Chapter 8 #3
Her father stared at her as if she’d lost her mind. “What in the fool-darn-hell are you talking about?”
“I’m going. And there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” Dragging her suitcase behind her, Alana dodged her father and headed for the elevator.
Chase started to pass Mr. Neal when the man shifted to stand in front of him. This wasn’t the best first impression a man could make on his father-in-law, but he couldn’t worry about it now. Not when Alana was still in danger.
Mr. Neal poked a finger into Chase’s chest. “If you so much as make my daughter cry, I’ll hire a hit man and put you out of her misery. Do you understand?”
Chase didn’t bother to tell Mr. Neal that all of Alana’s protestations were bogus and that she planned to ditch him as soon as it was humanly possible. Annulment, divorce, whatever it took, she planned to untie the knot they’d forged with tequila and good times on the beaches of Cabo.
He couldn’t blame her or her father for their skepticism. If he had a daughter, he’d be livid if she married a guy after knowing him for only a few hours. He’d be worried like Alana’s father that he’d married her for other than honorable reasons.
“Sir, I can assure you I’m not after your money.
Your daughter is special. She’s a beautiful woman who deserves to love whomever she wants.
But she also deserves someone who respects her and treats her right.
I can promise you, I would never hurt your daughter.
I only want to protect her. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going with my wife.
” He pushed past Mr. Neal and joined Alana at the elevator just as the bell rang and the doors slid open.
He’d just promised Alana’s father he’d protect her.
Hell, he’d already promised himself that he would. Now, he had to live up to that promise.
As he stepped into the elevator, he heard a shout from the hallway. “Hey, wait up.”
When the doors started to close, Chase pushed the button to keep them open long enough for Trevor to slide through. Then he turned and held the doors for Carson.
Trevor let go of the door and grinned. “We thought you might need backup getting to the airport.”
Carson grimaced as he punched the button for the ground level. “I feel kind of sorry for the ladies we left with Alana’s father.”
“Me, too,” Alana said. “He’ll be grilling Gina about now.” Her lips curled upward at the corners. “She’ll give him hell. She loves pushing all of his buttons.”
“I love when she pushes all of mine,” Carson said. “That’s one sassy female.” He clapped his hands together. “Just the way I like them.”
Alana frowned. “Don’t you hurt my friend.”
Carson held up his hands. “I wouldn’t dare.
Besides, she scares me.” He chuckled. “I haven’t felt this alive since I came down to Cabo San Lucas.
I didn’t realize how much I missed all the action and danger associated with being a Navy SEAL.
” He turned to Chase. “I don’t suppose your boss in Montana could use another SEAL on his team, could he? ”
“It doesn’t hurt to ask. All he can say is no.” Chase slipped an arm around Alana’s waist and pulled her close. “Remind me to give you his phone number.”
Carson nodded. “Will do.”
When they reached the ground floor, the doors slid open, and the three men escorted Alana to the concierge’s desk, where she requested a taxicab to take them to the airport.
As they waited inside the lobby for the taxi to arrive, Chase kept a vigilant eye on the people coming and going. If anyone looked the least bit suspicious, he’d be ready to throw himself in front of Alana to protect her from harm.
Nothing happened, and soon one of the hotel valets came through the door and motioned for them to come. “Your taxi has arrived.”
Chase slipped his arm around Alana again and pressed his body close to hers, providing a shield of flesh and bone to protect her against bullets, knives or other forms of attack.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention as he walked out of the lobby. Carson and Trevor were his wingmen, also providing a human shield to protect Alana.
A taxicab idled at the curb. The hotel valet hurried forward to open the door for her.
Glancing first left and then right, Chase motioned for Alana to slide in first.
Trevor rounded the back of the vehicle to the other side.
Carson stood at the trunk, ready to toss the luggage inside as soon as the driver popped the latch.
Chase lifted his foot to slide into the vehicle beside Alana.
A pop erupted behind Chase, followed by a stinging sensation in his back and a crackling sound. Electricity ripped through him.
His muscles locked, frozen in mid-step. He couldn’t grip the door, his hands useless. His jaw clamped so hard it hurt.
Move, he urged himself.
Nothing.
Not even a finger responded. He couldn’t control his breathing.
A crackling sound filled his ears like the snapping of his bones from the inside out.
Chase’s vision jolted, the world tilted and gravity took him down. He crashed into the pavement. With no way to catch himself, his shoulder hit first, pain shooting through him. His cheek slammed against the asphalt.
An engine revved, and tires squealed. As the taxi leaped forward, the door slammed shut.
Chase lay twitching, helpless and trapped in a body that wouldn’t work as he watched the taxi streak away.
“Fuck!” Carson yelled.
“Chase,” Trevor dropped down beside him. “What happened? Are you okay?”
He couldn’t respond. Nothing worked but his mind. Even that was confused and off-kilter.
The crackling stopped.
Air slammed back into his lungs. He drew in a ragged gasp.
One clear thought emerged in his rattled brain.
Alana. Have to get to Alana.
He willed his body to move. Muscles spasmed, but they were too weak—dead weight.
The taxi disappeared around a corner.
Too late.
The cab was gone.
“Chase, what the hell?” Trevor leaned over him, studying his body, his gaze narrowing. “Oh, shit. Carson,” he yelled, “someone nailed him with a taser.”
Carson and the valet raced past Chase and Trevor, disappearing out of Chase’s range.
Trevor reached behind Chase and yanked on something that amplified the stinging sensation that had started the whole incident.
Chase groaned.
“Can you move?” Trevor asked.
“Not,” Chase managed to move his fingers, “much.” He stared up into Trevor’s eyes. “Alana?”
Trevor shook his head, his lips forming a thin line. “Carson couldn’t get into the cab fast enough. You went down before I knew what was happening and... she’s gone.”
Chase tried to rise, his body feeling like it weighed a ton. “Son of a bitch!”
This was not the plan he’d envisioned. He should have been with Alana.
“What do we do now?” Trevor asked.
“Get me up,” Chase grunted.
Trevor slipped an arm beneath Chase’s shoulders.
Carson appeared on Chase’s other side, breathing hard. “Whoever fired the taser is long gone.”
“As is Alana,” Chase said through gritted teeth.
Between Carson and Trevor, Chase rose from the ground, his legs twitching, the muscles not quite ready to hold him.
His friends half-carried him into the hotel. With each step, his muscles and resolve strengthened. By the time the elevator reached his floor, he could manage on his own.
The elevator dinged, the door slid open and Chase stepped out and strode toward Alana’s room, where her father waited.
“What’s the plan?” Trevor asked.
His jaw hardened. “Either I’ll meet with Delgado at midnight, or we come up with a better plan.”