by Rebecca Deel
Ten minutes later, he said, “Review time, angel.” He paused, his hand sliding down to her wrist with the charm bracelet. “Better to take that off for now.”
She slid the jewelry from her wrist, placed it beside the water. “When will you give me the next charm?”
He smiled. “After we finish.” In the middle of the mat, Alex circled behind Ivy, wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “Show me what you’ve learned, baby.”
For the next few minutes, Ivy demonstrated the skills he’d drilled into her over the previous weeks. Alex corrected a couple maneuvers, added another. “Very good, angel.”
“What else can you teach me?”
His gaze grew intent. “What will you do if your opponent gets you on the ground?”
Ivy’s breath froze in her lungs. Memories of Lee throwing her to the ground, choking her before tossing her in the basement flooded her mind. She wheezed in a breath.
“Breathe, baby.” Alex cupped her face with his hands. “Look at me. It’s Alex. I would never hurt you.”
Her hands gripped his biceps as she fought to regulate her breathing. She was pleasantly surprised at how fast the panic attack eased. This was nothing like the episode caused by Porter. Relief flooded her system at her first deep breath and the knowledge she was getting better.
“Bad memory, Ivy?”
“Lee knocked me to the ground and choked me before he threw me down the stairs to the basement.”
“If I could go back in time and beat the crap out of him, I would.”
She didn’t doubt that, considering the dark expression on his face. “Show me what to do so that doesn’t happen again.”
“You sure?”
Ivy nodded.
“First, this.” Alex wrapped his arms around Ivy and kissed her. “I’m proud of you, sweetheart. If what I’m teaching you becomes too much, we’ll stop and try again later. Lay flat on your back.”
When she complied, Alex straddled her stomach, careful to keep his weight off her. “I’m going to put my hands on your neck. I won’t use any pressure. I want you reach up and tug one of my hands away.”
“But the bad guy will use force.”
“You’re learning the defense tactics one step at a time. It’s all about muscle memory, Ivy. We want this to be so automatic you use the technique without thinking about it. Go ahead, try.” He placed his hands around her neck.
Ivy expected to feel like she couldn’t breathe, but Alex was true to his word. No pressure. She reached up, clamped her hand over one of his and yanked it away from her throat.
“Good. Again. More force this time.”
Over and over they practiced until he was satisfied Ivy was using the skill automatically.
“Next step, angel. You’re going to yank my hand away and immediately I want you to buck with your hip. Your goal is to knock the bad guy off balance. He’s only using one hand around your throat since you yanked the other one off. He’ll have to let go to get his balance or he’ll face plant.”
They worked for a few minutes on that. Then he said, “Next step. You’re going to yank my hand, buck me off balance, then hook your leg around mine and with your hip, buck me off you and onto my back.”
It took her a few tries, but Ivy finally got the hang of it. When she had the move down, she stared down at Alex. “Now what?”
“You could poke me in the eyes, punch my nose or my throat, hit my ears with your cupped hands as hard as you can. Bust the eardrums. It’s an excruciatingly painful injury.”
Ivy’s eyes widened. “And then?”
“Run. You’re never going to beat a male opponent from sheer brute strength. You have to outsmart him. What you’re learning to do is slow him down, hurt him enough so you can run for help. No matter what, you fight and keep fighting to escape. If one technique doesn’t work, go to another. You do not give up. Ever.” He lifted her off him and stood, drawing her up with him. “We’ve been at this over an hour. You ready to eat now?”
She nodded and threw her arms around him. “Thank you.”
He hugged her. “Anytime, angel. Want that charm now?”
“Yes.” She hurried off the mat, retrieved the bracelet and handed it to him.
Alex pulled a charm from his pocket and attached it, then clasped the bracelet around her wrist once again.
Ivy twisted the jewelry around. Delight made her breath catch. “It’s a tiger.”
“When you see the tiger, remember that I don’t see you as a victim. You are a survivor and one of the strongest people I know. My tiger is small but fierce when she has something or someone worth fighting for. I hope she always sees me as someone to fight for.”
“Always, Alex,” she whispered, then brushed his lips with hers. Oh, man, how had any woman let Alex Morgan slip through her fingers? Well, this one wasn’t letting him get away. He was a definite keeper.
“Let’s go eat, angel.”
In bed later that night, Ivy rubbed her fingers over the small, fierce tiger and prayed she could live up to his belief in her strength. She had a feeling it was going to take everything she and Alex had to survive the coming storm with Evans and the poisoner.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Alex stood in his father’s study, watching the steady rain through the French doors. He sighed. Appropriate. It seemed even the sky was weeping over the death of his father. His heart actually hurt.
James Morgan had been relatively young and in excellent health. If not for two men, Alex would have had years to renew their relationship. Instead, in a couple hours, he would be saying goodbye to his father for the last time.
Footsteps sounded in the hallway. Without turning, he knew it was Ivy. A moment later, her slender arms wrapped around him. He turned into her embrace. Neither one said anything for a few minutes.
“I don’t know if I could go through this without you, angel.”
