Stunned, Eric nearly drove off the road. He gripped the wheel and corrected enough to get them back in their lane. Then he pushed back the leap of excitement he felt at her words. “What?”
“I want to go with you and Garth if you decide to go into hiding. I can help you with him. Plus, your cover story will be more convincing if you appear to be a family rather than a single dad with a baby. That’s fairly unusual and might make you more noticeable.”
She made sense. Instead of immediately discounting her offer, he let himself consider her words. “I don’t have any idea how long it might be.”
“That’s fine. I don’t know when my house will be livable again.”
By then he’d pulled into the parking lot of his shop. He parked by the entrance and, instead of killing the engine, left it running. “Why?” he asked quietly. “You barely know me. Why would you want to give up your life and go into hiding with me?”
There were several different responses she could give to that question. He waited, interested to hear what she’d say.
“Why not?” she countered. “I have no home, at least until it’s fixed. I’m staying with Rhonda, and I don’t really know her, either.”
Gaze steady, he continued to eye her.
“Look, I like you. And Garth. You rented a house from me and you’d barely moved in when it caught on fire. I owe you.”
Frowning, he didn’t bother to try and hide his disappointment. “You’re saying you feel obligated to disappear with me, due to a fire? You had absolutely no control over that.”
She lifted her chin. “True. But my life is kind of on hold right now. And honestly, I think you and Garth could both use my help.”
While he pondered her words, she sat very still and quiet. In the back seat, Garth let out a wailing cry. “His hungry cry,” she said, proving her point.
“Yes.” Finally, Eric turned the key and shut off the motor. “You do pay attention. Come on, let’s go inside and I’ll see about getting my boy fed.”
She climbed out and stood on the sidewalk, waiting while he unbuckled Garth. Eric could tell from the way she kept opening and closing her mouth that she wasn’t sure if she should continue to press him for an answer. Good. After all, he hadn’t even decided what course of action to take. Instinctively, she probably knew he’d much rather stay and fight. But he had more to consider than merely himself. His first priority had to be keeping Garth safe.
* * *
Though JJ had asked to go with Eric impulsively, the more she thought about it, the more she knew it was exactly what she needed to do. If he wanted her, that is.
Eric’s cell phone rang. “It’s the Pack Protector, calling me back. Would you keep an eye on Garth while I take it?”
She nodded. Eric turned away while he took the call. After answering, he went outside.
When he finished his phone call, he came back into the room. Expression serious, he stopped and studied his son before lifting his gaze to meet JJ’s.
“I’m going to stay,” he said quietly. “I’ve already done more running than I ever wanted to do in my lifetime. I can protect Garth. I’m not sure, however, that I can protect both of you.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “You won’t have to protect me,” she told him. “I’m pretty damn good at protecting myself.”
As she spoke the words, she knew with a sense of astonishment that they were true. When Shawn had first started his abuse, she’d been stunned and shell-shocked. While she hadn’t defended herself due to the fact that the only way she could was to shift into wolf, she’d gotten out of the situation and started a new life. Looking back, she realized her experience had made her stronger.
At first, Eric didn’t respond. Finally, he shook his head. “You know, I think it might be better if you stay away from me and Garth until this is over.”
For whatever reason, this infuriated her. She’d been willing to go on the run with him, had offered to help him any way she could. And all he came up with was asking her to stay away?
“I don’t accept that,” she said, even if she didn’t have the right. “How about you fill me in on what’s going on? I can be much better prepared if I know what specific circumstances you’re facing.”
“I can’t tell you,” he answered, as she’d known he would. “It would go against Pack law.”
And there he had her. If his statement was true, that is. “There aren’t too many laws they’re stringent on these days. So unless you shape-shifted and revealed yourself to a human, or hurt a human while in your other form, I’m thinking we’re safe.”
He wasn’t able to hide the flash of surprise crossing his face at her words. “What about your job?”
The abrupt change of subject momentarily stumped her. “What about it?”
“You just took a job working in that bookstore. If we went on the run, you wouldn’t be able to work there. And I doubt the store owner would hold it for you, especially since you’d be up and disappearing.”
“I’m sure once I explained—” she began.
“No. You couldn’t explain anything. That’s what going into a protection program is like. You just go. There isn’t time for explanations. You don’t get to call anyone and let them know you’re safe. You just disappear, like you never existed.”
She hadn’t really considered all of that, but in the end, she didn’t mind. Because something inside her told her she had to be with Eric and Garth. While JJ hadn’t known him very long, she felt as if she’d known him forever. She couldn’t imagine life without him somewhere in it. Though she hated to disappoint Gracie, she’d do whatever she had to in order to keep Eric and Garth in her life. “I’d still go,” she answered, lifting her chin stubbornly.
He eyed her. “Are we really that important to you?”
The question hung in the air. Admitting this might make her feel exposed and naked, but she didn’t think she could respond any other way. “Yes,” she answered. “Yes, you are.”
