Imminent Danger (A Counterstrike Novel Book 3)

by Jannine Gallant

  She rolled her eyes. “Bernice was in charge of the house. She still is.”

  He turned off the main road onto a side street after checking the directions he’d plugged into his phone. “I obviously have more to think about before we have that conversation I mentioned.”

  “The one that’ll happen after Thanos is arrested.”

  “Yeah, that one.” He pulled into the driveway of a rustic chalet and parked. “We’re here.”

  She studied the alpine-style building constructed of white stucco with carved wood trim. Outdoor floodlights illuminated the Subaru parked in front of a garage, and the windows glowed cheerfully.

  “Patch and Riley beat us here.” He opened the car door, stepped out onto the gravel, then moved the seat forward so the dogs could escape. After their nap in the back seat, they ran around the yard sniffing and letting out occasional excited barks.

  “The house doesn’t look very large.”

  “Two bedrooms with two full baths.”

  A frown drew her brows together as she slid off her seat and slammed the door. “Presuming, don’t you think?”

  “Nope. The second bedroom has two beds.” He walked around the car to her side and touched her arm with a feather light brush of his fingers. “I’ll only presume if you ask me to.”

  She pressed her lips tightly together. Sharing a room and keeping things platonic wasn’t going to be easy. He knew that as well as she did.

  Arden carried the cooler loaded with the food Bernice had packed up the porch steps while Brody juggled their suitcases and the box of dog supplies.

  “It looks like we’re moving in.” She turned the knob and gave the door a nudge as the dogs shot past her into the house.

  “Yeah, it does.” He raised his voice to call out, “We’re here, and we come bearing dinner.”

  “You didn’t have to bring food.” Riley crossed the main room and bent to pet Heidi’s furry head. “We only just arrived. Noah’s dumping our bags upstairs.” She gave Hero a pat. “We were thinking about going out to eat.”

  “No need.” Arden headed toward the long plank table and set down the cooler. “Bernice made plenty. Chicken and artichoke pasta that just needs to be reheated. We have salad and bread, too.”

  Patch ran down the stairs and clapped Brody on the back. “Whoever Bernice is, I think I love her. I’d much rather stay in tonight.”

  “She and her husband manage my house since I spend more nights in the office than I do at home.”

  “I used to do that before Riley made me see the light.” He slid an arm around her waist and smiled at Arden. “Maybe you can convince Wolf that downtime is good for him.”

  Brody gave her a long, considering look as he stepped around Hero, who had sprawled in the middle of the floor. “Maybe I just need a reason to go home. I’ll put these suitcases upstairs and be right back.”

  Arden offered Patch and Riley a brief smile before heading into the kitchen to heat their dinner.

  Not long afterward, they sat down to the excellent meal, talking and laughing together. Arden enjoyed Brody’s friends. They were smart and amusing and made her feel like she was part of their inner circle. Hanging out with these people would certainly be more exciting than her current social life, which was practically nonexistent.

  Brody sat back in his chair and swirled the wine in the bowl of his glass. It glowed a deep ruby red beneath the chandelier. “I never would have expected Scarlet to be the first one on the team to get married. I always thought that’d be you, Patch.”

  His friend glanced over at Riley and covered her hand where it rested on the table but didn’t respond.

  “Geez, way to put them on the spot.” Arden sipped her sparkling water. They’d cleared away the dishes, and the other three were drinking wine. She’d chosen the bottled water and made a lame excuse about not being in the mood to drink.

  “Sometime next fall.” Riley practically glowed as she made the announcement. “We didn’t want to say anything since this weekend should be focused solely on Scarlet and Eli.”

  Arden set her drink down with a click. “You’re engaged?”

  Patch nodded. “She finally officially said yes.”

  “Congratulations.” Brody rose to his feet and clapped his friend on the back. “I’m happy for you both.”

  “That’s wonderful.” Arden’s throat tightened, and she had to blink back tears. “No ring yet?”

  “It’s being sized,” Riley answered. “Which is for the best since wearing it would have been a complete giveaway.”

