A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Altar (Your Every Day Hero Book 2)

by Higgins, Marie

  She licked her lips. “Don’t you like it?”

  He shook his head. “You know I do, but…”

  “But what?”

  “I don’t want you thinking of Mark right now.”

  “I’m not. How could I? He’s never made me feel the way you do.”

  “And what is that, my darling Riley?”

  “Pleasure…so much pleas—”

  He captured her mouth again, determined not to stop this time. Kissing her was too enjoyable. Their mouths urgently joined together and the kiss was bumped up a notch on the heat scale. If it got any hotter, they’d definitely cause the room’s emergency sprinklers to go off.

  All of a sudden, out of nowhere, a shrilling noise erupted through the air. He stopped and turned his head, trying to wrap his mind around what that awful sound could be coming from. When the sound buzzed through the room again, he groaned. Someone was calling him. As much as he didn’t want to leave the intimate moment he and Riley were enjoying, he was waiting for her mother to call.

  He kissed Riley on the lips one more time before climbing off the bed. “I need to get this call. It might be your mother.”

  It took him a few awkward seconds to find the blasted thing, but when he did, he recognized the number as Judge Peterson’s. Finally!

  “Hello,” he said quickly, then realized he sounded as if he’d just awakened. He cleared his throat. “I’m glad you finally called. Where are you—”

  “Shut up and listen to me.”

  Kurt sucked in a quick breath. What was a man’s voice doing on the other end? Where was the judge?

  “I’m holding Judge Peterson captive, but I want you, instead.”

  Ice trickled through Kurt’s blood as if someone just dumped cold water over him. He swung his gaze toward Riley on the bed. She sat up onto her elbows as she watched him; her long, honey-brown hair fell in disarray around her shoulders.

  “Why do you want me?” Kurt asked.

  “Because I have a score to settle…and if you don’t come, the judge’s death will be your fault.”

  Kurt tried to think straight, but after the passionate moment with Riley, his brain wouldn’t work. Closing his eyes, he shook his head. He must think.

  “Tell me when and where,” he told the caller.

  Dread washed over him colder than the ice flowing through his blood. Would he be able to save Riley and her mother—and stay alive, too? The odds didn’t look good.

  NINE

  Riley splashed water on her face, trying to waken herself from that incredible dream Kurt had put her into. It must have been a dream. She’d never experienced passion so real before. But whatever call he’d received that interrupted her climb to paradise, had Kurt upset and quiet. She’d tried to get him to talk to her, but he wouldn’t. He paced the floor as he clenched and unclenched his fists. Helplessness filled her and she wanted to scream. How could she help him if he didn’t let her?

  She walked back into the room. He was sitting at the table, staring at a tray of food. He wore the shirt Mary had bought for him. He looked mighty good wearing a bluish-green long-sleeve shirt with a purple inseam along the collar and the buttons. He hadn’t buttoned up his shirt all the way, and Riley was blessed to see his glorious, masculine chest. Mary had also bought him a gray suit-jacket, but that garment still hung over one of the chairs.

  The scent of fried chicken filled the air, causing her stomach to grumble in hunger.

  “I had lunch brought up,” he muttered.

  “Thank you.” She moved to the chair beside him and tasted the chicken. Hmm…so delicious. She took a couple more bites and realized he wasn’t eating. “Kurt,” she touched his hand. “You need to eat.”

  “I can’t. My stomach is upset.”

  She frowned. “Please, Kurt. Won’t you tell me what’s wrong? How am I supposed to help if you don’t tell me?”

  His gaze met hers, and slowly a hint of a smile touched his mouth. “You think you can help me?”

  “I want to.” She nodded. “It’s not fair to let you carry the burden alone.”

  He chuckled for a moment before his hands covered his face and he rested his elbows on the table. Her heart tugged painfully. Kurt was building walls, and trying to keep her out. How could she convince him to let her in?

  She waited for him to say something, but he stayed silent. Emotion clogged her throat. She couldn’t stand seeing him this confused.

