Cami’s Georgia Patriots Romance Collection

by Cami Checketts

  He arched an eyebrow. “So I get your lips for as long as I want them?”

  Shar bit at her lip to hide the smile. “Yes, sir.”

  “Why am I wasting any time then?”

  “Why, indeed?”

  He grinned, pinned her against the door, and lowered his head toward hers. Shar slid her hands up around his neck, arching up to meet him. Their mouths connected, and joy exploded within her. Mike kissed her thoroughly, holding nothing back. His lips were just as delectable as she remembered from last night, as she’d always dreamed they would be. She knew they could kiss the night away, and she wouldn’t complain.

  Mike released her from the kiss and swooped her off the ground. She clung to his neck. “What are you doing?”

  He grinned down at her. “I figured if we were going to kiss as long as I wanted, I’d better get more comfortable, or I’m going to get a crick in my neck.”

  Even though she got hot all over at the thought of being “more comfortable”, she realized she only knew Mike as the superstar. Just because his father was a pastor didn’t mean he had boundaries. “Mike Kohler. You’d better think again if you think you’re carrying me into one of those bedrooms.”

  His eyes widened, but then they filled with warmth. “Shar Heathrow. You’d better think again if you think I’d ever disrespect you like that.” He turned and carried her toward the leather couch set on the loft.

  Shar cuddled in against his chest as he settled onto the couch. “Sorry,” she murmured. “I didn’t know where your value set was.”

  “It’s okay. You don’t know me that well. I’m about to remedy that.” He grinned, tilted her chin up with his palm, and proceeded to kiss away all her worries and rational thought. Shar loved every second of being held tightly against him as they kissed.

  Suddenly, an alarm blared through the cabin. Shar jerked away from Mike, and her heart started racing fast for a completely different reason than his unreal kisses. Mike lifted her easily to her feet, stood, and took her hand. They hurried to the stairs and down them. Gunner burst out of the master suite with guns and knives strapped to his body like some kind of Rambo. Lily was right behind him. She had a pistol in hand.

  “What’s going on?” Mike asked.

  “I’ve got three bodies outside according to the heat sensors, and that alarm is for fire. The system shows it on the back wall, but they somehow disabled the sprinklers. I’ll dispose of the threat, and then stop the fire,” Gunner said shortly. He turned and kissed his wife. “If something happens to me, you know the plan. Get them somewhere safe.”

  She nodded, her eyes filled with trepidation. “I love you.”

  “Love you too.” He kissed her again before hurrying to the back door. “Arm this behind me.” He slipped outside, and Lily quickly typed in the security codes to lock down the cabin again. She seemed to be taking all of this in stride, but Shar could see her hand was trembling. She tilted her head to them. “Get in the master. It’s the safest spot.”

  Shar’s body was shaking with fear. Three men out there, and Gunner was going to take them all on? And where was the fire again? Were they really safe in here? Mike wrapped a reassuring arm around her waist and escorted her into the master suite. “Don’t worry,” he said. “My money’s on Gunner.”

  Shar knew how good Gunner was, but she could hardly believe he was going after those men alone. Lily closed the master bedroom door and locked it, easing to the monitors covering one wall. “I thought it was just another squirrel or deer, they’ve been setting off alarms all day. We heard a sensor trip while we were kissing,” Lily muttered. “I’m sorry we let down our guard.”

  “This is not your fault,” Mike assured her.

  The bodies looked weird, like watching “Predator” and seeing the red that showed the heat from someone. Shar thought she knew which one Gunner was, but she counted the ones he was creeping toward, and it wasn’t three. It was five.

  “Lily!” she whispered harshly. “There are five of them. Can’t we help him?”

  Lily’s face filled with indecision, her blue eyes looking tortured. Her husband, the man she loved, was outside fighting five men. How could she not go to him? Was her sense of duty for protecting Mike and Shar that strong? They heard a gunshot and a shout, and Shar screamed as she saw one weird red shape hit the ground, but the other four turned and flew toward Gunner.

  Mike’s jaw clamped tight. “I’m going to help him.” He strode toward the door.

  Lily jumped in front of him. “You’re not trained. You’d just be a liability.”

