by Desiree Holt
Sadie was an internationally famous movie star. When she and Hank married, she’d cut way back on her acting. Since their daughter, Emma, was born, her appearances were almost nonexistent. But there was still a huge amount of interest in her. Zoe had met her when she interviewed the movie queen for a feature article, and they had become friends. Really good friends.
Zoe realized she’d made a mistake blocking all her messages and calls while she was working and researching the past three days. Except that wasn’t the real problem. She had been so distracted by Sean Sex-on-a-stick that she’d forgotten to turn everything back on, a no-no for a reporter or writer.
Damn!
“I’m so sorry, Hank. My dumb fault. I have this stupid habit of blocking everything when I’m deep into something. I was so wrapped up in what I was doing I forgot to turn everything back on. But you can see, I’m fine. I’ll call Sadie and reassure her.”
He shook his head. “Not a good idea staying out of touch, Zoe. Not with crap like that. And especially for a crime reporter. Tell me about the car? What are you into? What’s this book about you’re working on?”
“It’s…” She shrugged. If she told him, he’d really want to get all up in her business.
“We’ll talk in just a minute and that’s for damn sure. First, let me come in and get some paper towels I’ll clean it off for you.” He frowned as she still didn’t move. “What’s going on? Is there something in there you don’t want me to see?”
Yes, she should let him see it but then he’d really want to lock her away until he found out whoever did this, and she just didn’t have the time. She tried to block his way but Hank Paterson was too tall and broad-shouldered. And strong. He placed his hands on her upper arms, lifted her, and set her aside as if she weighed nothing. Then he strode into the living room…and stopped short at what he saw.
“Holy shit, Zoe. I mean, really. Holy shit. The car and this? Sadie has good reason to be worried.”
With a strong effort, she pulled herself together or Hank and Sadie might lock her away in a closet.
“These are just someone’s idea of a prank,” she protested.
“A prank? Are you kidding me? Zoe, someone broke into your apartment.” He pinned her with a look. “You have to report this to the police.”
“No.” She shook her head. “No police.” Because it still was possible they’d been involved in the cover-up of Justine’s death.
“Zoe.” Hank stood there, glaring at her. “Okay. When did you find this?”
“Right before you got here,” she told him. “I just got back from Helena.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “This morning? How long were you there? Did you spend the night?”
Yes, and had the hottest sex ever, but I’m not telling you that.
She nodded. “As a matter of fact, I’ve been there the past few days. Three, to be exact. I would have come back last night, but it was raining.”
“And you stayed where?” His face wore a stern expression. She felt like a teenager being grilled by her father.
“At a motel.” And he didn’t need to know the name, she told herself. “What is this, the third degree?”
He sighed, his frustration obvious.
“You may not believe this, but Sadie and I worry about you. A lot. You follow these stories and put yourself in danger.”
“And I’m still alive and talking about it,” she pointed out.
“Wait.” He snapped his fingers. “You started that book about Justine, right? That’s what you’ve been doing in Helena.”
“Yes. And being very careful.”
“Obviously not careful enough.” Hank shook his head. “I don’t suppose you’re going to report this. Right? Even if I try to insist?”
“What for? The local police washed their hands of the case a long time ago. Besides, you know I’ve gotten warnings like this before, and they never turn into anything.”
”Until now.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw, and she could see him running things around in his brain.
“I was going to call Warren Craig,” she told him, “but I don’t know what that would accomplish. I had coffee with him while I was in Helena, and he’s really committed to the theory that she was the victim of someone she’d been dating who went nuts. Someone unknown to anyone, by the way.”
Hank frowned. “Was Justine that secretive about her love life?”
“Not really. I guess.” Zoe shook her head. “I mean, she was quiet about it. Never really discussed who she was dating.” She nibbled her bottom lip. “When we were planning our little get-together she sounded kind of evasive when I asked what she had on her plate.”
Hank frowned. “Was she always like that?”
