by Shauna Allen
The way he lifted his gaze and stared me down felt as if he was trying to communicate something to me, but for the life of me, I couldn’t figure it out. We were strangers. Two men who’d just met over a love of Ole Miss football and my undercover mission to protect his granddaughter. We had no other reason to share a single other thing, yet it felt like somehow, someway, he knew my deepest secrets and why I’d run from this place.
Chapter Four
Tex
The summer storm was thick and brutal and made my leg throb like a bitch in my prosthetic, but I still pushed myself through the airport toward the car rental place as fast as I could go. Times like these, I really hated my limitations, but I had to trust I’d get to Melody and the girls in time. There were no other options.
I yanked my phone from my pocket and tried her again as I jogged down the corridor. Still no answer.
I shot a quick text to Wolf. News?
Wolf: Still rounding everyone up. You have the girls?
Tex: Not yet. At airport. Bad storm.
Wolf: Be careful, man.
Tex: Anything from Maverick?
Wolf: He made it to Biloxi and has your cuz. It’s all good, man. Just take care of Melody and the girls and get home. We’ve got this.
Tex: I appreciate it.
Tex: I’ll check in when I can.
Wolf: K
I pocketed my phone as I got to the car rental counter, startling the poor clerk.
“Can I help you, sir?”
“John Keegan,” I barked, not caring if I was brusque. “I have a reservation.”
She blinked at me then began typing quickly on her keyboard. “Yes, sir. Right here.”
I impatiently handed her my ID and credit card, signing the appropriate forms and grabbing my keys. I nodded my thanks then jogged out the doors toward the lot to find the SUV I’d rented and peeled out of the parking lot, my wife and daughters on my mind.
The storm continued to beat down in fierce sheets, making my heart pound furiously. Had someone already gotten to them? Was I too late? Why the hell wouldn’t she answer her phone? Since Hope had been born, she’d been notoriously forgetful about turning on her ringer, not wanting to wake the baby, but damn it, I needed to hear her voice. The only saving grace in this situation was the tracker I had on her showed that reassuring red marker still at the small retreat deep in the Allegheny Mountains.
But that doesn’t mean they’re safe, my heart screamed. I wouldn’t rest until I set my eyes on them or at least heard her voice.
I’d used my time on the short airplane ride here to do what I could to figure out where these damn threats were originating from. So far, El Lobo Blanco was a mystery. What I did know was that he or she was a hacker of supreme intelligence, which made them extremely dangerous. I’d also managed to piece together some intel from the FBI, ATF, and DEA that pointed to a new leader of the drug cartel that had abducted Senator Lytle’s daughter, Julie, and Cookie’s wife, Fiona, as being responsible for this mess. We’d taken down their old leader a few months ago, but there was a new sheriff in town and he was obviously interested in making a name for himself by exacting his revenge on those of us responsible for the death of his mentor.
Marco Esteban.
Younger than his predecessor by a decade, he was slicker, meaner, and obviously more than willing to play dirty.
The other information I’d managed to find on the flight was about my cousin, Rebekah Anne Keegan. Now that had really thrown me for a loop. I thought I knew all there was to know about my family tree, but she’d come out of nowhere. A mystery, but I had to admit, a pleasant surprise, and one that made perfect sense when I thought about it.
I didn’t talk much about my Uncle Charlie because he was a drunk son-of-a-bitch and he and my father never got along. He was the black sheep of the family and honestly, I never really knew him and you can’t miss what you don’t know. A little digging told me not many other people missed him either, including his young bride, Ruth, who he left when she was seventeen and pregnant, only to get killed in a bar fight a few years later. Ruth was killed herself in a car accident when their daughter, Rebekah, was only three years old, leaving Ruth’s parents to raise their little girl, and who, understandably, kept her far, far away from the Keegans.
