Chapter 10

Athena not wanting Derek around while she met her sister bothered. This last month had been incredible. In Athena, he'd found someone who engaged him in every respect. It wasn't just the great sex. It was the way they talked and joked, her work ethic, the way she got along with his grandparents. Even his dad had been by the farm a few times and declared to Derek in private, "She's a keeper."

He agreed but for one thing.

Athena had a secret, and he got the feeling it involved the reason why she'd been kidnapped and held prisoner, an event she still wouldn't discuss in detail. He'd tried prodding, and outright asking, but she lied and said she didn't know why they'd picked her. "Guess I fit a profile, " was her reply.

But he had to wonder. Could it be because of her insanely good hearing? She'd gone hunting with him and always knew well before him when a turkey or buck headed for the blind.

Her sense of smell? More than once she'd guided him to a spot she said felt lucky. Each time, whatever they were seeking—grouse for cooking, coyotes bugging the hens, a lost goat—she unerringly seemed to find them.

Those weren't the only oddities. She was strong. Stronger than a woman of her size should be. Fast, fast enough she'd caught a fish barehanded and laughed as she tossed it to him on shore. She liked to chase rabbits and even the occasional squirrel. And when he gave her a long kiss, her foot thumped the ground.

Maybe she'd been a dog in another life?

Now he was just being silly and probably overreacting. Athena would tell him her secret when she was good and ready. He just needed to be patient.

While she hung out with her sister, he headed into the city to check on things. His apartment appeared untouched. Perhaps they'd been paranoid for nothing.

Glancing around, he wondered if he should let the place go. Since he'd quit his job at the warehouse and transferred his firefighting volunteer status to his grandparents' township, he had no reason to keep paying. Not to mention, they couldn't live on the farm forever. As a couple, they needed their own space. A bedroom where he could make love to her and have her voice her enjoyment. A living room where they could snuggle on a couch watching what they liked rather than the nightly Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune . A space where they could truly be themselves.

Perhaps on Athena's return, he'd suggest they look at renting a place in town. Then they could still be close enough to do chores and get paid—his grandparents believed in paying for a job well done. As Gramps said, " Pay you or pay that idiot who takes twice as long? You're cheaper ."

Derek left his apartment after grabbing a few things and headed out to the street where he'd parked Gramps' truck. As he clambered into the driver's seat, he noticed a van parked across the road. Unmarked, windows tinted. Probably a service truck. Still, he kept eyeing it in his rearview mirror until he turned the corner. It didn't budge, and he laughed inwardly at his paranoia.

It had been weeks since Athena escaped. More than likely the doctor who took her had ceased his search and moved on to his next victim.

Which led to his other concern. Why wouldn't Athena go to the cops? Why didn't she want this doctor and his associates arrested? When he'd asked, she'd simply said, " They're too smart to get caught. Even if they did listen, it would be my word against his."

Derek returned to the farm and kept busy the rest of that day and night. Athena had asked him to fetch her in the morning at the same place.

He half expected her to not show, but to his delight, when he entered the restaurant, she sat at a table and smiled in welcome.

She rose to greet him with a kiss before sitting again. "Breakfast?"

He'd already eaten but still sat and nodded. "How's your sister?"

"Good. Whole family is doing well." She paused. "I told them about you."

"Oh, and what did you say?"

"That I met a hot firefighter with an awesome dick and we've been fucking like bunnies."

He snorted. "Sounds about right."

"Actually, I said you were a really good guy and that we'd be over soon so you could meet them."

"Really?" He must have sounded surprised.

She appeared almost shy as she said, "Yeah. They were a bit shocked. I've never brought a guy over before. You'll be the first."

He just about burst hearing that. "Whenever you're ready, sugarplum. No rush."

Her lips curved. "You're always so understanding, and that makes me feel even worse for sending you away yesterday."

"I get it. You're protective of your family."

"And yet you had me meeting yours right away."

"Because of circumstances. Trust me, I usually would have kept you far from Grams."

"I adore her."

"And she likes you, which is a miracle."

"My family will love you as well. I guess I don't want you to think I was ashamed of you or something."

"Ashamed of the hot firefighter with an epic dick?"

Her laughter always warmed him. "I'm so glad we met."

Him too. But Derek couldn't get rid of a niggling fear. A fear she'd leave and he'd have to go back to his dull existence.

They ate and headed back for the farm, with him broaching the idea of them moving out. "What do you think of us getting our own place?"

"Move back to the city?"

"An option, or we could stick close to the farm."

"I do love working out there, and I never thought I'd say this, but I kind of miss the city. Your grams' cooking is awesome, don't get me wrong, but sometimes a girl craves surf and turf or some hand-rolled sushi, and Richmond isn't exactly a hot spot for takeout."

"Which explains in a nutshell why I moved out in the first place." He laughed. "If you want city, then while my apartment isn't huge, we could make it work until we found a bigger place."

She bit her lip. "You think it's safe?"

Time to come clean. "I popped in yesterday to check on it."

"You what?" she exclaimed.

"It's okay. Nothing was touched, and I didn't see anyone watching it."

She drummed her fingers on her leg. "You took a risk."

"We can't live in hiding forever," his soft reply.

"I know." She sighed. "But it's been so nice."

It had. So why was he trying to ruin it?

"We don't have to decide right away."

"Can I think about it?"

"Take all the time you need," he offered.

As he pulled into his grandparents' place, he noticed his cousin's car parked and groaned. "Not again."

"Are you kidding? Yay. I wonder what I can do to needle him this time." Athena took pleasure in taunting Frank. Kind of entertaining to watch since Frank usually had women eating out of his hand.

As Derek hit the first porch step, his phone pinged. He glanced at it. "Shit. I've got to go. There's a fire, and I'm being called into service."

"Go and save the world, honey. I'll be fine." She brushed her lips over his. "I'll be ready later to thank my hero."

Oh hell yeah. "Tell my grandparents where I've gone."

"Will do. Be careful," she murmured.

He would be because she was worth coming home to.

The fire proved to be a big one that started in an old barn and then spread to the nearby fields. While mown of their corn, the dry stalks burned and emitted billowing black smoke.

Derek found himself digging a trench with others, back-breaking sweaty work in their heavy gear. The firebreak, though, helped to contain the fire, although it took a few hours.

Once they were done, they headed to the firehall, and Derek stood in line for a shower to sluice the worst of it from his skin. While the crew celebrated their victory with pizza, Derek headed out, eager to get back to the farm and Athena.

Only something was wrong.

Frank's car had been smacked by something in the long laneway and sat halfway across the drive. The driver's side gaped open and showed the air bag deployed.

Derek frowned and checked his phone. No signal.

At all.

Not normal. Since he couldn't budge Frank's car, he exited his vehicle and ran. Ignored his aching muscles, ignored everything in the face of his sudden fear.

He pounded up to the house, and as he threw open the door, the first thing he heard was Frank yelling, "Don't kill me."

He found his cousin in the kitchen, tied to a chair, Grams standing in front of him, looking grim, sporting a black eye, and holding her meat tenderizer.

Gramps sat in a chair, ice pack to his jaw, rifle between his legs, also glaring at Frank.

A sinking feeling hit Derek as he growled, "What happened? Where's Athena?"

Even before Grams opened her mouth, Derek knew. "The fuckers got her, and it's all Frank's fault."