Her Wilde Bodyguards (10 page)

“That only tells me your brother is interested in her, too. He’s pushing her into your arms, can’t you see that? He’s given up. You can’t let him. Gya sounds like a complete doll to me. Wait a second? You don’t mean Gya Gaynor, do you?”

He nodded.

“I love her music. Oh my God. I can’t wait to meet her.”

“I’ll make that happen, but you know Aaron has to say when. In the meantime, you can’t tell anyone.”

Maude traced an
X
over her chest. “Cross my heart. Gya Gaynor in Wilde, Nevada. This is big news.”

“You promised.”

“Of course. Did you know Gya started a charity for orphan children? She’s such a genuine person. Not like so many celebrities. I’m betting once she knows about Aaron’s condition, she will also make sure he fights this.”

“Isn’t it Aaron’s place to tell her about his cancer?”

She shrugged. “All the rules are out the window when your brother’s life is on the line. Get this woman on your side. Two strong individuals like you and Gya against one stubborn man like your brother…even he will have to come to his senses.”

He stood.

“Take the folder. Show it to your brother.”

He grabbed it up. “First thing in the morning, I’m going to talk to Gya about everything.”

“Good for you.” She got up and wrapped her arms around him. “I love you, Kyle.”

He squeezed the woman who had become a second mother to him and Aaron long ago. “I love you, too. Thank you. You always know what to say to make me feel better.”

“That’s my job, Kyle. Now go home. Get some sleep. You look exhausted.”

“Yes ma’am.”

He walked to the door with her. “Thanks again.”

“Night, my boy.” She closed the door and he headed to his car.

Maude was right about Gya. She was tough and also had feelings for Aaron. Together they were going to get through Aaron’s thick head to fight this thing. Everything would turn out fine.

Aaron is going to live.

With his spirits lifted after talking to Maude, Kyle opened the door to his and Aaron’s family home. It was too late to wake either his brother or Gya, but first thing in the morning he was going to get the ball rolling on the plan he and Maude had cooked up.

He started to walk to his bedroom and noticed the kitchen light was on. He walked in and what he found on the floor filled him with dread.

Glass, milk—
and blood.

Gya! The stalker! Fuck!

He pulled out his Glock and ran up the stairs to the guest bedroom. The door was open. No Gya. His heart thudded in his chest as he checked the bathroom, closet, windows, everywhere. Nothing out of the ordinary.

He sprinted down the stairs quietly. The intruder might still be somewhere else in the house. He hoped so, as that would mean Gya was still here, too.

Please let her be unharmed.

He heard noises coming from the back of the house where his and Aaron’s bedrooms were located. He didn’t hesitate, but moved, eyes wide, holding his gun out in front of him.

The noises were coming from Aaron’s room. Had the intruder gotten the drop on his brother? Aaron had been drunk when he’d left, so it might’ve been possible.

Silently he walked to the door and heard Gya yell, “Stop.”

He kicked it open, ready to shoot the son of bitch who had his hands on her. “What the hell.”

Aaron and Gya were on top of the bed naked.
They had sex while I was gone.

Aaron smiled and raised his hands up. “Don’t shoot. We’re both unharmed.”

“I can see that.” Looking at Aaron, he couldn’t believe he had cancer. He looked like the epitome of health. Wrapping his fingers around the folder that Maude had given him, he knew they were going to beat the invisible disease together. Aaron would not only look healthy on the outside, but he would be healthy on the inside, too.

Gya was laughing. “Kyle, thank God you came. I couldn’t get him to stop tickling me.”

“My God, you two about gave me a heart attack.” He holstered his gun, pulse still pounding in his veins. “What happened in the kitchen?”

“Your brother startled me. I spilt the milk.” She smiled broadly. “And I didn’t even cry. Get it?” She started laughing again uncontrollably. “I didn’t cry over spilt milk. Don’t… blame… me…” She took a deep breath and her giggles lessened slightly. “Aaron has been making me laugh all night long.”