Apparently, from what I could find, her grandmother had passed away a couple of years ago, and now it was just her and her grandfather. I wondered what they’d told her about her Keegan blood. What she knew about her father. About me. If she had been threatened because of my life. I had to hope Maverick had her safe and that we could meet and make up for lost time soon . . . but first, I had to get my family safe.
I turned onto the highway, driving entirely too fast through the downpour, and headed toward the mountains.
“I’m coming, girls. Just hold on.”
Chapter Five
Rebekah
After my shift at the diner, I washed up and yanked off my apron, ready to collapse back in bed for a nap before I had to go in to work at the casino. Luckily, I hadn’t felt any more creepy vibes this morning, so maybe whatever had been plaguing me had finally moved on and I could rest.
I waved goodbye to Byron and Yolanda then made my way back to Grandpa. “You ready to . . .” I froze when I spotted Tanner still sitting there, sipping coffee and chuckling with my grandfather over sports and guy talk. They both glanced up at my arrival, his amber eyes sparkling invitingly. “. . . go?” I snapped my attention back to my granddad.
“Sure am.” He stood and offered Tanner his hand as he balanced on the edge of the table and I fumbled for his walker from behind the booth. “It was nice talking to you, Son.”
“You, too, James. Maybe I’ll see you around again.” Tanner shook his hand and stood as well.
I swallowed as my gaze travelled up the length of him. I was used to being the short one at barely five feet tall, but good God, he towered over me in height and sheer power. It was obvious he worked out, and my fingers suddenly itched to touch his perfectly corded forearms.
He cleared his throat and offered me a hand as well. “And it was nice to meet you, too, Miss Rebekah.”
“Oh. Um . . .” I took his hand, it’s warmth shooting up my arm, making me feel entirely too much. “You, too.”
He nodded and I finally turned to follow my grandpa as he shuffled out the door to our truck, but I could’ve sworn I felt Tanner’s hot stare at my back.
For some reason, I couldn’t get him off my mind. I dreamed about him while I napped—hot, sweaty, entirely inappropriate dreams, considering he was a total stranger, but entirely perfect at the same time.
At work that night, I would’ve sworn I saw him in the casino a few times, but it never turned out to be him. I chalked it up to my overactive imagination and leftover hormones from my unsatisfying nap. God, I was an idiot. What were the chances he’d come to this little dive of a casino when there were much bigger, fancier ones in town—or that he’d go to a casino at all? He didn’t strike me as the gambling type. But, then I remembered the mischievous twinkle in those light brown eyes and the way he seemed to say a thousand flirty things with just one look . . . maybe he was a gambler after all.
But I wasn’t.
I shook it off and made my rounds to the newest customer at the Black Jack table in the back. A Hispanic man, dressed in black from head to toe, his dark gaze seemed to eat me up as I approached, giving me the shivers. “Can I get you something to drink?”
He threw down a chip to place his bet, showcasing a bold black scorpion tattooed on his right hand. “A glass of your best draft and a shot of tequila.” He flicked me a soulless glance. “No lime.”
I nodded and backed away to get his drink, my stomach in knots. Something about him creeped me out. I’d seen tons of shady characters in this place and dealt with my fair share of drunks, losers, and just plain violent men . . . but this guy? He was different and I couldn’t say exactly why.
I hurried to the bar and orde
red up his beer and shot, getting myself together. I was fine. There were cameras and security guards in the casino, so as long as I stayed in there, I was covered.
I took a breath and made my way back, setting his drinks on cocktail napkins. “That’ll be ten fifty.”
He threw a twenty-dollar bill down on my tray without glancing up at me again. “Keep the change, Rebekah.”
“Thank you.” I spun around, then froze two steps away, my heart in my mouth. I bit my lip and kept walking. I’d never told him my name and I’d forgotten my nametag tonight.
~ ~
The next morning, I was shocked when Tanner showed up again at the diner. This time, he bypassed the counter and sat with my grandpa, both of them ordering the special as they laughed over coffee and the sports pages. As much as it confused me why a perfect stranger would spend this kind of time with a sick, elderly man, it warmed my heart to see my grandfather back to his old jovial self, even for that little while.
