Chapter Seven
Kayla gazed out the window of her office, ignoring the emails piling up in her inbox. She couldn’t concentrate on work, not at the moment.
She’d barely seen Cord over the last few days and it was worrying her, niggling away at her confidence. She was very aware that while he’d said he loved her, he hadn’t actually talked about the future. Would he be sticking around? A man like Cord wouldn’t be happy with an office job. Would life with her be too boring for him?
Kayla wanted a family—children, maybe a dog. Her dreams were simple but she didn’t know how they fit in with what Cord wanted. She was too scared to ask. Cord had lived an exciting life. Could he be happy settling down with her?
Did he even want to marry her? Have children?
She wished she knew. Yet at the same time, she didn’t feel now was the time to ask. Cord had a lot on his mind. And that left Kayla with a lot of time to worry.
Her phone beeped, interrupting her thoughts. She picked it up, glancing at the message on the screen.
Kayla glanced over at Nash, who was busy tapping away on a computer. He’d been here only two days but he’d made himself right at home.
“Quinn just texted me.” Kayla put down her cell phone and looked over at Nash, who was busy tapping away on a computer. He’d been here only two days but he’d made himself right at home.
He grunted, not glancing away from the screen. “Nice to know he’s learning how to use those opposable thumbs of his.”
Kayla grinned. Nash and Quinn had clashed from the moment they’d met. She wasn’t quite sure why, but it was fun to watch Quinn griping at someone besides her for a change.
“He wants us to pick him up. Apparently his truck’s broken down on the Eel Avenue site.”
Nash’s gaze rose, his eyes narrowing. “Text him back and tell him to ask someone else.”
“Don’t be silly. We can pick him up. It’s hardly dangerous. I won’t even get out of the truck.”
She was feeling smothered and a trip out, even if she had to stay in the truck, sounded like heaven. The last few days Nash had been sticking so close to her they may as well have been cuffed together. She’d actually said that and his face had taken on this thoughtful look as if he were considering it.
The ass.
And she’d thought Cord overprotective. Nash gave a whole new meaning to the word. It was sheer torture. If they didn’t find who was threatening her soon it wouldn’t matter because she’d have died anyway.
Of suffocation.
“Joe has a date tonight and Luke’s working across town today, remember.”
With an exasperated sigh, Nash picked up the phone and rang first Joe then Luke, then even Reed and Evan.
“Damn it.”
“See,” she crowed.
“Can’t he call triple A?”
“Fine, you call him and tell him that.”
She knew he wouldn’t. He scowled.
“Nash, what’s wrong with picking my brother up? Is it because you don’t want me going out or because you don’t want to see Quinn? What is it with you two anyway?”
“Nothing,” he growled. “Let’s get going then, shall we? I’ve got better things to do with my time than run around after your brother.”
She waited until his back was turned to let a little smile slip free. Jumping up, she ran out after him.
As Nash turned his truck out onto the road, Kayla turned down the radio.
“Hey, I was listening to that,” he grumbled. She ignored him.
“It was good of you to leave your life to come babysit me. I hope your girlfriend wasn’t too angry.”
He glanced at her, frowning. “If you’re trying to set me up with someone then forget it.”
“Oh, so you do have a girlfriend?” she asked, feigning innocence.
He growled. “No, I don’t. Nor do I want one.”
“Bad breakup?” she commiserated.
“What’s with the questions all of a sudden?” he snarled.
She shrugged. “Just wanting to get to know you.”
His gruff attitude had intimidated her at first. Until she figured out he was a softie on the inside.
“You and Cord must be pretty close for you to simply drop everything and come running.” She was fishing for information.
His eyebrows rose. “We are. And I owed him one. He helped me out a few years ago with a problem I had. I’m returning the favor.”
“Must have been a big problem.”
“My baby sister got involved with the wrong sort of people. I was overseas at the time. Cord helped me get her out of trouble. This must be it.”
Kayla looked through the windscreen at the building site.
“I can’t see him, can you?” she asked. It was already growing dark and the empty lot looked spooky.
“No,” Nash said grimly. “I don’t like this one bit. We’re not stopping.” He was putting the truck back into gear when Kayla grabbed his hand.
“You can’t leave without checking. What if he’s hurt or something?”
His hand tightened under hers.
“Where’s his truck then?” he asked.
“I don’t know, maybe it’s been towed. I’ll text him.”
“Call him.”
Kayla snatched up her cell, dialing Quinn’s number. She growled in frustration when it went to voicemail. She stared at Nash pleadingly.
He gave her a disgruntled look but took his hand off the gear stick. “Get in the driver’s seat and stay in the truck with the doors locked until I come back. Any sign of trouble and you drive the hell away. Understand me?”
She nodded, moving over when he jumped out.
“I mean it, sugar.” She nodded again. Of course
she
didn’t mean it, there was no way she’d leave without him. She gulped when he pulled out his gun and ran across the road, disappearing down the side of the building.
* * * * *
Kayla tapped her fingers against the steering wheel, groaning as her call went to voicemail again and the computerized voice told her to leave a message. Quinn hadn’t even bothered to personalize the message. He never listened to his voicemail, probably didn’t even know how. She hung up and sent him yet another text.
Thoughts tumbled through her brain, moving at high speed. Where the hell was Nash? How long could it possibly take to find Quinn? What if there had been an accident? Images of Quinn, wounded and waiting for help, haunted her.
