by Katie Knight
“And what?” Diana asked, her smile fading at his serious look. “What’s wrong?”
“There’s someone here.” He pulled to the curb and cut the engine, reaching into the glove compartment for the loaded gun he kept there. “Once I’m out, lock the doors and then get down and stay down until I tell you otherwise.”
Diana gaped as Demetri chambered a round, then opened his door to quickly slip out before closing it quietly again.
Shit. This isn’t good.
She crouched on the floor, but then her anxiety got the better of her and she rose slightly to peek out over the dashboard. Demetri had reached the neighbouring house and was crouched low near some bushes to hide. Her pulse tripped and she swallowed hard. He’d told her to stay here, and that might be the safest thing, but what if it wasn’t? What if the psycho killer stalker dude had been watching them again and doubled back to the vehicle? What if he took Diana hostage or worse?
Oh God.
Then there was the not so small fact that Demetri was out there by himself, protecting her.
She was pregnant, yes, but they were still partners, in this together, through the good and bad. Equal work, equal responsibility, equal risk. She placed her hand on her stomach. The baby kicked hard as if in agreement.
A loud bang issued from somewhere nearby and she jumped a foot. Not gunfire, probably a metal trash can banging around, but still. It was enough to make up her mind for her. She’d be much safer wherever Demetri was than here on her own.
After a deep breath for courage, Diana grabbed her bag and slung it across her chest, then got out of the car, crouch-running toward the side of the neighbouring house where Demetri currently stood with his back to the wall, gun at the ready as he peeked around the corner toward their place.
Without thinking, she scurried to stand behind him while he was still scanning their property next door for the intruder. Probably not the wisest choice ever, considering when she tapped his shoulder, he swung around and aimed the gun at her, but then she wasn’t used to all this cloak and dagger crap.
“It’s me!” she hissed, raising her hands in surrender. “Don’t shoot.”
“What the fuck?” he growled, lowering his weapon. “I told you to stay in the car, Diana. It’s not safe out here.”
“It’s not safe in the car either,” she countered. “What if he starts firing? What if you get hit and then he comes after me? What if—”
“Stop.” He gave her a perturbed glare, then turned to glance around the corner again. “My best bet is catching him off guard. I can’t do that if you keep talking and announce our location to the world.”
Chastened, she stopped talking—and just in time as the sound of snapping twigs from close by snagged his attention. Demetri gave her a warning look, then raised his gun once more. Leading with his weapon, he charged around the corner and shouted, “Hold it right there or I’ll blow your head off!”
A low, masculine chuckle sounded. “Really, dude? That’s hardly protocol.”
“Fuck protocol,” Demetri said, advancing until he disappeared from her view, though his voice still carried around the corner to where she stood. “On your knees. Hands behind your head. Now!”
The other man answered, but it was hard to make out words past the pounding pulse in her ears.
Throat tight, Diana couldn’t resist seeing the face of her stalker and edged toward the corner to look around it. On the ground, about a foot in front of Demetri, was a guy in a navy-blue hoodie. Demetri walked over and frisked the guy, then yanked back the hood to reveal their assailant’s face.
“Harris,” Demetri said, yanking the man to his feet and shoving him forward toward their house. Thankfully, there weren’t a lot of people around to question what the hell was going on. “Don’t try anything or I will end you. Understand?”
Diana raced over to stand beside Demetri. “This is him? The guy who burned down my house?”
“What?” Harris said, starting to turn around before Demetri shoved the gun into the base of his neck. “Look, I didn’t burn anyone’s house down. But I know who probably did.”
“Shut up,” Demetri said to Harris. “You’re a liar and a fraud and a disgrace to the SEAL brotherhood.” Then he turned to Diana. “Get the keys out of my pocket and open the door, so we can take this inside. I don’t want people seeing this.”
