Silver Shield Security Box Set

by Dee Bridgnorth

  “But you’re messing that up. You will send Babe. Is that clear?”

  There was a slight pause, so infinitesimal that if he hadn’t been listening for it, Slim would have missed it. But he had listened for it and he did not miss it.

  “Yes, boss,” Mikey said.

  Slim nodded, dismissing him. He watched him walk out of the room and his eyes hardened. If Mikey had looked back at that instance, he would have seen the expression on his boss’s face and he would have been very afraid.

  Slim knew that Mikey would not call Babe. He would want to handle this by himself. And in so doing, he would seal his fate.

  **

  Drew sat in the study with his father. He had not seen him in five years, although he called him regularly just to make sure they were doing okay. He noticed that there was more gray on his head.

  “It’s good you finally decided to come see us,” Charles Carron said.

  Drew stiffened, then deliberately relaxed. “You know why I stayed away.”

  After Ann-Marie’s death, there had been a big fight. His dad had been furious with him. Drew could not remember Charles Carron ever being that angry. His anger was usually icy, controlled. That time he had been so angry that his veins popped out.

  Drew knew he never should have married her. But the way his parents had condemned him, as though he had single-handedly killed her himself, had been wounding. When he considered the fact that they had taken sides with Etienne after the debacle with Lucille…he’d left and never returned.

  “You should never have married Ann-Marie.”

  Drew stood up in anger. “Are we going down that road now?”

  “Sit the hell down, boy.”

  He did not raise his voice, but there was no mistaking the quiet authority emanating from him. Drew sat down reluctantly, annoyed with himself for allowing his father to get to him so easily.

  “You’ve always been too quick with your temper,” Charles said slowly.

  Drew leaned back against his chair and studied the old man. He still looked strong and healthy, despite the fact that he’d hit sixty several years back. His coolness and indifference always brought out the worst in Drew.

  He had learned to control his temper and for the most part, he never expressed it. Except with Janey, the woman was too damned pig-headed. And of course, the man before him.

  “Ann-Marie was unstable,” Charles said suddenly.

  Drew sat up. “What do you mean?”

  “She had attempted to kill herself twice before...” He waved his hand.

  “Before we got married?” That was news to Drew.

  “She was troubled. You didn’t know this because you had already enlisted.”

  “How did I not know about this?” Drew was in shock. All these years, he’d thought that it was something he’d done, or not done. Something he had said. He did not know what it was, but he was sure that he’d been the cause of her death somehow. And now this?

  It was too much.

  He stood up from his chair and went to stand by the window that looked out into his mother’s beautifully kept garden.

  “You were too damn stubborn to listen to anyone. Hell, we didn’t even know that you were getting married. Went to damn Vegas.”

  Drew did not reply. He was still trying to come to terms with what he’d just heard. He could not explain it. It felt like a huge weight had been rolled off his shoulders. He thought about beautiful, wild Ann-Marie and felt sorrow.

  He hoped she had finally found peace.

  He felt his father’s hand on his shoulder.

  “I tried to tell you that day. Guess I didn’t handle it well.”

  Drew snorted. But he felt none of the animosity and defensiveness that he usually felt around his father.

  “That is an understatement, sir,” Drew said, turning to face his father.

  There was a half-smile on Charles Carron’s face. It was almost the exact replica of the one that was on Drew’s face. Anyone watching them at that moment would have had no doubt that they were father and son.

  And it was not just about the smile. They had the same dark hair, the same light gray eyes.

  “Come sit,” Charles said.

  They returned to their seats.

  “Lucille is divorcing Etienne.”

  “Jesus, Dad! You could try giving one a warning before you drop bombshells like that.”

  He shrugged. “I thought you would be interested.”

  He was watching Drew with a shrewd look in his eyes. Drew swallowed the curses at the tip of his tongue. The old man would never change, there was no use expecting him to do so at this stage.

  “Alright, Dad, I’ll bite. Why is she divorcing him?”

  His eyes filled with glee. “I cut him out of my will and have limited his access to funds.”

  Okay, this was crazy. “Why on earth would you do that?”

  Charles sobered. “She was ruining his life, Son. I needed to get rid of her and this was the most convenient.”

  “I got the impression they were happy.”

  “Hah! Happy, my foot. She only went after him when she discovered that he was the one who would take over the business from me. You are not interested and Julien is hopeless.” He shook his head in mild disgust.

  This was almost too much for Drew to take in. “Then why the hell did you all take Etienne’s side in this?”

  It had been eating at him all this time. He still remembered it like it was yesterday. He’d met Lucille in college and fallen for her. They’d become engaged their last year and he had brought her to meet his family.

  A couple of weeks after they’d gone back to school, he had stopped by Etienne’s apartment for some reason and had found Lucille there, in bed with his brother.

  He had been heartbroken and called off the engagement. He never told his parents why, but when Etienne had brought her home several months later as his wife-to-be, the shit had hit the fan.

  Drew had been so bitter, so angry. The feeling of betrayal had stung. His parents had put their foot down, insisting that there was not going to be a marriage. Then they had dropped the bomb; Lucille was expecting Etienne’s baby.

