Poor choice of words.
After two rounds, Savvy was calm once more. He checked her pulse, and it had slowed way down. Her gaze no longer darted around the room and she seemed more composed.
“You’re gonna be fine.” King needed her to believe it. Soldiers who gave up were more likely to die.
“I don’t see how.”
“Focus on what you love, what grounds you, and hold onto it. Fight for it.”
She closed her eyes, and then nodded, as though selecting something important.
“What is it?”
“My momma and music. Those are the two things I need.”
“Keep them in your thoughts. Picture yourself comin’ out of this situation alive.”
During missions, King had imagined coming home to Nicole. It sounded so “woo woo,” but it gave him a reason to keep fighting.
She did, but soon her eyes fluttered open.
“It’s hard not to surrender to the fear.”
“I know. Let me tell you a story. I remember my first few days in a war zone. This was back when I was in the Navy before I joined the SEALS. Anyway, the first night I spent aboard the ship near Iraq, I was terrified.”
“You?” Her brows raised.
“Yeah, I was a nineteen-year-old kid, and I was in over my head. Of course, I kept my mouth shut and did my damndest not to show it. We were firin’ on a terrorist camp, and every blast startled me. I didn’t think I’d make it through the first night, let alone the week, but I was wrong, and so are you. Now, try again.”
Savvy shut her eyes, but her face went ashen.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
“What if something happens to Momma because of me?” She looked stricken. “I’d never forgive myself.” Savvy clapped a hand over her mouth.
King couldn’t argue with her logic. Besides, he hadn’t wanted her to stay here in the first place.
“Where do you want to go?”
“That’s the thing, I don’t know. If I go home, he’ll follow me there.”
“Yeah, this guy did his homework on you.”
She swallowed. “I feel like there’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.”
“Why don’t you come with Zane and me? We’ll take you to HQ.”
“HQ?”
“Yes, Black Star Security headquarters.”
“Why would I be any safer there?”
“Let me put it this way, it’s a house full of ex-military and para-military folks. We’ve got a former Army Ranger, a CIA officer, an FBI negotiator, several Navy SEALs, and a former US Marshal. Oh, and a state of the art security system, along with an impressive armory.”
“So basically, it’s a fortress.”
“Yup, but like I said earlier, this can’t just be about damage control. We’ve gotta get to the source of the problem. What do you say?” King waited, hoping she’d make the right decision.
“Let’s go to HQ, and we’ll find out who wants me dead.”
“Excellent. We’ll leave at first light.” And then King planned on taking this shooter out.
***
“Hey, Momma, can we talk?”
Later, Savvy found her mother in the kitchen with a mugful of coffee. There were dark circles under her eyes. Savvy didn’t think she’d ever seen her mother look so exhausted, even when she spent her days cutting hair at the beauty shop, and her evening cleaning office buildings.
“Of course, we can, honey.” She patted the chair beside her and Savvy took a seat.
“I love havin’ you around.” She cupped Savvy’s cheek. “I miss you like crazy when you’re gone.”
When she was on tour, they spoke on Skype. Savvy had bought her mom a brand-new laptop for Christmas, with a webcam. When Savvy had given it to her, she’d said Savvy should’ve saved her money or spent it on herself. And in a way, she had. Savvy needed to see her face. Somehow the conversations had felt more real when they could see each other.
“I gotta sell those records.”
“I know, but you need to rest, too.” Her eyes narrowed as she studied Savvy in the intense way only a parent can. “I worry about you.”
“I worry about you, too. You should retire.”
“I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.” She shrugged. “I like keepin’ busy.”
Her mother was a force of nature. When her dad died, she became the sole breadwinner. She’d scrimped and saved and sacrificed for their family.
As a child, she’d seen Barbara fall asleep at the dinner table, on the couch, and one time in the bathtub. Basically, any time she stopped moving, she was liable to collapse. It worried Savvy, especially now that her mother was in her late fifties and lived alone.
Barbara had put her through school, worked two jobs, and made sure she had enough to eat and a roof over her head, along with the occasional extras, like singing lessons. There hadn’t been much money left over for anything else.
After she’d turned sixteen, she’d taken over the grocery shopping, made dinner, and did the laundry and dishes. Anything to make her mother’s job a bit easier. She’d sacrificed so much for Savvy. Helping around the house hadn’t been nearly enough to pay her back, but it was a starting point.
“Do you need anythin’, Momma?”
She shook her head. “Naw, I’m fine.”
Savvy had promised herself, she’d pay her back eventually. And she had. Savvy had bought her mother this house, a new car, and paid off all her bills. She’d offered to give her mother a monthly stipend, so she wouldn’t have to work, but Barbara opted for cutting hair at the beauty shop instead. Savvy supposed it was an improvement over working two jobs, and Barbara seemed happy. She enjoyed spending her days with “the girls.”
I love her so much, I can’t stand it.
Savvy cleared her throat. “I hate to cut this visit short, too, but I’m gonna take off.” They hadn’t seen each other since last Christmas. Savvy had made it home, but they’d only had a couple days together.
