Protecting His Kidnapped Family (Southern Soldiers of Fortune Book 2)

by Leslie North

  “Okay,” he said. “Stay where I can see you though, all right?”

  She gave him a look. “We’re not in danger anymore.”

  “No.” Noah winked. “But I just like looking at you.”

  Serena grinned and shook her head, then wandered over to a private corner of the room to make her call while Noah walked over and joined the poker game already in progress. He hadn’t been lying about enjoying looking at her. She was a vision. But he also couldn’t seem to shake that niggle of worry in his gut. It was an occupational hazard and probably nothing. Hell, he’d even talked to Levon and Clint during his tux fitting to confirm that the men responsible for Serena’s kidnapping were behind bars. The danger was over. He also knew she needed time and space for the conversation with her brother. Still, he needed to keep an eye on her for his own reassurance. After he bought in to the pot and got his chips from the dealer, he drew his first hand and checked his cards, his mind only half on the game as he kept glancing over at Serena across the room. Her head was down and her back to him, so he couldn’t read her expression, dammit.

  “Sir?” the dealer said. “What’s your play?”

  “Uh.” Noah looked at the other players around him, reading them. “I’m in.”

  He tossed chips into the pot, then watched each of the other players to learn their tells. His hand was pretty good. Two pairs, aces high, but he needed to lose a few rounds to see what kind of game he was in. Except the longer he sat there, the more concerned he got that something wasn’t right with Serena. At one point, she seemed to throw her hand in the air as if she was exasperated. Was she fighting with her brother? The news of her safety—and upcoming return to the US—should have been a joyful announcement, not something to trigger arguing.

  Shouts of triumph went up from another player at his table, and Noah sighed. He’d lost. Again. Going down a few chips didn’t bother him nearly as much as the fact he couldn’t concentrate at all on the game. Maybe coming down here tonight had been a mistake after all. Maybe he should quit and take Serena back up to the room. He cashed in his chips and stood to walk over to her, except…

  Shit. She was gone.

  Cursing under his breath, he pocketed his receipt to take to the cashier window and headed out of the high-limit room. She couldn’t have gone far. He’d only taken his eyes off of her for a few seconds. His pulse tripped as his gaze darted around the room. If anything happened to Serena or the baby, he’d never…

  A flash of purple caught his eye, in one of the open elevators. As she stuck her key card into the slot with one hand, while still talking on her phone with the other, he rushed in that direction. He only made it a few steps before he halted, noticing another figure entering the elevator with Serena. He knew that guy. Recognized him instantly. It was the man from the rainforest. The mercenary that Serena had punched and kicked.

  Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

  Weaving through the crowds, Noah mumbled apologies as he went, his attention focused solely on the man who was now alone with Serena. Time seemed to slow as he saw the man grab Serena from behind while she was distracted. The man managed to trap her arms at her sides in a bear hug and pick her up while avoiding her kicking legs.

  “Stop!” Noah yelled, charging up the stairs out of the casino and into the lobby, his dress shoes slipping on the marble floor as he raced to save the woman he loved. Without thinking, he reached for his service weapon before remembering that he’d left his Glock upstairs in the hotel room, not thinking he’d need it tonight. They were supposed to be out of danger. He’d let his guard down.

  The guy in the elevator had a weapon, though. One he didn’t hesitate to use. He managed to restrain Serena with one arm and pulled a gun with the other hand, firing off a shot at Noah before the elevator doors closed.

  Pandemonium ensued and his instincts kicked into overdrive. Noah reacted on pure adrenaline. Screams and shouts rang out from the casino behind him at the gunfire, but he couldn’t stop to see if everyone was all right. He had to save Serena no matter what. Had to get to the suite and Gracie before that asshole did.

  He ran to the stairs and charged up them two at a time. If he could get to the suite before the elevator did, he might have a chance.

  “Sir!” casino security yelled, following him up the stairs.

  Out of breath and out of time, he swiped his key card in the stairwell on the top floor and barged out into the foyer of the suite just as the bell dinged on the elevator. There was no time to grab his Glock. He’d have to take the guy out bare-handed. Fine. Good. He’d actually prefer to rip this fucker’s head off.