  After swallowing the bite of food in her mouth, she wiped her hands and mouth on the fancy linen napkin and moved off her chair. She knelt in front of him and rested her hands on his thighs. “Talk to me, Kurt. Don’t shut me out. Not now. Not after what we have shared.”

  Lifting his head, he threaded his fingers through his hair. A deep sigh flowed between his teeth and he turned in his chair, moving her between his legs. As he studied her face, he played with her hair, moving it off her shoulders, and then bringing it back.

  “Do you know what’s killing me right now?” He cupped her face. “Knowing that I need to save two people, and one of them has quickly crawled into my heart. I don’t think I can save them both, but if one dies, the other one will hate me forever.”

  She wasn’t sure what he was saying, but she did understand that he was talking about her getting into his heart. Tears stung her eyes and she shook her head. “Kurt, you’re speaking in riddles. Why do you have to save two people?” She placed her hand just inside his opened shirt on his chest and lightly caressed. His heartbeat pounded beneath her palm. “Were you given another assignment? Was that the phone call you received?”

  His gaze moved over her face as if he were memorizing every line and crease. So much sadness laced his eyes that it tore at her heart.

  His hands shifted on her face, as his thumb softly traced her lips. “You are so very beautiful.”

  Why did he sound like he was trying to say goodbye? Slowly, she stood and stepped closer to him, slipping her hands around his neck. His hands traced up and down her arms before he circled them around her waist.

  “Tell me what’s going on, Kurt. I can handle it, I promise.”

  He squeezed his eyes closed and buried his face against her chest. She sucked in a quick breath. Pain clenched her heart. Something was wrong. Why was he acting like this was the end?

  “I can’t think, my darling Riley. If you really want to help me, then help me to think straight. You have crept into my head, and I can’t seem to concentrate any longer.”

  She smiled and held his head closer to her as she stroked his hair. Happiness grew inside of her knowing he felt the same way as she did.

  “Oh, my sweet Riley,” he continued, “I really need to think of a plan if I’m going to save your mother.”

  Shock hit her like a wooden baseball bat between the eyes. My mother? Panic flowed through her faster now. She cupped his face and tilted his head up to look at her. “What about my mother?”

  “The phone call.” He swallowed hard. “Some guy has your mother and he’ll kill her if I don’t show up.”

  Riley’s ears rang and she shook her head. No, she couldn’t be hearing this correctly. “What? No, Kurt. My mother is on her way here. Remember?”

  He lifted from the chair and took her in his strong arms. “The call came from your mother’s phone, but it was a man, threatening to kill her.” Kurt kissed her forehead. “I need to figure out how to save her, but I can’t leave you here to fight off the other men. If I save you, your mother dies. If I save your mother, you will die.” He tilted her head back so he could look into her eyes. “I don’t want to lose you, but if your mother dies, you’ll blame me.”

  Tears filled her eyes, clouding her vision. “Tell me you’re joking.”

  “No, my darling, I’m not.” He pulled her tightly into his arms once more. “Do you see why I’m so stressed? I don’t know what to do. I’ve let my attraction and desire for you taint my judgement. This happened to me before, which is why I quit being a police detective. Don’t you
see? I won’t be able to stand hurting another innocent person.”

  Confusion, worry, and apprehension filled her mind. Her chest clenched from his admission. This had happened to him before? How terrible! No wonder he was having a meltdown right now. Well, they’d just do the opposite of what he’d done that last time. That was the only answer.

  She pushed away from him and wiped the moisture in her eyes. “Where is this guy keeping my mother?”

  “In Seattle.”

  “Do you think he’s connected with the guys who were after us today?”

  “I…don’t know.”

  “For some reason, I don’t think they are. So,” she took a deep breath and released it, “the guys who are here in Montana are probably Mark’s friends or cousins. Let me deal with Mark. I’ll call him and explain that I don’t want to marry him. I’ll tell him I don’t love him—that I never really did.”