  “I can fight,” he said, lifting her off her feet and to his side. He strode toward the door, but Lily slid underneath him, knocking his feet out. Mike hit the floor on his knees.

  Lily sprang onto his back, wrapping her arms tight around his neck as more gunshots rang outside. “You think I don’t want to help him?” she ground out. “This is killing me.”

  Shar gasped. “Don’t fight each other,” she begged them, hurrying to help, but she didn’t know who to help either. She didn’t want Mike going out there, but she also didn’t want Gunner dying. But then she smelled … smoke.

  “Fire!” Shar yelled. Smoke was oozing under the closed door.

  Mike and Lily sprang apart. Lily went to the security station. “The kitchen wall’s on fire,” she said. “I have to get you two out of here.” She glanced at the screens, and everything was a blur as the bodies were obviously engaged in deep combat. Tears raced down her face as she turned away and motioned. “Let’s go. The Escalade is bulletproof. Sutton’s guys are an hour out, but we can start their direction.”

  “But Gunner …” Shar could not believe Lily could leave him behind.

  Lily swallowed hard and said, “Will take them out. I have my assignment. Move!”

  They followed her out of the master bedroom. Smoke poured from the mudroom behind the kitchen, and flames were licking the bottom of the kitchen cabinets.

  “They’ll expect us to come out the front door,” Lily said.

  “Like we have a choice?” Shar was trembling from head to toe. Gunner was going to be killed, and then these men were going to mow them down as they tried to escape.

  Lily smiled despite the turmoil in her eyes. She went toward the roaring fire in the kitchen. Mike started after her. “Lily!”

  She flipped a plush rug off the wood floor, revealing a trap door. Yanking it open, she gestured down. “Let’s go.”

  She led the way down a steep staircase. Mike escorted Shar in front of him and took up the rear, closing the trapdoor behind him, probably to prevent the fire from rushing down it like a chimney chute. Being sealed in the dark made Shar feel claustrophobic and horrified. It smelled damp and moldy. Lily flicked on her cell phone light, and Shar cautiously followed the bobbing light. They finally reached the bottom of the staircase and went along a tunnel of sorts. Maybe a dozen feet later, Lily cautioned, “Stairs up.”

  Shar blindly felt her way, tripping on one stair. Mike’s hand shot out and held her waist to help her. She appreciated his quiet support but couldn’t stop shaking. Five men out there. Hired mercenaries? Mike’s stalker had seemed like a deranged fan or bitter ex-girlfriend or rival, not someone who could track them to their safe house, set it on fire, disable the sprinkling system, divide their protection, and take out Gunner. No, she didn’t know they’d taken out Gunner, but how could he win against five men?

  “Stay here until I let you know it’s safe.” Lily shut off her cell phone light, pushed open another trap door, and climbed into the dimly lit detached garage where they’d parked the Escalade.

  Shar paused on the steps. Mike put his hand on her waist, reassuring her that he was there. Mike was a well-built guy, and he claimed he could fight, but as Lily said, he wasn’t trained. If these guys were mercenaries, they could easily best even a professional athlete like Mike. Especially if they simply shot him. Those gunshots she’d heard made her sick. What if they’d already shot Gunner and were now sim
ply waiting for them to leave the safety of the house because of the fire?

  From the other side of the trap door, she heard a grunt and a thump, and then the sounds of fists hitting flesh.

  Mike pushed past her. “Stay here,” he commanded.

  Shar wanted to grab him and keep him from being hurt, but she also wanted him to help Lily if he could. There was obviously at least one bad guy waiting in the garage to prevent them from escaping. What if there was more than one? Shar definitely knew she couldn’t just “stay here”. She crept up the steps and could see out the windows that the back of the cabin was almost engulfed in flames, shooting up to the sky. Were they so remote that no neighbor would raise the alarm or come help? Yet she didn’t want anyone else being hurt and knew they were a long way from a police or fire station.

  She focused on the people highlighted in the dim garage. Lily was fighting some guy in black. Mike grabbed the guy from behind and wrenched his arms behind his back. “Get some rope,” he said to Lily.

  She nodded and turned, grabbing rope off the nearby workbench. Mike wrestled the guy to the ground, and Lily proceeded to hogtie him so fast, Shar couldn’t help but be impressed.

