Navy SEAL Security

by Carol Ericson

  “We’ll get to that.” He smoothed his hands down her back. “Let’s secure this door first and check upstairs.”

  She followed Riley up the staircase, and they visited each room, searching the closets and under the beds. Chester the hamster was spinning on his wheel, his little feet responding to all the excitement.

  They ended up in Amy’s room, her rifled suitcase a stark testament to the danger that stalked her.

  She sank onto the bed, slouching forward. “What do they want from me, Riley?”

  “They want their money.”

  She jerked her shoulders back. “What?”

  “The men who delivered the drugs from Afghanistan want their money. They have big plans for that cash.”

  She sprang from the bed and grabbed his forearm. “Terrorists are after me?”

  “They think you have their money. They believe that’s what Carlos was doing at your house.”

  “Stashing money from a drug deal? But where? I’m assuming they’re looking for a lot of cash. It would have to be in a bag or a suitcase.” She flipped down the lid of her own bag. “And not one filled with women’s clothing.”

  Riley shook his head and raked back his long hair from his forehead. “They think you have something. And they want it.”

  Amy paced toward the window and then spun around. “Wait a minute. How do you know all of this? Two hours ago at the penitentiary you were convincing both of us that the bad guys wanted you.”

  “Your brother told me.”

  She dropped to the bed again, like a boxer taking one to the gut. “You spoke to Ethan?”

  “I met him.” He settled next to her on the bed and draped his arm across her shoulder. “After I left you, I went on a mission to find your brother.”

  “Did he confirm that he set me up with Carlos?”

  “He did.”

  Riley rubbed a circle on her back as if that could assuage the misery of your own half brother setting you up with criminals and terrorists. Amy closed her eyes and breathed deeply through her nose. The pressure of Riley’s hand did help a little. Okay, it helped a lot.

  “Ethan told you these men from some terrorist cell—” butterflies whirred in her belly at the words “—think I have their money?”

  “That’s the word on the street.”

  “My name is on the street?” She launched from the bed and away from Riley’s comfort. Couldn’t get too accustomed to his protection. “That can’t be good.”

  “None of it’s good, Amy. I don’t want to scare you, but…” He grabbed a couple of fistfuls of bedspread and clenched his jaw.

  “Don’t stop now.” She leaned against the wall, pressing her clammy palms against the smooth surface. She’d take whatever he had to throw at her standing up, not crouched on the floor like a quivering mass of jelly.

  “Whoever searched this house didn’t follow you here. I made sure of that.”

  She swallowed and squeezed her eyes shut briefly. “And that means…?”

  “They know about you. They know your friends and your habits.”

  “But I don’t have their money. Once they figure that out, they’ll leave me alone.”

  “Don’t you?” He pushed up from the bed and strode toward her, sweeping his gun from the dresser on his way.

  Amy’s gaze shifted from the weapon in his hand to the dark blue eyes beneath disheveled hair. Was he back to that again? “You think I worked this out with Carlos?”

  “No.” He tucked the weapon in the back of his waistband. “Maybe you have the money and you just don’t know you have the money.”

  “Uh, I’m pretty sure I’d know if I had—what?—several hundred thousand dollars on my person or in the trunk of my car.”

  “If Carlos had cash on him.” Riley rubbed the dark gold stubble on his chin.

  Amy dragged her gaze away from his sexy scruff and blinked. “What do you mean? You lost me.”

  “Carlos didn’t stash a load of money at your house, but what if he left the means to get that money?”

  She snorted. “Like a treasure map?”

  Riley snapped his fingers in front of her face. “Think, Amy.”

  She ran her hands over her face and twirled her ponytail around her hand. She could think more clearly if she couldn’t smell Riley’s musky scent every time he touched her. And a lot more clearly if he didn’t touch her at all.

  Studying his blue eyes, all lit up with excitement, Amy nodded. “You mean like the number to a Swiss bank account or something?”

