Chapter 6

“I’m downloading the footage from the courthouse security cameras as we speak.” Lucky’s gaze remained on Ellie’s. “As soon as it’s finished, I’ll go through it frame by frame to try to narrow things down. If I can figure out the bullets’ trajectories, then I should be able to determine where the shooter was standing. Any luck, one of the cameras caught the asshole’s face.”

With Ellie’s emotions already running off-the-charts high, she shot the man an undeserved scowl.” It’s been like…” She checked her watch. “…three hours since the shooting took place. How do you not already have that information?”

A flash of surprise and something else flew across Lucky’s brilliant blue stare. The second it did, she found herself wanting to take back the sharp, snarky words.

What she could only describe as hurt vanished from his eyes. A beat later, his tempting mouth lifted with the man’s signature crooked grin. “Sorry to disappoint you, counselor, but contrary to what Hollywood likes to portray, hacking into a government entity’s server isn’t always as easy as one would think. Now, to answer your question more directly…” His deep voice remained steady. “I would have accessed it sooner, but I was a little busy making sure that sweet ass of yours was going to be okay.”

A shockwave of surprise rippled through her. Putting the “sweet ass” comment to the side—for now—Ellie’s attention was more on the fact that the man almost looked…mad. But that couldn’t be right.

Lucky didn’t get mad. He teased. Made jokes. Flirted with damn near every woman he saw. But mad?

She studied his unwavering stare once more and…damn. Regret and guilt blanketed her as she met his intense stare, knowing the guy had every right to be mad.

What happened wasn’t his fault. She wasn’t even an Eagle’s Nest client for crying out loud. But despite that fact, the confounding man had still dropped everything to make the short road trip with Archer for the sole purpose of keeping her safe.

And afterward, at the hospital, he’d been no more than three feet away from her the entire time she was there.

Way to show the man your appreciation, El. Maybe next time, you can just go straight for a kick in the crotch instead.

“I’m sorry,” she blurted more loudly than intended. “I know you’re only trying to help. And Arch, he uh…” Ellie nervously pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. “He told me what you did today. He said…” A knot formed at the base of her throat, but she cleared it and went on. “He said when the shooting started, you ran straight for me without any thoughts to your own safety.”

“Occupational hazard,” he attempted to brush away his heroics as if they were nothing.

But it wasn’t nothing.

Not even close.

“I’m sorry,” she offered again. “I didn’t mean to sound as if I’m ungrateful because I’m not. I’m very thankful you and Archer were there today, regardless of who the shooter was or who they were aiming at.”

“It’s okay, El.”

“No.” Ellie shook her head from side to side. “It’s not. And I really have no excuse for my behavior, other than I guess I’m just—”

“Hurt.” A muscle in Lucky’s square jaw twitched. “Scared.”

“I’m not scared,” she lied to herself as much as him. “I’m pissed.”

The truth was, she was both. She feared the unknowns—all the unanswered questions—even more than the facts as she knew them. But mostly…

Mostly, she was just really, really mad.

This sort of thing was supposed to be over. This wasn’t supposed to happen again.

“It’s okay to be both, you know?” Lucky’s deep voice broke through her thoughts.

As the man’s comment hung in the air, Cassie slid from Archer’s arms and padded across the room. Sitting on the cushion at the far end of the couch, the other woman laid a gentle hand over one of Ellie’s socked feet.

“Let Lucky stay, El. At least for tonight.”

“Look, Cass,” Ellie started. “I understand your concern, but I promise, I’m fi—”

“Please,” the woman begged. “If I know you’re here all alone, I’ll spend the entire night worried that you’re either going to slip into a coma or that monster is going to come after you. I won’t get a wink of sleep, and I know Nat won’t either. Not that it’s about us, but you know what I mean.”

Ellie met her friend’s puppy dog eyes and expelled a relenting sigh. “Really? You’re going to play the friend card on this?”

A slight shrug and a sharp arch of a single brow was Cassie’s only response. Ellie’s gaze flickered to back to Lucky just as his tempting mouth lifted into a smooth, toe-curling grin.

“Don’t worry, counselor.” Another quick wink. “I’m not a picky eater, I clean up after myself, and…most importantly…I’m already housebroken.”

The comment left Cassie snickering and Ellie fighting a roll of her eyes.

Lord, just shoot me now. Oh wait…someone already tried doing that today.

And just like that, her lungs grew tight, and a rush of unshed tears threatened to fall as the horrifying events began scrolling through her mind once more. It wasn’t the first time since it had happened.

It wasn’t even the fifth.

