Protecting His Kidnapped Family (Southern Soldiers of Fortune 2)

“Just wondered, that’s all.” Levon shrugged and picked up a pen to toy with it. “You know, Olive’s always getting on me about being in the moment. Like when I’m at home, she says I shut her out when I get distracted by work—that I miss out on the love and comfort that gives me the strength to be good at my job.”

“Yeah? So?” Noah sat back and crossed his arms, more annoyed at himself than anything.

“So, just be careful you don’t do that too, dude,” Levon said, giving him a look. “That’s all I’m saying.”

“I’m not,” he snapped, then shook his head. “Sorry. I’m not trying to be an ass. It’s just hard, you know? I never thought I’d be in a relationship ever, let alone have a kid. Maybe I’m not cut out for it.”

“Dude, don’t be stupid. Of course you’re cut out for it.”

“No, I’m not so sure.” Noah took a deep breath. “I mean, this job is dangerous enough as it is without worrying about a wife and kid at home. I don’t want to make Serena and Gracie’s lives any harder than they already are.”

“Hey, man. Seriously, you—”

Whatever Levon had been about to say to him was cut off by Clint’s shout. “Guys, we got a lead!”

Both guys exchanged a look and rushed over to Clint’s desk.

“What is it?” Noah asked.

“We used surveillance footage from the casino to track your attacker and spotted him getting off a plane earlier this morning at Hartfield International. He’s on his way to a hotel near the airport now.”

“Shit.” Levon started back to his desk to grab his gun out of the drawer. “What are we waiting for?”

“Tomorrow morning,” Clint said. “I just got off the phone with the local cops and if we want this done right, we need to wait until the ambush is ready and everything’s lined up with Interpol. They want to go in early in the morning.”

“Right.” Noah released his pent-up breath. “Tomorrow. Okay. What’s the plan?”

18

By the time Noah walked in the door that night, Serena was beat. Gracie had been fussy all day and it just seemed to be one thing after another. Serena had hoped to have a nice relaxing night with him, maybe veg out on the sofa, play with the baby a bit, then go to bed early and cuddle. Unfortunately, based on the scowl darkening Noah’s face, that wasn’t going to happen.

“How was your day?” she asked, following him into the guest bedroom, just down from the nursery where Gracie was napping. “Anything I can help with?”

“No,” he said, stripping off his shirt and tossing it in the hamper against the wall. “Just a lot on my mind.”

“Is it to do with my case?”

“Some of it.” He walked into the attached bathroom, splashed water on his face and did a quick scrub down before grabbing a towel to dry off. “They tracked the guy who tried to attack you in the casino. He’s here—in Atlanta, in a hotel near the airport. Luckily, the authorities in South America are pretty eager to get him back, so all we have to do is grab him and turn him over. Me and the guys have planned a takedown for tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, can I come?” she asked, scooting to the edge of the bed, excitement zinging through her. “I’d love to see that guy get what’s coming to him.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Noah walked out, his words muffled by the towel pressed to his face. He tossed it aside and searched for a clean shirt among the stuff she’d unpacked and hung up in the closet for him. “It’ll be safer for you here. With the baby.”

Dammit. He was right and she was being unreasonable, but she was in too far to back down now. “I can take care of myself,” she said, clenching her teeth. “And Olive could watch her. With you and the other guys there, I would be taken care of anyway.”

“No.” He shook his head, then tugged a clean black T-shirt on. “You stay here.”

Serena bit back the argument clawing to get out and took a deep breath. This wasn’t going to help anything and letting her temper take over wasn’t productive. If she’d learned anything in her years working with charities and other causes, it was that compromise was best, even if it wasn’t always easy. “I just put Gracie down for a nap, but if you want to go in and see her, I think she’d like that.”

“Best not,” he said, raking his fingers through the damp hair at his temples. “I never was much good with her. Don’t want to upset her.”

Serena fisted the duvet in her hands to keep from punching something, namely him. Just when she’d thought they’d defeated his negative self-talk once and for all and proven he was a good caretaker for Gracie and a competent dad, insecurity reared its ugly head again. She seriously could not deal with this right now.

Spurred on by annoyance, mixed with anxiety about the takedown the next day, Serena pushed off the bed and walked over to him, determined not to let him off the hook so easily. She stepped in front of him when he tried to leave, blocking his path, and shut the door so they were trapped in there together. “I don’t think that’s the reason at all.”

He gave her a mulish look. “What are you talking about?”

“The baby. I don’t think you’re really scared of hurting her. I think you’re scared of opening up to her, letting her into your heart, getting too close. To her and to me.”