To Love and Protect

by Stacey Joy Netzel

  “What about at work?” Reyes asked. “Do you have any issues with co-workers?”

  She shook her head numbly. Was she really having this conversation? “No. And the animal hospital has a regular parking lot, but it’s pretty open. I can’t imagine someone doing something where anyone might see them.”

  “You’d be surprised what people will do,” Dev said roughly.

  His cold tone sent a shiver down her spine. She knew he’d seen his share of evils people were capable of, but she didn’t get why he seemed angry at her. Like before, when she’d said she’d call her brothers to help, and he’d accused her of treating him like a cripple. She hadn’t wanted to impose on him when her family was only a half-mile away, but he hadn’t given her much of a chance to explain.

  “Who was following you last night?”

  She jerked her gaze to Dev’s, surprised he’d remembered that.

  Reyes leaned against the bumper with a frown. “Someone was following you?”

  Hugging her arms tighter over her stomach, she shrugged uncomfortably. “I think so, though I had hoped it was just that I’ve been feeling a little paranoid lately.”

  “Why?” Dev demanded.

  “It’s stupid really.”

  “What happened, Shelby?”

  Clearly, he wasn’t going to let up on the interrogation until he got an answer. And yes, his intensity definitely made it feel like an interrogation.

  “I got flowers a couple times without a card. At work, and once at home. And there were some hang up calls from numbers I don’t know, but I figured they were telemarketers.”

  “That’s it?” Reyes asked at the same time Dev demanded, “What else?”

  Of course, he’d know there was more. “A few times I’ve felt like someone is watching me. Only when I’m out though, because I keep everything closed up at home. Doors dead-bolted, shades drawn.” To the point home was beginning to feel like a cave. Or a prison.

  “And?” Dev arched his eyebrows.

  She flicked her gaze to his and away again, afraid he’d see too much. “What makes you think there’s more than that?”

  “Because you’ve always been level-headed and avoided drama. If this is bothering you, there’s more.”

  Damn, he was good. With a heavy sigh, she reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out the note that had been under her wiper blade. His jaw tightened as he read it with Reyes looking over his shoulder.

  The words rolled through her head, having been burned into her brain after reading them dozens of times last night.

  One choice made the opposite way can be the difference between life and death.

  Dev’s stormy blue-green gaze rose to hers. “When did you get this?”

  “It was on my car at the hospital.”

  “Last night?”

  When she nodded, he fisted the hand braced on the side of her SUV and held up the note with his other. “Did you tell your father about this? Or any of what’s been going on?”

  “Not yet.” She grimaced and reluctantly admitted, “Prior to last night, it was all just kinda random stuff. Nothing seemed connected.”

  “And yet you were still feeling paranoid.”

  She shrugged. “I was hoping I was overreacting. That it would just go away.”

  “Geezus fuck, Shelby.” He thumped his fist against her car. “Now that’s stupid.”

  Reyes shot him a frown. “Ease up, man.”

  He arched his eyebrows at his brother. “The fucking line was cut and you say ease up? She’s lucky it wasn’t her brakes.”

  Her stomach churned as she nodded. “I’ll tell my dad today.”

  “Now.” Dev gripped her elbow and steered her toward the door leading into the mansion. “You will tell him right now.”

  Shock delayed her response for a few steps, but then she jerked her arm free from his hand. “I said I’d tell him. I don’t need you to march me inside like I’m a five-year-old.”

  He whirled around to face her. His expression pinched in pain for a second, then turned to stone. “You’re acting like a five-year-old by thinking ignoring this will make it go away. That’s a good way to get yourself killed.”

  The leashed anger in his voice sent her back a step as much as his blunt words. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he cared, but no way that was true.

  “That’s a little extreme,” she whispered.

  He raised the fisted note between them once more. “This is extreme. Your parents have bodyguards, don’t they?”

  She drew back with a slight frown. “Of course. Dad gets death threats. Especially whenever someone doesn’t like the way he votes on a bill.”

