In Zach's Arms (Once a Marine, Always a Marine Book 1) (9 page)

Elizabeth walked back in a haze. Henry’s little joke and her instant jealousy made her realize something important. She’d had strong, but confused feelings for Zach since she was in high school and terrified that her father would find out somehow. But this was different. This was more—overwhelming.

Jesus, she was in love with him.

This was the grown up stuff. The kind of love that was messy, all-consuming, and irrational. The kind of love that made a person insane enough to consider something that terrified her.

It made her want to please him, and that was beyond scary. Because, what if she lost herself? Lost her hard-won independence? Became a ghost of the person she was now, because of love?
 

Just like her mother.

***

 
“Never mind, she just walked in,” Zach said, as Elizabeth walked through the front door. “Yeah, thanks.”

She couldn’t believe the anger on his face as he came striding towards her.

“Where have you been?”

The soft tone was more menacing than any shouting he could have done and it jerked her out of the haze she’d been in walking back. Then he reached out and wrapped his arms around her, roughly pulling her into his chest for a bear hug.

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his middle, shaking her head at his worry. The mail slipped from her fingers as she returned his hug. He tugged at her hair, forcing her head back to meet his eyes.

“You’re going to give me a heart attack.”

“I just went to check the mail. I stayed on the property. Nothing happened.”

“Yet. Nothing happened yet. You’re not out of danger.”

And then he kissed her. He scorched her with his touch, making her forget the danger. Zach was everything good in her life, her rock, her family, her lover. And he kissed her like she was the prize from some Viking raid.

Elizabeth was so lost in the kiss that it was a moment before she realized there was a noise intruding. She opened her eyes and found that she was literally wrapped around Zach.

He stared at her a moment longer before putting her down.
 

“That’s your phone,” Zach said softly, when she looked confused. He dug the phone out of her back pocket and handed it to her. She took it with shaky hands.

“Hello?”

“Hey there, how’s all that mountain air treating you?” Her landlord’s cheerful voice was a cool splash of water to her overheated body.

“You’re not getting out of talking about your lack of safety sense.” Zach’s look was serious and she knew she was in for another lecture.

She nodded and focused on the call. “Hey, Bea. How are you?”

“Wondering if that man is as sexy as his voice?”

Elizabeth grinned. Bea had a one-track mind and not a shy bone in her body. Zach raised an eyebrow when she looked at him, but he didn’t ask any questions.

“Yes, he is.”

“I could tell. Good ones are hard to find these days.”

“So what’s up?”

“I’ve got some bad news for you. Your apartment was broken into again.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. What happened?”

Elizabeth bit her lip and looked up into Zach’s concerned face. He took her hand and led them both to the couch to sit down.

“I’m putting you on speaker so my friend, Zach, can hear, okay?”

“Sure. It’s the damnedest thing. Whoever broke in this time put everything back in place. I have to tell you, it makes the hair on my body stand up just thinking about it. Even the books are in the right order again. The weirdo even vacuumed.”

“Did you call the police?”

“I sure did. That sexy detective came out to look it over. But that’s not the worst of it,” Bea’s voice quivered just a bit. “He broke into my place as well. I must have been sleeping. I never heard a thing.”

“I am so sorry. You weren’t hurt, right?”

“Not so much as a scratch. I surely don’t understand it and the police just looked confused. I have to say, doesn’t give me much confidence in the system.”

“Did he take anything or destroy anything?” Elizabeth asked.

“Didn’t take anything that I could find except my address book. Gives me the willies knowing he was here while I was sleeping.”

“So, it’s possible that he only broke into your place to get this address?” Zach’s calm question broke into the conversation.

Beth could feel the shock on her face. Oh God. It had been so stupid to leave the house. He could be here already and she’d been out in the open. She might as well have just screamed ‘victim here.’

“That’s what that nice Detective Wolfe thinks,” Bea confirmed. “He told me not to worry you with this, that his team would handle it. But I say, forewarned is forearmed.”

“Thank you so much for calling. Jesus, I wouldn’t blame you if you evicted me.”

“Bullshit. You didn’t cause any of this. Some psychopath has decided that he has a beef with you and did some damage. So what. None of this is your fault.”

“Still, this is exposing you and the other tenants. What if something happened to one of them, like Mr. McCreedy or old Mrs. Walters on the third floor?”

 
“I happen to know that Eileen Walters has a sawed off shotgun hidden in her room and McCreedy packed a bag and took off, saying he’d be back on Monday.”

“Isn’t that a bit odd?”

“What, McCreedy or Eileen’s shotgun?”

“Mr. McCreedy, I mean, he never leaves his apartment.”

Bea paused. “Well, I never thought about that, but you’re right. This isn’t like him. Not at all.”

“What do you know about him, Bea? I mean, do you think he’s capable of something like this?”

“I’m aiming to find out,” she said grimly.

“Might I suggest you let Wolfe handle this, ladies?” Zach said.

He was right. Bea shouldn’t be snooping around Mr. McCreedy’s apartment. What if he found out and became violent? She shuddered at the thought of Bea getting hurt.

“You might have a point,” Bea said. “I’ll give him a call back right now. You take care of Elizabeth.”

“I will, Ma’am.”

Tears were welling up. Just when she was beginning to feel safe again. “I’m scared, Zach. What if he comes here?”

“If he makes it this far, I’ll take care of him. No one is going to hurt you, but you need to be more aware of your safety.”

