Hard Target (All or Nothing Book 1)

by Rhonda Laurel

  “Parker, wait up!”

  She turned around to see Riley hot on her trail.

  “I told you to stay back!” she yelled. Kendrick came on the line. “Kendrick, it’s Parker. I’m in the parking lot. Start evacuating everyone. I think someone tampered with Riley’s car! There’s a bomb threat!”

  She spotted his sports car in the valet lot and angled toward it. Suddenly there was a booming sound, then a flash of fire. Even though they were far from it, the force of the explosion knocked Parker and Riley back a few feet, and they both landed on the pavement. The car wreckage was burning, sending thick clouds of smoke into the sky. Thank God the car had been in the valet lot with no other people around it.

  “Are you OK?” Riley jumped to his feet and rushed over to her.

  “Yeah. I’m fine.” She took his hand as he helped her up. Her heart was pounding fast, and her hands were shaking a little from the adrenaline. “You didn’t break any bones, did you?”

  “There you go being concerned about me, Bruiser.”

  “It’s in the job description.” She shook her head. “This whacko is really pissing me off. I think it’s time we dropped out of sight. He can’t try to kill you if he can’t find you.”

  He looked at her for a moment. “I think you’re right.”

  She could see Kendrick and company racing toward them. This should never have happened. She dreaded this conversation with Sam. How was she going explain Riley’s insistence on following her? Either way, she was glad he was safe. She didn’t know what she would have done if they’d been behind the wheel.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  When Parker said they were going off the grid, Riley had no idea how far they’d be going. But after yesterday’s events, it seemed like another country wouldn’t be far enough to get out of this guy’s crosshairs. The fire department extinguished the car fire, the police began to investigate, and the FBI had been called in. It was a stroke of luck the bomber had made a mistake connecting the explosive device to the ignition so the car wouldn’t start, causing a delay before the bomb went off.

  It seemed like they drove for hours, and the familiar Texas landscape was fading into the distance. He knew they were in deep country territory when Parker turned off the main highway. After miles of driving down a tree-lined, gravel road, they finally came to a general store. As soon as they got out of the truck, people stopped and stared at them like they were aliens. It looked like a hunters’ community. There were people walking around dressed in flannel shirts, jeans, vests, and hats with ironic sayings on them. With each step he took, he came more uncomfortable, but the townsfolk didn’t faze Parker. A few guys gawked at her like they’d never seen a woman before. It wasn’t until someone came out of the small diner with a Texas Tomcats hat that he felt at ease. She bounded up the wooden steps to the store and went inside, so he followed.

  “Can I help you?” a craggy-voiced older man bellowed from behind the counter.

  Parker looked around. “Yes. You can tell me why it looks like the seventies in here.”

  “We don’t like change around these parts. New never did nothing for nobody.”

  “Let me catch you up on the outside world. Women can vote and cars can run off electricity now.”

  He laughed. “What a shame. I thought cars would be flying by now. Come on over here and give me a hug, Half-Pint.”

  Parker laughed when the older guy swept her off her feet. “It’s good to see you, Uncle Pete.”

  “Same here. Boy did you grow since the last time I saw you. What are you doing here?”

  “Business. This is—”

  “I don’t live in a cave. I know who this is.” Pete extended his hand to Riley. “He’s going to put Texas back on the map come Sunday.”

  “Riley, this is Pete Stafford, a good friend of the family and a former partner of my dad’s.” Parker smiled.

  “Good to meet you, Pete.”

  “We need to lay low in one of your cabins,” Parker said. “Somebody is determined to make sure our star quarterback doesn’t play in the game.”

  “We can’t have that. What do you need?”

  “Something out of the way but not too isolated.”

  “I know just the place.” He looked at his map. “You packing heat?”

  “I have my Berretta and some ammo. But I was thinking about setting a few bear traps.”

  “Bear traps?” Riley said.

