The Protective Warrior (Navy SEAL Romances)

by Cami Checketts

  Her car hit a pothole and there was a loud clank under the hood. Black mud sprayed onto her windshield. MacKenzie slowed down and used the washer fluid and wipers to clear the window. Man, it was thick. It hadn’t rained in days so the mud must’ve been sludge. She tried to bring the car back up to fifty-five, no way was she speeding and risking getting caught tonight, but the darn thing wouldn’t respond. It seemed to go slower and slower until the engine died completely.

  The car drifted to a heartrending stop. MacKenzie gripped the steering wheel and cussed herself for buying such a cheap car. Then it hit her. The black stuff wasn’t dirt, it was oil. She’d probably busted the oil pan and seized the engine. How could she be so slow? Her dad had taught her better than that.

  She banged her head into the steering wheel. What now? She popped the hood and climbed out of the car. Unlatching the hood, she stared at the dark engine. Even if she’d had a light she didn’t know what she could do if she’d really seized the engine like she feared.

  Crickets chirped and a cold wind swirled around her, prickling her skin. A branch snapped in the dense trees to her left. MacKenzie jumped and scurried back to the relative safety of the car. Slamming the door, she hit the lock button and stared in all directions. There was nothing to see, no way to know if someone or something was coming after her. She felt so vulnerable and afraid. Bowing her head, she prayed for help. She opened her eyes, her gaze darting around the unknown darkness. Was anyone listening to her prayers? Usually, she had faith, but lately it had dissipated. Was being safe too much to ask?

  Lights appeared in her rearview mirror. Someone who could help? Or someone who was intent on hurting her?

  As the vehicle approached, she realized it was a cop car. Oh, man, just her luck. Maybe this was her sign to turn herself back into the FBI and hope and pray Tureen had been arrested for shooting Klein and everything would work out.

  With no option, she got out of her car. A flashlight shined in her face then Josh’s happy voice. “Isaac is going to love me.”

  MacKenzie shaded her eyes. “Isaac?” Just saying his name filled her with warmth and hope.

  “He heard your car leave and found your note. He asked me and some of the other officers to help him search. You in trouble, MacKenzie?”

  MacKenzie shook her head. “I guess you could call it that.”

  “The car dead?”

  “Yes.”

  “We’ll take care of that in the morning. Why don’t you come with me and we’ll go back to Haley’s house and sort this all out?”

  MacKenzie felt the fear that had been in her since witnessing the murder flare up. What did she really know about Josh? Would Isaac truly send him after her? “Can I call Isaac?”

  “Sure.” He leaned against his car and waited while she dialed Isaac’s number.

  “Josh?”

  “No, it’s me.”

  “Mac.” Isaac’s voice was so full of longing, questions, and hope it about killed her.

  “Hey, Isaac,” she murmured, clamping down on her emotions.

  “Why did you run? Let me help you.”

  MacKenzie didn’t want to do this over the phone. “Josh is bringing me back to Haley’s. We’ll talk about it then.”

  “Okay.”

  She hung up and climbed into Josh’s car, grateful he’d found her, but wondering how she was going to reveal her situation with a police officer there. Wouldn’t he be required to alert the FBI? Tonight must be her time to reveal all. MacKenzie fidgeted in the seat, really wishing she could run.

  11

  Isaac paced Haley’s front porch, his stomach churning. What in the world had he done to make MacKenzie run away? He kept trying to remind himself this wasn’t about him, but that fear deep down that he wasn’t enough kept coming back. Since his mom had died those feelings had grown stronger. He didn’t have his mom around telling him how great he was all the time. He’d graduated college yet he’d never had a chance to go and succeed in the real world, prove himself to this town and his dad.

  MacKenzie was also tied to those feelings. At seventeen he’d fallen hard for her, but she’d left and never contacted him again. He’d dated a lot of girls, but no one had affected him like her. Why couldn’t she trust him to protect her? What was she involved in that was so bad she thought the only solution was to run away in the middle of the night? He didn’t care what it was. He was going to be there for her. If she’d let him.

