She walked into the room and wished she’d stayed upstairs. Ken stood in the living room holding a young boy. She wanted to melt into the floor when they all turned and looked at her. Her embarrassment quickly vanished when she saw Jesse’s expression. Something was seriously wrong.
“What is it?”
“We got another note. This time he hired this kid to slide it under your door. We’re moving right now. Go pack a bag.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Kate froze and stared at Jesse with wide eyes and raised eyebrows. She needed a minute to process what he’d said. “What?”
“Pack a bag. We’re leaving.”
Her eyes drifted to the piece of paper he held with a tissue then to the kid. The terrified child couldn’t have been more than nine with short, red hair and a face full of freckles. His wide, green eyes darted around the room looking for an escape from Ken.
Dottie sat in front of the boy whining, waiting for him to pet her.
She stepped forward. “Hello, I’m Kate and that’s Dottie. You can pet her.” She used a soft, calming voice. The child focused her on. “What’s your name?”
He hunched his shoulders before answering. “Peter. Can I really pet her?”
She smiled and nodded. “Go ahead.”
Peter tentatively reached out and put his hand on Dottie’s head. When she rubbed against his hand, then licked it, he giggled. That was the sound that should be coming out of a nine-year-old, not the frightened whisper of his name.
Kate narrowed her eyes at Jesse. She didn’t need to say a word to him.
He rubbed the nape of his neck with his free hand. “Kate, we’ve already questioned the boy. He can’t help us.”
“Then why are you scaring Peter to death?” She looked at Ken. “Let him go.”
Ken raised his eyebrows then looked at Jesse who nodded. He released Peter’s shirt but didn’t move away.
It took a moment for Peter to realize he was free. He smiled at Kate and then raced to the door. No one stopped him as he rushed out of the apartment like it was on fire.
Jesse looked at her and raised his eyebrows. “Satisfied?”
She smiled and nodded. “Very. Now, tell me what’s going on?”
“The bastard sent another note.”
She registered the distress in his voice. “What does it say?”
Just a few minutes ago, she’d forgotten all about the death threat against her. She’d been lost in loving Jesse. Lost in his arms, his touch and his kiss. Lost in love.
“Don’t worry about it. Now, go pack.” He turned from her, dismissing her to follow his order. “Ken, get ready for us to depart. I’m calling in the entire team to HQ. Move the girls there also. I want Reagan with me.”
He turned back to Kate, surprised to see her still standing there. “Why are you still standing there? Go pack a bag.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “What does it say?” The note had to be about her, otherwise, Jesse would have told her what it said right away. And it had upset him, so it couldn’t be good. She prepared herself for the worst.
Jesse heaved a heavy sigh. “It simply says
she’s going to die
.”
She absorbed the information. A cold shiver overtook her. It wasn’t new to them that the Facilitator wanted her dead to punish Jesse, but the note emphasized his determination for her to die. “We already knew that. Why leave? He can’t get to us here. I have the best protection there is.”
“I can’t risk this psycho won’t change his target and go after my sister or my niece or heaven forbid, Reagan, since he can’t get to you. I want Reagan with me, Kate, and I want her feeling secure in her own bedroom. Besides, you know it’s safer at my house. With the security systems we have in place, and the entire team protecting us, he won’t even get close.”
His home was the safest place for all of them. She’d been in awe when AJ gave her a rundown on all of the security features at Jesse’s house. She doubted even the FBI’s best could get around his security.
It had to be torture for him, leaving his daughter’s safety to his brothers. He used his laptop to video-chat with her more than he did actual work on it. The sacrifice he’d been making for her safety had to end.
She couldn’t keep him from Reagan just to prove a point that he didn’t control her, didn’t tell her where to go. “Okay, but Dottie goes too.”
“Of course she does.”
She turned and raced up the stairs with Dottie at her heels. She quickly changed and packed a suitcase, paying no attention to what she packed. She had no idea how long she’d be staying there or where she’d sleep. Would he put her in his room? Surely not in front of Reagan. That put a crimp in her plan to win his love. She’d still find a way to make him love her, even if they had to temporarily forgo sex.
She breathed a sigh of relief as they pulled into Jesse’s driveway. On the short journey from her apartment to Jesse’s SUV, she’d been closely encased by Jesse, H.I.S. and FBI, with Neftali, the H.I.S. sharpshooter, watching the area for potential dangers.
