To Protect His Own (New York State Trooper Series Book 5)

by Jen Talty

  “Did I mention we’re going to have number four?” Frank lifted his glass high.

  “You’re nuts,” Doug said.

  Jake took one of the glasses. “Here’s to pregnant women being designated drivers.”

  They clinked glasses and downed the shots.

  “Whoa.” The cinnamon liquid burned his throat much like a candy fireball would, only this also put a few dancing dots in front of his eyes for a brief moment. “Been a while since I’ve done that.”

  “I’ve got more,” Doug said. “I think Frank could use another one. I can’t believe you’re having another kid. Trying to have your own hockey team?”

  “I’m still in shock.” Frank leaned against the railing. “Was not planned. Totally unexpected. I’m going to need to hire you to put on an addition.”

  “He’s busy,” Jake said. “I’ve got him on two projects.” Jake watched Doug pour another round of generous shots. “Are you trying to get me drunk? Because I’m not easy.”

  Doug laughed. “Just drunk enough so you might actually loosen up, relax, and maybe tell us something personal about yourself, like why my wife keeps telling me to call you Goldilocks.” He handed Jake another shot. “Bottoms up.”

  “Kenzie is going to pay for telling that story.” Jake tossed it back, then chased it with a good swig of beer, feeling the effects of the alcohol as his sight went a little fuzzy. “I think I’m going to regret this in the morning.”

  “Probably,” Doug said.

  “It’s got to be weird for you to be the only male spouse in a room full of male troopers,” Jake was just drunk enough to ask questions he’d normally never consider.

  “Sometimes,” Doug said. “It’s not like I’m going to trade recipes with all the wives, or talk shop with you idiots.”

  “Watch who you call an idiot. I’m still your wife’s team leader when she comes back to SCUBA and I could make her life miserable,” Jake paused as he noticed he swayed a little. “She is coming back, right?”

  “That’s the plan.”

  “You don’t want her to quit?” Frank asked.

  “That would be like asking me to sit in an office and only design buildings, not build them,” Doug said. “Am I thrilled my wife carries a gun wherever we go? No. But I’d rather have a happy wife than one who is miserable, which would make me miserable, and I did that the first time I got married.”

  “So what do you do when two people want different things?” Jake couldn’t believe he voiced the question. In the last ten years, he couldn’t remember a time when he asked for advice about women, relationships, hell anything personal in life.

  “What do you mean?” Doug asked.

  “She wants the farm and I want my badge. It’s part of what broke us up years ago and it’s an issue now.”

  “Why can’t you have both?” Frank asked.

  “She can’t run the farm and not live there,” Jake said. “I can’t live at the farm. Just being in my father’s house knowing everything that happened, puts me in a sour mood every time I step foot in there. It’s not a happy place for me.”

  “But aren’t you living in that cabin?” Doug asked. “With Kenzie?”

  “It’s temporary for me,” Jake said, though he had to admit the cabin didn’t make him unhappy. If anything, he felt at home there. “It’s too small.”

  “I can easily fix that,” Doug said. “The plans I drew for the single room addition are preliminary. I could easily turn that little cabin into a beautiful home.”

  Jake had seen Doug’s work first hand, so he knew that to be true and the idea wasn’t horrible. “That still doesn’t solve the problem. Running that farm is important to her. Just like being a Trooper is important to Stacey. You just said you’d never ask her to give it up.”

  “You’re right,” Doug said. “But that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t if it was best for our family.”

  “It’s not that simple.” Jake knew he came off defensive. Maybe he was, but he didn’t see a solution. “Kenzie and I don’t even know if there is an us anymore. We ended our relationship ten years ago. A lot has changed.”

  “Exactly,” Frank said. “So until you’ve had that conversation, you have no idea what she wants, or might or might not be willing to do.”

  “When this is over, I’m going to take her up to my cabin in the mountains and we’ll have that talk then.”

  “Are you in love with her?” Doug asked.

