by Rebecca Deel
“What happened to Grace?” That question had been plaguing him for the past two hours. Had some yahoo cut her off or had she tangled with a deer and lost?
“She called Rio about eight o’clock, told him some clown was following her too close on Highway 18. While we were on the phone with her, the scumbag rammed into the back of her car twice, then executed a Pit maneuver. When we found her, the car was sitting on its roof and she was hanging from the seatbelt. Fire department had to use the jaws of life to cut her out of the mangled mess.” Quinn glanced at him. “Her car’s totaled, Trent. Might be an excellent time to upgrade her ride.”
He intended to do that and more. Grace’s safety was his top priority. He never wanted to live through this kind of terror again. And when he caught up with the scumbag who ran his girlfriend off the road? Well, he wouldn’t soon forget Trent’s face or his fists.
CHAPTER THREE
Trent strode into the emergency entrance of Otter Creek’s hospital and angled toward the elevators. Rio had sent him a text with Grace’s room number while he and Quinn were en route. On the third floor, he skirted the medical personnel going about their business.
He turned the corner and spotted his brother-in-law talking to a nurse in the hallway. “Rio,” Trent said as he drew closer. “How is she?”
“Asking for you.” The medic smiled. “She’s fine, Trent. Concussion, stitches on her arm and leg, bruises, but she’s okay.”
“Thank God,” he murmured. The relief was so great he staggered against the wall. He’d been so afraid of losing her. That sweet lady had him good.
“Whoa there.” Rio grabbed his arm, steadied him. “Where is your much touted toughness, frog boy?”
“Shut up, Army grunt.” He scowled, his cheeks heating. “I know it’s past visiting hours, but I want to see her.”
“It’s not a problem. Ethan worked it out.” Another grin from his sister’s husband. “After Maddox called in a favor.” He inclined his head to the door at his back. “Go on in, Trent.”
He sent a pointed look to the other man. “Nothing short of another world war will make me leave her side.”
“Wouldn’t expect otherwise. The hospital personnel know you’re staying with her.”
Straightening from the wall, he covered the last few feet in seconds and pushed open the door to Grace’s room. She reclined against the elevated hospital bed, her blond hair disheveled, skin marred with scrapes, bruises, and bandages. She’d never looked more beautiful to him than she did at that moment.
Trent crossed to her bedside and wrapped his hand gently around hers. When she stirred and opened her eyes, he smiled. “Hi, beautiful.”
Grace smiled. “Trent. You’re back.”
He lowered the bed rail and sat by her hip, careful not to jar her. “My team returned to Nashville a few hours ago. How do you feel?”
“Decent, considering.”
“Do you feel up to telling me what happened, baby?”
She gave a slight nod. “I met Nicole in Knoxville for lunch and we spent the rest of the day together shopping in Pigeon Forge. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a chance to do that with her.”
“Nicole’s your friend from college, right?”
“That’s right. She was in Knoxville for a convention and stayed an extra day. Anyway, on the way home, I noticed somebody following me. I didn’t think much about it at first, just thought it was someone else from Otter Creek. At first, he stayed with me, hanging back, but not too close.”
“He?” Trent interrupted. “The driver was male?”
She bit her lip, drawing his attention to her mouth. Man, he was more than addicted to her kisses, couldn’t wait for her to heal enough for him to revel in the taste and texture of her mouth. Yep, he was a goner. He just hoped he wasn’t in this deep by himself.
“I never saw the driver. I assumed he was male. About fifteen miles from home, I noticed the headlights moved closer. When I sped up, so did he. That’s when I called Rio.”
He squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help.”
“You did help me.”
“How?”
“You insisted I save the phone numbers for Rio and his teammates as emergency contacts. Because of your forethought, I had someone to call on for assistance.”
He’d been gone so much in the last few months. Maddox was right. Trent needed some time off. Hopefully, the teams training at PSI would be ready to take some of the load from the current Fortress teams. “What happened next?”
