Adam (13 page)

“Okay. I need to take a peek.” He held her as she moved. She staggered a bit and then regained her balance. His immediate concern was her concussion. She didn’t need another blow to the head.

Once she had steadied on her feet, he turned to grab his kit and spoke over his shoulder. “Take off your shirt, babe.”

Her soft laugh was the last thing he expected. “Is it wrong of me to get a little turned on by that comment?”

Pulling his stethoscope from the side pouch of his kit, he shook his head. “Nope, and if I weren’t in a murderous mood right now, I’d enjoy making you even more turned on.” He winked at her as he palpated the dark red and purple tinged bruises around her ribs. He turned her to examine her back and then again to check on the other side of her ribs. He checked her lungs and listened to her abdomen. He sat on the arm of the couch and pulled her between his legs. She was banged up, but his woman was one tough cowgirl.

“Any sharp pains when you move?”

“Only in my head. If I didn’t have a concussion before, I’d bet I do now.”

“Yeah, we’ll have to keep an eye on you.” He pulled the sleeping bag off the bed and draped it around her shoulders. “Come sit down and tell me what happened.”

He moved and pulled her carefully between his legs, using his chest for her back rest.

“I thought it was you coming back. I opened the door and it was him. He wasn’t happy about me staying up here with you.”

“How did he end up using you as a punching bag?”

“Like I said, I told him we were staying up here, alone, for at least one more night. He got upset, told me to get my shit, and he’d take me down the mountain. He shoved me into the wall. Naturally, I shoved the asshole back. Hard.” She moved her head from side to side against his chest. “I didn’t even see the first punch coming.”

Adam froze. “First? How many times did he hit you?”

“Uhh… twice… maybe? He’s never been an angry or violent person. But he threatened us. I think, I don’t remember for sure.”

Adam wrapped her in his arms, holding her but not restraining her. “How did he threaten you, baby?”

“Most of his yelling is pretty jumbled. I was so shocked it was hard to take in. I remember him saying it wasn’t over and we better watch out.”

Adam stroked her arm softly and kissed her hair. “Does Clint drink or take drugs?”

Keelee shook her head slowly and gave a small groan. “No. Doesn’t drink and as far as I know he doesn’t have the money for drugs. His dad holds the purse strings for the family.” She turned and flinched a little at the movement. “I’m sorry.” She leaned into him. “I need to take a little nap. I’m tired and my head hurts.”

Adam shook his head. “Nope, let’s get up and go sit at the table. Need to eat whatever you have cooking and then we’ll clean up and see about a nap. Okay?”

Keelee sighed and waved her hand towards the kitchen. “I was going to make dumplings for the stew.”

Adam gently nudged her forward, “Alright, you sit at the table and give me directions and we’ll get them mixed up.”

*

It took every trick he knew, but he managed to keep Keelee awake for a solid eight hours. The manifestations of the concussion weren’t severe. Thank God. He set the alarm on his watch and tucked her back against him. Now that he didn’t have to keep Keelee engaged, he had time to process the day.

Clint would pay for what he did to Keelee. No man had the right to strike out in anger against a woman or for that matter another man. As a doctor, he knew domestic violence was usually a learned behavior. Also a fact, if the local law enforcement officers didn’t find Clint quickly, Guardian’s people would. He’d fucking guarantee he was on hand when the man was put in cuffs. Fuck with the Guardian brotherhood and you get cut off at the knees. Fuck with the ones they loved? The Lord better have mercy on your soul, because the operatives at Guardian wouldn’t.

The sight of the ranch house had never been sweeter. The mental fog that shrouded yesterday after Clint’s insane attack still hadn’t completely cleared. The jumble of words, vicious sneers and threats never really solidified to the point she could recall everything. Even freshly showered and tucked into her king-sized bed, her head still felt like it was stuffed with cotton. Thankfully, Adam took point and dealt with Aunt Betty. It took a lot, but when that woman got riled up her voice could fracture plate glass windows. Her aunt’s angry voice had quieted some time ago. Thank God… or Adam… or both. Keelee chuckled to herself. It wasn’t that funny, but the mere thought of being able to thank God for Adam expanded a bubble of joy and wrapped her in happiness.

The sounds of male voices floated up the stairs and through her open door. She smiled. Dixon, Drake, and Chief had come back to the ranch. Jason King had flown back with them after the storm. She’d seen the massive man when Adam whisked her into the house and carried her up the stairs. She had buried her face in his neck, enjoying the protective gesture.

She could hear Dixon and Drake clearly now. When they were at the ranch, those two talked non-stop. But, the second a person they didn’t know showed up, they shut up. God couldn’t force a word from either one of them. In reality, that inane prattle had become comforting over the last two years. But today their voices didn’t sound happy. Her brow creased at the angry tones. She was the reason the twins were upset. No, that wasn’t right. What
Clint
did to her was the reason they were upset. It gave her a little boost to know she’d gotten a few good licks in, but why it happened still baffled her.

