Jardin's Gamble (Haven, Texas 9)

searching through it. He pulled out a small square object. “A tracker. They must have tucked this in one of the pockets.”

Thea felt ill. “They knew where I was all along? I was never going to get away from him?”

“Fuck, we’re lucky they didn’t snatch you already,” Carrick said.

“More difficult to do that than it seems in Haven. The men here watch over all the women. Even this motel has good security. My guess is the perfect opportunity didn’t come up yet.”

“What do we do with the tracker?” she asked. “Should we leave? Oh God, the boys! What if he tries to take the boys?”

“Calm down, baby,” Jardin soothed. “I’m going to bring in some reinforcements. We’ll keep you all safe.”

25

Reinforcements came in the form of the Malone family.

And there were a lot of them. Carrick had rushed off to the school to grab the boys while Jardin helped her back their stuff. By the time they’d been ready to leave, Maddox had skidded his way into the parking lot. He’d taken her car and the tracker, leaving them with his truck.

They’d met up with Carrick and driven here to the Malone ranch.

“Thea, we’re so glad you’re here,” Flick told her with a grin. “We women need all the help we can get to corral these guys.”

“There is no corralling these guys,” Mia countered, turning from where she was cooking something that smelled delicious at the stove. Apparently, Mia had been a chef before she’d come to the Malone ranch to hide from a mobster who’d been trying to kill her.

Alec Malone had agreed to keep her safe and he’d fallen in love with her. He was terrifying, stern, and abrupt. And West, Flick’s boyfriend, was even more gruff. She’d wondered what the other brothers were like. Alec and West had been waiting to greet them when they’d arrived.

After settling the boys into the living room with some video games, Carrick and Jardin had gone off with Alec and West, while she’d been dragged into the kitchen for some girl talk.

“I should go check on Ace and Keir.”

“They’ll be fine.” Flick waved her hand. “I need your help deciding how to propose to West.”

“Don’t do it, Flick,” Mia warned. “Do. Not. Do. It.”

Flick pouted.

“Maybe you should, uh, try to sound him out first,” Thea suggested, feeling sorry for Flick.

“Hmm, good plan. But how?” Flick asked.

“Perhaps Thea could ask at dinner how everyone feels about women proposing?” Mia suggested.

“Yes!” Flick cheered. “That’s a great idea. Please, Thea.”

She wrinkled her nose at Mia. She should say no, but it was nearly impossible to refuse Flick. “Okay, I’ll try. But before dinner I really have to go talk with Ace and Keir.”

With her problem solved, well, temporarily, Flick let her go. Thea wandered through the big house, which had a happy, lived-in feel, until she got to the living room where she’d left the boys. She paused in the doorway, watching with surprise as Jardin sat with Keir looking at something on Keir’s tablet. While Ace and Carrick played some kind of video game.

They’d obviously finished their meeting with Alec and West.

“Hey, Thea!” Ace cheered. “This place is so cool! And they have Kingdom Hearts III!”

“I take it that’s a good thing,” Thea said dryly.

“It’s the best!”

“Well, I’ve got it at home too,” Carrick told him. “Along with NBA2K20.”

“Awesome.” Ace gave him a look of hero worship. “Hey, Thea, can I go play at Carrick’s house when we get home.”