Protected by Shadows

by Aliyah Burke

  He gripped her arms. “What do you mean?”

  She told him about the call and watched his expression darken thunderously.

  “Did you tell the cops?”

  “No. I thought I imagined it—hoped I had. There’s no recording of it and the number was blocked.” As if on cue her cell rang. Hector didn’t move away until he saw the name on the screen. Jaydee.

  “Hey, Jay.”

  “How’s Eugene? And how are you?”

  “I’m okay. Eugene’s in a coma, Jay.” More tears spilled and she didn’t even bother wiping them away. “He’s just lying there covered by cuts, bruises and gauze.”

  “Lexy, I’m so sorry. I’ll be on the first plane out I can get.”

  “No,” she mumbled. “You have a family.”

  “And my sister needs me. I will be there today.” She hung up.

  Lexy stared distractedly at the phone until she realized Hector was attempting to talk to her.

  “What did you say, Hector?”

  “I want you to go to the cops.”

  “And say what? Help me, a computer voice told me that what happened to my brother wasn’t an accident. I didn’t record the call and the number was blocked.” She shook her head. “What good will that do? Make them think I’m insane.”

  “You’re staying with me.”

  “No. For all we know it’s a prank.”

  He scowled and jerked her chin so she stared at their brother. “Does that look like a fucking accident to you, Alexsa? Or a prank?”

  She gulped. “I meant the call, Hector. Not Eugene. Never Eugene.” How could he ever think she could feel that way?

  “I’m sorry, Lexy. This”—he gestured—“has me all messed up.”

  She hugged him. “I know. Go home and sleep, Hector. I’ll stay here with Eugene. The clinic is covered.”

  “I’m not leaving.”

  “Promise. I’ll call if there’s any change.”

  “Be careful, sis. If that call was real…”

  “I’ll be right here, Hector. I think I’ll be safe in the hospital room.”

  “Love you,” he murmured, giving her another hug.

  “Ditto.”

  Hector left and Lexy opened the curtains, allowing the morning Southern sun to enter the room. She stood over her brother and wished she could take away all his pain.

  “Time to wake up, Eugene.” She touched one of the few spots on his head not showing an injury. The only sounds were coming from the numerous machines keeping him alive.

  Moving a chair to the sun, she stared out of the window before sitting and closing her eyes.

  * * * *

  The chime of her cell woke her.

  “Hello?” Her greeting came out in a mumble.

  “You will not go to the police and you will give us what we want. You can’t hide from us, The Watchers are everywhere.”

  She bolted up in her chair, heart thundering. “You! What do you want?”

  “Your attention…for now. We will summon you and you had better answer.”

  Her brain scrambled. “Who are The Watchers?”

  “Just know all your activities are being monitored. Do not test us on this, for you will not like the repercussions.”

  “Wait, monitored?”

  “Need an example? Very well. Your brother, Hector, is driving his Chevy Tahoe. And your Spyder is very nice. Although you do like to drive fast, wouldn’t it be a shame if something happened while you were cruising over eighty.” It came out as a statement. A cold-blooded one.

  Lexy wasn’t concerned until they told her Hector’s license plate and color of his vehicle. It was one thing to know what he drove but to give such specifics was scary. Who is this person? Or people?

  “What do you want?” Her emotions were out of control and her voice reflected it with the cracking.

  “Don’t forget. No cops. We’ll talk soon.”

  Just like that, the computer voice was gone and she had a dial tone in her ear. Dropping her phone in her lap, she pinched her nose and groaned. It made even less sense now.

  Watchers.

  Never heard of them. Summons. Totally missed that.

  The door opened to admit two nurses. One approached her. “You okay, dearie? You’re a bit pale.”

  Her name tag read ‘Mary’ and Lexy shook her head. She was far from okay. “Not used to seeing my brother like this. I’ll be fine, thanks.”

  “We have to run some tests, why don’t you head to the cafeteria and get something to eat?”