She did as he asked, unable to keep from taking a quick look at Harris’s face as she did so. Her eyes widened. She knew this guy. Had seen him at the Military Ball, too. Was that how he’d known of her connection to Demetri? Had he been following her even back then? She shuddered, her fingers trembling as she unlocked the door and moved aside so Demetri could shove Harris into the house. Afterward, she locked it behind them and shoved the keys in her messenger bag for safe keeping.
“Sit!” Demetri pushed Harris toward the sofa, weapon still aimed at his head. “Explain yourself.”
“Seriously, man, I’m telling you the truth. I’m not the bad guy here, but I know who is. That’s why I’ve been tracking you since Atlanta, to let you know what’s going on so you could keep her safe.”
Demetri glared down at his rival for several long, tense seconds before exhaling slowly and lowering his gun. “Talk.”
“It’s Trent Rivers. He’s the man behind all this.”
“What?” Demetri’s expression shifted from anger to shock in a millisecond and his face went pale beneath his tan. Diana had no idea who Trent Rivers was, but his involvement was obviously a bombshell to Demetri. She longed to put her arm around his waist in a show of support, but didn’t dare touch him under the circumstances. They could talk later, after he finished with Harris. Demetri sank into an armchair across from Harris and scrubbed a hand through his hair. “Why would Rivers do this?”
“Because of what happened to his son,” Harris said, straightening slightly. “I know the investigating committee cleared you of any wrongdoing in his son’s death, but he still blames you.”
“But I was at the funeral. I shook his hand.” The edge of grief in Demetri’s voice broke Diana’s heart. This must be the man Demetri had told her about earlier, the guy who’d filled in for him and died by sniper’s bullet. “He didn’t act strangely then. Didn’t say more than two words to me all day. I told him how sorry I was. Told him if there was any way to go back and switch places, I would have.”
“Well, he put on a good show then,” Harris said. “I saw him with my own eyes right after the funeral. I went to pay my respects and that’s when I found him loading weapons into the back of his truck.”
“That could be anything. Maybe he hunts or something.” Demetri rubbed his eyes, then scowled. “Or maybe it’s just more bullshit from you to throw us off track.”
Harris looked over at Diana then back to Demetri. “I’m telling you, man. He was acting suspicious that day, so I started following him. I saw him stalking your aunt, taking pictures. I saw him go after the drill sergeant, and set your girl’s house on fire. He wants revenge, against you, Demetri. And he thinks he can get it by hurting the people you care for.”
“Oh God.” Diana’s knees buckled and she slumped down on the arm of Demetri’s chair.
“Shit.” Demetri covered his face and groaned. “This really is my fault. All my fault. And each time I try to make things better, I only make them worse.”
“No.” Diana put a shaky hand on his shoulder. “If you hadn’t been there that day, I could’ve died in that fire.”
Demetri gave a derisive snort. “But he never would’ve gone there in the first place if I hadn’t come for you, proving that you were important enough for him to hurt.” He stood and paced the living room, then stopped near Harris. “Dammit. Where is he now?”
“Not sure.” Harris sighed and hung his head. “And this is as much my fault as yours. I’ve been trying to take him out for weeks, but I failed. At this point, I’d say our best bet is to lay a trap for him.”
“Agreed,” Demetri said. “He wan
ts me to suffer. That’s our way in. We can work with that.”
While the two of them discussed strategy, Diana got up and headed out to the car to start unloading all the things they’d bought. Now that they were forming a plan, they’d need to get moving on those fortifications Demetri had planned. Then they could spring the trap on the killer. The rest would work itself out later.
Wouldn’t it?
Twenty
By the time Demetri finished planning with Harris, it was well after nine that night. They’d been so engrossed in their work that he’d barely noticed Diana making dinner or going to bed. Part of him felt bad about ignoring her, but it was for the best. They now had a definite ID on the killer and a strategy to take down Trent Rivers once and for all.