He kissed her then. The kind of kiss that shook her all the way to her soul and made her want to melt into him. His kiss promised more than any words could, and her response let him know she would welcome all of it.
When they broke apart, she could barely stand. Not bothering to hide her disappointment, she sighed. “I want—” she began, aching with need and unfulfilled desire.
“Shh.” He smoothed her hair back away from her face. “I’m going to call them and tell them to come get us. We’re going to go into the protection program.”
Her heart stuttered. “Okay,” she managed to reply. “I’ll need to call Rhonda and let her know.”
She realized what she’d said at the same time he did. They both laughed, more of a nervous chuckle, actually.
“I can’t, can I?”
He shook his head. “No. And this will be your last opportunity to change your mind. Once I make that call, you’re involved, whether you want to be or not.”
Although she’d feel a lot better about her decision if she knew exactly what the danger was, she nodded. “I’m ready,” she said. “But I don’t have any clothes or makeup or anything. I’ll need shampoo and deodorant and lotion, at least.”
“I’m sure they’ll provide it. I was told all I need to do is give them a list of what I want and they’ll get it.”
After that, things proceeded at a breathtaking pace. Less than thirty minutes after Eric made the call, a black sedan with tinted windows pulled up to the shop. Eric opened up the third bay and the vehicle drove in.
Once the door had closed, with the car inside, Eric hurriedly transferred several bags of baby provisions to the trunk. He also removed the infant carrier from his SUV and installed it in the back seat of the sedan.
After buckling little Garth inside, he crossed over to JJ and took her hand. “I’m going to sit up front until we’re safely out of town. I want you to stay as close to my boy as possible.”
Suddenly tongue-tied, she nodded. “That’s fine. Where are we going? Do you have any idea?”
He shook his head. “No doubt they’ll inform us once we’re on the road.”
She climbed into the back seat to be with the baby and Eric got into the front. The driver opened the bay, climbed into the car, and pulled out and parked, leaving the engine running. He then got out and went back to close everything up and lock it. Eric went with him, leaving Garth in the car with JJ.
Watching them, JJ felt a pang of misgiving, imagining Rhonda’s worry when they didn’t return. She had promised to go back, after all. Maybe she could sneak in one little phone call to reassure her neighbor. She could let Rhonda know they were safe, without revealing any pertinent information about their location.
Since she knew both Eric and the Protector would frown on this idea, maybe she could ask someone to at least get word to Rhonda and Gracie. The idea of being a no-show at the bookstore Monday turned her stomach. Not to mention her mother’s worry when JJ appeared to drop off the face of the earth.
Had she made a mistake? Was she staking everything on a possibility that might never come to be?
Priorities, she told herself. Once all this—whatever this might be—was over, she’d be able to explain, and hoped they’d understand.
Once Eric had double-checked to make sure everything at his shop would be secure, he and the driver turned to head back to the car.
As they did, another vehicle came screeching around the corner. When she heard the first pop-pop, JJ realized they were under fire. Immediately, she went into protect-baby-Garth mode, ducking down and crawling over the seat to cover him with her body.
Heart pounding, and trembling as she was, her unusual action and utter terror communicated themselves to the baby. He began to wail. “Shh!” she told him, frantic to keep him quiet. “It’s all right. Daddy will be back in a second. Please hush.”
Of course, he understood none of this, and continued to cry.
More shots rang out. Someone shouted—was that Eric? When the car door opened, she prayed it was him. It wasn’t.
She had one second to register that the man wore a black ski mask before he yanked her off Garth and tossed her to the pavement. Somehow, she lurched back up and went after him, with only one thought in her mind: protect the baby.
As she flung herself at her assailant, he turned and punched her. His fist connected with her jaw. She knew one instant of blazing pain before everything went dark.
* * *
When he came to, Eric rolled over, wincing from the pain of the wound in his leg. Belatedly, he saw that he’d been shot and was still bleeding. Next to him, the Pack Protector lay covered in blood. The dark sedan remained where they’d left it, engine running. The other vehicle was gone. Baby Garth. Where the hell was his son?
Pushing up, he tried to stand. The pain and loss of blood made him dizzy. Somehow, he got his scarf off and used it to tie a makeshift tourniquet around his leg. Then he crawled toward the Pack Protector, who didn’t move. Eric checked him for a pulse. There wasn’t one. The other man, whose name Eric hadn’t even gotten, was dead.
JJ? Though the entire world tilted when he tried to move, he managed to drag himself toward the sedan. He registered JJ lying on the cement next to the car, either unconscious or dead. The open back door revealed the seat was empty, infant carrier and all. Garth was gone.
Heart pumping, Eric could feel himself weakening. He couldn’t pass out, not before he made it to JJ. His vision blurred as he reached her, but he summoned up every ounce of remaining strength he possessed to check her pulse. To his relief, the steady beat of her heart told him she lived. Unconscious, but the lack of blood meant she hadn’t been shot. Good.
