Remember Me (Men of Honor Series Book 1) (12 page)

“I’ll put the gun away.”

He turned, hands on his hips. “No. I want to keep it out. I’ll check the perimeter every hour or so in case he comes back. I’ll want that near me.”

She cocked her head. Her eyes narrowed.

No words were necessary. He knew exactly what she was thinking. He’d sounded too much like a cop. Man, this was going to be hard.

“I just meant that I want to walk around in a little while and make sure he doesn’t try to get in again.”

She shrugged, appeased for the moment with his change in words. “I’m not sure why. If it was a robber, I’m pretty sure you ran him off for good. But, suit yourself.” She moved behind the kitchen counter. “You want some coffee?”

“Sure. That sounds great.” He took a seat on the sofa, placing the gun on the end table within his reach. Tess had sat there only minutes before, helpless and alone while that creep lurked in her house. Near her, watching her. The hair on the back of his neck stood at attention. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his fingers steepled together. Trying to keep a calm façade for Tess’s sake while his thoughts raced was tough. Why would Menendez send some hooded thug into her house? That wasn’t his MO.

A steaming mug of coffee in front of his vision distracted him from his thoughts.

“Thank you.” He took the mug from her. His fingers brushed against hers, sending a jolt through his system. A few days ago he questioned why she affected him so. Now he knew. A part of him wished for that ignorance again. No. He couldn’t think that way. Knowing the truth was his best chance at protecting her. Protecting them both.

“I brought you a water bottle too.” She handed it to him as she sat beside him on the sofa. “You went running, I assume, so you need it.”

“Thanks.” He set his mug on the end table and took a swig of water. That was better. She was right. His body needed the hydration. The caffeine in the coffee would help him stay awake, alert to what the night might bring. Hopefully, nothing. He needed time to think. Go over what Menendez was doing. What was his plan?

“Penny for your thoughts.” She smiled, then took a sip of her coffee. It was in a big jug full of ice. She drank coffee iced almost all the time, no matter how cold it was outside. He used to tease her about it. He preferred Red Bull himself. A staple drink for long nights on the job.

On instinct he almost replied, “They’re always yours for free,” but the words caught in his throat. That was an inside joke between them. If he said it now, she’d know he remembered.

Changing the subject was his best defense. “You sure you wanna drink all that at night? You’ll be wired for sound.”

She giggled. “It’s decaf. I was sleeping soundly when my little…visitor...and you so rudely woke me up.”

“Oh really? Well, I’m sorry if my valiant effort to protect you interrupted your beauty sleep, Princess,” he teased.

Her laughter filled the air and filled his chest with warmth. There was nothing better than hearing her laugh.

He patted the couch next to him. “Here. Lie down and I will keep watch over you while you sleep in peace once more, Fair Lady.”

She giggled again as she curled up with her head in his lap. He pulled the blanket over her, tucking it in tight against her tiny frame.

“You must be fearless.” He leaned back against the sofa cushion, his hand moving to her hair, stroking it away from her face.

“Why do you say that?” Her breath was warm against his leg. His toes tingled.

“You didn’t seem afraid of that guy at all.”

“Well, to be honest, you came just as I woke up and found him here. I’m not sure what would have happened if you hadn’t shown up when you did.”

The thought brought a shiver to his spine. His gut clenched.

“I’m glad I did then.”

“Yeah. Me too.” He felt her cheek move against his leg, evidence of her smile.

It wasn’t long before her breathing was even and he knew she’d fallen asleep. Glad she was resting again, he took the time to think. Everything at that moment felt so right. Tess near him, in his protection. Peace. Calm. Quiet. But he knew better. Danger lurked out there somewhere, and he needed to get to it before it got to them.

Ben looked out toward the ocean through the large glass doors. The white caps of the waves shone in the moonlight, the wind still strong, but no real storm had arrived yet. Ironic. The winds of his life had picked up and were causing waves, but the real storm was still out there somewhere, waiting to hit. If only he knew when.