Ivy shook her head. “You could. But you don’t have to. Being a couple means sharing the joys and sorrows. Today, we mourn together.”
On this difficult day, her mere presence brought him much comfort. He knew Durango would always be there for him. They’d watched each other’s backs in the fiercest firefights, unsure any of them would live to see the next sunrise. They’d celebrated victories, mourned the loss of their brother soldiers, and when the war on terror had taken enough of a toll, Durango had walked away as a unit, none of them having the heart to continue without the others.
Ivy’s care for him was just as fierce as his teammates’ loyalty. He loved this woman so much, couldn’t imagine a life without her now. One day soon, he’d tell her how he felt and hope the feelings were reciprocated. If they weren’t, he’d wear her down with love and persuasion. His lips curved in a smile. And more charms because those small pieces of jewelry enchanted her.
They stood together, wrapped in each other’s arms, until Josh tapped on the doorjamb.
“We’re ready to go, Alex. Luggage is loaded in the SUVs. Rio scored four hotels rooms in town.”
“Thanks.”
His friend hesitated. “Your mother refused to have anyone but Porter in the vehicle with her. Porter’s driving his own car.”
Of course. Why should Cynthia Morgan cooperate in her own security? “Understood. We’ll handle it.”
Ivy laced her fingers with his, stood on tiptoe, kissed him. She stepped back and squeezed his hand.
The service for his father was held at the largest church in town. The building was packed with mourners, including his father’s staffers. Though the funeral director motioned him and Ivy to seats beside his mother, Alex shook his head and guided Ivy to the seats across the aisle. Yeah, his actions would cause a stir. He reasoned it wouldn’t cause as much of one as it would if his mother laid into him again in public. Although he could handle it, Alex didn’t want Ivy in the spotlight because of his actions. The news media was already speculating as to her identity and their relationship. The last thing she needed was to have to defend herself
against her own mother in light of a media scandal.
Even more than those reasons, Alex didn’t want his father’s funeral tarnished with unresolved family issues. The people gathered in this church should remember the great man his father was, not Morgan drama.
As the service progressed, Alex realized the minister didn’t know his father at all. Had his parents dropped out of church? Maybe the minister was new or someone his mother felt could handle attention from the media and political elite. Following the minister’s short remarks, a long string of speakers paid tribute to James Morgan. Most were senators and congressmen. Others were personal friends, some Alex recognized, others not. They all painted a different picture of his father. The last speaker was Porter. His brother had grown into a polished speaker. No surprise, Alex wasn’t invited to participate in the service. Even expecting the public snub didn’t negate the hurt winding around his heart.
At the conclusion of the service, Alex and Ivy stood with the rest of the audience as the casket was wheeled down the central aisle. His mother leaned heavily on Porter, weeping into her lace handkerchief. Alex waited until his mother and brother were halfway down the aisle before following them. In his wake, the whispers of speculation permeated the church. He wondered how quickly news of his strained relationship with his family would make the political circuit.
Outside the church, his friends waited by the SUVs. Josh squeezed his shoulder, then signaled the rest to load up and be ready to move. Once his mother was settled and the casket loaded in the hearse, the funeral procession slowly wound through the streets of Hunter’s Glen toward Washington, D. C. and Arlington National Cemetery. The streets were lined with people, many with their hands over their hearts in tribute to his father.
Alex blinked, eyes stinging. He pushed back his raw emotions, focused on his job. Though his mother and brother resented his presence, their protection remained his priority today, theirs and Ivy’s. After the burial, Fortress would take over his mother’s protection, leaving Durango free to track Evans and the poisoner. The Fortress operatives would remain on assignment until the protection was no longer necessary. Alex had asked Maddox to bill him for the protection detail. His new boss told him the operatives had volunteered their time so there was no bill.
Not arguing the point, Alex made a mental note to learn the names of the operatives. He owed them and would find a way to repay the debt somehow.
Throughout the solemn formality of the burial service at Arlington, Josh, Del, and Ivy stayed by his side, his friends and the Cahills at his back. They stood apart from his family, but that didn’t stop the cold glances from his mother and Porter.
And still it rained. When the grave-side service concluded, the mourners began drifting back to their vehicles. Most stopped to have a final word with his mother and brother. A few personal friends made their way to him, but the majority of the mourners ignored him. Suited him fine. He didn’t have the heart for polite conversation and platitudes today.
Aaron and Liz both hugged him. “Do you need us to stay a few more days, son?” Aaron asked.
“You’ve already missed two days of work. I hate to ask you to miss more.”
“I’ll shift the schedule around if you need us. Madison told Liz she could manage without her at the yarn store.”
A surge of affection rolled through Alex. “You’ve already done more than I can repay.”
“No debt is owed in a family, son.” Liz kissed his cheek. “You’re ours, and we love you. We will always be here for you.”
“I’ll see you when I get home.” Alex kissed her forehead. And it was true, he realized. Otter Creek was his home and the sprawling Cahill family belonged to him now.
When everyone had left but his friends, Josh said, “We’ll wait for you.” All of them returned to the SUVs except Ivy.
“Do you want me to wait with the others?” she asked.