Jesse had remained on the phone the entire drive to his house, talking with his brothers, ensuring Reagan, Emily and Amber were safely on their way, and the men were in place. They were attempting to move the girls without waking them, hoping to prevent them from being scared of the late night move.
He carried their bags into his home. “This way.”
Dottie sniffed the furniture while she followed Jesse upstairs to a large bedroom, watching as he deposited both of their bags on his bed.
“Um, Jesse, shouldn’t I be staying in a guest room?” She didn’t want a guest room she wanted his room. This room.
Jesse looked at her and lowered his brow. “No.” He walked to her and played with a strand of hair that had fallen forward over her shoulder. “You belong here.”
If only he meant those words to mean forever. She swallowed and fought back the heat he created just by being near her. “What about Reagan?”
“What about her?”
He looked deep into her eyes and reached up to lightly stroke her cheek with the back of his hand, sparking her fire for him. She closed her eyes, savoring the sensations his touch evoked.
She had trouble remembering what they were discussing. “Reagan. She shouldn’t see me in your bed. It’s not proper.”
He leaned down to kiss her but stopped right before touching her lips and spoke. “She’ll have to get used to it.” He reached around her and pulled her hard against him, his mouth captured hers in a sizzling kiss, burning her all the way to her toes.
She lost track of their conversation. It had something to do with Reagan. His tongue slipped into her mouth, and her mind only knew of his kiss. He grabbed her buttocks and pulled her tightly against him, letting her feel him grow against her belly.
“Daddy, Daddy.”
Jesse released Kate, stepped back and bent down to catch Reagan as she raced into the room, jumping into his arms. He lifted her, pulled her close and kissed her cheek. “Hey, pumpkin. Why are you awake?”
She pulled back and looked at him. “Uncle Brad tried to move me, and he woked me up. He told me I’d see you. I couldn’t go back to sleep. I missed you, Daddy.” She put her little hands on each side of his face and gave him a kiss, then giggled when Jesse made loud, smacking noises with it.
“I missed you, too. Say hello to Miss Kate.”
She turned in his arms, a bright smile on her angelic face. “Hi, Miss Kate. Are you having a sleepover too, like Aunt Em and Amber?”
“She is, pumpkin. Remember I need to protect her. Now, it’s time to go back to bed.” He looked at Kate. “I’ll be right back.”
“Good night, Reagan.” She wished she could be part of tucking her in for the night, reading her bedtime stories until she couldn’t keep her little eyes open any longer.
“Night, Miss Kate.”
Jesse walked out of the room, Reagan in his arms.
Kate looked around the bedroom. A four-poster king-size bed dominated the room. The beautiful mahogany frame had been carved with precision, tangled vines and leaves wrapped around the corner posts. The headboard and footboard stood high with the same design tangled across them. The mirror to a long dresser also matched the design, the vines and leaves surrounding its oval shape.
She walked over and picked up the photo on Jesse’s bedside table. Despair tried to seep its way in, but she fought it. He’d loved once, he could love again, love enough to forgive anything.
Jesse walked into the room and stopped. He moved forward with an outstretched arm. “That’s my wife Jen and Reagan when Reagan was one month old.”
Kate handed him the picture. “She’s beautiful.”
He looked at the photo, tenderness in his eyes. “Yes, she was.”
He looked back at Kate. “The guys are here, so I need to go. You can settle in. I won’t wake you when I come to bed, but tomorrow we’ll finish what we started a few minutes ago.”
“Dammit, Jesse! I should be at this meeting. We’ve discussed this. Don’t leave me out.”
“Kate, I’m not trying to leave you out. We’re going to discuss security, that’s all. There’s no need for you to be a part of that. Get some rest.”
She studied him. “Okay, Jesse. If I find out you discussed this case without me, you’re going to regret it.” She had no idea what she’d do, but she’d think of something if the time came. She had to trust him right now that they were only going to talk about security.
He laughed at her. Laughed. She envisioned wringing his neck. Before she could say anything else, he leaned down and gave her a quick kiss then turned to leave the room, taking the photo of his late wife with him.
“I ought to sneak down there and listen,” she muttered to herself. Then she looked at the comfy looking bed and decided that was a better idea. She knew enough about security that she didn’t need to listen to them hash out their schedules.