“Rio and Quinn told me to move to the right as far as I could, then gave me instructions on what to do if this guy hit me. Their tips worked.” She grimaced. “It was bad luck I hit a patch of gravel and tumbled into the ditch.”
“Get a look at the vehicle that hit you?”
“Black pickup truck. Late model Chevy.”
“Did you see the driver or a plate number?”
She shook her head. “I was too busy keeping my car on the road, not that I did a great job. Rio told me the car is totaled.”
“We’ll get you something else, sweetheart.” Something bigger and safer.
“I don’t understand what I did to make this guy mad, Trent. I’ve never seen anyone that aggressive before. He was the poster child for road rage.”
Fat chance this was a road rage incident. So what did Grace stumble into during the past week to make her a target? Whatever it was, he’d find the clown responsible for her injuries and make him pay.
“When do you have to leave?” Grace asked, voice soft.
“I’m not.”
Her eyes widened. “But you always have to leave town for the next mission.”
Ouch. Without meaning to hurt him, his girlfriend hit him right in the heart with that statement. “Not this time, Grace. You are my priority. I already told Maddox I’m taking time off to be with you.”
“I don’t want to interfere with your job. I’ll be fine.”
He cupped her cheek with his palm. “Baby, you aren’t interfering. I want time with you. It’s my choice to take a leave of absence.”
“But what about your job?”
He smiled. “The job will be there when I’m ready.”
“And your team?”
“They’re taking time off as well. The PSI teams should be ready soon and can pick up the slack.” He hoped. If not, he’d ask Maddox to send another team until he was positive Grace was out of danger and he tracked down the creep who hurt her. “Sweetheart, you’re important to me. Let me do this for both of us.”
A smile curved her beautiful mouth. “Thank you, Trent.”
He leaned down and brushed his mouth over hers, then settled in for a longer, deeper kiss though it was still gentle. The last thing he wanted was to cause Grace more pain. When he finally drew back, Trent traced her swollen lips with his forefinger.
“You should go home now and rest. You must be exhausted.”
He was miles past exhausted. “I’m not leaving you.” He held up his hand, forestalling further protest. “If I was in that bed, would you leave me to go home and sleep?”
“Of course not, but it’s not the same. I wouldn’t be dealing with jet lag.” Her gaze swept over his body. “I didn’t even think to ask if you and your teammates were okay.”
“No injuries this time.”
She sighed, settled deeper into the pillow. “And the mission?” she murmured.
“Successful.”
“I’m glad.”
He raised her hand, kissed her knuckles. “Rest now, babe. I’ll be here when you wake.” In the meantime, he would be watching over her. Since she had a concussion, he assumed the medical personnel would check her periodically through the night. That meant another night with little sleep for him. Grace’s safety was all that mattered to Trent. He’d sleep later.
Once Grace slept, he slipped into the hall, not surprised to find Rio standing watch at the door.
“She okay?” his brother-in-law murmured.<
br />
“Sleeping.”
“Best thing for her.”
“You staying?”
“For now. Quinn will spell me in three hours.”
Trent’s tight muscles loosened. “Thanks.”
“No thanks needed, man. Grace is yours so that makes her one of ours to protect.”
He nodded. “Cops have any leads on the truck that ran Grace off the road?”
“Stella said there was black paint transfer on Grace’s car.”
“How many black pickups are in Dunlap County?”
A wry smile curved Rio’s lips. “Seems like every other household has one.”
That’s what he’d been afraid of. This was a rural community though the population was skyrocketing. Pickups were plentiful in and around Otter Creek. “Have you contacted Zane?”
He shook his head.
Finally something he could do. “I’ll take care of it.” Trent inclined his head toward Grace’s room. “Stay with her while I talk to Z.” Trent pulled out his phone and punched in his friend’s number after Rio slipped inside the room.
“Yeah, Murphy.”
He glanced at his watch, grimaced. “It’s Trent. Sorry, Z. I didn’t notice the time.”
