3
He was biggerthan her brother, and leaning over Trigger, he looked more like a giant. His dark blue eyes landed on her with the tiniest hint of question and she shivered. He seemed like he really wanted to helpTrigger.
And she’d failed to stop Dale intime…
She’d busted the speed limit from her father’s shack out in the woods to rescue Trigger before Dale destroyed him like he’d tried to destroy theirfamily.
Her heart ached with the ghost pains of a missing vital organ. Alive but only half alive. Eating, but not tasting the food she put in hermouth.
She’d been on a cruise the week before Jeremy died, sipping pina coladas on the Lido deck without a care in the world. Meanwhile, her brother had been suffering. He’d tried to call her the day before he died, but she hadn’t had service on theship.
She’d gotten his video message the day shedisembarked.
Her brother’s cryptic last words replayed over and over in her mind. “Don’t trust anybody, especially anyone in the military, got that? There’s something bad going on here. I got involved. I’m trying to fix it.”He’d looked away from the camera then, dark shadows lining his lean jaw. He’d looked so tired.“They’re sending me on one more mission before we leave. I need you to do something for me if I don’t make it. Take this to Smudge so I can tell him goodbye.”Jeremy had looked straight into the camera then, fear in his eyes. “Please forgive me, sis. I never meant to hurt anyone.”He’d continued talking after that, but to Smudge, his best friend from high school. “Hey bro, I should have listened to you and joined the frog men. Ya’ll learned all kinds of mad skills I didn’t. Watch out for my sister, for me, okay? And tell Morris I said I shoulda listened to him,too.”
Then the screen had gone dark and her brother’s beautiful buzz cut blond head had disappeared. Forever. She had no idea who Morris was and she hadn’t been able to find Smith Sims, a.k.a Smudge. When she’d called his mom, she’d told her he was on deployment for the next six months and wasunreachable.
The thought made the acid in her stomach squeeze into her heart, singeing the edges. Jeremy wasn’t supposed to have been sent on another mission. He already had his plane tickethome…
“Hey, the dog’s gonna be okay,” the man said in a gentle voice, as if he was sensing the turmoil ripping her insides to shreds. She glanced at the bat, broken in half, and lying on the side of the road. Covered in Trigger’s blood. She didn’t have to get closer to read the inscription on the handle; she knew what it would say—Jeremy’s nickname, TheBoom.
Audra shut her eyes, holding in the fresh prick of tears threatening to spill free once more. Her father had tried to destroy the only connection she had left with her brother. And he’d done it with Jeremy’sbat.
Dale destroyed everything he touched. Her mother. Her chance at a normal life. And nowthis.
She forced herself to open her eyes and plaster on a small smile to thank the handsome stranger for his help when the sun glinted on something silver hanging from the tear in his shirt. Her chest squeezed and she took an involuntary step back. Was he wearing dogtags?
The acid churning in her gut bubbled. “What’s your name?” she saidsuspiciously.
“Diggs.” He knelt near Trigger and put his hand on his fur, tilting his head towards the dog and away fromher.
“Where’s your car? Why are you out herealone?”
Trigger let out a low, almost inaudible growl and Diggs pulled his hand away. “I told you. I live near here. I was out on arun.”
He was lying. She could sense it in the way he kept his face averted. Was he one of the men from the military her brother had warned herabout?
Suddenly, his gaze shot up and searched the sky. Audra followed the direction of his intense stare but saw nothing except clouds andsun.
“We have to go, ma’am.” Diggs shoved his arms under Trigger and shot to his feet. Trigger let out a whine of pain and Audra rushed to hisside.
She grabbed Diggs arm and tugged with all her might. “Put him down. You’re hurtinghim!”
“He’s not going to make it if we don’t get him medical attention now.” Diggs brushed off her efforts like nothing and turned towards hercar.
“Hey! You’re not coming withus.”
He spun so quickly she stumbled back astep.
“Look lady, you don’t have a choice. I have medical supplies at my home and know how to treat him. The nearest town is over an hour away. The dog doesn’t have time for you toargue.”
She couldn’t help but stare at the blood on Trigger’s fur. Surely, he’d be growling if he sensed a threat? Unless he was too injured to growl. Oh, but he needed help now. She couldn’t let him die, that would mean she’d lose the only living piece of Jeremy she hadleft…
“But how do Iknow– “
“I’m not going to kidnap and murder you.” Diggs threw back his head and his dark hair tumbled back on his head. When he dipped his chin back down, his gaze burned. “If I wanted to hurt you, I could’ve easily knocked you unconscious at anytime.”
“I didn’t give you the chance.” She waved her pepper spray in the air as areminder.
