Goddamn it.
Taking a deep breath, I ready myself for anything that might happen in the next few minutes.
Kinley’s father and her brother, Mason, are standing at the desk. They are both still in their work clothes, like they came right from the barn after I called them. I had to call them. I can’t trust my team anymore, and I know Kinley is safe with them.
Before the nurse responds, Mason turns in my direction and we lock eyes. He’s pissed. He pats his father on the shoulder and walks in my direction. I can tell by the look in his eyes this is going to be bad.
I don’t blame him, I would be pissed, too. I assured him and their father that she would be safe with me.
“Mason.” His father barks behind him. “Not here.”
Corbett turns and sees him coming and stands next to me, waiting for whatever is about to happen. Mason’s fists are clenched at his side, and he looks like a charging bull. Even with two agents staring him down, he doesn’t back down.
He’s military through and through, from his stare to the way he carries himself to his stance. All of it I’m as familiar with as I am with the back of my hand, from all my years in the military. It’s because of that familiarity that I’m not scared of him.
I can take whatever he brings.
Still, this is on me. I assured them she would be safe, but she was in danger on my watch.
Setting my hand on Corbett’s arm, I push him away from me and steel myself for whatever Mason is bringing. If he’s Delta Force, I’m sure he knows his way around a good fight, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve as well. When he swings, I move out of the swing zone, but when he adjusts and lifts his hand again, his father loops his arm around his and throws his other arm over Mason’s shoulder across his chest andholds on.
“I said, not here.” The older man barks into his ear from behind him.
Mason jerks his arm from his father’s grip and points his finger at me, but his father still has his arm across his chest. “You were supposed to be taking care of her.”
He’s right, I was supposed to be taking care of her, but I didn’t predict Sanders’ actions fast enough. I honestly didn’t think he would move that fast or to those extremes. It was a sneak attack if there ever was one. We are all shocked as fuck that he shot Swan. And that he was shooting to kill.
Turning to Corbett, I give him a chin lift for standing with me. “Can you give us a minute?”
His eyes move from me to Mason and then back to me. “Sure, I’ll be over there if you need me.” He points to the nurses’ station not far away.
I nod and wait for him to get out of earshot before looking back to Mason and his father. “I need your help.”
This catches both of them off guard and gets me confused looks. It also disarms Mason, who narrows his eyes as he tilts his head to give me side-eye and his father lets him go.
Taking a chance, I step closer to both of them so we won’t be overheard and tip my head toward Kinley’s room. “Can we talk in here?”
After I close the door to her room, I turn to them and speak in a hushed tone so I won’t wake Kinley. “The man who did this was part of my team. He’s a mole for one of the groups we’ve been trying to bring down. The men who are after Kinley are part of this group. This has been a shock to all of us, but I can’t protect her when I don’t know who I can trust. She trusts you, so I need your help.”
Mason looks at me like I’ve grown another head and whispers angrily. “We don’t need your help, we’ll take it from here.”
Keeping my eyes locked on his, I square my shoulders and shake my head. “I’m not leaving her side.”
Her father narrows his eyes at me, and I realize how much father looks like son. “Why aren’t you leaving her side?”
Kinley’s soft voice breaks through our whisper fight. “Because I don’t want him to.”
All heads swing in her direction, and Mr. Harlow transforms from a bear about to attack to a teddy bear as he quickly takes her hand, all anger gone from his face. “Are you okay, hun? Is there anything I can get for you?”
Standing away from the bed to give them space, I question my decision to take her from her home. But how could I have known we had a fucking snake on our team? Kinley was unsure about putting her trust in us from day one, and I was the one who told them all that I could keep her safe away from them.
Kinley nods her head as Mason turns from me to step up behind his father. “I would love some water.”
“I’ll get it.” I say. Her eyes meet mine as I turn and leave the room so they can talk.
Corbett is in the hall when I close the door. “The cleanup team is at your house right now. The rug in your entryway had to be removed. Too much blood.”
Rubbing my forehead with my fingers, I hang my other hand on my hip. “I don’t care about that.”
