Chapter 7
A n image of Jenna’s mutilated body slammed into Kane’s mind, but it wasn’t her lifeless eyes staring back. He spun Beth to face him. “Did you hear Edgar? Tell me you heard him.”
The stunned fear in her gaze assured him she understood.
He didn’t stop her when she turned away, but he kept his hold on her hip. Her body shook beneath his hand, but she was tough. She had to be tough if she’d held down a demanding job and completed her PhD while looking over her shoulder for the past two years. Pretending everything in her sparkly life was alright while she lived with the grief of losing her fiancé and the fear of a stalker—no, a murderer—reappearing took a lot of strength.
Strength his mother never had.
His own grief, decades old but still raw, submerged the hollow place in his chest. Closing his eyes, he tried to drown the impending memory, but it surfaced anyway.
“What do you mean you aren’t coming to my track meet? It’s the state championship. ”
His mom stared at him from her bed, which hadn’t been made in weeks, through bloodshot eyes. “I’m sorry, honey. I’ll try and make the next one.”
He yanked on the hem of his team jacket and blinked back frustrated tears. “I’m a senior, Mom. This is your last chance to see me win gold and beat the school record.”
“I…” She looked away. “I just can’t do it without…” A tear slipped down her cheek as she pulled the neckline of his father’s Marine Corps sweatshirt up to her chin. “Gran and your sister will be there to cheer you on. Good luck, honey. I’m sorry.”
Kane opened his eyes and shook off the memory plagued with things he should have said, should have questioned, but didn’t. His gaze landed on Beth. Damn, he admired her for finding the mettle to put her emotions on hold and be there for the people she loved. Still, tonight’s events were a lot to take in.
Hell, it was a lot for him too. After the Mexico debrief, he’d caught a quick nap. Instead of his typical nightmares that alternated between memories like the one he’d just shut down and painful replays of the explosion that took his leg, he dreamed of Jenna. Her bloody face. Her last breath. Her final words.
No regrets.
Chris pulled Scarlett into him like his memories from Mexico created a need to be close to the woman he couldn’t live without. Flexing his super arm, he looked at Edgar. “Why would Chavez go through the trouble of stealing Beth’s cake when he could have simply abducted her?”
Beth leaned into Kane’s side. “And why target me? There are plenty of other research scientists with more knowledge. I’m the baby on the team since I was in accelerated programs that helped me complete my PhD earlier than others. And why not go all the way to the top? Director Sable knows everything. I think she’s been with the agency since the invention of penicillin.”
Kane nudged her to face him. “Your work on Triple X, the intel we have about the Diablo’s deadline, and a known enforcer messing with you adds up to no good. Not to mention the timing of your stalker’s return. He could be working with the Diablos. They have accomplished hackers on their payroll. And you can be sure Chavez has a motive for his actions. You need protection while we uncover more intel.”
Edgar nodded. “One of you needs to be her security detail.”
Beth held up her hand. “Does anyone care what I have to say on the matter?”
Scarlett touched Beth’s arm. “Of course. Chris and I will cancel our trip so you can stay with us.”
“No way.” She waggled her finger between the bride and groom-to-be. “You two can’t cancel your engagement-moon because I’m in trouble again.”
“They won’t.” Kane knew how important it was for Beth to give her bestie a perfect engagement experience. “Admiral, I’ll stick with Beth until we get more information.”
“No.” Beth backed up a step. “That won’t work. I’m going to a Christmas party tomorrow in my hometown. I won’t be back until the twenty-fourth.”
“Then I’ll go with you.” He turned on his grin that charmed women from West Virginia to Washington, DC. “I love a good party.”
“You can’t come to North Benson with me.”
He shrugged. “Then we’ll stay home.”
“No way. I missed the party last year and won’t miss it again.”
“A word in private, please.” He nudged her to the back door. To his surprise, she obeyed and let him lead her outside. His earlier search of the property revealed high fences and a large awning. Both created a space safe from anyone watching. The barriers, however, didn’t block the view of her bare legs as she jutted her hip and glowered at him.
“I don’t want you as my bodyguard. Nic or Linc can do it.”
He backed her into the wall. “You barely know them.” And no way was he giving his brothers the opportunity to get to know her better. Hell, he shouldn’t want to get to know her better, not when he couldn’t offer anything beyond protection. If a relationship was in his immediate future, he’d already be a dozen dates in with the brilliant, beautiful scientist, who he found even more attractive since learning she’d been working to save millions of lives. But their timing sucked and his scars ran too deep to alter his life plan. Besides, he’d promised Chris he wouldn’t act on his filthy fantasies.
She jutted her chin up. “I barely know you.”
“You know how I taste.”
Her soft hiss escaped through her gritted teeth. “You’re a bastard for bringing that up.”