  Jake nursed his beer, and stared at Kenzie through the picture window as she smiled at him. Breathtakingly beautiful. He had no idea how to answer that question.

  “If you love her, find a solution,” Doug said.

  “Christ, we sound like our wives.” Frank pointed to the whiskey. “Do we dare?”

  “I think we do,” Jake said, knowing he was going to pay for this night in more ways than one, but it honestly felt good to connect with people again.

  Doug poured another round. “Last time I got this drunk was my bachelor party. And we all know how that ended.”

  Jake shook his head. “I didn’t go, but I did hear it included skinny dipping and getting caught by Reese’s grandmother.”

  “I wanted to drown myself when that sweet old lady saw me running across the yard buck naked. I don’t know who was more humiliated: me or her,” Doug said. “This is the first time since then I’ve pulled out the Fireball.”

  “That was four years ago,” Frank said. “For a big guy, you’re a light weight.”

  “Sad when your wife who is about half your size can drink you under the table,” Doug said.

  “That’s pathetic.” Frank waved his hand dismissively in the air. “Last time I got drunk was the birthday party that Lacy threw for me. I danced. To disco. I don’t dance.” He slapped his hand on Jake’s shoulder. “You didn’t come to that either.”

  “He’s lucky,” Doug said. “I never needed to see you dance.”

  “I’m glad I missed that one.” Jake took the whisky glass, which thankfully was only half a shot. “Last time I got drunk. Really drunk. Falling down doing naked things drunk, was my twenty-third birthday.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Doug said. “That long ago?”

  Jake arched a brow. “Have you seen me at a social gathering, ever?”

  “Good point,” Frank said. “So what happened?”

  “Kenzie dared me to ride my horse naked. Not a good idea.”

  A fit of laughter, continuing for a few minutes, echoing across the night air. Jake couldn’t remember the last time he laughed so hard. He raised his glass. “Here’s to keeping our pants on and NOT dancing.”

  “So, none of us are getting laid,” Doug said.

  “Let’s change the first part,” Jake said. “Here’s to taking off… no, not going there with dudes.”

  “Good idea.” Frank clanked glasses with each of them in turn.

  The whiskey didn’t burn this time going down, but when it hit his stomach, it sent acid back up his throat, causing him to belch, which sent the three men laughing again like teenage boys.

  “Shit,” Doug said. “Here come our wives.”

  “I don’t have one of those,” Jake said. “But Christ, whatever I do have is not going to be too happy with me.”

  Stacey waddled through the sliding glass door, Kenzie and Lacy right behind her. “What’s so funny?” Stacey asked.

  Jake couldn’t stop laughing, and neither could his partners in crime.

  Kenzie handed Jake another beer.

  “Keep feeding me these.” He held up the bottle. “And you’re going to have to carry me home.” After he set it down on the table, knowing he wasn’t touching that beer, he pulled Kenzie close, resting his hand low enough on her back his fingertips touched the top swell of her ass, but tight enough so it steadied him. It felt like the deck swayed back and forth.

  “You’re drunk,” Kenzie said.

  He held up his forefinger and thumb. “Just a little.”

  “More than a l
ittle.” Stacey pointed to the whiskey bottle as Doug looped his arm around her.

  “We told you to make sure Jake felt welcome. Not get him wasted.” Lacy leaned against her husband, shaking her head.

  The movement seemed to be in slow motion, making Jake dizzy. “Let’s sit down.” He pulled Kenzie onto his lap as he stumbled back into a chair, resting his head against her chest, tracing his finger across her skin where it met her shirt. “You’re going to have to drive home.”

  “I figured.” Her plump moist lips glided across his forehead.

  “To quote my oldest,” Frank said, “‘gross, get a room’.”

  Jake just started laughing, burning his face in Kenzie’s neck.

  “So, my darling drunk husband,” Stacey said. “Did you get anything out of him?”

  “Not a thing.”

  “Don’t believe you,” Stacey said. “What have you three been talking about?”