  “I’ll be fine, I have some coffee.” There was no way she wanted to leave him. She settled back in the chair.

  “Very well.” They left her alone and did their thing.

  Chapter Three

  Valentino walked down the steps to congregate with the rest of his family. Jaydee was ready to leave and most of the others were as well, himself included. He kissed his mother only to pause at the expression on Jaydee’s face.

  “What’s wrong?” Gio asked his wife.

  “Lexy said not to come.”

  “She probably has no wish for you to go all the way over there when all she’s doing is sitting at his bedside.” Gio kissed her.

  “No. Something’s wrong. She called me from a payphone.”

  Valentino felt a sliver of uncertainty skate up his spine. What had Lexy got herself into now?

  “Perhaps she forgot her phone,” he offered, truly not liking the fear on Jaydee’s face.

  Jaydee met his gaze squarely. “She’s a vet. It’s always with her. Always.”

  Valentino could attest to that—she even brought it in the bathroom when she showered. It was an extension of herself.

  “What did she say, Jaydee? All of it?” Valentino put all his attention on her. Jaydee was one who could repeat verbatim what she heard.

  “She said she didn’t want me to come down. Things were hectic. Eugene has been in a coma since the accident.” A shake of her head. “She said she was being watched.” Jaydee gripped Gio’s arm. “She isn’t paranoid. Something is—”

  Her phone rang and she answered, “Lexy?”

  Jaydee became rigid and went off in Russian. He fought the urge to smack the phone from her hand to get her focus back on him and have her finish the story.

  “What do you mean, watched?” he interrupted.

  Jaydee pulled the phone from her mouth. “I don’t know. She mentioned a group who called themselves The Watchers.”

  Valentino had been to hell and back a few times. There wasn’t much evil he hadn’t faced. Or fear. It was child’s play compared to this moment when he realized The Watchers had Lexy in their sights.

  “What?” God, his voice sounded graveled. She continued talking so he reached out and removed the phone from her hand.

  “Valentino!” Gio snapped.

  Jaydee stared at him, shock evident on her face.

  “I need you to tell me exact, Jaydee. Gio, give me a fucking second.”

  His brother frowned but stopped his forward progress.

  She arched an eyebrow. “I just told you.”

  Reining hard on his swiftly eroding control, he held her gaze, allowing the emotion he typically kept hidden to leak free.

  “Anything else?” The words were bit off in a failing attempt to master his temper.

  “Give me my phone.”

  “Was. There. Anything. Else?”

  “Valentino, what is your problem?”

  He growled low in his throat and glanced around. His parents, brothers and Jaydee watched him. Shock and confusion were on each of their faces. Halyn had walked off with the kids.

  “Son?” His mother reached out to touch his arm.

  He knew he didn’t have a choice. Damn it, I wanted to keep them from this.

  “I know this group,” he said, exhaling heavily.

  “How would you know?”

  He speared Enzo with a look. “Because we’ve been hunting their leader for a long time.”

  Jayde
e crossed her arms. “You aren’t a banker.”

  “No.” He glanced at his watch, tossed Jaydee her phone back then put his hands in his pockets. “What I’m about to tell you, you need to forget the moment I’m done saying it.” They all looked skeptical, but each one nodded. “I work for a group that protects the country. This other group, The Watchers, is a radical group who wants to change the government and if they are after Lexy…” His stomach curdled with the thought.

  His family began firing questions at him and he sighed before trying to figure out how to answer them. Jaydee placed her hand on his arm. The act had everything else fading into the background. He gave her all his attention.

  “Keep her safe.”

  He had every intention of doing so. His phone rang and he glanced at the screen. His boss. “I will,” he vowed.

  “Tell us more, Valentino,” Enzo said.

  It rang again and he ignored it. “No.”

  “What do you mean no, son?” their father asked.

  “Nothing hidden in my meaning. The less you know of what I do the better. Like I said, forget you even heard that bit.” He held his father’s gaze.

