by Cara Carnes
Blue and red lights flashed behind her. The siren blared.
She glanced in the rearview mirror as fear crawled up her throat. Talk about shitty timing. Although she wanted to get out and deal with changing the tire, she waited. She didn’t bother pulling her identification and insurance out of her wallet.
Anger overrode her fear as Marville’s new sheriff sauntered up to the window. Phil Perskins was the biggest mistake Ellie had ever made. No. He’d been the second biggest and a direct result of the biggest mistake ever—letting Jesse Mason leave.
She rolled down the window and glared at the bastard who’d wrecked her life. “I had a blowout. I’ll be off the shoulder and back on the road in a moment.”
“Get out of the truck, Ellie.”
To most people the order would be simple enough. Law enforcement helped people with bad tires. Ellie recognized the tone, though.
Trouble.
Adrenaline surged. They’d done this dance several times since he’d become sheriff, but he’d never ordered her out of the vehicle. Thinking ten steps ahead was how she’d survived a marriage to him for six years.
“I’d rather get whatever this is over with. I wasn’t speeding.”
“Get out,” Phil growled. “I’m searching your vehicle.”
“On what grounds? I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m changing my tire, then I’ll be on my way.” She maintained a death grip on the steering wheel as her mind raced through the possible outcomes. None were good.
Phil opened the truck’s door and grabbed her arm. Fear spiked when he reached over and unclicked her seat belt. Pain shot through her body as he yanked her toward him. She kicked and heard a grunt, but pain shot across her torso when he slammed her against the front side of the truck.
“That was stupid, but you weren’t ever smart, were you?”
“This isn’t smart, Phil.”
“You think that eunuch can protect you? Is that why you’ve gotten lippy?” Phil laughed. “Guess he’s a good choice for you. He can’t fuck, so he won’t mind what a shitty lay you are.”
“Jesse’s twice the man you’ll ever be. Don’t you dare call him that,” she spat angrily.
“Spread your legs and keep your hands on the truck. This’ll go easier if you cooperate,” Phil growled as he roughly searched and groped. Cilantro and onion stench filled her nostrils when he leaned in and whispered, “I miss those tits and how you mewled when I tasted them.”
Bastard. She’d screamed, not mewled. “Touch me again and you’ll regret it.”
“I’ll do whatever I damn well want, bitch.” He turned her to face him. “This is my county now.”
“Not for long if you keep this up,” Ellie warned. “Folks won’t take kindly to getting mauled by you whenever they have tire troubles.”
“You’ve always been dumber than most.” Phil coiled fingers around her throat with one hand while keeping the gun in her field of vision with the other. “You’re gonna keep your mouth shut.”
Ellie remained silent. Terror seized her voice, but she wouldn’t give the bastard the satisfaction of seeing her fear or hearing it in her voice, even if she could speak.
“Now, you and I have unfinished business.” He squeezed her neck. “You took something of mine a while back. I let you into my office to clear out your dad’s old stuff you left behind, and you stole something of mine.”
Her pulse quickened.
The CD.
Her mom had wanted their family Bible, which had somehow been left at the office in their family home when they’d been kicked out. A home Phil had stolen from them. Anger rolled through Ellie. The bastard had destroyed what little they’d had left after her mom’s cancer diagnosis.
“Go to hell,” Ellie said.
“Where! Is! It!” Phil shouted each word as he loomed in her space. “You think you’re safe out there at that fancy compound, but you aren’t. I’ll get to you wherever you are, bitch. If I can’t, I can buy anyone.”
Phil’s parents had come into money a while back from some good land ventures out west. The Perskins name went far but wasn’t within the same league as the Masons or Burtons.
“You don’t want to do this, Phil. Even if I keep quiet, they’ll hear about this. They know about everything in the tri-county,” she warned. “Leave me be, and I’ll forget this ever happened.”
Phil’s eyes narrowed. “Get me that CD, Ellie. You don’t want to piss me off.”
