Chapter Eighteen

Emily stomped out of the clinic toward her truck, mad enough to spit nails. Not only had she’d been confronted by some low-life on the highway, but the director of human resources had just made some thinly veiled accusations that she hadn’t cared a bit for.

Years of schooling and training were all but dismissed because of town gossip, and she hoped the conversations she’d just had was nothing more than the result of the woman having a bad day.

Because if it was anything else, she was going to lose her ever-lovin’ mind.

Seeing Levi’s truck pull into the parking lot, she let out a breath and shoved her medical bag and shotgun into her car. “Cue the lecture,” she grumbled before ambling over. “Hey, brother.”

“Are the rumors I’m hearing in any way true?”

“Why yes, Levi, I’m doing well and appreciate you checking on me. And yes, you can buy me supper tonight. That would be real nice of you.”

“Cut the crap.”

“You cut it since I’ve had as bad a Monday as possible.”

“I need some facts before Tim and I have words with the Pierce brothers. What you got for me?”

“That’s the damn problem—I don’t have anything.” She rubbed her hand across her forehead and felt the weight of the day drop like an anvil against her shoulders. “What have you heard?”

“Nothing yet. I’ve got a call in to Rick and am expecting to hear back from him any time.”

She scowled and reminded herself that revenge never turned out like one planned. “You better hope he gets back to you before I get to him and make it all but impossible for him to talk.”

Levi pushed his shoulders back and glowered. “So, I’m guessing he really did land the helo on the highway.”

“Jack landed it, and for anyone who cares to get the facts right, I had everything well under control.”

“Wouldn’t expect anything else.”

She let out a long, slow breath and did her best to quell both the anger and frustration rattling around her chest. “Seems Nash really is involved in his brother’s business.”

“Everything that’s happened all but confirms it. Those rumors about his brother working with the cartels looks pretty close to fact now.”

She kicked the ground with her boot and shook her head. “Shit, that’s what I was thinking, too.”

“It’s a damn shame, and the chance of them extricating themselves before one of them gets shot is not very good. Because once you’re in bed with the gangs, there’s no real way of getting out.”

“Do you think Nash put me in the line of fire because he’s pissed about me and Rick getting together, or was it unintentional?”

“That’s the million-dollar question, ain’t it?”

She rubbed her head and then rolled back on her heels. “What a mess. I’ve wanted to believe the best of him for longer than was wise. I need to just let it go and accept reality.”

“I know it sucks, but it’s your only choice.”

She gave her brother a firm nod and dreaded how the whole thing was going to end.

“You headin’ home?”

“Yes. I dropped Mabel off on my way into the clinic and need to go home and get her fed. I’m gonna pop a big bowl of popcorn and get into my jammies and watch something mindless on TV.”

“You gonna be okay alone?”

“Of course. Rick and Weston put in a fancy system, and a mouse can’t cross the grass without alerting the proper authorities.”

“Good.”

“You wanna come over?”

“I will if you need me, but I was headed over to the Broken Spoke.”

“Who you meetin’ over there?”

“I’m just gonna grab a bit of supper with Annie.”

“Well, you go on then and use your good manners.”

“I’m a decent man and don’t need you reminding me how to behave.”

She leaned in and kissed her brother’s cheek. “You are a lot more than decent, and Annie will be lucky to have your company.”

“Can I quote you on that?”

“God no!” She stepped back and crossed her arms. “And if anyone asks me, I’ll deny ever saying it.”

“Love you, sis.”

“Love you, too. Have a good time.”

“Go home and lock up.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Now that’s what I like to hear from my baby sister.”

“Once a year, Levi. That’s all you’ll ever get.”

He tipped his hat and put his truck into gear. “I know.”

Emily watched her brother drive out of the parking lot and didn’t know who she should be most frustrated with. Maybe all of them for messing with the life she’d worked so hard for.

…

The lights were on in the living room when Rick pulled into Em’s driveway. He checked the app on his phone, took a cursory glance at the stats, and was gratified to see that she’d set it when she’d gotten in earlier. He shot off a quick text letting her know he was on his way in and then grabbed his bag and jumped out of the truck.

Sucking in a lungful of the warm night air, he took a moment to thank the powers that be that everything had turned out as well as it had. Everything that could have gone wrong had been playing in his mind on repeat since he climbed back into the helo and left Em at her truck. Breath had left his body when he’d given into picturing a bullet tearing into her body, someone torturing her to extract intel, holding her for ransom.

