CHAPTER ONE

R onan looked aimlessly out the passenger's window of his sister's car as they continued their thirteen-hundred-mile trek to a cousin they barely knew who agreed to take them in and hide them. It was hard to believe that it was just two days ago that their lives had been normal and routine. Molly worked as a legal secretary to Assistant District Attorney Jordan Randall and Ronan, attending his second year of university studying computer programming. Their lovely, mundane existence suddenly, one terrible evening, took a sharp left, derailing both of their lives, leaving them on the run from the authorities and ADA Jordan Randall.

He turned to look at his sister Molly, his rock and only support. He realized he would do anything for her, even die if he had to. Molly, at twenty-eight, gave up everything to save him, just like she did when she was twenty and he was eleven and their parents had been killed in a plane crash. She stepped up and took custody and provided him a loving home.

Then and now, she literally threw her life away to protect him. There wasn't anyone in the world he loved as much as he loved his sister. Who would have thought a woman so small could be so strong and determined? She ran a shaky hand through her shoulder-length blond hair and turned to smile at her brother. It was a brittle smile, but she was trying; she never stopped trying.

"What's on your mind, Ronan?" She asked. Considering all the trouble they were in, it would seem obvious, but she sensed more to his mood than simple anxiety. He was shouldering the blame for their situation when it was not his fault.

"Just thanking the universe for you," Ronan stated softly. It wasn't what she expected, and she was touched by the sincerity of his words. She reached out her right hand and let it run softly from his shoulder to his hand and then squeezed.

"You're worth anything and everything that I have to do to make sure you're safe." Their eyes met and locked in a moment, silently communicating volumes before she returned her attention back to the road ahead.

"Do you think he'll follow us?" Ronan's voice slightly shook to it that he tried to hide with a cough.

"I wish I could tell you that he wouldn't, but I can't. We both know the kind of man Jordan is, and he won't give up until he has you or he moves on to another obsession." Molly saw the fear in Ronan's expression. "He will never touch you again, Ronan; you have my word that he will never hurt you again."

Molly couldn't bear to think of what would have happened to Ronan if she hadn't gone home to check on him before heading off for the meeting her boss Jordan Randall had insisted she attend. Poor Ronan had no idea of Jordan's intentions when he invited the man into their home and offered him a cup of coffee.

Jordan was six feet two inches and near two hundred pounds. He worked out regularly, and although not overly muscled, he was solid. At five feet seven inches and barely one hundred thirty pounds, Ronan was no match for him. There was no chance that Ronan would have been able to defend against his unwanted advances if Molly hadn't returned and walked right into the middle of it.

She had no idea that Jordan thought of Ronan in a sexual way, or she would have been more diligent in her care. Ronan was a beautiful young man with shaggy blonde hair, classic model features, and a slight build. But Jordan was nearly forty, and the Asst. District Attorney with a life and a steady, live-in boyfriend – as far as Molly knew. What would make a man of Jordan's standing go after a young man and try and force him to submit?

After Jordan threatened them with a false charge of breaking and entering and burglary, Molly knew she had to get Ronan away quickly. Jordan told her that he would have Ronan regardless of the cost, and if it took putting them both in jail to do it, he would not hesitate to make it happen.

Blackmail was to be his plan, and he was too powerful in their hometown for her to have any hope of being believed. Running was their only option because no way in hell was Jordan Randall going to force and threaten her brother into an intimate relationship; she would die before she let that happen.

"Do you trust Cousin Henry?" Ronan interrupted Molly's thoughts. He had never met the man that was the only child of their mother's only brother. He hadn't come to their parent's funeral, but he had helped them out financially. Henry had moved to Washington State with his mother after his parents split. His father died from cancer two years before their parents were killed. Henry was their only living relative, and Ronan was afraid they were expecting too much from a man they barely knew.

"Jordan doesn't know about Henry. He thinks that we have no one, so I'm hopeful that we can stay with Henry for a while and then move on somewhere safe to stay for an extended period. With a bit of luck, Jordan will grow tired of the chase and leave us be at some point."

"I'm sorry, Molly." Ronan lowered his head to stare at his hands.

"Not your fault. I should have known he was a creep and took better care of you." Molly was direct and firm.

"I'm still sorry." Ronan pressed softly, and Molly nodded her understanding. They remained silent for the next hundred miles until suddenly, the worst happened.

Molly took good care of her vehicles, so it was a surprise when her two-year-old Ford sedan began to slow down, and no matter how hard she pressed the accelerator, the car continued to lose speed. Gradually she eased the small car to a stop on the side of the desolate road. They were surrounded by trees and weren't sure how close they were to the nearest town. Panic filled their eyes and expressions as the car completely died, and they simply stared at each other and did not speak for a full two minutes.

Ronan opened the glove compartment, took out the pay-as-you-go cell phone, and handed it to Molly. "Going to have to call . . . someone." They only had the one phone, and it was an untraceable burner phone. They both ditched their personal phones for fear that Jordan would be able to trace them if they were used.

"Who?" Molly racked her brain for a solution. She was a natural problem solver, always claiming that there wasn't a problem born that she couldn't find a solution for. She believed that until now.

Ronan scrunched his shoulders in that universal gesture of ‘not a clue' and then got out of the car and signaled for Molly to pop the hood. Looking at the intricate motor did nothing; it was a mystery to him, but he felt better looking.

He wished he could see something obvious like a plug disengaged or something hanging at a precarious angle, but unfortunately, everything looked as it should. He glanced over the hood at his sister and shook his head. "Did you run out of gas?" He spoke to her through her open window as he rounded the car.

