Chapter 3

Three

F uck.

He'd screwed up royally. When he saw Abigail sucking a fake cock while pleasuring herself with another, his world came to a full stop. He'd be the first to admit his heart faltered and his mind shut down.

Then he'd scrolled and his dick wasn't hard anymore. It was solid granite.

Abigail naked and dripping wet from her midnight skinny-dipping was the second most beautiful thing he'd ever seen and his dick agreed.

He'd been a fool to accuse her of anything less than moral. If she hadn't forgiven him, he would have groveled and did her bidding until he somehow changed her mind and he knew it.

Reece flicked his eye to the rearview mirror where she sat next to Caden. Knowing someone had stalked her and disrespected her space kicked his adrenaline into overdrive and made him see red.

Those amber eyes of hers had filled with so much hurt and because of him.

He bit back a curse and turned the car down the dirt road leading to Abigail's secluded, quaint country house, as she called it.

Wary, he moved his foot off the gas and let the heavy truck glide down the darkened drive.

Large oak trees lined the single-lane road with thick brush beyond that which did a damn fine job of offering any sniper perfect concealment. Dusk had fallen in the last forty-five minutes of their drive and within a half hour it would be pitch black out here.

When this was all over, the first thing on his agenda was to talk Abigail into moving somewhere safer. With him and Caden preferably.

Reece cast a glance to Caden through the rearview mirror and saw that same wariness on his buddy's face. He could see the wheels turning and the man already calculating exit strategies and hold up areas if it came to that.

Loose gravel crunched beneath the weight of the large SUV. They approached the house slowly, their arrival announced by a blast of light from a motion activated floodlight. Bright light engulfed the entire front entrance of the house and gouged a deep hole out of the encroaching darkness.

In the center of the drive stood a century-old willow tree. A soft breeze tangled the swaying vine-like branches, but the aged sentinel that overlooked the warn country house's entrance didn't give up its secrets that easily.

Its hanging branches were an impenetrable fortress even for the powerful light. A small army could be waiting for them inside those branches and they could be walking into an ambush,

His hairs stood up on the back of his neck and his gut tightened with the same dread he felt on the battlefield in years past.

Reece's face hardened. Over his shoulder he leveled his attention on Abigail who had moved closer to Caden in the last few minutes since turning down her long ass drive. No doubt picking up the dangerous vibes consciously or otherwise.

"Sweetheart, look at me."

He waited for her to bring her eyes back to his and when she did a sudden burst of emotion took over. He swallowed that shit down and shoved aside the blast of rage he felt at seeing fear in her eyes. "You're safe with us."

There was a distinct pause as she held his gaze and in that one moment a new feeling took hold. Before he could analyze it more, she nodded and turned away.

He didn't need to see her eyes to read the wariness etched in the creases along her brow and the way she ran her palms along her thighs. Every signal broadcasted loud and clear.

"Everything looks like it should?"

Abigail leaned forward, her gaze roaming over the entire perimeter of her property. "I think so. It all looks how I left it this morning, from what I can see."

It's what he couldn't see that bothered him. But he didn't want to scare her any more than she already was. He glanced in the mirror again. Abigail worried her lip and played with the hem of her skirt.

What a fucked up turn of events the day had taken. It had been Caden's grand idea to spell everything out for Abigail after work today. Reece had been against the idea for the past week he and Caden had been discussing it, but Caden felt it was time. He didn't think so. She was too damn innocent for their kind of kink.

He took the wide rounded drive positioned between the willow tree and Abigail's front porch and parked with the hood facing the exit. A fast getaway was the name of the game in this business.

He didn't like how he couldn't see both sides of the house from this position, but he'd take the lesser of two evils.

"Sweetheart, you have a peculiar taste in location and when we get this all worked out, we're gonna have a talk about the lack of security you have," Caden spoke up from beside her.

"What can I say, I'm not a city girl by choice. And you guys already know I have the best system your company offers. What more is there to do? Put bars on the windows and steel shutters?"