  “In this context, the word death is definitely a threat.”

  She reached up and snatched the note from his grasp. He was right, but it galled her to have him point out how willfully naive she’d been.

  He continued to the door and held it open. “Are you coming with me, or am I telling your father about this by myself?”

  She glanced at Reyes, but he was no help as he leaned against her vehicle, arms crossed over his chest as he watched the both of them with curious interest. Shelby turned back to Dev and held his gaze as she approached. Instead of passing through the door, she tipped her head up while slipping the wrinkled note into her back pocket. “Why are you making this your business?”

  Surprise flashed in his eyes before he stiffened and looked away, denying her the chance to read anything else.

  “You need to be protected.”

  The rough tone of his voice stirred butterflies in the pit of her stomach. “Are you volunteering?”

  His gaze cut back to hers. “Fuck no.”

  And just like that, she was sixteen again, faced with Devante Torrez’s brutal rejection.

  Shelby stuffed her hurt deep down inside, stiffened her spine, and angled her shoulders to march past without touching him. She stripped off her coat along the way, and halted at the dining room entrance where everyone was gathered at the huge table loaded with food. Well, almost everyone. Asher and Honor had just gotten home from the hospital with Ava, so they were absent, and as usual, so was Grayson.

  She almost kinda wished she’d skipped today.

  No, Dev’s right. I can’t ignore this anymore.

  His shoulder bumped hers as he stopped behind her. She shifted away at the same moment Celia looked up. Her older sister’s eyebrows rose for a brief moment at the sight of her self-appointed escort, but then she waved them forward because there were plenty of times when they were younger when the Torrez kids had eaten with their family.

  “Get in here you two. Sit down so we can finally eat.”

  “Everyone’s waiting,” Shelby said in a low undertone to Dev. “I’ll tell him after brunch.”

  “Mr. Diamond.” His voice projected over the noise, drawing the attention of the entire table. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but may I speak with you?”

  Gritting her teeth in annoyance as everyone stared at them, Shelby said, “We. Can we speak with both you and Mom?”

  Her father set his coffee cup down with a slight frown. “Can’t it wait?”

  “No sir,” Dev insisted.

  Her mom twisted in her chair, concern in her eyes. “Is everything okay?”

  Shelby heard Dev draw a breath to speak and jabbed an elbow into his ribs to shut him up. At the same time, she heard Merit joke to Loyal, “Hundred bucks says she’s pregnant.”

  Dev muttered behind her as she swung her narrowed gaze to her idiot grinning brothers. “I am not pregnant.”

  Gotta have sex for that.

  Mae smacked her husband on the shoulder, and Merit rubbed the spot as he laughed.

  Looking back at her parents, Shelby said, “I just need a few minutes, please. In your study, Dad?”

  Curiosity lit his brown eyes as he nodded. “We’ll be right there.”

  When she spun and pushed past Dev, voices erupted behind her. After Merit’s joke, they’d probably dream up
all kinds of scenarios. She could’ve just as easily told them all right there, but then she’d have like fifteen different people showering her with concern and advice and it was suffocating just thinking about it.

  Dev followed, and as she reached the study, Shelby whirled to block the entrance. He jerked to a halt and reached out to grab the doorjamb with a wince.

  She ignored a flash of sympathy—because God forbid she feel sorry for his pain—and demanded, “Why are you still here?”

  “I was wrong earlier.”

  Wow. Hell must’ve frozen over. “About what?”

  “You being level-headed.”

  That explained why he’d admit to being wrong—it had been something good about her.

  “Experience proves you have a proclivity for doing rash, reckless things that put you in danger, so I’m making sure you tell your dad everything he needs to know.”

  Shelby scoffed. “A proclivity?”

  “It means—”

  “I know what it means,” she snapped as she pivoted and strode into the room, tossing her coat over a chair on the way. “After nine years of being gone, Dev, you don’t know anything about me.”

  “True, but that only proves my point.”

