Lexi gripped Logan’s hand in hers as they strode up the sidewalk to the townhouse. She took a deep breath as she shrugged the shopping sack up her arm. Her shoulder ached in response. She had met Chloe and Avery again at Hard Drive to work on her cross. An hour of practice was followed by twice as long in conversation. She felt like she had known the two women all her life.
She knocked on the door and Kinnick barked in greeting. She laughed as Logan’s eyes grew wide in excitement. “Kinnick,” he cried happily.
The door opened and Lexi lost her breath. It wasn’t that Mark was wearing anything special. He was just in a T-shirt and a pair of jeans, but she was starting to realize just how good looking her boyfriend was. Kinnick had already weaved his way around the both of them and was affectionately licking Logan’s face. Mark ushered them inside and closed the door behind them.
“Hey, beautiful,” he welcomed. He winked at Logan. “Hey, big guy. I’ve been looking forward to this all day. I just need to get rid of the riff raff.”
“Riff raff?” Lexi questioned.
Mark opened the door further. Dan was sprawled out over the love seat, his long limbs dangling over the arm of the sofa. A video game controller was tight in his hand and his glasses rested on the tip of his nose. As soon as he saw them he bolted upright and shoved his glasses into place.
“Sorry. I better go,” Dan apologized as he reached for the game console to flip it off.
Mark thumbed to him. “We’ve been playing all afternoon.”
Lexi looked from one man to another. “You don’t need to stop playing. There’s plenty for everyone.”
“I don’t want to mess up your date night,” Dan protested.
“We have Logan. There won’t be much of a date night.”
“Yeah. I better switch up the war game to something else.” Dan punched a couple of buttons on his controller, and an animated race track with cartoon cars quickly replaced the bloody battlefield. Logan cooed in awe.
Dan cocked a grin at the little boy. “Have you played this before?”
Logan shook his head silently. Dan continued. “If it’s all right with your mom, I’ll teach you.”
Logan’s gaze shot up to his mother, and Lexi laughed. “Of course. Go play.”
Logan scampered across the living room to Dan and sat next to him. Kinnick squeezed himself into the only empty spot left, not wanting to be left out. Lexi was still giggling as she made her way to the kitchen.
She opened cupboards until she found the fry pan. She took out the hamburger and set it in the pan. Nudging it around, it started to brown. She gasped as a strong pair of arms wrapped around her and lips wandered down her neck. Panic raced through her for a few moments too long. She took several breaths to get her heart in check.
“Sorry about the night,” Mark apologized.
She set the spoon down, turned toward him, and pressed a kiss to his lips. “There’s nothing to be sorry for. I’m glad Dan is here. He’s your best friend and I haven’t had a chance to get to know him. And Logan has really taken to him.”
“Well, that’s because Dan is a big kid.”
“Like you?”
“Hey now.” Mark kissed the tip of her nose. “I resemble that remark.”
Lexi laughed as she held him tight, snuggling into his embrace. She heard his voice rumble. “Do you want me to take care of this?”
“No, I’ve got it. Let me get this assembled then I’ll come cuddle with you.”
“Hurry. I’ll be waiting.” Mark pressed one deep, passionate kiss to her lips before he strolled out of the kitchen. Lexi watched the empty doorway for a long silent moment before she shook herself to her senses. She quickly pulled out a pot and filled it. Setting it on the stove she flipped on the heat beneath it. Her pace picked up as she layered the cooked pasta, sauce, cheese, and hamburger in the casserole dish. I don’t want to be in here. I want to be out there with the guys.
Finally she slipped the lasagna in the oven and closed the door. She washed her hands and walked out of the kitchen. A smile spread slowly across her face. Mark sat on the couch with one controller. Dan sat with Logan on the loveseat. Kinnick was still squeezed in the only empty spot on the cushion. Logan’s arms wove around as he tried to use the controller. Dan reached around him gently to help guide the little boy, then let go when Logan was back on the right course.