He cocked a brow and shook his head. He couldn't blame Abigail for not seeing the red flags as he and Caden did. They saw the world through jade-colored glass that made everyone a possible suspect.

She didn't and that little fact could land her in a body bag fast.

Icy fingers of trepidation raked down his spine.

He shook them off and shoved the car into park. "Here's the deal. We go in, get what you need and then we get the hell outta here. Caden, you have the perimeter. Keep an eye on your six. I saw a beaten path through the woods on our way in." Reece nodded in the direction of the worn walkway highlighted by the floodlight on the front of Abigail's house.

"Copy that. I caught it too. Where does it lead, Abigail?" Caden reached over and took her hand. The small action shot a pang of jealousy through Reece's gut. Not because his best friend was touching Abigail, but because he wanted to help ease her stress too.

"It's a path that leads down to the lake. I use it all the time."

Her voice trailed off with a hint of embarrassment, no doubt thinking of the pictures she had to share with them this evening of her taking a liking to a midnight dip al fresco .

Reece's reaction to what Abigail said echoed Caden's grim expression he caught in the rearview mirror. "Fabulous. Another way we can get ambushed."

Caden took the words out of his mouth. This was a minefield of danger zones.

"Let's go." Reece pulled his sidearm, taking point with Abigail in the middle and Caden pulling up the rear.

"Keys?" Abigail handed them over and they were inside within seconds. Abigail punched in the security code.

"Reset the system, sweetheart." Abigail did as Caden requested.

Inside he quickly assessed their escape routes.

"I'll only be a few minutes."

Abigail turned to head upstairs, but didn't make it two steps out of their reach before Reece took hold of her elbow.

"I go first."

That earned him a saucy, exasperated eye roll, but he wasn't taking chances.

"I'll be all right, guys. There's nothing to worry about in here. No one ever broke into my home, remember? All those pictures were taken outside." Devastation glittered in her eyes and damn it broke his fucking heart down the middle to see the second she realized or accepted how the one place she could feel safe no longer was.

The color drained from her face. "They must have sat in a nearby tree and looked in on me. While…while?—"

Her voice trembled and broke off.

Son of a bitch. This damn tiny woman who had walked into his and Caden's life like a ray of sunshine would break him if he wasn't careful.

He pulled her into his arms and wrapped himself around her tiny body.

When she settled, he pulled her back and tilted her face up to his. "You're safe with us. That's a promise even if I or Caden have to give our lives for yours to ensure that promise is never broken. You will trust us." Like hell he would let her live in fear. Not while he had a damn beating heart.

She placed a hand on his wide, chiseled chest and that one simple gesture had the power to tilt his world on its axis.

Her eyes widened and she shook her head in refusal. "I… no. Just no. I could never ask that of you, Reece, or of you, Caden."

He liked the way she used their given names. A liberty she didn't take in the office and something he would make sure changed after today.

Images of her naked body pressed against Caden while Reece claimed her from behind flashed across his mind as she screamed for them to fuck her harder. Make her cum. Not really the place for those kinds of thoughts, but they were there just the same.

"You didn't have to," Caden added for them. "We have the best damn system on the market, but that doesn't mean it's one-hundred percent infallible and that someone didn't find a way in. It pays to be cautious."

A rush of raw fury flashed in her eyes and she stepped out of his arms. He could see the fear slink back and the strong woman within her take a stand, and his pride in her grew.

"Let's get what we came for and get out of here then."

He couldn't agree more.

Caden did a ninety-degree turn on his heel. "I'll clear the lower level while you two head upstairs. Let's wrap this up fast."

With that, Caden peeled off, leaving him alone with Abigail.

"The room on the left is mine." Abigail followed close on his heels, placing her hand on his lower back as they ascended the stairs.

They reached the landing and he paused. A single window took up the wall space dead ahead; dim lighting broke through the sheer curtain enough for him to see their surroundings. He expected to see plants, family photos, and tables filled with knickknacks that made a home cozy. Maybe even an orange tabby running around. Not Abigail. From the entry all the way up here, there was nothing to signal anyone lived here at all.

