Bodyguard Pursuit (17 page)

Tyler chuckled. “If you don’t, I will.”

“I don’t need setting straight.” With a frown, Ben cut into his sausage and ate a bite. “What I need is confirmation Mia Taita’s charges will stick, and to catch Hyena so our girls can finally get some rest. A year is too long for this case to go on.”

“I’m starting to wonder if things will ever change.” She stroked the back rise of Ben’s black shorts where his shirt flapped free. His gun was tucked in tight under his waistband, his preferred hidey spot.

“They will. Have faith.” He popped some of his bacon strips onto her side plate. “You also can’t build your strength up on fruit and yogurt alone. Protein is important.”

“There’s muesli in here too, and yogurt is protein.”

“It’s not the same as meat.” He scowled at her untouched bacon. “Please, eat some.”

“Okay. Eating now.” She cut the bacon and popped a bite into her mouth. “The more protein, the better anyway.”

“Thank you.” Ben leaned in, his lips against her ear. “Seriously, tell me what the doctor said. Something’s not right between us. I can feel it.”

“Nothing’s wrong.”

“What did the doctor say to you?” He wasn’t going to give up.

“Can we speak in private?” Best to bite the bullet and get the conversation done with.

“Of course.” He pushed his chair back and led her into the lounge beyond the others’ sight.

She sat on one of the white leather couches farthest from the partially pulled wooden paneled door between the rooms.

In front of her, he paced, hands on his hips. “You can tell me anything.”

“I know I can.” She scrubbed her hands over her face then elbows to her knees, leaned forward. “Dr. Hika took my blood and had it tested. He was concerned with how long I’d been unconscious, although he found no trace of any unusual chemicals. The only thing used was chloroform as you’re already aware of.”

“Then what are you hiding from me?”

“I’m sorry, Ben.” She stood, gained some equal footing against him. “That same blood work also gave a conclusive result for pregnancy.”

“What? You’re having a—a—” His face paled and his eyes rolled until the whites showed. He slithered to the polished hardwood floor and landed in a heap at her feet.

“Ben?” She dropped to her knees and lifted his head into her lap. “Ben, wake up.”

“What’s happened? I heard a thump.” Tyler raced into the room with Brigs and Lydia right behind him.

“He didn’t take my news too well. He fainted.” That was the last thing she’d expected.

“What news, Saria?” Tyler grabbed Ben under the armpits and jerked a look at Brigs to take his legs. The two swung Ben onto the couch.

“I’m pregnant.” She tucked a blue and white striped cushion under Ben’s head then perched beside him.

“It’ll be okay.” Lydia rubbed her leg.

“I wasn’t ready to tell him, but he knew something was up.”

Tyler checked Ben’s pulse then nodded at Brigs. “His heartbeat’s a little sluggish, but I’m sure he’ll come around soon enough.”

“See the mighty have fallen.” Grinning, Brigs squeezed Ben’s shoulder even though he was out of it. “You, my friend, are one lucky man. You just don’t know it yet.” He kissed her cheek. “Congrats, Saria. I’ll go tell the others everything’s all right. We had them wait.”

“We’ll go too, sis, only to the next room. Yell out if you need us.” Lydia tugged Tyler along with her.

Gently, she picked up Ben’s limp hands and threaded her fingers through his. “I wish I could have it all, you and the baby. You’d make a wonderful father, and I’m certain of it.” She leaned in, rubbed her cheek against his. “I’ve been too scared to tell you, but I’ve been in love with you for the longest time. I thought I could do the whole fling thing, but—”

“Saria?” He groaned then blinked his eyes open and edged up onto his elbows. He stared at her then his feet. “What am I doing lying down?”

“You fainted when you heard my news.”

“Damn.” He slumped back onto the pillow. “You’re truly pregnant?”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” He shook his head as if to clear it. “It takes two people to make a baby, and I’m equally to blame.”

“Yes, but it only takes one to raise it.” She’d expected his reaction and didn’t need to hear him say again how he didn’t want kids and wasn’t after a relationship. She shoved to her feet and wandered toward the glass doors where fresh air breezed in. “I’m ending our fling.”

“What?”

“I don’t want to be with you anymore.”

“The hell you don’t.” He shot to his feet.

“I made a promise, and I’m going to keep it. No commitment. All I ever wanted was for you to experience life as everyone else does, even though you’d made the decision to go it alone.”

