Guarded by the Soldier Read online

  Ryker shrugged. “That’s just his way of keeping things light. Cops, like soldiers, put their lives on the line every single day. If they didn’t make jokes, they wouldn’t be able to do their jobs.”

  He had a point. “I guess.”

  “Duncan served with me and Hawk over in Afghanistan.” Ryker glanced at her, his gaze serious. “He knew your brother and husband.”

  The news was sobering. She stared down at her hands resting on her belly. The indentation around the fourth finger of her left hand wasn’t noticeable anymore, likely because she was retaining a bit of water weight. Still, she couldn’t help rubbing the spot where her wedding ring had once rested.

  She and Tim had exchanged vows to love and cherish one another, but she eventually realized their marriage was a farce.

  Ignoring the signs of their marriage unraveling had been stupid. Learning about God and faith these past two months had made her error in judgment glaringly obvious.

  It was a mistake she wouldn’t make again. Marriage wasn’t something to take lightly, and she knew that from this point on, she was better off alone.

  * * *

  The way Olivia was rubbing the fourth finger of her left hand bothered him. Was she grappling with the fact that he’d been a part of the team who’d killed her brother and husband? He couldn’t blame her, yet if she’d known how her brother had pointed a gun at four-year-old Lizzie, she’d be horrified.

  Not his place to tell her.

  He decided to focus on the fact that Duncan and hopefully Mike were on the way, with new disposable phones, a new SUV and enough cash that they could stay off-grid for a long time. He didn’t want anything that might leave a trail back to him.

  It had been a gamble to take the Blake-Moore SUV. Most of the new models had built-in GPS devices, and once the two gunmen he’d tied up managed to get free, they’d be intent on tracking the vehicle. But they’d need to hot-wire his SUV or get another first. Time that would work in their favor.

  He’d have to ditch their vehicle soon. He’d brought several thousand in cash with him, but his reserves would take a hit when he purchased a replacement car.

  But it was worth it, to keep the three lives in his care safe from harm.

  His headache had faded to a dull throb. He’d taken some over-the-counter medication when they’d stopped at the gas station. Then he’d cleaned up the blood from the back of his head the best he could, without mentioning the wound to Olivia. She didn’t need anything more to worry about.

  He was worrying enough for both of them.

  “I meant to ask earlier, do you know Tim’s cousin, too?”

  Cousin? He turned to look at her. This was the first he’d heard of a cousin. “Maybe. What’s the name?”

  “Seth Willis. He served overseas with Tim and Colin, too.” She frowned. “Although, now that I think about it, I don’t know that they were in the same unit.”

  He searched his memory but came up empty. “I can’t say the name rings a bell. Did Seth also join the Blake-Moore Group?”

  She bit her lip, her brow wrinkling as she considered his question. “I think so. I think he might have been at the first cookout that the guys had when they initially joined the group.”

  “Good to know.” It was a great clue to follow up on. Was it possible the cousin was out to vindicate the deaths of Tim and Colin?

  No, that wasn’t logical, either. Olivia and Aaron were innocent bystanders in all of this. There would be no reason on earth for Willis to come after her with armed men.

  It had to be one of the two founders of the organization, either Kevin Blake or Harper Moore, or both, who had sent the mercenaries after Olivia.

  Nothing else made sense.

  “Um, Ryker?”

  He glanced at Olivia. “What?”

  “I need to go to the bathroom.” Her cheeks were pink as if she was embarrassed to mention it. “And it would be good for Aaron to go, too.”

  “Oh sure. Of course.” He mentally berated himself for not thinking of that sooner. He hadn’t been around when his girlfriend was pregnant; he’d met her a year or so after she’d given birth to her daughter. But it made sense that frequent trips to the bathroom were symptoms expectant mothers dealt with.

  “I think there’s a gas station up ahead.” She avoided his gaze, still rubbing her belly.

  “Works for me.” He eyed the gas gauge, deciding they were fine for now.

  He wasn’t inclined to leave a full tank of gas for when the mercenaries eventually found the SUV. In fact, he’d prefer to leave the tank dry as a bone.

  The stop at the gas station took longer than he liked. It seemed like Olivia and Aaron were in the bathroom for a long time, then they went through the small convenience store, picking out snacks.

  When Olivia reached inside her oversize bag, he stopped her with a hand on her arm. “I’ve got it.”

  “It’s fine. I have money.”

  He ignored her protest and paid for the items in cash. When he noticed she’d included a couple of toys for Aaron, he realized that was yet another thing he should have thought about while he’d been watching over them.

  To be fair, the little boy had been great while they’d hidden on the mountain. He’d expected a lot of crying or complaining. But Aaron had been remarkably well behaved.

  When everyone was settled in the SUV, he hit the road again, keeping an eye on his rearview mirror. So far, there had been no sign of the mercenaries, but he knew it was only a matter of time.

  Fifteen minutes later, he noticed a sign advertising a used-car lot. When they approached, he pulled off the highway and headed toward it.

  “What are you doing?” Olivia’s voice reflected her concern.

  “We need a new set of wheels.” He offered a smile. “Don’t worry—this won’t take long.”