“More or less. She seldom discussed her work with me. Told me so much of it was confidential. That’s why I didn’t think anything of it at the time. But ever since I’ve had the feeling something was going on with one of the cases at her office. That she might have found out something she shouldn’t. Anyway, I can’t let this go, Hank. I just can’t.”
Hank let out a sigh and put his hands on her shoulders, turning her so she faced him directly. “Do me one favor, okay?”
“What? Lock myself in the closet?”
Hank chuckled. “Fat chance of that. No, come with me to see Sadie. Let her get a look at you for herself and see you’re still walking around.”
Zoe sighed. She figured it was the least she could do, although she really itched to hide away from everyone, dig into her notes, and see if she could find any hint of who had done this. But Sadie was a very good friend. Maybe her best friend. She could spare a few minutes to ease the woman’s mind.
“Okay. Sure. I’m happy to.”
“In fact, why don’t you just bring along that suitcase on the floor and spend a couple of days. If you have your laptop, you can work anywhere, right? Come on, Zoe. You guys haven’t shared more than a phone call in weeks. I’ll have someone clean up this mess here, so when you get home there won’t be any reminder of it.”
“Oh, Hank.” She bit her lip. “I have notes to go over and organize and people to see, and…”
He held up a hand. “And you can do all of that at our house. On our nice big porch with a glass of wine. We’ll discuss where we go from here. After lunch.”
She stared at him. “Exactly what does that mean?”
“It means we’re going to figure out how to keep you safe, and you won’t give me a hard time about it. My wife will cut off my balls if I let anything happen to you.
Zoe swallowed a smile. Still, truth to tell, the whole situation did make her uneasy. Maybe if she went off the grid for a couple of days, whoever this was would think she was onto something else and leave her alone. And being with Sadie always grounded her.
“No way I’m leaving you here alone,” he insisted. “Not when some maniac is after you. Please don’t argue.”
“Okay. Maybe that’s a good idea. But I’ll follow you in my car.”
He shook his head. “I’ll have someone get rid of this mess here and give your car a good going over, too. Plus, I want to have them test for fingerprints in both places. Maybe this idiot wasn’t smart enough to wear gloves. Then they’ll park it in the back out of the complex.”
“Leave my car?”
“If you have to go anywhere, someone will take you?”
Her eyebrows flew up. “Someone?”
“Yes. The person I’m assigning to watch your ass, and I don’t want any lip over this.”
Zoe finally decided it was easier to give in than to argue, at least for the moment. Also, it would be nice to have this all gone when she got back and her car nice and shiny, too.
“Okay, okay, okay.” She sighed. “Give me a chance to switch out the stuff in my suitcase, and I’ll be ready.”
“Good.” He grinned. “Sadie will be ecstatic. Go ahead and get ready while I give her a call.”
Zoe dragged her luggage into the bedroom and went t
hrough the process of dumping dirty clothes, filling it with clean ones, and checking all her other things. Took the quickest shower she’d had in a long time, brushed her hair, and pulled on jeans and a T-shirt. She twisted her hair into a neater ponytail, swiped on some lip gloss, and she was ready.
Hank was disconnecting his call when she walked back into the living room.
“Sadie is thrilled to death, like I knew she would be. Now, give me your keys. I’ve made arrangements”
“My keys? Arrangements?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “My cousin will be here soon.”
“Your cousin?” She knew she sounded like a parrot, but what the hell?
Hank nodded. “He was already on his way to Eagle Rock, driving up from New Mexico. Former SEAL, just out of the service. Looking for a place to find himself again. I’m hoping to coax him into Brotherhood Protectors.”
“So you hired him to be my keeper? Before you even knew about this stuff?”
“No, damn it.” Hank huffed his frustration. “I just called him now to see how close he was. Haven’t heard from him in a few days. Luckily, he’d been in Helena. Left there this morning. And now that I see what’s going on, you really do need a keeper, and he’s perfect for the job.”
“How so?”