He'd offered to let Harris sleep on the sofa that night, but he’d declined, saying he had a hotel room not far away. Once he’d gone, Demetri finished up the chicken and rice Diana had left for him, walked the perimeter of the house, locked it all down and shut off the lights in living room and kitchen, then hit the shower before heading for bed himself. With what was to come, he needed all the rest he could get.
Unfortunately, though, sleep didn’t look like it’d be coming anytime soon, at least if the quizzical look on Diana’s face when he entered the bedroom was any indication.
“I thought you’d be asleep already,” he said, walking over to the dresser with just a towel slung around his hips. “You were pretty worked up before.”
“Yeah? Well, I’ve got a right to be, don’t I?” Her voice was filled with irritation from earlier, and he winced. “Did you and Harris have a nice talk?”
“We weren’t talking. We were strategizing how to catch Rivers,” he said, tossing the towel aside to pull on a pair of sweatpants. He felt bad, even though he shouldn’t. This whole situation between them was throwing him off his game. Usually, when he and his team were working a mission, there was a structure to follow, a chain of command. But with this whole thing between him and Diana, there didn’t seem to be any rulebook for him to follow and it had him all torn and twisted inside. With a sigh he ran a hand through his damp hair, then faced her, taking in her pinched expression and the shadows beneath her eyes. She looked as exhausted as he felt, which only made him feel worse. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t include you in the discussions, but Harris and I kind of have this SEAL shorthand thing when we work that you wouldn’t understand.”
“Hmm.” She fiddled with the edge of the comforter. “Sure. I get it. It’s just one more part of yourself that you won’t share with me.”
Tired and frustrated, he sank down onto his side of the bed and fumbled for words. He didn’t share things about himself. She knew that. So why was she pushing, especially now of all times? “What exactly is it you want from me, Diana?”
“I don’t know. Maybe just a little insight into who you are, why you became the guy you are today.” She shook her head and threw up her hands. “I mean, it’s not like I’m asking for the nuclear codes, Demetri. All I want to know is more about you. Things you enjoy. Things you don’t.”
“Well, I kind of hate this right now, if that helps at all,” he said.
“Funny. Not.” Her tone turned belligerent. “I’m having your baby, for God’s sake. I think that entitles me to a little insight, don’t you?”
“Really?” he growled. He felt so far out of his depth here he needed a frigging map to find his way back, and that only put him more on edge, which made him even more defensive. A vicious cycle that threatened to undermine the connection they’d rebuilt these past few days. He didn’t want to drive her away, but he couldn’t give her more. Not right now. Not when there was so much riding on him keeping his head clear and his focus sharp. “Look, I’m sorry if you felt left out earlier, but the less you know about the plan the better for now. Okay?”
“I don’t care about your stupid plan, Demetri.” She sighed and sat back, closing her eyes. “What I care about is you. I mean, you have to feel some way about the fact that the father of the man who took a sniper bullet for you is now on a vendetta against you, right? Tell me how you’re feeling, Demetri. That’s all I want. I just want to know that you’re all right.”
He took a deep breath and settled in beside her, resting his back against the headboard. “It feels fucked up,” he said, for lack of a better description. “Jacob was a good man and I feel terrible about what happened, but I know there’s nothing I can do now to change the fact he’s gone. Knowing his father blames me feels almost right somehow. Like he knows it should’ve been me who died. It confirms those feelings I had.”
She reached over and took his hand, squeezing his fingers reassuringly. “You know that’s crap, right? Everything happens for a reason. You were meant to be here now, with me. With our baby.” Diana sighed and rolled her head to look at him. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Demetri gave a short laugh, then raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. “I’m glad you’re here too.” Then he leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling, wanting the spotlight off him. He’d already shared more with her than he had with anyone else and it left him raw inside. “What about you? I’ve told you about my parents. What about yours?”
“You know about mine. I’m sure Peter’s mentioned them.”
“Yeah, but only in passing.” He toyed with her fingers, rubbing circles on her palm with his thumb. “Tell me about your childhood.”