“It’s fine. How’s your lady?”
No surprise that Zane knew about Grace’s accident. He suspected Maddox passed the word to the tech guru in case Trent needed Zane’s help. “Banged up, but she’ll recover.”
“Good to hear. What do you need?”
“For you to hack into traffic cams.”
“Hold a minute.” Following a muffled conversation and a couple of thumps, Zane was back. “I’m ready. Where was her accident?”
“Highway 18, about 8 miles from Otter Creek.”
Keys clicked. “Time?”
“Around 9:00 this evening.”
“Hold.” More keys clicking. “What kind of vehicle does she drive?”
“White sedan.”
His friend grunted.
Yeah, he got it. Grace’s car wasn’t safe enough. Not a problem anymore. “Quinn says her ride’s totaled. I’ll talk to Bear about taking care of her.” Bear was Fortress Security’s car guru and the man who retrofitted all their vehicles with bullet-resistant glass and armor plating. By the time Bear finished with Grace’s new vehicle, she’d be as safe as possible without Trent by her side.
“Good. You planning to keep her?”
He blinked. “Why do you ask?”
“Look, I don’t want to tell you what to do.”
“But…”
“But you’re gone a lot.”
Trent stiffened. “What have you heard?”
“Rumors.”
Rumors about Grace? Was she tired of spending so much time alone? His gut clenched. “Spell them out, Murphy.”
“Just a whisper here and there from a few of the PSI trainees. They’re quite taken with her.”
He growled, literally seeing red. “She’s mine.”
“No ring on her finger,” Zane pointed out. “Some trainees think that makes her fair game.”
“I’ll take care of it. Who are they?”
Zane laughed. “Are you kidding? You might kill them and then Claire would have to visit you in prison. My wife isn’t going near a prison, my friend.”
“Murphy, I want their names. One of them might have been involved in Grace’s accident.”
A snort from the communications guru. “You don’t believe that for a minute. But just on the off chance that you’re right, I’ll send the names along with any camera footage I dig up.”
“Need anything else from me?”
“Yeah, a promise not to get caught if you tangle with Grace’s wannabe admirers.”
“They won’t be telling anyone anything.”
A sigh from his friend. “That’s what I’m afraid of. Don’t forget Otter Creek’s police chief is Special Forces. If something happens to those guys, he’ll look at you first. I’ll get back to you when I find info we can use.”
“Thanks.” Trent ended the call and scowled, thinking of the information Z passed on about the PSI guys. Once he got the names, he’d find a way to warn them off that didn’t involve a confrontation with Ethan Blackhawk. Trent didn’t want to push Grace if she wasn’t ready to commit. On the other hand, he didn’t want to lose her by being too slow to act, either.
He sent a text to Maddox, updating him on Grace’s condition. Figuring his boss would be asleep, he didn’t expect an answer for hours yet. He was surprised when his phone vibrated seconds later with the boss’s response to take as much time as he needed and to let Maddox know if he could help.
Trent blew out a breath. His boss was a good man and he valued his people. If no one had been available to help Trent with Grace, he knew Maddox would have made an appearance along with his new wife and daughter. Fortress’s CEO didn’t travel without them unless he was on a mission or Alexa was in school.
Shoving his phone into his pocket, Trent returned to Grace’s side.
“I’ll be outside,” the medic murmured as he passed. “Rest.”
Right. He’d be lucky to sleep more than a few minutes every hour. Trent settled back against the chair and tried to find a comfortable position for his six-foot-four frame.
Minutes later, a nurse opened the door to check Grace’s vital signs and ask her questions. When she left, Grace held out her hand. “Come here.”
Trent stood and leaned close. “What do you need, baby?” He’d move heaven and earth to get anything she wanted.
“You.” She inched across the bed to the opposite rail, then patted the mattress beside her. “Come on. You’ll never rest in that chair.”
“You don’t need to take care of me.”
“Trent, every time I close my eyes, I see those headlights bearing down on me. Maybe if you hold me, that will stop.”