Clint had never been aggressive or argumentative in the past. Why had he flipped out? She’d never agreed to a relationship with him. Three dates and a handful of nights sitting on the porch visiting didn’t constitute a relationship. Did it? She only gave him a peck on the lips when he brought her home after the dates—nothing overtly sexual. She realized now the reason for that was she’d always been in love with Adam.

At the soft knock on her door, her eyes opened. A Norse demigod with an eye patch obliterated the doorway. “How you feeling, beautiful?” His rich voice floated to her in a quiet whisper.

“I saw myself in the mirror. I look like a mad bull stomped the crap out of me.” Of its own volition, her hand reached for his.

“You’ll always be beautiful to me.” He grasped her hand, leaned down and kissed her forehead. God, she could get used to being treated like this.

“Flattery will get you laid, Dr. Cassidy.”

His bark of laughter preceded the dip in the mattress when he stretched out beside her. “If that’s the case I plan on making sure you know just how beautiful you are. Every day. Several times a day.”

Keelee rolled to face him. “Hmm… it could be rather inconvenient if every time you compliment me we have sex.”

“Inconvenient for who?” His body shook with suppressed laughter.

“Umm… the operations of the ranch and the people who pay you to do your doctor thing.” She snuggled closer to him.

“Indeed? Whatever should we do about that, Ms. Marshall?” His arm circled her waist with a warm, delicious weight.

“Well, I think maybe we should stock up. Make love ten or twenty more times, that way when you compliment me we won’t run into a deficit.” A satisfied smile spread across his face and those magnificent dimples revealed themselves. God, he was beautiful.

“I believe that would be a perfect solution. But unfortunately, angel, we aren’t going to be making love until you get a little more rest.” He moved so she could lie on his shoulder without straining her neck.

“Did you call the sheriff?” Her fingers traced the raised scar on his forearm.

“Yeah. They’re sending someone out. He should be here shortly. Do you feel like talking?”

“Honestly? I just want this all to go away. You don’t think Clint is going to follow through with his threats, do you?”

“I don’t know, babe. I don’t know anything about him. But I do know he needs to pay for what he’s done to you. When the Wonder Twins and Chief see the bruises he left on your face and neck, he’ll be lucky if the sheriff catches him before we do.”

Keelee shivered at the coldness of his tone. “Please don’t, Adam. Promise to let the law handle it.”

It surprised her when he laughed. “Babe, Guardian is the law. We are all badge-carrying, oath-swearing, gun-toting, law enforcement officials. There is nowhere in this country and very few places overseas where I don’t have the authority to do my job. But we do the job without the restrictions placed on the CIA and FBI. We don’t have the bureaucracy, oversight or the controls they have. We aren’t publically sanctioned, but we are assets used by the United States Government. It makes it easier for the politicians if what our organization does is kept in the dark. We can be disclaimed as private security because David Xavier funds us, not the citizens of the United States.”

Keelee stopped tracing the scar and placed her hand on his warm chest and sighed. “Okay, then let me rephrase that. Let the sheriff handle it. If you go after Clint, it won’t end well for anyone.”

He burrowed his face into her hair and found her neck, kissing the bruises Clint had left. The marks from yesterday had darkened into a livid shade of purple-red. “Unlike that bastard we are professionals. I have too much going for me to screw up and hurt that evil little fuck, even though every fiber in my body wants to beat him to a pulp.”

A light knock on the door startled her. “Keelee, Sheriff Anderson is here.” Her Aunt Betty poked her head in the door and stopped. Her shock at finding Keelee snuggled up next to Adam seemed to render her speechless, but only for a few seconds. “Ahh… he needs to talk to you and get a statement.”

Adam rolled to his back and smiled at the older woman. “Alright, Betty, we’ll be down in a minute.”

The older woman nodded before the door snicked shut.

Keelee pushed the covers back and groaned as she sat up. The pounding in her head, which had started to recede, once again gained momentum. As if someone else was in control of her vocal cords, another agonized noise hissed past her clenched teeth when she stood up. Adam was by her side before she had a chance to take a deep breath.

“Okay, slow and easy. You’ve been roughed up pretty bad. When the sheriff is done with you, I’m going to give you something to put you to sleep for a while. I’m not worried about any concussive ramifications at this point, but I’m sure you’re hurting. You need to give your body a chance to recover.” He circled her waist with his arms holding her lightly.             

Her hands found his chest. His hard warm muscles danced under his shirt. “I don’t like taking medicine.”

She felt his warm breath and the light kiss to the crown of her head. “I know.”

“Are you going to make me?” She tipped her head back, a little pout on her face, but winced at the shot of pain that ran down her neck.

“I think your own body is going to make you. And if I haven’t told you yet, I love that little pout thing you do.”

*

Adam kept his arm around Keelee as she descended the stairs. Her small sounds of discomfort, audible only to him, fueled his rage. Chief, Dixon and Drake stood in the library talking with an elderly gentleman wearing a sheriff’s uniform. When the man saw Keelee, he frowned. His wasn’t the only visible reaction. Dixon and Drake crossed their arms at their chests and examined the pine floor boards. The move was a tell he’d learned years ago. When confronted with something they didn’t like or couldn’t control, the twins checked out of the conversation. Chief put his hands on his hips and glared at the bruising on her face and neck. His glare shifted to Adam before he cleared his throat.

