“Sorry, Jacobs, but he’s right. I’m apparently off limits.”
“Sweetheart, we can change that.”
“Weeks ago, I might have agreed, but he’s right. I’ve fallen for Jake.” She placed her hand over her heart. “He’s stolen my heart.” She grabbed his hand and squeezed. Unsure if she’d passed the test, he kissed her knuckles again, nodded, and returned to his seat. The tension in the air seemed to fade when they all sat back down, started eating, and made small talk. The reason they were all there hung in the air unsaid, making her uncomfortable.
Briggs didn’t appear to be a man of many words. Emma tried to break the ice by starting a conversation, but a few grunts were her only reward. Emma noticed when Briggs stood to take his dishes to the sink that he was the tallest of all of them. He easily stood six-foot-six dressed in fatigues and a brown shirt that stretched over his bulging muscles. He was another looker. A slight scar marred his face at the temple, and a black tattoo poked out from under his shirtsleeve. Emma thanked god he was on her side.
After sizing everyone up, she waited for Briggs to sit down. She looked at Mike and Jake. “So what’s the plan?”
Jake glanced at Mike, who nodded as if giving his approval to proceed, and turned to smile at her.
“I already told Edwards, Jacobs, and Briggs what has been going on. I just haven’t told them my plan.”
“And what might that be?” Emma asked.
“Well, angel, you’re with me. Butch, I want you to guard her baby sister, Abby. Briggs, you get detail on Claire, and Jacobs, I want you to shadow Emma’s nephew, John. The threat seems to be directed at Emma, but until we find out more, we can’t chance that this guy wouldn’t use her sisters to get to her.”
“They aren’t going to like your plan, big guy.”
“That’s where you come in, Emma. You get to help me convince them.”
“I’ll do anything to keep my family safe,” she said as she eyed the men sitting at the table. “Gentleman, I’m sure you’re very skilled but don’t underestimate my sisters. They’re resourceful and stubborn.”
Butch slid closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders again. “Now, sweetheart,” he said with a smile. “You’re challenging our manhood. We can keep a few little lassies safe.”
“Butch, my sisters will take your manhood, chew you up, and spit you out. I’m trying to give you fair warning. When they feel threatened, or anyone in our family is threatened for that matter, all bets are off. They won’t see you as protectors. They’ll see you as someone standing in the way of them being able to keep me safe. I’m telling you this to help you. I
need
you to keep them safe.”
“I’ll consider myself warned, sweetheart.” He strode to the coffee pot for another cup.
Determined, Emma marched over and invaded Butch’s personal space. She poked her finger in his chest. “Listen here, you ass. If you let anything, and I mean anything at all, happen to one of my sisters, there won’t be a place on earth you can hide from me. I’ll track you down myself.”
He grabbed her hand to stop the poking motion. “What are you going to do to me when you find me,
sweetheart
?”
Jake and Mike flew out of their chairs. Mike held Jake back because Mike knew what she was capable of. Hell, he’d taught her.
In a move so quick Butch didn’t see it coming, Emma spun out of his grip and bent at her knees. She swung around with her leg extending, sweeping his feet out from under him and dropping Butch on his ass, just like she’d done on the bald giant.
She leaned down to get in his face. “Don’t make the mistake of thinking you know me. You don’t know anything about me or what I’m capable of. If you’re as good as Jake and Mike think you are, you need to bring your A game when you deal with either of my sisters.” She straightened to her full height, took Butch’s freshly made coffee off the counter, and walked back to the table.
Momma Mae materialized and was seated in her chair. “Baby girl, be sweet to these men. They are just trying to help you.”
Sometimes it was downright annoying she couldn’t just talk or argue with Momma Mae when others were around.
Jake put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. He whispered in her ear, and his breath sent a shiver down her spine. “What other secrets are you hiding from me?”
“Baby girl, you need to tell him.”
Momma Mae’s statement and Jake’s question made her still. Her muscles tensed under his touch. She looked at her brother with her brows raised and tilted her head sideways in a plea for help.