“Damn it, damn it,” she swore.
Kayla nibbled at her lip, fidgeting until she could stand it no longer. Exiting the truck, she sprinted across the road, clasping her phone tight in her hand. She half expected Nash to appear and yell at her for not doing as she was told.
Slamming her hand over her mouth to try to quiet her chattering teeth, she crept through a gap in the fence that surrounded the construction site. It wasn’t fully dark yet, but even in the light of dusk this place was creepy and difficult to navigate.
“Ouch!” She hopped, rubbing her abused toe.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Kayla squealed, turning so suddenly she slipped, landing on her butt. She peered guiltily into Nash’s furious gaze, then with a small cry of relief, flew into his arms. Holding her against him with one arm, Nash pulled her back toward the road.
“Nash—”
“Don’t talk, don’t even breathe,” he whispered in her ear as he paused, panting. “You got the keys?”
She nodded.
“When I say go, press the automatic unlock and run fast as you can to the truck, got it? Get in the driver’s side and scoot over quick.” His voice sounded strained and Kayla peered at him in concern.
“What about Quinn?” she asked.
“He’s not here. Now.” She pressed the unlock button even as Nash pushed her forward. With Nash behind her, shielding her, Kayla raced toward his truck. She jumped in the driver’s side, sliding across as he swiftly followed.
It wasn’t until he’d pulled away that she turned to ask him what the hell was going on.
And saw the stain darkening his shoulder.
“Nash!” Terror restricted her vocal cords as her throat swelled with tears.
“My God, your arm! What happened?”
Nash ignored her, his gaze flicking between the road and the rearview mirror.
“What about Quinn?” Kayla turned in her seat to stare out the back window. “We have to go back for him.”
“He wasn’t there. What were you doing out of the truck?” he snapped. “I told you to stay put.”
Kayla watched him worriedly. He was pale, his forehead creased in a frown.
“Nash, what happened to you? And where the hell is Quinn?” She had to bite back a sob.
“Quinn wasn’t there.”
“Nash!” she yelled.
“I was shot. It’s okay. Had worse.” His words were clipped, tense.
“I didn’t hear a gun,” she replied, trying to still the panic racing through her. She pulled off her sweater, ignoring his order to put her seatbelt back on, and knelt in the seat so she could hold the bunched-up material against his shoulder.
“They had a silencer. Sit back down,” he barked.
“No. Pull over and let me drive. You need to go to the hospital. Shit, I need to call the police. Who shot you?”
“Couldn’t see the bastard. Was worried he was going to get to you before I could. Call Cord. Tell him to meet us at the hospital.”
She pulled her phone from her pocket, fumbling as she attempted to use it one-handed.
“It was foolish of you to leave the truck, Kayla. I can take care of myself and you. But you have to do what I tell you to do.”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Tears ran down her face.
“Hey now, sugar,” he murmured. “It’s all right. Just call Cord.”
* * * * *
Over an hour later, Kayla sat in an empty waiting room, chewing at her bottom lip nervously as she and Cord waited for news on Nash.
“I’m leaving.” Kayla gulped, wishing the words back even as she voiced them. She bravely looked over at Cord as he turned, his face stony while his eyes raged. She barely resisted the urge to flee the waiting room.
Suddenly he was looming over her.
“Excuse me?” His voice was low and all the more frightening for it. She stiffened her shoulders.
“I’ve decided to move to Savannah. A friend from school lives there. I’ll be leaving as soon as possible.” The sooner the better as far as she was concerned. She couldn’t take the risk of anyone else getting hurt because of her.
Cord’s bark of laughter was alarmingly absent of amusement.
“Angel, you take one step out of this room without me and I will handcuff you to me until we’re both gray and wrinkled.”
Kayla’s jaw dropped at his words. She clenched her hands into fists. “You just try it, mister. This is my decision. I wasn’t asking for your opinion. You have no say in what I do. This is my life.”
“I have no say in anything you do? So it’s not me you turn to when you’re frightened? Is it not my arms that comfort you after a nightmare? Is it not my name you scream aloud as you come? You tell me you love me then turn around and say you are leaving? Dream on, Kayla. I know what you’re doing and it won’t work. I protect
you
, not the other way around.”
Kayla was grateful there was no one else in the waiting room. Nash was in surgery having the bullet removed from his shoulder. He’d lost a lot of blood by the time they’d arrived at the hospital.
She had to convince Cord that in order to keep him safe, to keep her brothers safe, she had to leave. But she’d known he wouldn’t let her go without a fight.
Cord wrapped his powerful hands around her shoulders, easily holding her against him as he whispered in her ear, “Who are you trying to kid here, Kayla? Me or yourself? Because I can tell you right now, it’s not working on either one of us. I am not going to argue with you about this. You are not leaving. You try it. See what happens.” The fury and hurt in his eyes shamed her and her shoulders slumped.
“I know,” she whispered, her voice nearly disappearing under a wave of emotion. “But I can’t stay here, Cord. If anything happened to my brothers or you…I would never forgive myself.” Tears filled her eyes. As much as she didn’t want to leave him, she could think of no other way to keep him safe.
“You’re stronger than this, Kayla. Strong enough to stay and fight with me.”
Kayla hung her head. “I don’t think I can.” She was so tired.