“He’s at loose ends. Recently got a medical discharge from the SEALs and can’t figure out what to do with himself. Still pissed off that he’s a civilian through no choice of his own. I’m trying to convince him to join Brotherhood Protectors. That’s why I asked him to come to Eagle Rock. I think it would help him give structure to his life and a new purpose. I figured if I got him out here, I’d have a better shot at it.”
“What’s he been doing?” She was curious about the man Hank was willing to give her keys to. She wondered what injuries brought on the medical discharge. For a moment her thoughts flew back to Sean and the multiple scars on his body. Were they from his last mission as a SEAL? No wonder he carried an air of bitterness.
“Nothing. That’s the problem. The military was his home and his life for a long time, like everyone in Protectors, and he can’t seem to find his footing. I called him after I talked to Sadie. He was already on his way to Eagle Rock and he has to pass right by here. In fact he was right at the exit on I-90. I had him put your address in his GPS. He should be here shortly. I just had one stop I wanted him to make first.”
“Oh.” She gave a ladylike snort. “Hmm. So I’m supposed to be the guinea pig? The test case to see if he passes?”
“Zoe. I would not trust your safety to just anyone. Plus, it has to be someone with balls, if you don’t mind my saying so. Someone you can’t push around. The first thing I’m having him do is clean up all this shit. Now, give me your keys.”
Zoe wasn’t sure how happy she was about some stranger poking around in her apartment. But he was Hank’s cousin, so he was trustworthy, right?
“Fine.” She handed her keys to Hank, biting back any other response. “I’m going to fill my travel mug with coffee before we leave. Want some?”
Hank shook his head. “No, I’m good. You go on and fix what you want.”
Her mind was a mess of thoughts as she rinsed her mug, fixed her coffee from the single server, and even grabbed a bagel since she hadn’t eaten yet today. She tried to focus on the information she’d gathered over the past three days, but images of Sean and last night kept flashing through her mind. And that made every pulse in her body, especially the one between her thighs, ramp up like bass drums, and her nipples harden into tight peaks. Great. Just what she needed.
At a faint rap on her front door and Hank’s voice greeting his cousin, she grabbed her mug and headed back into the living room. And nearly dropped her coffee. Standing in the room was the man she’d singed the bedsheets with the night before. The man she’d had a drink with, a sexy dance, and the best sex of her life.
Holy shit!
They stared at each other for a long moment. She wasn’t sure which of them was the most surprised. Or shocked. She knew she should move, but her feet seemed rooted to the floor. She couldn’t stop herself from staring at the man. In an instant she was back in that bed, naked and writing beneath him. And the heat between them was so strong she wondered Hank didn’t see it. Holy hell! This was so not good.
Hank, somehow, seemed unaware of the vibes in the room, turning to her with his mouth curved in a smile.
“Zoe, this is my cousin, Sean Patterson. Sean, meet Zoe Young. She’s a very close friend of Sadie’s, so treat her well.” When they just gaped at each other, he frowned. “Sean? Something wrong? Zoe?”
One of us has to say something or Hank will start asking questions. But all I can think of right this second is the feel of his cock inside me and an orgasm that made my whole body explode. Come on, Zoe. Get it together.
Zoe did her best to shake off the feeling of shock and walked up to the man whose bed she’d left barelya few hours ago.
“Nice to meet you.” She held out her hand. “And thank you for agreeing to take care of this for me.”
That seemed to snap him out of his trance.
“No problem.” He held her hand possibly a moment too long, eyes searching hers, before looking down at the mess on the floor. “Someone sure must have it in for you.”
“And we’re going to find out who,” Hank told him. “No objecting on your part either, Zoe. Sadie would kill me if I left this alone. Sean—oh, wait. Should I be using Bear? Your call sign?”
Sean shook his head. “I left the Bear in Afghanistan. Sean works fine.”
Zoe couldn’t mistake the edge of bitterness in his voice. Afghanistan. Of course. Now the scars she’d seen made sense.