  Josh’s patrol car pulled into the drive. Isaac rushed down the stairs and flung open MacKenzie’s door. She looked so small and vulnerable in the police car. Her brown eyes met his and he fell for her all over again.

  He reached his hand out and waited. Her eyes flickered from his face to his hand then she slowly placed her palm in his. That gesture had him. She wanted to trust, she just didn’t know how. Well, he’d stay by her side and teach her.

  He helped her from the car and cringed at the fear in her eyes and the weariness written on her face. Was it only a few hours ago they’d been paddle boarding down the river, laughing and having a great time?

  “Mac,” he whispered, enfolding her in his arms. “What happened?”

  She leaned her head against his chest, but said nothing. Josh came around the car. “Why don’t we go inside and talk?” His voice was much too serious for Isaac’s liking. Had she told Josh what was troubling her?

  Isaac held her close against his side as they walked into Haley’s house. She melted into him and those protective urges fired over and over again. He all but carried her into the house and helped her sit on the couch, still keeping his arm around her and their bodies in firm contact.

  Josh cleared his throat. “MacKenzie, I think it’s time you trusted us with your secret.”

  Isaac wanted to be the one she trusted with her secrets, but he had invited Josh into this and was glad to have the law on his side for a change.

  Her head tilted up defiantly and she straightened. “How do you know I’ve got a secret?”

  Isaac had to admire her bravery. Even now she wanted to fight through this alone. How could he convince her she didn’t need to do that?

  “When Isaac called me to find you,” Josh said gently, “I did a search on Haley’s Facebook page and found you’d lied about your last name. From there it was a quick scan through the law enforcement system.”

  MacKenzie wilted against Isaac again. Her body quivered and he rubbed her arm in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture. What was Josh implying? MacKenzie wasn’t a criminal. Why would she lie about her last name?

  “You fled protective custody,” Josh continued. His face sober. “The FBI thinks you’re dead. The report says Solomon Squire found the safe house, took you, and they’re pretty sure he would’ve killed you to keep you quiet. Yet you’re not dead. You ran from Squire or the FBI?”

  “FBI,” she muttered.

  “Why?”

  Her golden skin had turned pasty. She quivered against Isaac. “I can’t go back,” she whispered. “I don’t know who to trust.”

  “Why?” Josh leaned back and waited.

  “If I tell you, will you promise not to turn me in?” Her voice was small and weak.

  “I can’t make a promise like that,” Josh said. “It’s my responsibility to turn you in. Protective custody, MacKenzie. They want to protect you.”

  “But they didn’t.” She glanced up at Isaac and their eyes connected. He tried to convey with his look and touch that he wouldn’t turn her in. If need be, he’d lay Josh out and run with her from the FBI or whoever wanted to hurt her.

  “Tell us what happened and we’ll figure out how to help you,” Josh said.

  Isaac tried to sit there patiently. Josh was a good guy and he’d help them if he could.

  MacKenzie nodded, clasping her hands together. Her voice was so low, even Isaac had to strain to understand and he was sitting right next to her. “I was on a late night run on Lake Michigan and I heard men’s voices and screaming up ahead. I ducked behi
nd a dumpster and I saw the Squire brothers. They had this man pinned down and they,” She swallowed hard and looked at her hands, “C-cut off.” Her body was shaking violently against his. “Fingers one at a time, even though he was trying to tell them what he knew. Then they started carving.” She let out a sob and stopped talking.

  Isaac’s body stiffened. Sweet MacKenzie had seen that? He waited a few seconds, simply holding her close and wishing he could take all of this away. Finally, he couldn’t stand it anymore and muttered to Josh, “Who are the Squire brothers?”

  “Huge crime lords in Chicago,” Josh supplied. “Solomon escaped, right?”

  “Yes.” MacKenzie scrubbed at her cheeks. “He vowed to kill me because I dialed 911 and his brother got shot as they were trying to escape.” Her voice trembled, but she kept forcing the words out. “The FBI put me in protective custody, but one of the agents was bad. Tureen.”

  Josh’s eyebrows shot up. “You think he gave your location to Squire?”

  She nodded and exhaled heavily. “He betrayed us and shot Agent Klein. Klein told me if something happened to him to run and not look back.”