"Stay here. I'll only be a minute." He gathered her hand in his and gave it a light squeeze.

He kept the lights off as he crossed the threshold into Abigail's room, checking first the room then the closet space before ushering her in. "Where's your suitcase? Only pack necessities. Things you can't live without and that can fit in your suitcase." He started toward her closet to help.

She stilled him with a light touch on his shoulder.

"It's fine, Reece. I've got this. You're kinda making me jumpy with all the commando stuff."

"Sorry, darlin', we don't mean to scare you but it's hard to switch off what's ingrained for years now." He turned to the single window in the room directly opposite the bed and pulled the curtain back a few inches to scan the grounds below.

In the limited light, he watched Abigail draw her lower lip into her mouth, her eyes downcast. As if she was assimilating his words.

She tipped her head and threw him a sideways glance. "I understand."

"We can't get caught out here in the middle of nowhere, Abigail. It was a bad idea to even come."

Abigail disappeared into her closet, then reemerged to place the items neatly folded on the corner of her bed. "Doesn't your team know where we're at?"

"True. Doesn't make it a smart move though."

"I'll hurry." He nodded and turned his attention back outside.

Abigail moved closer to his position and reached to flick on the light.

Damn.

He stopped her with a hand less than an inch away from the switch. "No lights. Use this." He passed her a pen flashlight, and clearly frustrated with him, she let out the sexiest damn sigh that made him smirk.

Thankful she couldn't see his reaction in the dark room. He didn't think she would appreciate the humor he found in her little gestures.

Abigail ducked into the bathroom across the hall and he followed. "Whooo, there buddy. I think I can handle this part on my own." She pressed a hand to his chest. She quickly jerked her hand back and that just made his smile widen. He was getting very fond of making one Abigail Torres exasperated with him. Her eyes lit up from the soft light of the flashlight and he could imagine her face flushed a pretty pink beneath her soft mocha-colored skin. He backed up a pace to put some much-needed distance between him and temptation.

Now sure the fuck wasn't the time to play Romeo.

"Let's keep it quick." He kept his tone down where only she could hear him.

Her brow furrowed. "So you've said a hundred times."

And his nerves still danced on a high wire. They couldn't get out of here fast enough to suit him.

He turned and stood guard outside the door while she did her thing. Finished, Abigail exited with her toiletries and a duffle bag from a closet inside the bathroom he presumed. Damn, the woman was wicked fast. In the short time in the bathroom she'd managed to change into a snug white T, the ends tucked in the band of low-slung jeans that found every delicious curve the woman possessed. Lord have mercy on his sinful soul.

She turned to look at him over her shoulder, the flashlight focused on the floor. She arched a brow, and for a split second, all he could think about was pressing his lips against hers and tasting her sweet mouth.

Reece cleared his thoughts and strode quickly across the hall to where she stood in front of her door.

"Almost done?"

Before Abigail could answer Caden bounded up the stairs, eating up the distance in less than three seconds, sidearm drawn.

"Get down," he bellowed, his words blocked out by a car alarm renting through the quiet night milliseconds before an explosion shook the foundation of the house.

All three hit the floor hard.

"Fuck me, there went the SUV," Caden bit out between clenched teeth.

Reece helped Abigail up and tucked her into his embrace, hauling her back into her room. Caden followed hot on their heels. He turned to where Abigail was situated between him and Caden.

"Oh, by the way, we've got company." Caden hit the release on his Glock and checked his rounds before sliding it back into the chamber with a metallic grind then a single click.

"No shit! Did you get a good look at them? How many? How heavily armed are they?"

"All good questions. Be right back." Caden turned on his heel, crouched down and eased out the door they had just come through, Reece's fast slung questions unanswered.

"What? Where's he going?" Even in the low light Reece could see Abigail's eyes glitter with uncertainty, but he noted the absence of fear from her tone.

He moved to the window and pulled the curtain back just enough to see the outer perimeter of the property. "To check our exits. Be ready for a fast exit."

As subtly as possible, he glanced over at Abigail who now sat on the corner of her bed. Instead of the scared woman he expected to see, she looked pointedly at the gun he had and then back up at him, her expression changing to one of assessment.