“He’s a regular comedian.” Kyle smiled.
The plan is already under way and I didn’t even have to wait until morning.

“We were just talking about making something to eat.” Aaron swung his legs off the bed. “We can clean up the mess at the same time. What about you, Kyle? You hungry?”

“Starving is more like it.”

“How about we all get dressed and go to the diner you both told me about?” Gya stood and grabbed her clothes as well. “You know—the diner where Elvis ate the pancakes. I would sure love a big stack with melted butter, hot syrup, and a side of crispy bacon.”

“You mean Norma’s. Seriously, you want pancakes again? You just had them on the trip to Wilde.” Kyle asked, thrilled to see she and Aaron together.

“Doesn’t matter if she does or not.” Aaron pulled on his pants. “She’s still not allowed out of this house until we get her stalker.”

“I completely agree with you, bro.”

Gya frowned, which only made her look even cuter. “What about my great disguises? I fooled you, Aaron.”

“Yes, you did, sweetheart, but you’re still not going anywhere until he and I say so.”

She folded her arms over her ample breasts and stuck out her tongue. “Party pooper.”

They all laughed. She definitely brought out the good side of both of them. The last time he remembered Aaron being so relaxed was when they were still in high school before their mother had died.

Tonight it was obvious Aaron was thoroughly enjoying himself.

He wanted him to continue spending time with Gya.
This was his plan. With her help, they would convince Aaron to fight.
“Listen up you two. I’m dressed. I’ll go to the diner and get us three orders of King Cakes. You two clean up your mess while I’m gone. Got it?”

Dropping her bundle of clothes to the floor, she jumped to her feet and saluted. “Yes, sir.”

He grinned, scanning her naked body.
She’s gorgeous.
“I think you might be ready for basic training, little soldier.” How he would love teaching her about the life that he and Aaron practiced.

“You really think so, sir?” It was a game to her now, but he knew it wouldn’t be long before it would be a reality.

“Keep saluting me in the nude and I will happily give you more orders that you will enjoy. Would you like that, baby?”

She stood up even straighter, smiling and holding her hand against her forehead. “Yes, sir.”

Aaron turned to her, his eyes wide.

It was clear to him that his brother was drawn to the submissive side of Gya that they both sensed in her.

“What do you say, Aaron?”

Aaron didn’t turn to him, keeping his steady gaze on Gya. “You got a deal, bro.”

“Be back shortly.” Kyle walked out of the room, leaving the door open.

* * * *

Aaron put down his fork. “That was delicious.”

“I’ll say it was.” Gya sat next to him at the kitchen table. “You weren’t kidding about the King Cakes. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat pancakes from anywhere else again. I wonder what the diner’s secret is.”

“You’re not the first to want to know, but it has been kept under lock and key for decades.” Kyle stood and collected their dirty dishes.

She pushed her chair back from the table. “Let me help you.”

“I got it. Just relax.” Kyle placed the dishes in the sink. He grabbed the pot. “Let me warm up your coffee.”

Emptying the last drop in the pot, Kyle filled Gya’s and his cups.

“Might as well.” Aaron looked at the time on the microwave. 2:29 a.m. “I won’t be going back to bed tonight.” As soon as the sun came up, he planned on checking in with Sam back at SCSS and with the sheriff here. Hopefully there would be intel they could use to identify and locate Gya’s stalker.

“Should we start another pot?” Gya asked. “You didn’t get a refill, Kyle.”

“I’ve had plenty. Two cups at Maude’s and a cup here.”

“I wondered where you had gone tonight.” He hadn’t asked earlier, knowing his brother had needed time to digest the news he’d given him about his cancer. He should’ve known Kyle would’ve headed straight to the Strong’s home.

“While I was there, Maude gave me this folder.” Kyle looked back and forth from him to Gya. “Aaron, I want you to look it over.”

He took the folder and opened it. The very first page had the name of his cancer in large black letters.