“I don’t have it,” Ellie lied. “Let me go before it’s too late, Phil. They hear about this and you’ll be in more trouble than you can buy your way out of.”
“I’ll be seeing you real soon,” Phil threatened as he released his grip.
Ellie remained frozen in place as he returned to his cruiser and left. Her hands trembled as she got back in the truck and looked at the cell phone beside her purse.
Call The Arsenal. Tell Jesse.
She swallowed.
The Arsenal had been beyond busy the past couple weeks. They’d closed for three weeks around the holidays to let the operatives spend time with their loved ones. And to give Jesse and his five brothers the chance to be with their mom while she recovered from the car crash, which had almost killed her.
Blood.
Nausea threatened like it always did when she thought about the accident. Momma Mason had been shoved off the road so assholes could kidnap Zoey. Ellie had somehow avoided serious injury and had kept Jesse’s nephews, DJ and TJ, safe.
Then she’d crawled into the wrecked front and stopped his mother from bleeding to death until he could arrive. She swallowed. The Masons had been through one hell of an ordeal. The entire Arsenal had.
They were the best private paramilitary organization around. Ellie hadn’t fully understood what that meant when she’d first taken the office manager job, but she’d put enough bigwigs on hold over the past couple weeks to grasp the meaning now.
Translation—they were too busy to deal with Phil and whatever this CD bullshit was. She’d lied about not having it. She’d intended to return it, then had dropped it into her safety deposit box with her mom’s important paperwork instead.
Ellie forced a few deep breaths and formed a plan. She’d change the tire, get to work, and type up a memo. It’d been Nolan’s suggestion on keeping them apprised of things she didn’t want to bother them with. If Jesse or one of his brothers had time to read the memo, maybe they could help. Otherwise she’d avoid Phil for a few days and he’d calm down.
It wasn’t the best or smartest plan, but it’d do. If Phil threatened her again, she’d contact the Texas Rangers and file a complaint. Then she’d tell Jesse and The Arsenal.
2
The Arsenal was busy despite the early hour. Kickass commandoes like Jesse, his brothers, and the hundred and seven people they employed woke up before dawn every day. By the time her lazy ass rolled into work shortly after eight in the morning, they’d been running, training, and doing whatever else badasses did.
Very fit, strong, and lethal badasses.
She rolled the truck to a stop before the newest structure beside the barn. The Arsenal had initially outsourced mechanical work to a shop in Resino, but recently heightened security protocols had resulted in all work on the vehicles either being done in-house or on-site. For the time being a few of the operatives with skills were taking shifts handling whatever repair work came around.
Ellie exited the vehicle and stilled. Medina stood near the front tire she’d changed. The glower on his typically expressionless face didn’t bode well for her handling this without going through an inquisition. Spaniards had nothing on Arsenal commandoes wanting answers. Yeesh.
“I ran over something,” Ellie lied.
The decision to lie her ass off about the tire trouble had come a couple miles away from The Arsenal’s turn-in. They had three on-the-books missions to undertake in the next few weeks. On top of those, they had one blacked-out mission she didn’t have clearance to see details for.
And those were only the official Arsenal missions. A ton more would spring up unexpectedly, thanks to Zoey’s underground network. Ellie still couldn’t believe her friend had run a massive operation to keep victims of abuse and sex trafficking safe.
Zoey had almost died.
Ellie shoved the memories of the accident aside. Medina’s scowl was her main concern right now.
“They’re sturdy tires. They aren’t even available to civilians,” Medina said.
“I don’t know what I hit. I’m sorry.” Ellie powered on. “I’ll pay for the replacement myself.”
“That’s not happening,” the man said as he wiped his greasy hands on a towel. “Leave it here, and I’ll get to it next. We’ve got extras since most of our vehicles use the same ones.”
“Thanks.” Ellie turned and left before the man asked anything else.
She walked to the main building and entered her area—aka Narnia. Ellie had nicknamed all the different areas of The Arsenal grounds to help keep them straight and bring a bit more humor into the intense world she’d been thrust into.
Teaching kindergarten had been simpler.
