Danger Under the Mistletoe

by Alexa Verde

  “Don’t worry about it. It’s fixable.” He held her upright, but her closeness was doing strange things to his senses. Not something he should be thinking about when Rachel was hurt.

  A patrol car appeared, and Aidan Rowe stepped out. He took their statements rather quickly as the shrill wail of an ambulance split the air, and it appeared next.

  Despite Rachel’s weak protests, the paramedics whisked her away.

  Sebastian jumped in his car and turned the key in the ignition, heaving a sigh of relief when the motor revved to life. The truck was still drivable. He followed the ambulance, concern for Rachel spurring him on.

  Dear Lord, please help Rachel. Please keep her safe in Your care. Amen.

  Minutes later, he parked near the small hospital and raced inside the emergency room, his heart in his throat. He couldn’t explain why, but in just several days, the newcomer in town had begun to matter to him.

  The nurse told him Ms. Evans had been taken to have X-rays and a CT scan done.

  Sebastian paced the floor for what seemed like forever, until a gurney with Rachel rolled into one of the rooms.

  He rushed after the gurney.

  She looked up at him, a tentative smile appearing on her pale lips. “It’s really nothing to worry about. Just a broken rib.”

  Just a broken rib?

  While Sebastian was glad it was nothing worse, he couldn’t help admiring her attitude. She wasn’t only a fighter. She was a trooper, too.

  But a question kept repeating in his mind.

  Why had Rachel driven into his truck? Had she lost control of her vehicle? Or, considering the events of the last two nights, was there some other reason entirely?

  ***

  After getting instructions on how to treat a broken rib, Rachel stepped out of the hospital, accompanied by Sebastian. She squinted against the bright sun and scanned the parking lot for a black SUV with tinted windows. So far, it was nowhere in sight, and the tension in her shoulders eased.

  Had she read the situation wrong? Had she gotten bruises and a broken bone for nothing?

  Sebastian wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they walked to his truck.

  The scent of his cologne made her feel safe and excited at the same time, despite everything. His proximity made the blood rush faster in her veins.

  Not good.

  Sebastian opened the door for her. “How do you feel?”

  Rachel slid inside and clicked her seat belt locked. “Alive.”

  That was the truth. For the first time since Ryan’s death, maybe even for the first time ever, she felt completely, absolutely alive.

  Sebastian drove off. “How is the pain?”

  “Manageable.” Now it was a good thing she’d bought those painkillers. Judging by the way it hurt to take every breath, she was going to need them. With the doctor’s agreement, she’d already taken one in the ER, but it hadn’t seemed to start working yet. “It’s okay. It could be worse. I could’ve poked a lung or my liver.”

  “I guess that’s a good way to look at it.” He sent her a concerned glance as he turned onto the street leading to her place. “Don’t worry about your car. I’ll take care of it. You just rest.”

  She leaned against the back of the seat, a wave of gratitude overcoming her. Except for the time with Ryan, she was used to standing on her own two feet.

  No, wrong.

  She was learning slowly to rely on God. Rachel prayed, but seldom.

  She had a stab of guilt. She wanted her new life to include faith. She needed it. But did a person like her deserve forgiveness?

  “I’ve been praying for you, Rachel,” Sebastian said quietly.

  “Thank you.” Rachel’s heart shifted in her chest.

  Sebastian was obviously a God-loving, responsible, protective man.

  A man from a world so different from hers. Rachel sighed, and the pain from the broken rib ricocheted through her. She grimaced.

  “I’m sorry you have to go through this.” Sebastian stopped at the red light.

  “You’re not going to ask me why I went off the road?”

  He shrugged. “I figure you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”

  She was as ready as she was going to get. She told him about the SUV with tinted windows following her.

  Rachel said a silent prayer.

  She had a feeling this Christmas was going to be different for her. She’d have a family to spend it with. A Christian, prayerful family.

  Now she just needed to survive.