He wiped his mind as best he could of the horrific images as a small shiver ran down his back. Dwelling on all the horrible possibilities wouldn’t do anyone a bit of good.

Gratitude was the magic ingredient to his sanity, and he hadn’t come as far as he had just to come this far. The brass ring was in his sights, and he didn’t plan on stopping until both he and Em’s hands were fisted around it together. It’s the only kind of future he was interested in, and if he had to will the son of a bitch into reality, he was more than prepared to do just that.

He bounded up the porch, pressed his hand to the pad next to the door, and heard the two biometric locks click open. Pushing the door open, he slowly walked in and wasn’t surprised when he got a frown and not a smile in greeting. “Which offense are you going to chew me out for?”

“None,” Emily announced quietly as she clicked off the TV. “I don’t have the blood alcohol level to deal with you right now, so I’m going to bed and hope some of my patience makes a reappearance before morning.”

“You interested in hearing any of my long-winded rationalizations in the meantime?”

“No!”

He watched her spin toward the hall and walk into her bedroom. “Figured as much.” Following her, he dumped his bag on a chair. “My brother is calling in the morning with some intel, and I’m hoping it will be enough to put a stop to whoever is after you. If it doesn’t, we’ll just move you out to the ranch. No one gets onto Blakely land without one of us knowing about it, so it’ll likely be our best option if we can’t wrangle the assholes harassing you fast enough.”

She slapped her hands on her hips and leaned forward. “You best quit making plans without consulting me. I didn’t care for your high-handed, know-it-all attitude when we were kids and like it even less now. Us sleeping together doesn’t mean you can dictate to me in any way.”

“Well aware of that, since you’ve never taken into account anyone’s opinion other than your own.” Crossing his arms, he tipped his chin and felt real good about his comment…that was until her head spun around like she was a demon possessed. “Now, Em…”

“Don’t you dare after saying something so…so…untrue!”

“But it’s not. We both know you don’t have much use for any outside input.” He put his hands up and tipped his mouth into a smile. “You’ve been that way since you were in kindergarten, and believe you me, I’ve got no illusions of it changing. I was merely stating a fact and—”

“Get out!”

“What?” Stunned by the order, he stepped back. Was she really ready to get rid of him?

“You heard me. Go on home and leave me and my closed mindedness in peace. I don’t need to hear your laundry list of my alleged faults after the day I’ve had. I knew getting involved with you was the—”

“Best damn thing in the whole world,” he finished as he stepped forward and folded her into his arms. Knowing he might not survive the hug unharmed bothered him very little, and if she wanted to sock him in the gut to feel better, he’d be more than happy to take it. “Em…”

“You landed a freaking helo on the highway, Rick. That’s not a reasonable response to someone harassing me.”

“Maybe it wasn’t, but the important thing to remember about the day’s events was that I didn’t interrupt your conversation with the asshole who was threatening you.”

Bouncing her head against his chest, she let out a loud groan. “You are crazier now than you were as a teenager. How is that even possible?”

“That’s not true, but I’m a hell of a lot more trained and respond to situations accordingly. What say we call it a day and tangle our feet together?”

“I’m mad as hell and don’t think tangling anything with you is a good idea.”

“I’d suggest some angry sex but feel like it wouldn’t go over well.”

“What the hell is angry sex?”

“It’s another way of saying. ‘You pissed me off so much, I want to fuck the shit out of you.’”

Letting out a groan, she stepped back. “You have lost your damn mind, but I’ll keep the offer in mind, nonetheless.”

“Em…” Watching her eyes raise, he took her hands. “I’m always on your side, even when it seems like I’m not.”

“It’s hard to believe, but I don’t have the energy for a debate.”

“Ready for bed?”

“Yes, it’s been a hell of day. But considering I didn’t need bail money and don’t have a body count, I’m going to call it a win.”

“Couldn’t agree more.” He let her hands go and watched her walk into the bathroom, knowing that if he didn’t find a way to dial back his overbearing ways, she’d be kicking him to the curb for good.

Unfortunately, his protective instincts and alpha aggressive approach to threats and conflicts had been fine-tuned and encouraged for most of his life, and he wasn’t all that sure how to turn off the tap.

He was going to have to figure out some sort of solution, though, because having Emily disappointed wasn’t something he wanted to live with.

It was time to work the problem and come up with an approach that would make them both happy. He’d rarely let anything get the best of him in the Navy, and life as a civilian didn’t need to be any different.