Torie’s knees shook beneath her. She widened her stance to support herself better. She might be afraid, but she’d be damned if she’d let her dad know it.
He took a step towards her into the moonlight. Able to see his face now, she didn’t recoil the way she thought she would. It had been what…about fourteen years since she’d seen him. And time hadn’t been his friend. Wrinkles covered his face, age and drinking had weathered him.
They were the same height now, an advantage for her but only in defending herself. Not in the fact that she was eye-to-eye with him. That meant she could see straight into the one thing that hadn’t changed—the look that bore into her, told her she was worthless. The brown beady eyes filled with nothing but disgust.
Funny thing though, he didn’t frighten her the way he did when she was a child. All the years with Gram, the time spent training to be a police officer—those years had changed her too. And Keith. Keith’s love showed her what she was truly worth. Her value.
She searched the barn behind her dad and in her peripheral vision for anything she could use as a weapon. The workout part of the barn had some items that would work, but she’d have to get past him to do that.
“So, you went and made yourself a police officer. Isn’t that ironic.”
“How did you find me?”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Now that’s a funny story. I started looking for Victoria Adler. Had to scratch my head over finding that she doesn’t really much exist anymore.” He took a step to his right, one hand in his jean pocket, the other scratching the back of his neck.
His movement allowed Torie to see into the workout area better, but she was still way too far away to grab anything worthwhile.
His eyes bore into her once again as he continued. “It took me a bit to actually swallow that my own daughter would change her name. Take her mama’s maiden name. What? Mine wasn’t good enough for you?”
“Nothing about you was ever good enough for me.” How she found her voice she had no clue. But she was grateful. Courage began to bubble inside her, rising more and more with each breath.
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Is that so?”
“You still haven’t said how you found me.” Curiosity motivated her questions, as well as needing him to keep talking, stay distracted so she could think about her next move.
“That’s right. The funny part of this story. That no-good excuse of a brother you have, believe it or not, actually stepped up for once.”
What? Torie couldn’t believe it. Her brother would never betray her like that.
“You see, that’s the beauty of a druggie. They do, or say, just about anything if you give them cash for their next hit.”
“He was doing better, trying to get clean.”
“Trying and succeeding are two different things, little girl. And here’s the funny part. The idiot actually has a damn Facebook page. Made it easier than I could’ve hoped to find him.”
Crap. Seriously? The police department used social media all the time to find criminals, people dumb enough to air their laundry to the world thinking only “friends” would see it. She just never pegged her brother to be that dense.
Torie took two slow steps to her right. This caused her father to do the same, the two of them circling one another like two opponents before a wrestling match.
“So he gave you my name and phone number. That doesn’t explain how you found me here.”
“Ah, the beauty of the Internet once more. I googled the name Torie Walker,” he said with a snarl. “Come to find a nice article about you helping to take down some big name drug dude. Had a nice picture of you and everything. It was nice of the story to say exactly where that bust went down. Since you weren’t in San Diego”—he shrugged—“I took a shot in the dark you’d come here to hide. Great minds think alike now, don’t they?”
Torie’s blood curdled. She and her father were nothing alike. Never were. Never would be.
Another step or two and she’d be in a position to make a run for the workout room, possibly the back door. Either way, she’d be able to grab a barbell or anything she could whip around and toss at her father’s head. The handled weight of a kettlebell would do it. “What do you want?”
“What do I want?” He chuckled, an evil twinge to it that echoed through the barn. “I want revenge, sweetheart.” He took another step to the right but then one towards her. “You see, you took from me the only woman I have ever loved, or will ever love.”
Now it was Torie’s turn to laugh. “You never loved Mom. You never loved any of us. You controlled us.”
His eyes narrowed and he clenched his fists. “Shut up! You’ve got no clue what you’re talking about, little girl.”
“Stop calling me that. I’m not a little girl anymore and I was never your little girl.”
A shiver ran up and down her spine as he looked her over. She swallowed the urge to vomit. “Oh you were my little girl, but you’re right, not anymore. Quite the beauty you turned out to be. Just like your mama. Too bad she’s not here instead of you. But I’m about to change that.”
The courage that had been brewing gushed through her system. “Give it your best shot.”
The taunting had the desired effect. He lunged for her but she was ready. In a flash, she took off towards the back of the barn, her father losing his footing and slamming into the horse stall that was right behind where Torie had been standing. Thank God she was younger and faster.
She ran with the devil at her back, her father’s footsteps now gaining on her. Knowing the layout of the barn better than him worked to her advantage. Heading for her weapon of choice, she grabbed the kettlebell and spun. It hit her dad in the torso, knocking him to his back with a thud.
The barn door creaked. She didn’t have to look. She knew who was there.
Her father’s moans echoed through the quiet barn. “What the…? Who the hell are you?” Her father spit, blood spewing across hay. He looked from the doorway to Torie. “You chose one hell of a huge rescuer, little girl.”
“She’s not your little girl. And I would imagine from your view down there, you can see she doesn’t need me to rescue her. But you can be damn sure I’ve got her back.”
Torie turned her head, the kettlebell still gripped in her hand. Keith took up the doorway, his legs spread apart and his arms crossed over his chest. Damn, if he wasn’t the sexiest thing she’d ever seen.
He looked from her father to her. “You okay?”
She set down the kettlebell. “Never better.”
Sirens blared in the distance, cutting through the quiet night.