Diana shrugged and closed her eyes. “Not much to tell, really. Dad walked out when I was five. Mom raised us on her own. She’s a strong woman who takes no crap.”
“Well, I see where you get it from then.” She gave him a look and he laughed. “Go on. That must’ve been hard, growing up without your dad.”
“No tougher than what you dealt with. I mean, my case was a little different, since my dad was an asshole who screwed around on my mom.” She tensed beneath his touch. “He was a terrible husband and barely even tried to be a father—we didn’t miss him when he was gone because he’d hardly ever been there in the first place, always busy with his work or his affairs. But he was a provider. When he left us high and dry, Mom had to get another job, and Peter and I had to start looking after ourselves.”
He took that in for a minute. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“Yeah.” She gave a sad little snort and opened her eyes before looking away. “Anyway, it all worked out. Going through that taught me to be independent.”
They sat on the bed for a while, each lost in their thoughts. Hearing about her parents explained a lot about why she was the way she was. Also explained why Peter talked about his mom with such warmth and affection but never mentioned his dad. Not that they spent a lot of time on missions discussing stuff back home. Usually they were too busy working to get into all that mushy stuff, which was probably why being a SEAL suited Demetri so well.
The idea of a tiny Diana going through so much tugged at his heart. Five was too young to be exposed to all the harshness in the world. Same as six was too young for a boy to lose his father. Life sucked all around sometimes, he supposed.
He hazarded a glance at the clock on the nightstand, then looked over at Diana. “I’m beat.”
“Me too,” she said, stifling a yawn. “Guess we should hit the sack, huh?”
“We should.” He reached over and switched off the light, then snuggled down beneath the comforter, pulling Diana into his side. As they lay in the darkness together, he tucked her head beneath his chin and kissed her crown. “Thank you for telling me about your past.”
“You’re welcome.” She placed her palm over his heart and he covered it with his. He was not ready to call this thing between them more than it was, but not willing to let her go yet either. Then she raised her head and peered down at him through the shadows. “And Demetri?”
“Yeah?”
“I will get you to open up to me all the way, one of these days.”
He lay awake long after she’d gon
e to sleep despite his fatigue, pondering those words, because in truth, he feared she’d make good on her promise. Worse, he feared he’d let her have not only all his secrets, but his heart too. And once she was gone, he wasn’t sure he’d survive.
Twenty-One
The next afternoon was rainy and grey. Demetri had settled in for a long meeting with the guys at Bratton Security to discuss their next steps now that Trent Rivers was the real bad guy. While he hunkered down in the home office, Diana had decided to tidy up a bit. Just because they were only staying there temporarily and it was—after Demetri’s efforts all morning—now fortified tighter than an average naval base didn’t mean the place couldn’t be homey too, right?
Plus, it would give her time to snoop a bit more.
She dusted and vacuumed the living room and wiped down the kitchen, then made the bed in the master bedroom before heading for the small guest room that used to be Demetri’s. Ever since she’d stepped in here that first night, her intuition had said there was more to find in this space. And now that she looked at it again, she was even more convinced it would make an awesome nursery.
And speaking of the baby, it was flipping around today like a tiny gymnast, and Diana winced when the kid gave a particularly hard nudge against her sciatic nerve. Yeah, best find something to look through. Then she could sit down on the cushioned window seat. She opened the closet and was delighted to find a small shoebox on the upper shelf, tucked behind some old blankets and pillows.
Easing down onto the edge of the window seat, she carefully removed the lid and set it aside before riffling through the contents. Honestly, Demetri spoke so little about himself that each item was a tiny revelation. The things were also so lovingly preserved that she suspected perhaps Demetri hadn’t put them there at all. Given his love of privacy, keeping a memento box like this didn’t really sound like him. So maybe his aunt had kept this stuff? The thought of his mom saving all these things of her child’s made Diana’s heart pinch, especially knowing the tragic turn their lives had taken in the end.