  Sebastian looked at her. There was so much compassion in his eyes it surprised her. His readiness to accept her past gave her hope.

  He leaned closer to her, and the air became charged with awareness.

  Her pulse increased.

  Rachel had to remind herself it wasn’t safe for them to be near her house. She glanced around to make sure nobody was watching them.

  “You should call the police about the car following you,” Sebastian said.

  Rachel grimaced again. Her brother, Sean, had ingrained the fear of police in her. She fought an inner battle. “Okay. I’ll go to the police station today.” She remembered her poor sedan. “Oh, no. Do you have a towing service here in Rios Azules?”

  “I took the liberty of having the tow company take your car to Rios Azules Automotive.”

  “Thanks.” She made a quick call to her insurance company. When she was done, she looked up at Sebastian.

  His face darkened. “Considering what you told me, I don’t think it’s safe for you to stay at your rental.”

  “I know. Besides, I wouldn’t want to bring danger to your grandmother’s doorstep. I’m going to grab my laptop and a duffel bag with clothes, call a cab, and go to a hotel.”

  Sebastian frowned. “If you don’t mind, I’ll check the house before you enter it. And there’s no need to call the cab. I’ll drive you to the hotel. Are you okay if we get connecting rooms?”

  Rachel reached for the truck’s door handle and stilled. “You’d do that for me? Why?”

  “Because I don’t want anything to happen to you.” He jumped out of the vehicle.

  Gratitude warred with fear inside her. As much as she was glad that Sebastian was willing to drop everything to help her, she couldn’t be responsible for somebody’s death. Especially not Sebastian’s, the man she was developing feelings for.

  She didn’t want anything to happen to him, either.

  As they reached the front door, Sebastian walking closely, as if he was trying to shield her, her stomach clenched from premonition.

  Something was wrong.

  Rachel placed a hand on his forearm, listening intently.

  Sebastian glanced at her. “What happened?”

  She shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know. I just sense it…”

  Judging by the way he moved, he paid even more attention to his surroundings than before. “What?”

  “Danger.”

  “Maybe you should stay in the vehicle.”

  She shook her head. They reached her front porch. Everything looked exactly the way she’d left it in the morning, but she still couldn’t shake off the feeling.

  He tried the handle. “It’s locked.” He stepped aside.

  She turned the key, opening the lower lock. As she tried to do the same for the upper lock, chills ran down her spine. “It’s open.”

  His eyes narrowed. “I take it you locked it in the morning, right? I’ll call the police.”

  Old insecurities rose to the surface, and she shook her head. “Let’s see what we find inside.”

  His jaw tightened. “Stay here while I check the place.”

  Instead, Rachel followed him inside, bracing herself for what she might find there. But the place seemed to be undisturbed. She waited for Sebastian to make a quick sweep. She’d doubt herself about the upper lock, but she’d been particular about checking the locks to the point that Ryan had hinted she might have OCD.

  “All clear.” Sebastian interru
pted her thoughts. “I didn’t see anything disturbed. Of course, I didn’t touch anything. Are you sure about the lock?”

  She nodded.

  “Then I insist on calling the police, especially considering what happened to you today.”

  After a hesitation, she nodded again. Maybe the police would find some evidence of a break-in. She pulled out her phone, called 911, and reported the incident.

  While they were waiting for the police to arrive, Rachel put on disposable gloves and meticulously examined every room, Sebastian accompanying her. There wasn’t a speck of dirt or anything that didn’t belong on any surfaces. All her things seemed to be in place, even electronics and jewelry cases, including the one with a diamond bracelet Ryan had given her. Her papers were also in place, though she had the impression they’d been moved ever so slightly.

  She studied the jewelry box with the bracelet, then placed it back in the drawer.

  “I don’t understand this. They looked at the bracelet, but they didn’t take it.” She stared at Sebastian in bewilderment.