  He clapped his hands. “That’s the idea. He planned to steal that money. He coordinated the drug drop at the storage bin and then hightailed it to your place to claim his ticket for the money. Only the Velasquez Cartel was one step ahead of him. When the money didn’t turn up at the conclusion of the deal, they came after him.”

  Amy marched to the bed and dug through her tousled clothing. “What could it be? Where could it be? I need to somehow convince the men after me that I don’t have what they want.”

  “You must have it.” He did a double take and then raised his brows. “You don’t propose working with the terrorists to find their money, do you?”

  “Of course not.” Her cheeks heated. He still didn’t completely trust her.

  He shrugged his shoulders. “Then it doesn’t matter what they think. They won’t believe you anyway.”

  “When am I ever going to feel safe again?” She gripped her upper arms, allowing a rare bout of self-pity to wash over her in a wave so strong, her knees buckled.

  Riley caught her in his arms, and she burrowed into his shoulder, ashamed of her pitiful weakness.

  He whispered against her hair. “I’ll protect you, Amy.”

  He sounded so sure and strong, she almost believed him. She straightened her spine jerking out of the embrace. “How? I can’t help these people even if I wanted to.” She held up her hands. “And I don’t want to.”

  “You’re coming with me.” He squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll figure this out together. Once that money is in the hands of the proper authorities, you’ll be safe.”

  “I won’t be safe until then?”

  His mouth tightened and storm clouds rolled across his blue eyes. “Nothing’s a sure thing.”

  She pushed away from him and began stuffing her clothes back into the suitcase. “Well, that’s a resounding endorsement of your capabilities.”

  “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  She spun around at the harshness of his tone. The pain etched across his face caused a lump to form in her throat. What happened to the easygoing surfer dude? “I—I’m sure I’ll be better off with you than on my own.”

  He stuffed his hands into his black slacks and lifted his shoulders. “Let’s lock up here and get back to my place. Maybe we should swing by your house first and do a thorough search. You didn’t spend much time there after we found Carlos’s body. You don’t know what he might have left as a parting gift.”

  “You’re sure my brother doesn’t have any idea?”

  “He didn’t seem too concerned. He got paid up-front for facilitating the deal.”

  “He wouldn’t be above turning on Carlos. Look what he did to me, and we’re related.”

  “Stuff in the bathroom?” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder, and she nodded.

  Amy left a note for Sarah and Cliff. Then they locked up the house and headed for the driveway, deciding to take both cars.

  “What did you do with Carlos’s car?”

  “I dumped it. Not my style.” He gestured to the little blue compact. “I’ll follow you, and I’ll look out for anyone following me.”

  “Funny how you’re the secret agent and it was me they were after all along.”

  “Don’t flatter yourself too much. I’m sure they’d be happy to see me out of the way.”

  “Guess we were just born under a couple of lucky stars, huh?”

  He cocked his head. “I never considered myself very lucky…up unt
il now.”

  He ducked into his car and slammed the door before she had a chance to ask him to clarify that. A warm thrill had coursed through her body at his words and the look in his eyes. If she had to choose anyone in the world to hide out with, it would be Riley Hammond.

  She started her car and followed him down the driveway. He hadn’t wanted her with him because he doubted his own ability to keep her safe, but why? He seemed to have supreme confidence in everything else he did.

  It took nerves of steel to march up to her brother and demand answers. He could’ve been walking right into a nest of snakes. In fact, snake was an apt word for Ethan.

  She flipped on her turn signal and watched in her rearview mirror as Riley’s car followed her onto the highway. They had to find this money. What would a bunch of terrorists want with her after that?

  What would Riley want with her after that?

  Good news—find the money. Bad news—never see Riley again.

  She let out a long breath. Just her luck to meet a hot new guy at the same time a terrorist cell was hot on her heels.