  Everything had changed then.

  They could not organize the wedding fast enough. He’d had to stand by and watch his brother get married to the woman he’d thought he was in love with. It had been almost too much for him.

  The day after the wedding, he’d gone and enlisted in the navy.

  “The girl was pregnant. What were we supposed to do?”

  Drew shrugged. He thought about his brother and strangely, felt sorry for him. He was surprised to discover that the feeling of bitterness was completely gone.

  “Why are you telling me all this?”

  “Because you have clearly moved on.”

  Drew raised his eyebrows. What was the old man talking about?

  “Walter told me the one you brought home is a real gem.”

  “Damn Walter,” Drew muttered. He had forgotten how much his old man confided in Walter. Though he served as their butler, he was really Charles Carron’s best friend. They talked about everything.

  “So when do I get to meet her?”

  Janey. Drew did not know what to do about the feelings he had for her. If she thought he was going to just let her go, she was mistaken. He had not seen her in two hours and he felt like there was a yawning chasm inside his heart.

  “Trouble in paradise, eh?”

  Drew looked up at his father and for the first time, did something he’d never done before in his life.

  He confided in him.

  “She took one look at your house and freaked out. Now she’s not sure she wants to be with me anymore.”

  Charles lifted an eyebrow. “Why is that?”

  “Apparently, I’m too rich,” he said, spreading his hands out.

  His father was silent for several moments. He seemed lost in thought.

  “The first time I brought your mother home, she br
oke up with me.”

  “Really?”

  “She didn’t think she could bear the pressure of being a Carron.”

  Drew hadn’t heard that one before. It sounded like something Janey would say.

  “What are you saying, Dad?”

  “She’s a keeper, your Janey.” He laughed when he saw the surprise on Drew’s face. “Walter can be very detailed.”

  Drew laughed as well. Then grew sober.

  “I don’t know how to convince her to trust me.”

  “You do anything and everything you can. When you love someone who loves you for who you are, you hold on to her and never let go.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Drew opened the door softly and stepped in. Janey was still fast asleep on the bed. She had her arms wrapped tightly around the pillow as she curled up in the fetal position. He held a tall glass of iced tea and set it on the table.

  Then he crossed over to the bed and sat at the edge.

  He gazed on her sleeping form. She looked so peaceful. She really was the most beautiful woman to him. Her straight blonde hair was spread out over the white sheets. Gently, he trailed a hand over her head in a soft caress.

  He thought about what his father had said, and he knew that Janey really did care about him, and it wasn’t for what she could get from him either.

  She knew him, faults and all, and she accepted him.

  He acknowledged that he should probably have told her about his issues. There had been several opportunities to do just that…like when he’d told her about his family. He could have mentioned the other stuff too. Now, he’d shaken her trust in him.

  Janey opened her eyes and blinked. Then her gaze met his and he felt a kick to his heart.

  “Hi,” he said.

  “Hi.”

  “How was your nap?”

  She covered her mouth and yawned. “Not bad. Is it time for lunch yet?”

  “Yeah. I came to get you.”

  “Oh,” she sat up then.

  “Janey.”

  She went still, but didn’t look at him.

  “Janey, please look at me.”

  She turned her eyes to him and his heart ached seeing the wariness in them.

  “I’m really sorry.”

  She looked down with a sigh. Then she turned to him again and placed a hand on his face. Drew closed his eyes. It was almost as though there was a thread going from her hand right down to his soul. He felt her touch so deeply.

  “I know you’re nothing like Mark. It was unfair of me to say so, and I’m sorry.”

  His eyes flew open. He read the sincerity in her gaze and was stumped. Why on earth was she apologizing? He was the one at fault here.

  “I should have told you about my past sooner.”

  She nodded. “Yes, you should. But we all mess up sometimes,” she said with a shrug. She peered into his eyes, like she was searching for something. She must have found it because she went on, “You are right that relationships need communication. So if you promise never to keep stuff from me again, I’m willing to give us a try.”

  Drew stared at her. He was too full of emotion to speak. He pulled her to him and kissed her with all the emotion that he felt. When he moved back, she looked as dazed as he felt.

  “I won’t keep anything from you again, I promise.”

  He had become accustomed to keeping his own counsel and didn’t know if he knew how to share his thoughts, his plans, or anything that went on inside his head. But he was going to try. He would do everything in his power to keep his promise.

  Starting now.

  “I think you should know that I’m not poor.”

  Janey looked at him curiously.

  “Well, I don’t touch my father’s wealth at all. But I have investments.”

  “So you’re wealthy?” she asked.

  Drew watched her carefully. “Yes, I am.”

  She turned away, her eyes focused on a distant target. She seemed lost in thought for a few minutes. Then she turned to him.

  “Okay,” she said.

  “Okay?” Drew reached for the glass of iced tea and handed it to her.

  Janey took a sip and sighed with pleasure. “This is lovely! Not too sweet either.”

  Drew smiled. One thing he really liked about this woman was how genuine she was. Her reactions were pure and not contrived.