Even in the low light, he recognized the stubborn set to her jaw. Fine. He could hold her until she went back to sleep, then return to his post. Trent climbed onto the bed, stretched out on his side, and gathered her close.
With a sigh, Grace settled her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. “Trent?”
“Yes, baby?”
“I missed you.”
He pressed a kiss to her temple. “Missed you, too. Sleep, love.”
A little after three o’clock, a commotion in the hall woke Trent from a light sleep.
“No way, man,” his friend, Quinn Gallagher, was saying to someone in the hall. “You don’t get inside that room without a hospital ID.”
“I’m supposed to take her for X-rays.”
Trent frowned. Why would they need to take X-rays now? Grace had been in the room for hours. They should have done that kind of evaluation when she’d first been brought to the emergency room.
“Still not happening without that ID.”
“Yeah, okay, I forgot it in my locker. Be right back.”
“I’ll be here.”
Trent eased away from Grace and crossed the room to the door. He stepped into the hallway, glanced around. No one but Quinn. “Everything okay?”
“Don’t know.” Quinn frowned. “A guy came by to take your woman for X-rays, but he didn’t have an ID. He’s supposed to return.”
Grace’s nurse walked down the hall toward them. “Does Grace need anything?”
“She’s asleep,” Trent said. “A guy came to take Grace for X-rays. You know anything about that?”
The nurse looked puzzled. “I’ll check on that.” She walked to the desk and keyed in information. Minutes later, she returned. “There’s no new order from her doctor for X-rays. Must be a mix up.”
Trent and Quinn exchanged grim glances. “I’ll see if I can find him.” Quinn sprinted down the hallway.
Returning to Grace’s side, Trent gathered his girlfriend close. After making sure his weapon was within easy reach, he eased Grace’s head to his chest and pressed a soft kiss to her temple.
That was no mix up. Someon
e had targeted Grace again. The question was, why?
CHAPTER FOUR
“When can I get out of here?” Grace asked.
Dr. Anderson chuckled, his blue eyes twinkling. “Why, Nurse Rutledge, are you complaining about your accommodations?”
She rolled her eyes. “You know I’m not. I hate being stuck in this bed. And the food’s not the greatest, you know?” She’d never tell the people in the cafeteria. Many of the workers were friends.
Another chuckle from her favorite doctor. “It’s not five-star cuisine, is it?”
“Not even close,” she muttered. “Besides, my boyfriend is in town. I don’t want to waste a minute of the time we have together. I don’t know when he’ll be deployed again.” Despite his assurance that he was staying for a while, Grace knew Fortress resources were stretched thin these days. She also knew Trent’s heart. If the mission was a rescue, especially one that involved children at risk, he wouldn’t turn Maddox down. She loved that his job wasn’t just collecting a paycheck for him. Trent St. Claire cared. A lot.
“I understand, my dear. It’s a good thing I’d planned to discharge you this morning. When is your next shift?”
“Not for five glorious days.” Grace didn’t know how she’d been so lucky to have that many days off, but she’d take them just the same. The long stretch off work gave her more time with a certain drop-dead gorgeous Navy SEAL.
“Excellent. If the headache hasn’t subsided by that time, let me know. Can’t have you making mistakes on the job.”
“Thanks, Doc.”
“Where is your young man?”
“He went for coffee. He’ll be back soon.”
“I see. I suppose that explains the bodyguard outside your door.”
Grace’s cheeks burned. “Trent is worried about my safety.”
“Perfectly understandable in light of the circumstances, my dear. Well, I won’t repeat your discharge instructions. You know the signs for infection of your cuts. Keep an eye on them or let Rio check them.”
“I’ll pay attention, sir.” The last thing she wanted to do was add to Rio’s workload. He already worked at PSI, the bodyguard school outside of town, and went on Fortress missions with his teammates as well as volunteering for a shift or two each week as an EMT. She could monitor herself. The stitches were in places she could check.
