by Katie Reus
Her insides quaked as she watched him, but she forced herself to remain outwardly calm. After working at one of the most stressful, busiest restaurants in the city, she was used to working under pressure. Of course her only pressure there was the fear of getting fired. Not losing her life. “Why are you pointing that at me? I thought we were friends. And how did you know I’d be here?” She remembered that he was the one who’d told her Hayden had a date.
He rolled his eyes and took a step closer. “I tracked you using your phone. Had to duck in here so your giant shadow wouldn’t see me. Didn’t know you’d come in here,” he muttered. Before she could respond, he covered the few feet between them and grabbed her arm in a vise like grip as he shoved the gun into her side. She let out a tiny yelp of pain as his fingers dug into her skin.
An icy chill snaked through her veins, her entire body growing clammy. Even with the material of her summer dress as a barrier, the feel of the gun against her was surreal.
“You’re coming with me.” He pressed the gun deeper into her ribs, but she bit back a cry, not wanting him to accidentally shoot her. He pulled open the door and peered into the quiet hallway.
She couldn’t see anything because of the angle he was holding her at, but the hall must have been clear because he let out a sigh of relief.
Sierra found her voice. “I’m not going anywhere with you.” She was glad her voice didn’t shake. She sounded a lot braver than she actually felt. Marty was clearly unstable, but if he’d been smart and determined enough to track her, he wasn’t going to just shoot her in a public place. And there was no way in hell she was leaving this building with him.
He turned to look at her then, that look of rage so crystal clear it made her shiver. This was a man very capable of violence. It stunned her. How had she never noticed it before? “Unless you want me to fill you with bullets, you’ll do exactly what I say.”
Chapter 7
Hayden stood at the end of the aisle of feminine products as he waited for Sierra, his phone against his ear. There was a security mirror angled on the far wall so he had a perfect view of the hallway without letting her or anyone else see him. He didn’t want her to feel smothered by his presence but he still wasn’t letting her out of his sight.
He understood that she wanted to get back to normal and that was why he’d been okay with bringing her to the doctor and now to the pharmacy. Maybe ‘okay’ was a bit of a stretch, but she couldn’t stop living because of one lone maniac.
Or at least that’s what he’d thought until what Iris had just said to him over the phone. “Both you and the police are sure Marty is behind this?” he asked. The thought of someone Hayden had actually worked with being involved made him see red.
“Unfortunately yes. He didn’t come into work this morning and the outside team I’ve got combing through his online tracks all point in his direction. Thanks to a weakness in the system he was behind the glitches in the security. Luckily we’ve been able to create a new patch to prevent this issue from happening again.”
That was good, but Hayden was more concerned about what was being done to find this maniac. Slamming Sierra’s head into a car could have caused serious damage, potentially even killed her. “What about Vegas PD?”
There was a short silence then Iris cleared her throat. “They’ve searched his place and…you’re not gonna like it, but they found a creepy shrine to Sierra. He’s clearly obsessed with her.”
Hayden scrubbed a hand over his face. A stalker type. Fucking great. “He wasn’t working alone.” Marty had been in the security room when the attack had gone down and he’d been the one to cause the glitch. He’d probably expected to be able to cover his tracks immediately. Maybe he and whoever he’d been working with had wanted to abduct Sierra and no one would have been the wiser if not for Jay being there to stop the attack. That seemed more likely if the guy was obsessed.
“Yeah, too bad there’s no trace of a partner at his home. The cops are tearing his place apart as we speak, trying to find—”
“Shit,” Hayden muttered. All the air rushed from his lungs as he watched Marty step out of the bathroom holding Sierra close. Hayden instinctively stepped back and crouched behind the nearest aisle. He felt as if he’d just been punched in the stomach, but managed to keep his initial spike of fear in check.
“What?” she demanded, her tone sharp.
“Marty just walked out of the bathroom with Sierra. I can’t see a weapon but he’s got to have one.” How the hell had he tracked her without Hayden noticing? Sierra was stiff, her back ramrod straight as Marty dragged her down the hall to where Hayden knew was an exit.