“I changed my mind days ago.” He stalked toward her. “I went through hell while you were missing, and I never want to experience that kind of loss again. What I wish for is to have you with me, and nowhere else.”

She leaned against the cool glass and shook her head. She should have expected this reaction from him. His protection was always absolute. “Ben, you guard and defend others, and even now you can’t help yourself. For thirty-two years, your mind has been set. You can’t have changed it that fast.”

“You call a year of becoming emotionally attached to you, and months of us sleeping together as fast?” He boxed her in, his hands either side of her head on the glass behind her. “Saria, I can’t live without you. We need a new agreement.”

“If you’d like visitation, I’ll never say no.”

“I want that, on a daily basis.” He stroked her belly. “With both of you. Let’s bring our child into this world in a way I never experienced, with absolute love and devotion. I want to put a ring on your—” His cell phone beeped as did another two cell phones from the direction of the dining room. “Shoot. Hold on a sec.” He hauled his phone from his pocket and checked it. His gaze darkened then returned to hers. “Someone’s entered our secluded area of the cove. The sensor snapped a pic.”

“Who? Is it one of Officer Kupita’s men?” It better be. If the killer had found them, they’d be on the run again.

“No.” He turned his cell phone toward her. On the screen, an image of a shaggy brown-haired man in green and brown camouflage gear, a sniper’s rifle slung over his shoulder, pulsed back at her.

“That’s him, the man who hurt me. Boyd Hyena.”

“And I’ll never let him hurt you again.” From the side table, he picked up a pair of binoculars then slid in front of her. He peered through the lenses toward the cove. “He’s going to pay for everything he’s done to you, and I’ll make sure of it.” Over his shoulder, he whistled to Tyler and Brigs. “Boys, get the weapons and ammo.”

“I’m on it.” Brigs tore down the hallway toward the office where their gear was stored in the safe.

“I’ll call Kupita and let him know about the sighting.” Tyler already had his cell phone at his ear as he marched toward them.

“You’re going after him now?” She wrapped an arm around Ben’s waist from behind, wanting to keep him with her. “The man is dangerous.”

“Yes, but we’re out his firing range right now, as he’ll be out of ours. For Tyler and me to take him out, we have to get closer.”

Tyler hung up his phone. “Kupita’s got a couple of teams fairly close. He wants us to take Hyena alive if possible.” He rummaged through the side cupboard and pulled out two bulletproof vests from a stash of at least half a dozen. He passed one to her. “Help him into it. He needs to keep his eyes on the prize should Hyena appear.”

“Arms out, Ben.” She eased it on him, one arm at a time before reaching around from behind and zipping the front. “Can you see him at all?”

His phone beeped again, as did Tyler’s. Ben checked his then eyed her. “He’s close to the trail leading onto the beach. This image shows him scaling a tree near the shoreline. He’s setting himself up for a birds-eye view of the ship.”

“Here we go.” Brigs ran into the room with a large black canvas bag in hand, Lydia right behind him. “All the weapons you’ll need are right here. Do you want me to come, or remain on guard?”

“Remain. Look after the girls, and as a precautionary measure, keep them away from the windows. Tyler and I will head toward the resort then find a decent spot to double back. If Hyena moves, call me.” He tossed Brigs the binoculars then backed her up against the wall. He caught her face between his hands then seized her mouth with his. He kissed her, long and deeply, like a man on a mission. Too soon, he pulled away. “You, my love, will stay out of sight. Also, consider yourself engaged.”

“We are not getting married.”

“Wanna bet?” He kissed her again, and with dizzying passion. Then he was gone, slinking out the door and disappearing over the side of the ship.

Tyler kissed Lydia then nudged her toward the wall next to Saria before he grabbed the ammunitions bag and silently followed in Ben’s wake. The inflatable’s motor rumbled then the noise drifted away.

“If he gets even a scratch, I won’t be happy.” She gripped Lydia’s hand, closed her eyes and wished for Ben to come right back. “Do you think he was serious, sis?”

“About the two of you being engaged?”

“Yes.”

“Have you ever known him to lie?”

“No, but I have a hard time believing he suddenly wants everything a marriage entails.”

“You didn’t see how worried he was when you went missing. Tyler told me Ben struggled to hold it together.” Her sister’s smile was gentle. “Sometimes when we’re about to lose it all, we realize exactly what we have. Give him a chance and strike a new deal.”