  Who was she kidding? She’d lived with that kind of luck all her life. She gripped the steering wheel. Get serious, Amy. She searched her mind for anything Carlos might have said or done regarding money or bank accounts. She drew a blank. They never talked about stuff like that. He’d been too busy impressing her with his vast knowledge of art and literature, and she’d fallen for it like a ton of bricks.

  Glancing in her mirror, she hit her signal for the off-ramp. The comforting glow of Riley’s headlights shined into her back window. Her car crawled onto her dark street. She’d forgotten to leave a porch light on when she left and she had nothing on a timer.

  She just hoped the neighbor girl was taking pity on Clarence.

  She swung into her driveway and Riley pulled up to the curb. He landed on the sidewalk before she even opened her car door.

  “Nobody followed us?”

  “Would I be standing here calmly if they had?”

  She wagged her finger at him. “No need to get testy.”

  “Is it dark enough out here?”

  “I did leave in a hurry, remember? You’re the one who hustled me out of here.”

  He dug the heels of his hands into his eyes. “I’m on edge.”

  “You and me both.”

  She stumbled over the porch step and Riley grabbed her waist from behind. His large hand rested on her hip and she gulped. The terrorists weren’t the only ones keeping her on edge.

  With a shaky hand, Amy inserted her key into the dead bolt. At least this time the dead bolt was locked. The unlocked dead bolt should’ve warned her last time. She eased open the door and flicked on the lamp nearest the entryway.

  Her gaze tracked across the small living room and she took a step back to feel Riley’s solid form be hind her.

  Yeah, these people were good.

  Chapter Ten

  Riley shifted to high alert as a little gasp escaped from Amy’s lips and she fell against him. He tensed and wrapped one arm around her while reaching back for his weapon.

  He whispered into her ear. “What is it?”

  “They’re back.”

  Riley tucked her behind him and crept into the room. At least this house was a lot easier to search than the Lynches’ sprawling beach house. And he should know—this was his second go-around.

  Amy clung to the back of his shirt as he moved through each room. He kept telling himself he didn’t mind, but her growing dependence on him for protection filled him with cold dread. The circumstances of the past few days had thrust him into the role of protector, even though he’d vowed to forgo that particular pastime. Easier said than done—especially with a plucky woman in danger tripping over his feet at every turn.

  Once he’d satisfied himself the house didn’t contain any bogeymen, Riley collapsed on the couch. “You’re sure they were here?”

  Amy nodded. “Things are out of place, although I don’t have a clue why they’re being so careful now after ransacking my suitcase at Sarah’s house.”

  “They don’t know that you’re onto them. They could’ve searched this house yesterday.” He checked the safety on his gun and placed it on the coffee table. “They obviously didn’t find what they were looking for since they were at your friends’ house today.”

  “I almost wish they’d just find their money and leave me alone.” She folded her hands in her lap and slid a glance his way. “I know you think that’s selfish, that I should be actively trying to keep the money out of their filthy hands.”

  He covered her clasped hands with one of his own. “I don’t think that’s selfish, Amy. I don’t expect you to want to bring down a terrorist cell. That’s completely out of your job description.”

  She turned her head, searching his face with an anxious look. “It’s not because I’m on their side or I want to punish law enforcement, despite my crazy background and infamous family members.”

  “I know that, too.” His gaze wandered around the room. “Of course, if we do find the money first and turn it over to the CIA, it will have the same effect. They’ll leave you alone.”

  “I don’t have any idea what Carlos could’ve hidden in my place or where.”

  Tilting his head back, he closed his eyes. “Let’s think. He obviously didn’t hide the money itself—too big, too noticeable.”

  “Did my brother indicate when the Velasquez people gave him the money to give to the clients?”

  “In advance.”

  “So he had time to stash the money before the drop, and he didn’t hide it at my house. So where would you put that kind of cash for safekeeping? A bank?”

