Chapter 6 #2
Angry, pale-green eyes hit hers. “Gia, I’m pissed, but I guarantee you that your brother and Saxon will be even more pissed.”
Her stomach dropped. Oh, great.
* * *
Saxon screeched to a halt in front of Gia’s office building, pulling in behind a police cruiser.
He slammed out of the X6 and strode toward the coffee shop. A small crowd of onlookers had gathered out front, but when they saw his face, they parted quickly.
When he stepped inside, he saw Gia with Rome.
She was unharmed.
Saxon blew out a breath. Rome had called and told him what had happened, and assured him that she wasn’t hurt, but he had to see for himself.
She had a coffee stain on her dress, and her hair was now free and a mess of curls around her shoulders, but otherwise she was fine. She was talking to a police officer and gesturing wildly before glaring at the two cuffed men kneeling on the floor.
“Buchanan.”
Saxon turned to see Detective Hunter Morgan. “Hey, Hunt.”
The former Delta Force soldier had his light-brown hair cut short, and kept his body military fit.
He had a gun strapped to his hip, and a badge clipped to his belt.
After an injury had ended his military career, he’d joined the SFPD and worked his way up the ranks.
He was a good man, and shared beers with Vander, Saxon, and the rest of the team when he could.
“What the fuck is going on?” Hunt pointed to the ceiling. “Someone tried to abduct Gia at gunpoint.”
Saxon saw the bullet hole and his gut cramped.
“It was lucky no one was shot,” Hunt said.
Saxon grunted. “We’ll take care of it.”
Hunt shook his head. “You wanna tell me what this is about?”
“Trust me, you don’t want to know.”
“Well, I’m charging these two with attempted kidnap. One snatched a baby, likely to distract Gia and Nash.”
Fuck, of course Gia would fly in to rescue a baby. And drag Rome with her.
Saxon studied the other man on the ground and instantly recognized him through his disguise. It was the guy from the museum. Dennett’s man.
That fucker hadn’t listened. Saxon took a step forward but Hunt threw an arm out to block him.
“You can’t have him, so get that murderous look off your face.”
Fuck . They’d kept the fucker in a holding room at the Norcross office after the museum. Saxon had been sure that he’d gotten the message to leave Gia alone.
“This have anything to do with the disturbance at Easton’s museum?”
Saxon just looked at Hunt.
His friend sighed. “I’d like to help.”
“I’ll let you know if you can. My priority is keeping Gia safe.”
A flicker of a smile crossed Hunt’s face. “You finally went there. What’s Vander think of you and the gorgeous Ms. Norcross?”
Saxon remained silent.
“Oh shit, you haven’t told him yet.” Hunt shook his head. “You’re taking your life into your own hands, my friend.”
Saxon turned his focus on Dennett’s man. He was bleeding from the side of the head, and his hair was wet. “What happened to our would-be abductor?”
Hunt grinned. “Gia beaned him with a teapot.”
Saxon sucked back a laugh. Of course, she did.
“You’d better not piss her off, Buchanan.”
Saxon swallowed a snort. He pissed Gia off multiple times a day. He headed in her direction and when she saw him, a dozen emotions flitted across her face. He focused on the relief he saw echoed in her eyes.
“You okay?” He cupped her cheek.
“I’m fine.”
“Assault with a deadly teapot?”
Her lips twitched. “He had it coming.”
Saxon looked at Rome. The man’s face was impassive, but Saxon knew him well enough to know he was pissed.
“Guy was standing right fucking beside us, and I didn’t make him,” Rome growled.
“He blends,” Saxon said.
“I can’t believe he tried again, knowing Norcross is involved,” Rome added.
“He told me Dennett pays well,” Gia said. “And that I’m messing up his precious reputation.”
Fucker . “I’ll get Rhys to run down who he is.”
Rome frowned. “You don’t think he’ll come after her again, do you?
“I’m not taking any chances.”
“Hello, standing right here, getting ignored,” Gia bit out.
Because he needed it, Saxon spun, grabbed her and dragged her up on her toes. He closed his mouth over hers.
She fought him…for two seconds, then she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back. She pressed every inch of her curvy, little body against his.
When he lifted his head, she had a dreamy look on her face.
“Oh, fuck,” Rome muttered.
Saxon tightened his hold on Gia. “I haven’t told Vander yet, so keep this to yourself.”
“Vander?” Gia squeaked. “Why do you have to talk to Vander?” Her eyes sparked. “I’m an adult, and don’t need my brother’s permission to do anything.”
Rome coughed and looked away.
“There’s a code,” Saxon said.
“A code? I don’t—” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter, because this—” she waved a hand between her and Saxon “—is not happening.”
He scowled. “It’s happening.”
“No, I—”
He dragged her back and kissed her again. Soon she was clinging to him, and biting his bottom lip.
