An image of Bran Garrett rose in her head. Handsome, intelligent, the sexiest man she had ever met. A man she trusted with her life on a daily basis. She was in love with him. Deeply in love. Whatever happened, she would never regret the time she had spent with him.
She had no idea what Brandon felt for her, but even if he loved her, there was no way she could handle the kind of life he lived. A warrior who survived on the edge, Bran stared danger in the face every day and never backed down. He’d been locked in a cell where he could have died. The thought of losing him was enough to make her physically ill.
It was ten minutes to eight as Jessie stood next to Hawk Maddox in the waiting area at the front of the detention facility. He was acting as her protector again, while Chase and Russell Addison were handling the last of the paperwork for Bran’s release.
She couldn’t help thinking about the violence Bran had used against his attackers last night. No matter how she looked at it, she couldn’t see it as anything other than justified. Two men had died in that prison. If Bran hadn’t fought for his life, he would have been the third.
“There he is,” Hawk said.
Jessie’s heart squeezed as Bran appeared in the doorway and started walking toward her, his brother and the attorney at his side.
His eyes found hers and didn’t look away. Then she was in his arms and he was holding her like he would never let her go.
“Jessie...baby...”
She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I was so worried.” She hugged his neck and fought not to cry. Bran was safe. That was all that mattered.
He held her close a few moments more, then pulled away and flashed one of his heart-stopping smiles. “I understand I’m in your custody until this is over.”
She smiled back. “So I’m told.”
He leaned down and whispered, “So maybe handcuffs this time? Might be more appropriate.”
Jessie laughed. But the handcuffs reminded her of Ray Cummings and being held captive. Cummings was still out there. Some of her buoyant mood faded.
“Let’s get out of here,” Bran said, sensing the change in her as he always seemed to.
They headed outside, into a November day that was dark and gloomy, the temperature in the thirties as they climbed into Chase’s Lincoln sedan for the ride back to the Broadmoor, stopping briefly at the armory to pick up Bran’s Glock.
They had breakfast in the Lake Terrace Dining Room at the hotel to celebrate Brandon’s release: eggs Benedict for her and Chase, pancakes and bacon for Hawk and Bran, and an omelet for the attorney. During the meal, they discussed what could happen next.
“Doesn’t look like Brandon’s going to be needing your legal services, Russell,” Chase said, taking a sip of the aromatic coffee.
“Thank God for that,” Jessie said.
“I can stay till things get sorted,” Maddox offered, shoveling in a mouthful of pancakes. “Now that Bran’s out of jail, the two of us ought to be able to handle things.”
Chase had an office to run and a wife waiting at home. But the closer they got to catching the thieves who’d stolen the munitions, the more dangerous it was going to get.
“Bran?” Chase asked.
“If Maddox stays, we’ll have it covered.” He crunched a piece of bacon and winked at Jessie. “Right, Deputy Kegan?”
Jessie laughed. “We’ll be fine.”
They were just finishing the meal when her cell phone pinged and Thomas Anson’s text appeared on the screen.
Her heart lurched. The exhumation of her father’s body was scheduled for one o’clock that afternoon.