“Oh, no. I wish you wouldn’t leave again.”
Savvy kissed her cheek. “I gotta go, Momma. It isn’t safe to be around me, and I wouldn’t put you in danger for the world.”
Tears filled her eyes and Savvy’s vision blurred, too.
Being away from this place made Savvy ache, like Kentucky was in her blood somehow. Nashville was exciting, loud and bustling, but it wasn’t home. And neither was all those fancy hotel rooms.
“I can’t talk you out of it?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Damnation, you’re just as stubborn as your Daddy.”
Savvy laughed. “Yeah, I guess so. I’m so sorry about your house.”
“I don’t care about the damage, as long as you’re okay.”
“I know, but I’m still gonna pay to have it fixed.”
“Don’t even worry about it. I’ll have a couple of workmen over, and they’ll patch up the window, and it’ll be fine.”
“But—”
“Shh, listen to your momma. You take care of yourself, you hear?” It was clearly an order, not a request.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise.”
Savvy prayed she wouldn’t have to break it.
Chapter 6
“Here, hold onto the puppy. He’ll make you feel better,” Zane said.
They were standing beside King’s Jeep, and he was impatient to get on the road. King would have to take an indirect path home, in case the shooter was tailing them.
“Yeah?” Savvy asked, glancing at the dog speculatively.
“Trust me.”
There was something in Zane’s tone, King didn’t quite understand. Had he personally found a dog’s presence comforting?
They hadn’t been on the same SEAL team, but they’d known each other for years, and their units had worked together on several operations. And yet, King hadn’t heard much about Zane’s past. Zane liked to joke and laugh, and never took anything seriously.
Zane handed Bomber over to Savvy, and she hugged him to her chest. The dog snuggled against her and Savvy sighed, petting his fur.
Adam watched them from the front porch, with a sour expression on his face. He’d argued against it, but Savvy told him she was going. End of discussion.
King smirked.
If King had his way, the creep would be out of her life permanently. Unfortunately, he couldn’t tell her what to do. At least they were ditching the whole entourage.
Finally, I’m gonna have her all to myself.
Okay, I’ll share her with the team. Close enough.
At least King liked the people he worked with, and he wouldn’t have to actively resist the urge to shoot them.
She sat in the back seat, clutching the dog, staring out the window. Savvy spoke to it softly. Once they were all settled, they took off for HQ, and King kept an eye on her in the rearview mirror.
Savvy had every reason to be afraid. Someone was hunting her down, and they didn’t have a fucking clue who the shooter was, and who’d hired him.
Once they got back to HQ, he’d work with his team to figure out what was going on.
And then King would put a stop to it.
Once and for all.
***
This can’t be it.
Savvy frowned when King pulled up in front of a rustic red and white barn, which must’ve been converted into a house/business.
It looked more like a charming inn.
It sat atop a brick foundation on the edge of a hill, surrounded by a couple of lush acres. There were large windows on the front of the structure. It was encircled by a brick patio with a large fire pit.
She had trouble believing her eyes.
Once they parked, Zane hopped out of the car and loped up the driveway, leaving them alone. Bomber was asleep on her lap, and she scooped the sleepy puppy up into her arms. Meanwhile, King unloaded her luggage and took it inside, while she trailed after him.
Sure enough, there was a square panel on the wall, King punched a code into it, and the alarm was set.
Yet another layer of security between me and the hired gun.
She blew out a relieved breath.
King was right, this place was fortified and much safer than her momma’s house.
In the foyer, a huge brick fireplace was situated in the middle of the room. Roughhewn stairs led up to the second floor. Another staircase led to a third floor, and when she leaned to the side, Savvy glimpsed an open bedroom door.
Those must be the living quarters.
King gave her the grand tour, showing her an industrial-sized kitchen, a small gym, a comfy-looking living room, a bathroom, and eventually, they stopped in the doorway of her bedroom. There was a full-sized bed, a nightstand, a closet, a chest of drawers, and a small desk in the corner of the space. The linens on the bed were clean and looked new.
It wasn’t exactly the Hilton, but she’d slept in worse places, like the cramped, rusted out old trailer they’d lived in back in the day.
“Can I get you anythin’ else?”
“Naw, I’m just gonna settle in.”
“I planned on introducin’ you to everybody, but they’re gone. They must be workin’ on the new case.”
“It’s okay, I’ll meet them later.”
“Do you want me to take the puppy?” King held out his arms, but she shook her head.
“No, he can stay with me.” Savvy clutched Bomber protectively.
Zane had been right. She’d forgotten how nice it was to have a dog. Savvy hadn’t had one since Angus had died all those years ago. Once this was over, she planned on getting a pooch of her own. Maybe she’d get a big one, so the animal could double as a guard dog. She’d sleep a lot better with a Rottweiler lounging on the end of her bed. It would alert her anytime someone came near.
“Okay then, I’ll leave you to it.” And yet King hovered in the doorway.
“What about the six feet rule?” Savvy realized she didn’t want him to leave. Without King, she felt vulnerable.
“Since we’ve got a few extra precautions in place, I can afford to give you more privacy.”