Lexi sat beside Mark and laughed. “You look outnumbered.”
Mark shot a glance over at the loveseat as he hit the buttons on his controller. “Yeah. Uncle Dan and Logan even recruited my dog. Man’s best friend my hiney.”
They all laughed as Mark and Logan kept playing. Once the game was over, Mark handed the controller to Dan. He settled back on the couch and pulled Lexi into his arms. “You guys play. I’m going to cuddle.”
“Dan, we still play?” Logan pleaded, his little bottom lip out.
Dan smiled. “Of course, bud. Do you want to play something else or this?”
“Something else.”
“Okay. Let me pull up the menu and let’s find another game.”
Logan leaned on Dan’s arm as the two of them stared at the television screen searching for a game. Lexi snuggled against Mark and heaved a sigh.
“What’s up?” he asked as he brushed a strand of hair from her face.
“Just…this,” she murmured.
“I can ask Dan to leave.”
“No. He’s part of this. This life. My life has been such violence and chaos. This life is peaceful. It’s warm and loving. It’s a real family. Logan has men he can bond with who care about him. It’s perfect. I don’t ever want to let this go.”
Mark tilted her chin up to stare into her eyes. “Baby, you’ll never have to. I promise you, I’ll spend my life giving you this peace and love.”
She smiled as he kissed her. One kiss followed another. Somewhere she could hear a chorus of “eww, kissing” from both a child’s and an adult’s voice. It only made her hold Mark tighter. She didn’t know what the future held for any of them. She just hoped Mark kept his promise. She never wanted any of this to end.
The timer finally interrupted their embrace. Pulling free from Mark’s arms, she stood and hurried into the kitchen to pull the lasagna from the oven. She didn’t know she was followed until she nearly collided with Mark.
“Can I help?” he offered.
“There’s a bag of salad mix in the refrigerator. Can you put it in a bowl?”
“Sure. I’ll set it on the table then put plates out.”
“Okay.”
Mark opened the refrigerator and rummaged inside as Lexi cut the lasagna. Together they had the table set just as Dan and Logan’s game ended. The two of them put the game controllers away and took their place at the table. Logan could barely see over the table top as he patiently waited for his food.
“Dude, you’re not big enough to sit at my table,” Mark chuckled. “Hang on. I’ll find something for you to sit on.” He dashed from the table and headed down the hall. He reappeared with his arms full of thick, heavy books. “I knew I went to medical school for a reason. Up, Logan.”
The little boy hopped down from the chair. Mark stacked a couple books on the seat and lifted Logan to set him on top. “There,” Mark continued. “Don’t wiggle too much or you’ll end up on the ground. I’ll get a booster chair the next time I’m at the store.”
He sat down at his spot. After a quick blessing was said, they each filled their plate. Chatter filled the room between bites. Logan even tried to get in on the conversation the best he could as he sat very still so he didn’t shake the books.
Mark and Dan scooped up the dirty dishes and headed for the kitchen before Lexi could push her chair out. She heard Mark’s voice from the kitchen. “Pick out a movie to watch that you and Logan will like.”
“Ok.” She helped Logan from his seat and swept him off to the bathroom to clean him up. The water tinted tomato red as she scrubbed the sauce off his cheeks. He scuttled ahead of her as they returned to the living room and studied the DVDs. Logan pointed excitedly. “The super hero one, Mommy.”
“All right, sweetheart.” She pulled the DVD from the shelf.
“Did you find one?”
Lexi turned to find Mark and Dan in the doorway of the kitchen. Dan’s hands were shoved in the pockets of his jeans while Mark dried his off with a kitchen towel.
“Yep.” Lexi held the case out to him. He tossed the towel on the table as Dan took his spot on the loveseat.
Mark took it from her and smiled as he studied the case. He winked at Logan. “It’s one of my favorites too. Do you want to sit with Mom and me, with Uncle Dan on the loveseat, or with Kinnick on the floor?”
