“Bruce was scared. He could have died.” She hugged her son closer.
“You’re both safe.” I kissed her forehead, and the police sirens grew louder. I told her, “Stay in and keep him calm.” I stood up and ignored how alert and on edge I felt. “The police are here. I’ll invite them up since you’re the car owner.”
She nodded, but her face seemed… empty. She said, “Okay. I need to tell work.”
“They’ll understand,” I said, opening the door.
She called out quietly, “And my brother.”
“Call him over,” I said then let myself out and locked the door.
The police were talking to residents, and I approached one officer. Once he was free to talk, I put my hands behind my back and said, “It was my girlfriend’s car that exploded. She and her one-year-old are safe inside her apartment. The air smelled like sulfur, so I had her take a video when I approached the vehicle to inspect it.”
He took my phone and then showed the other officers. Four of them returned to me, and the one I had spoken to said, “We’re going to need to talk to her.”
“Of course.” I motioned in her direction with my shoulder. “She just wanted her son to calm down. He’s rattled.”
One of the other officers, an older man, nodded and asked, “What service were you in?”
I stood at attention for a moment and said, “I was a SEAL.”
Another man, young and with pitch-black hair, said, “Which means you understand advanced weaponry.”
I didn’t even blink, but I said, “You can ask her for my alibi.”
He tapped his pen to his paper, but all four of them walked up the stairs with me. I unlocked her door, and Bruce was resting on her shoulder.
The older officer asked, “Was that your car?”
She ran her hand through her hair, her face pale. “Yes. I was supposed to be going to work right now.”
“Where do you work?” the younger officer asked.
She pivoted toward him and said, “I work at Steel Women’s Shelters. I’m the manager.”
He then asked her, “And can you vouch for your boyfriend’s whereabouts since you last used the car?”
She glanced at me and smiled. “We’ve been together the whole time. He stopped me from opening the door to put my son in. I owe him our lives right now.”
“Any idea who’d want you dead?” the older officer asked.
She showed them her son and said, “Bruce’s father. I have a restraining order against him that’s active.”
“Arthur Waterstone,” the younger man offered. My ears burned as he continued, “He works at DW weapons.”
Fuck. I needed my phone back. I grabbed hers from the counter and realized she didn’t have a password. I’d mention that to her later, but for now, I used it as she spoke to the officers. I asked fast, Mark, this is Dwayne. Arthur Waterstone? Do we have any new intel on him?
Three dots. I glanced up, but they were discussing her parking her car the night before while I was babysitting. Mark then popped up. Nothing new I see. I’ll text you when I finish a search.
I’ll call you soon, I typed fast then deleted the entire conversation from her phone and put it back.
Mary’s conversation with the police ended. “Everything okay?” she asked me.
I smiled and said, “Yes, I had to talk to my security team, so I used your phone.”
She stood up with Bruce. “I understand. The police need to finish their report.”
I rejoined the conversation, and the older man said, “We told Mary she’s not safe here until we apprehend whoever bombed her car.”
I stood above her, but she seemed more herself, with color in her cheeks again. “She’s safe with me,” I said. “In fact, we can fly to my house in Virginia tonight to get them both out of here if she wants.”
Her lips opened, and she held her breath. “I can’t be a burden.”
I stepped toward her and took her hand. My place was big enough for all of us. “It’s your life, Mary, and Bruce’s.”
She rested her head on my chest, and Bruce cooed. “I’m scared,” she said.
I hugged them. They made my life more alive. “I’ll pay for police protection if that’s your preference.”
She shook her head. “No. Don’t. You’re enough. I don’t want to be a burden.”
The police officers started leaving. I let her go and walked the officers to the door. As they left, the older man handed me a card with a case number on it and said, “We’ll be in touch.”
I left the notes on the counter and returned to them. She rocked her son, and I took the seat beside her. Neither of us said anything, but Bruce wiggled to get down.
