by Rebecca Deel
“Brent, are you sure it’s wise to separate?” Jon asked.
“I need information from Silverman and I don’t want him anywhere near Rowan.”
“You need backup. Rowan doesn’t have the training for driving under these conditions and she can’t fire a weapon. Let me get these clowns off our tail, then we’ll separate.”
He growled, hating that Jon was right. Silverman wouldn’t wake up for at least two hours, maybe more if Jon had miscalculated the drug’s dosage. The SEAL’s sniper skills were more than up to the task of stopping the chase vehicles. Giving Rowan a few more hours of safety was worth the risk of Silverman waking and slipping free of his bonds.
More pops of gunfire from their pursuers, then loud gunfire sounded over the sound system in Brent’s SUV. He glanced in the rearview mirror and saw the lead chase vehicle dive off to the side to avoid Jon’s shots.
After another volley of rifle fire, the lead vehicle swerved off the road and plowed into a ditch. Immediately steam began pouring from the radiator. One down, one to go. When Brent reached a straightaway, he floored the gas pedal. The SUV leaped forward, then skidded through a left hairpin turn. “Hairpin to the left, Eli.”
“Copy.”
The red taillights of a slower moving vehicle in front of them grew closer. Brent steered around the old car and plunged ahead. “Sit rep, Eli.”
“Jon gave the driver of the second vehicle something to think about. He’s backed off some, but hanging with us.”
“The highway is three miles ahead. Entrance ramp is on the right. Once we make the highway, shake these guys and take Silverman to the black hole. Zane said he’d have a medic waiting.”
“Davenport was on duty at headquarters. He left as soon as Z called him.”
Excellent. Jake Davenport was one of Fortress’ best medics. With Jon’s help, they’d have more information to work with soon. Brent’s jaw flexed. Provided Silverman knew anything else. At least with what Brent knew to this point, he had a place to start.
“Do I need to duck down or anything?” Rowan asked.
“No, sweetheart.” Because he was on another straight stretch of road, he chanced removing one hand from the wheel and squeezed her knee. “All Fortress vehicles have bullet-resistant glass and armor-plated bodies.”
Her eyes widened. “Nice.”
“We pay a pretty penny for them, too,” Eli said.
True. Bear, their vehicle guru, made a good living retrofitting the vehicles for Brent’s operatives. The expense was worth every penny he spent protecting his people. In his book, that was a good investment of the company’s money.
Rowan’s shoulders relaxed as she settled deeper into the seat. “Thank goodness.”
Brent glanced in the mirror again. He’d pulled far enough ahead to see behind Eli’s vehicle and the car chasing them. “Jon, if you have a shot at these guys, take it. There’s no one behind the thugs. Once we hit the highway, we’ll have to outrun them and lose them. We can’t chance hitting an innocent person.”
“Yes, sir.”
Brent continued to put distance between his vehicle and the one driven by his operatives. Eli had slowed to give his partner a better shot at the thugs.
Zipping around another vehicle, Brent raced up the entrance ramp to the highway and blended into the fast-moving traffic headed toward Interstate 24 and Nashville.
Brent moved into the fast lane and pushed the speed limit. He didn’t want to attract the attention of law enforcement, but he needed as much distance between his vehicle and Eli’s as possible in case the thugs stayed with Eli or had friends in a third vehicle.
A loud pop, then a shouted, “Oh, yeah! Way to go, partner.”
“Sit rep,” Brent snapped.
“They’re done. Jon got the chase car’s front tire. They spun out and are currently snugged up against a rock wall. You’re clear, Brent. Get your woman to the safe house. We’ll let you know as soon as we have more information from Silverman.”
“Roger that. Thanks for your help. Nice shots, Jon.”
“Guess the Navy’s training is still holding up.”
Brent snorted. As if Jon would let that lapse. He knew for a fact the sniper routinely shot hundreds of rounds every month to keep his skills sharp to protect himself as well as his teammates.