“With Kinnick!” Logan nearly squealed.
“All right.” Mark slipped the movie into the DVD player and tugged Lexi down onto the couch with him. Logan settled on the floor and laid against Kinnick using the dog as a pillow. As the movie played Lexi’s eyes grew heavy. Mark’s shoulder made a comfy pillow and his steady breath was a soothing lullaby. Suddenly the scene on the television grew fuzzy. She fought it for a moment but the drowsiness soon overcame her. She heard her boyfriend’s soft chuckle as he rubbed her cheek just before she drifted to sleep.
»»•««
The gym was eerily quiet. Lexi glanced around anxiously. This was the third sparring session with Chloe and Avery. They always practiced after hours. But something seemed wrong this time. She tried to shake it off. She was just being paranoid. Having Derek in her life did that to her. She still couldn’t lose the uneasiness.
“Are you all right?” Chloe questioned as she secured the wrap in her hand.
“Yeah.” Lexi shrugged as she tugged a boxing glove on. “Just a little creeped out.”
“Being here this hour of night can do that. But with the wound up guys around here, sometimes it’s the best time to do book work.”
Lexi laughed. “I suppose so.”
“Besides, we have a big bad Marine with us.”
“I have no idea who you’re referring to,” Avery added as she sauntered up to them, her gloved fists resting on her hips and her blonde ponytail swaying against her back. The timer behind her glowed as it counted down from five minutes.
“How’d you know what I said?” Chloe protested.
“I was reading your lips. You weren’t as covert as you thought.”
All three women laughed as they strode out to the mat. Lexi stood back to watch. The other two women faced off then slapped hands and fist bumped each other. Slowly they stalked each other for a few moments. Suddenly Avery charged and threw a jab. Chloe ducked it before she could throw the cross then countered with a combo of her own. Avery was easily the better fighter between the two of them but Chloe kept up with her. Lexi sighed. When Mark told her about Hard Drive, she didn’t think she wanted anything to do with this part of his life. Now she realized she wanted to be just like these two, confident and ready to take on whatever was thrown at them. It helped that they both had loving, supportive men by their side. Just like Mark.
The two women fought hard until the five minute clock. When it buzzed they stepped away from each other and started laughing breathlessly. Avery motioned to Lexi. “You’re turn.”
Lexi shook her head emphatically. “I’m not near as good as you two.”
Chloe laughed. “We wouldn’t do that to you. Avery can hold mitts. I can watch and correct your form. You can learn. Maybe you can pick up something in case your ex ever tries something again.”
Lexi looked at her confused. “You believe me about Derek?”
Chloe frowned at her. “I never said I didn’t. I lived through a little of it with you, remember?”
“It just seemed that everyone was skeptical about Mark and I being together. At least it seemed that way to me.”
Chloe rested her gloved hands on her hips. “I wouldn’t say skepticism. Caution maybe. Mark is like a brother to us. We don’t want him hurt physically or emotionally. But when a Hard Drive guy falls in love…” She shrugged. “Mysterious diseases, Army Ranger brothers and psychotic ex-husbands don’t stand in their way.”
“What about Max? Does Max think we should be together?”
“Max is Max. You can blame me for his stubbornness. Well, that and his German heritage. He’s had to defend me and my CVS to the world. It’s made him jaded. Give him time. He’ll come around.”
“He will or Chloe will put him in a choke hold,” Avery joked.
The women chuckled as Avery tossed off her gloves and jogged across the gym for a pair of mitts. She stopped suddenly and sniffed the air. “Do you two smell something?”
Lexi didn’t get a chance to take a breath to find out. The shrill cry of the fire alarm pierced the large open room as a thin cloud of smoke rolled from the open office door.