In fact, she’d been at war with her own thoughts—her recent, horrific memories—ever since she’d awoken in the emergency room. It was all so detailed. Every image and sound still so very, very real.

The deafening shots.

The screams.

A flash of pain, and then…

Lucky.

She’d been so surprised to wake up and find his handsome face hovering over her. Surprised. Relieved. Confused.

The confusion had come, not just from the pandemonium that had been taking place all around her but from the fear and concern that had filled those enchanting eyes as they’d frantically searched hers.

Ellie could still hear herself call for him. She remembered the sound of his deep, familiar voice.

Lucky?

Yeah, sweetheart. It’s me.

He’d called her that a few times in the past, but always as an obvious come-on or part of a sarcastic bit. But when he’d used the term of endearment that time…

Lucky had sounded so sweet. His voice so soft and gentle, as if he really cared. More importantly, in that moment when the world seemed to crumble all around her, he’d made her feel safe.

He’d done that for her, and Ellie, well…

She had no idea what to do about that.

Do? What’s there to do? Besides, You were recently diagnosed with a head injury. Isn’t it possible you’re remembering the moment as you wished it had gone and not how it really went?

The voice in her aching head was right. The Lucky she’d come to know over the past several months wasn’t sweet or soft. And he damn sure didn’t strike her as the gentle type.

No, the former SEAL was often loud and obnoxious, and his flirtatious advances were so over-the-top blatant that they were mind-numbingly painful. He was also smart, funny, and quite possibly the most attractive man she’d ever laid eyes on.

“Ellie?” The man of her unwanted dreams was suddenly there, crouched down right in front of her. A look of pure concern spread across his handsome face. “Hey. You okay? Are you hurting?”

She blinked, her muddled brain trying to make sense of how he’d come to be right at her side.

“Ellie?”

That was Cassie’s voice. With a blink, Ellie’s focus became split between the handsome man in front of her and her visibly worried friend and the other woman’s fiancé. All three were staring back at her, their expressions filled with expectancy.

If you don’t say something right this second, they’ll probably drag your ass back to the hospital for another round of tests.

“I’m not hurting,” she quickly reassured them. “I’m just…tired.”

It wasn’t a total lie. Now that her adrenaline had almost fully dumped, she felt like she could sleep for a week. As for the pain, there was still a slight presence of the incessant throbbing she’d felt earlier, but even that was finally beginning to vanish.

Just like George Ray Harvey vanished.

“That’s understandable, given the day’s events.” Cassie’s eyes filled with empathy. “This has been a craptastic day, and I know you probably just want to be left alone. But I just can’t shake the feeling that those bullets were meant for you.”

Ellie started to continue the debate but thought better of it. If she refused Lucky’s offer to stay, her friends would, without question, spend the entire night worrying about her.

For that reason—and that reason alone—she turned to the man still squatted down in an almost protective crouch near her head and said, “Fine. You can stay.” She hurriedly added a crystal clear, “On the couch.”

“The couch will be just fine.” He spared her front door a quick glance from over his shoulder. “Puts me closer to the apartment’s entrance. Anyone tries breaking in during the night, I’ll be ready.”

A hefty dose of fear threatened to make its way through her veins, but then, “If this was Harvey’s doing, he won’t come here.”

A confident statement if she’d ever made one.

“What makes you so sure?” Cassie sounded unconvinced.

“I told you.” Ellie slowly swung her legs around, so she was in a seated position. “That’s not how he works.”

Stalk. Kidnap. Torture. Kill.

That was George Ray Harvey’s modis operandi. Not randomly shooting into a crowd in hopes of hitting his target.

Was I the shooter’s target, or was it someone else?

“Thank you.” Cassie slid from her fiancé’s embrace and walked toward Ellie. “I’ll feel so much better knowing you’ll be under Lucky’s watchful eye tonight. I’d offer to stay myself, but he’s a bit more qualified than I am in the bodyguard department.”

Ellie smiled back at her sweet friend. “You’ve already been down that road, Cass. And you almost didn’t survive.” She could still see Cassie lying unconscious in that hospital bed. “I couldn’t live with myself if something else happened to you because of me.”

“That’s what I told her you’d say.” Archer sidled up next to his woman, his arm wrapping gingerly around Cassie’s small waist.

Lucky pushed himself back up to his feet and sighed. “Then it’s settled.” He rested his strong, masculine hands low on his hips. “You two can sleep well knowing I’m keeping watch over our girl.”

Our girl?

“Uh…” Ellie’s lips parted to inquire about his choice of words, but Cassie chose that exact same moment to go in for a hug.