Hayden couldn’t see her expression because of the way she was being propelled along, clearly against her will. The man was about five feet ten. With Sierra’s petite frame, he towered over her and would easily be able to manhandle her. The guy had to have a weapon. No way would Sierra be walking out with him otherwise.
Hayden was armed and ready. He rarely left home without a gun on his person, but with what had happened with Sierra, he’d made sure he was prepared for anything. “Call the cops. Give them my location.” He rattled off the name of the store and major cross-streets before he ended the call and slipped it into his pocket. There wasn’t much time to formulate a plan. He had to act now or risk losing the woman he loved.
Marty hurriedly looked over his shoulder, but didn’t even glance upward in the direction of the mirror as he headed for the back door. Since he couldn’t see anyone he assumed he was safe.
That bastard was about to find out the hard way he was far from it. And if he hurt Sierra, he would pay.
Even though everything inside Hayden was urging him to race after them, he knew he had to play it smart and head out the front, then circle back. If Marty had a partner it was possible the guy was waiting outside and armed as well. Hell, probably.
Hayden rushed out of the front door, quickly scanned the parking lot for another threat then immediately headed west to the quietest side of the building. They’d be in the back by now and he had only seconds to get to her. On the east side there was a pet store. Peering around the corner of the building, he could see the back half of a black SUV peeking out. Behind him there were the normal sounds of the street; cars, people walking their dogs and talking on their phones but all of that faded into the background as he zeroed in on his target.
Calling on all his strength, he sprinted down the side of the building, his legs quickly eating up the distance. Weapon drawn from his ankle holster, he paused at the very end of the building.
“You can shoot me because I’m not getting in there!” Sierra’s terrified voice rolled over him.
Peering around the corner, he saw Marty trying to drag Sierra to the back passenger door of the idling SUV. The windows were tinted too dark—illegally so—to see if anyone was inside but Hayden didn’t doubt he had someone else behind the wheel.
Only ten feet away and hidden, it was still too far for comfort. Hayden’s blood rushed in his ears as he mentally prepared himself for what he had to do. The moment Marty took his gun off Sierra, Hayden was making his move.
He’d killed in the line of duty before and right now, he knew nothing was more important than protecting this woman. His woman.
Marty held a gun pressed to Sierra’s ribs but she was still struggling. She dug her feet in, trying to pull away from him. When the back door opened, without loosening his grip Marty moved his gun hand to grab for the handle.
Stepping out from around the corner, he raised his SIG. “Drop your weapon!” Hayden shouted.
Marty’s gaze snapped to his, the intent clear in his eyes as he started to raise his weapon.
Hayden took the only opening he might have. No way was he letting anyone take Sierra or use her as a hostage. He fired at Marty. His training kicked in as he aimed and shot right at the man’s chest. Three shots right in the center.
He was aware of Sierra throwing herself to the ground as Marty dropped
like a stone. Unlike bullshit Hollywood movies, he didn’t fly back through the air, just died where he stood. Immediately Hayden turned his weapon in the direction of the vehicle.
A man wearing a black T-shirt and black cargo pants had his hands raised in the air as he fell out of the side door he’d been attempting to open from the inside. He stumbled and landed on his knees. “Don’t shoot! I’m unarmed! I’m unarmed!”
He would believe that after he’d checked the guy himself. “Sierra, kick Marty’s weapon away.” Hayden was almost positive the man was down, but he wouldn’t take any chances.
He couldn’t see her expression because his attention was on the second man, but Hayden watched out of the corner of his eye as she picked up the gun.
The back of the building was clear except for a large green Dumpster. “Keep your hands on your head,” he ordered the man as he approached, weapon still trained on him. With Sierra safe and unharmed, all his focus was on this remaining threat. The guy was on his knees and trembling as if he might piss himself. In the distance, Hayden heard sirens as he patted down the unknown man.