  He took a battle stance outside the elevator and waited, his fists clenched. He’d taken out guerrilla fighters in Afghanistan and snipers in Syria. He’d sure as fuck take out one squirrelly thug with a gun.

  Fate intervened before he had a chance to wring the man’s neck. Just as the elevator doors opened, the stairwell door crashed open behind him and casino security raced out, armed to the teeth and ready to fire. The minute Noah spotted Serena he yelled, “Get down!”

  In the elevator, the man’s eyes got big as saucers once he spotted a full load of artillery aimed at him and he loosened his hold on Serena. She locked gazes with Noah and dropped to the floor at the same time as he did, leaving security to deal with her assailant.

  Noah belly-crawled over to grab her hand and pull her into his body, protecting her while the man in the elevator made a desperate attempt at escape. He tore through the suite, scaring the poor sitter half to death in the process. She screamed and ran away with the baby. Casino security chased after Serena’s assailant all the way out onto the balcony, but the guy managed to get away by jumping on to a ledge, then scurrying along until he reached the roof of another building. The entire time, Noah just held Serena, ready to take on anyone or anything that threatened her again.

  He should have been more on guard. He never should have relaxed and just assumed that the bounty was no longer an issue, just because those men had been arrested. This was what happened when he relaxed. People got hurt. People died.

  Cupping Serena’s cheeks, he smoothed his thumbs over her cheekbones, desperate to reassure himself that she was okay. That he hadn’t screwed up any more than he’d already done. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. It’s my fault. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” Her breath hitched and she scrambled away from him and into the suite as a baby’s cries sliced through the air like a scalpel. “Gracie?”

  If that fucker hurt his daughter, it’d be the last thing he ever hurt. Noah charged after Serena, intent on getting their baby and getting the hell out of there. Now.

  “She’s here,” the sitter called from the bedroom. “We’re fine.”

  Noah wouldn’t believe it until he saw for himself. He rushed into the room and found Serena clutching the baby to her chest, consoling her even as she cried herself.

  Dammit. Dammit it all to hell and back. Noah raked his hands through his hair, then stripped off his too-confining tux jacket. He needed room to move, to breathe, to figure out what to do next.

  “Sir,” one of the casino security officers said from the hall. “This was left in the elevator.”

  It was Serena’s phone.

  He took it and thanked the officer, asking for a moment alone with Serena before they both answered the officers’ questions about what happened. Noah slipped the phone into his pocket, then took Serena and Gracie into his arms, just rocking them both slowly while his heart threatened to jackhammer out of his chest.

  If anything had happened to them, he didn’t know what he would have done.

  Dropping his face into Serena’s hair, he inhaled deeply and kissed the top of her head. “We need to get out of here. ASAP. It’s time to go home.”

  15

  “What did you find out?” Noah asked the next morning as they walked into the Southern Soldiers of Fortune’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Even though he’d basically been up all nig
ht, unable to sleep on the chartered flight the guys had booked for him and Serena and Gracie out of St. Dourdane, he was still too restless to sit still. He needed answers and he needed them yesterday. They’d not even stopped to freshen up at the airport, just come straight here to see what his team had uncovered.

  Poor Serena hadn’t gotten much shut-eye either, with Gracie up every few hours to feed or for a diaper change, so yeah. They were feeling pretty ragged all the way around.

  At least he was back on home soil. That went a small way toward easing the tension coiling tight inside him. He couldn’t rest completely, though, until he knew for sure who was behind the bounty on Serena’s head. Only when the threat was neutralized would he be able to rest.

  Levon and Clint were crowded behind one of the desks, staring at multiple computer screens, so Noah parked Serena and Gracie in a comfy chair in the waiting area while he got down to business with the guys.

  “Show me,” he said, coming around the desk to peer over Clint’s shoulder.

  “The guy last night was a mercenary,” Levon said. “Name was Spencer. But you knew about him already.”

  “Yep.” Noah transferred his attention to the next screen. “What about the two guys they arrested? What’s their story?”

