The balance of the ride to the meet-up spot with Mitch’s security guard was spent in silence. Kimberly sat facing the door. She sniffed back the hot tears that had threatened.
She didn’t know how long they’d been driving when the turn-signal clicks broke through her sour mood.
Mitch parked and got out of the vehicle before she could apologize. She needed to stay on his good side to gain his cooperation. But something inside her called out the lie. She wanted to get along with Mitch. They’d never argued when they were together before. A little voice reminded her that she’d known their relationship would be short-lived, that she would have to leave. So every minute had been precious to her and she wasn’t going to spend them fighting.
Amy’s face went ghostly white when her gaze landed on Kimberly. “I know Isaac told me you were okay but, damn. Seeing you here...alive...” Her gaze bounced from Kimberly to Mitch. “What’s really going on here?”
“It’s a long story but I’m okay,” Kimberly said.
“We’re supposed to be meeting with Isaac. What are you doing here?” Mitch asked his cousin. His voice left no room for doubt that he was upset.
Amy threw her hands out, offering a wide hug to her cousin. “What kind of greeting is that?”
Her gaze didn’t leave Kimberly as shock turned to wonder.
“What’s going on?” Amy asked.
“You can’t dodge my question,” Mitch insisted as Amy wrapped Kimberly in a tight hug.
“I’m sorry I deceived everyone. There were... circumstances beyond my control,” Kimberly said to Amy.
Mitch grunted.
She regretted the conversation that put him in this mood. He was taking out his frustration on Amy and that wasn’t exactly fair.
Amy recovered her normal, easy smile and threw a soft punch at his arm, looking put out at having to explain herself. “Okay. Fine. I needed a break from school before finals, so I came home yesterday. There. Happy now? Think he’ll ask to see my Christmas shopping list now?”
Kimberly couldn’t help but smile. She’d always admired Amy’s spunk and figured it came in handy, considering she and Amber were the only females in a family full of alpha males.
“Isaac was supposed to bring a pseudo-wife, not my little cousin.” Mitch cocked an angry brow but Amy dismissed him like he was being silly.
She turned to Kimberly and said, “Hope you don’t mind that Isaac updated me.”
Kimberly’s chest squeezed with panic as her gaze zeroed in on Mitch. She’d been under the impression that the family knew very little about what was really going on.
“I had to brief Isaac. He has access to networks that we don’t,” Mitch said in his own defense.
“And your family could end up tangled in this mess.” It was bad enough that she’d dragged Mitch and the babies into her drama.
Mitch blew out a sharp breath and the babies stirred.
Amy stepped between him and Kimberly. “It’s what he does for a living. Isaac is used to dealing with dangerous people.” Amy was the youngest. Her mother and Mitch’s were sisters, and the family resemblance was striking. Amy was a couple of inches shorter than Kimberly. Her body was a stick with hips and she had a horse’s mane for hair. It was the same honey-wheat as most of the Kents’. Hers was just as thick and gorgeous. Her personality, much like her hair, was a little bit untamed. “He’ll be discreet about digging around to see if there’s a legal trail.”
Amy might be the youngest and the wildest but she was also wise beyond her years.
“I know Isaac is capable of doing his job.” She’d give him that. “If anything happened to him, to any of you, because of me—”
Amy’s hands were already up, waving Kimberly off like Isaac digging around in her background was just another day at the office.
Meanwhile Kimberly’s throat was closing up on her.
He was Kent security and used to dealing with pretty much everything. He was also like family and would treat the situation delicately. At least she hoped. The idea of anyone digging around in her background was enough to give her night sweats. Law enforcement had used her background against her when her father had been murdered instead of going out looking for the actual murderer. Her record had cast doubt in the community’s eyes and tainted those who were closest to her. She remembered hearing that one of the neighbors had all but accused her of burning down her father’s office. He’d insinuated that she could’ve been involved in his death. A few had even stretched it to say they wouldn’t be surprised if she’d poisoned her foster mother, Julie. Those hurt just as badly.
The memories felt like knives that were tearing up her insides. There’d been so much judgment. Hate.
Would Mitch look at her with those same condemning eyes as Deputy Talisman’s if he knew about her past? He’d fallen in love with the person he thought she was. Would he have loved her if he’d known the real her?
The decision to leave New Mexico had been easy once it had become clear to her that someone wanted her dead. But if Mitch was on the right track about the creeps wanting her alive, she was really confused. She didn’t know what she had that anyone else would want but had every intention of finding out.
“Why is Isaac still in the car?” Mitch broke into her heavy thoughts as he eyed the vehicle. His danger radar had been on full alert since leaving the cabin, his gaze constantly sweeping the road from all angles. Kimberly wasn’t complaining. An extra set of eyes meant more protection for the ones she loved most. She’d take what she could get. Isaac worked security at the Kent family ranch and was clearly trusted.
“I asked him to stay in there until I smoothed things over.” Amy’s elbows came up as she positioned her hands on the hips of her skinny jeans. “He wasn’t thrilled about it but I thought we should talk first. He told me what was going on when I intercepted your message and demanded to know what was going on.”