“I love him.”

“I know you do, and that you want what’s best for him.” Lydia squeezed her hand. “He’s devoted to you. He always has been. You’ve been his for a very long time.”

She held her sister’s words close as the truth resonated deep within her. If she could have it all, she’d take it.

* * * *

Ben lay low in the inflatable’s hull as Tyler steered them in a wide arc around the bay then out of sight toward the resort. Once certain they’d cruised far enough, Tyler beached the craft on a thin strip of sand and Ben jumped out and secured the weapons’ bag to his back. “Let’s catch this idiot.”

“I’ll go first. I’ve actually scaled this cliff before.” Tyler tipped his head toward the hundred foot high cliff. Bushes clung to its craggy sides.

“Lead the way then.” Ben set his cell phone to vibrate and pocketed it. He grabbed a handhold and scrambled up in Tyler’s wake. Breathing hard, they made the top and he foraged through the bag and loaded up while Tyler did the same. With his black cap on, he hiked it through the jungle, Tyler hot on his heels.

A mile or two in, the underbrush got thicker, denser. They kept up their pace, not slowing until they hit the first sensor placed within two hundred feet of the cove. Carefully, they zigzagged through the minefield of alarms then slithered onto their bellies and combat-crawled through the brush. Alert to any movement or noise, Ben tracked along the final stretch with Tyler on his right, his weapon firm in his hand.

Swift and precise, Ben eased in as close as he could to the tree Hyena had taken a sniper’s position in. His elbows were raw, his gun primed and ready to fire. This idiot had tried to take Saria from him and right now Hyena intended to end the girls’ lives the moment he could. It wasn’t happening.

Beside him, Tyler lifted his weapon, stroked the trigger. He must have a visual.

Ben raised his sight until he spotted Hyena’s left leg dangling over a branch. “Got him,” he whispered.

Tyler fired the same second he did.

Hyena toppled, crashed through the branches then hit the ground with a jaw-grinding thump. They raced the final few feet, snagged the man’s weapon hanging loose in his hand then patted him down and removed the rest of his haul.

“Is he still breathing?” Tyler asked. “My shot got him in the butt. That’ll make sure he can’t sit for a while. Nice leg shot by the way.”

He pressed two fingers to the pulse in Hyena’s neck. “He’s breathing, though he won’t be walking for some time either. Call Kupita for me.”

“Will do.” Tyler made the call while keeping his gaze on Hyena. “They’ll be here in five.”

“Great.” The cell in his pocket vibrated and he slid it out. “Hammers.”

“I saw Hyena fall. Everything okay?” Brigs.

“He’s down and not getting back up again for a while. Put Saria on the line.”

“Ben?” Her voice washed over him, like the most soothing of touches.

“I’m here, and we’ve got our man.” He cleared the tree line, but with the ship moored so far from shore, little was viewable without binoculars. “When I get back, I intend to court you properly, however that’s done.” He’d make sure she understood he was serious. He wanted nothing short of marriage, the most binding of commitments.

“Lydia told me I should strike a new deal with you, so if you’re serious about courting me, then I could be persuaded.” Her teasing tone spoke of so much more. His heart lifted.

“I’m up for offering as much persuasion as you need, and I won’t stop until you say yes. I need you, Saria. My life isn’t worth living if you’re not by my side.”

“Then ask me again when you’re buried deep inside me.”

“Is that how a man should propose?”

“It sounds like a done deal to me.”

“Ben, we’ve got company.” Tyler jerked a look over his shoulder.

Kupita had arrived along with three other men. All wore police clothing and RT’s clipped to their sides next to their weapons. Two of them knelt beside Tyler and checked Hyena over, while the third called the chopper in.

“I’ve got to go, Saria. The authorities have arrived.”

“I understand. I’ll see you soon.”

He hung up, hating he had to.

Kupita slid his cap off as he extended his hand to him. “Ben, good to see you caught him.”

“Yeah, but I’m sorry to have to dirty one of your pristine beaches in the process.”

“At least the threat is gone. I won’t have any tourists visiting our islands placed in any unnecessary danger. How’s your client?”

“She’s recovering, but still needs rest. I intend to see to that the moment I get back.” Keeping Saria in bed was amongst his topmost priorities.