  “We won’t really be trapping any bears.” She grinned wickedly.

  “I can provide you with a few more surprises for uninvited guests as well.” Pete started gathering up food and other supplies around the store. Riley grabbed water and food while Parker was getting things like candles and flares. Thirty minutes later, they were ready to go.

  “One more thing,” Pete said as he put the beef jerky in the shopping bag then went into the back room and came back with a Winchester rifle. Riley didn’t know a whole lot about firearms, but it looked an awful lot like the one John Jacob kept in his gun case.

  “That’s…that’s one of my dad’s rifles,” Parker stammered.

  “He left this for me in his will. It’s for good luck. It’s never failed a Carson when they needed to use it.”

  “Thanks, Pete.”

  “If you need me, I’ll be there in a heartbeat.”

  “I know, but I have it covered. Riley will make it to that game on Sunday.”

  Peter nodded at Riley. “You take care of her while she’s taking care of you.”

  “I will, sir.”

  When they got back on the road again, he noticed the tension had left her face. She felt comfortable here, and that would go a long way with helping her do her job. He knew she felt like she’d failed at the stadium, but he was still breathing, expensive car be damned. He could easily get another one. But there was only one Parker, and he was afraid of losing her.

  * * *

  Parker sipped on her tea as she watched Riley run the makeshift obstacle course he’d constructed the other day. They’d been at the cabin for two days, and she was glad he’d found something to occupy his time.

  They were getting along pretty well, despite being cooped up together and forced to keep a low profile. Maybe it had something to do with his Bugatti blowing up but Riley wasn’t fighting his protection anymore. Hiding out here had the added benefit of getting him away from the media frenzy about the attacks. And it allowed her to better control the risks, limiting access to him by keeping him out of sight until the big game.

  The worst part of the attack was the realization that she’d almost lost him. If he’d gotten into that car a minute sooner, he would have died. It gnawed at her that the lunatic was able to get that close with so much activity going on at the stadium and despite all the security. Now that the two of them had dropped out of sight, she’d worried that someone might go after his family. Sam placed a call to an old friend of hers in California, Billie St. James, a former NYPD cop who decided to relocate and open a private security firm out there. The friend said they’d keep an eye on his family until they traveled to Texas for the game.

  After confirming they had a secure connection, she was able to get him conferenced in with his coaches to go over strategy. That seemed to lift his spirits, being connected to the process and the activity going on at the practices. There was another thing also troubling her. She was beginning to care for Riley beyond a professional capacity. She’d chalked it up to their verbal sparring, guessing that was what got her motor revving with him, but she knew it was more than just that. It was the way his eyes sparkled when he looked at her. And the way he smiled when she was being totally serious. She also liked that he didn’t feel the need to show off and flex muscles to impress her. Anyone could tell that he was a fine physical specimen and capable of many things, but his real strength came from his sharp mind. He had a way of balancing out the energy between them—so much so, it smoldered and was becoming something else. He’d changed so much. Grown. And the fact that he hadn�
�t slept with that ditzy celebutante when she’d been right there for the taking…well, she didn’t know what to make of that exactly except that it made her stomach flutter when she guessed who he might be thinking of instead… After all, they’d been spending so much time together…

  Parker shook away those thoughts and refocused on the job. She turned on her satellite phone and dialed a series of numbers. She checked in with Sam and Regency that way every day. If things remained calm, they’d head back Sunday morning so he could hopefully have his date with destiny. She already knew there would be a huge security and police presence at the Super Bowl, so he would be safe there. But first she had to get him there in one piece.

  But the attacks were like a slap in the face to her and Regency. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that the explosion wasn’t the main event. It was intended for shock and awe and media coverage and it worked. Every media outlet on the planet was talking about how someone was out to kill Riley Sloane.

  Riley finished up his course run and jogged over to her.

  “Looking good, Sloane,” she called out. “You hungry? I’m going to make dinner. I got steaks from Pete’s store when we were there.”