  “You’re involved with going after terrorists,” his mama snapped. “You really think I’m just going to forget it?”

  “I know you don’t want to, Mama, but yes, I expect you to.”

  “What about The Watchers?”

  He should have known Jaydee wouldn’t let it go. The woman was fiercely protective of her friend.

  The phone rang again. “Equate them to a homegrown terrorist cell.”

  “White supremacist?” Gio asked.

  He shook his head. “No. Their hatred is for the government, and anyone whose beliefs mirror their own is welcome.”

  “What does it have to do with Lexy?”

  He shrugged. “I can’t say, Enzo, because I don’t know. But it’s serious if they went after her brother.” The ringing began again and this time he answered it. “Yeah?”

  “Problem getting to your phone, Cassano?”

  Masters. Valentino skimmed his tongue over his top teeth. “Apparently.”

  “Need you to come in.”

  “Sorry, I’ve got a lead on The Watchers I’m going to follow up on.”

  Silence met his declaration, but he knew the explosion wouldn’t be long in coming. And he was right. Masters went off in a flurry of words no one should ever hear.

  “Trevor?” Masters asked.

  Trevor Mansfield, leader of the Watchers. Many members of Valentino’s group, Theta Corps, had lost people because of this man. Himself included.

  “I won’t know until I get there.”

  “Where is there?”

  “Virginia.”

  “Call in Beauregard to meet you. Tell him to bring Ethan and Anabelle Lee along as well.”

  While he wanted to argue, Valentino keep his thoughts to himself. “I have to go.”

  “Keep me apprised.” The order preceded the click.

  Valentino shoved his phone in his pocket and faced his family. Hurt, understanding and betrayal lingered amongst their faces. Gio and Jaydee were the only two who had understanding.

  He couldn’t think or worry about them now. “I have to get on my way.”

  His mother sniffed and walked to join Halyn and the children. His father departed seconds later. Enzo glared but gave him a quick hug.

  “Keep Lexy safe, bro,” he said in Italian before striding off as well.

  “Mama and Papa will come around, Valentino. They hate being kept out of any aspects of our lives.”

  “I know.” He hugged Gio. “Keep an eye on them.”

  “Always, and call if you need anything.”

  “Will do.” Valentino nodded at Jaydee then climbed in his car and left in a flurry of spinning wheels.

  He sent a short text to Beauregard and his cousins asking them be ready to meet when he sent coordinates—he didn’t need them tailing him when he tracked Lexy down. He went to the airport.

  Lexy. Just the thought of her had him reacting physically. Pushing those feelings and notions away, he waited to board his flight. Once he landed, he got a car and began the drive to Lexy’s, only to change his mind and stop at a hotel. Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, he mulled over the options before him.

  Logically, he knew it would be smartest to approach her in the morning. He knew, even before he pulled back onto the road, there were very few logical anythings when it came to Alexsa Camden and himself.

  Despite wishing to speed, he refrained. It neared midnight when he slowed to turn into her driveway. A lone security light framed the front of the ranch house and yard overflowed with flora. After pulling to a halt, he climbed out and made his way to the porch with its numerous wind chimes. A prickle skated along his spine and he knew he was being watched. Should have figured it would happen. He pressed the doorbell.

  He loosened his tie as he waited. The outside light flicked on, bathing him with a bright glow. Then the door opened and he promptly lost his breath.

  From her Hello Kitty head wrap to the cut-off—belly-button ring exposing—lavender camisole and on to the low-riding black boxers, she kicked his libido into high gear.

  “What are you doing here?” she demanded.

  He watched her lean the Louisville Slugger against the wall. She might very well hurt him for what he was about to do, but he didn’t give a damn. Besides, they were being watched.

  After reaching out, he grabbed her to him and slammed his mouth over hers, hunger immediately overtaking any semblance of control. Her taste swarmed over his tongue and he closed his eyes in bliss, even as he moved her farther in to be able to shut the door behind him.

