by Lori Foster
He seemed to come to some decision. “No more talk about leaving here, okay? Not until we have this all wrapped up.”
“That could take a long time.” Or it might never happen.
“Nah. Like Madison said, you have a team at your back now. So let’s come to some agreements.” He turned as businesslike as Reyes could. “One, you’ll stay here, and no more talk of leaving. Done and done. Two, I’ll get your car for you, but you have to give me your word you won’t take off.”
She didn’t want to go anywhere alone until she knew it was safe, so she shrugged. “No problem.” The thought of ever again being held in captivity paralyzed her with fear.
“Three, we’ll spend the next few days replacing things you lost, starting in about an hour. I’ll be your escort-slash-bodyguard-slash-whatever, and you’ll be patient with me. Agreed?”
Her mouth twitched. “You’re not so hard to be around, now that I know you better.”
Disbelief narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, okay. Believe that if you want.”
Just by being himself, he’d lifted her mood. “Which part?”
“That you know me.”
Ah, so he didn’t deny being difficult. “You’re still an enigma?”
“A deadly wraith in the night, capable of almost anything.” He grinned.
“Almost anything, huh?”
The grin morphed into a tender smile. “I’m not capable of hurting you, Kennedy. I need you to know that.”
Just as quietly, she whispered, “I do.”
Satisfied by that, he said, “Four, when I have to be at the gym, you’ll go with me. I can instruct you so you’ll know some lethal shit, and when Cade is around, he can give you some pointers, too.”
A workable solution, except that... “I can’t keep up that pace for eight hours.”
“I know. I have an office there with a private bathroom, comfy chair, secure browser and a small fridge. It’ll be yours to use until I wrap up my day.”
She honestly didn’t know what to say, so she settled for, “Thank you.”
“No thanks necessary. I do what I do, when and how I want to do it.” He released her to stretch, which, yes, made her stare. He said, “I need to shower and shave and all that. Start a list of anything you might need. We’ll knock off what we can today. First, though, we’ll stop somewhere for breakfast. You might not be a fan, but I always put fuel in the tank before I tackle the day.”
“All right.” Thinking out loud, she said, “I have a pen and paper in my laptop case. I’ll get started on that right now.”
“Hey.” He touched her arm. “You can use your laptop, and even your phone if you want. But don’t contact Jodi. Let’s see if she reaches out to you.”
“She is a friend, you know.”
“If you say so, but she was there at the fire, so why hasn’t she reached out, if for no other reason than to make sure you’re okay?”
“I don’t know, but I’m sure there’s an explanation.” She really needed to make it clear about poor Jodi.
Reyes didn’t give her a chance. “We’ll discuss it tonight, maybe on a conference call with Cade and Madison so we can put our collective heads together. How’s that sound?”
She wasn’t at all keen about the idea. Yes, she trusted Reyes, but there was so much she didn’t know about him, and it seemed that every new thing she learned only created more questions.
As he started out of the room, she realized he wasn’t waiting for a reply anyway. “Make yourself at home. I’ll be right back.”
Then he was gone, and she was left thinking about Reyes. About all he was doing for her.
And about him naked in a shower.
Things were going to get horribly awkward, and she couldn’t even blame Reyes. It was her own fault—for finding him so fascinating.
* * *
CADE CALLED WHILE they were still on the road, and since he wanted to talk about Jodi, Reyes put the phone on speaker. “I told Kennedy we’d go over this tonight.”
“It needs to be now,” Cade said. “Jodi was scoping out the gym this morning.”
The hell she was! When Reyes glanced at Kennedy, he saw the same surprise on her face that he felt. “Was she watching for Kennedy?”
“That’s the safe assumption. Maybe she’s hoping to touch base with her.”
Kennedy was already shaking her head. “I never told Jodi about the gym. If she knows, it’s because...”
Reyes didn’t need her to finish that thought. “She’s been keeping tabs on you? I’m liking this chick less and less.”
Madison interrupted, saying, “Be nice, Reyes. She’s Kennedy’s friend, and she was once a victim.”
Very quietly, Kennedy whispered, “Being a victim isn’t something that stays in your past.”
Reyes gave her a sharp look. “Meaning?”
Kennedy gave a slight lift of her shoulders. “You recover, you regain your strength—but you also learn, which means you don’t forget, you rarely let down your guard, and trust doesn’t come easy.”
“My wife would very much disagree with you,” Cade said.
Kennedy’s eyes widened. “Your wife was—”
“Yes.” He paused. “And she’s the strongest person I know.”
“I’m sorry, but strength doesn’t obliterate the aftereffects. We push on,” Kennedy explained. “We survive, and we put a pretty face on things, but for the rest of our lives we know exactly what can happen. Most people never give the risks a thought. They go through each day with the easy assumption that they’re fine, that they’ll always be fine, with no grasp of how quickly their safe, normal existences can be destroyed.” She drew a breath. “But I know. Those who have survived it know. And we don’t let ourselves forget.”
The sobering words brought down a repressive silence to hang thick and heavy in the air. Reyes reached over to clasp her knee. She covered his hand with her own.
