Guarding Lauren: Brotherhood Protectors World (Texas Guardians Book 1)

by Barb Han

  Leaning closer, he cupped her face in his hands. Her once bright eyes were fading. “I’ll be right back.” He planted a kiss on her lips.

  She didn’t so much as blink.

  Nothing on the beach looked familiar, not that he could see far. He battled to orient himself. Suddenly the fact that the island had three hundred and sixty-five beaches sent a jolt down his spine. Jesus, how could he figure out where they were?

  They could be on any one of them—not to mention sand was flying everywhere, blurring his vision and burning his eyes.

  He coughed up the little crystals that had flooded every orifice.

  Turning his back to the sea, he jogged toward palm trees, ignoring the frustration tightening in his chest. Lauren had to be all right. He would find safety. There would be no other choice.

  His hands fisted at the thought of the cartel getting to her before he got back. They get to her, and his trail would run cold. But it was more than business that had him needing to take care of her.

  Luckily, the beach was small. Just beyond the wall of trees, he stumbled on a road. No cars, but it was better than nothing. He veered right and listened for sounds of life. Anything.

  Instead, he got more howling wind, which seemed to be picking up steam with each blow. Coconut trees were already twisting in every direction.

  If anything happened to Lauren before he got back, he’d never be able to live with himself. The thought of her exposed out on that beach gnawed at his insides. He told himself professional pride had him desperate to see her again, but it was so much more.

  Next to the wall of palms, he caught sight of a dark silhouette. Whatever it was, it was substantial. He got close enough to make out the outline of a horse.

  It was obvious the horse had been abandoned, left to its own devices. What that said in the bigger sense frustrated him to hell and back, but worked to his advantage for now. He got close enough to make out a saddle on the horse’s back.

  There were others. They must’ve been abandoned when the storm intensified. Their bowed backs meant they were old rentals. Trail horses on the island were ridden pretty hard, not coming near the standard of care animals received in the States. They wouldn’t scare easily.

  Still, they were loose. This would require caution. He located a shed where he found saddles and tack. Jaden slowed his pace as the horse’s nostrils flared, spooked.

  “You’re all right.” Jaden used as calm a voice as he could, considering he practically had to shout to cut through the howling wind.

  The horse didn’t shy away, allowing him to inch closer. That was good.

  Moving steadily, Jaden focused on making deliberate actions. He lowered his hand, careful not to lift it too high and give the impression he was a threat.

  The knotted ropes hung freely on the ground. When they were inches from his hand the horse snorted, and then took a couple steps backward.

  Jaden inched forward again. “Good boy.”

  The sorrel horse reared its head and turned up its ears, keeping a close eye on Jaden’s hand. He took another step, his hand so close it could touch the ropes. The animal bobbed its head before lowering it.

  Jaden brought his other hand around and patted its neck. A crack slammed his right shoulder. Something that felt the size of a softball had nailed him.

  Blinding pain followed.

  Not wanting the horses to scatter, he swallowed the urge to unleash a torrent of curse words. He glanced down at what had hit him. Coconut. If it had fallen a little bit farther left, he’d be dead.

  Jaden edged around the horse while patting its neck.

  “Easy.”

  Moving his hands slowly and steadily, he saddled and bridled the horse. Mounting him, Jaden patted his sloping back. He eased onto the worn saddle that fit like aged leather shoes. Allowing plenty of slack in the reins, He kicked stirrups out of the way and wrapped his feet around the horse’s underbelly before giving a slight squeeze. The horse responded, breaking into a trot.

  A metal garbage can spun around in front of him, turned, and flew past, not more than a foot from his head. He ducked other flying debris as a two-by-four slammed into a nearby tree. The horse spooked.

  “Whoa, boy.”

  That Jaden desperately needed to get back to Lauren sat heavy in his thoughts. A little voice inside his head said she was more to him than an asset…much more. He dismissed the thought. He was cursed. Everyone Jaden cared about in his personal life died. This was work. She was his mission. He’d promised to help her. He would find a way to uphold his vow.