  When the latching sound penetrated their bubble, Lexy pulled away and stared up at him, her brown eyes full of wary suspicion.

  “What the fuck are you doing here, Val? How did you find out where I lived?” She pushed him away and paced before him, enticing him with each stride she took.

  “What do you know about The Watchers?” he countered with his own query.

  She froze. For a moment her eyes went wide before they narrowed dangerously. She held up a finger and took several deep breaths then stomped to him.

  “You know something about this crap that right nearly killed my brother?” Her finger stabbed him with each bitten word. Her Southern accent was so thick he had a hard time understanding her.

  “I’m sorry about your brother.” He captured her wrist and drew her near. He realized his mistake and kissed her as he moved toward her stereo system and turned it on.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Give me five minutes to sweep the house then we’ll talk,” he murmured in her ear.

  Her mutinous glare told him he barely had five minutes. He got to work sweeping her house.

  Lexy seethed as her ‘visitor’ moved through her home as if he had every blipping right to do so. On one hand, seeing him again had her body thrumming with joy. For her here, however, it was nearly catastrophic.

  She sat at her kitchen table and watched him. After a few moments, she got up and went to her Keurig. Within seconds, she was adding creamer and sugar to her coffee while another brewed for Valentino. Her guest.

  He strode into the room and she covered for her faltering breath by sipping some of her java. Val appeared rumpled. How I like him. Okay, so that wasn’t entirely true—she liked him any way she found him. His blue tie hung askew and the white shirt had a few buttons undone. Black slacks showed off his strong lower body.

  Hotness aside, she truly didn’t like people coming into her home as he had. Being invited was one thing, pushing your way in another entirely.

  Val grabbed his coffee and sat opposite her before fixing it how he wanted then taking a long drink.

  “Well?” she snapped after he sat there in silence.

  “Tell me what you know about The Watchers.”

  She snorted. “Oh hell no. My house, which you shoved your way into.
I want answers. So you will sit there and answer my question or you’ll be leaving.”

  He quirked an eyebrow. “Gonna throw me out?”

  “Yes.”

  “How exactly?”

  She so wanted to punch him in the face to get the smugness off it. “I can call the cops.” A shrug. “Beat you with the bat or a frying pan.” She drummed her fingers on the table. “Or drug you.” She looked pointedly at his coffee mug.

  He paused briefly in the act of drinking. “You won’t call the cops because you want—as you stated—answers. And you won’t get any if they take me away. The other two, you don’t have it in you.”

  She blinked a few times and leaned back in her chair. “You have no idea just exactly what I’m capable of, Valentino Cassano. Don’t make the mistake of thinking because you’ve fucked me on the down low that you have the slightest inkling of what I have in me.”

  He dragged his tongue along his bottom lip and her belly clenched. I want to feel his tongue on me. Focus, I need to focus.

  “Answer my question, Val. What do you know about this group?”

  “The name is Valentino.” He paused. “I’m not an investment banker.”

  She fought a yawn. “No shit.”

  He narrowed his gaze. “What do you mean?”

  “You may have fooled your family, Val, but not me. The places we meet. Hell, there were times you arrived smelling like gunpowder.”

  “You know what gunpowder smells like.” He made it a statement. And damned if he didn’t sound a bit shocked by the notion.

  She laughed, unable to help herself. “Southern,” she said, pointing at herself. “Not sure who you’re used to da…dealing with.” Shit, I almost said dating. “I have two older brothers and I can shoot anything. Yes, I know what it smells like.” Shaking her head, she took another drink. “Stop trying to ask the questions. Who are they?”

  “A large group of men and women who disagree with the government we have in place.”

  “Cult?”

  He gave a quick shake of his head. “Think more militant group. Not a religious cult. Although they are just as devoted to their leader.”

  She frowned. “Issues with the government? What the hell does it have to do with me? It doesn’t make sense.”

  “I need to know exactly what they’ve said to you.”