As she searched in her bag for something to sleep in, she thought about the opportunity she had. Both Jesse and Reagan were here, under the same roof. She didn’t know how much longer she’d be with them but knew she had to use every bit of that time to get them both to love her.
As she put on a t-shirt and shorts, she remembered tomorrow was Jason’s birthday. She should have mentioned it to Jesse. She’d love for the two of them to meet. Jason could use a male figure in his life right now. She knew he still grieved for his parents.
She climbed into the massive bed, choosing the side opposite where Jen’s picture had been.
Jason was important to her. She wouldn’t let Jesse stop her from seeing him tomorrow, technically today.
She’d wanted to stay awake until Jesse returned, but found herself asleep within minutes.
* * * * *
“You put Kate in your room.” Brad’s anger seeped into his voice.
“Yeah. So what if I did?” Jesse narrowed his eyes at him. He wasn’t some little schoolboy. He was a grown man. So what if he put her in his room?
“You’re fucking her, aren’t you?”
He crossed his arms across his broad chest. “Be very careful, Brad.”
“You’re too personally involved with her to provide protection,” Matt injected into the conversation.
Jesse stared at his brothers. They had never ganged up on him before. “Fuck you. I can protect her. What we do has no bearing on this.”
Brad pointed his index finger at Jesse. “You’re the one who told us never to get involved. Besides, it’s part of the basic rules for protection. Everyone knows that. You’re putting her at risk.”
Jesse stared at Brad. He knew the golden rule of protection, but it was Kate. His Kate. He wasn’t going to leave her alone because of some stupid rule. He wouldn’t do anything to put her life in jeopardy. He would give his life for hers. His gritted his teeth.
“I hope you know what you’re doing. Not only for her protection but to Reagan. She’s going to see you two together and hasn’t seen you with anyone before. She may get the wrong idea.”
Jesse startled them by responding, “No, Devon. She’ll get the right idea.” Before his brothers could form a retort, he said, “AJ’s here. Let’s get started.”
He knew he wanted Kate to stay with him, but what would happen if Reagan bonded with her and she didn’t want to stay? She’d finally given in and slept with him. That had to mean something. It had to. He couldn’t contemplate her leaving.
AJ walked up to his brothers and noticed the tension. “Something I need to know about?”
“Yeah, Jesse’s fucking your partner.” Brad crossed his arms over his chest.
“Asshole.” Jesse didn’t want to have this conversation with AJ right now. He needed to ensure the women and girls were safe. Having them all under one roof was a huge relief to him.
“What? It’s true. You can’t hide it when you have her sleeping in your bed.”
Jesse wanted to punch Brad. He wouldn’t leave it alone. He knew how AJ would react.
“Is this true, Jesse?”
He cleared his throat. This had gone on long enough. “Don’t start throwing punches again, AJ. It’s none of your business.”
“Bullshit. You’re using her. I warned you about hurting her.” AJ’s hands fisted at his sides ready for a fight.
“Back off, AJ. I’m not going to hurt her. She’s
mine
.”
Those two words ended the conversation. Brad, Devon and Matt looked at each other and smiled. AJ wore a disbelieving frown and swore.
“Now, we have a killer to catch.” Jesse walked away from them toward the men. “All right men, let’s get going. Ken, you have a team outside already?”
“We’re covered. We put the FBI detail inside, out of the way.” The men looked at AJ and chuckled. “Does this mean we’re still on to give Ambassador Hahn a couple of men the next two days?”
Shit. He’d been so focused on keeping Kate and Reagan safe he’d forgotten about that assignment. “Can you make it work? You have me, Brad and Matt to add to the mix.”
Ken nodded. “We can cover the house and the detail. We’ll only need Brad and Matt when Emily takes Amber to the doctor.”
Jesse wouldn’t leave any holes in protection, but they had promised Ambassador Hahn these men months ago. He’d never cancelled an assignment.
“I’ll keep Kate here, so there won’t be any problems. Now, I’m sure you’ve all heard of the new note. We’re giving it to AJ for prints, but we’re not holding our breath. You’ve done an excellent job protecting them to this point. Having them in one place should make this easier for you, but don’t relax assuming our system will catch someone. We have the best there is to offer, but no system is failsafe.