  “How many men?” Lily asked him.

  “Too many for a little girl like you to take on,” the guy grunted out.

  Lily stood. “I took you on.”

  “You’re all dead,” the man grunted.

  Lily ignored him and hurried toward the driver’s side of the Escalade. “Get in.”

  Mike opened the back door for Shar. She scrambled in, and he shut it, climbing in the passenger seat. Lily pushed open the garage and drew in a tremulous breath, “Here goes.”

  Shar still couldn’t believe she would leave her husband. She leaned up between the front seats. “Gunner?”

  Lily bit at her lip and shook her head. “I have to protect you,” she forced out.

  Shar didn’t ask anything else. How could Lily do a job like this where she could lose the love of her life at any moment? Shar knew it was a noble job to protect others, but she could not imagine such a life. If she could ever settle down with someone amazing like Mike, she would just hold him close and not risk losing him.

  The door opened silently and quickly. Lily gunned it out of the garage. The cabin lit up the night with orange flames. Shar’s eyes darted around for Gunner and the other men who fifteen minutes ago had been fighting by the cabin. She waited for gunshots to ping off the Escalade as they flew away from the garage, but besides the roar of the fire, all was eerily quiet.

  “Where are they?” Mike asked.

  “I don’t know, but Sutton’s men are coming. They’ll help Gunner, and you’ll be safe.” Lily gripped the steering wheel tightly. Tears traced down her pretty face as she sped away from her husband, who might be dead even as they drove away.

  “You said they’re an hour out,” Shar couldn’t help but remind her.

  Lily just gripped the steering wheel tighter, shaking her head and biting at her lip but still not stopping the tears that kept coming. Shar’s heart was breaking for her. She was grateful that Lily was keeping them safe, but she couldn’t stand the thought of leaving Gunner behind.

  “We can’t leave him,” Mike declared.

  “They’re after you,” Lily reminded him. “If we go, they’ll follow us, and maybe … He’s the best fighter I’ve ever seen. He’ll be okay.” She brushed the wetness from her eyes as they flew down the tree-lined drive.

  Across the road up ahead, a body lay in the dirt.

  “Stop!” Mike yelled.

  “Gunner!” Lily yelled louder, slamming on the brakes.

  The Escalade jerked to a stop, and Lily flung open her door. “You stay inside,” she demanded. “Weapons in the glove box.”

  Lily slammed her door shut and ran to her husband’s body.

  Shar couldn’t hold back the sob or blink back the tears stinging her eyes as she watched Lily fling herself over Gunner’s inert form, and heard her wail, “No!”

  Mike yanked open the glove box and pulled out a gun and a knife.

  Men filtered in from the trees toward Lily and Gunner. They looked eerie and terrifying in all black with weapons trained on Lily.

  “Mike,” Shar whispered in horror. They’d driven right into an ambush.

  He glanced back at her. “Stay in here. If we all get killed, you drive over us and get to safety.”

  Shar’s eyes widened at the horrific picture he’d just painted. “No … Mike!”

  But he was already pushing the door open and jumping out to confront the men.

  Shar stared as Lily jumped in front of Gunner’s body to face the four men who were surrounding her. She looked defiant and brave, but these men had obviously taken out Gunner. There had been five heat signatures fighting Gunner earlier so they’d only lost one of their group in the battle. How could Lily win against them when Gunner had failed?

  Mike roared from behind them. “You want me? Here I am!”

  They all spun to face him. Dressed in black, three of the men looked like trained warriors. She only recognized the face of the man who looked like an athlete: Brett White.

  There was no way Shar was staying huddled in this vehicle if she could be of any help. She’d never even been in a fight, but she could at least be a distraction if need be. She slid open the door, but unfortunately, the interior light turned on and highlighted her. She eased down to the dirt, quietly shutting the door behind her, but the men noticed her exit.

  “Aw, the newest conquest, eh Mike? She’s gorgeous. Can’t wait to carve up that pretty face,” Brett sneered.

  Mike glanced back at her. “Shar, get back in the car.”

  She shook her head, resolutely. “I’ll fight with you.”

  Brett chuckled. “Isn’t that sweet? You always got the women’s devotion, didn’t you, Mike?”