  “Oh.” He laughed. “You’ve been holding out on me? We had chicken last night.”

  “You need to balance your diet. You may not be practicing in a stadium, but you’re still in training.”

  “You’re the boss.” He winked and went back to his workout.

  * * *

  Riley didn’t want to go straight to bed after dinner, but Parker insisted he get some rest. What he really wanted to do was cuddle up on the couch and share a drink with her like they’d done last night and talk some more. She wasn’t shutting him down or taking pot shots at him, she was communicating in a warm, friendly way, and he wanted more.

  Like he suspected, her father’s death had a profound effect on her life. She felt like she hadn’t had enough time with him like her siblings had. She remembered fleeting moments with him, but mostly she remembered how his death shook their world. He knew it took a lot for her to divulge those things to him, and he took it as a sign that their relationship was changing.

  He did, however, wait for her to do her nightly exterior check before heading upstairs. Bodyguard or not, he worried about her out there by herself. It was a fine line being protected when he was to be the protector. As far as he was concerned, they were in it together. When she returned to the cabin, he slowly ambled upstairs wishing he could take her with him. He wanted to make love to her. She looked downright adorable and rugged in her jeans, boots, and shirt. Working out was good preparation for the game, but it also helped him stave off the pent-up sexual energy between them. He vowed that when this was all over they’d have a serious talk about what was happening between them.

  Showered and changed, he fell asleep after a while but woke an hour later to the strange sounds coming from downstairs. He closed the book that had been on his lap and put it on the night table. He looked over the railing to find Parker asleep on the couch, tossing and turning. The dire sounds were coming from her. She was having a nightmare. He raced downstairs and shook her shoulder gently while calling her name, but she wasn’t coming out of it. So he tried again, this time calling her name much louder. “Parker!”

  She jumped and snapped awake.

  “Are you OK?” He caressed her cheek.

  “Yeah.” She tightened her grip on the blanket. “I was just having a bad dream. Or so I thought.”

  “I’d say it was more than that. You’re soaked.” He gently wiped away a layer of perspiration on her neck.

  She looked around. “I’m sorry, I fell asleep. Is everything OK?”

  “Everything is fine. It’s not a problem. You must be exhausted. I’ll get you some water.”

  “I’d rather have a shot of that whiskey we had last night.”

  “OK. Water and whiskey.”

  He went into the kitchen and retrieved a water bottle and two mason jars from the cupboard. He stopped at the table and picked up the whiskey bottle, then returned to the living room.

  “What’s got you so rattled in your dreams?” He poured her a drink.

  “Thanks.” She took a sip of the whiskey. “I’ve been having these nightmares for a while now. But, I don’t know, if it was seeing Pete or being around my dad’s things. I don’t think it was a dream at all. It’s a memory I’ve been trying to forget. A bad one.”

  “You want to talk about it?”

  “Not really.”

  “We have the time and I’m sure it will make you feel better. The truth shall set you free, as they say.”

  She’d curled up on the couch and pulled the blanket closer. A few minutes went by before she started to speak. “I was in school. It was a spring day. It was nap time. I remember because I always hated nap time. I would lie on my mat and wait for my teacher to leave the room, then I’d get up and sneak an extra cookie from the snack tray. This man came into the room. He was grungy and had this awful facial hair, and the second I saw him I knew something bad was going to happen. He grabbed me and I screamed. My mom taught us that if a stranger got too close to scream our heads off to get the attention of an adult. I fought. I swear I fought as hard as I could.”

  “You were just a little kid. There was no way you could have fought him off.”

  “When my teacher came running, he pulled out a gun and said he’d start shooting every kid in the room if she didn’t let him pass with me. He was only there for me. She had such a look of terror on her face.”