  Kurt’s jaw hardened and he shook his head. “No,” he snapped. “I don’t want you dealing with a madman like him. Riley, he’s used to overpowering women, and that means he doesn’t take rejection well. He won’t back down until he has you. And if he’s doing this to get back at your mother for sending his brothers to prison, then he’s more invested and he won’t give up.”

  Fear rushed through her. Was Mark really that mean? He’d always tried to control their relationship, and he never really had taken rejection well. So maybe… She bit her bottom lip. What would Mark do if he captured her? She shuddered to even imagine it.

  “Fine, then I’ll go with you to Seattle.” She nodded, determined to help in some way.

  “No.” His voice was harsh. “I’ll be putting you in danger, and I refuse to do that.”

  “But I can’t stay here.” She threw up her hands and paced in front of the bed. “There has to be a way for us to do both.” She rubbed her forehead, thinking back over every minute she’d been with Kurt. There had to be something they could do to catch Mark and whoever was after her.

  A trap. That was the only way Mark would come so that Kurt could catch him. She stopped and met Kurt’s narrowed gaze. “How many men do you have on your payroll? You can’t be the only one with authority to arrest people.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not. I have a few men who work under me, but they don’t have the training I received when I was in the police force in Seattle.”

  “Good. Call them. I have a plan.”

  “Riley?” His voice wavered on uncertainty. “What is cooking in that pretty head of yours?”

  She tapped her finger on her chin. “I think I found a way for the hunted to become the hunters.”

  * * * *

  As they waited at the airport for their flight to Seattle, Riley took deep breaths, trying to gain the courage to call Mark. You can do this, she told herself. Her parents had kept her innocent for years, but there was a woman buried deep down inside of her that wanted to come forth. Riley wanted to be someone important…not just the judge’s or a rich man’s daughter, and not just the wife of the best looking man on campus. She wanted more. If she could help Kurt save her mother and get several men arrested, that would be good enough for her.

  On the ride to the airport, Kurt had contacted some of his former co-workers at the police station to help him rescue the judge. Thankfully, they were going to back him up. But now it was Riley’s turn to play the bait. Kurt was still talking on his cell, trying to find out more about the judge’s kidnapping, so she knew this was her chance to make the call she’d been dreading.

  Quickly, before she could change her mind, she called Mark. After the second ring, he answered it.

  “Hullo?”

  Mark sounded the way he always did—cheerful and sexy. She frowned. Why didn’t he sound depressed? After all his fiancé had left him standing at the altar only yesterday.

  “Hi, Mark. It’s me.”

  “Sharon?”

  Riley sucked in a quick breath. Who in the crap was Sharon? “No, this is Riley.”

  “Riley? What…what happened to you yesterday? I heard a sheriff came to pick you up, but he never brought you to the church. Is that what happened?”

  She fisted her hands. Who could have possibly told him a sheriff picked her up? He wasn’t in a police car or anything that indicated Kurt’s profession. If they neighbors had noticed, they would have just seen a gorgeous man helping Riley inside a truck.

  “Uh, yes. That’s what happened. You see,” she took another breath, “something happened to my mother, and the sheriff came to get me.”

  “Your….mother?”

  “Yes, she’s been kidnapped.”

  “Why didn’t you call me before now?”

  “Oh, Mark, I’m really sorry, but there was so much going on, and I was so worried about my mother, I just didn’t think.”

  “Now I’m wondering if this guy is even a sheriff.” Mark’s voice turned harsh. “You’re probably cheating on me with another man.” He swore. “Riley, I swear to you, I won’t allow that to happen.”

  Here we go again! She couldn’t count how many times he’d accused her of cheating on him in the little time they were together. And she thought she had a trust problem. Mark was the one with trust issues.

  “Mark, I’m sorry if you don’t believe me, but I don’t have time to argue with you. I’m with the sheriff right now and we are at the airport waiting for our flight to Seattle.”

  “Riley, I swear, if you’re lying to me—”

  “What?” she snapped back, finally having the courage to do this. “You’re going to leave me? You’re not going to marry me?” She rolled her eyes. “Well, if that is the way you want to play this, then the marriage is off.” Her heartbeat was hammering so fast in her chest, she was sure she’d stop breathing right now. Yet at the same time, it felt good to finally say those words to him.