Connected, he thought. He and Kennedy connected in ways he never had with any other woman. Damn, that was so unusual, it sort of shook him.
“You’re right,” Cade murmured. “It changes a person.”
Reyes asked, “Is that what happened with Jodi?”
“Yes.” Kennedy stroked over his hand, tracing along the hard ridges of his knuckles, then down to the sensitive skin between. The provoking touch didn’t feel deliberate, but rather a necessary distraction to her own thoughts. “I met her four years ago, when she was only twenty. I’d had one of my first speaking engagements at a college, and afterward, as I was leaving, I sensed her following me. She was this sullen figure, half-hidden under an oversize hoodie. I knew something was horribly wrong. It was there when her eyes met mine, and how she looked at me.”
“How was that?” Reyes asked.
“With desperation.”
He appreciated that his brother and sister stayed quiet so Kennedy could forget they were listening in. Not that she would. She was too sharp for that, and far too aware of her surroundings. Their silence offered only the illusion of privacy.
“I rarely take risks with other people, regardless if they’re men or women, young or more mature.”
“You shouldn’t.” Reyes found her touch incredibly distracting. “Evil has no gender or age.”
“I know.” Her explorations trailed along his thumb. “But something about Jodi was different. More vulnerable. She needed me, so I invited her to lunch. She doesn’t trust most people, either, and still she came with me, and we ended up talking for two hours. I got the distinct impression that she’d mostly given up on life.”
“If that’s so, why was she at the college?”
“My guess is that she was looking for something, anything, to give her purpose so she wouldn’t dwell as often on what she’d gone through.” Giving up her intent study of his hand, Kennedy shifted away and crossed her ar
ms. “That’s why I took up speaking, you know. It makes me feel like I’m helping.”
“Is that also why you write?”
“It’s cathartic,” she said. “Spelling it all out helps me understand it, and gives me a sense of control. Jodi hadn’t found a direction yet. She was still floundering in her fear and hatred. Once we became friends, I think it helped her.”
“You’re not sure?” Reyes asked.
“Jodi disappears for long stretches. Sometimes a month will go by before I hear from her. Then I’ll get texts for three days in a row. I just never know with her.”
“So,” Cade said, “we can’t be certain why she was checking out the gym.”
“She was stealthy about it,” Madison said. “Hanging out across the street, trying not to be obvious.”
Kennedy stared at Reyes. “There have been times when Jodi thought I was in trouble, and she acted without discussing it with me.”
“Example?” Cade prompted.
“One time after I’d spoken with this gigantic group, a guy asked me out. He was loud and obnoxious about it, saying he’d help me through all my troubles, like I was a joke.” Her mouth firmed. “Overall, I ignored him. Things like that happen sometimes. A lot of people get uncomfortable with my story. Guys try to laugh it off. Girls make snide comments about it, as if I’d brought it on myself.”
“Immature, clueless brats,” Madison commented, though not with any heat.
Kennedy agreed. “They’re young and dumb, and thankfully, reality hasn’t yet knocked them down. What they say doesn’t matter much to me.”
Much? In that moment, Reyes wanted to protect her from everyone and everything, even mouthy college knuckleheads.
“Jodi takes the insults to me more personally. Apparently, she was there that day, and she waited until she found the boy—”
“Man,” Cade corrected. “If he’s college age, he’s a man and should behave like one.”
Kennedy’s amused smile slipped into place. “I get the feeling that being a man might mean something different to you and Reyes.”
Reyes couldn’t deny that. His father had treated him like a man before he’d ever become a teenager. From a young age he’d been taught that stupidity wouldn’t be tolerated and cruelty was an unforgivable sin, most especially where women were concerned.
“Anyway,” Kennedy said, exasperated with them all now that his siblings were speaking up. “Later that night, she caught him alone and hit him in the back of the head. He ended up with a concussion and twelve stitches.”
Damn. Reyes didn’t blame Jodi for wanting to defend her friend, but that was a pretty harsh way to go about it.
“You know it was her?” Madison asked.
“I didn’t, not at first. The police contacted me after some of the other students told them the guy had been hassling me. I was at the hotel restaurant having dinner, so they knew I hadn’t done it. At the time I didn’t have a clue what might have actually happened. Later, though, when I thought about it, I got a... I don’t know. A hunch? I contacted Jodi the next morning and found out she’d been in the audience when she told me how much she’d enjoyed my talk.”
Reyes frowned. “Does she live near the college where you were speaking?”
“Honestly, I’m not sure where she lives. She seems to travel a lot.”
Maybe, Reyes thought, she traveled to follow Kennedy. Creepy. “You asked her flat out about the guy?”
“Yes. She didn’t confirm it, but neither did she deny it. Basically she repeated back to me one of the things I often say in my lectures—that no one has the right to treat you as if you don’t matter.”
None of them said anything for far too long.
Finally Madison spoke up, directing her comment to Reyes. “I’ve put a few safeguards in place. When she comes near the gym again—and she will—we’ll know it right away.”
“I suggest the direct approach,” Cade said.
Kennedy stiffened. “What does that mean?”
“I’ll go up to her and find out what she’s doing.” Reyes lifted a shoulder. “No biggie.”