“Thank you.” Her friend wrapped her arms tightly around her and squeezed. “I feel so much better with him here.”

That makes one of us.

Ellie hugged Cassie back. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Not if I don’t call you first,” the other woman teased. Pulling back, she added, “I’ll call Nat on the way home and give her an update. I know she’ll be as relieved as I am to know you have someone looking out for you.”

She still felt like this whole thing was overkill. But since she’d already agreed…

“Thanks, Cass.”

After another quick hug, Ellie watched from her place on the couch as Lucky walked Cassie and Archer to the door. Seconds later, she was alone in her apartment with the one man on the face of the planet she couldn’t seem to shake.

Five Eagle’s Nest operatives and this was the one she’d agreed to let stay?

I must be a closet masochist. That has to be it. It’s the only explanation that makes sense.

She watched as Lucky secured the locks on her apartment door. Turning around, he looked at her, and damn, but if she didn’t nearly forget to breathe.

The man was seriously gorgeous, she had to give him that. Between his dark hair, strong, chiseled features, a body made for sin, and eyes she could easily get lost in…

I could strip him down and feast on him for days.

“You hungry?”

Ellie blinked, and for a moment, she was terrified he’d somehow read her mind. But then…

“I could make some sandwiches or something. Or I can order us some takeout. I’m not a picky eater, so whatever sounds good to you is—”

“Sleep.” The blurted the word came out much louder than she’d intended. “Uh…I mean…it’s been a long day, and I’m really tired. I think I should probably go lie down for a while.”

With any luck, I’ll be out until morning, and then it will be time for him to go.

“You could be right about Harvey.” Sincerity shone brightly in the blues of his stare as he slowly strode toward her from across the room. “In fact, you probably are. If the asshole is as smart as they say, the guy’s most likely halfway to Mexico by now.”

“Which is what I’ve been trying to say.”

“But on the off chance that he’s not…” Lucky’s deep voice trailed off as he continued moving in slow, unhurried steps. “Listen, I know I’m not your favorite person in the world, but rest assured, my motive for being here is purely protective.”

“You sure about that?”

It was a fair question, given his past attempts to talk her into a date. But the flash of hurt crossing over the former SEAL’s handsome face—along with his faltering steps—spoke to the contrary.

“Cassie and Arch care a great deal about you, Ellie.” Lucky recovered his movements with ease. “The whole team does, and that’s why I’m here. To make sure you’re safe.” A muscle in his strong jaw twitched. “That’s all.”

He’s right…freaking again.

Just because the man had asked her out before didn’t mean he’d use a situation like this to make another move. Of course, he wouldn’t. Cassie and Natalie would never be friends with someone like that.

And the fact that she’d made such an assumption about the man simply because he’d shown overt interest in her just proved her thoughts weren’t as in control as she’d believed.

“You’re right.” She pushed herself up off the couch. Ignoring the slight wave of dizziness that followed, Ellie covered the few feet still separating them and stopped directly in front of where he stood. “You’ve been a perfect gentleman, and I’ve done nothing but give you a hard time. I’m sorry.”

“You’re forgiven.”

His response was instant and without sarcasm.

“I am?”

Lucky leaned in closer, his spicy male scent enveloping her with the unexpected move. His stare was so intense that she could almost feel those incredible eyes touching her. And no matter how hard she tried, Ellie couldn’t find the strength to look away.

“You know…” The rumbling of his voice seemed to reverberate straight through her chest as his smoldering gaze dropped to her mouth. “Maybe one of these days, you’ll see me for who I really am.”

“And who is that?”

“Nah.” A slow, methodical shake of his head. “That part will come later. Though, it might surprise you to find I’m not the philandering asshole everyone thinks I am.”

Later?

Her heart punched hard against her ribs. “I don’t think you’re an asshole.”

“No?” Her answer seemed to surprise him.

Ellie moved her own head in a slow, gentle shake. Cocky and arrogant, sure. Insatiable, absolutely. But he was also strong and funny and kind and…brave.

He could’ve died trying to get to me today.

And yes, she was aware of his reputation with the ladies. But if Natalie could love Lucky like a brother after knowing him for years, then…

Maybe one of these days, you’ll see me for who I really am.

His recent words drove through her mind as she bid him goodnight and disappeared into her bedroom. As she took off her clothes, stood under the hot, steaming shower, and even later, when she climbed under the covers and settled herself in for the night.

And as Ellie closed her eyes and forced the memories of the day away, she fell asleep thinking…

Maybe one of these days, I will.