“I need to get you to a hospital.”
She shook her head. “They’ll find me. They’ll find us. Let’s just leave, Corporal. Let the feds finish this up. You’re not even supposed to be working this case. I’m a witness to the attempted murders of three cops, of the murder of Detective Brothers, and now the rape and murder of Vaile. They will hunt me down and kill me. I’m as good as dead. Going to a hospital is not an option and you know it. We can’t trust anyone. I’m going to die.” She sobbed.
He reached out and caressed her cheek, noticing the bruises on her other cheek, and felt sick. He’d failed her. In the last several weeks, his attraction to her had grown stronger, making him wish he wasn’t caught in the middle of such a dangerous situation, but he was, and so was Berlin.
“You’re not a cop, an agent, or a detective. You’re a social worker,” he reprimanded and stood up to grab the first aid kit, placing his gun down on the table next to her.
As he rummaged through the closet and pulled out the box, he heard the door burst open and Berlin scream.
Corporal went to draw his weapon, then realized he’d left it on the table. As he processed this, the guy fired his gun, shooting him in the shoulder. Then he heard a second and third shot. Blinking his eyes open, he saw a body on the ground, then Berlin holding a gun with shaking hands.
“Terrance shot you. Oh shit, that’s Dominic’s main guy. Oh God. I just shot Terrance.” She lowered the gun and hurried to Corporal. Falling to her knees, she dropped the gun on the floor and reached for him, but then her eyes landed on his wound.
He covered it with his hand and grabbed her hand, squeezing it.
“You saved my life. Give me the gun,” he said.
She went to hand it to him, then her eyes widened. “He shot you. You need a hospital.”
“It’s not that bad. We can’t. We need to get the hell out of here. Grab the other gun and the ammo from the closet, and also that briefcase.”
He stood up, grabbed a dishtowel, and pressed it against the wound. The pain was excruciating, but he had to get Berlin to safety first. “Grab that bag, everything you’ll need is in there.”
“Everything I need? What about you?” she asked him.
“No one knew I was here but you, Vail, and Scuba’s partner, Cherokee. We can’t trust anyone. Dominic has people paid off and working for him, maybe even Scuba.”
“No, that can’t be right. It has to be his partner, Cherokee.”
“Whomever it was, they gave you my location. If Dominic can find me, then he can find you. We need to separate and I need to get you out of this situation once and for all.”
“Separate?” she asked and looked at him in shock. Her bold blue eyes looked even more incredible close up. He reached his one hand out and squeezed her shoulder. “Trust me to protect you and get you out of this once and for all? I swear, Berlin, you never should have gotten in the middle of this shit.”
“I made the decision. I was trying to help Vaile and her family. She lied to me. I realize that now.”
He squinted at her. “What are you talking about?”
“She said they had her brother. That her brother Keith needed her help. It was a lie, Corporal. Keith is dead. He’s been dead for months. Vaile sold out her family, you, and me. She told me her brother was at that warehouse, that we needed to get to him. But it was a setup. They wanted me, to make me their whore. But Vaile ripped them off, and before they could force me into submission, their buddies raped Vaile and then killed her. Banks came after me. All lies to get me to go there, only for her to sell me out.”
“You’re done with this. I need you to remember everything I taught you. Come on. We’ll discuss what’s happening next on the way.”
“You can’t drive like that.”
“I’m fine. I’ve had worse. Besides, I’m so pissed off right now I need some sort of control here, and to know that you’re safe, Berlin,” he said to her, then reached out and stroked her jaw. She was a gorgeous woman. Ten years younger than him. If he wasn’t so fucked up and dead set on killing these men who had killed Kane, then maybe he’d have the nerve to act out his desires and make a move. That thought reminded him that she was too good for the likes of him, but he cared about her so much. He would give his life for her. The only safe place for her to head came to mind instantly. They would protect Berlin like he would.
They exited the house after packing up the truck with guns and some supplies, then drove into the night. He was glad when he saw no other headlights and no sign of them being followed.
“Okay, here’s the plan…” he started to explain.
* * * *
Berlin was shaking. She was hungry, tired, and scared. “North Carolina? What? Why? Who is there? I just killed a man.”
“You killed a criminal in self-defense before he killed me and raped and killed you. I’ll take care of that, too.”
“How can you if you don’t know who double-crossed you and gave up your location?”
“It wasn’t Scuba. I’ve been thinking about this, about who was present during the investigation, and it has to be Cherokee. Scuba and I went through too much together over the years, and he had family connected to Kane. Besides, there’s someone else I trust with my life. I should have called him from the start.”
“Who is he and why didn’t you?”
“We’ve been…out of touch for a while. Just trust me that this will work out for you in North Carolina. I’ll handle Dominic and his crew of shit.”
“What if they find me? Track me down, or worse, something happens to you, Corporal?” she asked and reached out and placed her hand on his thigh. She’d felt attracted to him from the start. It’d been almost a year since she’d known him—a detective who locked up thugs on a daily basis. Their paths crossed several times but they were both workaholics and he was out for revenge against the men who killed his partner, Kane. She respected that, but it was also what had gotten her smack in the middle of heavy shit.