“Absolutely not!” Turning to half face him, Kennedy insisted, “I’ll call her and—”
“No,” Reyes said.
At almost the same time, Cade and Madison echoed him.
“If she’s involved in the fire,” Madison explained, “our way is better.”
“And if she isn’t, no harm done,” Cade said.
Kennedy gave him a dark frown. “You and I will discuss this later.”
“My brother is smart, Kennedy. You can’t strong-arm him just by getting him alone.”
Reyes grinned at Cade’s observation. Would Kennedy try to badger him into doing things her way? Probably.
Less blunt than Cade, Madison said, “We really do know what we’re doing. Trust us, okay?”
Kennedy’s eyes narrowed. “Actually, I have no idea what you’re doing. Now might be a good time to tell me.”
Of course, no one spoke up. Grunting, Reyes muttered, “Thank you for nothing” to his brother and sister. “I’ll handle it, okay?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Madison said. “Enjoy your day.”
“Don’t go overboard,” Cade warned. “And keep me posted.”
With the call ended, Reyes put his mind to choosing a place for breakfast. He scanned the streets, looking for somewhere that wasn’t too busy.
“Well?” Impatience crackled in that single word Kennedy threw at him.
How come everything she said or did made him want to grin? For such a small woman, she sure packed a lot of attitude. Even in such an untenable position—with thugs after her, a sketchy friend and the loss of her possessions.
“How about I give you the broad strokes?” Hopefully, that would appease her. No way could he share the nitty-gritty. Other than immediate family and, of course, Bernard, his father’s assistant, chef, butler—and now cat kidnapper—no one knew the details of their operation. Yes, Cade had confided in Sterling, but only because he’d fallen in love with her.
Even thinking it made Reyes curl his lip.
He and Cade were alike in many ways, but they also had a lot of differences. For one thing, Reyes had no intention of getting married. Not now, maybe not ever.
“If you’re thinking of lies to tell me, don’t bother.”
Her derision tickled him even more. He was grateful to see that all the turmoil hadn’t dented her dominant persona. “Nah, I wasn’t. Just ruminating on my life, I guess.” He glanced at her, saw she looked more confused than ever, and laughed. “So here’s the big picture. My family works to rescue trafficked victims, sometimes with the law, sometimes not.” Often not, but yeah, he probably shouldn’t go into that yet. “It’s like a task force, covering a lot of ground. Rescue, counsel, financial assistance, all that.”
Cutting right to the chase, Kennedy asked, “Have you killed anyone?”
Damn, way to throw a guy off guard. “I’m not sure that’s part of the broad strokes.”
“I’d like to know.”
“Yes?” He rushed to add, “Only assholes who really deserved it.”
The funniest thing happened. Instead of being outraged, Kennedy gave him a firm nod, and whispered, “Good.”
Whew. What a relief to know she wasn’t horrified.
Then she said, “Of course, you’ll understand that Jodi feels the same way.” She gave him a placid smile. “She feels everyone she’s hurt also deserved it.”
Everyone she’d hurt? Well, hell. The day just totally soured.
* * *
EVEN AS KENNEDY wondered what Jodi might have gotten into, she felt the need to defend her. Dread warred with loyalty. If Reyes knew it all, would he feel honor bound to see Jodi locked away? She’d never be able to bear that.
With the hope of making Reyes
really understand, she formulated her thoughts. Luckily, Reyes didn’t press her. Not yet anyway. He waited until they were seated on the terrace of a trendy local restaurant outside Ridge Trail before ramping up the questions.
“Let’s hear it, but keep your voice low.”
Looking around, Kennedy wondered who he thought might hear. It was a cool morning and few people were lured by the mountain views. Those who had ventured outside were at the other end of the terrace.
“Isn’t it amazing how quickly people grow accustomed to things? It’s absolutely beautiful out here, yet the crowd is inside.” She shook her head.
“Have you gotten used to the scenery?”
“No. I’m still in awe whenever I look at the mountains.”
“Me, too.” He waited while a young man brought them water, offered coffee and left behind menus. “You shouldn’t drink so much caffeine.”
“I lost everything last night. No bitching about my coffee.”
He grinned. Without perusing the menu, he asked, “Know what you want to eat?”
She’d never been here before, but obviously he had. As she skimmed the selection, the pricing staggered her. “Um...you remember that I’m currently penniless, right?”
His expression softened. “We’ll get that sorted out later, okay? For now, it’s my treat.”
Glancing at the French toast, she winced. On top of his offer to replace her necessities, the meal seemed extravagant. “Not to be crass, but covering my expenses—for now—won’t strain your finances?”
“Nah. It’s all good.”
Giving up on the concern, she laid aside the menu. Fine. He’d chosen the place, and he seemed familiar with it, so why should she grovel over breakfast? “Yes, I know what I want.”
“Perfect. I’m starved.” He lifted a hand and within seconds the young man was back.
Kennedy ordered the French toast, fresh berries and bacon.
Reyes requested the same, and added scrambled eggs and home fries.
How he stayed so ripped while consuming so much food, she couldn’t imagine. Of course, he ran a gym and was physical all day long, which probably explained it.