  The plush carpet had muffled his footsteps, and she stiffened at the unexpected nearness of his voice behind her. “How so?”

  “The last time I saw you nine years ago, you offered yourself to me on a silver platter.”

  Her cheeks burned in mortification that he would throw that out there.

  Coming up to her dad’s desk, she forced herself to turn around and face Dev while leaning her butt against the edge. She refused to act like a broken-hearted teenager who was ashamed of what she’d done. “I was on my bed, not a platter.”

  A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Might as well have been.”

  He was still angry about that day. She hadn’t understood his anger then or now. However, she understood hers over his ridiculous Neanderthal act.

  Bracing her hands on the edge of the desk, she forced a small smile as her pulse picked up speed. “I assure you, it wasn’t quite so rash and reckless as you might think.”

  “The hell it wasn’t.”

  “But, Dev, you were just my practice run.”

  His dark eyebrows slammed together. “Your what?”

  “My practice run,” she repeated, lying through her teeth. “And thank goodness I got things right the second time, because the man I really wanted was more than up for the task.” She tilted her head and added some sugar to her smile.

  Judging by his clenched fists and the fire flashing in his dark gaze, he had no trouble figuring out what she meant. If the idiot wasn’t so damn wound up, he’d see right through her lies.

  “All right, what’s going on?”

  Her dad’s firm voice from the doorway made Shelby jump a good inch. As he and her mom entered the study, she prayed they hadn’t heard her last words. A quick glance eased that worry, and she met Dev’s hard gaze before stepping past him while pulling the note from her back pocket.

  “I think I have a stalker.”

  Chapter 5

  Dev listened while Shelby explained to her parents what had been happening. He interjected when he felt she was downplaying—much to her irritation—but he wasn’t about to let anything get in the way of her safety.

  The entire time, the words practice run and man I really wanted kept popping into his head with infuriating frequency. On the one hand they made him want to punch a wall. On the other, he thanked God he hadn’t done anything stupid all those years ago.

  Like fall in love with her.

  He stiffened at that thought and forced his head back to the conversation. Mark and Janine were both insisting on Shelby having a full-time bodyguard, and Dev was totally on board with that. It was precisely the reason he’d insisted she tell her father right away.

  “Looking back, this could be tied to the vandalism at your clinic,” her father said.

  “That was months ago.” She frowned. “And nothing’s happened there since then.”

  “Because you halted construction,” he argued. “Aren’t you planning to start up again?”

  “Mae’s got me on the schedule for end of February, a week after Loyal and Roxanna’s wedding.”

  “Then we’ll add security there, too,” Mark stated.

  He glanced at Dev as if asking his opinion, and he gave the senator a nod of agreement while shifting to ease the ache in his leg.

  Shelby didn’t appear happy, but she grudgingly agreed, until the person behind the note was caught and dealt with, she’d have a bodyguard for protection.

  “Then it’s settled.” Janine rose from one of the chairs in front of the desk. “Your dad will get things rolling after brunch, but for now, let’s go eat. You’ll join us, won’t you, Dev?”

  He straightened from his spot near the window as Shelby rose from her chair. Her glare in his direction made him want to stay just to spite her. “Thank you, but Reyes and I are on our way out for a couple days of camping.”

  “In the winter?”

  He shrugged. “Just getting away for a bit.”

  Mental therapy for the both of them.

  “All right then.” She paused to give him a hug, which he returned with affection as she whispered, “Thank you for taking care of our baby girl.”

  Baby girl. Keep that in mind when you’re thinking about how good her ass looks when she bends over.

  Heat climbed his neck as he stepped back with an uncomfortable nod for her mother.

  “If you don’t mind, Devante, I’d like a word before you go.”

  The senator’s request stopped him mid-turn for the door. He did mind. Now that Shelby would have the protection she needed, he wanted the hell out of there. Instead, he forced a polite smile. “Of course, sir.”