  Mike gestured her back, talking to distract Brett. “I can’t believe you’d do this. I thought we were friends.”

  Brett smiled sinisterly. “I’ve always hated you. Mike Kohler: the chill, benevolent athlete who helps out the orphans and the homeless. When Meredith Ulysses wouldn’t ditch you for me, and then you won the ‘Male Athlete of the Year’, and then you got the spot over me on the Patriots.” His face became ugly and twisted. “I knew I’d do anything to mess you up. Threatening your dates and almost taking a few of them out was fun, and I hoped it was messing with your head, but when my agent found out I could have your spot on the Patriots if I took you out? I started really planning.” He gestured around at Gunner lying there and Lily standing in front of him. The cabin on fire. Mike exposed.

  “I got you scared enough to go into hiding and was able to trace your location when you answered my call. Your security guy was tough, four against one, and he would’ve taken out more than just one of my guys if Jake hadn’t finally split his head open with a two by four.” He smirked. “Now he’s dead and I’m going to kill all of you, and no one will ever be able to trace it back to me. I think I’ll start with Ally Steele’s pretty twin sister. Make you watch me have my fun with her before I kill her, then kill you.” He tilted up his chin to Shar. “Hey, beautiful. You ready for a real man?”

  “Never!” Shar flung at him.

  “You won’t touch her,” Lily hollered. The men swung to face her. She leveled her handgun and shot one of the men in the head. He went down and didn’t move. The two other mercenaries whipped out weapons. Lily got off another shot, hitting another man in the shoulder and then throwing something at them before dodging off into the trees. A small explosion came from whatever she’d thrown, but unfortunately, the men dodged away and didn’t seem to get hurt.

  “Go get her,” Brett screamed. The men took off. Brett whirled, pointed his gun at Mike, and fired a shot.

  “Mike!” Shar screamed in horror as the bullet ripped through his leg and he went down.

  “Get in the car,” Mike yelled at her, grasping his thigh with his right hand and shifting the gun to
his left.

  Brett started toward her with a sinister look on his face. He dodged around Mike, who pulled up his gun and fired, but missed. Brett kept coming at Shar.

  “Shar!” Mike hollered. He fired again. Brett yelped in pain, and Shar viciously hoped he’d hit him somewhere vital.

  She turned and ran for the car, grabbing on to the door handle and flinging it open. But Brett grasped her around the waist and ripped her away from the Escalade. He wrapped his arms tight around her, pinning her arms to her sides and taunting Mike. “You only grazed my shoulder with that last shot, and now I’ve got a shield I don’t think you want to hit.”

  Shar flung her head back, slamming it into his nose. Pain ripped through the back of her head, but she heard a satisfying crack and a yelp of pain from Brett. She could feel warm blood spurting into her hair and realized she must’ve bloodied, maybe broken his nose. Good. His grip on her softened, and she yanked her right arm forward then back, digging her elbow into his gut. His breath rushed out in a pop, and he cursed. She jabbed the heel of her shoe into the top of his foot, and pain radiated up her leg, but Brett hollered again, so she figured it was worth it.

  Grabbing her by the hair, Brett flung her to the ground. Her head hit the ground hard, and she cried out. Brett towered over her, glowering down at her and then over at Mike who had pulled himself to his feet and was aiming the gun at Brett. Blood streamed down Mike’s right thigh and spurted out of Brett’s nose. The fire popped and crackled behind them, giving the entire forest a weird orange glow.

  Shar could hear the sounds of fighting in the woods and prayed Lily was holding her own. Everything seemed to be in slow motion as Brett pointed his pistol back at Mike. He smiled mockingly as if he knew Mike didn’t have it in him to kill him. She wanted to scream at him to just shoot, but Mike clung to the gun without pulling the trigger.

  “I guess I’ll have to kill you first, then take advantage of your girl,” Brett calmly said as if he had all the time in the world. “Sorry, you won’t be around to—”

  A gun retorted in the night, and a bullet ripped through Brett’s chest. Shar stared up at him as his eyes widened in shock before he slammed back onto the dirt road. She scuttled away from him. Mike limped toward her. He helped her up, and she stared at him.