Mending Hearts (The American Soldier Collection 11)

“Jaxon, what’s wrong?” she asked.

He licked his lower lip as if he were processing his thoughts before he responded to her.

“There are a lot of guys who hang out there, especially at the bar.”

“And your point is what?”

He leaned closer and held her gaze with a firm expression.

“They have their eyes on you. Looking your body over, trying to flirt and take an opportunity to touch you. I don’t like it, okay? It pisses me off.” He nearly spat the last words.

He was jealous, and the thought did something to her. She reacted. She reached up and placed her palm against his chin. She held his gaze.

“Don’t be jealous. It’s just a job to help me make ends meet. Those guys don’t mean anything, but you, Jeb, Geno, and Gator do. I like you guys, so remember that, please.”

He looked at her lips and began to move forward, but she beat him to it and kissed him softly on the lips.

She loved how his masculine, gruff skin felt against her palm. He was sexy and manly and everything her body, her heart, and soul found appealing.

“Here we go.” Jeb returned, carrying a tray of food. She released Jaxon and smiled at Jeb.

“Thank you, Jeb.”

“You can thank me with a kiss like you just gave Jaxon,” he teased her as he leaned closer.

She placed her palm against his cheek and smiled right before she kissed him softly on the lips.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about.”

They chuckled and then began to sort out the food and eat lunch together in the small deli and café. Alana felt comfortable and actually happy, for the first time in quite a while, and that she needed time to process.

* * * *

Gunner McCallister stood in the office of the local police station in Salvation. As a Texas Ranger and a resident of Salvation, he worked a lot of the cases nearby and in the town. Over the last several years, he’d noticed the increase in population as well as the increase in criminal activity. For the most part, their law enforcement agencies, in a cooperative effort, had been staying on top of things. However, as he stood there with Jim and Teddy, two detectives, he couldn’t help shake the funny feeling he had about this latest murder.

“So where are you two in the investigation?” he asked them.

“The victim was alone, no family, and had just moved into Salvation a few months ago. By the intensity of the violence committed upon her, we believe that the killer knew her, perhaps intimately,” Jim said.

Gunner squinted his eyes and felt the anger begin to boil within him.

“Are you thinking about an ex-boyfriend or lover?” he asked.

“Could be. Duke, Shane, and Gerry are working on that theory now. So far they’ve found out she came from Houston, had told a few friends that she felt like someone was watching her, and then, within a few weeks, she packed up her things and left town,” Teddy explained.

“I wonder if she knew who had been watching her. But why she didn’t report him? We need to find that guy. I think I’ll take a ride into Houston and see what I can dig up. She had to confide in someone. She was twenty-one years old, working at a local restaurant as a waitress, and taking college classes. There has to b

e more to this.”

“We’ll keep digging on our end and hopefully come up with something more concrete or a clue. Her family is distraught, and they’re demanding that her killer be found,” Teddy added.

“And rightfully so. We’ll find the one responsible. I’ll keep in touch.”

Gunner headed out of the office then out of the building to his car. He couldn’t help but think about Gia and the two men who’d tried to forcefully take her, never mind that dick Jeffrey who’d attacked her. Men who went after women like that needed to be locked up and beaten. Someone had hurt this young woman, Samantha, very badly before they left her to die. The crime scene was horrific and definitely personal. He was out there, and Gunner would do what he could to find this guy and to bring justice to Samantha’s family.

Chapter 4

Alana sat on the living room floor, sweaty and tired from the workout video she did. She had wanted to go for a run but felt she didn’t have enough time to do so. As she gathered some energy, she got up and headed to the bathroom. She needed a shower and wanted to look good for tonight.