by K. L. Donn
She had a lot to think about. Mostly in regards to her old life. What she would do with it when she remembered. Also about Nick and Ace.
The answer seemed so easy: Stay. Be with them. But first, she had to figure out who she was without them. Could she be strong enough? Was she strong enough to be theirs?
Sitting back on the bench, she realized the moose had gone for good. It must have left when Jake had come out. Learning about his wife sparked something in Pepper. From a simple story, she got such a feeling of kinship with Addy. Almost as if she had known the woman at some time.
Reflecting on how strong and resilient she had to have been to go to school, defy her father, and marry the man she loved gave Pepper hope that once her mind was straight again, she could have what she wanted most in the world as well.
Nick and Ace.
“I feel like I’ve been here before,” Ace mumbled as James told them some hair-brained plan he’d thought of,making Ace think of Dom and Dee’s struggle back in Maryland.
“We can’t use her as bait,” Nick insisted again.
“It’s our only option at this point,” James growled.
“She’s your fucking sister!” he bellowed. “We are not using her as bait. It’s not a fucking option.”
“Just hear me out. She wouldn’t be in any danger. You say Roxie is protective. We’d leave her with Pep. We would each be at a vantage point to see her at all times. Ace, aren’t you some sharpshooter?”
“Yes,” he grumbled. Hating where the man was going, but they were running out of time and ideas.
“We can do this,” James proclaimed again.
Ace watched as his cousin swept an aggravated hand down his face. They were both struggling with the idea and how they felt about it.
Now you know how Dom felt.
“Shit,” Nick cursed then looked at him. His eyes showed he was at war with wanting to keep Pepper safe and catch the man who’d hurt her.
“You have no more information on this guy?” Ace asked for what felt like the hundredth time.
“Ray’s been looking into him more. Tore through his locker and personal belongings at the station. Alex is obsessed, guys. Dangerously so. This will be our only chance.” Ace could see the other man was struggling just as much as they were to put her in the line of fire.
“Fuck!” His hands ran through his hair, pulling on the ends.
“I don’t think we have a choice, Ace,” Nick told him, anger in his voice.
Anger that they had no other way.
Anger that she was in danger.
“Fine,” he snapped, knowing that if Nick thought it was their only way, then it likely was.
Sitting on the couch, plans began to form, and all Ace could think of was the first time they’d taken her. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back.
Her skin was like spun silk, so soft it nearly melted beneath his warm hands. Her hair as delicate as a feather spilled around her glowing face like a halo as they’d made her come apart repeatedly. When she’d greedily asked for more of them, he’d been stunned. She was so responsive towards them, they couldn’t help giving her everything she asked for. The light in her eyes as she’d let go of every worry, and all her pain…
Love.
She was full of love for them, only they’d both failed to see it at the time. But he could see it now, clear as day. Shining so bright he was nearly blinded.
“Ace,” Nick’s soft voice brought him back from the sweet memory.
“What?” he snapped, hating not having her on display in his mind.
“I think we have a plan,” James told him.
“How long was I out?” he asked, now realizing he’d fallen asleep.
“An hour,” Nick smirked, his eyes quickly darting to the tent in Ace’s pants.
“Fuck.”
“Dude!” James called out, “That’s my sister.”
“She’s a hell of a woman.” Ace grinned.
“Oh, hell,” James groaned.
“What’s the plan?” he finally asked them.
Nick’s voice was hard as he explained. “We need her here. This asshole obviously knows where we are, and he’s made himself comfortable here. I say we have Dad bring her back, and he can stay here with her. James doesn’t think Alex will see the old man as a threat. She loves to sit on the porch; plant her there. James will leave up the east side and circle around. You and I will go west. At one point, hopefully, one of us will run into his vehicle, and we’ll, at least, know where he is. You can take a vantage point up on Mama’s peak.” It was a cliff where his Aunt Addy used to bird watch, and for as long as he could remember, they’d always called it that.
“Sounds reasonable enough, so far. You gonna call the RCMP?” A sick sneer was his only answer. “Fair enough.”
“Before we do anything, though, I’d like to do a sweep of the house outside. I don’t trust that he hasn’t been here, especially after last night,” Nick told them.
“James and I will do that, you call Jake,” Ace suggested.
At Nick’s nod, they took off to do their tasks. Anxiety controlled his movements as he thought about the danger Pepper would be in. They were controlling the environment, but he knew better than most how wrong that could go. Seeing her hurt again wasn’t in the cards. He refused to let it happen.
Rounding the front corner of the house, a flash of color caught his eyes at the back corner. Walking closer, he bent down to inspect it. Rage nearly blinded him as he saw what it was.
A fucking firebomb.
Turning, he moved back to the corner he’d just passed and bent down. Digging through some of the snow, he found the same thing there.
“That son of a bitch.”
Walking to the front of the house again, he nearly ran right into James, seeing that he held the same devices as Ace. Their eyes met, and he was sure the same amount of emotion was reflected back at the other man.
“I’ll kill him,” James barked as they walked up onto the porch again.
“Not before I do,” he rumbled.
