by Tessa Layne
Who in the hell was Kate?
Travis nuzzled Elaine. “So she’s working out well?”
Elaine giggled and swatted Travis’s hand. “Kate’s fantastic. I couldn’t have managed without her while you were gone. I think she’ll fit right in with you lot. She’s been great with the horses.”
Her laughter settled over Cash like a warm blanket, pulling something deep inside him. Travis was damned lucky to find a woman like that. Beautiful. Kind. Elaine had the knack for making everyone feel welcome, even when it was obvious he was intruding, like now. “I’ll take care of the horses,” he offered.
“I put Kate in the trailer next to yours, Cash. But don’t worry, she’s real quiet. You won’t notice her at all.” She flicked a wrist his direction, but only had eyes for Travis. “And it’s the shower and a shave for you, mister. No more kisses until you’ve removed that scruff from your face.”
“Think so?” Travis growled playfully, kissing her face and sending Elaine into a fit of giggles.
Something akin to jealousy poked at Cash’s chest. Not for Elaine. She wasn’t his type. He preferred someone a little leggier. A little less… wholesome. But for the first time since Miranda had Dear Johnny’d him a mere fourteen months after they’d gotten married all those years ago, something close to longing stirred inside of him.
What would it be like to have a woman look at him like that? He’d been devastated by Miranda’s betrayal, and after the divorce he’d thrown himself into work, volunteering for back to back tours, pausing only for equally rigorous R&R, and then diving back into the fray. Cash shook himself. All the fresh air must be having an effect on his mind. People like him never got the girl. He’d let down every single person he loved. Even before joining the Navy. There was no one like Elaine in his future. No special someone for him. With a bitter sigh, he unlocked the trailer and greeted Samson, gently backing him out of the trailer.
“Sterling’s headed into town,” Travis called. “Join us for dinner? You can let Kate take care of the horses.”
He’d settled into eating most of his meals with Sterling, the new foreman and a former Ranger, and he appreciated how Travis and Elaine always made sure he wasn’t alone. But the way their hands were all over each other, it was clear he’d be a third wheel. They needed their privacy. Especially with a baby on the way. He shook his head. “Nah. I want to take care of Samson myself. And you two need your alone time.” He waggled his eyebrows, drawing a laugh from both of them. “Thanks, anyway.”
Travis grew concerned. “You gonna be okay?”
“Yep. I’ll be just fine.” He would be, too. If not tonight, then maybe the next night. Or the night after that. He’d made it through a six-hundred-fifty-mile trek to Santa Fe through open range, and he didn’t die. There were times he even liked it. Felt peaceful, even. He could manage a night alone.
Travis looked dubious. “Door’s always open. Don’t hesitate.”
Cash waved and turned Samson toward the barn. “You two go on. I’ll finish up here.” The hollow feeling returned to his chest as he glanced back at the couple. He’d never pegged Travis for the sappy love-struck type, but even at a distance, he could tell Travis was crazy about his wife. And she him.
“C’mon, pal.” He patted Samson’s neck. “Let’s get you settled.”
The barn door was partially open and Cash parted it the rest of the way, stepping into the dim warmth. The sweet smell of dried clover and hay, laced with an undercurrent of oiled leather and the sharp tang of manure settled into his bones. He cherished the solace and security of the barn. He’d learned every nook and cranny the first week he’d moved to the ranch. And on really bad nights early on, working and sleeping in the barn had been his salvation. While he welcomed the addition of a desperately needed ranch hand, the thought of an interloper in his sanctuary unsettled him.
The scrape of a shovel against the floor drew his attention. Looping Samson’s lead around a post next to the tack room, he slipped down the aisle following the sound. He stopped short at the sight of a luscious heart-shaped ass bent in his direction. Of course, if the interloper looked like that…
Sensations Cash hadn’t felt in ages stuttered to life. Legs for days? Check. Curves? If her ass was any indication, check. He couldn’t care less about hair color, but the sight of the thick long brown braid peeking out from under a felt cowboy hat and hanging down the owner’s shoulders launched his imagination into overdrive. Visions of winding its length around his hand and tugging, exposing a column of creamy skin danced through his head. His pulse went to the races as he watched her fluidly shovel hay into a wheelbarrow. The woman was poetry in motion. She moved with an easy grace that belied the difficulty of the task at hand. He’d shoveled hay for hours. He knew how taxing it could be on the body. Was this Kate?