Hank nodded. “No problem. Sean it is. Anyway, when you get finished with everything here, check the car over. And see if you can find prints on anything, like we discussed, especially the car. Park it around the back of the complex. She won’t need it for a few days.” He handed over Zoe’s keys. “Then head on out to the ranch.”
The ranch. So she’d be seeing him again. Today. Great.
She’d already decided that arguing about leaving her car or staying at White Oak Ranch would be fruitless. Not with Hank’s mind made up and arrangements for the car already set in stone. Still, she made one more stab at it.
“Hank…”
Hank held up his hand. “Can’t change your mind now. Besides, if you’ve got anything new, maybe we can brainstorm it and see where to go next.”
Swallowing a sigh, she grabbed her messenger bag and purse.
“Sure. Thanks.”
Hank picked up her suitcase and ushered her out the door.
All she could think was, Holy shit!
Chapter 3
Sean watched his cousin and the woman with him make their way down the stairs from the second-floor apartment, amazed he had been able to put two words together once he’d seen her. All he could think was, Holy fuck!
If only he’d known better when she walked into Red’s. The sex in his life had been mostly with nameless, faceless women, any time he’d had leave. He was married to the SEALs, and all he had room for was good laughs and casual sex. But after last night and this morning, he couldn’t put Zoe Young in either category. The moment she’d walked into Red’s, the parts of him that hadn’t expressed any opinion for months started shouting. His cock had swelled so much he was afraid it would burst the zipper on his fly. Every bit of saliva in his throat dried up so that for a moment his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. It had taken a deep swallow of his drink to handle that.
She was exactly as he remembered from last night. Medium height with an appealingly rounded body that had fit so nicely against his. The jeans she wore cupped her ass the way he wanted to do with his hands. He hardly knew a woman who could look so temptingly hot and sexy with no makeup, plain jeans, and an unadorned T-shirt. The fabric draped against her breasts, making his hands itch to reach out for them and pinch her nipples.
Her shoulder-l
ength hair, brown with streaks of blonde, was pulled back today in a ponytail, accentuating the graceful line of her neck. And no makeup except for some lip gloss, making her mouth even more sexy. He wanted to crush it with his own. Or better yet, have those lips wrapped around his dick. It had taken every bit of his hard-earned discipline as a SEAL to act as if he’d never met her before.
What was that line from Casablanca?
“Of all the gin joints in all the world, she walks into mine.”
Yup. Of all the women Hank could have found for him to help, it had to be the woman who’d nearly burned up his bedsheets with him. Fucking shit. He was in real trouble here. He was glad he’d worn a shirt that covered his fly and a windbreaker so Hank couldn’t see the instant hard on he’d gotten at the sight of her. Just what he needed was his cock busting out of his fly at that particular moment.
How would he handle being glued to her day and night? Images of hot sex popped into his mind, and he had to forcefully delete them. Not so easy to do.
Well, okay, he’d do this for Hank and honor his request for Sean to spend some time checking out Brotherhood Protectors and see if the situation was for him. But he’d stay as far away from Zoe Young as he could. He did not need that kind of complication. The worst part was his contrary dick didn’t want to forget and seemed to remind him every couple of minutes. He didn’t remember the last time a woman had that effect on him, if ever.
Well, he’d better get busy. Maybe cleaning up this shit would keep his mind from drifting back to the hot naked body he’d had off-the-charts sex with less than twenty-four hours ago.
The first thing he did was gather up the horrific disaster from the living room floor and stuff it all into two garbage bags. He’d take them to Hank’s and find a place to burn them. Then he went to work on the car. He’d stopped to get Scotch tape, small envelopes, and a magnifying glass per Hank’s instructions. He doubted whoever did this was stupid enough to leave fingerprints but, after going over every inch on the exterior of the vehicle, he was stunned to actually find a few. Of course, they could be Zoe’s. He’d lift them with the tape, store them individually in the envelopes, and give them to Hank to see if they led anywhere.