  “It’s Mark.” The senator crossed his arms with a grin as Janine left the room. “We covered this years ago, did we not?”

  “Yes sir. Mark.” Dev smiled, though it felt more like a grimace. “Sorry, sir, force of habit.”

  Mark chuckled. “After twelve years of service, I imagine it is.”

  Shelby made a sound of impatience from her spot in front of the chair. “What else is there to talk about, Dad?”

  “You can go.” He waved her after her mother. “I didn’t ask you to stay.”

  “Is it about me?”

  He hesitated, glancing between the two of them before saying, “I was going to offer Devante the job.”

  “Dev?” She immediately shook her head, her dark hair swaying from her vigor. “Uh-uh. No way.”

  He whole-heartedly agreed. “I’m sorry, sir—Mark—but that won’t be possible.”

  The senator got up from his desk and moved around to lean against the front in the same way his daughter had earlier. “Why not?”

  “Because he can’t, Dad. Let it go,” Shelby insisted.

  His gaze bored into Dev’s. “I know you’re not working yet. Name your price.”

  The challenge had him gritting his teeth as he shot a glance at Shelby. Forget the temptation she provided—because despite their animosity, he wanted her as much now as he had nine years ago. Forget the animosity, too, because that didn’t matter any more than the money did.

  But his pride…that was a whole other matter. And he’d be damned if he’d admit in front of Shelby the bitter truth that had resulted in his forced discharge from the military.

  He wasn’t physically capable of protecting her.

  The throb in his leg underscored that fact—as did him wishing for his damned cane to lean on.

  Having the truth shoved in his face stirred up his anger all over again. At life, the senator, Shelby—and most especially the worthless bastard threatening her safety.

  Years of discipline training allowed him to say calmly, “This has nothing to do with money. I’m simply not interested.”

  Shelby dipped her head to frown at her feet. When he noticed her nip
her lower lip between her teeth, a swift spike of longing made his breath hitch.

  “Go ahead and get some breakfast, Bells. I want to talk to Dev alone.” Her gaze jerked up to her dad’s, and he offered a firm, “Please.”

  With another parting glare for Dev—a clear warning to not change his answer—she left the room, and he faced her father.

  “I want you for this job,” Mark stated. “I trust you.”

  Dev shook his head. The senator’s trust didn’t matter one bit when he didn’t trust himself. “Get one of the guys from your detail for her. You trust them for you and Janine. They’ll keep Shelby safe, too.”

  Mark held his gaze for a long moment, then released a heavy sigh as he straightened and uncrossed his arms. “I can’t really argue that, can I?”

  “No, sir. And I’m sorry, but I really should be going.” Before I do something stupid like reconsider. “Reyes is waiting.”

  The senator nodded and extended his hand. “In that case, I will add my thanks to Janine’s. I appreciate you making sure we heard about this. Shelby can be a bit too stubborn for her own good sometimes.”

  Dev smiled his agreement as he shook the senator’s hand before limping for the door. Sure the man’s gaze watched his every step, his ears burned in mortification long after he moved out of sight. Mark was sure to be glad he’d refused the job.

  He found Reyes waiting in the foyer with a large plastic baggie of cookies in hand.

  “I loaded up my stuff and drove your truck up front.”

  “Good. Let’s get outta here.”

  They were a few miles down the road before Rey broke the silence in the cab. “You gonna tell me what the hell that was back there?”

  Dev kept his gaze trained on the road and tried to play it off. “What?”

  “The whole Tarzan act with Shelby.”

  He scoffed. “It wasn’t like that at all. I just want to make sure she stays safe, that’s all.”

  “Riiight. ”

  “Man, shut up.”

  He caught Reyes’ grin from the corner of his eye, but thankfully his brother dropped the subject.

  They reached the trailhead a half-hour later, and loaded up with their gear for the couple mile hike to the campsite. Dev had purposefully chosen their location for the more level terrain so he wouldn’t strain his leg too much. The exercise was good, but only if he didn’t push too hard.