  Jake looked between Doug and Frank, who just started laughing again.

  “On second thought, I don’t want to know,” Stacey said. “Think you can manage to mingle with our friends instead of hanging out here with your man crushes?”

  “I’m sure I can,” Doug said. “And I don’t have a man crush.”

  “Right,” Lacy said. “I better get my husband home. I think he’s forgotten he’s taking our oldest fishing in the morning.”

  “Oh that is so gonna suck hung-over,” Frank said.

  A long silence followed after the other two couples left.

  “Sorry,” Jake said. “Didn’t plan on getting drunk.”

  “It’s fine,” she said. “It’s been a long day with your father’s surgery and all. Just don’t make a habit of it.”

  “No worries there.” He closed his eyes. “I want to tell you something.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I want to be close to you and the baby, so I requested a transfer from the Utica Station to be up here, full time.” He’d been enjoying the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, but it suddenly stopped. So did the soft stroking of his hair. “Kenzie?”

  “Did you just make this decision tonight with the help of some whiskey?”

  “No. I filed the papers last week.”

  “Where do you plan on living?”

  “I don’t know yet.” He lifted his head. She stared down at him, her dark brown eyes locked intently with his. “Why I didn’t tell you when I did it.”

  “I’m glad you want to be close to us,” she whispered. “But only if this is what you really want.”

  “It is,” he said.

  Her eyelids fluttered as he slid his hand across her neck. The warmth of her mouth more intoxicating than the whiskey. She tasted like honey and felt like heaven.

  “Do we have to go home now?” she asked. “I’m having fun. I really like everyone here.”

  “We can stay for a little while longer,” he said. “I’m a shocked over how much I’m enjoying myself, but I desperately need water.”

  “That can be arranged.” She stood, holding out her hand.

  Rising slowly, he gauged his level of intoxication. “But you can’t leave my side at this point or I might end up skinny dipping or dancing. Seems it's a tradition with these people when they drink too much.”

  “I’ll help you keep your pants on.”

  “You’re welcome to help me out of them…when we get home.”

  She laughed. “We’ll see.”

  Well, it wasn’t a no.

  * * *

  By the time Kenzie pulled into the driveway at close to one in the morning, Jake had sobered up, though he constantly rubbed his forehead. “We’re home.” She glanced at Jake, who pulled open the glove box. “What are you doing?”

  “Getting my gun.” He held it up before slamming the compartment closed and stepping from the vehicle.

  “You can’t leave it in the car?”

  He shook his head. “I’ll get a proper lock box when the baby comes,” he said as he holstered it on his belt.

  She stumbled as her foot caught a rock, but it was his words that tossed her of balance, as if they’d all be in one place together. “That’s probably a good idea.” Dangling the keys, she searched for the right one, noting the front light was out, making the area darker than normal. “I really like the plans Doug made up. But it's bigger than I think I want.”

  “Think on it for a while.” He snagged the keys from her hand. “I know you say you don’t want to live in the main house, but you’re going to have to live somewhere while Doug does the renovations and I’m thinking it might be better to wait until after the baby is born.”

  “I want to be in my own space when the baby comes, especially when I’m on leave.”

  He tugged her arm, leading her to the front door. “We’d need to check with him on the timeline.” His arm flung up in front of her, stopping her immediately. “Go back to the truck. Get in and lock the doors.”

  “What?” She couldn’t really see him, since no lights were on, but could make out that he had pulled his gun from the holster. “Jake?”

  “Just do it,” he whispered. “Anything strange happens, call Frank and Luke, then drive to the hospital and go right to dad’s room.”

  “You’re scare—”

  “Now.” He gave her a little shove, but a shove none the less. “Don't start it or turn on the lights unless something happens or I tell you to.”

  She nodded, scurrying backward until she reached his truck. As soon as she gently closed the door, the darkness of her cabin engulfed him. The deafening sound of her breath was louder than the crickets she’d heard walking up to her front door. One hand on the wheel, the other fumbled to put the key in the ignition. Her hand trembled so badly it reminded her of the rattlesnake. Her skin prickled as if a band of snakes slithered across her body.