  Riley opened one eye. “Never. It would leave a paper trail a mile long and Carlos wouldn’t have wanted that. If he deposited it in an account, it would have to be some kind of offshore, untraceable one.”

  Amy sighed and hunched forward. “I just don’t know. Why would Carlos leave anything with me? Did he hate me that much?”

  Riley’s fingers tingled to feel Amy’s dark mahogany hair slip through his fingers as it slid across her back. He doubted Carlos hated Amy—probably felt damned lucky the Velazquez Cartel had chosen her as his dupe. Hiding his mode of access to the drug money with Amy had more to do with covering his own hide than endangering Amy. But that’s exactly what Carlos had done.

  Riley pushed up from the couch and extended his hand. “Let’s get out of here. If the people who searched this house didn’t find what they wanted, we won’t either. Maybe they’re wrong anyway.”

  She put her hand in his, and he pulled her up and toward him, so close he could see the gold flecks in her puzzled eyes.

  He tried to reassure her. “Maybe Carlos headed back here after the drop because it was familiar territory. Maybe he never did leave anything in your possession.”

  Pressing her lips together, she shook her head. “That’s even worse. As long as the terrorists think I have the money, it doesn’t much matter whether I do or not. They’re going to try to get it back.”

  Riley wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest where he felt her heart galloping at a rapid pace. Then he said the dumbest thing he’d said in five years. “They’ll have to come through me first.”

  BACK AT RILEY’S SAFE HOUSE Amy felt…safe, but it had nothing to do with the boxy, nondescript apartment and everything to do with the man at her side.

  As Riley hauled her suitcase into the bedroom once again, Amy twisted the gold locket at her neck with nervous fingers.

  “Do you always wear that necklace?” He walked into the kitchen and yanked on the fridge door.

  She held the chain out with one finger and the large heart-shaped locket dangled from it. “It was the only thing I had left from my mother. That’s why I wear it, even though it’s too big and not stylish at all.”

  “Water?” He held up an empty glass. Amy nodded. “How’d your mother end up with a man like Eli Prescott?”

&nb
sp; “The usual way, I guess. She fell in love with him.”

  “But he already had his harem going by the time she came to live with him, didn’t he?”

  “Yes.” She dropped the locket where it thunked against her chest. “My father was a very persuasive man. We weren’t the only family living at the compound. He’d convinced others to join us. He could convince anyone of just about anything.”

  “Too bad he used those talents in the wrong way.” Riley handed her a glass of water.

  She traced the rim of the glass with her fingertip. “The FBI charged onto that property and killed my mother.”

  Riley placed his hand on her lower back and guided her to the sofa. “I’m sorry, Amy.”

  “It should’ve been him.” She gulped the water and slammed the glass on the coffee table. “They wanted him.”

  “And now your family has dragged you back into the muck with them.” He massaged between her shoulder blades, and she leaned her elbows on her knees.

  “I tried to make peace with my feelings for my father, but in the end decided to put it all behind me. I guess you can only run so fast before the bad stuff catches up to you.”

  “You don’t deserve this, any of it.”

  The pressure of his hands grew harder, and she leaned into his strength, closing her eyes. She usually deflected others’ sympathy and pity, but now she allowed herself to wallow in it. She’d been wallowing a lot these past few days—even crying. She hadn’t permitted herself many tears over the years—too dangerous to show weakness.

  He squeezed the back of her neck with one hand. “Did you get something to eat tonight?”

  “Yeah, did you?” She rolled her head back, not wanting Riley’s magic hands to stop.

  “No. Your brother was having a swanky dinner party, but I had other plans.”

  She twisted around, cupping her chin in her palm. “Thanks again for coming to the rescue. You have a knack for that sort of thing, don’t you?”

  “As a Navy SEAL it’s second nature, but…” He stopped and shrugged.

  “I know. You’re a dive-boat operator from Cabo now.”

  “And what about you, Amy?” He stroked her hair and she almost purred like her abandoned cat, Clarence.