Tess’s Bible sat open on the end table. She must have been reading it when she fell asleep. He ran his fingers over the whisper-thin pages. How long had it been since he’d searched those pages for guidance? Tess always said Ben was her strength, her calm. But she was his, so much more than he ever told her. Consistent in her faith, never wavering, where Ben tossed around like the waves outside.

He laid his head back against the sofa. The ceiling was vaulted, the fan up high moving at a snail’s pace. Spinning aimlessly, just like him. His parents’ faces flashed before him, and his entire being ached to forget the call from Dane saying there’d been an accident.

His father had been a retired cop, his mother a schoolteacher. She could have retired but refused. Her classroom was her mission field, and the kids in the bad neighborhood where they lived needed her.

His dad was picking her up after school one day when a drug deal around the corner went wrong and shots were fired. Both his mother and father were caught in the crossfire. Collateral damage. He’d used that phrase countless times as a cop, but it meant nothing until the people he loved fell into the category.

His boss told him to take as much time off as he needed, but Ben continued to work. An only child, he had no family left. He had Tess. But even she couldn’t pull him from the dark place he’d spiraled into.

When the undercover job came about, he took it without a second thought. Dane discouraged him from it, knew it wasn’t what he needed. But Ben wouldn’t listen. He shut everyone out and moved on. He shut Tess out too.

“What was I thinking?” His whisper echoed in the quiet room. He looked down at her now, the blanket rising and falling with each breath. The moonlight hit her face just right, showing off her sun-kissed cheeks and nose. A few freckles poked out, making her cherub face seem childlike.

But there was nothing childish about her. His eyes wandered down farther, appreciating her curves beneath the blanket. A woman’s curves were a mystery to be desired but also guarded. Because of their faith, he and Tess had decided to save themselves for marriage. A definite challenge, but a worthwhile one, and they worked hard to honor that commitment.

He wanted to honor Tess. Needed to. Which meant he needed to move. Now. Before he did something he regretted. Not that he would ever regret being with Tess. He wanted nothing more. But he would regret doing so before the right time. And so would she.

Mike’s soft knock on the glass door took him from his thoughts.

Oh, man. Mike and Emma
. He hadn’t even thought about how this whole mess might affect them. It wasn’t just about Tess’s safety now, but theirs as well.

Ben slid away from Tess, careful not to disturb her slumber. He placed a sofa pillow under her head. She stirred but stayed asleep. He unlocked the back door and Mike stepped in, eyeing the gun on the end table with a raised brow. “Is there something I need to know about?”

“You want some coffee?” Ben moved into the kitchen while Mike took a seat at the counter.

“Sure. But that doesn’t get you out of answering my question.”

“Someone broke into Tess’s house tonight.” It was the truth. But Ben had no intention of elaborating or sharing
why
he thought someone was in her house.

“Are you kidding me?” Mike accepted the mug from Ben and took a sip. “That’s insane. This place is so safe. You know. We leave our doors wide open most of the time.”

“Yeah, I know.” Ben filled his own mug with fresh coffee and took a sip. “Maybe for now, you shouldn’t.”

“It was probably just some kid trying to see if he could snag some jewelry or a DVD player or something.”

If only Ben had more faith in mankind the way Mike did. But he’d seen enough in his job to know that not every crime was just some punk kid fooling around. And his gut told him this particular situation was much more.

Mike eyed the gun again. “I didn’t even know she had that thing until Emma told me about the day you guys found her in the shower and thought she was a burglar.”

Ben was about to say how it was okay since he’d taught Tess everything she needed to know about gun safety, but stopped himself. He took another sip of coffee. “I’m glad she has it. Especially after tonight.”

Mike turned and looked at Tess then back at Ben. “Do you really think she’s in some kind of danger?”

Ben turned and put his coffee mug in the sink. He didn’t want to lie. Mike had become a good friend. But he hadn’t decided yet how much anyone should know.

“I’m not sure.” Not the full story, but enough for now. He retrieved the gun. “Can you hang out here for a few minutes? I’m just going to walk around outside.”

“You really think the guy’s gonna come back?” Mike’s looked at Ben with wide eyes.

“Better safe than sorry.”

