Protecting His Brother's Bride

by Jan Schliesman

  “We can drive to the police station and you can tell your story. I’ll confirm the parts I witnessed. I’m sure they’ll keep you safe until the admirer cuffed to my bathtub is in custody.”

  It was a simple and to-the-point answer for what should be done after a criminal offense. You tell the good guys and they take care of the bad guys. As if that really worked.

  “What’s option number two?”

  “Level with me about why you were looking for Josh. What did he do to you?”

  “Why do you assume he did anything?” The unease in Kira’s stomach grew. Dalton’s question felt as if he wanted confirmation of Josh’s bad behavior.

  “You can imagine my skepticism when someone I’ve never met shows up after he’s gone.”

  “When I prove my marriage to Josh, then what? You won’t turn me over to the police?” If Dalton turned her over to anyone with a badge, she’d be wearing an orange jumpsuit back to Kansas City.

  “I want to make sure his name isn’t connected with anything illegal.”

  “We can’t always get what we want.” She flipped the map light off. It reminded her of the bright lights at the police station when she’d been confronted with all the damning evidence. “Is there any way for me to take a look at Josh’s stuff?”

  Dalton tapped the brake pedal. “I see another car behind us.” He slowed the Caddy to a few miles an hour over the speed limit. “I almost hope it’s law enforcement.”

  Kira choked at his comment. It couldn’t end like this, on the side of a road somewhere in Wyoming, without any real evidence to clear her name. “I can’t go to jail.”

  “Probably the safest place you could be right now.” The car was still moving, but it felt like slow motion.

  “You don’t understand.” Kira grabbed his arm. “I’m sort of wanted.”

  “Why are you telling me this now?” Dalton’s voice exploded in volume. “So I can be your accomplice?”

  “No, I wouldn’t—”

  “You wouldn’t what, break the law?” He stomped on the gas and the Caddy surged forward.

  Her eyes focused on the outside mirror. If she saw flashing lights, what would she do? Asking Dalton to evade the police didn’t sound like a reasonable solution.

  The car in question gained on them before they reached the next curve in the road. She raised her head far enough to peer around the seat. “The police?”

  “Afraid not,” Dalton answered, taking the curve at eighty and increasing the speed to well over a hundred on the straightaway. “Your friend has managed to track you down.”

  Her feet bounced with the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She braced them against the floorboard and looked behind them. “If it’s really him, why didn’t he run us down at the store?”

  The sound of gunfire replaced the remaining questions in her head.

  “Stay down!” Dalton said, as the rear window shattered, spraying multicolored bits of glass everywhere.

  She released her seat belt, dropped to the floor and began searching beneath the seats, certain he must have placed at least one of the guns there when they’d fled the remains of his home.

  Bracing a hand on his thigh, she groped between his booted feet. Her head dipped very close to his knee, a distraction she didn’t need. Looking up at the fierce expression on Dalton’s face made her catch her breath. Her fingers finally came in contact with a weapon and curled around it as renewed anger coursed through her veins. She wasn’t a fabulous shot, but could certainly fire a few rounds toward the car pursuing them.

  One of Dalton’s hands pressed her toward the floorboards. “I’m not telling you again to stay down!”

  “Stop bossing me around.” She shoved him away and got to her knees in her seat.

  “Can we outrun him?” she asked, after removing the cartridge and checking the remaining bullets.

  “Maybe.”

  Kira braced herself and eyed the vehicle behind them above the headrest. She’d shoot only if it got close enough for her to have a snowball’s chance in hell of hitting it with the few remaining bullets. The road curved and then straightened again.

  The gap between the cars grew. Dalton was doing his part to distance them from the other vehicle, when it suddenly cut the space in half.

  “Crap, crap, crap.” She had to shoot, no way around it. She gripped the gun with both hands, balanced it on the headrest and aimed for a headlight. She fired two quick shots before Dalton swerved, bouncing her against the door. The gun dropped to the floor in the backseat.

  “You could have warned me to hang on.”

  “We almost had a deer on the dash.”

  The Caddy surged forward again and Kira dropped her butt onto the seat.

  “I need you to take over the wheel. Trade places with me,” Dalton said. “I can’t drive and shoot.”

  “What?” She watched as the space between him and the steering wheel grew. “Are you sure about this?”

  “Slide your foot over to the gas pedal and get your hands on the wheel.” It wasn’t as easy as it sounded, but eventually they traded places. Dalton leaned across the seat, picked up his gun and fired. “Stay in the middle of the road.”

  There were several more shots and Kira worked at keeping the car steady and the speedometer near eighty. She’d never driven so recklessly, and the feeling in her gut was anything but excitement.

  In the mirror, she saw the exact moment one of Dalton’s shots connected with a tire. The other car kicked up gravel onto the shoulder, before heading into the opposite ditch and skirting the fence line.

  Sparks flew as the barbed wire caught the undercarriage, slowing the vehicle’s progression before it flipped onto its top and skidded to a halt. Kira stopped in the middle of the highway. Dalton threw open his door, shaking off a sprinkling of glass.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, scanning the roadway and keeping the gun pointed toward the wrecked car.