“Brent, you need at least one operative to spell you tonight.” This from Eli. “You won’t be able to rest without backup.”
“I’ll take care of it.” He had the perfect operatives in mind. Brent hoped Rowan would like Remy and Lily Doucet. “Jon, get me that info.”
“Yes, sir.” The sniper ended the call.
Brent looked at Rowan, noticed she was still shaking and her teeth were chattering. Shock. Lacking the ability to do anything else at the moment, he adjusted the temperature in the vehicle and turned on the heater in her seat.
While keeping an eye on the mirrors for possible pursuers, Brent placed a call to Remy.
“What’s up, sir?” answered the Cajun, the sound of the distinctive Louisiana accent alive in his voice.
“I need you and Lily for overnight guard duty.”
“Where and when?”
“Brentwood safe house tonight.”
“Principal?”
“Rowan Scott. I’ll be there as well.”
A slight pause, then, “We’ll leave in ten minutes.”
“Who are Remy and Lily?” Rowan asked once the call had ended.
“Two of my operatives. Remy used to be a homicide detective and Lily was in the Army. They’re both as tough as they come.” He smiled. “They’re also married. They’ve been married for about a year. I think you’ll like them.”
“Why did Eli say you needed to have backup? You’re more than capable of protecting me without help.”
That invisible band slowly constricting his chest since he’d realized his error now disappeared at her confidence in his ability to protect her. “I didn’t sleep last night. I need at least a few hours tonight to stay sharp. I can’t sleep without someone I trust watching over you.”
“You trust Remy and Lily at your back?”
“Without question. They’re my friends as well as employees. More important, I trust them with your safety.” The longer he spent with Rowan, the more that became an absolute necessity. She wasn’t just a job to him. How much more he didn’t know. But Brent couldn’t wait to find out.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Rowan threw off the covers and sat up in the early-morning darkness. Her eyes burned and fatigue weighed down her body, but she hadn’t slept more than a few minutes at a time since going to bed. Tired of fighting, she decided to take a shower and dress.
Sorrow made her eyes sting. Today was the day she and Brent would visit the funeral home she’d selected.
Later, Rowan reminded herself. Time to mourn later. Right now, she needed to move before she dissolved into tears. That couldn’t happen or she’d be useless.
She grabbed fresh clothes for the day and crossed to the adjoining bathroom. She skidded to a halt in the doorway, staring at the bathroom counter. A basket of toiletries had been left there during the night. Lily, she realized. The female operative had said she would leave shampoo and body wash on the counter during the night. Rowan had been sure she hadn’t slept enough for Lily to slip in the room without her knowing.
Squinting at the labels in the low light, she was surprised to find her favorite brand and scent. How did Lily know the right ones to purchase? She thought about that a moment and realized the answer was Brent. He must have noticed her favorite choices when he searched for intruders in her apartment.
Rowan didn’t know why he’d decided to take an interest in her, but she felt like the luckiest woman in the world. What was wrong with the other women in his world that they didn’t see the amazing man in front of them? Their loss was her gain. She didn’t know where this relationship would go, but she was giving it her best shot.
Why was Brent interested in the ow
ner of a small coffee shop? He must meet powerful women in his line of work, but Rowan wasn’t one of them. She didn’t know what he saw in her, but she was pleased he wanted to know her better.
She dressed and padded quietly to the dimly-lit kitchen. Coffee. A definite must for her sluggish brain to function. After opening a few cabinet doors, Rowan gathered the supplies she needed and started the brewing cycle. If Remy and Lily drank as much coffee as Brent, the 12-cup pot wouldn’t last long.
More poking around in the cabinets and pantry netted her the ingredients for cinnamon muffins. She’d just started mixing the batter when a brush of fabric told her she wasn’t alone.
Rowan glanced over her shoulder to see Lily stretching in the doorway. “Hey,” she said in a soft voice.
“Can’t sleep?”
She shook her head. “Once I have Alexa back, I’ll probably crash hard. Right now, I’m so worried about her I can’t relax enough to sleep for long.”