He shook his head, his gaze on the casket in front of him. “He was a good father, angel. My brother and I weren’t exactly perfect sons, but he hung in there with us. We were turned into terrors the minute we hit thirteen.” A rough laugh rumbled in his chest. “Looking back on it, I’m surprised he didn’t kill us. I totaled the family car three months after getting my license. Driving too fast, showing off for a girl.”
“How did he handle it?”
“Made me get a job to pay the difference between the payout from the insurance company and the bank loan. He also grounded me from anything except school related activities or the job until that bill was paid.”
“What was Porter’s worst offense?”
“We had remote garage door openers in each car. Porter was notorious for punching the button and zipping into the garage just as the door cleared the top of the car.” A small smile. “One day, Port misjudged the timing and sheered off the roof of Mother’s car. Lucky he didn’t take his own head off with the roof.”
“You guys were tough on vehicles.”
“The insurance company agreed with you. The rates were pretty steep. Dad was a good husband, too. At least he was before I left.”
“Don’t, Alex. Whatever happened in your parents’ marriage isn’t on you. Tell me good things about them.”
“When I was a kid, they were so in love. Port and I used to make gagging noises when they kissed which they did a lot in those days. The last couple years I was home, their relationship changed. I don’t know if it was Dad being gone so much or Mother being too involved in her charities and committee work, but they drifted apart. The morning I left for basic training, they treated each other as polite strangers.”
“When they weren’t yelling at you,” she murmured.
“Except for that,” he agreed. “He used to bring her flowers every Friday, buy symphony tickets, take her on surprise weekends out of town. I don’t want my marriage to end like theirs did in the last years, Ivy. I want a solid family life filled with love and laughter, a wife I can count on even when things around us are falling apart.”
“I want the same. Marriage is hard work, love. They became complacent. You won’t.”
He turned his head toward her. “How do you know?”
“You’re vigilant. You want a Cahill marriage and you’re willing to work hard to get it. You’re going to be a great husband and father, Alex.”
Alex’s gaze shifted back to the coffin. It was time to go, to move on. The burial attendants were waiting to finish their jobs. He walked the few feet to the casket, laid his hand on the polished lid, remembered his father’s last words of acceptance and love, grateful he hadn’t lost his father before having the chance to speak to him one last time. “Goodbye, Dad,” he murmured.
He tucked Ivy against his side and walked through the pouring rain to his SUV. Alex and his teammates caravanned back to Hunter’s Glen and pulled into the Royal Oak Hotel’s parking lot.
After registering and receiving their key cards, Durango retrieved luggage from the SUVs and delivered baggage to the individual rooms. Because Josh and Del were still technically on their honeymoon, Josh had asked for a suite which would be used as the central gathering point for their investigations.
Assembling in the suite living room a few minutes later, Nate spoke up. “What now?”
“We get to work,” Alex said. “We have two killers to catch.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Alex’s phone vibrated. A glance at the screen showed Zane’s number. He swiped the screen, hit speaker. “Zane, you’re on speaker with my team. What do you have for us?”
“You were right about the guy in the hospital hallway. Definitely not the same man who shot Senator Morgan. Movements and mannerisms were not a match.”
“Did you get a shot of his face?” Josh asked.
“Nope. Dude knew exactly where the cameras were located. His head was angled away from the lens each time.”
“Not a spur of the moment act,” Nate said.
No chance of that since the guy had to bring the potassium chlorid
e with him in a syringe. “Any details you can give us?” Alex asked.
“Caucasian, about six feet tall, moves like he’s trained.”
“Trained how?”
“Law enforcement or military.”
Matched Alex’s assessment. Military, most likely. The op took serious planning. Easy enough to find scrubs. Swiping hospital ID or creating a realistic one was a step up because the feds would have checked the identity of the person entering his father’s room. Would the agents remember the name the killer had given? Might be worth checking.
“And you know this how?” Josh leaned forward, forearms on his knees.
“He did a dry run the day before he killed the senator.”
“So the feds didn’t catch it, not once, but twice.” Quinn shook his head. “Beautiful. Remind me not to ask them for help.”
“I’ll second that,” Nate muttered. “Idiots.”
“Anything else, Zane?” Alex rubbed the back of his neck, frustrated that while he’d almost been denied access to his father, the feds had wasted time concentrating on his possible role in the shooting and let a murderer slip through their fingers. Soft hands pushed his aside, began massaging the tight muscles of his shoulders and neck. He relaxed into Ivy’s touch. For such small hands, she had a grip on her.
“The file on your father’s computer originated in the senator’s office. They can’t narrow it down any more without having access to the computers unless you want them to do some hacking. They’re more than willing to do that, but it could compromise a court case if their tampering is discovered.”
“We’ll hold off on that for now. Any luck with the texts and emails being sent to my girlfriend?”
“Traced the number. It belongs to a burner phone. Cash transaction. No way to track the owner.”
“Figured that was the case, but I appreciate you checking.”
“So who’s the beautiful lady in the photos?”
“Ivy Monroe. Say hello, angel.”
“Hi, Zane. Thanks for trying to help with those pictures.”