  “We’ll keep your news under wraps.” Brody gave Riley a hug when she stood. “You’re getting one of the best men I’ve ever met.”

  “I know I am.” The look she turned toward her fiancé was full of love.

  Arden pushed back her chair. “I hate to break up the party, but I think I’ll head for bed. I was awake earlier than usual this morning.”

  “We were all up before dawn.” Brody rounded the table and touched her wrist, his fingers warm against her skin. “I’ll let the dogs out before I come up.”

  “I appreciate that.” Arden gave Patch and Riley both a shaky smile. “Good night and congratulations.”

  “Thanks. Sleep well, Arden.” Riley carried the mostly empty wine glasses into the kitchen.

  A murmur of voices followed her as Arden reached the upstairs hallway. A master suite was located across the backside of the house. The smaller bedroom she and Brody would occupy and a bathroom faced the street. She crossed the room without turning on the light and looked down at the yard. Brody stood on the lawn, his head tilted back to look up at the stars while the dogs strolled around, sniffing the bushes.

  He’d given her time to prepare for bed in an effort, she was certain, to make sharing a room less awkward. She appreciated his thoughtfulness but doubted the few minutes reprieve would do much to calm her nerves. She undressed and pulled on a long T-shirt and was in the bathroom brushing her teeth when the downstairs door closed with a thump. She washed her face and raised her head. Wide green eyes filled with uncertainty stared back at her from the mirror.

  She took a couple of deep breaths and turned off the light. In the bedroom, Brody had lowered the shades on the windows, and a lamp burned on the nightstand between the two beds, one a double and the other a twin.

  “Your feet are going to hang off the end,” she said quietly.

  He turned to face her and dropped the T-shirt he’d just tugged off into the open suitcase at the foot of the larger bed. “This room was designed with kids in mind. It’s been a while since I slept on Winnie the Pooh sheets.”

  Six-pack abs didn’t begin to describe the beauty of her ex-husband. She swallowed hard and pulled back the covers on the twin bed, hoping for a distraction. “I have Tigger sheets.”

  Thinking about sex while surrounded by bouncing cartoon tigers is just plain wrong. She repeated the mantra over and over in her mind while she climbed into bed and Brody went to use the bathroom.

  He returned several minutes later and turned off the lamp. The sound of his jeans sliding down his legs and hitting the floor made her clench her hands at her sides. The bed creaked as he climbed into it.

  “I hope I don’t break the damn thing. Maybe I should sleep on the floor.”

  Arden turned on her side. “The frame looks sturdy enough.”

  He was silent for a few moments before speaking. “I’m happy for Patch and Riley. For a minute, there, you looked like you might cry.”

  She blinked back more tears, glad the room was dark. “I guess I’m a little emotional. Weddings will do that to you.”

  “It could be us.” He spoke softly. “We . . . I . . . made mistakes. We can fix the problems and try again.”

  She wanted to say yes more than anything. She wanted to throw back the Tigger sheet and crawl into bed beside him. But she had more than just her own needs to consider. Resting a palm on her belly, she let out a long breath.

  Before she could answer
, he spoke again. “Don’t say anything now. After I find Thanos and you’re safe, we’ll talk. Maybe it’s time for a few changes.”

  More than you know is changing. She hugged the thought close.

  “I love you, Arden.”

  His softly spoken words nearly broke her heart as she whispered her response. “I love you, too.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  With her arm looped through his, Brody walked Scarlet down the sloping lawn between the rows of chairs to the newly constructed gazebo where Eli waited. Behind her soon-to-be husband and the minister, the creek rushed between its banks, full with spring runoff, and the dense forest on its far side made a beautiful backdrop. The woman beside him was stunning in a strapless ivory dress and some sort of hairpiece with flowers that streamed down the back of her long, red hair. But it was the utter joy in her eyes and beaming smile as he handed her over to Eli that brought a lump to his throat.