“I’m sorry.”

He kissed her on the forehead. “I need to call a friend and let him know about McCreedy.”

Elizabeth nodded, not wanting him to know how cold she felt when he let go of her. She didn’t want to be that weak clingy woman. She had to be strong. Remembering the mail scattered by the front door, she got up to clean the mess.

That’s when she saw the package.

She remembered that Henry had handed it to her, but she’d been so lost in her own world that she had never looked at it on the walk back to the cabin. In fact, she’d completely forgotten about it until now.

“Hey Zach,” she said, staring at the package in a new light. “Can you look at the mail?”

Today’s postage was on it with her name and Zach’s address. No return address or name. She was suddenly very leery of touching it again.

“What is it?” Zach asked coming up behind her.

“I’m expecting a couple things in the mail, but nothing that would fit into a small box,” she said, pointing at the package wrapped in brown paper. “Detective Wolfe is sending some victim’s affidavit, but that would have been in a flat envelope. And I’m sure it would have a return address.”

“Bring me a Ziploc bag and the tongs from the kitchen drawer.”

She ran into the kitchen and got the items he requested. She returned and watched as Zach examined the box.
 

“Fuck.” He turned the package over with the tongs. “This was mailed from right here in Flagstaff.”

“But it was mailed today, the post office isn’t that fast.”

He pointed to the label off to the side. “Express delivery. This is still a small community. Small enough to make sure this package made it here today.”

He pulled a large pocket knife from his jeans and used the blade to slice open the tape. With the tongs he carefully opened the box and pulled out what was inside. It looked like some kind of silky material that was a dark forest-green color.

“Oh God. Those are mine.”

Bile rose up and burned her throat. In the grip of the tongs was the pair of underwear that had been stolen from her dresser during the first burglary.

“Beth,” Zach said. “Elizabeth,” he said in a louder voice, snapping her out of her stupor.

“Uh huh, I’m okay,” she managed. Her voice shook.

“I need the Ziploc, honey. I don’t want to touch these, they might have evidence on them.” His tone was grim. “Let me get them in the bag and then we can put them out of sight.”

She handed over the bag, nodding. “I’m fine, really, it was just a shock.”

“I know. You’re doing great, and you are safe here.”

His face was completely devoid of any emotion. He was in Marine mode and only his eyes gave away any indication of what he felt. It should have terrified her, that look in his eyes.

That look said that he could, and would, kill anyone that threatened her.

“I need to call the police,” she said.

He nodded and kissed her on the forehead as he stood. “Make the call.”

***

He watched from his hiding spot as she stepped outside, rubbing her arms as if she were cold. Her long blonde hair was down, wavy around her shoulders. She scanned the trees and he held his breath when she seemed to look right at him.

You feel me here, don’t you? Just like you could feel me in your apartment. Did you like the rose I left for you?

The moment was lost when a large man with dark hair came outside and joined Elizabeth on the wooden porch. She turned away and went into his open arms. And when she turned her face up for a kiss, he could feel the anger swell.

How dare she kiss another man.

And yet, watching her stirred his body. He wanted to be the one kissing her, holding her…controlling her. He’d put in the time and effort to show his devotion and he would make sure she was property impressed.

But she would have to be purified first.

He waited until the man led Elizabeth back inside the cabin. Then he backed away carefully. It took him ten minutes to get back to his car and another hour to reach the little motel he’d rented for the week. It never hurt to be overly prepared.

He shook off his jacket as he entered the shabby room. It served his purposes and when Elizabeth was purified enough for him, he would take her somewhere nicer. Pulling the duffle bag out from under the bed, he took inventory.

Duct tape.

Nylon rope.

Tranquilizers.

Whip.

He nodded to himself as he looked at the rest of the supplies. He still needed a couple of things, but he had the essentials. His checked the 9mm Glock as well, making sure it was loaded and ready.

The big man was a complication. He’d have to make sure to neutralize him or get him out of the way before he made his move. Elizabeth was his and it was time she found that out.

She would learn.

They always did.

Chapter 10

It had taken Beth some time before she was calm enough to make the call. She’d insisted on doing it herself. And yet, she looked like she was going to throw up or pass out. Maybe both.

And Zach was furious.

He wanted this bastard caught and caged as soon as possible. Dead was preferable, but he didn’t want his girl to see him kill, if at all possible. He had too many marks against him as it was. He wanted to marry her and have a family, and Beth was scared. Scared of commitment and scared that Zach would somehow morph into some sickly controlling person that would keep her locked up.

“Detective Wolfe is coming to get the box.”

Zach turned at the sound of her tired voice. She stood with her arms crossed, staring outside the back sliding door.

Moving towards her, he slid his arms around her and pulled her unresisting body back against his. She relaxed against him immediately. Her hair was soft against his face as he gave her his support.

“When did he say he would be here?”

“He said he was only an hour away. I guess he was headed here anyway to have me review and sign my statement. He decided not to mail it, after all; he said it was easier to just make the drive and get it filed. And I’m sure he’s going to tell me about the most recent break-in to my apartment. He wouldn’t want to do that over the phone.”

Zach tightened his arms. “You are not leaving my sight until this is over.”

“I’m safe here.”

But he heard the tremble in her voice. “Don’t lie to yourself, Beth. You’re safe with me, not here alone. And since Jess and I have some business that can’t be put off, I want you with me.”