  Isaac’s hand was still massaging MacKenzie’s arm, but his mind was stirring at the trouble she was in and the trauma she’d experienced. What in the world? She seemed so sweet and innocent. He never would’ve guessed.

  When the silence lengthened, Isaac opened his mouth to reassure her or something, but Josh gave him a quick shake of the head. He glanced over at MacKenzie and saw she was vacantly staring out the window. Finally, she looked up at Isaac. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to put your family in danger. I just had to escape and I always felt safe here.”

  “Oh, Mac.” Isaac pulled her closer. “I’m not worried about my dad or me being in danger. We’re tough old boys. I’m worried about you.”

  “What about when Haley, Cal, and Taz come back to get ready for the wedding? I need to go. Squire won’t hesitate to hurt anyone to get to me.” She shuddered. “I check the news online every night for something about him. Tonight, I saw that he’d flown into Denver in a private jet and they have no clue where he is now.”

  Josh’s eyebrows flew up. “I’ll check into that and keep you informed of his whereabouts.”

  MacKenzie shook her head. “It’s not enough. I need to run again.”

  “Not alone, you don’t,” Isaac said. “If you think you need to run, I’ll come with you.”

  Her eyes were liquid pools as she gazed up at him. “I can’t ask that of you,” she whispered.

  “You don’t have to.” Isaac placed a kiss on her forehead.

  “Isaac.”

  He’d never heard his name spoken with such feeling. He wanted to get her somewhere safe, then kiss her until neither of them could catch a breath.

  Josh interrupted the moment. “I can understand your reluctance to trust the FBI, but we need to follow proper channels here.”

  “Proper channels almost got her killed.” Isaac flung at his friend. His admiration for this woman was huge. She’d witnessed a brutal murder and escaped from a crime lord and the FBI. “I’m asking you as a friend to help us in a way that MacKenzie can feel good about and most of all that will keep her safe.”

  MacKenzie leaned into him and whispered, “Thank you.”

  Isaac held her close. This woman was his to love and protect. He hoped she’d agree.

  Josh exhaled slowly. “Isaac, you always act before you think. This isn’t some good old boys’ escape plan.”

  “Yes, it is.” Isaac insisted. His stomach clenched. He could take Josh in a fist fight, but how much trouble would he be in for assaulting an officer of the law?

  Josh rolled his eyes and turned to MacKenzie. “I’m going to do some research. Klein was the good agent who got shot?”

  A quick head bob.

  Classic Josh. He thought if he ignored Isaac things wouldn’t come to a head. Well, he was going to have a battle on his hands if he tried to turn MacKenzie in.

  “And Tureen was the mole? Do you know first names?”

  His voice was so calm Isaac wanted to yell at him that this was not a time to chat. They needed action. His body coiled, ready to move.

  “Marcus Klein.” She paused and thought for a minute. “I think it was David Tureen, but it might have been Devon.”

  “Okay. Gives me something to work with. I’ll find out what’s going on with Squire and see what I can find out about Klein and Tureen. If by some miracle Tureen has been apprehended and Klein is alive, will you let me turn you over to the FBI?”

  “No,” Isaac said.

  MacKenzie gazed at him then refocused on Josh. She slowly nodded. “If I can be in Klein’s custody.” She shivered. “That is if he’s healthy enough.” Her eyes brightened with unshed tears. “I’m not sure he could’ve survived that gunshot. It was in the chest and it was the middle of the night. I don’t think he had a vest on.”

  “Well, let’s look into it, but I think you two need to get out of here for now. If I can connect you on Facebook to Haley that quickly, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Squire is in Colorado.”

  Isaac’s stomach tumbled. Squire could be headed their way and ready to hurt MacKenzie and his dad. Suddenly, knocking out Josh didn’t seem as important as finding a way to protect everyone. “Should I have my dad clear out too?”

  “If he will. Knowing him, he’ll just prop up with a shotgun and try to take them all out.”

  Isaac almost laughed at the image, but he didn’t want his dad hurt. “We’ll go to the hunting cabin. I’ll hike up to where I can get service a couple times a day to check in with you.”