Her gaze bounced from Kimberly to Mitch.
“When did you and Isaac start speaking to each again?” Mitch couldn’t let it go, and his protectiveness over Amy was another reminder of how much he cared about his family.
“Well, he had to talk to me on a three-hour car ride here, didn’t he?” Amy’s eyes twinkled with her smile. Kimberly wanted to hear the story behind that spark but that would have to wait. Right now, she needed to convince Amy this job wasn’t right for her.
As Kimberly opened her mouth to speak, a car crept out from behind the convenience store. The hair on the back of her neck bristled.
Touching Mitch’s arm, ignoring the host of other less-appropriate impulses firing, she said, “We need to get out of here.”
Confusion stamped his dark features. Mitch scanned the area and almost immediately locked on to the silver Toyota Camry that was backing up to shield a good view of the driver.
“Change of plans. Get behind the wheel of my SUV, Amy,” Mitch said in almost a whisper. “Kimberly, you go with her.”
Isaac’s gaze was focused on Mitch, Kimberly noticed. And he seemed to be picking up on what was going down.
“Get on the highway and head south for a little while,” Mitch instructed as he placed his keys in Amy’s palm. It was the opposite direction of their ultimate destination in Gunner’s Pass, Colorado, and Kimberly could plainly see that he was sending a mixed message to whoever might be following them.
The younger woman seemed cool under pressure, and she put on a breezy smile and hugged her older cousin. Out of the side of her mouth, she said to Kimberly, “Ready when you are.”
Kimberly took in a fortifying breath. Fear assaulted her but she wasn’t concerned for herself. The twins. Amy. Mitch. Isaac. They were all innocent in this mess. Anger replaced fear. She would protect the people she loved no matter what. “Let’s go.”
Amy made a big show of hugging Mitch goodbye. She turned to Kimberly and in a loud Southern voice said, “Ready to hit the road for our girls’ trip?”
“Not sure Cancun can handle the two of us,” Kimberly said as loudly as she could.
Amy glanced from Kimberly to Mitch. Amy expected them to say goodbye. Right.
She leaned in for a side hug and found herself being swept into Mitch’s arms. Her breath caught as she felt that solid chest of his flush with her body. A trill of awareness followed and her chest squeezed. Mitch’s actions made him seem concerned about what happened to her.
“Whatever you do...” he whispered so low she had to strain to hear him. “Don’t let anything happen to those children.”
“I won’t,” she managed to say, unwilling to admit how much she’d wanted his concern to extend to her welfare. She’d thought about the kiss they’d shared—one that couldn’t happen again!—a little too much. Under normal circumstances, she might let herself dwell on any one of those things but this wasn’t the time for rogue thoughts about Mitch.
He was concerned about their children. He was an amazing father. He didn’t deserve any of what was happening. And neither did those two angels.
Breaking apart made her instantly aware of what her life had been like the past eleven months in the shadows. It was dark and cold. If she saw an opportunity to end this misery, she wouldn’t hesitate even if it meant sacrificing herself. She told herself that she could handle anything the men did to her. But her children? Mitch? The others? She couldn’t go there.
Kimberly turned toward the convenience store. How hard would it be to dart over there and give the men what they really wanted...her?
As if reading her mind, Mitch took her hand in his and tugged. He locked gazes. “Don’t do anything crazy. The children need their mother.”
The statement scored a direct hit. If anything happened to her, what would her children think? Would they know that she’d sacrificed everything to keep them safe? To make sure they lived? Or would they resent her for abandoning them?
Just like her own mother had abandoned her.
Damn. The last thought pierced her chest.
Mitch was right, so she shot him a look of acknowledgment.
Walking toward the SUV, Kimberly noticed Amy’s hand trembling just a little bit as she fisted the keys.
“YOU WATCH MY family and I’ll keep eyes on the sedan.” Mitch slipped into the passenger seat of Isaac’s black hardtop Jeep. The vehicle would be agile enough to go off the road if needed, and the engine had been doctored so it would go as fast as necessary. Given that the suspect vehicle was a silver Toyota Camry, Mitch didn’t expect to need to use the souped-up engine.
“Will do, boss,” Isaac responded.
The Oklahoma plates also made him think the vehicle had been stolen. But then again Oklahoma plates weren’t exactly unusual in Texas. The Camry topped the list of most-stolen vehicles in the US. Apparently, Mitch had read, they were easy to steal and easy to bust up in order to sell the parts. The black market for this vehicle was vast.
Mitch fished his cell out of his pocket as the sedan eased forward and then stopped as soon as the driver would be able to get a good view of the Jeep.
Discreetly, Mitch zoomed in and snapped a picture of the license plate. He immediately texted the image to Zach. He tried to zoom in on the driver’s face but the picture was too grainy to make out any features. Besides, both the driver and passenger wore hoodies and reflective sunglasses.
Zach’s response came within seconds.
Checking on this ASAP.
“The SUV is turning out of the parking lot,” Isaac said.