  She nodded, glancing from him to the bullet lodged in the dash. The highway behind them was dark and quiet, except for a tire spinning on the wrecked vehicle. He yanked the phone from his pocket and dropped it. After giving it two good stomps, he hurried to the driver’s side and motioned for Kira to move.

  “Do you think he’s okay?” she asked. “I know I shouldn’t care, but...”

  Dalton scoffed and threw the car into gear. “For your sake, I hope he’s dead.”

  * * *

  Dalton would admit that Kira had done a good job. They were both alive because she’d followed most of his instructions. She was also a damn good kisser, which was disconcerting, because he’d just been trying to teach her a lesson and it had backfired, big-time.

  Her bravery under fire could not influence how he handled the situation. As the wind whistled through the rear window, he hoped the man in the ditch was dead.

  What was he thinking? Was he actually relieved at taking another life? This was pure insanity. “The cell could have been tracked to find us. That’s not cheap or easy to do. Just who is after you?”

  Kira had been noticeably quiet, staring straight ahead with her chin propped against her knees, her feet in those ridiculous purple socks and orange shoes planted firmly on the dashboard. He’d expected her to have plenty to say after the latest pursuer failed to kill them.

  “There is no us.” She turned her head to look at him. “Where are you taking me? And why didn’t you tell me about the coffee thing?”

  “Don’t you think the guy back there may be a little higher priority? Plus, we need another car.”

  “A businessman like yourself should be able to multitask.”

  “Fine, I sell coffee.”

  “Not hunting supplies?”

  He knew she wouldn’t let it drop. “No.”

  “And the reason yo
u couldn’t tell me this was?” She snapped her fingers. “Oh, because your family has lots of money and I fit the money-hungry bitch profile, right?”

  “So what if you’re right? I did think you were after something else. Happy now?”

  “Thrilled.” She yanked the tote bag onto her lap with a thud. It easily weighed ten pounds and the contents cost one hundred and seventy-three dollars. She dug through the purchases—which hopefully didn’t include any pepper spray or knives.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Finding some good drugs.” Her hands were shaking so badly that it took several minutes for her to break all the safety seals. She downed four tablets before offering him the bottle.

  “No, thanks.”

  “It figures,” she mumbled, replacing the cap and dropping it in her bag.

  “What figures?” He had no intention of rising to the bait or setting her off again—it sort of happened enough on its own.

  “You refusing a couple of aspirin while pumping your body full of caffeine.”

  He ground his molars together and tried ignoring her clucking tongue as she searched for something else in her bag. Before long she started munching on a sleeve of chocolate mini doughnuts. The same ones he’d insisted he wasn’t buying.

  “Did you read the label on those things? They’re full of crap.” He reached for the package and she smacked his hand.

  “No, you may not have one.” She grabbed a shiny object off the floor and tossed it in his lap. “Eat a tasty soy granola bar.”

  “I’m not hungry.” A suitable answer if his stomach hadn’t gurgled before the words left his mouth.

  She snorted and munched on another doughnut. “Yeah, I can tell.”

  A soy granola bar wasn’t gonna do the trick. Not when he’d rather lick the chocolate off her sweet lips than be on the receiving end of her sharp tongue. His mouth went dry thinking of their kiss at the convenience store. Of the moment he’d caught her tugging the sweatshirt over her head, giving an eyeful of curves to the besotted teenager. She may have thought the kid was impressed by his presence, but Dalton knew better. He’d been that kid...a lifetime ago.

  Gripping the steering wheel tighter, he tried clearing his mind of all thoughts, but she was there. Kira and her bag brimming with unnecessary items. “Why were you stocking up on anything you could fit in your bag?”

  “I did exactly what you told me. I even chose a reusable tote bag that donates the proceeds to help bring clean water to underdeveloped countries.”

  So what if she was environmentally conscious? He donated to plenty of charities and he couldn’t allow her to divert another conversation. “I told you to get what you needed. You were clearly abusing the privilege.”

  “Coming from the man who lied about his occupation and all the freebies in his trunk?”

  “I never intended to lie. But you wouldn’t be the first person to pounce when they smelled money in the air.” Money she could inherit. If she was Josh’s legal wife, or now widow, she’d get 10 percent of Buckshot’s and a seat on the board. And since Josh wasn’t alive to defend himself, Dalton needed to prevent her from taking advantage of the situation.

  “That makes it okay, then? Because you didn’t intend to lie, it just happened?”

  “Says the poster girl for honesty? Have you been telling me the truth about anything?”

  She dug the last doughnut from the package and threw it in her mouth before crinkling the wrapper and shoving it into her eco-friendly bag. Definitely stalling. Her actions made his lips twitch in response. He could feel the softness of her mouth beneath his, taste the chocolate scenting the air.

  Where were his cigarettes? He patted his coat pockets in annoyance until locating the package and ripping it open with his teeth. He’d known the moment he’d planted his lips on hers he would need a distraction to keep from returning for more. And since he’d quit smoking the month before, it seemed like a reasonable crutch.

  “You’re not going to smoke in here, are you?” She wrinkled her nose.