“Jake, she’s
my
sister. Honestly, what did you expect? They had to learn to protect themselves when I wasn’t around. I taught her more than that little move.” Mike beamed at his best friend.
Butch pushed his muscular body up from the floor and approached her. Jake’s arm tightened around her shoulders before he pulled his arms away and made to step in front of her, but Butch held up his hands in surrender. He stepped closer, taking her hand in his.
“I’m sorry, Emma. I underestimated you, and I promise I won’t do the same with either of your sisters. You have my word.” He smiled, raised her hands to his lips, and pressed a quick kiss before looking at Jake with a grin.
Some woman somewhere must have taught all of them that kissing a woman’s knuckles was a sign of respect. Her brother must have missed that etiquette class. She had never seen him do such a thing.
“I would say I’m sorry, but I’m not. I need you to understand what you’re up against, and that’s just from my sisters, not to mention this maniac set on killing me.”
“You did. Oh, and by the way, if you ever come to your senses and dump Jake, I’m available.” Butch winked and sat back down.
Heat flooded her cheeks as she stared in disbelief. She cleared her throat. “Um, I… uh, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Emma dumped her coffee in the sink and rinsed her cup, looking out the kitchen window in front of her. The sun was shining. It was going to be a glorious autumn day, too beautiful to be stuck inside all day. She wanted to get out and forget about the events from the day before, but there was still too much to do. Jake came up behind her, placed his hands on the counter, trapping her where she stood, and whispered in her ear.
“It’s going to be okay.”
Her gaze and shoulders dropped, and she let out a sigh, leaning into his body to savor the feel, if only just for a moment. “I hope you’re right. I need to talk to my sisters.” She pushed back into his body to navigate some space and moved out of his embrace.
“Mike, I need you to break the news to Claire and Abby and find out where John is. You get the honor of introducing them to their babysitters. So far, this maniac only knows that Abby was with me on the run since the only other person he saw was Jake. I need to keep my distance until we find this guy. The fewer targets he has the better. If they give you fits…
when
they give you fits about having babysitters, have them call me, and I’ll handle it.”
“Over the phone?”
“Yep, I’ll handle it. Jake, grab your keys; you’re driving.”
“Where are we going?”
“I need to check in at the café, and I need more stuff from my house.”
“Give me ten minutes.” He strode from the room.
He left Emma standing there with a table full of men staring at her. “I’m sorry for getting you guys involved. Thanks for helping me.”
Her heart felt heavy as she left to gather her things. When she opened the door to her room after grabbing her purse, she ran into a familiar brick body. Jake crowded her in the wide hallway, and the warmth of his smile was infectious. Emma balled her fist to keep from reaching for his handsome face and stroking it, but his pull on her heart was something she would need to deal with later. The more time she spent with Jake, the harder it became imagining her life without him.
He placed his palm on her face. “Ready to go, angel?”
His light touch sent shivers through her. His eyes searched for something in hers. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
He gently grabbed her hand and placed it in his. “Don’t forget we’re joined at the hip. Kissing and public displays of affection are a must.” He steered her toward the door. “I’ll be able to keep you safe if you stay close to me.”
Having Jake glued at the hip for too long was a recipe for disaster. Emma needed to solve this riddle quick and get back to life as she knew it. Jake had the means to crush her without even knowing it, and she couldn’t give him the chance.
The wind ruined her perfect hair day. The unruly mass was whipping in her face as she made her way to the SUV. Emma added ponytail holders to her mental list of necessities. Today she would regroup, get her bearings, and create some sort of plan that didn’t include her death. Her sisters would meet their new guards, and she needed to help convince the she-devils to accept what help they were offering.
“Follow Lexington and take a left on Main. We need to go to the café first. I need to introduce you around so people will buy that we’re a couple.”
“What should I know about you to make this believable, Emma?”
“There isn’t much to tell. You’ve met my family, well, all of them but John anyway. My nephew is eighteen, just graduated high school, and I think he’s off with some friends during a school break before he starts college. You know where my business is, and you’ve met my ex. I would say you know more about me than I know about you. So tell me, Jake, what makes you tick?”