She sighed and let him since she’d set up a playmat. Then we both put our shoes away, and I mopped her floor for her while she cleaned the cabinets.
As we finished up, a knock came from the door. She looked more like herself now, but she still crossed her arms and stood in front of Bruce. “Can you get the door? It’s probably Joseph.” she asked.
Well, I knew what Arthur looked like. I glanced out and saw a man in a business suit. I opened the door, and he asked, “Are you Dwayne?”
“Let him in,” Mary called out, sounding normal.
“I am. Are you Joseph?” I asked.
“Yes.” I opened the door wider. Mary waved for him to join her. Joseph took off his shoes and said, “Thank you for being there for my sister today.”
He worked at Wanda’s weapons manufacturing—where I was supposed to be that day. My heart constricted. “The police suspect Arthur.”
Joseph hugged his sister. “You need to be safe. He’s completely gone off the rails.”
I needed to complete my mission too. My muscles tensed, but I made coffee while I said, “I can take her to Virginia for a few days to get away from here until he’s been arrested.”
Her brother squeezed her hand and said, “Okay, a few days will be good for both of you.”
I pressed the button for the coffee to start and waved for her brother to join me in the kitchen. Mary was still unusually still and not so vibrant at that moment. I said, “Joseph, I have one thing I need to handle. Can you stay with your sister for an hour to help her pack?”
Joseph nodded. “Of course.”
Good. We were on the same team. I went to Mary and said, “I’ll be right back.”
Her eyes met mine. For a second, I swear I saw fear. “You don’t have to rush. We’ll be fine,” she said.
I kissed her forehead as her brother stared at us both. I let her go and said, “Keep your phone on and don’t leave. If there is any problem, call the police. I’ll call you when I get a new phone on the way so you can call me too.”
“Okay,” she said with a sigh.
I squeezed her hand. “We’ll be on a plane in a few hours.”
She let out an audible breath then rose up on her tiptoes to kiss.
For a moment, I didn’t move at all.
Then I let her go and nodded to her brother, grabbing a key.
The police were still milling around, but I headed toward town to pick up a phone at the local store I’d passed when I went to her apartment the first time.
Five minutes later, I had a phone and hopped in my car. As I drove toward the factory, I called Cole Securities. Mark answered.
I typed in my security code, then he spoke: “Thunder Thighs, he has set up some meetings the past twenty-four hours. We should have come with you.”
“We’re fine.” My heart was still strumming from that morning. I stared at the road. “He tried to blow up my girlfriend and her son. I’m going to plant the bug, but I’ll be back in Virginia tonight.”
Mark then said, “Be the fuck careful there. If I could do it, I would.”
I turned onto the highway. “I’m more worried about Mary right now.”
“Keep your head on straight.”
I saw my exit sign. I would plant the bug then get Mary out fast. I needed to call he
r with my new number, so I said, “I’m almost here. I’ll plant the bug in ten minutes.”
Done. I then called her, and her voice was soft. I refused to let her slip away because I had failed her. She and her son were too special.
Chapter Twelve
Mary
My heart thumped in my chest. When Dwayne had left, my skin prickled, like I would die without him.
Bruce and Joseph were both here. My stomach shouldn’t have been in twists. Joseph played with my son as he drank his coffee.
Slowly I made a list of everything I needed to accomplish that seemed endless, though the time it took was probably just a minute or so. Done, I jumped up and rushed to my room. I found a suitcase for myself and one for Bruce. I tossed his things in first. For a few days, he would need diapers, clothes, toys. When we’d gone to my cousin’s wedding in Napa, his bag had been bigger.
Had I packed the stroller, and was the car seat still in Dwayne’s rental? I had a headache, to be honest. Thinking wasn’t easy. Joseph came up behind me as I stuffed clothes in a bag as I said, “I don’t know if I should go.”
