Protecting Melissa (Holiday Cove 4)

“I got it,” she said, her tone gruff.

I didn’t know how we’d gone from fucking like teenagers to cold strangers in the span of twenty-four hours, especially since we’d barely spoken since she’d sneaked out of my room the night before. But there wasn’t time to worry about it. If all went according to plan, we’d be back on the boat, setting back out to open water and we could figure it out then.

“Here,” Melissa handed a bag to me. “That’s for Jackson.”

Without another word, she stripped the t-shirt off, and I sucked in a tight breath at the sight of her bare naked ass. She dressed quickly and efficiently, not paying any attention to the fact that she had a very attentive audience.

Damn it, Chase. Not the time.

She instinctively picked out a dark outfit, nearly mirroring my look, and tossed her long hair in a ponytail. “Is this okay?” she asked, spinning around.

I nodded. She squatted down, zipped the rest of the bag, and handed it to me. I held up the bag. “Is this everything?”

“I need a few things from the bathroom.”

“I’ll get everything. Just get Jackson up and explain we need to be quiet.”

She nodded and I threw the two extra bags over my chest. Good thing she was a light packer.

When I finished clearing the items from the bathroom, Jackson and Melissa were waiting for me by the door of the bedroom. “We’re going on a secret adventure?” Jackson asked, his voice soft and sleepy.

I smiled sadly. “That’s right, buddy. So you have to be really quiet and don’t talk to anyone. Not even your mom and me until we get back on the boat okay? Can you do that for me?”

He nodded, his young face grave. He might not know what was going on, but he knew that something wasn’t right. My heart ached for him. How was Melissa ever going to explain everything to him?

I didn’t have time to worry about it. My job was clear—get Melissa and Jackson to the boat and get them as far away from Cabo as possible.

“Come on.” I led the way out of the hotel suite and we started down the walkway between buildings to get to the beach. I doubted the men would be searching the beach considering the late hour and the darkness. Most of the shops and restaurants were closed and the beach was much darker than it was the first time we’d gone out exploring.

We made good progress, Melissa carried Jackson on her back, while I took care of the three bags. I wanted to grab my gun, to be ready for anything, but I knew it would scare Jackson. We reached the last cluster of businesses and buildings before the open space to the dock. “Okay,” I paused and sucked in a deep breath. “We have to go and we have to go fast. Jackson, remember our deal?”

He nodded and mimed to show him zipping his lips. I smiled softly, remembering when Melissa had made the same gesture over one of our late night chats not too long ago. “Good boy.”

“Stay close,” I said, dragging my eyes from over her shoulder, back to Melissa. She nodded, also silent.

I looked both ways, placed my hand on the butt of my gun, ready to draw at a moment’s notice, and started across the open ground. Melissa was at my side, Jackson clinging to her back, and we walked—quickly—for the dock. I didn’t see any sign of the men and the docks were silent as a grave as we tiptoed our way down the old wooden planks.

Every step was carefully set, as though I were picking my way through a land mine field back in some war zone. I harnessed my anxiety into a calm, steely exterior. I had to keep it together for myself and for Melissa. She was counting on me and I wouldn’t let her down.

We didn’t run into anyone on the dock and I breathed a sigh of relief when we started up the ramp to the boat. Melissa looked scared out of her mind when I reached for her hand to help her over the side. “Take Jackson below. I’ll be there soon, okay?”

She eyed me suspiciously. “Where are you going?”

“Do as I asked. Go below.”

Without another word, she spun on her heel and set off down the stairs. When she was gone, I tugged the straps of all the bags off of me and dropped them to the deck. We couldn’t fire up the engine and just cruise off into the night. Not when Henry’s men were so close.

I had to take care of them.

With a final glance to the stairs, I made up my mind. I’d make sure they couldn’t follow us.

Ten minutes later, I was lowering myself into the water. I had no idea if anyone was still on board and didn’t want to give them the advantage of a warning. Instead, I let my years of training as a Navy SEAL take over and submerged into the warm water without a sound. I swam around to the back of their boat and located the ladder and hoisted myself up. I silently climbed the metal rungs, going slow as to not disturb anyone and alert them of my presence. I wanted to know how they’d tracked Melissa and Jackson to Cabo. If we couldn’t figure that out—there’d never be any hope to relax and rebuild and I knew Melissa desperately needed that chance.