“I’m heading to the annex to call Gabriel. He and his family are still with Frank and Amanda. They both need to know what’s going on here.”

“Agreed.” Adam nodded as he spoke.

Chief stepped up to Keelee and cradled her carefully in a hug. He pulled away and glowered at Adam. “Whatever it takes.”

Adam nodded. “As long as it takes.” Keelee sent a quizzical glance at Adam. He squeezed her hand gently. It was a saying his team used to show solidarity. He’d explain later.

Adam helped Keelee into a huge leather chair and sat on the arm. The twins took up positions on his flank. He didn’t have to see it to know it. They were his team, his family. Chief, Dixon, Drake and Jacob were his brothers as sure as he drew air into his lungs. His woman had been hurt. Each of them would kill to ensure it never happened again. He glared at the sheriff, challenging the man to dare him to leave.

The gray-haired gentleman sat down on the coffee table directly in front of the chair. He disregarded Adam completely. “Ms. Marshall, I need the details on what happened.”

Keelee nodded and grasped Adam’s hand tighter. The slight tremor in her grip notched up his anger.

“Clint Koehler hit me and then choked me. He acted like he wanted to kill me.” Her voice rang clear in the quiet, pine paneled room.

“Why?” The sheriff pulled a notebook and started writing.

“Why what?”

“Why would he do that?”

Keelee put her hand on Adam’s leg to prevent him from coming off the arm of the chair. She lifted a hand silencing his response.

His woman cocked her head and asked, “Wait. You mean if he had a
reason
, belting the shit out of me would be okay?” Oh, he loved his tough cowgirl. The woman was going to tear Barney Fife a new one without his help.

“Well, no, of course not. That’s not what I meant, Ms. Marshall.” The man had the decency to appear upset at the comment.

“He beat me because he wanted me to leave with him. I wouldn’t. He seemed to think he could tell me to collect my shit and come with him. His words, not mine.”

“Why would he think that?”

Keelee sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. “We’ve dated.”

Sheriff Anderson brought his attention back to Keelee and away from his notebook. His brown eyes leveled on her. “Tell me exactly what happened.”

“He came up to our line shack on Seven Sisters Ridge. Adam and I were there. I had an accident at the old Franklin homestead—hit my head and twisted my ankle. I fell into an old root cellar and got stuck. Adam came up during the blizzard and found me. He took me to the line shack and patched me up.”

The sheriff stopped her. He challenged Adam, “Why didn’t you get help? She could have been hurt badly. Instead, you took her to the line cabin. What if she had a medical emergency?”

Dixon snorted and Drake laughed outright before Keelee answered. “He’s a doctor. He didn’t need to bring me down the mountain.”

The sheriff straightened and re-focused on Adam. “Are you licensed to practice in South Dakota?”

Adam nodded. “I am. I’m also licensed in twelve other states and the District of Columbia.”

“That’s pretty impressive and expensive. Why would you need so many certifications? That is a lot of states to be able to prescribe drugs in, now, isn’t it?” The sheriff glanced up at the twins and then back to Adam.

“You men aren’t ranch hands, are you?”

Adam could tell the sheriff was putting two and two together. Odds were Barney would end up with five. “Before you jump to conclusions, no, we aren’t ranch hands, although we help out as we can. We are part of the training complex Mr. Marshall has built here. We are employed by Guardian Security.”

“Guardian?” The sheriff shifted his gaze between the three men. “You’re the company currently making news because of that situation in Mexico?”

Jason walked into the library and literally dwarfed the twins. “Actually, sheriff, we are a legitimate security entity and federally-licensed law enforcement officials. I’m Jason King. I represent Guardian Security and these men, along with Ms. Marshall and her father. Is there a problem here? I thought you were interviewing Ms. Marshall about an assault, not questioning my guys.”

“No, no problem.”

“Sheriff, the bottom line is you have an assault. I can substantiate Ms. Marshall’s claim. I saw Clint leave the line shack and found her in this condition.” Adam stroked his hand through her long blonde hair.

“If it’s all the same to you, I’ll be asking Ms. Marshall any remaining questions, alone. How do I know you didn’t do this to her?”

Adam flew off the arm of the chair and lurched towards the sheriff. He felt his feet leave the floor and iron bands pin his arms to his sides. Jason. The man had wrapped himself around Adam and lifted him off the floor, preventing him from beating the living shit out of the old man.

“Settle down, Doc. He’s just doing his job. Getting yourself arrested for assaulting a police officer would just be another headache for me to clear up. Besides, it would give Jacob reason to fire you.”

Dixon and Drake both chimed in, “Again.”

Adam nodded and the big man dropped his arms. Jason regarded the sheriff. “If I may have a moment of your time, there are a few things we need to clarify before you continue this interview.” Jason walked out of the room. Adam knew Jason never considered the sheriff wouldn’t follow him. He watched as the older man tucked tail and trailed after the walking mountain.