“And that’s my backup.” Keith winked at her.
***
Keith sat on a hay bale with Torie and watched as the cops cuffed her dad and put him in a squad car. Based on him violating parole and coming after his daughter, the man would be behind bars again for quite some time. Nothing made Keith happier. Well, the woman sitting beside him sure did.
“You gave me a scare tonight, Dragonfly.”
She smiled. Her eyes were tired but otherwise she was no worse for wear. Thank God. If that man had laid one hand on her, God help him. Jail was a welcome choice over what Keith would’ve done to him.
“I have to admit I was a bit scared myself.”
“But you faced him. Took him down, even. And with a kettle bell. That’s a first, I think.”
Her laugh warmed his insides. “Believe me, I definitely wished I’d had my gun with me.”
“Why didn’t you?”
She shook her head. “I was just coming to the barn to say good-bye to Patsy. I never thought I needed to be armed.”
“Then you need to think different. I’m always armed.”
Her eyes moved up and down his body, searching for where said weapons could be. Oh, she could search for them all she wanted. That was fine by him. He leaned over and kissed her.
“What was that for?”
“I just couldn’t help myself.”
“You can help yourself anytime you want.” She kissed him back then laid her head on his shoulder. “How’d you know where I was?”
“Aimee. She heard you leave in your truck and called me. Had a bad feeling.”
“I’d like to say I’m sorry I woke you guys, but I’m not.”
“I was awake. I’m always restless before I leave. And Bones was twitchy. I had a bad feeling too. Dane found a rundown car outside our property line so he called a friend at the police department. Said he thought someone might be on our property. Turns out he was right.”
Torie tucked her arm under his and took his hand. “I’m so sorry, Keith. I’m sorry I brought this on you and your family. It’s so peaceful here. I didn’t mean to ruin that.”
“You didn’t ruin anything, Torie. We protect our own in the Scott family. And I’m just relieved to know your dad is behind bars again. I can leave without that worry.”
She lifted her head and looked at him. Her hazel eyes glimmered with tears but none fell. “I want you to leave without worrying. You need to stay focused over there, not be distracted with anything going on here.”
He nodded. “I’ll be thinking about you though, that’s for sure.”
“And I you.” She took his face in her hands and kissed him. A tender, slow kiss that might have lasted hours, he couldn’t tell. Didn’t want to. It was a moment he would take with him, relive over and over while he was gone.
When she pulled back, she looked him in the eye. “You do your job and come home to me, you understand? I’ll be fine. I’ll be here praying you home.”
No sweeter words had been said to him in his lifetime. No woman had ever meant more. His life, all he cared about and loved he wrapped up in his arms and held until the sun rose on the horizon.
***
Six Months Later
Rae hadn’t been lying when she said it was tough. Being away from Keith was hard for Torie, but the worst part was not knowing where he was or what he was doing. If he was alive or not. In some ways no news was good news. In some ways, it wasn’t.
She waited for calls from him, many times their conversations benign and simple. He couldn’t give away any information, so the calls were mainly validation that he was alive.
She prayed more in those times than any other in her life. And she’d kept his coat, the one he’d given her the first night he kissed her cheek. Some nights she’d wrap herself up in that just to be closer to him, breathe in his scent that clung to the fabric, and pray him home.
Torie waited behind the gate with the other family members. A toddler squatted next to his mother, a small American flag in his chubby little grasp. The mother held a small infant wrapped in a pink blanket. Some held signs welcoming their loved ones home. Joy was in the air, almost tangible.
Keith had gone on two missions in the past six months. Each lasting about eight weeks. Each time being the longest eight weeks of Torie’s life. Even with the distance though, she was closer to Keith than anyone in her life. She’d never been in a relationship where the physical aspect wasn’t the most important. Of course, the attraction between them was there, but their connection came from conversation, friendship, sharing goals and future dreams.
When he was home, she’d spent as much time at the 4S Ranch as she could or he came to San Diego, but more and more, visions of marriage and family danced in her head. They’d talked about her moving to Tahoe, living closer. And she’d even interviewed with the police department there.
Her girly side had to admit, she dreamed of a winter wedding. One not unlike the infamous Scott Christmas parties. She in a mermaid style white dress and a fur wrap around her shoulders, and Keith in his Marine Corps dress uniform. Man, that uniform was beautiful, even more so when her man was in it. Dancing out under the stars, their perfect winter wonderland.
A large plane pulled up and stopped not far from where she and the others stood. A stairway was pulled up to it and soldiers emerged. One by one, they descended the steps, each branching off to hug loved ones. Amidst cheers and shouts of “Daddy!” Torie spotted him. He reached the tarmac and headed towards her. Not one to have ever thought camouflage attractive, she now found it downright sexy. Right up there with his jeans and cowboy boots.
His big dimpled grin and ice-blue eyes drew her in like a tractor beam. He dropped his gear and opened his arms wide. Who was she to disappoint the man? She flew into his embrace and wrapped herself around him, the rest of the world floating away.
“Hey Dragonfly.” His breath was warm against her neck.
“Welcome home, Captain.”
“I’ve got a question for you and I can’t wait to ask anymore.”
She pulled back and held his face in her hands.
“Ask away.”
His blue eyes twinkled, causing her tummy to flip. “Marry me?”
Joy bubbled up inside her, her smile wide. “Oh yes, definitely.”
He kissed her. A kiss full of passion and a promise to make her dreams come true.
The End