“I understand.” Lily moved deeper into the kitchen and peered into the bowl. “What are you making?”
“Cinnamon muffins.”
“Oh, yum.”
“Want to help?”
“If you want me to stir or something, sure. I’m not a baker. I can barely hold my own making dinner. If you want amazing food, you should have Remy cook for you. He’s the master chef in our house.”
“Brent said you’ve been married for a year.”
A soft look crossed Lily’s face. “Best year of my life. He’s amazing. I’m the luckiest woman on the planet.”
Rowan smiled. The operative was so head-over-heels in love with her husband she didn’t have to say a word. The way the Doucets looked at each other said volumes, all of it good. She handed Lily a bottle of vegetable spray. “Spray the muffin tin while I finish mixing.”
A couple minutes later, she popped the pan filled with muffin batter into the preheated oven. Now what? She needed something else to go with the muffins. The men needed protein.
She poured a mug of coffee for Lily and one for herself. After a bracing sip of the steaming brew, she opened the refrigerator and peered inside. Perfect. Eggs, milk, shredded cheese, butter, bread, orange juice, grape juice. Hmm. Someone must have brought supplies because there was also lunch meat in the bin. An omelet sounded good. “Will Brent and Remy wake soon?”
Lily’s lips curved. “Remy’s on watch in the living room. Knowing Brent, he should be here in a few minutes.”
Rowan studied Lily’s smug expression. “What am I missing?”
“You think he’d sleep when you’re awake?”
She blinked. “But he hasn’t been sleeping because he’s protecting me. He can’t function on so little rest.” Rowan paused. “Can he?”
“Rowan, you matter to him. The boss probably woke when he heard you stirring.”
She wasn’t quite sure what to make of that statement, but Rowan knew Brent Maddox mattered to her, too. He had for months. She looked for him every morning and evening at the shop, disappointed when he didn’t walk in her door. When the quiet, confident CEO of Fortress had slipped underneath her barriers during the past year Rowan didn’t know. She only knew if something happened to him, she might never recover. Probably wouldn’t be wise to tell the SEAL she was half in love with him already. “Tell me about him.”
Lily paused with the coffee cup halfway to her mouth. “What kind of things do you want to know?” She sounded cautious.
“How did you meet him?”
The operative smiled and relaxed against the chair. “He found me. Brent has connections everywhere in the military and law enforcement. My commander mentioned me to Brent right before I mustered out of the Army. He thought I’d like working for Fortress. If he hadn’t told me about them, I might never have heard of them. Fortress doesn’t advertise. We don’t need to.”
Rowan frowned. “How do they find business?” She’d advertised when she first opened Coffee House. Once established, she advertised specials with the changing seasons. These days her business was steady with many loyal customers.
“Word of mouth. The military and law enforcement communities are small. Word gets around when you know your stuff and Fortress is the best. Brent hires only the best.”
“What did you do in the military, Lily?”
“Sharpshooter.”
Her eyes widened. Oh, boy. Sounded something like a sniper. “Brent called you for an interview, I guess.”
A sharp nod. “He offered me a job after a few minutes. He said the recommendation of my commander was enough for him.” Lily sipped her coffee. “He’s a good man, Rowan. Any woman would be lucky to have him in her life.”
Rowan reached over and squeezed Lily’s hand briefly. “I know. I don’t take his attention lightly. I won’t intentionally hurt him, Lily.”
“Remy was injured on a mission last year,” Lily said, her voice breaking. “Brent dropped everything to stay with me at his bedside. He took care of me and Remy both. I don’t know many bosses who would do that. He didn’t leave our side until Remy was ready to come home. He even made the company jet available so Remy could travel to his family to recuperate.”
“He was standing watch for you both, wasn’t he?”
Lily nodded. “He could have sent someone else, but he chose to do it himself.”
“You’re not just employees. You’re his friends. Brent wouldn’t hesitate to put his own life on the line to protect you.”
“Just as we would do for him.”
