Guarding Her Heart (Guardians Inc. Book 1)

by Belle Calhoune

  Evie's raised voice interrupted his train of thought. “Sheriff, we just got a call from the hospital. Somebody just tried to take out our star witness, Marissa Santana.”

  ***

  Dr. Jason Jackson walked down the brightly lit corridor of Trinity Hospital, his dark good looks drawing admiring stares from the nursing staff. Matt wasn't a big fan of the medical profession, but he liked Jason. Despite the fact that he hailed from one of the most prominent families in town, the young doctor was down to earth and caring. He could've chosen many career paths, but he'd decided to devote his life to helping others. Matt respected the way Jason treated everyone around him with dignity and decency. He'd come across many rich men in his lifetime who had no clue about how to treat people. Most of them acted as if people were dirt underneath their shoes. Jason was different. He was good people.

  As soon as he spotted Matt, Jason extended his hand in warm greeting. “Hey, Matt. It's mighty unusual for us to see each other two days in a row.”

  Matt had seen Jason yesterday at the party held for his sister, Sierra, and her husband, Caleb. Caleb was his best and oldest friend. The couple had gone through a lot of rocky times, but their devotion to one another had even made a cynic like him believe in happily ever after. It had convinced him that love between a man and woman was truly possible. Love everlasting wasn't just a fairytale. It might never happen for him, but at least he knew it existed. God had been good to Sierra and Caleb.

  “We're having an unusual night over at the Sheriff's office. First murder in sixty years, Doc,” Matt murmured, still shocked by the mayhem that had broken out in his hometown.

  “Yeah, we've had a bit of excitement in the hospital tonight as well. We're trying to keep a tight lid on it.” Jason shook his head. “No hospital wants this type of publicity,” Jason said with a grim face.

  “What exactly went down here tonight?” Matt asked with a frown.

  “Marissa came into the emergency room a few hours ago after feeling faint while driving home. I decided to have her stay overnight for observation.”

  “What are you treating her for?”

  “I wasn't concerned about any physical trauma. More on the emotional side of things. She went through quite an ordeal tonight. Truthfully, she seems a bit traumatized. I've known her for most of my life and I've never seen her so shaken up. When we talked she couldn't remember certain details about the shooting that should be crystal clear. I'm no psychiatrist, but I think she might be suffering from PTSD.”

  “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?” Matt tried to suppress a hoot of laughter. It was pretty ironic that Marissa Santana, the nosiest, most gossipy woman in town couldn't remember details. Other than selling real estate, spreading rumor and innuendo all over town was her major occupation.

  “Go easy on her. I know you don't think much of her, but she's like an honorary member of the Jackson family. She hasn't had an easy time of it tonight.”

  For a brief second he almost felt ashamed of himself. He knew if it was any other woman who had witnessed a violent shooting then experienced psychological difficulties in the aftermath, he would have been way more sympathetic. As it was, he'd treated her as if she herself had committed a crime. He should've insisted that either he or Beau drive her home from the station, regardless of his personal feelings towards her. It wasn’t right to have treated her the way he had.

  “What happened, Doc?” he asked tersely.

  “I admitted Marissa into the hospital for observation. When I left her she was resting comfortably in her room. To make a long story short, someone snuck into her room and tried to smother her.”

  “Dear Lord,” he said as he raked his fingers through his shoulder-length hair. “That’s crazy.”

  “She isn't crazy, and she sure isn't making this up. She has scratch marks and bruises all over her arms from where she fought off her attacker. Not to mention contusions on her neck.”

  “The shooter from earlier tonight knows she can ID him,” Matt said bluntly. “He's trying to take her out before she can make a positive ID.”

  “We have some hospital security guards watching her room, but we don't have a medical reason to keep her here. I can guarantee her a bed for forty-eight hours, but-.”

  “Don't worry about it. I'm all over this. Is it okay if I see her?”

  Jason nodded. “She's in room 13B. The one with the two hospital security guards outside.”

  Matt walked down the hall, his stride full of power and purpose. He flashed his badge at the two nerdy-looking security guards who looked as scared as Marissa probably felt. “So much for hospital security,” he mumbled as he pushed the door open to the hospital room. Marissa was sitting up in the bed wearing a standard-issue hospital gown, her eyes wide with surprise at his sudden appearance in her room. His eyes skimmed over her and he immediately noticed the purplish bruises on her arms and neck. A feeling of primal rage rushed through him at the thought of a man putting his hands on her, of trying to harm her. All he wanted to do at this moment was protect her and keep her safe from harm. His feelings surprised him, unnerving him a little as he struggled to take his eyes off her injuries.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked, her expression one of utter confusion.

  “I heard about the attack. Are you all right?” he asked gruffly.

  She nodded her head, her eyes moist with unshed tears. He felt a pang course through him at the sight of Marissa trying to hold it together without breaking down. She'd been through the ringer tonight, he realized. First she'd witnessed a murder, then she'd been chased in her car by the shooter and now she'd been attacked at the hospital. He should've done a better job of protecting her instead of letting his personal feelings get in the way. Anger coursed through him like quicksilver, threatening to consume him as he battled his conscience over the events of the last few hours. It was frustrating feeling this way since he wasn't used to second guessing himself. He wasn't used to making mistakes.