When he was sure the man had no weapons, Hayden ordered him to lay face down on the concrete and keep his hands stretched out so they were visible. Keeping an eye on the guy, his weapon still trained on him, he stepped sideways in Sierra’s direction. He risked a quick glance at Marty’s prone body. Chest wasn’t moving and blood was pooling all around him.
Out of the corner of his eye Hayden could see Sierra trembling as she stood there, tightly gripping the fallen gun in her hand. Reaching out with his left hand, he took it from her and tucked it in his waistband at his back as he closed the few feet between them. “Sweetheart, how are you? Did he hurt you?” He didn’t want to take his eyes off the downed man for a second, not even to fully give her a visual scan.
“He didn’t hurt me but he was going to.” She wrapped her arms around herself so he threw an arm around her shoulders and dragged her close, still keeping his gaze on the other man. Marty was definitely dead. The cops would verify it when they got there.
“You’re safe now,” he murmured, wishing there was more he could do other than stand around and wait.
The sirens grew louder and when he was fairly certain they’d pulled into the parking lot, Hayden tucked his gun away. The man on the ground was still shaking in fear, his face turned away from them so he couldn’t see what Hayden was doing.
When the cops arrived on the scene, he didn’t want to be holding a gun. Even if he’d done nothing wrong, he knew what would happen if his weapon was displayed.
“We’re all going to have to go down to the station and you’re going to have to answer a lot of questions. Me too. They’ll likely separate us to make sure our stories match but video cameras inside back us up and Marty is already a wanted man.” They’d done nothing wrong but it wouldn’t hurt to have video evidence on their side.
She started to ask something but he just shook his head when two uniformed police officers rounded the building with weapons at the ready.
Now wasn’t the time to tell her about Marty’s obsession with her. She’d get her answers soon enough. And he wanted to get her away from the dead body and into the safety of a police station as soon as possible. He wanted answers about who this accomplice was and what their plans for Sierra had been.
A raw type of rage was pumping through him that he’d never experienced before. Holding her close helped soothe it, but he couldn’t get the image of her being held at gunpoint out of his head. Didn’t know if he’d ever be able to erase that nightmare.
* * *
Sierra jumped at the sound of Hayden’s doorbell ringing and almost spilled her wine. It was nearing midnight and she was emotionally exhausted. After spending most of the day at the police station answering questions and filling out reports, she and Hayden had finally been let go. She knew she should go to bed, but she’d been enjoying just curling up in his arms and relaxing. After what he’d done for her, she was worried about him too. He seemed totally fine with killing someone to protect her and she wasn’t sure how to bring up her concern for him.
She set her glass on his side table and Hayden slid her off his lap onto the couch. “Who is it?” she whispered even though there was no possible way anyone else could have heard her. He’d received a couple texts over the past hour so she was guessing his brother.
“Either Jay or Iris. Stay here,” he said in that familiar commanding voice before leaving the room.
Under normal circumstances she might have argued at his bossy tone but after the day she’d had, she didn’t care. And she knew he was just looking out for her.
Sierra heard the murmur of multiple voices then a few moments later Iris and…holy crap, Wyatt Christiansen walked into Hayden’s living room holding Iris’s hand. Sierra was wearing yoga pants and one of Hayden’s T-shirts that was a couple sizes too big. He’d insisted she put it on because he liked her in it, but staring at the mega billionaire she felt self-conscious. He was technically her boss, but it wasn’t like she ever saw him. Why was he here? Sierra stood and looked from Hayden to Iris with curiosity.
Hayden immediately crossed back to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. His presence was more than comforting. She felt like she could take on anything with him by her side. “Is everything okay?” she asked, looking at Iris. Sierra briefly wondered if she was going to get fired or something. She couldn’t imagine why but why the heck was Wyatt Christiansen here?
As if he read her mind, the tall man with midnight black hair and piercing blue eyes gave her a half smile. “I was out of town on a trip when you were attacked. Iris has filled me in on the details and I wanted to assure you that this kind of thing won’t be tolerated in any of my casinos. We run extensive security checks, but Marty had never been convicted of anything and there were no red flags. Still, I’m sorry about what happened to you and wanted to let you know that you can take off as much time as you need to adjust to everything and we’ll be paying for counseling if you decide you’d like it.”