  He flipped open the ashtray and waited for the lighter to heat up. “Yes, I am.”

  “So you’re addicted to caffeine and nicotine?”

  “I’m not addicted to anything.” The lighter popped and he quickly lit the cigarette before Kira could come up with another protest. The first shaky drag was even sweeter than he remembered, the smoke drifting down his throat and into his lungs. He held it for a moment and then slowly exhaled and lowered his window a crack.

  “Thanks for the toxic cloud,” she said and waved a hand in front of her face. “Smoking causes lung cancer, raises your blood pressure and shortens your life span.” The missing rear window allowed air to rush inside and forced the scent in every direction. “Plus, insurance rates are nearly double for smokers versus nonsmokers.”

  “I’ve sacrificed a lot for you today. My house and car are ruined. Not to mention there’s been a target on my back since you arrived.” He pressed his lips to the cigarette and inhaled again. “Any chance you could suffer in silence?”

  “Suit yourself.” She sighed—a long-suffering, very loud sigh. “Why people do things they know are bad for them, I’ll never understand.”

  The break in conversation led to more searching through the tote, more window adjustments on her side of the car and more mumbling. He’d never been around someone with such a mix of irritating and appealing behaviors. He crushed his cigarette in the ashtray.

  “I think it’s time to involve the police, don’t you?”

  “No.” Her fingers tugged at the T-shirt she wore, making silent adjustments.

  “No? Haven’t you noticed how everyone wants to kill you?” Her lack of cooperation was more than annoying.

  “I don’t have enough proof yet.” She was obviously stalling and no doubt withholding something important.

  “Tell me about the proof you do have.” This was her last chance to come clean with everything she knew.

  “It’s not that simple.”

  “Sure it is. Start with what you’re hiding in your bra.”

  Chapter 6

  Oh, crap. Kira shifted closer to the door and, hopefully, out of his reach. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The denial was spoken before she could give it a second thought.

  “I’m not playing games, Blondie.” His hand tunneled under her shirt and quickly grazed her breast. “What is this?”

  Kira was so shocked that she forgot having his hand under her shirt was a bad thing. Momentarily forgot. “Stop. Get your hands off me.” His fingers swiftly slid beneath the underwire bra holding all her secrets and found the flash drive.

  “This is the proof you’ve been harping about and you weren’t going to show it to me.” He grasped the tiny gadget and pulled the car off the highway.

  “Give that back to me!” She leaned over the console separating them and used both of her hands to try to open his fist. “I won’t let you take it.”

  The car slowed to a stop behind a grove of trees and he put it in Park. “You won’t let me? In case you haven’t noticed, there’s been a shift in power.” He pressed her back in her seat. “Lesson number one, Blondie. Tell the truth. If you had, none of this would’ve been necessary.”

  Kira’s heart raced as air sawed in and out of her lungs. She couldn’t let him keep the flash drive. “Looks like you’ve borrowed a play from your brother’s book.” This was not the time to release any more ugly truths about her marriage. About her struggles to survive as a teenager without an ally. About her struggles to survive life, period.

  “Enough of your cryptic comments about Josh. He was my brother and family takes care of—” Dalton stopped suddenly, the anger in his eyes replaced with compassion.

  She didn’t want his sympathy. She didn’t want the pain weighing
down her heart. But most of all, she didn’t want to remember Josh and his betrayal. Her throat clogged with tears and she needed to lash out at someone. “Finish your sentence, Dalton. Family takes care of...family.”

  He made a point of turning the ignition off, probably to avoid looking at her.

  “Aren’t you going to tell me what you really think of me? Bet you’ve got a hundred words floating around in your head, so go ahead, spit them out so the world will know how loyal you are to your sainted brother and your family.” It was more than bitterness; it was the knowledge that she had nothing left to lose.

  “Tell me what’s on here.” He kept his fist tightly closed, not offering any glimpse of the prize he held.

  “How did you know?” Kira pointed to his hand.

  “I felt something when I helped you change shirts at the cemetery.” His voice dipped to something more intimate and her skin warmed at the thought of his hands on her again.

  “When you got so angry at the store, I needed to make sure you hadn’t moved it somewhere else.” The logic of his actions didn’t mesh with the thorough way he’d kissed her.

  Heat suffused her cheeks. He’d used the kiss as a way to distract her. And he’d prolonged the activity, kept her wrapped in his arms, only because he didn’t have a choice.

  “Doesn’t matter. I’m the only one who can decrypt it. Without me, it’s worthless.” She took a small measure of pride in seeing him frustrated. He was a fixer. One of those guys who was used to solving problems.

  “You’re lying.” He stared at the two-inch rectangular gadget and then at her. “I can count on one hand the number of things you’ve been truthful about. Bet I could find out all your secrets in less than five minutes.”

  “I doubt you care quite that much.”

  “You’d be wrong.” He transferred the flash drive to his other hand and reached for the tote bag. The wind shook the car in a satisfying way that made her think Mother Nature was on her side. Now what?

  She watched him pull the phone and the charger from the bag and toss them in her lap. “Open those for me.”