  She gasped, then jumped, dropping the keys on the floor when the light in the family illuminated. “Shit.” The last thing she wanted to do was look away from the front door until she knew Jake was safe.

  That she was safe.

  A few seconds ticked by. A shadow moved across the doorway. The smell of copper tickled her nose as she bit down on her lip.

  “Jake.” His name left her lips on long whispering breath as soon as he stepped into sight and waved. Tears rolled down her checks. She swiped at her face and made her way to the cabin. “Everything okay?”

  He shook his head. “We won’t be staying here tonight.”

  More water welled in her eyes, but she did her best to hold it at bay. “What happened?”

  He stood in the doorway, hands on his hips, gun on his hip. “Someone broke in.” His strong hands cupped her cheeks, thumb fanning just under eyes. “Josh, the new cop in town, is on his way.”

  She focused on the movement of his lips instead of his deep, intense eyes. She’d never seen Jake scared. Truly scared. Nervous. Yes. But frightened to the point his body trembled? Never. “How bad is it?” She couldn’t bring herself to look over his shoulder.

  “A few things turned over,” he said. “Your computer was on the kitchen table, right?”

  She nodded.

  “That’s gone. So is your portable filing cabinet. Not sure if anything else is missing.”

  “Let me take a look around.”

  “No.”

  She pushed her hands against his chest. “Why not?”

  “Two reasons,” he said. “First one is, neither of us is going back in until the crime unit gets here. I don’t want to disturb any evidence, which I might have already done.”

  “Okay,” she said. “What’s the second reason?”

  “I really don’t want to tell you.” He dropped his forehead to hers.

  “You have to.”

  “I know,” he said. “Whoever broke in, cut up the baby’s ultra sound picture.”

  “No!” She pounded her fists on his shoulders, then tried to push him away.

  He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. “I
really can’t let you go in there,” he whispered. “You’ll have another ultrasound. We'll get another picture and a frame.”

  “I want that picture.” She drooped her arms to her side, looking past him, seeing the coffee table was turned over. The cushions on her new sofa tossed carelessly across the room. “The frame?”

  “Broken,” he said.

  She dropped her head to his shoulder, arms still at her sides. “Can’t even have one nice fucking night without this damn fucking lie of your father’s coming out and biting me in the ass.”

  “Tell me how you really feel.”

  Taking a step back, she removed herself from his warm and comforting embrace. “I can’t believe Ethan lied about that baby. This is all his fault.” She raised her arms. “I have half a mind to just walk away.”

  “Don’t be rash.”

  “Rash? You think I’m being rash? I’ve been on this farm for the last ten years after your rash decision to just up and leave.”

  “Kenzie. I didn’t—”

  “You were right back then,” she said. “Ethan manipulated me. Us. Everything. Just to protect a secret that is now threatening the only things I love and I’m tired of it.”

  “I know you’re upset.”

  She turned her back to him as the red lights from the police cars coming down the long driveway. “Upset doesn’t cover it,” she said, both hands sprawled over her belly. The baby shifting inside, obviously reacting to her emotions. “If I had told you the truth when I—”

  “Keeping how my mother died from me has nothing to do with my mother’s affair, or her subsequent other son, and the fall out that caused.”

  “Maybe not.” His words did nothing but ignite a fire deep in the pit of her stomach. “But covering that up to begin with is putting my…our child in danger. And what was that lie protecting? Because it certainly isn’t protecting you, or this baby.”

  The moment Jake tried to wrap his arms around her, she pushed him away, taking a few steps away from him and the cabin. “I’ve spent too many years being loyal to the wrong things and the wrong person.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “This coming from the man who walked away.” There was so much more she wanted to say. Things she wanted to agree with. Disagree with. Scream about. But it would all have to wait as her cabin…her safe-haven…was descended upon by various police officers, who were just as intrusive as whoever broke in.