“That’s a loaded question.” He glanced at her, and the twinkle in his eye made his response even that much more accurate.
“Tell me something about yourself. Where is your family? Do you have any brothers or sisters? Where did you grow up? Where do you live now? Is there an ex-wife or girlfriend in the picture? Take your pick.” If she kept digging into his background, she hoped he would lay off hers. The risk of exposing one of her secrets was too great.
After several moments, he grabbed her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist. “There’s no ex-wife, and the ex-girlfriend is ancient history. The guys are my family now because my parents died when I was in the military, and my baby sister died when I was a teen.”
“Oh god, I’m sorry.” Emma looked from his somber face to her hands clasped in her lap. She knew what it was like to lose a loved one, and he’d lost his entire family.
“It was a long time ago. I grew up in North Carolina, but the last time I visited your brother, I liked it enough to buy a house here. I currently live in Virginia, where my business is located. When I need a vacation, I come and visit. I’m actually surprised I haven’t met you before now.”
He pulled up in front of the café, and she grimaced. The rumor mill was going to get a fair bit of gossip. He got out and walked around the SUV, scanning the area as he opened her door. Hesitant at first, she met his smile and took the hand he offered. Jake pulled her close against the line of his body, and whispered, “We need to make this look good.”
He pressed his lips to hers. She was lost in his embrace. His tongue stroked the crease of her lips, seeking entrance. Emma’s lips parted as she gave him the entrance he sought. He pulled her closer and deepened his kiss. Her breasts crushed against the hard planes of his chest. His hands caressed the small of her back, sending tingles of awareness through her body. She didn’t care who watched. She could get lost in his touch, in his strong embrace. Emma struggled to keep her wits about her, knowing he was putting on a show, but god, how she wished it were real. That it was possible to last longer than his vacation.
This is all just for show… This is all just for show.
She lightly pushed his chest and leaned out of his embrace. His smile widened in approval, successfully disarming her train of thought.
With her arms around his neck, she pulled him down and whispered in his ear. “You should have waited until we had an audience.”
The warmth of his breath caressed her skin as he whispered his reply. “Don’t worry, angel; we’ll do it again. That was in case anyone was watching from the street.” Jake kissed her neck, making her head roll back before pulling her tight against his body. He placed his arm around her shoulder and tucked her close to his side as they strolled into the café. Business was good for a Sunday. The café was packed. Most were her regulars, but there were a few unfamiliar faces in the crowd. The old ladies at their usual table started whispering to each other as Jake and Emma passed to the kitchen. She glanced around, taking in all of her surroundings. Her confident staff was handling their daily routine and duties.
“Hey, Helen, is everything okay?”
“We’re fine here, boss. We heard about the accident. How are you feeling?”
“A little sore, but I’ll live. Listen, if you notice anything unusual, anything at all, will you call me right away?”
Helen looked back at the other employees, her eyebrows pulled together. It was obvious she thought Emma’s request was unusual. “What should I be looking for?”
“Just anything out of the ordinary, missing stuff, strangers lurking around outside, anything…strange. I don’t care if it’s something small. Just keep your eyes open.”
“Sure thing.” Helen shrugged her petite shoulders. “I need to get back to cooking. You need anything else?”
“Nope. I’ll be in my office for just a bit if you need me.”
Helen smiled knowingly as her gaze landed on Jake. “I won’t let anyone disturb you. Oh, by the way, I left some phone messages on your desk.”
She tossed her thanks over her shoulder as Jake escorted her by the elbow to her office, normally her sanctuary, but she realized the construction outside had started back up. Another migraine was forming, and she didn’t have time to nurse it today. No, she had things to plan. She paused outside her door, forcing Jake to bump into her. Momma Mae was lounging behind her desk with her nurse-like shoes propped on the new mahogany.
“Is everything all right?” Jake asked as he poked his head around her, scanning the area.