  There was only one thing to be done. He wasn't taking any more chances with his star witness. The bad guys weren't going to win this time.

  “I'll be fine,” she said bravely. “As soon as I can get home, take a shower, grab some coffee and get back to normal.”

  Matt felt himself frowning. “Back to normal may take a while.”

  Marissa's brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”

  “I'm taking you home to pack up a few things. You're coming to live with me.”

  Chapter Three

  You're coming to live with me.

  The way he'd spoken the words was simple and to the point. He might as well have been speaking Mandarin for all she understood him. She thought she'd heard him say she was coming to live with him. But that was ridiculous. Matt Cruz wouldn't offer her a glass of water on a sweltering day, never mind an invitation to come live with him.

  “You need protection.” He repeated himself. “You're coming to live with me so I can make sure you’re safe.”

  Marissa laughed, then shook her head with disbelief. “Jokes. You've got jokes. Sorry, Sheriff, I'm not in the mood.”

  He walked closer to her hospital bed and started at her intensely. “You're a witness to a homicide. Twice this evening the shooter has attempted to take your life. Until we find the person who killed Ronnie, you're under the protection of the Briarwood Sheriff's Department.”

  A dozen different thoughts raced through her brain upon hearing Cruz's words. She'd never lived with a man in her life, unless she counted the time her brother had been evicted from his apartment and crash landed at her house. Despite the fact it had been pure torture, at least she knew Tony on a personal level. He was her brother, not some random stranger who sported a shiny gold badge and looked down his nose at her.

  She knew her mouth was hanging open but she couldn't seem to close it to save her life. “You cannot be serious.”

  “Do I seem like I'm joking?”

  Those eyes again. Dark. Forbidding. He was st
aring at her as if she was a naughty child in need of scolding. Marissa gulped and then shook her head.

  Cruz frowned, his expression as ominous as approaching storm clouds. “This is nothing to joke about. Someone is trying to kill you. Which is why you're going to live under my roof, under my protection, following my rules. Unless, of course, you have a death wish I don't know about.”

  Once again tears misted her eyes against her will. She'd been through so much tonight. She was scared out of her wits, exhausted, angry and on the verge of a breakdown.

  Lord, why is this happening to me? I was trying to be a loving sister and now my whole life has turned upside down.

  If she hadn't been such a pushover for Tony she'd be snuggled under her covers at this very moment enjoying a wonderful, much needed rest. Instead she'd been shot at, traumatized, chased in her vehicle and physically attacked. And now, to make matters worse, she was going to be living in very close quarters with her worst nightmare. She was afraid. She knew the sheriff was right.

  A random tear trickled down her face and she angrily wiped it away, refusing to give in to her feelings in front of the one man in Briarwood who didn’t care about her pain.

  ***

  As soon as they pulled up into the driveway of the Victorian home Marissa owned, Matt took a moment to admire her home. It was a beauty, Matt acknowledged as he took in the well- maintained lawn, the festively adorned front door and the electric blue shutters that nicely complemented the butter yellow house. He'd passed this place many a time and never had the slightest clue it belonged to Marissa. It made sense though since she was in the real estate business. She had purchased a fine home for herself.

  When she made a move to exit the car he gently placed his hand on her wrist, “Let me go inside first,” he announced. “Just in case someone decided to pay you a little visit.”

  He noticed the way Marissa's eyes widened and how she clutched her neck in a gesture filled with fear. “It's just a precaution. Just breathe.” He watched her take a deep breath, never wavering in his eye contact. She held his gaze, her brown, caramel flecked eyes beginning to relax as she continued to take deep, even breaths. Again, he felt a surge of protectiveness toward Marissa surge up inside of him.

  “Stay put,” he instructed as he bolted from the car, eager to get a little distance from her and the tender feelings she was stirring up.

  With Marissa's keys in hand Matt let himself into her house, his nose wrinkling in appreciation as the seductive smell of vanilla drifted towards him. Her house smelled homey, and for a moment he imagined a pack of kids running through the house causing bedlam. It was a house built for a family. He wondered whether a husband and kids were on the to-do list for Marissa, who held a reputation for being one of the town's most ambitious and successful businesswomen. He couldn’t remember ever hearing about her having a serious boyfriend.

  He pulled his nine millimeter from his holster and began walking around the rooms, starting with the living room, winding around through the kitchen and ending up at the foot of the stairway leading upstairs. Using all the precision of a seasoned law enforcement officer, he stealthily climbed the hardwood steps, stifling an oath as he stepped on a creaky floorboard. He entered the master bedroom, silently marveling at the richness of the décor. The walls were painted a rich cream color, with the drapes and linens a vibrant red. The bed was a masterpiece – a vintage sleigh bed in a rich mahogany color with intricately carved designs on the headboard.