  Riley moved closer and caressed her arm. “You don’t have to—”

  “I want to.” She closed her eyes. “He started making his way through the school, and I’m crying. When he opens the door, my dad’s standing there with his gun pointed right at him. There are police cars everywhere. I don’t know how they put it together, but my dad knew the guy was there. He told my dad if he didn’t put his gun down he’d shoot me in the head.” She bit her lip. “My dad looked at me like he did every night when he tucked me into bed. Just seeing his smile made me feel so calm. I knew then that everything would be OK. I closed my eyes and that’s when it happened. We started falling backward. My dad shot him right between the eyes. I look back and there’s blood everywhere. It was awful. The next thing I know my dad’s holding me in his arms.” Tears fell from her eyes.

  “Why did that guy target you?”

  “He was a drug trafficker, and my dad had been turning up the heat on all of his operations. He had nothing left and wanted to get revenge. He found out where we lived. He saw my dad drop me off at school one day and decided I was the easiest to take of the kids because I was the smallest.”

  Riley pulled her into his arms and squeezed her tight. Parker was trembling. Anger coursed through his veins at the thought of someone using her as a pawn to get to her dad. Now everything made sense. The way she pushed herself so hard and thought she needed to take on the world on her own. She was trying to run from that bad memory of nearly being kidnapped or worse by some guy who had a vendetta against her lawman father.

  “I am so sorry that happened. I wish I could do something to take that memory away from you.” He stroked her hair gently, trying to calm her.

  Parker pulled back and searched his face. “Thanks for saying that.”

  “You’re very welcome.”

  And then it happened. Riley didn’t know what to do when Parker gently touched his face and kissed him.

  Riley’s breath hitched when Parker grabbed onto him and leaned back into the couch cushions. He’d wanted her for so long. He didn’t know if it was the curt treatment or her refusal to warm up to him since then, but there was something about her that made his heart race and his pulse quicken.

  It was the perfect setting too. The fire was roaring, she looked beautiful, and his body was raring to go. Her kisses were coming fast and furious, and her hands were roving all over his body. She was reacting to just having unloaded about a childhoo
d trauma. It wasn’t the right time to make love.

  “Parker, stop.” He closed his eyes and sighed.

  “What?”

  “We can’t do this. You’re feeling vulnerable right now. If we have sex, you’re going to regret it in the morning.”

  “No, I won’t.” She caressed his face. “I’ve wanted you for a quite a while, and I have such an overwhelming feeling of non-hate for you right now that I’d like to take advantage of it.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Do you have condoms?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He gave her a grin and a salute.

  “Good.” She ran her hand down the front of his jeans.

  Riley stood and picked Parker up in his arms and started up the stairs. The couch was quite comfortable, but he wasn’t going to make love to her here. Parker only compounded the urgency to get moving when she nestled closer to him and trailed kisses down his neck. When he reached the bedroom, he pulled back the blanket, and placed her gently on the bed. He zipped into the bathroom and rifled through his shaving kit for his condoms, thankful he always kept some in his bag. Hell, while he was in there, he slapped on some cologne too. He threw the condoms on the night table. He wanted everything to be perfect. He dimmed the lights and looked around the room to see if there was anything he could do to make the room more romantic. It wasn’t until Parker grabbed on his shirt that he stopped.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I just want to make the room nicer.”

  “This is a rustic cabin meant to protect witnesses, not a romantic resort. You want to spruce up the room, take your clothes off.” She caressed him through his jeans again.

  Riley stripped out of his shirt and his jeans.

  “Lose the shorts.”

  “Yes ma’am.” He grinned.

  Parker braced herself as soon as Riley removed his boxer shorts. She had an idea the man was well endowed, but she wasn’t quite expecting the girth before her. Dakota wasn’t joking when she said he was a lot to handle. She’d barely been able to get her hand around his shaft as she stroked him. He didn’t waste any time getting her out of her clothes. His caresses were rough but tender at the same time as he tugged off her jeans and liberated her from her shirt and bra. She didn’t make things any better when she tore open the condom packet with her teeth.