“Oh.”
‘That’s what you wanted, right?”
“Yeah, of course.” Savvy nodded, squashing her disappointment before he could see it.
“Well, I should go. I’ll see you later.”
“Bye.”
After unpacking and playing with the puppy for a while, Savvy found a bedtime yoga routine on YouTube, and she’d done the sucker twice, before taking a long, hot shower. Then she’d thrown on a fuzzy pair of sweatpants and an old t-shirt before climbing into bed.
She laid down in the hope of getting some rest, but it didn’t work.
Instead, she stared up at the ceiling, obsessing about the man trying to kill her. And when she wasn’t worried about being hunted down, she freaked out about her music career.
And then Bomber scrambled into bed beside her, and she stroked him, until he fell asleep. Eventually, after Savvy did a couple rounds of breathing, she joined him.
She didn’t wake up until late in the evening. When Savvy walked down the hallways, it was deserted. Although, she saw a light shining underneath one or two of the closed doors. Because Savvy didn’t know anyone, she was reluctant to knock on them.
And where did King go?
When she strolled into the kitchen, Savvy found a short, curvy redhead at the table. She had a pair of headphones on and waved at Savvy when she glanced up.
She tugged the headphones down. “Hey, Savvy, I’m Mackenzie Pierce, but you can call me Mack.” Evidently, Mack was a country music fan, or King had made the introductions for her.
“Pleased to meet you.” They shook hands.
“Likewise. How’s your room?”
“It’s great.”
“I’m glad.” She offered an apologetic smile. “And I’m sorry to cut this short, but I get up at five am and its way past my bedtime.”
“No problem.”
Mack nodded to the fridge. “Help yourself. We’ve got a fresh pitcher of sweet tea, soft drinks, whatever you want. By the way, King went to the bakery and bought you a couple of pies. He said you needed some comfort food.”
Did he? How thoughtful.
The man’s just bein’ polite. Don’t read anythin’ into it.
When Mack headed upstairs, Savvy peeked in the fridge and found a peanut butter pie, her favorite. So, he’d been paying attention. She made a half a pot of coffee to go with dessert. Unlike most people, caffeine didn’t keep her up.
Savvy cut a piece of pie, poured a mugful of coffee, and sat at the end of the table. Just as she was about to take a bite, Savvy heard shattering glass once more, only this time it was merely echoing in her own mind.
She dropped the fork and shut her eyes.
Go away. Stop it. Savvy pressed her palms on either side of her head. She shivered, and her heartbeat picked up.
Someone cleared his throat, and she glanced up to see King standing on the other side of the table.
“What’s wrong?” King leaned over.
“Nothin’. I’m fine.”
“Bullshit. You’re upset’.” He took the seat beside her.
“Am not.” She inhaled and then released it, the way he’d taught her.
“Savvy, come on, talk to me. If you don’t, the fear will eat you alive.”
“I don’t get it.” She wrapped her arms around her midsection protectively.
“Get what?”
“Why anyone would want to kill me?”
“Trust me, they’re a lot of crazy folks out there. Some of them don’t even need a reason.”
Well crap.
“So, you’re sayin’ I have an unhinged gunman after me.”
“No, I’m bettin’ the shooter’s sane, but his boss ain’t.”
“Fantastic.” She sighed. “All I wanna do is sing
my songs. I don’t wanna bother anybody. Why can’t he leave me alone?”
“It doesn’t work that way.”
“Well, that sucks.”
King chuckled.
“Look, while we’re talkin’, I owe you an apology. When I haven’t been cranky, I’ve been weepy. I’m under a lot of pressure, and it doesn’t bring out the best in me.” She bit her lip. “No, that’s not exactly true. Stress pushes me to do better, but not this kind.”
Everything about the situation was batshit.
“Don’t worry about it, you ain’t been so awful.”
She snorted. “Who are you kiddin’? I’ve been a hot mess, and I’m sorry. And it isn’t just the gunman after me.”
“No?”
Savvy shook her head. “You don’t wanna hear this.”
“Of course, I do.” He laid a hand on her shoulder, grounding her, letting Savvy know she wasn’t alone. It was a tiny gesture, with enormous implications.
Savvy bit her lip, considering him for a moment, and he seemed sincere.
“Sometimes I feel trapped. I don’t like the way my career’s goin’ and I keep tryin’ to make changes, but Adam’s afraid I’ll mess up my carefully cultivated reputation.”
King considered what she said for a moment. “I don’t know what it’s like to be famous, but I’ve always believed, if you don’t like what’s goin’ on, change it.”
Could it really be so easy?
“Thanks for listenin’.”
“Anytime, queen.”
“Queen?”
“Yeah, like I said, country music will bow down to you one day.”
She remembered an interview Madonna gave once, where she’d said she wanted to “rule the world” and Savvy had lofty ambitions, too.
Savvy smiled, secretly pleased. “I’m gonna eat my dessert. Do you want a piece of pie, too?” Flustered, she stood, backing away from him.
“Sure.”
“And coffee?”
“Yeah, I’ll take a cup. I like it black.”
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