Wow. Sierra hadn’t thought that far ahead and she doubted she would need any counseling. She was almost embarrassed to admit that she wasn’t sorry Marty was dead. He’d been a monster. But the offer was generous.
Before she could respond, Christiansen continued. “There’s no time limit on that offer. If you decide a year from now you want counseling, set it up and we’ll take care of it.”
“Thank you. That’s very kind.” Sierra tightened her grip around Hayden, feeling near her breaking point. She just wanted to be alone with him and decompress.
Iris motioned to the loveseat. “Mind if we sit?”
Hayden murmured an agreeable sound then they all sat, facing across from each other. There was obviously more to this visit.
Iris leaned slightly forward, sitting on the edge of the seat. Wyatt leaned back against the loveseat, and Sierra imagined the man would be comfortable anywhere. His hand rested casually at the small of Iris’s back in a possessive gesture. “I could have called,” Iris said. “But I wanted to let you know all this in person. Hayden has been cleared of the shooting, not that there was ever a fear he wouldn’t be. Marty’s partner got a lawyer and tried to cut a deal but with Marty dead and since Nevada is a three-strike state—Terry Hess will be going to jail for a long time. He confessed to being hired by Marty to attack you at the Serafina, then to helping him attempt to kidnap you today. About a month ago it seems Marty overheard a friend at Cloud 9 joking with you about…”
Iris cleared her throat, clearly uncomfortable, “…you being a virgin. I guess he became obsessed with you and well, wanted you. He paid Terry a lot of money to help him kidnap you. We’ll never know what sent him over the edge but I’m guessing your relationship with Hayden played a factor.” She pushed out a long sigh. “Personally, I don’t give a shit what that lunatic’s reasoning was. I’m just glad he’s dead.”
Sierra wasn’t surprised by the other woman’s bluntness. B
ut she wished she could feel more relief. She felt some, for Hayden’s sake. She was so thankful he was cleared of the shooting. “Will I have to testify?” She’d do it, but the thought of seeing that man again, especially knowing he was the one who attacked her in the parking garage was intimidating.
Iris shook her head. “No, he admitted to most of his crimes in exchange for waiving a jury trial. It shaved a few years off his sentence, but not many. I don’t think he wanted to risk going away for longer than twenty-five years.”
Now real relief surged through Sierra. That was a long time. “Thanks for letting us know in person.”
Iris nodded and stood, her husband following suit. “Take the next week off. I’ve already got you covered at the restaurant.” Sierra started to protest but Iris shook her head. “I’m not asking. You too, Hayden. I don’t want to see either of your faces at the casino unless you’re there to enjoy yourself.”
To Sierra’s surprise, Hayden quickly agreed and tightened his grip around her shoulders. After they said their goodbyes and walked the couple out, Sierra once again found herself in Hayden’s lap on the couch.
He nuzzled her neck, lightly kissing that sensitive spot behind her ear. “Even though I want to take you right here, I think it’s time for bed. You need rest.”
She lightly pushed his shoulder, making him look at her. “You need it just as much as me. But first…are you okay with what happened?”
His eyebrows pulled together in confusion. “I hate what happened to you.”
“No, I mean, killing Marty.” It felt weird to even say the words.
His expression immediately cleared, but he paused and she could see that he was choosing his words carefully. “I’m not sorry he’s dead and I won’t suffer from any guilt over killing him if that’s what you’re worried about. I did what I had to in order to protect you and I’d do it again.”
She was tempted to ask him if he was sure, but she could see the truth in his eyes. They’d talked about his Navy career many times and though he’d never been able to tell her much about his missions, she realized now that he’d killed in the past. She’d figured he had, but now she knew without a doubt. Considering how much he’d given for his country, she was more than okay with that. Seeing death up close and personal had jarred her and it wasn’t something she ever wanted to experience again, but she didn’t want to talk about that right now. If he could deal with it, she could too. “Okay.”