He covered her hand a moment but needed it to drive the truck.
“Nothing is going to happen to me. You and I have been through some heavy crap, Berlin. Maybe when this is all done, and if you forgive me for getting you caught in the middle, we can see—”
He stopped talking and grit his teeth.
“See what?” she asked.
“Nothing. I’ll get you to safety. You need to always remember to trust no one, and to always fight for your life and your freedom.”
Chapter One
Drover Cole was stacking wood outside of the house. It was cool out, the fall temperatures moving in fast up here in the mountains of North Carolina. He loved this weather, and looked forward to hunting season, camping out in the woods, hiking, and keeping up with his many other physical activities. Retiring somewhat from the military wasn’t too bad. It hadn’t been his choice, so that made him feel a little bit like a failure, but he was getting past those emotions. He had a nice job that he could do freelance on the computer, and when the weather and wind got choppy, he headed down the mountain and used one of the computers at Thelma’s Inn.
He raised his arms up and slammed the axe back down onto the wood, splitting it. He lifted the piece, placed it on the stump, and made the same move again. This was some hell of a workout and he loved it. Drover inhaled, enjoying the smell of chopped wood, the feel of the cool air against his heated skin, and the silence of the woods. It was peaceful, but mostly it was easy to know when someone was coming, or trouble was on the way.
He rested a moment. The activity gave him a decent workout but the gym and dojo they built inside the barn across the way was where he really got his training in.
He wondered if Damon was up. His brother refused to live in the house with him and their brother Grady. Damon was embarrassed about his outbursts, his nightmares, and continued suffering with PTSD. He remained secluded no matter how hard they tried to get him to move into the house with them. There was plenty of room in the six-bedroom hou
se, but Damon slept in the barn, in a makeshift bedroom in an old office. He came over for dinner, to shower, and wash his laundry. That was about it, and Damon always washed his laundry and showered when he or Grady weren’t around so he could avoid conversing with them. Damon knew they would push for him to move into the house. They were brothers, they supported and loved one another and they each had their problems and anxieties after the war.
When he finished up and stacked the wood in the holder right outside of the front door, he grabbed his shirt and headed inside. It was quiet still. His brother Grady wasn’t back from his run. He heard his cell phone ringing and went to grab it off the kitchen counter. He looked at the number and felt his chest tighten.
What the hell? He answered it. “Hello?”
“Drover?”
Drover swallowed hard, shocked that Corporal was calling him.
“Yeah.”
He heard him exhale over the phone.
“I’m in a jam. Need a favor.”
“And you call me?”
“Cuz, I know it’s been a long time, but this is serious. I already spoke with Thelma.”
Drover squinted his eyes and licked his lower lip. If his cousin Corporal spoke with Thelma, then it had to be bad. Thelma was their aunt, Corporal’s mom’s sister.
“I don’t have time to apologize for keeping away and not staying in contact with you guys. I’m involved with something deep.”
“Something deep, huh?” he asked with attitude.
“I figured out who killed Kane.”
Drover’s eyes widened. “Fuck.”
“Yeah, it’s really bad and I involved someone I care about, so I’m sending her your way. I’d bring her there myself but I’m trying not to lead them to her, if you get my drift.”
“How serious is this and is it going to land me and the others in jail, or bring around any cops?”
“Like you’d worry about that? If any cops come snooping, then you need to throw off their scent. They may not be legit and until Scuba and I get things figured out, she needs to be protected and kept safe.”
“A woman? Jesus, what is it, some chick you’re fucking?”
“No, but I care about her a lot and all you need to know is that she saved my life, more than once. You don’t need to babysit her. She’s self-sufficient. Thelma will set her up in one of the cabins not too far from yours.”
“Does she know who we are? Do I make contact with her?”
“She knows that I’m sending her up there around people I feel can protect her. Whether she chooses to socialize with anyone is up to her. She’s scared. She’s injured, and she won’t trust anyone, but she has a big heart.”
“Injured? How badly?”
“She needs some patching up. I did what I could. She has to make sure she watches for infection. Listen, I’m sorry I’ve been a dick.”
Drover sighed. “It’s been fucking years, man. No calls, nothing.”
“I was dealing with things my own way.”
“We were here for you when we got back from serving, then you’re gone.”
“I don’t know what to say, but I trust you guys. That hasn’t changed, and I hate to even involve you in this, but as long as she is safe and out of the picture around here, I can hopefully get her out entirely.”
“It sounds complicated. Are people after her?”
“Yes.”
“Fuck.”
“I can’t get into any details. I put her on a bus and she should be there by tomorrow. She has Thelma’s number to call from a payphone. Take care of her for me, and when this is done I’ll come get her.”
Drover sighed and finished up the conversation with his cousin. He hung up the phone and gripped the counter.
“What the fuck was that all about?” Grady asked, standing in the doorway with his arms crossed in front of his chest. He was a big man, too, about six-foot-four, two-hundred-and-eighty-five pounds of muscle and bulk, and always had a serious expression on his face.
“Corporal,” Drover told him. Grady’s eyes widened. “I know. I never expected to get a call from him.”