“You’re not making sense.” He hugged me and said, “Someone tried to murder you.” When he let me go, I had tears in my eyes. “You either go with your boyfriend to the beach or you come to my penthouse and don’t leave until this is over.”
Arthur would find out where Joseph lived, and Joseph had enough on his plate. That same thought had kept me in the shelter rather than my brother’s place the year before.
Nothing had changed, except this time, I would be hiding with the hottest man I’d ever met. I wiped my face to pretend I was fine, when inside I buzzed with the prickly sensation that I wasn’t good enough for Dwayne. It rushed to my head faster than poison. I blinked and wished the thought would dissipate. “You have to go to work. I know Arthur almost killed me before, but I don’t want Dwayne hurt.”
Joseph grabbed the diaper box for me and said, “He’s already saved you once.”
I would have to take every diaper I had. I took out the sealed pack and fit it in the suitcase while I said, “I feel like a failure.”
Joseph folded the clothes around the air-sealed bags. “Is that worth your life?”
“No.” I glanced behind me and saw how happy Bruce was with his table as he tugged a lever back and forth to make sounds. I breathed a little easier then said, “I’m going to Virginia with him.”
“Good.” Joseph bumped into me playfully, and with his help, the bag had room for toys. We grabbed a few of Bruce’s favorites. “Your new boyfriend looks like he loves you already, but if he hurts you, don’t hide that. I’ll always protect you.”
I kissed his cheek and said, “I love you, but we both know Dwayne is double your size.”
Joseph didn’t move. “Doesn’t matter. You’re my sister.”
I had no idea what I would do without him. Ever. We quickly finished packing the first bag, and he put it near the door.
I started on my clothes, and packing for myself was easier. Toothbrush, clothes, shoes, and hairbrush were all I needed. I heard Joseph and Bruce playing while I packed.
I grabbed a blue dress that I had bought on clearance the year before that I’d never worn. I rocked on my feet and decided to pack that too.
As I zipped up my bag, I heard the door. I rushed out to ensure that Arthur wasn’t here somehow.
A second later, Dwayne slipped inside, and I pressed my hand to my chest, refusing to cry.
He held his phone to his ear, speaking to someone fast, and locked the door, took off his shoes, shook hands with my brother, and then kissed me.
My questions quieted, and I was in his arms again.
While still holding the phone, he ended the kiss fast but pressed his hand on my back and asked, “Is everyone ready?”
“I guess,” I mumbled. I knew I sounded upset.
Dwayne was amazing, but somehow depending on him felt like I was failing myself and Bruce. I pressed my lips together and vowed never to say that.
He held up the phone to me and said, “I need you to give the representative on the phone Bruce’s info so they let you both on the plane.”
I jolted. I should have realized this. I took it and said, “Of course.”
The woman introduced herself as an airline representative, and I quickly gave her what she needed. I’d hold Bruce tight and keep him in my lap the entire flight. Once I finished, I handed the phone back, and Dwayne finished the conversation.
My brother hauled my smaller bag to the front door. I was all packed.
Dwayne pocketed his phone and asked, “Ready? The flight leaves in two hours, so we need to get there.”
Right. I picked up Bruce and held him tight, pretending to be fine.
“Our airport is small. If you need me to get my sister, send me your information,” Joseph said.
Dwayne stopped and grabbed a pen off the magnet on the refrigerator and jotted down his info on one of my scraps of paper. “When I get back to Virginia, I’ll have my regular number with a new phone delivered, but this is my phone until we get it.”
He took out his business card from his wallet and handed it to Joseph with the number.
My brother studied it and asked, “Who did you hire as your security team?”
“Cole Securities.” Dwayne returned to my side as I bounced my boy. “They were founded by former Navy SEALs who were friends of my brother.”
Joseph tapped the card and folded the paper to put in his pocket. “Sounds like good timing, then, that you already hired a team that can keep Mary safe.”
He turned toward me and stopped. “She’s the sweetest woman I ever met.”