  Her bedroom looked homey, he thought. Tastefully decorated and cozy. One thing he now knew for sure. Marissa Santana sure did know how to make a house into a home.

  Shake it off, his inner voice whispered. You’ve been single for way too long.

  He continued his perusal of the second floor, checking the guest bedroom, the den and the bathroom in quick succession. Although his gun was primed for any intruders, he was now certain the house was empty. He went outside and walked up to the passenger side window of his squad car and signaled Marissa to roll down the window. She sat in the passenger seat, wide-eyed and trembling. The urge to take her in his arms flooded through him like a tidal wave. He jammed his hands in his front pockets for fear if he didn't he would reach for her to comfort her. It was such a crazy notion it shook him a little. The mere fact he was even considering it made him doubt his sanity.

  “It's clear,” he announced to a visibly relieved Marissa. He trailed behind her as she exited the car and made her way toward her house, pausing along the way to gather up the mail and to check on some giant-sized black and yellow flowers in her garden. Once inside the house her entire body language changed – her shoulders relaxed, her features were less pinched and her eyes didn’t look so frantic.

  He heard the screech of tires from outside and he moved quickly towards the window to do a quick surveillance. He watched as an older couple emerged from a sleek Lincoln Continental town car and rapidly crossed the front lawn to take the quickest route possible to the front door. “Do you know these people?” he asked as Marissa moved towards the window.

  For a brief moment panic flickered across her face, and then he watched her whole body relax as she said, “It's okay. It's my parents.”

  Most casual observers wouldn't have any reason to believe Marissa was related to the two people who had arrived at her door. Both of them were large, with her mother towering at just under six feet while her father's height rivaled his own. They also carried more than a few pounds of extra padding on their frames. It was hard for him to imagine that an itty bitty thing like Marissa had come from these two people.

  Matt stood to the side as the Santana family rushed into the house, their arms wide open and extended towards their daughter. “Baby, my baby,” her mother cried as she flew to Marissa's side and crushed her against her chest. “I've never been so scared in my life.

  Her father swooped in behind her mother and pulled her into his big arms. “Jason called from the hospital, sweetie. He got us up to speed on the last twenty-four hours. Why in the world didn't you call us?”

  “Daddy, it all happened so quickly. I haven't even been able to process this myself.”

  Eddie Santana reached out and shook Matt’s hand with a massive grip that belied his years. “Thanks, Sheriff Cruz, for watching over our girl. We’re mighty obliged to you.” Eddie’s voice was filled with raw emotion.

  Carmen Santana gazed at him through tear-filled eyes, and after a few attempts at speaking she managed to whisper, “We owe you a debt of gratitude for helping Marissa.”

  “It's my job, Mrs. Santana,” he said matter-of-factly. He felt a little guilty having all this praise heaped on him when it was Marissa who had managed to save herself. She'd driven like a race car driver to get away from Ronnie's killer. She'd fought off the madman in her hospital room and had the bruises to prove it. “Your daughter did a mighty fine job of saving herself,” Matt said in a low voice.

  A look of surprise flickered in Marissa's eyes, and he watched as the corners of her mouth pulled upwards into the hint of a smile. It was kind of nice to see her smile, he realized. Since this morning she'd resembled a frightened cat – skittish and wide eyed. And she hadn't cracked a single smile. Until now. The effect of it was fairly dangerous to his equilibrium.

  He moved discreetly to the living room as Marissa explained to her parents that she'd be living at his house under police protection until further notice. Mrs. Santana began making sorrowful noises, and he watched from across the room as her husband placed his arm around her to comfort her. Marissa reached out and pulled her mother close in a tight embrace. His gut tightened as he watched a mother's love for her child on full display. It hit him at random moments such as this one when the raw pain of loss slice through him. Lord how I miss Mama.

  The whir of tires from outside drew his attention, and he watched as a midnight blue Jaguar came to a rest next to the Santana's car. A handsome, tall man in his late twenties stepped from the car looking as if he didn't have a ca
re in the world. It was a face he was very familiar with as the town Sheriff. He'd arrested him on several occasions and broken up many a bar fight between women fighting over him. Without a word to anyone, Matt stormed out of the house, his long strides quickly carrying him over to the Jaguar where Tony stood admiring himself in the side view mirror.

  A look of shock registered on Tony's face two seconds before he slammed him up against his ride, then pulled both of his arms behind his back so he could handcuff him.

  “Hold up! You can't arrest me. I didn't do anything!” Tony whined.

  “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law -.”

  “Let him go!” He heard the enraged screams before he saw Marissa barreling toward him down the driveway, followed by her parents.

  Marissa came toward him and he suddenly felt her hands trying to pry Tony loose from his grip. “Let go of him, Cruz!”

  “What do you think you’re doing?” He whirled around and glared at Marissa. “You’re just making things worse and obstructing justice.” He continued to read Tony his rights and cuff him.

  By this time, he'd managed to reach into his squad car and radio for back up. Marissa grabbed her brother’s arm and pulled as if she could somehow change what was happening.

  “Marissa, what in the world are you doing?” her mother shrieked.