Their Sin City Showgirl (The American Soldier Collection 7)

“I have some things to go over in the surveillance room with Lincoln. Brook and Calder will be around the house. If you need anything, just holler.”

“I won’t need anything,” she replied and then started to make the pancakes. She had to truly focus on the task at hand to not burn these damn things, too. Why the hell did she decide to take on this task? Especially now, when she felt so out of control of her emotions?

* * * *

Lincoln shot Conway a look as they gathered in the surveillance room after breakfast. J.J. had disappeared once again, after only having half a pancake and part of a strip of bacon. He was a bit concerned about J.J. She had totally been lost in thought and nearly burned the bacon. He’d caught her lose focus before and completely forget what she was doing. Calder mentioned that he’d witnessed her doing the same thing. If they could just get her to open up a little about her situation, maybe they could help her.

“Is it me, or does it seem like after she zones out, she shivers as if she’s recalling something that was bad or hurt?” he asked Conway.

“You’re probably right. Sandman didn’t give us much to go on. His friend, however he knows J.J., was insistent that we get basic information.”

“That’s bothering me a lot right now, Conway.”

“It’s the way it is. We know the basics. She’s in some kind of danger. Protective custody wasn’t an option with the risk of attempt so high. Sandman hinted around about her being pretty damn tough.”

“What do you think she was involved in? Mafia related maybe?”

“Not certain, Conway. Maybe she’ll come around and give us some info. In the interim, our orders are pretty straightforward. Protect her. Don’t let her out of our sight, and don’t trust anyone. I’d say the ones who are after her have some resources of their own.”

“Fuck,” Lincoln replied, not liking the feeling he had inside, and about this situation at all. He wanted to know more. But right now, J.J. was their only source for information and she wasn’t budging.

* * * *

Calder came into the kitchen looking for J.J.

He had updated the surveillance cameras and completed the monthly check of the equipment. Everything was operational. He had a hard time focusing on his work as he thought about the woman staying in their home. She was quite stunning, and as he had the opportunity to watch her while she wasn’t looking, he found himself concerned over her injury. That hit to her face must have been a good one. She also wore a lot of high-collared shirts or turtlenecks. He wondered if she were hiding more injuries. The thought bothered him. She was very attractive and seemed to have a great body to boot. But she hid it well.

He decided to check on her and see what she liked to do as a hobby. Brook had his workshop out back, where he made his own carved wood furniture. That was the best decision Brook had made in the right step toward recovery. His PTSS had been getting the better of him when he first returned home from the service. They all suffered from the same condition and had to find their own means of coping with it. Brook had his furniture carving, Conway had his professional occupation as chief of police, Lincoln had the martial arts training and cooking, as well as surveillance operations, and Calder did the same. He worked on updating and improving surveillance and monitoring equipment as well as creating undetectable bombs and other means of weaponry. He helped to train police officers in self-defense and hand-to-hand combat. He didn’t like cooking and he wasn’t a talker. He tended to keep his emotions bottled up and presented his character by action not words.

Conway teased him about the display of intense tattoos on both his arms and his back. He liked his tattoos and they all had meaning. From the American flag to the names of his buddies lost in combat, they were part of his life and the person he was.

He locked up the surveillance room and headed down the hall to check on J.J.

J.J. had said that she wanted to lie down in her bedroom over an hour ago. Being Special Forces for so many years, it was easy for him to move around the house without being detected. Well, at least from J.J., not the others. They were just as highly trained. Calder felt compelled to check on her. She wasn’t coming out of her shell or really speaking to any of them. It had been nearly three weeks since she’d arrived, and nothing had changed. If anything, she seemed more distant.

As he approached the doorway, he noticed it was ajar. A quick glance inside and he could see her on the bed, arms holding on to the backboard behind her, as she lifted her thighs all the way up in the air and slowly lowered them, using her abdominal muscles. She only wore a tank top and a pair of baggy, thin sweats. Immediately he noticed the bruises around her neck, her chest, and arms. His chest tightened. Had someone tried to strangle her?

His gaze stretched along the rest of her perfect body. The woman was muscular, as if she worked out on a regular basis. He was impressed. She continued to do the hard abdominal workout, and he felt a bit embarrassed for spying on her. Then he got an idea. Conway wasn’t sure why he was even thinking this much about J.J. and her possible situation, but he was. Just as they all had suffered some hard, difficult experiences in their past, it seemed that J.J. had too. What if there was a way to help her open up? This exercise thing was the first indication of who she may be and what type of personality she had. They all enjoyed a good workout. They had the gym.

He walked away, being sure to not make any noise. Then he walked back toward her room, calling her name.

She quickly made it to the doorway.

“Yeah?” she answered, appearing flushed and a bit out of breath.

“What are you doing?” he asked her.

“Nothing.”

“You seem winded. Are you exercising?” he asked, and she looked him over and opened the door all the way. She walked around the room and began to look behind the shades, above and behind the mirror.

“Now what are you doing?”

“Looking for cameras. Are you spying on me again?” she asked, sounding annoyed. He couldn’t help but chuckle.

Honey, if I wanted to spy on you and place cameras in this room, you’d never be able to find them.

“Of course not. I just put two and two together, ya know?”