As for Isaac and Amy, Mitch suspected that the silent treatment Amy had been giving Isaac had something to do with the two of them being in a relationship. If the two were dating, they kept it on the sly. And he’d been seen spending time with someone else.
For as long as Mitch could remember, she’d acted different whenever Isaac was anywhere within earshot. Her voice raised a couple of octaves and her fingers twirled in her hair. He’d come out and asked her about it once and she’d denied having a crush on Isaac, who was eight years her senior.
“No action with the sedan,” Mitch informed. “Hold on. Check that. The Camry is on the move.”
Adrenaline thumped through Mitch, giving him a sudden burst of extra energy. Protective instincts kicked in and he flew out the opened door.
He jumped in front of the sedan, with his cell in hand, and snapped a pic of the pair of men inside. With the Texas sun high in the sky, the sun glinted off the windshield, making it impossible to see who was inside.
The sedan swerved in time to miss Mitch and that’s when he saw the end of a small barrel sticking out of the cracked window.
He dove toward the Jeep at the same time he heard the crack of a bullet split the air.
Unsure if he’d been hit, he darted into the passenger seat before another shot could be fired.
“Go,” he demanded as the sedan peeled out of the lot, hot on the trail of the SUV.
Mitch glanced left in time to see blood pulsing from Isaac’s neck. He muttered a curse as guilt punched him in the gut.
“You’re hit,” he said to Isaac.
“I’ll be fine.” Isaac was already unbuckled and trading seats with Mitch. “Don’t let that bastard get anywhere near the SUV.”
His gun was drawn as Mitch squealed out of the parking spot, racing toward the bumper of the SUV.
Mitch put on the seat belt using one hand. “Get some pressure on that wound.”
Now it was Isaac’s turn to bite out a few choice words. He fumbled as he opened the glove box and pulled out a first-aid kit with one hand, while trying to keep his Glock trained on the back of the Camry with his other hand.
The Jeep bounced on the potholed service road.
“Talk to me. Tell me how you’re doin’,” Mitch said, unable to take his eyes off the road when he really wanted to check on his employee and friend. The Camry pushed the pace to seventy miles an hour. His stress levels weren’t helped by the fact that Isaac wasn’t talking. There were vehicles dotting the highway, traveling at a leisurely Saturday-afternoon pace. The speed limit was fifty-five on this stretch of road. Lower than that on the service road.
The Camry zipped around a Honda. Mitch followed, and the driver flashed high beams at him.
Yeah, I know, buddy. I’m not happy about this, either.
“Give me an update or I’ll be forced to pull over,” Mitch said.
“Spider bite would hurt more than this,” Isaac finally said through a half grunt. It sounded like his words were coming through clenched teeth. Mitch detected the stress his friend was covering up even though he tried to come off like it was no big deal. Shock and adrenaline would keep the pain at bay temporarily.
Mitch risked a glance at Isaac. He exhaled when he saw the bleeding had been stemmed with a large quantity of gauze that was now soaked with blood. “Get out your phone and call 9-1-1.”
“We’ve got this covered,” Isaac protested.
“You’re shot, bleeding and probably in shock.” Mitch knew exactly what that was like. He’d been shot by illegal hunters for the first time when he was barely old enough to shave. Youth had him thinking he could push through in order to track down the responsible party. He’d overestimated his own abilities and miscalculated the men he’d tracked. Taking his injury too lightly had nearly gotten him killed.
As soon as he’d gotten close to the shooter’s encampment, he’d fallen facedown from blood loss. They’d left him to die but not before getting a few kicks in. He’d come to in the hospital after his brother Will had found him.
The entire Kent and McWilliams brood had refused to give up searching until they’d found him. That was the kind of loyalty he was used to. Exactly the reason he trusted very few people besides his kin. Blood could be counted on. And after Kimberly had carved a hole in his chest, he was more resigned than ever to keep his circle closed.
“Talk to me, Isaac.”
“I’m good as new, boss.”
The sedan swerved in between a truck and a compact car. Kimberly and his children were a short stretch ahead and the sedan was closing in.
“I’m serious about that 9-1-1 call. Bring in the locals on this one,” Mitch said with a quick glance at Isaac. Based on the amount of blood loss, Isaac wasn’t in as good a shape as he claimed.
The other side of the Jeep was quiet.
“That an order?” Isaac finally asked, resignation deepening his voice.
“It’s a suggestion,” Mitch conceded. Was he feeling a sense of responsibility to keep Isaac safe? Alive? Hell, yes. Isaac was the only one who could determine whether or not he needed immediate medical attention.
“I’m hit. There’s blood. Another day at the office for me, boss.” Isaac wouldn’t give up easily. It was his job to keep the Kent family safe. He also wasn’t stupid, so Mitch would take another tact.
“We gotta play this right. A lot’s at stake. And one or more of these cars probably made the call already based on the way this joker’s driving. We call it in and we end up on the right side of the law on this.”
“Or we end up detained as suspects or witnesses while this guy gets to the people who matter most to us.”