A true friend, indeed. They were family. Rowan’s heart squeezed. She longed for that type of friendship, deep and true. “How did you and Remy meet?”
Lily grinned. “I worked with him on a couple missions before we were paired up to search for a missing woman. Remy is quite the charmer and I never took the light flirting for anything but passing the time until that missing person search. That Cajun charmer captured my heart despite my best intentions.”
“Ah, now, baby, that’s no way to tell the lady I swept you off your feet,” Remy drawled from the doorway, the charm quite evident. His eyes twinkled as he gazed at his wife.
Oh, man. Rowan sighed. She so wanted that kind of relationship with her future husband. Brent’s face popped into her mind and she admitted to herself that she would like for someone like Brent to be the one. Wasn’t up to her alone, though. Would Brent be interested or would she be forced to wait for someone else to come along? Rowan had a feeling that no other man would measure up to Brent Maddox.
“Dream on, sweetheart. I married you for your family.” Lily turned to Rowan. “The Doucet men know how to treat their women and Marie, Remy’s mother, is the best cook in the state.” She rolled her eyes. “Marie’s been trying to teach me to cook since I married Remy. It’s a lost cause.”
“Not true,” Remy protested. “You’ve made great strides. You only burn a couple things a week now,” he said with a wicked grin.
“Thanks a lot.”
Brent walked into the kitchen, his gaze locking on Rowan as he crossed the room to her side. “Good morning,” Brent murmured as he wrapped her in a hug. “How much did you sleep?”
Rowan didn’t want to lie to him so she didn’t say anything.
Brent drew back, studied her face, sympathy growing in his eyes. “I was afraid of that.” He winked at her. “We’ll try another cowboy movie tonight.”
She laughed. “That should do it, all right.”
“What smells so good besides you?”
Rowan hugged him just a little tighter at that comment. “Muffins. They should be ready in a few minutes.” She motioned to the pot of coffee. “The magic elixir is ready. I’ll have omelets going in a couple minutes. I assume you’re hungry.”
“Guilty. How can I help?”
“Chop whatever lunch meat you and the others like in your omelet while I mix the eggs.”
Minutes later, the omelets and cinnamon muffins were gone, the coffee pot empty, and the orange and grape juice wiped out. Rowan had
to smile. Not a hardship to cook for people who appreciated everything she did for them.
She glanced at the clock as she started gathering empty dishes. Good grief! It wasn’t even six o’clock. She was so going to pay for yet another short night of sleep. Man, how did Brent and his people do this all the time? She felt like the walking dead while they looked as though they’d slept for twelve hours when she knew it was closer to three or four a piece. Maybe. They had stamina to spare.
She needed to call Coffee House, make sure everything was on track, that the baked-goods delivery had come on time, and Lacey had shown up this morning. Rowan hoped Frank hadn’t been a problem again. Yeah, she knew Adam had promised to keep an eye on things, but he couldn’t keep watch all night and stay at the shop during working hours. Her stomach knotted, making her wish she’d opted for a soft drink instead of coffee this morning.
A large hand cupped the side of her face with a gentle touch. Brent’s warmth seeped into her chilled skin. His eyes held concern. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“I’m worried about the shop and Lacey. What if Frank showed up at Lacey’s house last night? He was so angry with her and he’s not one to give up easily. He’s a bully determined to get his way and he wants Lacey under his thumb.” Or on the receiving end of his fist.
Brent brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, then pulled out his cell phone. The Fortress CEO typed in a message. Seconds later, his phone signaled an incoming message. Satisfaction lit his gaze. He turned his phone so she could see the message on his screen. Lacey is here at Coffee House. All quiet at her place overnight. Still working on the code. Getting closer.
She reached up and kissed him. “Thank you,” Rowan whispered.
“For what?” he murmured as Remy and Lily left the room.
“So many things. Taking care of my employees. Taking care of me. You told Lily what bath supplies to buy for me, didn’t you?”
He lifted one shoulder.
Another kiss. “Thank you for noticing the details, Brent.”