  “But...” She rubbed her hands over her stomach, a gesture he’d noticed she used when she was upset. “I thought we’d use this car until we met up with Mike and Duncan.”

  “These SUVs have GPS devices built into them. The sooner we ditch it, the better.”

  “You mean, they could use the GPS device to find us?” Her voice squeaked in protest.

  “Yes, but I have a plan.” He pulled into the lot and threw the gearshift into Park. “Let’s go.”

  Her blue eyes darkened with apprehension, but she unbuckled her seat belt and slid out of the car. She grabbed the diaper bag, leaving him to get Aaron out of his car seat.

  “I’ll take that.” He didn’t want her carrying anything heavy. He glanced around at the options available to them. “Look for something under five thousand dollars. It only has to get us to Springfield or Bloomington, so nothing fancy.”

  She nodded, and began peering at the stickers on the vehicles closest to them. It didn’t take long for a salesman, likely the owner, to come out to meet them.

  “What can I help you folks with today?”

  “We’re looking for a car.” Ryker knew the guy was just trying to be cordial, since there was no other reason for them to stop in a used-car lot. “Something with a reliable engine, yet not too expensive.”

  “How about this one?” Olivia stood beside a dark blue sedan with several spots of rust.

  “I have a van over here.” The salesman gestured to a large Dodge Caravan. If he thought it was odd that they’d arrived in a new SUV, he didn’t let on. “Perfect for a growing family.”

  “Maybe give us a few minutes alone.” He smiled to take the sting from his tone.

  “Sure, sure.” The guy pulled out a business card. “Name’s Bill Sommers. Let me know when you’re ready.”

  With Bill out of the way, he made his way down the row of cars. They were more expensive than he’d planned, the dark blue one coming in at exactly five thousand.

  Then he found a tan sedan with a decent
price. “What do you think?” He looked at Olivia.

  “Looks good. I say we take it.”

  Before he could call out to Bill, the salesman came rushing over. “Find something you like?”

  “We’ll take this one. Will you give me a deal to pay in cash?”

  “Cash?” Bill’s eyes practically popped out of his head. “Sure. How about five hundred off the price?”

  “Sold.” Ryker managed to keep smiling, but felt edgy. He wanted to pay the man and get out of there, pronto.

  They followed Bill inside. Ten minutes later, they had the keys in hand.

  “I’ll just get the car seat.” Olivia hurried over to the black SUV.

  “Uh, you’re not leaving that here, are you?” For the first time since their arrival, Bill looked concerned.

  “Don’t worry, a couple of friends will be by to pick it up, although I’d appreciate it if you would shred my personal information while I watch. I’m careful that way.”

  “I guess.” The guy shrugged and did as Ryker asked.

  Ryker smiled in satisfaction and shook Bill’s hand. “Thanks again.”

  As they drove out of the parking lot in the tan sedan, he thought he caught a glimpse of a familiar black SUV several miles behind them. The flat terrain made it easy to watch their six. He tightened his grip on the wheel and did his best not to panic.

  There were lots of black SUVs on the road, he told himself. It was a popular color. They were safe, for now.

  He sped up, putting more distance between them. Maybe it was time to try the interstate, where the speed limit was higher.

  As he approached an entrance ramp, he noticed the black SUV wasn’t on the road anymore.

  Because the mercenaries had turned into the used-car lot?

  If so, it wouldn’t take long for the two men to get back on the trail. Despite his warning, he figured Bill would blab all about the vehicle they’d just purchased for cash.

  Ryker knew they needed to get to Duncan and Mike as soon as humanly possible.

  Before the mercenaries caught up to them.

  SIX

  Something was wrong. The way Ryker kept staring up at the rearview mirror was concerning.

  “What is it? Have they found us?” She twisted in her seat, no easy feat with her belly, to glance behind them. There were plenty of cars on the interstate, but nothing that seemed out of the ordinary.

  Not that she was an expert.

  “We’ll be fine.” Ryker’s calm voice didn’t quite match the dark shadow in his hazel eyes. “We’ll have help from Duncan and Mike soon.”

  “I know.” She told herself that Ryker had already gotten her and Aaron safely out of harm’s way several times already. No reason to think he couldn’t do it again, if needed. Besides, they were in a different car now, a tactic that should help them escape the men from the Blake-Moore Group. Although she still didn’t understand why they were after her.

  Smoothing her hand over her belly, she tried to remain calm. Stress wasn’t good for her or the baby.

  She was glad to know she had six weeks left before her due date. Surely all this running would be over before then.

  Wouldn’t it?

  “Whee, I’m flying.” Aaron held the toy plane in his chubby fist and waved it around in the air, making dips and turns. “Mommy, I wanna be a pilot someday.”

  “I’m sure you will.”

  “He’s a great kid.” Ryker’s voice was low. “I’m amazed he’s holding up so well.”

  “Me, too.” She glanced back at her son, who was content to play by himself for a while. The cheap toys she’d purchased at the gas station were a welcome diversion. “He hasn’t asked for his father in months.” The statement popped out before she could stop it.

  “He hasn’t?” Ryker threw her a sidelong glance.