Nick’s fear was struggling not to override his anger as he fingered the fire bombs James and Ace had found at each corner of his cabin. Had they gone off, they would have levelled every fucking log on top of them. The pain and suffering Pepper had felt before would have been nothing compared to the catastrophe that would have ensued.
Picking apart the pieces, he studied each one, knowing that when Alex struck, he was likely going to use these as a distraction. If they weren’t there when he needed them to be, he’d know they were trapping him.
“I need to lessen the impact of at least one,” he mumbled out loud.
“Say what?” James asked, shocked he didn’t want to dismantle them all.
“If he uses one as a distraction, he’s going to bolt if it doesn’t go off. If he thinks she’s here by herself, all she has to do is run off the porch, and he’ll give chase. He won’t check the rest.” He explained his thoughts. “The trouble is where do I put it?”
As he played with the wires on each, he disabled two of them. Handing them to Ace, he told him, “Put these at the front of the cabin. If she’s up front, he won’t risk setting them off there.” His cousin looked at him doubtfully but did as he asked.
“Which side would you watch her from?” James asked him.
His head jerked up to stare at the other man. It was a good question. Closing his eyes, he thought about the pros and cons of observing her from either side. “Wherever Roxie isn’t. He had the chance with the window, but I think Rox deterred him.” Disarming another, he handed it to James. “Put this on the right. We’ll make sure Roxie’s on her left, that way they can both get off the porch quickly.”
Eyeing the other device, he knew he had to take some of the ammunition out of it without it being noticeable. Each device was about the size of his fist, so while they weren’t huge, they certainly packed a punch. He needed to lessen that punch.
As he began unswirling the tape fro
m around the pipe, he realized it wasn’t a pipe at all but a pop can with duct tape around it to stifle the crinkling noise of the metal. Taking the top off, he was shocked to see low-grade ammunition, fertilizer, and what he assumed was sugar mixed in there somewhere. Carefully emptying the contents onto the table, he split it up. Assuming there was enough to do extensive damage, he stuffed a wad of napkins into the bottom then filled about a quarter of the ingredients back in. Praying it wouldn’t be nearly as bad and hoping he wasn’t making a decision he would regret.
James and Ace came back in looking to him expectantly. “Put this one on the left, right side up.” Handing it to Ace, he really hoped it would be enough to flush Medina out. That they would catch him before he caught Pepper.
They sat in silence waiting on Pepper and his dad, no one in the mood to reminisce or talk. All he could think about was her and what she would do once they caught the bastard.
He wanted her to stay. Hell, when his dad had mentioned marriage, he’d been on board. He was up for it. There was no doubt she was it for them. To see her in their home every day, swollen with their child. It was a dream come true. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that the minute she made the choice, to stay or leave, he would either do his best to impregnate and get his ring on her finger or follow her. For Nick, there was no other choice to be made. It was either make her his or convince her she needed to be. Thankfully, he knew Ace was on the same page.
“Do you think she’d have said yes?” Ace asked, nearly echoing his thoughts.
“No idea,” he told the man.
“She would have,” James said knowingly.
“How can you be so sure?” Ace asked.
Nick watched James like a hawk as he answered. “She went to you when some of her memories were coming back. She didn’t even hesitate.” He shrugged like it was no big deal. “Pep isn’t trusting by nature. She’s shy, she’s introverted, but goddamn does she love something fierce. She believes in fate and happily ever after. Love is the answer to everything with her.” He smiled fondly. “When our parents died, it had been months later that we found out about the driver’s wife and child. She went to them, scared as I’ve ever seen her, with a basket of cookies and a Transformer. After that day, it was like a weight had lifted from her shoulders. She’s still in contact with them. She’s always telling me fate has a plan.”
“Can’t say I’m shocked,” Nick laughed.
“Destiny is divine. It’s a saying she has mounted on a plaque on her wall at home. You make sure to bring her home so she can get it. That thing is one of her most prized possessions.” There was a sadness in his voice.
“You know,” Nick began, “I’m looking for another deputy.”
Before anyone could answer, Pepper and his dad came bursting through the door, a limping Roxie on their heel.
“You boys have a plan?” Always to the point, his dad.
Chapter Thirteen
“And you think this will work?” Pepper asked them all tentatively. She was all for catching this man, just worried about being the bait. Not that it wasn’t a good idea.
“I do,” Nick told her, kneeling on the floor at her knees. “I wouldn’t allow it otherwise. None of us would.” She took strength in his conviction.
“Okay, let’s do this,” she told everyone.
When they’d mentioned not one but four bombs had been placed around the house, she’d gone slightly hysterical. Knowing how close they’d all come to death wasn’t an easy pill to swallow.
“I just sit on the porch, right? I don’t have to do anything? How will I know he’s here? What do I do when I see him?” And there were the hysterics again. She was babbling with nerves.
Ace’s hands landed on her shoulders from behind. “Calm down, baby, listen to Nick.” His steady coolness helped mollify her anxiety.