Ellie halted a moment when she saw the large gaggle of women grouped around her desk. Then she heard the conversation and grinned. It was about time they started planning Mary’s baby shower. Dylan’s wife was due in a couple weeks.
Jesse was going to have another nephew. Or a niece. The couple had decided to “be surprised.” Momma Mason likely knew exactly what they were having because the woman had a way of finding things out faster than anyone—even if it wasn’t something she should know.
“We need to let the boys come at least,” Kamren said. “DJ and TJ are both excited about having a baby cousin. They’ve been working on their gift for weeks now.”
Ellie smiled. She’d helped them come up with the idea as part of their daily studies. Both of Dallas’s sons had been through so much. They’d been raised in the woods like feral animals by Dallas’s crazy ex. Zoey had said the woman was a handler for some black ops group called The Collective. The mere thought terrified Ellie. She didn’t want to know anything about the assholes The Arsenal took down.
“I’m not saying Dylan shouldn’t be there,” Vi said. “I’m just saying he and his brothers and the other guys aren’t gonna sit around and play those silly games most showers have. And if anyone comes near Mary with a tape measure for that ridiculous game, there’ll be a war. One I’ll help Dylan lead.”
“I’m on games,” Bree piped in. A twinkle appeared in her gaze when she looked up. “Oh, hey, Ellie. Just the girl we were looking for.”
“When is the shower?” Ellie asked as she slid around the desk and put her purse up.
“We’re thinking this Saturday. I know it’s short notice,” Rhea said. Her brunette hair was pulled up in a no-nonsense ponytail.
The biochemist had been cooped up the past several weeks working on some secret project. Ellie was relieved to see both her and Bree out of their labs. The two scientists tended to hole up and never venture out. She’d always made it a point to go to their work areas on the lower levels and take them cookies and other treats when she could.
“I think we should limit the guest list,” Vi said. “Team leaders and family and us. It’ll be easier on Ellie.”
Ellie blinked. She’d assumed they were here to wrangle her help, but Saturday was a problem since today was Tuesday. Her mom had chemotherapy on Friday, so she’d be sick and would need Ellie at her side most of the weekend.
But the silent blonde sitting on the edge of her desk had taken a chance and hired Ellie when no one else would. For Jesse’s sister, Riley, Ellie would make it work. Somehow. “What do you need?”
“Food,” Riley said. “Mom said she’d help.”
Momma Mason was a great cook. Ellie had developed her passion by helping the woman in the Mason home—the very same home Ellie had gotten Brant’s brothers to renovate for handicapped accessibility. While Momma Mason’s injuries hadn’t required a wheelchair for long, it was now safe for future needs. Ellie had learned the importance of thinking ahead and being prepared the hard way.
“Are we talking a full meal or snacks?”
“Snacks. Sweets,” Rhea said. “I bet Bubba would do barbecue.”
“No.” Riley shook her head. “You tell him and the entire tri-county will be out here. We suffered through thousands of people traipsing around here for Mary and Dylan’s and Vi and Jud’s double wedding. We aren’t going through that again unless they hold a gun to Nolan’s head.”
Ellie winced. The double wedding had gotten way, way out of control. The Masons were Resino royalty, though. As such, everyone within the area had expected to be front and center for the first Mason man’s wedding.
That would’ve been me and Jesse.
Her heart clenched at the thought, but she forced her attention to the women watching her. “Sure. I can do a few cakes and cookies and other treats. We can get some nuts and veggie trays made up. Meats and cheeses. Oh, I could make some homemade bread.”
“Yay!” Bree clapped her hands together. “We’d offer to help, but we don’t cook. We suck at it. Vi burns water.”
“I do not!”
“You so do,” Rhea said. “You have more than once.”
“I’ll help you and Mom,” Riley said. “Vi, Rhea, and Zoey can coordinate the location and invites. I’ll help Bree, Kamren, and the kids with decorations.”
“If y’all are done planning parties, get out,” Jesse growled as he entered the building.