  “What do you mean?” He folded his arms on his chest. “Why do you think that somebody looked at your things if they didn’t take anything?”

  “I had a hair strewn over the drawer. That hair is out of place now.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “What?”

  “Sebastian, somebody was here. Not a regular burglar, because they didn’t take electronics or jewelry.”

  His face darkened. “What were they were looking for then?”

  “I wish I knew.” Her shoulders slumped forward.

  Sebastian reached for her and took her in his embrace. She felt safe and wonderful in his arms, despite the circumstances. She’d learned to be brave, to smile and hold back tears, but she craved this reassurance. To the point that she hoped something might be possible between her and Sebastian.

  The doorbell brought her back to her senses.

  The next half an hour Rachel spent trying to prove to the police that an intruder had been at her place without any evidence besides an unlocked lock and a displaced hair. Rachel didn’t tell them about the instincts she’d developed during her rough teenage years. She figured they wouldn’t understand it.

  While her mind hadn’t always taken in the signs, her subconscious had, and had told her when she’d needed to flee. It had saved her life before.

  Years ago, she’d felt compelled to stop near that dress in the window in Paris, though she hadn’t realized then that she’d be doing it at the expense of Ryan’s life. The car that had hit Ryan would’ve hit her instead had she not stopped near the shop window. She’d had that feeling then, that something was about to happen.

  Rachel knew she needed to flee now.

  After the police left, Sebastian drove her to the hotel.

  Her thoughts were scrambled. There was no denying she was drawn to him and that he stirred feelings inside her she’d been sure she’d never feel after losing Ryan.

  She stared out the window at the sleepy small town decorated with Christmas lights. It was getting dark, and the lights were shining brightly. Her parents had never cared to celebrate Christmas. She’d never had a gift waiting for her under a tree, or a tree, for that matter.

  The first time she’d received a gift for Christmas had been when she’d ended up in the center for troubled teens. Jeans and a sweater. And then she’d received an even better present, friendship with January.

  January and Rachel had felt so much joy that first Christmas, realizing that God loved them despite everything. Sometimes Rachel still had difficulty wrapping her mind around it, and sometimes she wasn’t sure she was worthy of God’s love, but she’d vowed to celebrate Christmas wherever she went.

  She’d broken that promise when Ryan died.

  Maybe it was time to renew the tradition.

  Dear Heavenly Father, please help me grow spiritually. Please help me become the person You meant me to be. Thy will be done. I ask this in the holy name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

  For several moments, a feeling of peace entered her heart like never before, and she treasured it.

  Becoming a better person meant caring about other people more than she cared about herself.

  Rachel stole a glance at Sebastian’s handsome profile as he navigated the streets of Rios Azules, and a large boulder pressed painfully on her heart. From what she’d heard from Mrs. Mora, Sebastian was a good guy who needed tranquility in order to heal. She was a woman who’d walked a dangerous line once and now was a target of a mysterious criminal

  And until she found out who was after her and stopped whomever the perp was, she’d need to stay away from Sebastian Mora and his wonderful grandmother. Maybe she’d sneak out from the hotel at night and drive to another state.

  Her heart clenched at the thought, but she knew it would be better for everybody.

  ***

  Sebastian opened the door to the hotel room and did a quick sweep of the room. Finding it secure and empty, he gestured for Rachel to come in.

  She’d suffered through a lot in her life, and now he knew why she was so guarded and kept to herself.

  Sebastian placed her duffel bag onto a chair. “Try to get some rest.” His stomach clenched, demanding food, and he figured Rachel’s stomach must be empty, too. “Would you like to get dinner? There’s a small drive-through restaurant nearby.”

  Her face brightened. “That would be great.”

  They headed to the drive-through, his thoughts revolving around his passenger, whose floral scent was affecting his senses.