It was getting hot in the car without the air conditioner, so she motioned for him to step back. She got out of the car to stand next to it with her hands on her hips and her nose in the air as if sniffing for an answer. Ronan laughed. Molly always struck that pose before deciding on a course of action.

Just as she was about to speak, they both heard the unmistakable sound of a vehicle coming over the hill behind them. They waited, hopeful that it was someone who would help and not someone Jordan had hired. Molly reached over and held onto Ronan's hand, more for her own security than his.

Slowly they saw a pickup truck coming towards them; it looked like the sort of truck that belonged to a working man, well cared for but a little beat up. This was someone who could help; this was someone who knew how to fix a car, and Molly was sure of it.

The truck came to a stop right behind their vehicle. The man grabbed something off the seat before exiting the truck and approached them. They stayed put and let the man come to them. He was holding a small toolbox.

Ronan stepped forward to stand slightly in front of his sister as the man reached out his hand and introduced himself, his eyes locked on Molly. It seemed he stood taller than Ronan by a good ten inches, which left him towering over both of them. Even though he looked menacing with jet black hair and piercing green eyes, and a body built for combat, he smiled like a friend and put them both strangely at ease.

"Aaron Beaumont, Miss, Sir." He nodded and shook both of their hands. "Are you having trouble with your car?" He moved past them towards the front of the vehicle.

"Yes." Molly followed him. She explained how the car had acted before stopping. He listened attentively as he worked under the hood. Ronan noticed his quiet acceptance of his sister's rambling; she knew absolutely nothing about cars and appreciated that the man had good manners.

After a few minutes, he closed the hood and wiped his hands on a bandana handkerchief that Molly handed him. "Thank you, Miss." He smiled.

"I'm sorry." Molly realized they hadn't introduced themselves to this handsome and helpful man. "I'm Molly James, and this is my little brother Ronan."

Aaron nodded and smiled as Ronan rolled his eyes. "Do you always have to prefix my introduction with the word little? I'm bigger than you, sis."

Molly laughed. "Sorry old habit, hard to shake it."

"I do the same to my little brothers." Aaron offered. "Ryan and Jeff hate it, making it more fun, and I will never even try to stop. They are my little brothers, and that's the way it is."

"Thanks a lot, Aaron," Ronan stated sarcastically but with a smile.

"So, what do you think?" Molly looked at Aaron with hope in her eyes as she gestured toward her car.

"Can't be completely sure until it gets a diagnostic check, but it looks like your engine overheated, and you may have a cracked head." As he continued to explain, Ronan watched his sister's eyes get wider and wider.

"That sounds expensive and time-consuming," Molly said with a pained expression.

"Could hold you a couple of days and not sure of the cost; depends on the extent of repairs." He looked thoughtfully at Molly as he continued. "I own an auto repair shop in the town just a few miles north of here called Lonepine. I can drive you and your brother to town and call a tow for your car." He finished and waited patiently for their decision.

Molly chewed her bottom lip and then lifted her head and took a deep breath smelling the air around her. Ronan stuck his hands in his pockets and let his eyes dart from Molly to Aaron and then back to Molly. The decision was hers; he would do whatever she wanted, although their options seemed rather limited.

"Okay, thank you. We would appreciate any assistance you can offer." Molly said and handed her car keys off to Aaron.

Aaron's truck was not an extended cab, so all three had to fit on the bench seat. Molly hung back, indicating that she wanted Ronan to sit between her and Aaron, which was fine with Ronan.

He wasn't completely sure he trusted Aaron, considering how he was watching his sister. He didn't care for how Aaron's eyes seemed to eat Molly up. They no more than got started towards town when Aaron began with some probing questions, which neither Molly nor Ronan wanted to answer.

"Where are you two headed?" Aaron asked.

"We're going to visit relatives in Idaho." Molly offered so hesitantly that Ronan cringed at the so obvious lie. Aaron glanced their way with one eyebrow cocked.

"What part of Idaho?"

"Northern," Ronan stated, knowing that Molly had no knowledge of Idaho or geography for that matter. Aaron nodded, but Ronan knew he was not convinced.

"Maybe you should call them and let them know you're going to be late."

"They aren't expecting us until later in the week." Ronan was running with whatever sounded plausible.

"Where are you from?"

"Pittsburgh . . . Pennsylvania." Ronan was impressed with how easily the lies were flowing.

"Are your parents in Pittsburgh?" Aaron was relentless.

"Our parents are deceased," Molly said softly.

That information had Aaron backing off. "I'm sorry."

"It was a long time ago," Ronan answered. After that, the conversation stopped, but Ronan noticed Aaron was constantly sneaking appreciative glances at Molly.

Before long, they were entering a small town nestled in the mountains. They drove down the main street with cute shops and beautiful landscaping. Ronan was impressed with the care and upkeep that was given to this little town. Aaron parked in front of a small coffee shop called the ‘Black Bean.'

"Why don't you and your brother have a cup of coffee and relax while I take a look at your car." Both Ronan and Molly nodded in agreement. Aaron walked with them into the coffee shop and motioned for the waitress to come over.

"Angie, see that Ronan and Molly here have coffee and some of your apple pie on me." Molly instantly declined, but Aaron insisted, and finally, both siblings were seated and waited for their coffee. "I'll be back when I know what's wrong with your car. You two just relax and enjoy the pie, best in the county." He winked at Molly, who uncharacteristically blushed, and then he left. They watched silently out the large picture window as Aaron jogged across the street to Beaumont Automotive Repair.