“Good morning, Rebekah.” Tanner’s smiling eyes slid over me in my uniform like a caress as I refilled his coffee mug.
“Good morning.” I focused on not overfilling it. Again. I’d already done it twice. The man was seriously too distracting.
“Sweetheart,” my granddad said, shooting a grin between me and Tanner. “I found someone to rent our garage apartment.”
“I . . .” My eyes darted back and forth as my mouth gaped. “What?” I couldn’t focus. This was the last thing I’d expected. Honestly, I hadn’t given any thought to that tiny, piece of crap excuse for an apartment since our last so-called tenant, Stony Wallace, moved out last fall. It was probably still a mess since I hadn’t had time to clean it. My eyes flew to Tanner. “You?”
He grinned. “Yeah. Your grandfather was kind enough to offer since I needed a place to stay for a little while.” He glanced over. “And the price was right, so . . .”
My eyes about popped out of my head. “But I thought you were only in town for business temporarily.”
“I am.” I would’ve sworn something like hurt flashed across his face, but he banked it in favor of what looked like determination. “That’s why this is perfect. It’s close to town and cheaper for me than a hotel.” He sat back in the booth and lasered me with a hot stare. “Don’t worry. I won’t be a bother. You’ll hardly notice I’m there.”
Somehow, I highly doubted that.
~ ~
Tanner and Grandpa left the diner together before my shift was over, and my heart stumbled up into my throat when I got home and found Tanner sitting on my couch, looking quite comfortable in my space, surrounded by my grandmother’s old doilies and knickknacks that we’d never quite had the heart to get rid of after she died.
“Hey.” He glanced up from tapping his fingers on his knee.
I set down my purse, suddenly nervous. “Hey.” I glanced around. “Where’s Grandpa?”
“He got tired and went to lay down for a little while.”
“Oh.” I shifted on my feet. “So . . .”
He smiled, seeming to take pity on me. “My truck’s parked around back and my stuff is already moved into the apartment. It’s great.”
My brows lifted. “It’s filthy.”
He laughed. “I’ve been in worse.”
“Still . . . I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting any guests or I would’ve cleaned up. Our last tenant was . . .” I took a breath. “I’m sorry.” I shrugged.
“It’s fine. Really.”
I kicked off my shoes. “If you give me an hour or two, I can get the worst of it cleaned up before you settle in for the night at least.”
He frowned. “That’s not necessary.”
“You’re paying us. Of course, it is. Just give me a second to change.”
I could’ve really used a nap before my shift at the casino, but there was no way in hell I was going to let him sleep in that pig sty tonight. I rushed to my room and hurried out of my uniform and into a pair of shorts and an old T-shirt and some tennis shoes. I readjusted my ponytail, peeked in on my grandpa, who was sleeping soundly, then collected up some cleaning supplies and met Tanner back in the living room.
He spun from looking out the front window, his eyes automatically tracking down my bare legs.
“You can stay here,” I said over my suddenly thick throat. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll have it all cleaned up for you in no time.”
His gaze tracked back up to my eyes. “I told you that’s not necessary . . .” When I opened my mouth to speak, he shook his head. “But, if you’re going to do it, I’ll help you. Two are faster than one, right?”
I wanted to argue, I really did, but somehow, I found myself agreeing.
He offered me a sweet, half-smile and followed me outside.
In the apartment, it suddenly felt crowded with his presence and his things in the space. The air smelled of him—clean laundry and ocean with a hint of spice. I swallowed and glanced away from him when he bent over in those perfectly fitted jeans to help me.
I cleared my throat and started by filling garbage bags with Stoney’s trash that somehow still remained. “So . . . what kind of work do you do?”
I felt him pause so I shot him a glance.
“I, uh, I’m in security.”