  Rachel was nothing like Tess, who’d been soft-spoken and shy but had smiled and laughed a lot while with him. Tess had favored sunny summer dresses and colorful shoes, while Rachel was mostly dressed in black attire. Rachel looked tense and ready either to bolt at the slightest noise or to throw a punch. And he knew firsthand that she could throw punches like nobody’s business.

  Sebastian pulled up to the drive-through and gestured for Rachel to place her order first.

  And then there was the fact that Tess had been killed by a burglar. While Rachel wasn’t a thief anymore, she’d been one once, and that was a tough pill to swallow.

  Sebastian placed his order.

  Rachel wasn’t the type of woman who appealed to him. She was the opposite of the sweet, open, soft-spoken woman he’d fallen in love with and lost.

  He shouldn’t like Rachel.

  Then why couldn’t he stop thinking about kissing her?

  Minutes later, they were back in the hotel room with paper cups with sodas and a large bag with hamburgers and fries. Sebastian made a quick sweep of the room again, then unloaded the bag and the cups on the table.

  “I’ll say grace.” He looked at Rachel expectantly.

  Her eyes narrowed for the briefest of seconds, but then she nodded.

  “Dear Lord, please bless this food and make it nutritious to us. Please keep Rachel safe in Your care. Please help us find out who wants to cause her harm and why. In Jesus’s holy name. Amen.”

  “Amen,” Rachel said quietly.

  His heart warmed.

  Her life had been difficult, but she’d worked hard to make something of herself. He admired that. And with time, hopefully he could bring her closer to God.

  Sebastian took a bite of his double hamburger while she reached for fries and nibbled on them. He pushed her hamburger with extra cheese and pickles to her. “You need to keep your strength up.”

  She nodded and bit into her burger, her gaze pensive and worried.

  What was going through her head? Was Rachel Evans hiding something, more than she’d told him about?

  But what?

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  SEBASTIAN REALIZED HE WAS STARING at Rachel, but he couldn’t force himself to look away.

  She finished half of her burger and ate more fries. A drop of sauce remained at the corner of her mouth, attracting his attention to her lips, full, kissable lips…

  He needed to snap out o
f it.

  Rachel Evans was still a stranger to him who could disappear from his hometown any time. And he wasn’t looking for a relationship even if she intended to stay in Rios Azules.

  He’d have to fight his attraction to her.

  Sebastian took several hasty bites of his food and flushed it down with icy-cold soda.

  Rachel pushed the rest of her hamburger away, as if she didn’t have an appetite for it. “I should tell you something else. I was married once. Ryan died in an accident. In France.”

  “I’m so sorry. My sincerest condolences.” Sebastian hated to see misery in her eyes and longed to offer a hug, offer some comfort.

  But the last time he’d done it, something had changed inside him. He couldn’t name what it was, but he knew that embracing her again would take him down a path he shouldn’t be traveling.

  No matter how much he wanted to. No matter how beautiful Rachel was. No matter how much the vulnerability in her hazel eyes tugged at his heartstrings.

  Those hazel eyes hardened. “I’m done. Thank you for dinner.”

  Rachel was shutting down. He felt that even if he’d offered a hug now, she would’ve refused it.

  Sebastian gathered the wrappers and empty cups and deposited them in the trash. Of course, just as she withdrew from him, he had an incredible urge to draw her near.

  He felt as if the temperature was rising in the room. It was getting more and more difficult to keep his head clear.

  Rachel licked her lips.

  It took all his resolve not to kiss her right then and there. But he wouldn’t so blatantly disrespect the memory of her late husband. Judging by the look in her eyes, she still grieved him.

  Anyway, Sebastian needed to concentrate on the task on hand, namely who was after Rachel and why.

  Remembering the night he’d taken her for a burglar, he had an idea. “Have you ever been asked to open a safe by the owner who forgot the combination? You know, a favor to help out?”

  Her eyes darkened for a moment, but then she said, “I was asked for such favors, but I haven’t done them.”

  “Maybe I could track down Craig Marsden,” he said thoughtfully.