  After dropping a kiss onto Scarlet’s cheek and shaking Eli’s hand, he took his seat next to Arden with the other members of the Counterstrike team sitting directly behind the bride’s mother and aunt. Reaching over, he laced his fingers through Arden’s and squeezed.

  “Jaimee looks absolutely gorgeous,” she whispered as the minister began the ceremony.

  He nodded, thinking his ex-wife outshined the bride. Her pale blond hair gleamed in the late afternoon sunlight, and her face seemed to glow. She wore a pink sundress that stopped above her knees, showing off her gorgeous legs. When she gave a gentle tug on her hand, he held tight. After a moment, she relaxed and leaned against him as the ceremony progressed.

  He’d spent two very long, sleepless nights in the same room with Arden, keeping his word not to push her. They’d been in each other’s company constantly yesterday during the pre-wedding activities, hanging out with the team. She’d fit in perfectly, and all he’d wanted was to pull her into his arms and never let her go. Even if that meant closing down Counterstrike or stepping away for good and handing the reins to one of the others.

  Not the way he’d imagined his future, but he was prepared to give up damn near anything for Arden. He wanted his wife back, no matter what the cost.

  After he took out Thanos.

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

  Brody pulled his thoughts back to the present as Eli leaned Scarlet over his arm in a dramatic kiss that had all the guests cheering.

  Arden nudged his shoulder. When he looked at her, she inclined her head toward Luna and GQ, farther down the row. The two were holding hands. His brows shot up, wondering when that had happened. Apparently, romance was in the air. He hoped the mood would rub off on Arden.

  Following behind the bride and groom, they walked up the center aisle and across the lawn to the patio where a buffet had been set up. Servers wandered among the guests with trays of hors d’oeuvres.

  Brody took a bacon wrapped scallop on a toothpick, bit it in half, and closed his eyes. “So good. I could eat a dozen of these.”

  “If you do, you won’t want any dinner.” Arden selected a mini quiche from the platter.

  “Wanna bet?” He patted his stomach beneath his suit jacket. “Lunch was hours ago.”

  Patch and Riley joined them as they claimed a large table not far from the four-tier cake decorated with purple and blue flowers. Soon GQ, Luna, Sparrow, and his date took the remaining seats. During the meal, they discussed everything but work, trying to keep the day light and fun. Arden occasionally offered an opinion, but mostly she talked quietly to Luna, who was sitting on her other side.

  When the band began to play, Brody took her hand and led her toward the large dancefloor that had been laid out on the grass. Pulling her into his arms, they swayed together to a slow jazz tune while a saxophone wailed.

  He tugged her a little closer, enjoying the contact as the floor filled with more couples. “What have you and Luna been chatting about?”

  She leaned back and smiled at him. “I was just getting to know her better. She’s an interesting woman. Luna mentioned her dad, who was shot and killed on the streets when she was a kid, was black, and her mom was white. Her childhood was far from easy, not that she was complaining, mind you. She also dropped a few interesting tidbits about GQ. Did you know he was a male underwear model straight out of college?”

  Brody snorted and coughed. “He failed to include that hilarious detail on his profile when I recruited him.”

  “I thought maybe it was the reason you called him GQ.”

  He shook his head. “No, he got his nickname because he’s always well-dressed, unlike the rest of us who live in jeans. You can probably guess Luna is a night owl.”

  “Hence, her moniker.”

  “Yep.”

  “And you’re the lone wolf, the leader of the pack?” Her eyes were wide and beautiful beneath the twinkling lights strung around the dancefloor.

  “I suppose so.”

  She tightened her arms around his neck. “I’m glad I’ve had this opportunity to get to know them all better. I like these people a lot. Who you’ve chosen to work closely with tells me a few things about you I didn’t already know.”

  “Positive insights, I hope.”

  She nodded and rested her cheek against his chest. “I just wish what you all do wasn’t so damn dangerous.”

  He had no answer to that because he couldn’t argue against the truth. Instead, he continued to slow dance with her close in his arms until the band struck up a fast number. Finally, he pulled away. “Do you want to take a walk down by the creek?”

  “Sure.”