  But how far had he gone down the road? How long could she hold on? Would she still be breathing when he found her again?

  Chapter 8

  The image of Lauren curled up, helpless on the beach flashed through Jaden’s mind, causing him to rally. He focused, ventured a guess and guided the horse to make a left at a sign for Daybreak Beach.

  Once on the sand, he slowed the horse to a walk and scanned the shoreline. Visibility was low. Sand was everywhere—in his eyes, hair, inside his mouth.

  “Lauren.” The word bounced back in his face.

  The wind was thick. His throat cracked from desert-like dryness.

  He swung his right leg behind him and slid down the side of the horse. Wrapping the reins around his wrist, he nearly dragged the hefty animal toward the water.

  A lump on the sand caught his attention. Could be debris. He moved closer.

  Lauren lay half buried in sand.

  Not allowing himself a moment to stress, he moved to her side and dropped down on all fours. Relief was a flood to dry planes when she blinked her eyes open.

  “Where’d—”

  “I’m here,” he said soothingly. He didn’t want her to waste valuable energy trying to talk.

  She managed a slight nod. “I’m okay. Just. Need. Rest.”

  Winds gusted, nearly knocking Jaden over. The horse shuffled its feet, flared its nostrils, and then shifted around so his hindquarters faced the wind.

  “We have to go. Now. I’m going to pick you up.”

  Lightning bounced off the water. Not a second later, thunder cracked. The horse broke into a full run. With his hand trapped, Jaden tightened his grip, resolved to being dragged across the beach. He brought his left hand up and tried to free his right.

  The reins were tangled and wrapped too tightly, cutting off the blood flow through his wrist as he was hauled across the unforgiving sand.

  If the horse didn’t slow down Jaden would surely be killed once they hit the road.

  Where would that leave Lauren? Why was her welfare his first concern when faced with his own mortality?

  As the horse crossed the wall of palm trees, for some unknown reason, the animal stopped. Jaden didn’t question the stroke of luck as he pulled to his feet with a grunt. He tied the reins to a tree, deciding it’d be safer to bring Lauren to the horse.

  Pain rifled through him when he moved. He tried to lift his arm over his head but couldn’t move it more than a few inches. His shoulder must have been pulled out of socket. No time to pop it back in. He rubbed his sore spot as he sprinted back toward Lauren.

  She was already on her feet struggling against the wind, trying to move away from the sea. Right now she couldn’t afford to expend any more energy. Her body had been pushed to the brink as it was.

  “Thank God you’re all right,” she said, her golden eyes wide.

  “You’re still weak, sweetheart.” He scooped her off her feet. He bit down the pain and ran toward the animal. He put her down a few moments later beside the horse and then helped her into the saddle using his good arm. “Ever ride before?”

  “No.”

  Jaden secured the reins, and then jumped onto the horse’s back behind Lauren. He wrapped his good arm around her waist and squeezed his heels.

  They weren’t far from food. Shelter. If his calculations were correct, they were on the east side of the island. A safe house was close by. Gregory should be waiting. T
here, she would find a place to rest and he could regroup.

  Navigating down the road, careful to avoid flying debris, Jaden was sure they’d come across someone along the way, but there was no one. The storm had everyone battening down the hatches.

  Or worse, evacuating.

  The gnawing ache in his shoulder threatened to blind him, but at least the pain kept him feeling. He was alive.

  And his heart was awakened.

  The winds picked up speed again, forcing pelting rain and sand into Lauren’s face. The combination blistered the skin on her cheeks. Tears began to fall, mixed with the salty taste of rain, before finding their way to chapped, stinging lips. Hope blew away with Mother Nature’s pounding fury. Every part of her body ached worse than if she’d been dropped a hundred feet into a wall of water.

  She was soaked and hungry. Jaden’s thick, muscled arms encircled her waist, pulling her back flat against his chest. His warmth blanketed her shivering frame.