“I hate you,” she muttered.
“No, you don’t.”
“Well, if you’ve got her, I’m out of here,” Rome said.
“Thanks, Rome,” Gia said.
He flicked his fingers at her, and then was gone.
“I think it’s best I get you home,” Saxon said.
“And locked up safe?” she said archly.
He pressed a hand to her lower back, leading her out of the coffee shop. “Locked up where you can’t get into any trouble.”
She gasped. “This wasn’t my fault.”
“Let’s get your things.”
Saxon waited while Gia got her bag and said goodbye to Ashley. She was quiet on the quick drive back to her place.
She was still quiet when they walked inside.
With a sigh, she set her bag down on the table. “I just want all of this done and over. I want Dennett to be a bad memory. I want Willow safe.”
Saxon bit his tongue.
She turned, temper working behind her eyes. “I want innocent bystanders safe. That asshole used a baby today. That child could’ve been hurt.”
Gia could’ve been hurt too, but he saw that she wasn’t even thinking of that.
Typical Gia.
She stomped around her living room, muttering curses.
“Argh, I want to throw something, but all my stuff’s been broken already.”
Under the anger, she was afraid, anxious. Saxon wanted her to relax. “Why don’t I cook you some dinner, and pour you a glass of wine?”
Her eyebrows shot up. “You can cook?”
“Yep. Go and change, and I’ll get that wine ready.”
She stared at him for a beat, then headed to her bedroom.
He checked her fridge and pantry. Hmm, some pork medallions, with a balsamic sauce and some asparagus. Should do the trick.
Saxon rolled his sleeves up, found a bottle of Gia’s favorite Syrah, and poured a glass for both of them.
He’d just gotten the meat frying when his phone rang. He picked it up, saw it was his mother, and closed his eyes for a second. Damn . He put it on speaker.
“Hello, Mother.”
“Saxon. I heard some unpleasant news today.” Her tone sounded like she’d sucked a lemon.
He waited for her to say more. “So, you going to tell me, or are we just going to wait here in silence?”
She huffed out a breath. “No manners. Missy Stevens told me she heard something unpleasant…about a situation in a coffee shop downtown. And you were involved.”
“Not involved, Mother. I got there afterward. A woman who means a lot to me was attacked.”
“I fail to see why you had to get involved. Dragging the Buchanan name into sordid issues.”
He rolled his eyes. “Because I take care of my friends, and because it’s my job.”
There was a long pause and Saxon mixed the sauce in the pan.
“I wish you would stop acting out,” his mother said.
Like his ten-year military career, that she knew practically nothing about, and his last few years working at Norcross were all just a tantrum to make her life difficult.
When it came to Rupert and Vanessa Buchanan, they only thought of themselves.
Saxon felt a familiar hollowness in his chest, but just shook his head.
“Come for dinner,” his mother said. “I want you to meet the daughter of our friends, the Fishers.”
Gia walked in, her gaze on him before it shifted to the phone.
“She’s just lovely,” his mother said. “She just attended the Cotillion Debutante Ball.”
So, she’d be eighteen or nineteen. Saxon was thirty-four. He had no interest in a girl. “No thanks, Mother.”
“Really, Saxon. I wish you’d stop being selfish. You have a family name to uphold—”
“Like you and Father do?”
“Yes,” she said loftily.
“Dad golfs, you lunch, and you both have affairs when it suits you. How is that upholding the Buchanan name?”
His gut churned and he looked at Gia. She had a strange look on her face.
“You are so vulgar and vile, Saxon Buchanan. I have no idea how I created you—”
“Stop right there.” Gia strode forward. “You do not get to talk to him like that.”
“Who is this?” his mother cried.
Saxon blinked. He recognized when Gia was losing her temper.
“Saxon is a good man,” Gia said. “He served his country, and now he helps people.”
His mother spluttered. “Well, really—”
“You sound like a selfish bitch. Do you even know your son? Do you?”
Saxon’s mother tried to talk, but Gia cut her off.
“He’s protecting me, keeping me safe. I won’t listen to your filth anymore. Saxon is—” her brown eyes met his “—well, he can be bossy, and a bit of a snob, but he’s a good, honorable man. You don’t deserve him.”
Fire ignited in Saxon’s gut. No one had ever jumped to his defense like that.
In Ghost Ops, Vander and his fellow soldiers had always had his back. But against his family, no one had defended him before. No one.
“How dare you—”
“No. That’s enough.” Gia stabbed at Saxon’s phone and ended the call.
She snatched a glass of wine off the island and gulped some down. “Saxon, your mom is a bitch.”
He smiled. “I know.”
Gia sucked in a big breath. “I don’t like her.”
“I’m pretty sure the feeling is mutual.”
She smiled at him over her glass.
He smiled back. “Thanks, Contessa.”