CRACK!
What the fuck?
CrackCrackCrack
“DUCK!” Cash shouted as he launched himself through the air at the woman, pulling her down on top of him to break her fall, then quickly rolling them over to cover her body with his.
A muffled squeak came from beneath him.
“Quiet,” he murmured into her ear, heart pounding, brain racing through a thousand scenarios of what could be going on outside. Whatever was happening, he’d protect this woman with his life. He’d failed to protect people he loved in the past, he wouldn’t fail again.
Another muffled noise came from the body squirming beneath him, and his attention was suddenly drawn to soft curves and heady perfume. “Stay still,” he ordered roughly, bringing his focus back to his surroundings. He couldn’t focus on where the attackers were with her writhing beneath him. Not when his cock was notched perfectly between her legs. She stilled momentarily, only to renew her struggle with vigor. He strained, listening for the telltale signs of an attack, scuffles, shouts, more gunshots. But, nothing.
He lifted his head, cocking an ear in the direction of the initial noise. The woman took advantage, yanking his beard so hard tears sprang to his eyes. He swung his gaze back to the firecracker beneath him and the world tilted sideways, snatching his breath with heart-stopping ferocity.
This wasn’t Kate. Oh, no. This was his worst nightmare come back to life. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Lying beneath him, green eyes flashing fire, was the last woman he ever expected to see face to face again, Kaycee Starr.
CHAPTER 5
Six months previously…
The man they all referred to as Bones eyed Cash critically. Bones had earned his name because the guy knew where the skeletons of every government player lived. Including, it was rumored, the President’s. When he was on a roll and being a real prick, the team referred to him as The Gravedigger.
“Sir? There a problem?” Cash had aced his performance tests and was itching to get back in the field. Idle time was not his friend. A former SEAL teammate had quietly paved the way for an invitation to join STORM, the elite covert-ops and security agency that had its tentacles embedded in some of the darkest cesspools on the planet. STORM operated a private security front for the wealthiest celebrities and businessmen. It naturally placed their operatives within earshot of the most influential people in the country. And STORM was always listening.
Bones steepled his fingers, resting his chin on the point, narrowing his gaze. “You’re a mixed bag, Deuce.” Bones insisted everyone in the organization use a code name.
“How so?” Cash’s pulse tripped. He needed this opportunity. Needed a gig like this to keep his focus sharp. He couldn’t afford to let his edges get dull. And traditional security had bored him to death.
“You have a brilliant mind. But your assessments are inconsistent. Sometimes you apply sharp tactical maneuvers. Other times…” Bones shrugged easily. “You react.”
“Isn’t that the point, sir? To respond automatically?”
Bones pursed his lips. “Response without thinking often leads to mistakes. And STORM can’t afford mistakes.”
&n
bsp; “You can count on me, sir.”
“Can I?” Bones arched a brow.
“Absolutely. My military record is spotless. I–”
“Yes, yes.” Bones waved a hand. “I’ve read every word in your file. You’re quite the hero.”
Except when he wasn’t, a snaky doubt-filled voice in his head responded. Cash brushed the doubt aside. So he’d choked when he was eleven. Big deal. He’d been a kid. He’d never choked since. Not once. He’d made sure of it. “Then you’ll know you can count on me in the most extreme situations, sir.”
“Those aren’t the situations I’m worried about, son.”
“I don’t follow.”
“That’s what concerns me. As a member of STORM, even the simplest assignments are vital. To both our reputation and our intel. If either of those are compromised, the entire organization is put at risk. I’ve seen more than one talented agent wash out because he assumed. It’s the assignments that look easy which are the hardest.”