His phone. Dimly, he registered that his cell was in his pocket. Pulling it out slowly, wincing with every movement, he managed to type in 911. When the operator answered, he gave his location. After that, he let the blackness win and take him.
* * *
When he next opened his eyes, he found himself in a hospital bed. His leg had been bandaged and all around him machines beeped quietly. An IV had been placed in his arm.
As memory came flooding back to him, he sat up. “Garth!” Aching grief and worry and terror threatened to overcome him, but he pushed all that away. He had to focus on finding his son.
“Hey.” JJ’s voice. He swung his head in her direction. Anxiety that mirrored his own sparked in her eyes. “They took Garth,” she said. “I tried to stop them, but I couldn’t.” Her voice wavered. “I’m so very, very sorry. I let you down. Worse, I let Garth down.”
Somehow, despite the tubes and cords, he managed to put his arms around her. They held on to each other as if drowning. He drew strength from her, and suspected she might have felt the same way.
Someone cleared a throat from near the door. “Excuse me.” A tall woman in a neat pantsuit entered the room. She had fashionable, horn-rimmed glasses and wore her dark hair in a tidy bun. “I’m Linda Felts and I’m with the Protectors,” she said, keeping her voice low. “I know the human police will be here any moment to ask their questions, but our man was killed, so I needed to get in and go first.”
JJ pulled away. Eric wanted to catch her arm and ask her to stay close, but he didn’t. “Where’s Frank DeLeon?”
JJ started, though he wasn’t sure why.
“He was assigned to meet you at the safe house. He’s en route back here as we speak. For now, I’m in charge of this case.”
Eric nodded. “What was his name, Linda?” he asked. “The agent who was killed. What was his name?”
“Dan Pendarki.” She swallowed hard. “Thank you for asking. He was newly married, and he and his wife have a baby on the way.”
Grief once again stabbed Eric. “He was the second Protector to die, because of my case.”
“It’s not your fault,” she told him, her voice once again crisply professional. “They knew the danger when they signed up for this job.” Her eyes watered, but she lifted her chin. “You weren’t the one pulling the trigger. Now we’ve got to find out who did this and get them.”
“And find my son,” he declared, equally fierce. “I need to get out of here. Every second we waste is dangerous to him.”
“We already have people searching.” Linda looked from Eric to JJ before refocusing her gaze on him. “I’ve read the file. We have a pretty good idea who kidnapped your boy and why. What we don’t know is where they are now. But we will find them. I assure you of that. We have people everywhere. And we’re good. Damn good.”
Worry for Garth clawed at him again. Aware he’d be absolutely useless unless he forced himself to focus, he pushed it away. His inner bear grumbled at that. Eric didn’t blame him. After all, he couldn’t just lie there and do nothing.
“The human police will put out an Amber Alert,” JJ interjected.
“Yes, and that can be very helpful to us in locating them.” Linda glanced back at the doorway as if expecting the human police to come in at any moment. “Any sightings will be relayed to us, as well as human law enforcement. We just need to make sure we get there before they do.”
“I agree,” Eric said. “As a matter of fact, I need out of here. The sooner I can start looking, the better.”
JJ exhaled loudly, drawing both Eric’s and Linda’s attention. “Look, I’m embroiled in this now. Deeply. And I still don’t know what’s going on,” she said. “Now that I’ve become involved, maybe it’s time to fill me in? Starting with who is DeLeon?”
For the first time, Linda appeared flabbergasted. Her brows rose as she looked at Eric. “You didn’t tell her?”
“We’re not mated,” he said. Everyone knew shifter law expressly forbade revealing too much about species unless the individuals were personally involved.
“You know I’m Pack,” JJ said.
“Everyone’s Pack,” he retorted. “And I told you I wasn’t.”
“So I know that you’re something else, but not what. Drakkor, maybe? And I assume Garth is the same. I’m going to also guess that’s why the Protectors are involved, since the Drakkor are nearly extinct.”
“Not Drakkor.” That was as much of an answer as he wanted to give.
Pursing her lips in disapproval, Linda shook her head. “You need to fill her in,” she said. “We’ve all got to be on the same page.”
“Okay, so you know, too?” JJ’s wounded tone matched her expression. “Everyone knows what Eric is but me?”
Jaw tight, Eric looked down. Though he dreaded telling JJ, he had no choice. He knew how she’d respond. After all, he’d seen how other shifters reacted to his kind. Too many times. Seeing that look of revulsion in JJ’s beautiful green eyes would kill him.
But finding Garth mattered more. And if JJ could help, he’d give her all the truth she could handle.
“I’m Vedjorn,” he said, using the Old Norse word. “A bear shifter. As is my son.” Bracing himself for her reaction, he waited.