Sweet wasn’t strong. I ignored how my gut was twisting, and I kissed my brother goodbye and grabbed the bottles of milk from the refrigerator. “Let’s go, Dwayne,” I said.
Joseph followed us to the door. “She’s been through a lot. And it’s my job to protect her, so don’t hurt her.”
Dwayne held up his hand like he was swearing an oath. “I won’t.”
I smiled and said, “I can take care of myself. My brother is not my keeper.”
Joseph glared at me, but Dwayne said, “I understand.”
Probably not, but the three of us headed out. I locked the door.
We were quiet as we went downstairs, and this time, the parking lot was empty except for my blasted car. I went slow and stayed close to Joseph while Dwayne checked out the cars. He unlocked both his and Joseph’s, then turned on the engines.
All was clear. We buckled Bruce in the back, and while it wasn’t logical, my heart constricted as we closed the passenger door. I swallowed the fear but practically jumped into the front seat.
Joseph waved goodbye to us, and Dwayne packed in our luggage, then took the front seat. Once he joined us and put the car in drive, I said, “Thank you for taking us out of town for a few days.”
“I’m excited to show you my beach house,” Dwayne said, curling his hand around my own.
The drive to the airport was uneventful. Dwayne returned the car, and we were dropped off at the front gate.
As expected, there was no line, and soon, we were seated in our first-class seats. I swallowed but didn’t say a word about how I wasn’t his equal and couldn’t pay for this on my own. I tensed up but only said, “I didn’t expect to be this close to the hotel where we met this fast.”
My skin jumped but Bruce pressed against my legs as he said, “So, for our date, when you get all fancied up—”
He must have noticed my face was hot, so he put his hands out and offered to hold Bruce for me. I squeezed my son and said, “I can’t leave Bruce.”
He smiled like he wasn’t offended and asked, “Movie and pizza delivered, or do you want Chinese?”
My son was dead weight right now, and he wasn’t so little. I took a deep breath and said, “Those are my choices, then?”
“No.” He opened his legs and spread out all those muscles of his. “If you want sush
i, French cuisine flown in special for the occasion—just let me know what you want to eat. And we can relax just watching the waves from my backyard.”
I held Bruce up to see if he would take him, and he did without questioning me. “Sounds perfect,” I said.
Bruce slept on his lap comfortably, like he belonged there.
Part of me wished I’d waited to have my son till I had met a man like Dwayne.
I hadn’t thought like that ever, and I pressed my lips tight.
My wishes didn’t matter, I guessed. We were there because I never made smart choices.
The plane landed, and he carried Bruce through the airport and grabbed our bags.
As we headed to his car while he pushed a cart, my stomach twisted. Once again, Arthur was out to destroy my life, and now, I had involved Dwayne in all this.
When my father had died, I hadn’t freed myself. Instead, I’d gone from bad to worse when I moved in with Arthur, but I would never have guessed he would blow up me or his son.
Dwayne parked his car in a garage, and I could see sand sprayed a little on the street, like it had breezed onto the pavement. I sniffed the salty air, and my gaze wandered in search of the water.
He closed the garage door, and I retrieved Bruce and the diaper bag. We headed into his house, and I was determined to be more myself and not so melancholy. I stood in a huge empty room that had a TV and a couch with nothing else. “This is it?”
He took off his shoes and put them up. I handed him mine. Most people didn’t have this habit, but I hated germs in the house. Perhaps he was appeasing me, but I didn’t ask. “It is. It’s a three bedroom, plus den, though I’ve been using one of the bedrooms as my gym.”
I rested Bruce on the couch for a moment and took a deep breath. It smelled like the beach, but then I walked across the room and stared out the back window. There it was. White sand, blue water, and his backyard was green, though it had sand in it. I hugged myself. We weren’t from the same universe. “The view is amazing.”
I heard his footsteps behind me. “I already have the best view.”
Treasured Page 8