Her chest rose and fell, then she shocked the holy hell out of him. "Do you happen to have an extra gun?"

"They're coming in from our six like we thought." Caden rejoined them and filled him in on the situation. "They're staying under the radar on the south side of the property where the lake is located."

"Good. We'll use the porch ledge I saw out this window and cut them off before they round the house. Abigail, lock the door and we'll be back to get you in five."

"They used the lake path?" Abigail asked. Her breath came faster than usual, but she kept her eyes focused on the entrance to the room. No fear in sight.

Kneeling, Caden answered with a nod of his head. In two flicks, he produced his .38 special from the holster strapped to his ankle. He stood and handed it over. Abigail checked the chambers then locked the revolver in place. And for some insane second all he could see was Abigail shooting a gun. Fucking sexiest damn thing he'd ever lay eyes on.

His dick twitched. He shifted gears and focused on the hostiles they were up against.

Then it clicked. "Where'd you learn to use that thing?"

"When I was a kid, my sister had to work a lot, so I found extracurricular activities to occupy my time. Shooting was one of them." She shrugged a single shoulder. "I won a few competitions." She winked and his dick took over. Blood rushed south and his cock pulsed behind the zipper of his rapidly tightening pants.

She turned the force of her attention to Caden.

"Did you get an ID on who the hell is after me?"

"That would be a negative. It was too dark and they stuck to the side of the house where your floodlight couldn't reach them. And that damn tree of yours blocked me from seeing them take out our exit strategy. I did see a vehicle, though. Either black or navy blue."

A cloud of uncertainty settled over Abigail's expression. Reece's heart clenched at the sudden change. Her shoulders slumped and her head dipped where he couldn't see her eyes. God, it boiled his blood to see her like this. The woman he knew was confident and didn't back down from anyone. Not even him when he was all worked up over some dumb shit. Anger poisoned his veins and he clenched his fist at his side. If her ex had anything to do with this he'd be the one needing a restraining order.

And if it wasn't, when he got his hands on the son of a bitch that had put that look in her eyes, he would squeeze the life out of him and enjoy every second of it.

Reece shifted the curtain for a better look at the grounds below. He caught a glimpse of Caden as he moved over to Abigail and pulled her into his arms for reassurance. He felt pulled to join them. Instead, he shot a dark look at Caden over the top of her head that summed up the clusterfuck of a night in one second. And it wasn't over by a long shot.

"How many?"

Caden signaled five then returned to holding Abigail close. He placed a kiss on the top of her head and she pulled back, her shoulders up and her chin held high. The smart, determined woman he knew now in control again.

He hadn't missed the fact that when he and Caden had shown her affection, she hadn't pulled back. He filed that away to analyze later. The more time he spent with her, the more he wanted what Caden wanted. A chance to explore whatever it was that drew them both into the gravitational pull that was Abigail Torres. But something in him polarized her effect the minute he thought of any kind of happy future and he was damn tired of feeling as though he was adrift.

Caden joined him by the window. "It's too damn quiet out there. We need to get a move on." Reece pulled his cell out. "I'm calling in Dane. He's close and on standby to?—"

Glass shattered directly below them and Reece broke off mid-sentence. The wood flooring of the old country house shook with the force of another explosion. Only seconds passed before another explosion hit, this time toward the back of the house, followed by another somewhere close to their side of the house.

Reece strode across the room to the door. Smoke filtered up the stairs, trapping them to the top floor.

Reece shoved the curtains aside and threw open the large window. Thank God she had the room with the porch below. He pulled Abigail to his side while Caden eased out to set a perimeter. "We're going out through here. Once we get across the roof, Caden will help you down. When we hit the ground, haul ass for the southwest treeline and don't look back."

Caden called back to them through the window in a low, rushed voice, "Clear to move. This place is like a damn tinderbox, people. Flames have already started on the support beams. Let's double time it." He turned to Abigail, lips hardened in a determined flat line.

She gave a sharp nod, then answered, "Ready."