  Lauren hadn’t needed anyone since her childhood when Max was there for her. Needing Jaden was a foreign feeling at best. Could she trust it?

  The sight of a large building snapped her mind to the present.

  “Look there. Do you see it?” Was it real or a figment of her delusional mind? She couldn’t be sure.

  Jaden’s arms tightened around her waist. “Hold on.”

  The horse galloped faster as a building came into focus. Beachside condos. Good. There’d be people. Warmth. Shelter. Food. Water. Help.

  Lauren felt herself fading, wanting to crumple over from exhaustion after all that swimming. Jaden guided the horse to the nearest door, jumped down, and tied off the reins to a sign that read: Seascape.

  “This is a temporary safe house. I need to make sure it’ll be safe. Wait here,” he barked. A beat later, he banged on the door.

  No one answered, and she had no plans to hang around out there like a sitting duck in a tidal wave.

  Lauren dismounted. Her legs gave out, and she landed hard on the pavement. She scrambled to her feet as Jaden rounded the corner where the building faced the sea and a wall of windows would be the standard issue to take advantage of the endless water views.

  Lauren ran to the second door and banged. The sound bounced around her, unable to cut through the harsh wind. Her arms burned. It was taking over all of her strength to go this far.

  “Help!” She pounded on the door, repeating the word, and then twisted the knob.

  The door was locked, and there was no sound except for the howling wind. Come on. Somebody.

  Turning to scan the small parking lot, it took only a second to register there were no cars. That sent a lead fireball swirling down her throat. Maybe Jaden was having better luck on the other side.

  Gale force-like slammed her back a step as she rounded the corner.

  Shimmying onto a balcony, she tried the first slider. Nothing. She pressed her face to the glass. Easy enough to see right through the living room and kitchenette straight to the back door. Typical island getaway.

  No Jaden. Or anyone else for that matter.

  Lights were on. Cabinets were open. It looked as if the place had been left in a hurry.

  That couldn’t be good.

  Moving onto the next balcony, she pressed her face against the glass. Being met with a similar scene caused her stomach to drop.

  This time, the slider opened when she tried it.

  “Jaden?”

  She ran through checking each room, slamming doors in her path.

  The wind howled as it shook the windows. Violent seas outside raged against anything in their path. It was getting harder and harder to move her legs.

  The back door blasted open. Lauren jumped. Jaden. Thank God.

  “I went outside to check on you. I thought I told you to stay put.” His angry voice cracked. His face, red and chaffed, was lined with worry and fatigue.

  Stay put?

  “I’m a little tired of being told what to do.” She stomped past him, but was halted quickly by the strong hand on her arm.

  “Look, I wasn’t saying—”

  “What?” she snapped. “First you rescue me, and then you accuse me of being one of them. Now you want to tell me where to stand and what to do?”

  “All I was trying to do was secure the area,” he said with his hands in the surrender position.

  It wasn’t fair to take out all her frustration on him. She owed him. “Sorry. My life was normal yesterday and suddenly I’m being chased by horrible men. In a hurricane. While dodging bullets. I’m not used to dealing with this. My world is simple, uncomplicated. I own my own shop, which was doing pretty well until I mortgaged the hell out of it to save my brother, who will most likely die anyway.”

  Jaden’s lips clamped shut. Exhaustion deepened the lines around his eyes. “You’ve been brave today. For what it’s worth, I’m proud of you.”

  Now she really felt bad for snapping at him. “Thanks,” was all she could manage to say.

  “We’re set up next door. We’ll be safe for now.”

  She followed him to the condo.

  A man who looked to be in his early twenties was there, setting up a machine the size of a small dishwasher.

  “This is Gregory,” Jaden said.

  Lauren introduced herself. She pointed to the hunk of metal in the middle of the dining room. “What is that?”

  “A generator,” Gregory said. “This place belongs to my cousin. It’s not ideal, but it’s all we have to work with right now. If this storm gets as bad as they say we could lose power.”

  A radio squawked and beeped with weather warnings.

