four, petite, and he’d be surprised if she weighed over one hundred ten pounds. The worn jeans and sweater were hanging loosely on her, as if she missed a few meals. Her blond hair fell to her shoulders, and her eyes, those worried blue-as-the-sky eyes, drew him in.

She leaned back in the chair, going for casual, but Ford saw through it. She was terrified, and someone out there wanted to hurt her, and it was more than just an abusive boyfriend.

Tessa wanted to trust Ford.

Honestly, she did.

However everything that happened with Damien had challenged her faith in men.

She hated how powerless she felt. Her car was dead. She had no place to go, no job, and very little money.

Now she was dependent upon a stranger, holed up in a remote cabin in the middle of nowhere.

How much could she trust him with her story? If she told him the truth, he’d probably run the other way. So, for now, she’d evade his questions, dancing around the truth for as long as she could.

Most importantly, she had to be careful.

Damien wasn’t just a nightclub owner—he had connections, dangerous ones. He was friends with the police and who knew who else. Tessa wagered he had politicians in his pocket.

If Damien found out exactly how much she knew about his business, she was a dead woman walking.

An icy chill went down her spine as she suddenly thought about the recorder. Had she packed it?

Her heart started pounding. God, if she hadn’t, Damien would get away with killing people, stealing, selling drugs, money laundering, and who knew what else. It would be her word against his.

Her mind flitted over what she packed.

Yes!

She had thrown it in her suitcase.

Tessa glanced over at Ford, who was watching her.

Gosh, he was one sexy man. With his short dark hair, piercing brown eyes and chiseled jaw, he was fierce-looking and eye candy at the same time. There was no doubt in her mind that he was a protector. And that T-shirt he had on appeared to be covering up some serious abs.

Tessa shuddered. Now was not the time for her hormones to act up. Her life was on the line. And if Ford wasn’t careful, his would be too.

Still, the situation was pressing hard on her chest. She couldn’t do this alone, couldn’t keep running forever. At some point, she’d have to stand up and fight for herself or she’d never be free, but this wasn’t Ford’s battle to fight. She couldn’t drag him into it.

“Something heavy is on your mind. What?” the man in question asked.

Tessa forced a smirk. “Just thinking about my car, where I’m going to go next, how my life got so turned around and out of control.” She shrugged as if the weight of the world wasn’t on her shoulders. “You know, just the usual.”

Ford’s eyes softened. “I’m sorry you’re going through this. Hopefully, this will resolve soon.”

He leaned back on the sofa, and Tessa’s mind began to wander. Why was Ford out here alone? Did he have a wife? A girlfriend? Where did he work? Judging from his stance and demeanor, she’d bet he was ex-military and maybe in security or, worse, a cop.

Oh God, no. Please, not a cop. Weren’t they sworn to report anything suspicious? Tessa’s heart was pounding now. Hopefully, Ford wouldn’t ask her any more questions about this abusive boyfriend.

Damn, she was driving herself crazy, and now her stomach was growling. The crackers and peanut butter weren’t enough.

Ford narrowed his eyes. “I bet you’re hungry. I know I am. Usually, I don’t keep much food here. I stop and buy what I’d like to cook.” He stood up. “There’s food and sandwiches in the truck. I’ll be right back.”

Tessa leaned back in the chair, her muscles tense as she watched Ford leave. Only the sound of his boots crunching in the gravel broke the silence.

He seemed like an upstanding and trustworthy guy, but then again, so had Damien when they first met.

The thought twisted her gut. She shifted in the chair. Her stomach growled again. Food sounded really good right about now. Looking out into the darkness from the window, she briefly caught sight of a flicker of light before it disappeared.

Moments later, the door opened, bringing in a gust of cold air. Ford returned, carrying a duffle bag slung over one shoulder and bags of groceries in his other hand. He placed the duffle by the door and moved into the kitchen. She heard the faint rustle of bags and soft clink of cans as he unpacked the food.

“I have turkey or ham subs. Which do you prefer?” he called out from the kitchen.

Tessa blinked, her mind sluggish for a moment. “Turkey,” she replied.

Ford emerged carrying two huge sandwiches on plates. He handed one to Tessa. “I gave you turkey, but if you’d rather have ham, we can switch.”

“Doesn’t matter. I like both.”

He nodded, put a plate and sandwich in front of her and sat across from her.

They ate in silence until Tessa placed her plate on the coffee table, amazed that she’d eaten the enormous sandwich. The savory turkey and crisp lettuce hit the spot.

Ford was on his second sandwich and gave her an easy grin.

He finished his last bite and placed his plate on top of hers. Opened his mouth to say something and hesitated.

“What?” she asked. She hugged her waist to keep her hands from trembling. Was he going to kick her out now?

Ford sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m beat, and you must be too. Unfortunately, there’s only one bedroom. Why don’t you use the bathroom and get ready for bed?”

Tessa froze. She hoped that Ford, whom she’d just met, wasn’t suggesting they sleep together. She barely knew him.

“Let me get my things. I’ll sleep on the sofa,” she said quickly, eyeing the narrow sofa. Ford was not a small man. No way would he fit on the sofa.

He shook his head and let out an amused grunt. “If you think you’re sleeping out here, you’re crazy. Take the bed. If someone tries to get in here, they will have to go through me.”

“But …”

“No buts. I’ve slept in worse places than that couch,” he said, his tone final.

Tessa hesitated, searching for any sign of an ulterior motive. Seeing just exhaustion and determination on his face, she made her way to the bathroom.

When she came out, Ford was grabbing a blanket and pillow from the closet. He nodded at her. “Good night.”

Tessa lay on the bed. This wasn’t at all what she envisioned when she found the cabin. However, after meeting and talking to Ford, she felt safe, at least for one night.