One to Protect (One to Hold 3)

Derek takes the wine glass from me and follows Patrick into the living room. They immediately launch into a discussion, but Patrick’s speaking so low I can barely hear him.

“I touched base with Toni and assured them we’d be back tomorrow. Gabe wants his bike now, but he’ll give me twenty-four hours.”

Derek’s voice is equally low. “I don’t like leaving her while he’s still MIA.”

Frustrated, I go to where they’re talking. “Please tell me what’s going on. You know I don’t like being in the dark.”

Derek’s shoulders drop, and Patrick turns to me. “Sloan’s gone off the radar. We don’t like it in view of what happened in Baltimore. We still don’t have answers, and we’re not ready.”

My brow lines. “Ready for what?”

“We’ve been working on a plan since the Jessica Black report turned up. Derek was trying to establish a financial connection, but it was going nowhere. Sloan’s too experienced at covering his tracks.”

I look up at Derek, and he catches my hand. “Patrick’s idea could work, but we hadn’t started talking about it when my man in Baltimore alerted me that Sloan was missing.”

The dream, the memory of feeling like he was there watching me, causes a strange roaring sound to grow in my ears. Shivers fly up my shoulders, and I understand the meaning of Derek’s panicked appearance, Patrick’s following behind on the motorcycle. “You drove back today because you were afraid—”

?

??He left me stranded in Raleigh,” Patrick tries to laugh it off, but it isn’t working. “I had to borrow Lylah’s boyfriend’s bike, and that is not something those guys do lightly. I had to leave my watch with him.”

“Your Tag?”

“I’ll get it back.”

My eyes move to Derek’s, and I can’t decide which of the emotions surging through me is stronger—the intense love I feel for him or the intense hatred I feel for my ex.

The noise is pushing against my temples, and I step into the loving arms waiting for me. I hold his waist, and he holds me tightly until my trembling subsides.

“I hate this so much.” My voice is barely above a whisper, but he hears me.

His voice is a low vibration in response. “I’m going to fix it. You’ll never be afraid again.”

Hidden in his arms, inhaling the clean-woodsy scent I love, I find calm. Until finally I’m able to look around again, and I notice how quiet it is in the room. Patrick is back in the kitchen talking to Elaine.

Lifting my chin, Derek smiles before kissing my lips. “I’m not going anywhere if you don’t feel safe. You and the baby are my first priority now.”

Shaking my head, I push my hair behind my ears, working hard to regain my composure. “I can go to Mom’s office tomorrow and work. I’ll be okay. It’s like I keep saying, he cannot win. I won’t let him.”

Elaine calls from the kitchen. “Feel like eating something?”

Touching his rough cheek, I nod. “Let’s have dinner. You and Patrick keep your plans for tomorrow.”

His lips press into a smile, and he takes my hand in his, kissing the backs of my fingers before walking with me to the table. Elaine smiles and steps around to squeeze my shoulders. “If you ever want to hang out with me at school, I can always use an extra set of hands.”

“Thanks.” I pat her back. “I think I’ll spend the afternoon with Mom tomorrow, but I’ll keep your offer just in case.”

“We’ll have the information we need by tomorrow, I expect.” Patrick joins us at the table. “Then it’ll just be a matter of timing. We can plan it all out from here, where we can keep an eye on you.”

He winks at me, but when Derek speaks, his voice is serious. “I appreciate you watching her for me these past weeks.”

Shaking out my napkin and putting it in my lap, I pretend to be offended. “All this time, I thought you kept inviting me over because you enjoyed my company.”

Elaine passes the basket of bread. “You’ve been eating us out of house and home. Jeez! I’m glad Derek’s finally here.”

“I have not!”

She bursts out laughing. “I was only teasing! But I want some beachside dinners at your place now.”