“Crap,” Chloe muttered. “What did those guys do?” Lexi watched as she sprinted up the steps two at a time to the office. Avery glanced at Lexi then motioned for her to follow. The two women jogged up the staircase behind Chloe. As they reached the landing leading to the office Lexi heard her friends’ gasps echo her own. The window overlooking the parking lot outside had been left open a crack. Plumes of smoke slipped in from outside.
Chloe crept close to look outside. “The bushes out front have been set on fire. Flames are climbing up the wall. We need to get out now.”
“Can we get out the front?” Lexi questioned as her heart raced in panic.
“I wouldn’t. Let’s go out the emergency exit in the back.”
The three women hurried down the steps and through the gym to the back hallway. Avery slammed her hands on the bar to open the emergency door. It gave an inch before it slammed closed on her.
“What the…” Avery quipped. “Is this broken?”
“No,” Chloe answered. She bounced her entire weight off it. It budged only that inch. Chloe cursed under her breath as she glanced at Lexi. The look in her hazel eyes was unmistakable. It sent a shiver of terror straight through Lexi’s belly.
“Why would Max block it?”
“He didn’t. He’s careful to keep this door clear in case of emergency.”
“It was Derek,” Lexi murmured.
“What?” Avery asked puzzled. “I couldn’t understand that.”
“Derek,” Chloe snapped as she signed.
“We have to get out of here.” Avery pointed toward the gym area. “The fire might be blocking the front but I’d rather take on a brief encounter with the flames than be trapped in here with the smoke.”
“Agreed.” Chloe led them back down the hallway. As they turned the corner they were met by a dense cloud of smoke. A cough escaped Lexi’s lips. She felt her lungs tighten as she struggled to breathe. The crackle of flames resonated through the rooms. Chloe’s voice cut through it.
“Lexi, grab hold of Avery. If this gets thicker, she won’t be able to see to communicate. She won’t know what we’re going to do.”
Lexi laced her fingers between Avery’s as they crossed the mats to the front door. The rugs in the foyer between the sets of doors were smoldering. The outside set of doors were held closed. A chain locked the handles together. A padlock dangled between two links securing the chain. Chloe slammed her fists on the glass.
Avery wrenched her hand from Lexi as she coughed violently. She jogged to the equipment stacked neatly on the racks. Chloe chased her, tugging her around. She leaned close enough for Avery to read her lips. “What are you doing?”
“Not dying.” Avery reached out and shoved the gloves on the floor.
Chloe’s face brightened as she did the same. “Lexi, come help.”
The sound of sirens pierced through the noise as the three women quickly cleared the racks. Together they lifted the metal piece of equipment, and Chloe pointed through the smoke. “Between those two bikes.”
“Got it,” Lexi confirmed.
They picked up a steady pace as they raced toward the window. The glow of the blaze inching its way inside made it hard to see. Just as they reached the glass they threw the rack. It sailed only feet before it crashed into the window, sending shards into the lawn outside. A rush of fresh air hit Lexi making her choke.
They carefully stepped into the grass, attempting to miss the sharp remnants of the window with their bare feet. They had only taken a step before Avery clamped her hand down on Lexi’s wrist for support. Lexi searched for Chloe’s hand for the same thing. Together they made their way safely away from the building. Lexi fought to breathe. Despite being outside in the clean air, it was difficult. By the wheezing between them all, they were all having trouble.
Lexi started as she felt a pair of hands on her. She screamed as she spun around. The firefighter behind her offered a supportive smile. “Are you all right, miss?”
“I…I…think so,” Lexi stammered.
“Was there anyone else in there?”
“No. Just us.”
“There are ambulances waiting and there are officers waiting to take a statement. Why don’t we get you checked out?”
“My husband should be here any second,” Chloe protested. “The alarm company should have contacted him.”
Avery nudged Chloe and Lexi. “The guys will find us. I can’t breathe. An examination wouldn’t hurt.”