  With a hand on the center of her back, he guided her away from the other dancers but stopped when Scarlet and Eli approached.

  “You look amazingly beautiful, Jaimee.” Arden squeezed her arm. “Congratulations to you both. I’m happy I was able to share your special day.”

  “Thank you.” Eli slid an arm around his wife’s waist. “I can’t wait to take my bride away for a few weeks of uninterrupted alone time.”

  “I bet.” Brody grinned. “Enjoy yourselves.”

  “Which reminds me . . .” Scarlet pulled a cell phone from the silk bag she carried. “Here’s the lifeline. I assume Jeanne is filling in for me while we’re in Europe since you said you had everything covered?”

  “Actually, Arden is.”

  Her eyes widened. “Wow. Thank you for stepping up. I really appreciate it, and I know you’ll do a terrific job. You have patience and empathy, and that’s what the families need most.”

  Arden’s responding smile looked more like a grimace. “I hope I won’t have to put those skills to the test, but I’ll certainly do my best.”

  “I’m sure you will.” Scarlet laid the phone in her hand and glanced up. “There’s Eli’s mother. Excuse us.”

  After they moved away, Arden handed him the cell to put in his pocket, and they continued down to the creek and strolled along the bank. When they were out of reach of the lights, Brody stopped and pulled her against his chest. “I know I said we’d wait to talk, but—”

  She threaded her fingers through his hair at the back of his neck. “It’s hard to keep things platonic at a wedding.”

  “It’s hard to keep my hands off you any time.” He bent and kissed her, feeling his body tighten when she responded, loving the taste and warmth of her. When he was forced to come up for air, he rested his forehead against hers. “The last couple of nights have been a struggle.”

  “You weren’t the only one tossing and turning until dawn.” She tightened her grip on him. “But I’m so damn afraid to give in, to let myself love you completely and upend my entire life when I know . . .”

  He cupped her face in his hands. “Nothing’s going to happen to me.”

  “You can’t promise that.”

  “And you can’t promise you won’t get sick or in an accident or—”

  “True, but our divorce nearly killed me. I can’t face losing you again, especially now�
�” She broke off and swallowed.

  Before he could respond, Patch called from the top of the lawn. “Better join us. Scarlet is about to throw her bouquet.”

  “We’ll be right there.” Brody slid his arm around Arden’s waist and tried to lighten the mood as they walked toward the other guests. “How are your fielding skills?”

  “Not bad, but shouldn’t Riley catch the bouquet, seeing as how she’s engaged?”

  “Hell, no. I expect you to dive for it.”

  She laughed softly. “That would be something to see in this dress. It’s pretty short, and I’m wearing a thong, not granny panties.”

  He stumbled over an uneven patch of ground as he imagined unzipping her dress and tossing it on the floor. Savoring all that smooth, beautiful skin before he tumbled her onto a bed. “You’re going to kill me with comments like that.”

  “Sorry.”

  She didn’t sound sorry. She sounded amused. He joined the men standing on the sidelines as Arden stepped to the back of the single ladies clustered together behind Scarlet. Apparently, she had no intention of catching the bouquet.

  It was just a tradition that meant nothing, but it told Brody more than he wanted to know. As much as Arden loved him, and he had no doubt she did, she still wasn’t ready to make a commitment.

  The breath left him in a rush of defeat as Scarlet gave the flowers a hard toss, sending them sailing over the heads of the women. At the last moment, Arden made a leap worthy of a baseball star and snagged the ribbons between her fingers. She came down with the bouquet and held it up, looking both happy and a little embarrassed as everyone cheered.

  He couldn’t stop a grin from spreading as he approached her. “Nice jump.”

  “I couldn’t let these beautiful flowers fall on the ground.”

  “No, that would have been a total waste. Now the pressure’s on for me to catch the garter.”

  “I’m sure you’ll give it your best.”

  Even though he did, Eli’s cousin Webb was the one who snagged the prize. Eyes wide, he shot it back toward the groom. “Not happening, bro. I may have gotten sober, but I sure as hell don’t intend to get married.”