  She slowly shook her head and stared blindly out the windshield for a bit. “Tim wasn’t around much, even before...” Her voice trailed off.

  Before he was killed.

  “I’m sorry.” She wasn’t sure if Ryker’s apology was for her loss, or for the role he’d played in her husband’s death.

  She shook off the dark thoughts. “It’s okay. I’m just glad Aaron isn’t missing him too badly.”

  Ryker nodded but didn’t say anything else. She wondered about his past personal relationships. He didn’t wear a wedding ring and never indicated he was married, but for all she knew, he had a woman waiting for him back home—wherever that was.

  Not that Ryker’s personal life was any of her business.

  Except hadn’t he said something about tracking her for the past few weeks? Did that mean his girlfriend didn’t mind him being gone for long periods of time?

  If the situation was reversed, she’d mind.

  She cast another glance at him, subtly studying his profile. His dark hair was short, his cheekbones prominent. There was a dark stubble shadowing his cheeks, which normally wasn’t her thing, but now made him look even more attractive in a rugged sort of way. His strong muscles beneath his black T-shirt were not bad on the eyes, either.

  Enough. She peeled her gaze away to stare out the windshield. They were running for their lives from armed men. Why was she noticing Ryker’s looks? Must be that her hormones were all out of whack.

  Yep, that was it. Hormones.

  She didn’t want a man in her life. Honestly, all she wanted was to be safe. To raise her son. To bring her baby into the world.

  And a place to call home.

  Tears pricked her eyes, and she quickly brushed them away. There wasn’t time for a pity party. Hadn’t she learned from church services that God was always with her? Always watching over her? She often felt His presence when she prayed.

  Between God and Ryker, she and Aaron and the baby were safe.

  And that was all that mattered.

  Exhaustion swept over her. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the window.

  The baby moved and kicked, making her smile. She placed her hand over the motion, wishing she dared share the moment with Ryker.

  “Active today?” Ryker’s dry comment made her realize his keen gaze missed nothing.

  “Apparently only when I want to rest.” She wryly shook her head. “Happens all the time.”

  Ryker’s gaze landed briefly on her belly, then shifted quickly back to the road. Before she could say anything more, his phone rang.

  She picked it up from the center console, then pressed the Talk and Speaker buttons. “Hello?”

  “Olivia?”

  “Yes.” She glanced at Ryker. “Duncan, is that you?”

  “Yeah, I assume Ryker is there listening in?”

  “I’m here,” Ryker said.

  “Well, I’ve got good news and bad.” Despite the former, Duncan’s tone held regret. “The good news is that I have Mike following me in his own SUV, so we can give you guys one to use. The bad news is that we’re running late. We weren’t planning on a semitruck colliding into a pickup. As if the stupid toll roads and Chicago traffic didn’t slow us down enough.”

  “Yeah, I hear you on the tolls. We’re about two hours out of Bloomington. We’ll still plan to meet there. When we arrive, I’ll let you know which motel we’re at.”

  “Sounds like a plan. Later.” Duncan disconnected from the call.

  She dropped Ryker’s phone back in the pocket of the console. “I hate to tell you, but I’ll need another bathroom break in the not-too-distant future.”

  If he thought she was annoying, he didn’t let on. “Can you make it another ten miles to the rest stop?”

  “Sure.” She winced when the baby kicked her bladder. This pregnancy felt very different from her first and she couldn’t help wondering if the difference was just the fact she was completely on her own, or if this baby might be a girl.

/>   Honestly, the gender didn’t matter to her, as long as the baby was healthy.

  No premature labor allowed.

  Ryker pulled off at the rest stop. Hopefully this would be the last time they’d need to take a break before reaching their destination. She unbuckled her seat belt and levered herself out of the car, her thigh muscles groaning in protest after the morning climb.

  Ryker pulled Aaron out of his car seat, then swung her zebra bag over his shoulder. Oddly, she found the way he carried the diaper bag endearing.

  “Let Aaron walk,” she suggested. “He needs to burn off some energy.”

  Ryker put the boy down and he immediately started to run toward the building. Liv hurried after her son.

  The bathroom break lasted longer than it should have, but considering how good Aaron had been, she couldn’t make herself cut his playtime short. To his credit Ryker didn’t say a word, although she could sense his impatience to hit the road.

  Unlike her husband, whose temper had been razor sharp and quickly triggered the last few weeks of their marriage.

  “Thanks,” she said, when they were finally back on the interstate. “I know that waiting around made you crazy.”

  He shrugged. “Not really. The extra time was helpful in making sure no one followed us. So far, so good.”

  Her smile dimmed. “I’m glad.”

  Ryker’s intuition, the way he stayed alert at all times, was instinctive for him. He didn’t even have to think about what to do. And he never complained.

  She couldn’t imagine living like that, constantly watching your back.

  This was clearly his world. One she didn’t particularly care for.

  Once the danger was over, she knew Ryker would move on to something else. And that was a good thing.

  She wanted nothing more than to find another accounting job and settle down in a quiet place to take care of her new baby and her son. And while she’d miss the calming, supportive side of Ryker’s nature, she knew their worlds would never mesh.

  It was foolish to wish for something more between them.