Imminent Danger (A Counterstrike Novel Book 3)

by Jannine Gallant

  The stones in that section were older, the engravings more difficult to read. If he was a genealogy nut searching for an ancestor, why would he bring flowers? The man’s head turned slightly in his direction, and his lips moved.

  I’ve been made!

  His breath stalled in his chest as he drew his weapon from beneath his windbreaker and fired. Piffft. His silenced pistol barely made a sound as the man dropped behind a large stone with a decorative cross. He didn’t know if he’d hit him and didn’t wait to find out. In a full-out sprint, he raced toward the trees, dodging left and right through the rows of graves. Out of the corner of his vision, he spotted a woman running toward him from the direction of his cousin’s service. The older woman in the black suit. Eyes wide, he tripped and nearly went down, catching his balance as a sharp retort echoed. The corner of a grave marker shattered, and a marble fragment struck his neck.

  Screams drowned out the sound of his own harsh breathing as he ran through the cluster of trees. Moments later, he leaped the wrought iron fence and landed on the sidewalk. Sirens wailed in the distance, and brakes screeched when he dashed across 46th Avenue without pausing. Pounding footsteps followed him, more screeching brakes, and a solid thud sounded. He didn’t risk looking behind him. Running across a patchy back lawn, he levered himself up and over a wood fence and kept running. The footsteps were there again, not as close but gaining ground. He hopped another fence and spotted a child’s playhouse in the corner of the yard. Crouching, he lifted the pink plastic house over him and waited.

  A man wearing torn and bloody jeans sprinted across the yard, took a brief look around, and went over the chest-high fence like he was clearing a hurdle. Demetri only caught a glimpse of his face, but it was enough.

  Brody Grant.

  “Bastard.” The word hissed between his teeth before he tossed off the house and ran back the way he’d come. He intended to kill the asshole, but not today. Grabbing a red flannel shirt off a clothesline, he slipped it on and merged onto the sidewalk to blend with a crowd of onlookers. Squad cars littered the street as he headed away from the scene, back toward where he’d parked his car several blocks away.

  He’d needed time to recover and regroup after Grant’s bitch of a wife had shot him. Set up another kidnapping to replenish his bank account and keep his associates happy. But most of his ducks were back in line. Very soon he’d make Grant regret he’d ever crossed him.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Arden held the little plastic stick and stared at the two pink lines, wondering if she was seeing double. Dropping down onto the closed toilet seat lid, she blinked a couple of times. Nothing changed. She was pregnant. Pregnant. Disbelief was swiftly followed by a fierce joy unlike anything she’d felt since the last time she’d held River in her arms. Placing her palm on her flat abdomen, she let the wonder of it sink in.

  Pregnant.

  After River was born, they’d wanted more kids, planned to have a large family, only to face disappointment. First there’d been the ectopic pregnancy ending in a miscarriage. They’d tried to conceive again with no luck, and the doctor had determined she had scarring on her fallopian tubes. The news that she likely would never be able to get pregnant without going through invitro fertilization had struck them both hard.

  She closed her eyes and leaned against the cold porcelain tank, afraid to believe. She and Brody hadn’t used protection when they’d made love in March. Knowing her medical history, they hadn’t even discussed it. Pregnant. She was having a difficult time wrapping her mind around the idea.

  After he’d left that morning, she’d lain in bed, feeling like hell, wishing the enormous stress she was under wasn’t upsetting her stomach. When the nausea didn’t go away, she counted backwards and realized she’d missed her April period. And her May period was two weeks late.

  Stress. She’d told herself the missed periods were simply due to the upheaval in her life, but she’d driven Brody’s pickup to the pharmacy the second it had opened and bought a test kit. Opening her eyes, she studied the two pink lines. There could be no doubt about the results. She was definitely pregnant.

  Finally, she pushed up from the toilet seat and left the bathroom. Walking over to the bedroom window, she stared out across the ocean as emotions pummeled her. Elation. Excitement. Wonder. Fear.

  She clenched her fists at her side. They’d lost River to a psychopath, and now another lunatic had set his sights on her. Even if Brody stopped him today by whatever means necessary, her child could still be a target in the future. The Grant’s immense wealth was a draw for every greedy nutcase out there. She cupped both hands over her stomach.

  Unless no one knew the baby was Brody’s.

  She pushed away the thought. She couldn’t keep that kind of secret from him. She had absolutely no doubt he’d be overjoyed to be a father again. She also knew how overprotective he’d be.

  He’ll badger me to move back to Marblehead, get remarried, and forget we ever had any problems.

  But the obstacles in their marriage wouldn’t magically disappear with her pregnancy. Brody wouldn’t stop risking his life for the well-being of others, and if he did, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to live with herself for forcing him to make such a monumental decision.

  When her cell rang, she gripped the edge of the window frame. After a moment, she turned to reach for the phone lying on the dresser. Brody. His name was clear in the display. Now wasn’t the time to share her news. Later, after she’d made a few decisions.

  Taking a breath, she answered. “What happened?”

  “The bastard got away.” His voice was filled with frustration and anger. “He was here at the cemetery, but we lost him.”