“When he shows, you’re going to run, so make sure your boots are on tight. He’s going to chase you. But Ace will have him in his sights.” His words were easy, but she saw his fear reflected back at her. Oddly, that made her feel better than anything else could.
“Where do I run?” she asked, unsure of where anyone but Jake was going to be.
“You remember the field with the deer Dad took you to?” Nick asked.
“There was a bear trap that way.” She knew she sounded horrified.
“I promise, baby, nothing will stop you. Run there. Wait for one of us.”
“What about the cougars?” She remembered which way they had come from.
“Any other time I wouldn’t say this, but baby, if you see them, go towards them. Walk, though, don’t run.” She didn’t understand anything that was going on, had no idea why he would even want her to go towards such unpredictable beings. But if he were so sure, she would do as he asked.
“Okay,” she finally agreed.
Kissing her forehead like he did so often, she felt safe. “You guys ready?” Nick asked the room as a whole.
As everyone nodded, Pepper felt a sudden tension in her gut. She was ready, and yet she wasn’t. The desire for everything to end and the need to live through it had her a messy ball of nerves.
James came over to her. “I’ll see you soon, sis.” He squeezed her to him so tightly she began to squirm. The plan was for him to leave first because he had farther to drive. Nick and Ace would leave in ten minutes or so.
She watched with her heart on full display as her two men packed up the weapons they could hide, having put Ace’s rifle in the SUV already. They wanted to be prepared for anything. It was too bad she couldn’t muster up the same confidence.
As they readied themselves, Jake came over to her, handing her a small black case. “This here is a switchblade,” he told her. “Put your thumb here and out pops the blade.” She jumped as the sharp steel whipped out. “He comes anywhere near you, jam it into his belly. Don’t hesitate.” His eyes were harder than she’d ever seen them.
“I won’t.”
She couldn’t remember ever holding a weapon with the intent to harm someone before. Just the idea sent chills racing up and down her spine. She wasn’t equipped for this type of fight; she wasn’t ready. But she wouldn’t say a thing. If they thought for even a second that she was struggling with her role in the entire plan, they would call it off, and her attacker would still roam free. She wouldn’t be able to live with that. He could find another victim.
“Pepper,” Ace called her name and held his arms open. “Come here.”
She nearly ran to him. Her entire body felt like she was shaking inside with nerves and anxiety. “Catch him,” she muttered into his solid chest. Closing her eyes, she absorbed as much of him into herself as she could. Warmth at her back and hands on her hips caused a torrent of emotion swirling through her. She wanted this man caught, he had to pay, but she was terrified that she would become victim to his ministrations and never see these amazing people again.
“It’ll be fine. We’ll get him, and tonight, we’ll show you just what our future will be like,” Nick whispered the promise in her ear.
“I’m holding you to it,” she whispered back.
They never said anything else as Ace leaned down, placing a scorching kiss against her lips. He licked and nipped her mouth until she opened for him, emitting all of his emotions into the single motion. When he finally pulled back, she was out of breath, her lips stinging from his power. Before she could process the loving glimpse in his eyes, Nick had her spinning to do the exact same thing. Only his lips savoured rather than devoured. He took the time to show her he would keep every promise, love every moment.
The next thing she knew, they were gone. Smoke from the exhaust billowing behind the vehicle as they left. She didn’t know how to feel or process anything that was happening. There was so much to find out and not nearly enough time.
“You’re sure they’ll be okay?” she asked Jake when he joined her side.
“It won’t be long now before they’re in position and waiting.” One of his hands la
nded on her shoulder as he told her, “You’re going to be just fine. Go do as they planned, and I’ll bring you some tea before I lay down.”
The plan was for her to be outside most of the day. If Alex didn’t show within the hour, then Nick and Ace would come back, and James would go to the Kicking Horse to have a look around the room she’d shared with Alex. It wasn’t perfect, but without knowing where the man was, they hadn’t gotten the chance to investigate yet. So many things kept happening, and she felt like they would never find him.
She’d only just sat on the porch chair with Roxie when there was an explosion from the back of the house. She was supposed to run, but it was too soon. Roxie’s barking was messing with her mind, and fear for Jake had her torn between running away and running inside to make sure he was alright.
When a window smashed from the bedroom, and another explosion followed, her screams rent the air. It was happening too quickly she realized as she and her companion backed away from the house, still no sign of Jake. When he finally appeared in the doorway, she was a good fifty feet from the house. His coughing made him stumble as he came through the door, a radio in is hand.
A flash of movement from inside the front window had her breath hissing out in a whoosh. Before she could warn Jake, the man had hit him in the head with something, knocking him unconscious. The older man fell down the steps into the snow.
As the intruder came more into the light, she got a better look at him and the evil in his eyes. The classic look of his features, the misleading persona that was his profile. She remembered…
The pain and fear.
The doubt and humiliation.
This man had hurt her in more ways than she could ever explain. He had made her feel worthless, as if she were a nobody. He had made her doubt her self-worth in the span of a few days. He said and did the right thing in front of strangers, but alone, she was nothing to him. How she had been convinced to go away with him, she’ll never understand. Unfortunately, it was something she was going to have to live with.