“It must be something bad. Is he okay?” Grady asked, sounding hesitant. He knew his brother had sore feelings about their cousin, too. Things went awry quickly after their relationship with Mel. That woman destroyed all of them and they weren’t exactly in great condition mentally at the time as it was.
“No, he isn’t. He’s in the middle of a shitty situation and is sending someone this way for us to protect,” Drover told him. He then explained the situation and about the woman coming by tomorrow.
“Who the hell is she? What is her part in this?”
“Don’t know, but he said she saved his life. She’s injured, so your medical expertise will come in handy.”
“A woman? What else do you know?”
“No other specifics. Thelma is going to set her up at a cottage nearby.”
“How nearby?”
“I don’t know, Grady. I would assume close enough for us to keep an eye on her, but not too close. I should go tell Damon so he doesn’t accidentally take the woman out if she gets too close to the property.”
“Shit, he’s going to be pissed.”
“I’m feeling a bit pissed myself, Grady. We don’t fucking hear from Corporal for five years, and then out of the blue he hits us with this?”
“He ran away from his troubles and dealt with them in his own way. We can’t fault him for that. We’ve been dealing with things in our own way, too.”
“Drover, we still stuck together. He took off.”
“Mel was important to him. To all of us, but she wasn’t honest or faithful, and we were in a bad state at the time, too,” Grady said.
“I’m not making excuses for how the situation went down, but she was the one who cheated on us. On all of us. Corporal took it the hardest,” Drover added.
“Then he takes off, takes the job in New York working in the police department, and moves on with his life. He didn’t even check in, and now we’re helping him,” Grady stated.
“Because blood is thicker than water. We’re family, and not even time can change that,” Drover told him and Grady exhaled.
“Damon is going to flip out.”
Chapter Two
Berlin pulled her sweater tighter and kept her sunglasses on. It pretty much hid the bruised cheekbone. She lifted the heavy suitcase that contained all new clothes since she couldn’t even go back to her apartment. She felt emotional about that. She didn’t make a lot of money being a social worker, but she was on her own, renting her apartment and trying to help as many people as she could. She thought about Vaile for the dozenth time. She tried not to think about where her body was or about Detective Brothers. She worried about Corporal and the gunshot wound to his shoulder. He said it wasn’t terrible, but his coloring was poor, he was sweating a lot, and looked about ready to pass out when he left her at the bus station.
She swallowed hard and her heart ached. Especially thinking about how he’d kissed her. She hadn’t expected that, or to feel such an attraction and an almost desperate need to stay with him despite the danger. Was she in love with Corporal? He was a lot older, had been a good friend, and they might have even dated if they both weren’t obsessed with their workloads. Would she ever see Corporal again? Who were these people he trusted in North Carolina? He said “trust no one,” yet when he spoke of these men, he sounded like they were very close, like he trusted them with his life and hers. Were they men he knew from when he served in the military? Were they men he was in the police academy with, or men he worked with on past cases over the years? She didn’t know and he’d been vague. That was Corporal though. He never gave up much information, yet here she was, wishing he was right here beside her, holding her hand, and maybe even kissing her again.
Her cheeks warmed at the thought, and her heart ached at his absence from her life. Would she ever see him again? Tears burned her eyes.
She put the suitcase do
wn and rolled it along with her, looking around for someone who wore a khaki fisherman’s hat. That was how Corporal described his friend Thelma. As she scanned the crowd of people, she noticed three younger guys standing there staring at her. One nudged the guy in the middle and her defenses went on alert. She was still in a lot of pain in her side and ribs. She hadn’t let on how bad she felt to Corporal. Her knee was a mess, too, but he had been shot. That was worse. As she headed toward the exit, one of the guys stopped her.
“Hey, honey, no one here to pick you up? We can give you a ride anywhere,” he said. He was a tall, good-looking guy, and so were his friends.
“I’m good. Thanks.” She tried to keep walking when the third guy stopped her.
“It’s not a big deal. A pretty young thing like you shouldn’t be all alone.”
“She isn’t alone, Curran. She’s with me.”
Berlin turned to the right and saw an older woman with a khaki fisherman’s hat and a firm expression on her face.
“Thelma. She’s with you. Vacationer?” Curran pushed and gave Berlin a wink.
“Family, and she’s taken, so you boys go on and take a hike.”
The three men eyed Berlin over and smiled.
“Hope to see you around, sweetie.” They headed away and Berlin looked at Thelma.
“Damn, you are a knockout. Corporal wasn’t kidding. You’ll need more protection than I thought. Interesting. Oh, I’m Thelma, Corporal’s aunt. You’re Berlin, right?” she asked.
“Aunt? Corporal didn’t say you were his aunt.”
“I bet he didn’t say much of anything, but that’s Corporal. He’s a good man and trustworthy, too, so if he asks for a favor, he’s good on it and he needs it. How was your trip?”
“Long.”
“I bet it was. Well, come on. It will take about an hour to get to the camp.”
Berlin followed Thelma along the path, then heard some cheering and as she looked to that guy Curran and his buddies greeting a couple of other guys. Curran locked gazes with her and winked. She quickly looked away.
In the Line of Fire [Love on the Rocks 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 2