  “That’s the thing,” Clint said, leaning back and crossing his arms. “From the intel they’ve gathered so far during the interrogation, they were working for the bounty too.”

  “Huh?” Noah frowned, his nose wrinkled. “Wait, so they took Serena so they could kill her and collect the money…and then waited seven months? Who does that?”

  “These guys, apparently. Whoever’s offering the money kept stringing them along,” Clint said. “They originally took Serena thinking they’d take her out and earn a quick buck. But then they had a crisis of conscience when they realized she was pregnant. The person behind this backed off, said that they could wait until the baby was delivered before they made the hit. Anyway, the men claim that the person who gave them the job kept changing the stipulations, and increasing the funds, if they complied. Time went by and it ended up being a prolonged mess.”

  “So, what?” Noah shook his head, trying to get his head around all of it. “Serena was just left to rot down there in South America?”

  “Kind of, yeah,” Levon said, leaning back in his chair to stretch out his long legs.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” Serena said, coming over to their group. “But do you have any water or juice around here?”

  “Sure,” Clint said, smiling down at Gracie then leaning in to play with her. “We have a fully stocked mini-fridge right over there against the wall. Help yourself to whatever you want.”

  “If you need more than what we have, just give me a list and I’ll run down to the drug store the next block over,” Levon offered, grinning at a squirming Gracie. “Man, she sure is cute.”

  “Thanks,” Serena and Noah said at the same time.

  Noah cleared his throat, heat climbing up from beneath the crewneck of his rumpled grey T-shirt. “I mean, yeah. She looks like Serena so of course she’s cute.”

  “Dude.” Levon gave him a flat stare. “The kid’s got your eyes and chin. Can’t deny she’s yours.”

  “I’m not,” Noah said glaring at his friend as a sudden wave of defensiveness overtook him. “I mean, of course Gracie’s mine. I’d never want to deny that.”

  Serena gave him an amused glance. “Nice to hear you say it.”

  “Your daddy’s a big ninny, isn’t he?” Clint said, holding his finger out for Gracie to take it, then smiling and nodding at her like an idiot. Noah had to admit he was kind of surprised these big tough guys were fawning all over his kid. And sure, Clint and Levon each had a kid of their own, but still. It was weird to see these hardened men all soft and squishy over a baby. Clint looked at Serena. “Can I hold her?”

  “Yes!” She passed the baby to Clint, who cradled her like a pro. Noah would have felt a little jealous about that if he hadn’t been so impressed. Maybe he’d need to talk to his buddies later for some pointers, once all this crap was over. And speaking of crap, Gracie let loose a squelching noise that indicated a diaper change was in order. The group laughed as Serena took her back from Clint, Gracie’s little red face looking far too satisfied with herself. “Right. Excuse me while I go get her cleaned up. And I might take you up on that drug store run offer later, if it’s still good.”

  “Absolutely,” Levon said. “Whatever you need. Bathroom’s just down the hall.”

  “Thanks.” Serena hurried away to grab the diaper bag from the waiting area, then head to the restrooms while Noah stayed behind with the guys and watched her go.

  “You’re a lucky man, Noah,” Levon said. “She’s beautiful.”

  “Which one?”

  “Both of them,” Levon said. “Of course, not as beautiful as my Olive and Allie, but close.”

  Noah glanced down at the picture on his friend’s desk of his wife and daughter. When Noah had first met the man, Levon had been like him. Alone, adrift, living only for the job. Then a new mission had come along, reuniting him with Olive whom he’d known in high school—and who he’d had a steamy night with at their reunion earlier that year—and one thing led to another and now Levon’s whole life had changed, for the better.

  Warmth that had nothing to do with embarrassment and everything to do with his feelings for Serena and Gracie spread outward from his core to his extremities. Maybe, if he was blessed enough, they might be able to work things out and try life together in the future. But first, he had to make sure that whoever was behind this bounty was gone for good.

  He shook off the tender emotions sprouting within and focused on the computer screen again. “Okay. So, what’s our next step?”