He prowled toward the gathered group in front of Ellie. She slid her chair closer to Riley. The youngest Mason tensed at the movement, then narrowed her gaze at her brother.
“There a reason you’re charging in here like a raging bull?” Riley asked.
“Leave it be, Riles,” he warned.
Levi crossed his arms and leaned against the wall nearest the entrance. Ellie found Jesse’s second in command to be one of the most intimidating men at The Arsenal. The door finally chose to chime its warning that someone had entered. Ellie had a love hate relationship with the stealthy way the Mason men walked. Okay, just about every operative at The Arsenal walked whisper-quiet like a ninja. While it was wicked cool, it freaked her out.
She swallowed when Jesse’s gaze locked on her. Their relationship since her arrival at the compound had been…weird. The first few weeks had been downright hostile. Jesse, his brothers, his team. Anyone remotely close to Jesse not only wanted nothing to do with her—they didn’t want her around at all.
Then they’d entered the acceptance stage of their dynamic. Jesse tolerated her existence in his day-to-day routine without surly words or growled hostility. Not that said hostility had even been a blip on Ellie’s asshole radar. No.
Jesse Mason was the most amazing man she’d ever met. She was biased and didn’t even care. In many ways seeing him day in and day out was a personal torment—a test of her willpower. He’d once been hers in every way conceivable. They’d been best friends since she was seven. He’d been her first kiss. Her first in almost everything.
Then he’d scraped her off like trash and entered the military.
“Out,” Jesse growled.
The women stilled. Addy chuckled as she entered and leaned against the wall beside Levi.
“This isn’t a show. Get the fuck out,” he repeated.
“Not happening,” Addy said. The redheaded operative terrified the hell out of Ellie. She was like Wonder Woman, if Wonder Woman had also been James Bond. Maybe? Either way, she was so kickass she gave every operative at The Arsenal pause.
Even Vi’s husband Jud—and he’d been an assassin. Yikes.
Ellie swallowed as she processed the protective solidarity of her new friends—her tribe. The fact that she had one was a shock. She’d only ever had Jesse as a friend. Then he’d gone, and she’d had…
“There a reason you’re coming in here like you’re about to start World War III?” Vi asked.
“Your growl doesn’t scare me, Jesse.”
Nothing scared Vi. All the women gathered around Ellie were amazing—each in her own unique way. The fact that any one of them had friended her was wild. All of them?
Jesse dropped something on her desk. Her pulse quickened as she watched the small object bounce a couple times then roll to a stop by her stapler. Silence descended as everyone looked at the piece of metal.
Addy and Vi cursed. Bree reached out and grabbed it.
“Why are you bringing this in and getting mad at Ellie?” The blonde looked at Ellie. “Why is he bringing this to you?”
Ellie took a moment to snap the pieces together. Someone had shot her tire out. It hadn’t been a blowout. Fear crawled through her, but the anger doused it quickly enough.
Phil.
That son of a bitch.
“Medina has a loud mouth,” she muttered, unsure what else to say.
“No. Don’t put this on Medina. He did what you should’ve done,” Jesse said.
“Actually, she should have called us when this shit went down instead of changing her tire on the side of the road after someone shot it out,” Levi commented from the wall.
Riley gasped. “When?”
“I’ve got Cord and Zoey finding the footage now,” Jesse said. “You want to tell me who shot your tire out and why?”
Ellie shook her head. “I didn’t know it was shot out. I thought it was a blowout. I swear.”
“What happened?” Jesse’s voice was low, but gritty like he’d swallowed sandpaper. His green gaze flickered with rage. His entire body vibrated with unspent anger. She’d never fully understood how, but she could read him easily.
Ellie looked around.
“We do this here or in the whiteboard room with the rest of the crew that isn’t here,” Vi said.
Jesse moved to her side of the desk and grasped her arm. Though his touch was gentle, he’d grabbed the same area Phil had used to yank her from the truck. Pain sliced through her body. A sound rose from her throat.
His gaze darkened as he removed his hand and rolled her sleeve up.