Lexi and Chloe looked at each other and nodded. The firefighter escorted them through the chaos to the paramedics and the police. Lexi shot one last glance over her shoulder at the gym. Derek had hurt her. But since the Fourth of July he’d tried to kill her twice.
If he wasn’t stopped soon, he would be successful. She would be dead.
»»•««
Mark took a deep breath as he stepped out of his truck and studied the charred outer walls of Hard Drive. Thankfully it was constructed out of cement brick. Unfortunately that didn’t mean there wasn’t significant damage.
Max stood in the middle of the sidewalk leading to the building, his arms crossed over his chest. Rico was dodging around the skeletal remains of the bushes pressing on the wall in places. Once he finished his examination he joined Max.
Mark slowly approached them. He sighed and spoke. “Hey, guys.”
Max didn’t move. Rico turned and gave him a forced smile. “Hey.”
Mark turned toward Max’s back. “Max, I’m sorry. This shouldn’t have happened. I had no idea…”
“Shut up, Mark,” Max barked.
Mark frowned. “Hey, listen. This isn’t Lexi’s fault. So don’t be taking this out on her and…”
“I said shut up.” Max spun around at him. “This son of a bitch didn’t try to hurt Lexi. He tried to kill her. And he tried to kill Chloe and Avery too. Chloe is my everything. I promise you this won’t happen again. Right?”
“If you’re suggesting I break things off with Lexi…”
Max shook his head. “I would never do that. I had my doubts about her. And yes, I talked to the girls before they talked to you. I encouraged them to speak to you. I’m sorry for that. Now, who the hell is this guy and how do we stop him?”
“His name is Derek Falts. And I think slamming his ass back in jail for arson and attempted murder would do it. But we can’t prove it.”
Rico cracked a grin at them as he lazily pointed a finger across the street. “The Reeds just put surveillance cameras at the gas pumps outside their convenience store. Dan is currently sweet talking Mrs. Reed into checking the security tape to see if it picked anything up. She’s got a bit of a crush on him.”
Mark couldn’t help but chuckle. “My introverted best friend is sweet talking someone? That would involve talking.” He nodded toward the building. “Are we done?”
Max glanced at the structure. “We’re never done. Hard Drive isn’t the building. It’s the family that trains inside. Luckily it’s structurally sound. But we have quite a bit of remodeling ahead of us. I’m going to have to find a temporary place to train for a while. How’s Lexi?”
“Better. She’s resting with Logan back at my place. Kinnick is keeping guard. How are Chloe and Avery?”
“Chloe’s all right. She was sick this morning. I suppose the stress of the fire set off her CVS.”
“Avery is okay too. She cuddled a little closer last night and had a couple nightmares. I have a feeling the fire set off some flashbacks of Afghanistan.”
They all turned as they heard footsteps approach. Dan stopped with a grin. “They’ll turn the tape over to the police.”
“Did you get to see it?” Max questioned.
“Yep.” Dan turned to Mark. “It was definitely Derek. There’s a clear picture of him. Plus he paid for a gallon of gas in a gas can ten minutes before the fire. Mister Reed confirmed it.”
“Mister Reed?” Mark questioned with a smirk.
“Yes, thankfully. I can talk to him.”
“So we have him on tape. It’s open and closed,” Rico added.
Mark shook his head with a sigh. “He got out of jail not that long ago. I doubt he’ll just be hanging around. He’ll disappear.”
“But having him disappear would work, too.”
Mark stared at him. “He won’t let Lexi go. Ever.”
“Then we’ll make him regret his decisions,” Max growled.
Mark watched as Max walked toward the gym. Rico and Dan glanced at Mark before following him. An uneasy feeling filled him. Derek was certainly a special kind of psychotic. Crossing Max Thomas might have been the worst decision he ever made. Mark had never seen Max so angry before. It wasn’t Hard Drive that he was furious about. It was Chloe.
Derek was in a world of hurt. That was if they ever found him. With a sigh, Mark jogged to catch up with the other men.