As he walked the perimeter of both townhouses, Ben rolled things over in his mind. When Tess had left San Diego and headed north to start a new life, his heart ached again over hurting her, but he knew it was for the best. The farther away from Menendez she was, the better. Going under cover was risky on a lot of levels, but keeping Tess safe was always his top priority. Even though that meant breaking her heart.

He had to find out what Menendez was up to, what he was thinking. He needed to talk to Dane. And above all, he needed to protect Tess. He knew he could guard her physically, but what about her heart? He couldn’t live through hurting her once more. He’d have to figure out a way, and fast.

***

Tess woke the next morning, the smell of fresh coffee tickling her senses. And what was the other scent? Bacon? She had to be dreaming.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”

Ben smiled at her from across the room. He sat perched on a kitchen counter stool reading the paper. A plate of bacon and eggs in front of him.

“You ready for some breakfast?”

She sat up on the sofa and rubbed her eyes. “Did I sleep here all night?”

“You sure did. Slept like a baby.”

“Were you here the whole night?”

“Yes. Mike came in last night and I told him what happened. We hung out on the porch most of the night. He went home about fifteen minutes ago.” He looked at his watch. “I checked the house and the outside every hour or so.”

“You didn’t have to do that.” She sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes. “Did you get any sleep?”

“No, but that’s okay. Mike and I drank Red Bull all night. That did the trick.” He winked.

Red Bull. His favorite drink. Did he remember that or was it a coincidence?

“Let me get you some breakfast.” He moved around the counter into the kitchen and began whipping eggs in a bowl. “I made you coffee too. It’s all ready to pour over ice.”

Tess shook her head, still fuzzy from sleep. She could sure get used to this kind of life with Ben. Simple. Comfortable. Safe. But what kind of future would they have if he never remembered? She couldn’t live with that kind of deceit, and it wasn’t fair to expect him to either. After her shift at work today, she’d tell him. Talk to him. He needed to know so he could make a decision about his future based on the truth.

“You okay if I borrow your car today? I can take you to work and pick you up.”

His voice invaded her thoughts. “Huh? Yeah. Sure.” She stood and headed for the iced coffee he held out to her. “Sorry. Still waking up.”

“I understand.” He kissed her forehead and went back to making her food.

She sat at the kitchen counter and sipped her drink, letting the coolness flow through her, waking her senses. Oh yeah, she could definitely get used to this.

***

Ben guided Tess’s TTS Roadster down the freeway, grateful for a car with speed. Tess was working a twelve-hour shift. Just enough time for him to get down to San Diego and talk to Dane, check out his house, and return in time to pick her up.

He had plenty of time to think as he drove. Carlos Menendez was the reason for all his misery. The reason his parents were dead, and now the reason things were so messed up with Tess. He slammed his hand against the steering wheel. No. He had to take responsibility. Yes, one of Carlos’s men pulled the trigger that killed his parents, but Ben chose to take the undercover job to get revenge. At the time, he wanted nothing more than to have Carlos Menendez behind bars. But not now. Having Tess back in his life, seeing all he could have had if he’d stayed with her and built a life. He needed to bury his past and move forward. But simply walking away from Menendez wasn’t possible.

He pulled into the drive of the rundown shack he called home while undercover. Aware of how Tess’s car stood out in that kind of neighborhood spurred him to move quickly. He didn’t want any attention drawn and certainly didn’t want Menendez to know he was here.

He moved through the house, grabbing what he needed. His badge was hidden in a kitchen drawer, the cell phone he used to contact Carlos in the bedroom dresser. He looked at the screen. Ten missed calls. Two were from Carlos, the rest were from Sophia.

Sophia
.

He’d completely forgotten about her. Tucking the phone in his pocket, he locked the front door and got in the car. He couldn’t think about her right now. He’d talk to Dane, get an update, and then decide what to do from there.

He’d made such a mess of things. He shook his head. Mess wasn’t even a good enough word to describe what he was in. Tsunami was more like it.

***

Ben pulled into the parking lot of the police station, knowing no one would recognize him in Tess’s car. However, a car like hers would draw attention, no matter what. He drove around back and parked behind a big truck.