  Jaden moved to the kitchen where he dug around until he found a large salad bowl. He filled it with water, and then fought the winds outside to bring it to the horse.

  After removing the bridle, Jaden held up the bowl for him to drink. Lauren followed, but didn’t say anything as she smoothed her hand down the sorrel’s neck.

  Then Jaden smacked his hindquarters, shooing him away.

  Jaden pulled Lauren safely back inside. Looking like almost all the strength had drained out of him, he moved to the kitchen. “We’ll be okay here for a while,” he said.

  Exhaustion was wearing Lauren’s nerves thin. Lightheaded and hungry, she moved to the couch and crumbled onto it.

  ”I don’t think I’ve ever been this tired before,” she said, wanting clean clothes and a shower, but too tired to make a move for either.

  Filling a glass with tap water, Jaden quickly drained the contents before refilling it.

  A few moments later, he was by her side, looking strained, tired. His face was red from windburn. “Can you sit up?” he asked.

  She was up enough to notice his expression that said he might explode from pain movement caused him. Not that he’d admit it. She doubted he’d let anyone get close enough to see anything beyond the external. His face was a study in fortitude. His expression gave away nothing of what he truly thought. He was a professional. A soldier. This was his job.

  He held out his palm with two tablets on it. “Pain reliever. This should help.”

  Lauren propped herself up on one elbow, then tossed the pills in her mouth.

  “Your lips are purple. You’re cold.” He disappeared, returning a moment later with a blanket. “Get out of that wetsuit.”

  He turned his back, which gave her privacy. “Better?”

  “Much. Thanks. That goes for everything you’ve done for me today. I wouldn’t be alive if not for you. God only knows where I would’ve ended up.” A shudder ran through her.

  Lauren’s eyelids were heavy weights, adrenaline having faded from her body, and with it, her ability to fight exhaustion. A yawn rolled up and out.

  They’d made it to shelter. She had water for a burning tongue and lip balm for dry lips.

  Jaden said they’d be safe. No reason to doubt him.

  “You hear from Gunner’s crew?” Jaden shouted toward the empty hall.

  “Not si
nce this morning,” Gregory responded.

  “They didn’t show at the beach.”

  Gregory reappeared, holding a gun and a cell phone out to Jaden. “This storm has been upgraded, sir. As of now, we should be safe. Might get orders to evacuate though.”

  Jaden took the weapon and phone, nodding his acknowledgement. “How long?”

  “Spotters think we have an hour, maybe more before the big stuff hits. Cell coverage is unreliable. A tower is most likely down.”

  “Who knows we’re here?” Jaden asked.

  “Other than headquarters? No one. I called in your location while you were outside. I’m waiting for clearance or extraction orders.”

  “We were ambushed at the beach. Bryce…” He cast his eyes down.

  “Any idea who’s responsible?” Gregory’s eyes shifted from Lauren to Jaden.

  Jaden rolled his shoulders. “The guys I saw looked like they were with Menendez. Get the word out and let’s see if we put a stop to their money laundering. Who’d you give my location to?”

  “Cynthia.” She was a handler.

  “Any chance someone else overheard?” Jaden asked. “I have another agent down and I’m tired of casualties.”

  “Damn,” Gregory said with an apologetic look toward Lauren for swearing. “It’s getting harder to know who to trust.”

  Chapter 9

  A loud crack shocked Jaden awake. He rubbed his eyes, trying to orient himself. The condo. He’d fallen asleep? He needed to get his bearings.

  Gregory had said he called in their arrival. That meant headquarters and anyone else monitoring the networks knew. Since the cartel had pinned his location on the boat, they might have been able to tap into other communications. The storm would slow them down.

  An unsettled feeling crept over him. How long had he been out?

  His watch said not more than twenty minutes. Still. It wasn’t like Jaden to let his guard down while guarding an asset. No matter that protecting Lauren felt completely different from any other mission he’d been on. The others had been work. This was personal. There was something warm and comforting about her that chiseled away at the casing around his heart.