“I can assure you, sir. I can handle any assignment you give me with the utmost professionalism. I won’t let you down.”
“Let’s hope so.” Bones handed him a manila envelope. “Your first assignment is inside. Report to the sit room in twenty minutes for a full briefing.”
Cash gave a silent fist pump. He was in. This first assignment would be a test, but he’d pass it with flying colors. Twenty minutes later, he slipped into the sit room, nodding at the three other men present. He tossed the dossier onto the long conference table and helped himself to a water bottle before dropping into a seat. He made eye-contact with the other men. “I’m Cash.”
A light-haired man with a buzz-cut eyed him sharply. “Code names only, Deuce.”
Cash pulled back. “How’d you–”
“Let’s just say I’m Bones’ eyes and ears on this assignment.”
Damn. STORM didn’t fool around. “Got it, sir.”
The man’s mouth tightened. “No need for that. Just call me Ace.”
Of course. “Got it, Ace.”
Ace acknowledged the other two men. “That’s Guns, and he’s Ten.”
“Sniper?”
Guns smiled tightly. “Something like that.”
Cash squirmed uncomfortably. Not exactly the team environment he’d expected. These guys were cold as ice. But no bother. He bet things would change once he’d proved himself. The door swung open and Bones strode in, sweeping his gaze across the table and bringing it to rest on him. “There’s a plane out at the airport waiting to fly you to Nashville. When you arrive at Ms. Starr’s estate, you’ll relieve the local security company. Do a perimeter sweep and then no one goes in or out without photo ID that matches the list in your folder. Checkpoint one will be at the drive. Checkpoint two at the front door. All other entrances have been secured. We’ll employ a two-point check system at the residence until the stalker is detained.”
“Sir?” Cash raised a finger. “When do you expect him to make a move?”
Bones narrowed his gaze. “How do we know it’s a man?”
“This has all the classic–”
Bones shook his head, cutting him off. “It does. But this is what I meant earlier about assuming. With that attitude you’d be more likely to let a woman slip past. Until we have definitive evidence, everyone is a threat.”
Cash’s stomach dropped like a stone and his cheeks grew hot. “Understood.”
Bones looked around the room. “Any other questions?”
The other three shook their heads.
“Everyone clear about their roles?”
They all nodded.
“The opening concert is in two days at Nissan Stadium. We’ve pulled in local security to assist.” Bones lasered in on him. “Getting back to your question, I do expect our stalker to make an appearance at the stadium. To capitalize on the chaos. Be on your guard. Assume nothing. Dismissed.” Bones strode out of the room without a backward glance.
* * *
Simply put, Kaycee Starr stole Cash’s breath. She swept into the expansive living room where they’d assembled the band members, groundskeepers, Helene Montgomery – an older, harder version of her daughter, and Kaycee’s agent Franco DiAngelo. She flashed them all a smile. She was taller than he’d imagined. Maybe five-eight. But it was her heavily made-up eyes that captivated him, soft and deep green as the forest behind the trailer he’d grown up in. Made him want to reach out and pull her into the protective circle of his arms. She hadn’t been sleeping. He could see it in the way her eyes pinched at the corners, the slight hint of red at the bottom of the whites. And the way her shoulders pulled tight when she glanced at the four giant men dominating the room.
“Thank you for coming,” she said softly, a musical lilt to her voice. “I know this is a pain, but until–”
A woman his ID sheet listed as Cheyenne waved her off. “Whatever it takes, Kayce.” She looked around the room. “Your safety comes first.”
The band nodded. Helene Montgomery’s mouth tightened into a flat line. Kaycee turned to Ace. “What do we need to know moving forward?”
Ace cleared his throat. “No one comes in or goes out without checking in both at the front door, and the gate. Keep your IDs with you at all times. I don’t care if it’s your girlfriend or the pizza man. If they’re not on the list, they’re not coming in, and they won’t be backstage.”
Kaycee’s face clouded. “But we have a backstage VIP party for the fans scheduled. Radio personalities, and a photo shoot.”
Ace shook his head. “Not anymore you don’t.”