  She dropped onto the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry.”

  “Yeah, I am, too.” He let out a long sigh. “We left the scene without having to deal with the local authorities, thank God. I’ll be home in a few hours.”

  “I guess I should pack for New Hampshire, then.”

  “We’ll leave later this afternoon. Patch and I rented a house in Hawthorne for a few nights, so we’ll be able to bring the dogs with us.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Yep. Bye, Arden.”

  She set her phone on the spread beside her and touched her stomach again. Thanos was still out there, posing a threat. Going home was no longer an option. Neither was telling Brody she was pregnant. A chill slid through her just imagining the risks he’d take to protect, not just her but also their unborn child, from that freak. She gave her head a shake. No way would she ignite that fuse. The situation was dangerous enough already.

  The rest of the morning passed in something of a blur. She walked Hero and Heidi on the beach, but she might as well have been on a treadmill for all the notice she took of her surroundings. Only Silas’s nearby presence made an impression, taking his guard duty seriously. For that, she was thankful.

  Afterward, she ate the lunch Bernice made her even though she didn’t want food, forcing down nutrition she knew she needed.

  “Something wrong with your sandwich? I thought you liked turkey on sourdough.”

  She jerked her head up and met Bernice’s offended gaze. “No, it’s excellent. I’m not very hungry, but since I didn’t eat much breakfast—”

  “You’re skinnier than you used to be. Probably working yourself too hard with no man around to do for you.” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the counter. “Or maybe I’m wrong about that.”

  “I don’t need a man to do for me. I manage just fine on my own.”

  “It used to be men and women knew their places. The world’s a mess because all that’s gotten switched up now.”

  “I don’t think a woman learning to change a flat tire or a man cooking his own dinner has caused the downfall of civilization as we know it.”

  Bernice’s lips twitched. “You’ve gotten feistier. You never used to talk back.”

  “Maybe that was the problem. I should ha
ve spoken up more often.”

  “I thought Mr. Grant would move on with his life after your divorce. Remarry and have more little ones. Be happy.”

  Arden set the sandwich back on her plate. “You don’t think he’s happy?”

  “Not the way he should be. I never pretended to think you were good enough for him, but it could be I was wrong.”

  The ungracious statement was as close to an apology as she was ever likely to get from this woman.

  “We both made mistakes, Bernice.”

  “I expect so.” She uncrossed her arms and straightened. “Finish your lunch. I have laundry to tend to.”

  Arden ate the rest of her sandwich and enjoyed the fresh strawberries picked from the kitchen garden. Afterward, she retrieved her laptop from her bedroom and came back downstairs. Settling on the couch, she logged into Honey Bee Mine and checked for new orders. A dozen waited to be filled.

  “Damn.” She massaged her temples where a headache was taking hold.

  She had two choices. Either suspend her website and lose most of her customers, or make sure incoming orders were filled in a timely manner. Since it didn’t look like she’d be around to do it herself, she needed help.

  Taking her phone from her pocket, she texted her twelve-year-old niece with a money-making proposition. Tessa responded immediately, thrilled with the idea of packaging honey orders to earn extra cash. After giving her a list of instructions and the password to her site, she sent a text to her sister, requesting help with the actual mailing.

  Her phone dinged a minute later. I take it this means you aren’t coming home anytime soon.

  She tapped out a response. Unfortunately, probably not. She added a sad face emoji for good measure.

  Don’t worry. We’ll handle the orders. It’ll keep the girls occupied and out of trouble.

  Relief filled her as she typed a string of hearts and pressed send.

  Faint, happy barks from outside jerked her attention away from her phone. Sliding it into her pocket, she rose to her feet and peered out the window. Brody stood beside his car, petting her dogs. After a moment he turned in her direction, and she drew in a sharp breath.

  The leg of his pants was ripped open, and a large white bandage covered his thigh just above his knee.

  Running to the entry, she threw open the door. Her gaze met his before dropping to the gauze pad, discolored pink in the center. “Oh, my God! Did Thanos shoot you?”

  “If he had, I probably wouldn’t be walking. I got grazed by a car bumper chasing him across the street. It sliced my leg.” He shrugged. “Patch stitched it up and gave me a dose of antibiotics and some extra-strength ibuprofen. I doubt it’ll even slow me down.”

  She gripped the doorframe as her knees weakened. “You got hit by a car?”

  He gently clasped her arm to move her out of the way as the dogs pushed into the house. “The driver wasn’t going very fast. I’m fine, Arden.”

  “I hate this!” Her voice was fierce.

  “I’m not terribly happy about the injury, either, but I’ll heal. I’m more angry I lost the bastard jumping backyard fences.”

  “Thanos isn’t going to give up.” Her tone didn’t make it a question.

  “Probably not. This was a longshot. The next time we’ll make sure we have more control.” With a hand on her back, he guided her inside.

  She spun around to face him. “How are you going to do that?”

  “We’ll lure him out. Give him a target he can’t resist, but not until Scarlet and Eli tie the knot. They deserve a drama-free wedding after everything they’ve been through.”