That made sense. He was definitely built to protect and there were tons of casinos in the area that always needed security. I nodded and got back to collecting the trash. “How long do you think you’ll be in town?”
“Looking to get rid of me already?”
I snapped around, but he was smiling and it made my toes curl. I’m serious. They literally curled in my Keds. Dimples, scruff, white teeth that were perfect but not too perfect, sparkling, flirty amber eyes that hinted at naughty things.
“No,” I said a little too quickly and a little too vehemently.
His smile spread deliciously. “Good.”
“I’m just curious is all.”
He nodded and approached to stuff a handful of garbage in the bag. “I’m not sure yet.”
I nodded dumbly as he took the bag from my hand, his fingers brushing mine, sending a hot current up my arm.
He chucked the full bag out the front door and snapped open a second one. I threw in a load of laundry so he’d have clean towels and sheets, then we worked in tandem until all the trash was out. Next, I swept and mopped the kitchen while he wiped down the counters. He asked me questions about myself like he was truly interested in my life, which was a new experience for me, and I have to admit I enjoyed having a good-looking man’s undivided attention, even if he was just being polite because I was his sort of landlady.
I wiped out the fridge and microwave as I told him about my dream of owning my own café one day.
“Something trendy,” I said. “A place where people can sit and enjoy their coffee and healthy lunches and be comfortable. Something that’s mine so I don’t have to work for anybody anymore.” I leaned against the counter when I caught him staring. “What?”
“Nothing. You’re just . . .”
“Just what?”
“You’re so animated when you talk about your own place, so . . . beautiful.”
I felt myself flush. “No—”
“Yes.” He took a step my way. “Very. Don’t give up that fire, Rebekah, because it’s breathtaking, and there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t have every bit of that dream. Take it. You deserve it.”
“How can you say that? You don’t know a thing about me.”
“I know enough.”
The way he stared at me, those haunting brown eyes practically eating me alive, made me feel things I wished I didn’t . . . that I knew I shouldn’t. But, God, I couldn’t deny it.
I blinked and turned away to wipe up a spot on the counter he’d already cleaned.
“Rebekah—”
I shook my head to stop whatever he was going to say, dropping the rag in the sink. I shot him a half-smile. “So, what about you? Have you always wanted to do security?”
Something flitted through his eyes, but he quickly banked it. “Yes.”
“That’s good. It must be nice to be doing what you love.”
He continued to study me, his gaze assessing. “How’s your security here?”
“In the apartment?”
“No. Your house.”
I raised a brow. “The house?”
He nodded.
“Well . . . we don’t have a security system, if that’s what you mean. But all the locks work on the doors and windows. We don’t exactly live in the big city or a high crime area, so we’ve never had to worry about it.” I tilted my head. “Why? Is there—?”
He opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted by the slamming of a door and my grandfather’s voice. “Rebekah Anne!”
I automatically moved to answer him, but something in Tanner’s gaze haunted me all the way out the door.
Chapter Six
Tanner
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her the truth, but something held me back. I just didn’t want those big blue eyes to look at me differently once I told her why I was really there. I liked being just a regular guy that could talk and flirt and make her smile without any discussion of drug cartels or danger. Or leaving.
Shit.
I shook my head and peeked out the blinds as she made her way to her grandfather.
The tiny apartment smelled of lemon now, thanks to her cleaning efforts, though I could also smell a hint of what I knew to be her berry shampoo, which made my mouth water and my fingers itch to dig through those thick golden curls while I tasted her lips. Damn, I’d bet she would fit into me like a perfect puzzle piece, so tiny and curvy in all the right places.
I’d watched her work last night at the casino. I’d seen the sleazy bastard at the Black Jack table watching her. He was the one sent to monitor her for the cartel, I’d bet my life on it, but he wasn’t getting any closer to her, especially now that I knew who he was. Stupid fuck. Who did he think he was, slinking around a town like this with his greasy hair and scorpion tattoo, thinking he wouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb?