Franco DiAngelo stood. “You’re a security company, not a concert promoter. You can’t tell us how to run the concert.”
Ace bristled. “We’ve been hired to keep Ms. Starr safe. Do you want a party or do you want your talent killed?”
A collective gasp rippled through the group.
“Surely we can reach some kind of compromise,” Kaycee pleaded. “My fans have waited months. I can’t let them down.”
Ace’s brows pulled together. “Do you know these people? How do you know one of them isn’t your stalker?”
Kaycee paled, mouth turning down. “I don’t. But there are little girls… We can’t, I won’t let them down.”
Cash’s mind raced, and he pulled Ace aside, not wanting to challenge his authority in front of the group. “How long would it take to run background checks on a few families?”
“We’re talking thirty, maybe forty people. That’s a solid day’s work for one of our people.” Ace answered sternly. “I can’t pull them off their current caseload for a party.”
Cash glanced back at Kaycee. She chewed on a full lower lip, eyes full of determination. Something about the way she held herself struck a chord deep inside him. Like she carried far more than just the worry of a fan gone too far. “What if I ran them?”
Ace flashed him an incredulous look.
“I’m serious. What if I ran them?”
“Are you aware of how many hours it will take? We’d have to set up an encrypted IP, and somehow patch you into STORM’s server.”
“Not if we used cell service instead of wi-fi.”
Ace glared at him. “This is outside of the parameters of our job.”
Cash flashed him a cocky grin. “Sometimes the battle plan has to be adjusted on the fly. And if our stalker is on the list, better to flesh him out in a room where the exits are controlled.”
“Better to keep him or her away from Ms. Starr entirely.”
“Don’t you think it will alert whoever’s behind this that we’re onto them if we don’t allow a VIP reception? The radio personalities won’t talk about the concert the next day, they’ll talk about how the fan party was shut down. She has a point, Ace.”
Ace’s jaw tightened. “I don’t like this, but I’ll talk to Bones.” He turned to Kaycee. “We’ve potentially come up with a solution. But I will need the names, social security numbers and license numbers of every person you’ve invited to your part
y no later than seven a.m. tomorrow.”
Kaycee turned the full force of her soft green eyes on Cash, flashing him a grateful smile. Warmth tickled his chest as if he’d been in the sun a little too long. He dragged his gaze from her. It wouldn’t do to get caught staring at their client his first day on the job.
The next two days rushed by in a flurry of activity. Ace had insisted he run background checks off shift, which meant long days and even longer nights. Cash stifled a yawn as he took up his position outside Kaycee’s dressing room door. Kaycee’d already given six interviews that day. The STORM team had accompanied her to two radio stations and a local TV affiliate running a morning show. He’d been surprised at how she treated everyone she met with patience and kindness. Not like some of the celebrities he’d shadowed at a previous security job before he’d been invited to apply for STORM. He checked his watch and rapped a knuckle on the door. “Ms. Starr? It’s time for me to escort you to the green room.”
The door flew open, startling him. Not from the speed at which she answered, but from the fact that she looked like a unicorn had vomited sparkles from the crown of her white spangled cowboy hat, down the white iridescent guitar, to the tips of her rhinestone boots. It must have shown on his face, because she laughed, a warm husky sound that slid underneath his professional shell and flipped his stomach. “I look pretty funny, huh?”
He coughed, smothering a laugh. “Not even a Vegas strip club has that much glitter.”
Her eyes grew round and worried. “I don’t look like a stripper, do I?”
This time he couldn’t cover the laugh. God, he hoped Ace wasn’t watching right now. “Not remotely.”
“Whew. My momma already thinks my career is scandalous. I’d hate to give her a heart attack over my costume.”
She was too damned charming. Adorable. And there was something about Kaycee’s soft-spoken barely-there twang that intrigued him. Made him want to listen to her talk all night. “You look… like a country star,” he finished lamely. He’d nearly called her beautiful. Which wasn’t right, not with the cartoonish makeup and costume. Nor was it professional, but the words had popped into his head.