  “Okay.” Josh stood. “Grab what you need and get out of here. If Squire landed in Denver earlier tonight he could be here by now.”

  Isaac tugged MacKenzie to her feet. “Grab some clothes, toiletries, and whatever food you can find. I’ll be right back.”

  Her eyes were so full of fear it killed him to leave her for even a second. “I’ll hurry back, Mac.” He gave her a quick hug then directed her toward the bedroom. She went with only one backward glance at him. Isaac called his dad and quickly explained the situation. His dad of course tried to argue about leaving. Isaac almost yelled at him. They could hash it out later at the cabin, but right now they needed to move. He hung up without a firm commitment from his dad.

  “Can you help me scout the perimeter quick and make sure they’re not already here?” he asked Josh.

  “I’ll do it. You get what you need and get out of here. You taking horses?”

  “It’s either that or the wheelers and I don’t want the noise.”

  “The cabin’s in a good spot. You can hear any motorized vehicle coming. Go through the stream so they can’t follow tracks.”

  Isaac gave him a look.

  Josh laughed. “I know. You’re not stupid.”

  Isaac shook his hand. “Thank you.”

  “If Klein is around I’ll turn her into the FBI.” Josh was always honest.

  Isaac wanted to do what was best for MacKenzie. “I’m not leaving her side no matter what. Hopefully they’ll catch this Squire guy and it’ll be over soon.”

  Josh’s eyes gave him the message he didn’t want. This criminal was squirrely and he had at least one FBI agent on his side. Isaac’s resolve to protect MacKenzie heightened. “Don’t tell the FBI where we are until Mac and I have a chance to talk to Klein.”

  “I can do that.”

  They shook hands again and Isaac rushed to his trailer. They needed to bug out quick.

  12

  MacKenzie packed feverishly, cussing herself for not grabbing the food out of her old car and unable to control the tremor in her fingers. She hurried out into the yard to find Josh and Isaac arguing with Trevor.

  “I am not leaving,” Trevor insisted. “My sick herd and calves would die if I just turn tail and ditch them. I’ll lay low here, take care of the basics, and wait for this scumbag to show up.” He held up a hand to Josh’s protes
ts. “I’ll call you if I see anything, but you know I can hold him off and then we’d have him. If I leave then he comes here, finds nothing, then he’ll disappear again and he’s still free, able to hurt MacKenzie.”

  Trevor glanced her way and all three men turned to look at her. Isaac’s gaze was so full of caring and protection she wanted to cry. She didn’t want to pull them into this. “Please come with us, Trevor. I can’t stand the thought of something happening to you.”

  He chuckled. “Nothing’s going to happen to me. I’m too old and ornery to die. If they did plug me, I’d get to be with Charlotte again,” he muttered under his breath.

  “Dad.” Isaac looked so torn.

  “Enough of this bull. I’ve got the horses saddled and you two need to get moving.”

  Isaac shook his head and muttered, “Stubborn old coot.”

  “I heard that,” Trevor said, winking at MacKenzie.

  Trevor helped MacKenzie up on the horse, securing her bag on the back. “If I don’t hear from you every morning, I’ll be up there to check on you,” he told Isaac.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I’m not kidding, smart aleck.”

  Isaac shook his friend and dad’s hands, muttered, “Thanks,” and swung up onto the saddle. “You know how to ride a horse?” he asked MacKenzie.

  “I’ve ridden a few times. My uncle has horses.”

  “Okay. Follow me. It’ll take a while to get there.”

  She waved to Josh and Trevor and they set off into the darkness. Isaac seemed to know the way and she didn’t have to do anything but stay in the saddle and stew about her fears. What if Squire killed Trevor or Josh? What if he found her and Isaac? A remote position wasn’t much good if the evil crime lord came in with machine guns. What if Squire wasn’t caught soon? It would ruin Haley’s wedding.

  “Isaac?” she called out softly.

  “Yeah?” His voice floated back in the dark.

  “We need to let Haley and Cal know not to come. Squire could hurt them too. Or little Taz.”

  “Okay. I’ll call them in the morning when I call my dad.”