Maybe it did make him a bastard for discussing their ill-fated kiss in her bedroom during their not-quite-date. But watching the gold flecks in her eyes ignite into flames set his adrenaline racing faster than a dangerous mission.
Stepping back but still close enough to shield her from the cold wind, he eyed her from head to toe. Despite his timeline to serve in the military first and settle down later, thoughts about making Beth his raided his mind. All night, he’d been fighting the urge to unwrap the pretty package before him, starting with her soft sweater and slowly working his way down to her red shimmery heels. Feeling them dig into his ass while he filled her topped his list of things he shouldn’t want for Christmas, along with visions of enjoying future holidays together.
He took her hand and turned her wrist. With his fingertips, he brushed her scar. “You’re Scarlett’s bestie, which makes you part of the VIPER family. Accept my protection, sugarplum.”
She waved her finger at him in a circle. “You’re doing it again. I can see it in your eyes and it’s not going to work.”
He stepped closer until the tips of his worn cowboy boots hit the toes of her dainty heels. “Doing what?”
“Switching from charming and sexy but sometimes annoying cowboy to intense, sometimes scary, but always bossy warrior.”
He winked. “I knew you liked me.”
She pressed her fingertips into her temples. “Have you heard anything I’m saying? I agree protection is warranted, but it can’t be from you.”
No, it shouldn’t be from him. She was a danger to the life he’d built around not falling in love until it was time, but even that cold truth wouldn’t stop him from convincing her that he was the super soldier for the job.
Beth speared her hands into her hair and tugged. Her scalp stung from the pressure. “I don’t want your protection.”
“Why?” He seized her chin in his big hand. The hardness in his gaze sharpened to icicles.
A chill seeped from the brick and permeated her thin sweater. “You know why.”
“I have an idea, but I want to hear it from you.”
The words wouldn’t form on her tongue. Plenty of tingles did, even though she didn’t want to talk about the humiliating, post-nightmare kiss that had left her aching for more. Biting her lip, she willed her caution tape not to unravel around the tempting super soldier.
Soldier.
She eyed the man whose job was to run into danger on a regular basis. “I’m a target. There’s not just one, but two potential threats in my life. Leave it to me to be an overachiever with not just a stalker but a cartel member after me. Whoever protects me is a potential target too.”
Well, there were three potential threats if she included herself. How could she not? History didn’t lie. Neither did numbers.
“Don’t worry about me.” He took her hand and placed it on the front of his thigh. “Feel that?”
“Yeah.” The confession skated out on a harsh breath.
“Your tax dollars literally made me for this shit, Beth. Take advantage of it.”
The back door slammed open. “Get your asses in here.”
Kane muttered a curse as Edgar barked at them from the doorway. “We aren’t done with this discussion, sugarplum.”
The cold air hit her like a ball of ice as they separated.
Edgar scowled at them as they entered, a cup of coffee in his hand. “Are you two done arguing?”
“Yes, Admiral.” Kane wrapped his arm around Beth’s shoulders. “She’s decided to accept my help.”
She opened her mouth to say she’d never said such a thing, but Scarlett blew out a long sigh. “Good. I’ll worry so much less while we’re gone. But I’ll stay if you want me to.”
“No, I want you to go.” Scarlett had missed so much growing up under her stepfather’s iron rule. The boarding schools he’d sent her to didn’t have football games and school dances. She’d never even gone to a prom. What kind of friend would she be if she asked Scarlett to miss her first vacation with her fiancé? “Enjoy your trip and don’t worry. ”
Kane squeezed her shoulder. “Looks like we’re a couple for the next few days.”
She scurried from under his arm. “Couple?” Oh, hell no. She was already North Benson’s biggest source of gossip. She didn’t need to add fuel to the yule log. “I never agreed to that.”
He tapped his chest and winked. “I have it on good authority that I’m an excellent date.”
“The party is a fundraiser. It’s black tie. There’s no time to get you a tuxedo.”
“I’ve got a dress uniform. That’s better.”
Dear Lord. Kane in a dress uniform might be the death of her. Or him, if she couldn’t keep her hands—and her heart—to herself.
Edgar tipped his coffee cup toward Beth. “Dating isn’t a bad idea. We can be sure the Diablos did their research and know your connection to VIPER. They don’t know the team’s full proficiencies, but they know what the public does. If Kane acts solely like your security detail, they might think we’ve uncovered Chavez’s identity and task someone else we know nothing about to abduct you.”
“But if they’ve been watching me, they would know Kane’s not my boyfriend.”
Scarlett picked up discarded plates and cups. “But it makes sense he could be. You’ve been spending time with him, me, and the team for several weeks now. There’s a history.”
“Your bestie is right.” Kane nudged Beth under the mistletoe above the door and brushed her ear with his lips. “Ready to deck the halls with me, sugarplum?”