  “It’s my mother’s recipe.”

  She drank from the glass, looking at him above the rim. Drew held her gaze, feeling the warmth in them. He felt light as air.

  “I had a talk with my father.”

  She brought down the glass and waited for him to speak. Suddenly feeling restless, Drew stood up and walked about the room as he told her what his father had said about Ann-Marie and Etienne’s marriage to Lucille.

  “It was weird. All my life, we’ve never really connected that way.”

  “I knew Ann-Marie’s death was not your fault.”

  He stopped by the bed and sat down again, “How did you know?” He really wanted to know how she’d been so sure, when he had carried the guilt around with him for so long.

  She gave the half-empty glass to him and he set it by the bedside table. Then turned to her.

  Janey had an earnest look on her face. “There is a deep core of goodness inside you, Drew. You might be a badass special operator or whatever, but you would never deliberately hurt someone. That’s not who you are.”

  Drew’s chest became tight with emotion. He stared at her in wonder. How could she have such faith in him when he had not had that much in himself. He looked away, trying to get back control. He felt like he’d been hit by a Mack truck. He loved this woman so goddamn much and he had no idea what he’d done to be so lucky.

  “Drew…”

  Janey placed a hand on his arm. He drew in a sharp breath as her touch seared him. He turned to look at the hand on his arm. Her fingers were slim and delicate. She’d filed her nails short and used a clear nail polish.

  He felt a sudden desperate need to touch her. To know that this woman was his.

  You are mine.

  He did not say it aloud, but when he lifted his gaze to hers, he heard her sharply indrawn breath. Her eyes widened, then instantly dilated. Her instant reaction to him was so damn sexy, it had his member twitching.

  Drew reached for her. His hand curled at the back of her neck as he pulled her closer to him. Their lips met and he was lost. They kissed with all the tenderness and passion that was flowing between them. It was different from all the other times they’d kissed. This went all the way to his soul, wrapped itself around his heart and tugged.

  Drew gently ended the kiss. He touched his forehead to hers and gazed into her eyes.

  “Thank you,” he whispered against her lips.

  Janey wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him hard. “You are a good man, Drew Campbell.”

  Drew did not feel like a good man at that moment. He felt like he wanted to rip her clothes off her, lay her down on that bed and plunge into her. He swore softly and brought her hands down.

  Seeing the surprise in her eyes he laughed, kissed her quickly and stood up.

  “I came to let you know that lunch was ready and my parents are waiting.”

  “Oh my God!” She scrambled off the bed. “Drew, how could you?” Janey was upset. She grabbed the dress she’d set aside earlier.

  “Relax, babe. Once they see you they’ll understand why I got so distracted.”

  She shot him a dirty look, which only made him laugh. Drew tapped her backside as she hurried to the bathroom.

  After she shut the door, he stood there with a grin on his face. He loved that woman. The feeling was exhilarating. He wanted to shout to everyone that she belonged to him. For the first time in his life, Drew felt like he’d reclaimed a vital part of himself that had been missing for so long.

  **

  The next morning, Janey sat in the gazebo by the garden fiddling with her phone. Drew’s mother had a reall
y lovely garden. She tried to enjoy the beauty before her, but her mind was troubled.

  There had been several messages from her brothers updating her about her parents’ status. They were still in a critical state and they had no idea if they were going to make it.

  She wanted to call home, but it hurt too much. Not their asking her to stay away – she was beginning to think that it might have been for her own good. But even if it wasn’t, she did not want to place them in any more danger.

  She hated the fact that an enemy she did not know was trying to kill her. What had she ever done to anyone?

  Her entire life, she had kept her head down and tried her best to blend in. She was non-confrontational, even if it almost killed her to keep her temper as deeply buried as she had.

  Fat good it’s done.

  She should have lived her life in blazing glory, like Diane.

  At the thought of her sister, she sobered. She had been in touch with Abe and things were pretty much the same with Diane. She still was not speaking. Janey sighed.

  “Why the sigh, cher?”

  Janey looked up to find Drew’s mother standing over her with two glasses of iced tea. She sat next to her and handed one of the glasses to Janey.

  “Thanks, Mrs. Carron,” Janey said with a smile.

  She liked Drew’s mom. She reminded her pretty much of her own mother, except in reverse. Josette Carron wore the expensive clothes, had the expensive manicure and everything, but she seemed to care little about it all.

  “Oh, you can call me Jo, dear. Did that son of mine do anything to upset you, cher?” she asked, taking a sip from her glass.

  Drew’s mother had a lovely southern accent. It was light and slow, not much of a drawl, but it settled over Janey like a comforting blanket.

  “Nothing like that. I’m just worried about my parents.”

  Jo put her glass on the table that sat between them. There was sadness in her eyes, “Drew told us a little about what happened. I want you to know that you are safe here, ma petite.”

  “Thank you…Jo.” It felt funny calling Drew’s mom by her given name.

  Janey meant it, but safe…? The only time she ever felt safe these days was when she was with Drew.

  “We owe you a lot, Janey,” Jo said, her eyes suddenly misting.