  “Oh, baby, I’m sorry. You know I didn’t mean it. I’m just so worried about you.”

  She shook her head. If she had a dime for every time he’d said that to her, she’d be able to pay for college. But she couldn’t tell him where to stick it…not yet. “Okay, Mark. I understand.”

  “Call me when you get to Seattle.”

  “I will.”

  “And make sure to keep your phone on, just in case.”

  “All right.”

  “Love you, babe,” he said, but she quickly disconnected the call.

  Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply. I did it!

  “Are you all right?” Kurt placed his hand on her shoulder.

  She looked up at him and smiled. “I’m more than all right. I’m relieved.”

  “You did great.” He winked.

  “Mark somehow knew the sheriff had come to get me.” She arched an eyebrow. “Imagine that.” She shook her head. “Oh, and he said something at the end there that confused me.”

  “What did he say?” Kurt sat beside her and took hold of her hand.

  “He told me to keep my phone on, just in case. What do you think that means?”

  Kurt released a heavy breath. “He’s been tracking your phone. That’s how he knew you were at my house.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive. There was no other way. We did that to perps when I was on the police force.”

  She leaned into him and squeezed his arm. “At least we know he’s falling for our trap.”

  “Let’s hope he continues.” Kurt stroked her cheek. “I’m proud of you. Thanks for thinking up this plan. I kind of freaked out back at the resort. I just…don’t want to go through it again.”

  “You won’t. Things are different now.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  She hoped she was right, too.

  TEN

  Kurt didn’t like this feeling of deja-vu at all.

  His stomach rolled with guilt. He shouldn’t have brought Riley along. He shouldn’t be allowing her to help at all. It was bad enough he’d been the reason two people were almost killed a few months past, and he couldn’t
go through it again. Not with Riley.

  He wasn’t sure how dangerous Mark was, but if that man was part of the team of men who’d been chasing them, then Mark was very dangerous. And extremely determined to get Riley back, which was a bad thing for both Kurt and Riley.

  She wouldn’t like it, but he needed to leave her with someone so she wouldn’t get hurt. Who did he trust here in Seattle to leave her with?

  Brittany.

  His heart softened for his former partner. They’d been teamed together for a year, and foolishly, he’d let his heart get involved. When she’d fallen in love with another man, it had devastated him so much, he requested a new partner. That’s when he and Liam Hawke were paired together. Liam loved to charm women, just as Kurt did. It was comical to watch women fall over themselves just to listen to Liam’s soothing voice.

  Kurt and Liam had a lot in common, not only did they love women, but they loved hunting and fishing. In a short amount of time, Kurt had grown close to Liam and thought of him as a brother. So when the situation came that had almost gotten Liam killed, Kurt realized he wasn’t supposed to be a police detective. He couldn’t bear to face the fact that because of him, the people closest to him could have died.

  Now, as Kurt walked alongside Riley through the airport as they headed toward the car rentals, he felt inadequate. Feeling this way made him vulnerable…which made him mad. He shouldn’t have taken on the job as bodyguard. He certainly wasn’t mentally fit to protect anyone. However, he would call Brittany to see if she would watch Riley so he could try and rescue the judge. Before their flight, he’d called and asked for Captain Martinez’s help, along with his ex-partner, Hawke, and his other co-workers, Tyrone and Gibbs.

  Kurt walked up to the desk to rent a car. Riley held the duffle bag that held their clothes and a few toiletries, as she watched everyone at the airport. He knew she was keeping an eye out for Mark or his cousins. Kurt felt that her ex-fiancé was definitely going to show up. There was a reason Mark wanted Riley so much, and Kurt suspected it had something to do with the judge. And yet, he didn’t think Mark or his family was holding the judge prisoner. The man’s voice on the phone seemed slightly familiar, but Kurt couldn’t quite pinpoint who it was.