Mallory,” Brax broke in. “Start at the beginning.”
There was a knock at her door before she could start. Her heart thudded in her chest. “Someone’s here.”
“Aaron and Kai,” Brax said. “They were already on the way to finalize the paperwork on Esme’s case. They’ll bring you home, but tell us what happened first. And, Mallory?”
“Yeah?”
“Let them protect you.”
“Wait a second.” She set the phone down and stepped to the door.
“Who is it?” she asked. Brax said it was his brother, but Brax wasn’t there, was he?
“Aaron and Kai. Let us in, Mallory.”
She opened the door just enough for them to slip through, then shut and relocked it. Aaron put his arm around her and squeezed.
“You’re really spooked, darlin’. Never thought I’d see the day.”
And she was spooked, enough she didn’t shrug him off right away. Like his brother he was a protector. He couldn’t help but try to soothe her, but it was Zach she wanted right now. Not a substitute. She walked to her desk but before she could pick up the handset, Aaron reached around her and hit the speaker button.
“We’re all here,” he said.
“Okay.” She took a deep breath. “I didn’t see the SUV in the parking lot or on the main road. I think they caught up with me on the highway. That’s where I noticed it anyway. It’s one of those huge ones, you know? An Excursion, I think.”
“A Ford?”
“Yeah. The windows are black. I have no idea how many people were in it, but they followed me here and I’ve seen them drive by at least twice,” she said, hearing the doubt creep into her voice. “But you know, there’s a ton of these vehicles out there. Maybe I’m just being paranoid.”
“Get her out of there now, Brax,” Zach snarled.
“Wait. When the others are in position,” Brax responded.
“What others?” she asked.
“You think we’d only send two people to pick you up?” Zach asked. “Keep dreaming.”
She sighed. Three years she’d lived peacefully without a bunch of overprotective males watching her every move. If she was going back into that world there were going to be some damned ground rules.
“I think two is plenty, oh lord and master,” she said with saccharine sweetness. She grinned when she heard snickering from the others.
“Ya just gotta keep pushing, don’t you, baby? Enjoy it while you can, Mallory.”
She couldn’t help herself. She laughed. “I think I will. Now, can we blow this popsicle stand or what?”
“They’re in position, boss,” Mason said.
Brax gave his blessing and she followed Aaron and Kai out of her office. There was a short argument over who was driving which she lost when Aaron pointed out she hadn’t had the same defensive driving training he had.
She didn’t see any sign of the black SUV, but it was impossible to miss the two cars Brax had sent to follow them home. She didn’t question how he got them in place so fast. He seemed to always have people all over the city, so he probably called them off another job. They made the drive in silence and the long trek seemed to fly by. Before she knew it, they were parked in front of Brax’s house and she was bracing for the confrontation she knew she’d have with Zach. Sighing, she got out of the car and went to deal with the explosion.
Zach knew he was making everyone crazy. They had varying levels of telepathic abilities. They’d have no problem sensing his rage and fear. He’d been pacing the entire forty minutes that Mallory was on the road. When they buzzed the gate, he spun around to race out, but Brax blocked him.
“Clear the room,” he ordered the others in the office. “Not you, Zach.”
He was frustrated enough he actually considered trying to dodge Brax, though he knew it wouldn’t get him anywhere.
“What?”
“Want some advice?”
“Hell no. I want to check on my wife.”
Brax shook his head. “You’re getting
There was a knock at her door before she could start. Her heart thudded in her chest. “Someone’s here.”
“Aaron and Kai,” Brax said. “They were already on the way to finalize the paperwork on Esme’s case. They’ll bring you home, but tell us what happened first. And, Mallory?”
“Yeah?”
“Let them protect you.”
“Wait a second.” She set the phone down and stepped to the door.
“Who is it?” she asked. Brax said it was his brother, but Brax wasn’t there, was he?
“Aaron and Kai. Let us in, Mallory.”
She opened the door just enough for them to slip through, then shut and relocked it. Aaron put his arm around her and squeezed.
“You’re really spooked, darlin’. Never thought I’d see the day.”
And she was spooked, enough she didn’t shrug him off right away. Like his brother he was a protector. He couldn’t help but try to soothe her, but it was Zach she wanted right now. Not a substitute. She walked to her desk but before she could pick up the handset, Aaron reached around her and hit the speaker button.
“We’re all here,” he said.
“Okay.” She took a deep breath. “I didn’t see the SUV in the parking lot or on the main road. I think they caught up with me on the highway. That’s where I noticed it anyway. It’s one of those huge ones, you know? An Excursion, I think.”
“A Ford?”
“Yeah. The windows are black. I have no idea how many people were in it, but they followed me here and I’ve seen them drive by at least twice,” she said, hearing the doubt creep into her voice. “But you know, there’s a ton of these vehicles out there. Maybe I’m just being paranoid.”
“Get her out of there now, Brax,” Zach snarled.
“Wait. When the others are in position,” Brax responded.
“What others?” she asked.
“You think we’d only send two people to pick you up?” Zach asked. “Keep dreaming.”
She sighed. Three years she’d lived peacefully without a bunch of overprotective males watching her every move. If she was going back into that world there were going to be some damned ground rules.
“I think two is plenty, oh lord and master,” she said with saccharine sweetness. She grinned when she heard snickering from the others.
“Ya just gotta keep pushing, don’t you, baby? Enjoy it while you can, Mallory.”
She couldn’t help herself. She laughed. “I think I will. Now, can we blow this popsicle stand or what?”
“They’re in position, boss,” Mason said.
Brax gave his blessing and she followed Aaron and Kai out of her office. There was a short argument over who was driving which she lost when Aaron pointed out she hadn’t had the same defensive driving training he had.
She didn’t see any sign of the black SUV, but it was impossible to miss the two cars Brax had sent to follow them home. She didn’t question how he got them in place so fast. He seemed to always have people all over the city, so he probably called them off another job. They made the drive in silence and the long trek seemed to fly by. Before she knew it, they were parked in front of Brax’s house and she was bracing for the confrontation she knew she’d have with Zach. Sighing, she got out of the car and went to deal with the explosion.
Zach knew he was making everyone crazy. They had varying levels of telepathic abilities. They’d have no problem sensing his rage and fear. He’d been pacing the entire forty minutes that Mallory was on the road. When they buzzed the gate, he spun around to race out, but Brax blocked him.
“Clear the room,” he ordered the others in the office. “Not you, Zach.”
He was frustrated enough he actually considered trying to dodge Brax, though he knew it wouldn’t get him anywhere.
“What?”
“Want some advice?”
“Hell no. I want to check on my wife.”
Brax shook his head. “You’re getting
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