Accidental Shield

Shit.

Cash questioned why I was giving her a phone, but it’s not like I’m trying to keep her under lock and key. I took the right precautions. Set up encryption, made sure no one can trace her even if she makes the wrong connection.

I’m trying to keep her safe. Alive.

That’s why I have my old crew watching the house, so no one even gets near the gate without it getting back to me first.

She’s shaking her head, then puts a hand to her forehead like she’s reeling.

My stomach flips as my instincts kick in. “Sit tight. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” Bryce says, already sucked into his game again.

I’m thankful for the diversion.

Speed walking to the door, I try to hold back the urgency for his sake, but I break into a quiet jog in the hall. I’m almost at a full run by the time I hit the lanai.

Val turns. The fear on her face has me running to her side. Tears are in her eyes as I snatch the phone out of her hand, just in time to hear a man’s voice, mid-explosion.

“Damn it, Valerie, I’m your brother! Stop farting around. Tell me how far away you are from Honolulu.”

Ray Gerard. The hair stands up on the back of my neck, and I shoot her a sharp look.

What the fuck just happened out here?

She looks at me, shame heavy in her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she mouths.

“Val? Are you still there, or what?” her brother asks through the phone.

I hold it closer to her mouth and nod firmly.

This never should’ve happened, but since it did…I have an idea.

“I’m here,” she says into the phone.

“I said I’ll pick you up and bring you home, wherever you are,” Ray says. “Tell me what the app says.”

“I-I haven’t pulled it up. I’m having a hard time getting things to work,” she says, looking up at me with uncertainty filling her eyes.

I don’t want her having a damn thing to do with this guy, and consider hitting the end call button.

On the other hand, it could give me a better idea what’s going on.

If we can draw Gerard into the open, I can feel his scummy ass out and throw him off her trail.

“Damn it, Val, you aren’t that fucking stupid, amnesia or not! What’s your problem? I’m your only help right now, so you’d better be telling me the truth, and—”

I tap the mute button while he’s still roaring. “Tell him you’ll meet him at the Honu Wind coffee shop in Aiea.” I hit the button again to unmute the phone. Bastard’s still yelling.

It’s hard to resist the urge to tell this little idiot where he can stuff his tantrum.

“…No fucking cops,” he finishes.

Odd. Now I wish I’d paid more attention to what he’d said, but it’s too late.

I nod at her and whisper. “Go ahead. Tell him.”

“W-will you meet me at Honu Wind Coffee?” she asks.

Before she continues, he shouts, “Which one? There’s damn near a dozen or more all over the island.”

I nod at her again and mouth, “One hour.”

“The one in Aiea,” she says. “In an hour.”

“An hour? Where the hell are you?”

Enough. I stab the end button and grit my teeth as the phone chirps, disconnected, the screen flashing.

Then my eyes whip to her. Part of me wants to be angry, pissed that she threw away my trust at the first opportunity.

Too bad one look at Val does me in.

Those golden eyes are dull, drained, and small like they just had their light sucked out. Even her pretty dark hair seems less lively, a shade paler, flopping listlessly in the breeze. Her sun-kissed shoulders droop so low I grab her arm just to help her up, to stop her from fully collapsing.

She doesn’t go down, but bows her head, pressing a fluttering hand to her temple.

“I’m sorry, Flint. So sorry. I shouldn’t have been reckless, I shouldn’t have called. I just…” Shaking her head, she says, “I don’t even know. Call it a reaction. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

I guide her around to the lanai, out of the sun. “It’s done, honey. No use bickering over it.”

She lets out a heavy sigh. “I didn’t want him to know where I was, where I am. I swear, I never would’ve brought him to your house. But I had to know if…if he was as bad as the dream. If my own flipping brother can’t be trusted. Well, I got my answer.”

“I get it,” I say, leading her to a chair. “Sit down for a minute.”

She sits and wipes the tears off her cheeks. “I recognized his face when his picture came up on my Facebook list. I clicked it, saw King Heron Fishing, and called the number without thinking. His receptionist rerouted me. As soon as I heard his voice, I wished I hadn’t. I knew I screwed up.” She pinches her lips together, shaking her head again. “I could tell he was mad. Just furious.”