  She didn’t ask. Figured she wouldn’t want to know what he had in mind. Instead, she changed the subject. “When do you want to leave?”

  “Does an hour from now work for you?” When she nodded, he continued, “I’ll go shower, change this bandage, and pack. We’ll reach Hawthorne in time for dinner.”

  “How fancy is this wedding? The dress I brought is pretty simple.”

  He smiled at her. “I’m sure you’ll look beautiful. The ceremony will be small and casual. Scarlet lost her father years ago, which is why she asked me to stand in and walk her down the aisle.”

  She hesitated for a moment. “Your team obviously respects you immensely.”

  “We respect each other. We’re all pretty tight.”

  She touched her stomach. “You’re a family.”

  “I suppose so. I’d do anything for them, the same way I’d do anything for you.” Finally, he stepped away. “I’d better go take that shower.”

  She stood at the bottom of the stairs as he walked up them, mulling over his words. What he hadn’t mentioned was that he’d sacrifice whatever was necessary for them—including his life. Brody was a natural born protector, which was why he’d joined the Navy straight out of high school instead of going to college. It was his reason for starting Counterstrike and why she knew he would never let her and their child out of his sight if there was even a hint of danger.

  It was a lot to process. More than she wanted to think about at the moment.

  Instead, she gathered the dogs’ supplies from the laundry room before going upstairs to collect the suitcase she’d packed. The shower turned off, and she paused in the hallway outside the master bedroom door. Heat curled her toes in her sneakers as she imagined him stepping from the shower, beautifully naked. His chest beaded with moisture. The muscles in his arms flexing as he ran a towel down his powerful thighs.

  One with a stitched-up gash.

  She shook off the image. “Idiot.” Everything was complicated enough without adding sex to the mix.

  Not sex, a voice in her head whispered. It had never been just sex. There was too much emotion between them. They’d always made love . . . even the last time in March.

  They left on schedule with the dogs riding in the back seat of his Mercedes, occasionally hanging their heads over the center console to pant.

  “This car wasn’t designed with animals in mind. Those two don’t have a lot of room back there.”

  “They’ll survive.” Arden slumped in her seat, thinking about her old Jeep. She’d have to get a new vehicle before the baby was born. Something safer with airbags and room for a rear-facing car seat. She opened her mouth to tell Brody and then shut it. The knowledge was too fresh. Too raw. She needed time to form a solid plan, or he’d take over, organizing and planning for them both the way he always had.

  Not happening this time.

  “You’re quiet.”

  “Just thinking. Since Thanos is still a threat, I asked my nieces to package honey orders for me to keep my business going. It’s a short-term solution, however. I can’t stay away from home indefinitely.”

  “I know.” He glanced her way. “After this long weekend is over, we’ll bait that asshole to draw him out. I don’t intend for this to go on much longer.”

  She shivered, despite the warmth in the car. “Who do you intend to use as bait?”

  “We haven’t worked out all the details yet. Let’s forget about him for now and simply enjoy hanging out together. We both need some downtime to relax.”

  She couldn’t argue with that. She also suspected he hadn’t given her a straight answer because she wouldn’t like his response. Still, she was willing to avoid the issue for the time being.

  Instead of anything personal, they talked about the clean energy legislation his dad was pushing through the Senate, and her parents who were currently visiting National Parks in the western states.

  “I don’t know why they don’t sell their house in Burlington.” She stared out the window at the fast-moving scenery. “They spend nearly all their time in their RV.”

  “It’s nice to have a home base.”

  “You’re right. It definitely is.”

  Their conversation was easy, the way it had always been. Occasionally they held differing opinions, but each was respectful of the other’s views. She’d missed the give and take, the way Brody listened to
her and accepted her ideas instead of trying to change her mind about an issue.

  They were nearing their destination, and he’d flipped on the headlights to combat the dusk, when she turned to face him. “I’ve enjoyed this.”

  “What, my scintillating personality?”

  “I’m being serious.”

  “Okay. What’s on your mind?”

  She stared out the windshield into the dusk. “Your thoughtfulness and respect when we discuss politics or world issues or even movies is impressive. Yet when it came to our lives, I never felt like I had a choice.”

  He was quiet for half a minute while he drove through the deserted streets of downtown Hawthorne. Apparently, all the shops closed before seven.

  “You’re right, and I’m sorry about that. My dad still acts like he’s the king in his castle, and my mom has never seemed to mind. I guess I wasn’t smart enough to realize this is a new century. Women don’t appreciate being cared for the way they once did.”

  She let out a snort. “Oh, my God. Way to take a nice apology and ruin it.”

  “Huh?” He turned to stare at her.

  “Women appreciate being cared for, but we’re also capable of making our own decisions. Marriage is a partnership. We look out for each other.” She used her hands for emphasis. “That’s the part you never got through your head in your endless mission to be everyone’s savior.”

  He gave her a second wide-eyed glance before returning his attention to the road. “I guess I looked at marriage the same way I did my SEAL team where there was a definite chain of command. You were in charge of the house and caring for River. I was responsible for everything else.”