Hodgkin’s disease.

He pushed the folder to the center of the table, his gut tightening.

Gya grabbed the folder.

“Sorry, Aaron. I guess I should’ve waited.”

Gya looked up from the pages. “This is exactly what I was going to look for on your computer, Aaron. There’s a ton in here about the treatment of your disease.”

Kyle’s eyes widened. “She knows about your cancer?”

“Yes. I told her.” He took her hand and squeezed. “Honey, don’t waste your time on this.” He turned to his brother. “I don’t want to put you through this again, Kyle.”

“I’m just asking you to read the damn thing. Maude spent a lot of time on it.”

“But we both know how hard this can be, chasing hope.”

“Hope?” Gya shook her head. “Absolutely this is about hope, Aaron Strait. My whole life, all that kept me putting one foot in front of the other was hope.”

“You lived on hope?” He could see the scars of her past in her eyes. “What do you mean, sweetheart?”

“I never knew my biological parents. All I know about them is my mother was only fourteen and my father was fifteen when I was conceived. Obviously, they were too young to raise a child. So, I ended up in foster care.”

“Oh my God, Gya. I had no idea.” He’d read her press bio, which didn’t have much about her childhood in it.

“By the time I graduated from high school, I’d been in ten different homes. Some of my foster parents were okay, decent even. But there were some who were abusive.”

Now he understood why her walls had been up the day he and Kyle had met her in Houston.

“The only thing I ever had going for me was my music, my voice. I held on to hope, Aaron, that one day things would change for me. That’s how I got through those years. When I was eighteen, I was on my own and I left for California, determined to make a career of my singing. That’s when I met Stephanie and her husband.”

“She’s married?” Kyle asked.

“Was married. Not anymore. They were a team, both agents, representing several acts in Los Angeles. I was singing at a little dive one night and they walked in. They signed me on the spot. It was a dream come true, as I had no money, no place to stay, nothing. Stephanie, being Stephanie, realized my situation even though I never told her. She opened up her home to me, saying it was only temporary until I could get back on my feet. What she didn’t know was I’d never been on my feet before.”

Even though he and Kyle had lost their dads early on, they had grown up with a loving mother who made sure they had wonderful childhoods. He put his arm around Gya and pulled her in tight.

“It seemed like overnight my career took off. I was on top of the world. I let my walls down for the first time in my life. I expected the best instead of the worst. But the worst was just around the corner. Actually, he was in the other bedroom. One night Stephanie’s husband crept into my room, stale whiskey on his breath, and tried to rape me. My survival skills kicked back in and I clawed his face, blinding him in one eye.”

Under his breath Aaron uttered one word. “Fuck.” He would kill anyone who ever tried to harm her.

“I screamed. Stephanie came in with a gun, screaming at him to get off of me. He cursed, keeping me pinned to the bed. ‘You won’t do it, Steph. I’m your husband.’ Stephanie shot a bullet into the ceiling. ‘Next one is between your eyes, Calvin.’ The monster jumped up, claiming the booze was to blame. She told him to shut the fuck up. ‘Take your clothes and get out. I don’t want to ever see you again.’ He fled.” Gya took a deep breath. “I survived. Stephanie has had my back ever since. She’s the mother I never had. She brought you two into my life because she loves me. She trusts you. I’ve learned to trust you, too. You both mean so much to me.”

Kyle touched her cheek. “Damn, Gya. I can’t believe what you had to go through.”

Aaron agreed. “No wonder you’re so strong.”

She looked him straight in the eyes. “Not strong. I just did what had to be done. I held on to hope that things would change for the better. They do, you know. I believed one day I would meet someone who would sweep me off my feet. That was my hope. Always. Little did I know I would get two someones.” She grinned. “Hope, Aaron, is the fuel to get through the hard times. I know. I’ve lived it. That’s what I always do.” She pushed the file back in front of him. “Now it’s time for you to start hoping.”