  Clint frowned. “Well, considering you’re getting pretty rank, bro, I’d say a shower.”

  “Funny. Not.” Noah gave him a flat stare. “I’m serious. We’re here and that’s good. It makes me feel better knowing we’re with you guys and on US soil, but there’s still danger out there. I can’t rest until I know one hundred percent Serena and Gracie are out of danger.”

  Levon stood and clapped him on the shoulder. “Understood, dude. But you need to rest. When’s the last time you slept?”

  “Last night.” At his friends’ dubious looks, Noah sighed. “Fine. The night before. Or maybe the one before that. I don’t know.” He scrubbed a hand over his weary face. His head felt fuzzy and his muscles ached. Maybe the guys were right. His SEAL training had taught him that staying sharp in the field was crucial. Exhaustion made you weak and sloppy, which he feared he already was. His thoughts felt like quicksand. “All right. Yes. I do need to rest. I’m sure Serena does, too. But I don’t want to go back to my place. They tracked us to that hotel last night and I still don’t know how—so I don’t know how to stop it from happening again.” He rubbed his stubbled jaw, then pulled out his phone. “Let me see if I can get a reservation at a hotel nearby and—”

  “No.” Levon placed his hand over Noah’s phone screen. “Don’t be stupid. There’s plenty of room at our place. Olive and I have the extra guest room. Gracie can use Allie’s Pack ’n Play tonight.”

  Noah winced. “I don’t know. Things are complicated with Serena and I right now and I don’t want to be a burden and—”

  “Seriously. Stop.” Levon gave him a look. “It was my idea to have you stay. In fact, I already cleared it with Olive before you got here, so stop arguing. And if you say the word ‘burden’ again I’ll kick your ass, tired or not. Friends take care of each other. Okay?”

  He wanted to argue, but dammit, he was just too tired. After a long second, he gave in with a nod. “Okay. Thanks, man.”

  “No trouble at all, dude.” Levon slapped him on the back. “And don’t worry about the intel. We’ve got this, don’t worry.”

  “Yep,” Clint said. “And maybe a fresh pair of eyes on this is exactly what you need.”

  16

  “Th
anks so much for letting us stay here tonight,” Serena said to Olive once they’d gotten Gracie settled in the portable crib in the guest room. “Your home is lovely.”

  “Aw, thanks,” Olive said, looking down at a snoozing Gracie. “She’s so precious.”

  “She’s a little trooper,” Serena agreed. “After everything we’ve been through, she just keeps going.”

  “Sounds like her momma,” Olive said, rubbing Serena’s arm. “C’mon out to the living room. I’ll make us some tea and we can check on the guys. See what they’re up to.”

  “Sounds good.” Serena bent to give her daughter one last kiss on the forehead, then followed Olive out of the room and down the hall. The craftsman-style bungalow was adorable, with hardwood floors and whitewashed trim. Neat as a pin and completely baby-proofed, the ideal place for them to land tonight. She walked out into the living room to find Levon and Noah deep in discussion about the mission, so she took a seat next to Noah on the sofa and cuddled up into his side. It felt nice, normal. Like this was how it should always be, which caused a niggle of worry inside her.

  They’d never really talked about what would happen with their relationship after this was all done. Sure, Noah had said he’d do his part and take care of Gracie, but was that all he saw in their future—just co-parenting? What about them? Was there even a “them” at all? At night, when they were in bed together, Noah holding her from behind, his soft warm breath tickling the back of her neck, it sure felt like there was something more between them, something strong and enduring. At least that was how it seemed for her. But Noah never talked about his feelings, so she had no idea where she stood with him. Sooner or later they’d need to talk about it. But maybe not tonight. Things were so nice and peaceful here; she didn’t want to ruin it by bringing all that up.

  “Here you go,” Olive said, handing her a steaming mug of herbal tea, then taking a seat beside Levon on the loveseat and curling into him under his arm. They were totally in love, that much was obvious. And it gave Serena hope, seeing big tough Levon be so gentle and caring with Olive and their daughter Allie—who was also sleeping. If they could make it work, maybe she and Noah could too.