The Way You Are (6 page)

Chapter 10

“Bye, Daddy,” Ruby said, hugging her father.

After Ruby left, the house would buzz with activity for the upcoming dinner. The decorators would scurry about deciding where to place floral arrangements and mapping out how they would move the furniture. The caterers would go over last minute meal changes with her mother, and the guests’ security teams would arrive and review security measures with her father’s team. In just a little while, the house would be filled with controlled chaos. She’d seen it all before, and frankly, she felt happy she didn’t have to be here for it again.

“See you in a week, honey,” her father said, squeezing her.

“Ruby!” her mother called from the hallway. “Don’t leave without saying goodbye to me!”

Ruby turned and gave Thomas and Joe a small smile, almost feeling bad her mother caused them to run late. However, she had grown used to it.

“Take care of my little girl, Joe,” her father said.

“That’s what you’re paying me to do, Mr. McDermott, and at the risk of sounding braggadocios, that’s what I do best.”

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting. Mr. Smith,” her mother apologized as she breezed into the foyer. “Goodbye, baby.”

A cloud of
Joy
perfume engulfed her as her mother hugged her.

“Bye, Mom.”

“Be safe,” her mother whispered as she held Ruby’s face in her hands.

“I’ll be fine, Mom.”

“That’s what we’re here for,” Joe chimed in. “And, if we’re going to land in Arizona before nightfall, we need to take our leave.”

Ruby picked up her backpack, Thomas grabbed her suitcase, and she followed Joe and Thomas out the door. A black van waited in the driveway, and after Thomas hit the key fob, the back door slid open and a ramp lowered to the ground.

“Ms. McDermott, please join me in the back,” Joe said. “It’s safer than riding up front.”

She nodded and climbed in behind him, taking a seat on a bench facing the back of the van. As Joe locked his chair in place, she noted her suitcase Thomas set behind him and the lack of windows. Frankly, it made her a bit uncomfortable as it seemed like in most horror movies, terrible things happened to women who got into the back of a van such as this.

“I don’t bite, Ms. McDermott,” Joe said, grinning.

Her cheeks heated. It felt as if he’d read her mind.

“The van is bulletproof, and the lack of windows obviously hides you well.”

She pulled on the seatbelt and the van lurched forward. “Thank you for taking my safety so seriously. I do think my parents are overreacting, though.”

“Possibly. But I believe that saying, ‘Better safe than sorry,’ can be applied to this situation.”

“Probably, but I just feel like all the fuss is for nothing. Those people who tried to kidnap me didn’t seem like professionals.”

“I know, and we are tracking them down. I think that tattoo you noticed is going to lead us directly to them, and when I find out who they are working for, I’ll be able to judge just how large the threat is. Until then, we play it safe.”

She nodded and sighed, both nervous and excited about her upcoming trip to Arizona.

“Would you like to know who you’ll be spending the next few days with?” Joe asked.

“Sure.”

He took a file from the satchel hanging on the side of his chair and opened a manila folder. “His name’s Garrett Bloom, a former Marine. He’s a master of weapons as well as a black belt in karate. He’s been in my employment for approximately a year. I trust him explicitly. Would you like to see a picture of him?”

She nodded as the van took a corner, sending her a little bit off-balance.

Joe handed her the eight-by-ten color photo, and she studied the headshot.

Garrett stared back at her, his eyes a light caramel color that almost seemed out of place against his dark chocolate skin. He wore his dark hair trimmed close to his skull, and his high cheekbones and full mouth made for an attractive man. A shiver tore down her spine as she studied his hard eyes. He looked like he could definitely hurt someone and wouldn’t have a second thought about doing it.  She found herself glad he was on her side.

“There’s also a new gentleman that I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting. His name is Zachary Johnson. Garrett has assured me he’s a noble and honest man as they served together in the Marines, so I’m taking his word for it.”

They rode in silence for a few moments as Joe read the papers in the folder. “Do you have any questions for me, Ms. McDermott?”

“No,” she said. “But you can call me Ruby.”

He gazed at her over the top of his glasses. “Very well, Ruby.”

A few minutes later, the van stopped and she heard Thomas speaking in low tones to someone outside. The van started again, and shortly halted once more.

The door slid open, and she gazed at the hangar housing the private plane.

“After you, Ruby.”

She descended the ramp.

“That’s the plane that will take us up to Arizona,” Joe said as Thomas walked around the side of the van with her suitcase.

She had been on private planes before. She smiled at the captain and the flight attendant as she climbed the stairs, glancing over the white and tan-colored furnishings. Taking a seat, she ran her finger over the white leather, soft to her touch. A moment later, Thomas entered the plane and Joe followed, still sitting in his chair while two men carried him up. Ruby noted the plane had been configured to allow room for him to maneuver his wheelchair.

The men set him down and he wheeled himself over to the table across from her, while Thomas took a seat on the opposite side of the table, facing Joe.

As he locked his chair into place, he glanced over at her and grinned. “This chair is a huge inconvenience, but considering I took two bullets to the back, I’ll take the chair instead of a plot in a cemetery.”

Ruby then realized how little she knew about Joe and his organization, and a little bit of uncertainty crept in. Was going with him the right thing to do?

Thomas produced numerous files from a backpack he carried and placed them on the table in front of Joe. As Joe rifled through them, he said, “I apologize for not being better company, Ruby, but I need to look over these papers and make some decisions. May I suggest a glass of wine for you? I appreciate your trust in me and my company, and I’m sure this is a bit nerve-wracking.”

Yes, her nerves hummed. “Thank you. I think that sounds like a good idea.”

She’d mellow out, enjoy the flight, and try to remain excited about her adventure.

“Welcome back, Mr. Smith,” the flight attendant said. “I hope your visit here in Dallas was successful.”

“Yes, it was. Thank you, Diane. This lovely young lady is Ruby Rose McDermott.”

“What a lovely name,” Diane murmured with a smile. “What can I get you, hon?”

“I’ll have some Chardonnay.” Her cheeks warmed again. She’d always hated her name, and believed her mother had gone overboard when trying to find an appropriate moniker for her baby with the red hair.

“Right away. And for you Mr. Smith? Thomas?”

“Just tea for me,” Joe answered, and Thomas nodded in agreement.

Based on the plane configurations and how well the flight attendant seemed to know Joe, she guessed the plane belonged to him. How much did he charge for his services?

A few moments later, they were airborne, and Diane handed her a glass of wine. “Enjoy,” she said. “And please let me know if there’s anything else you need.”

Joe talked in low tones while Thomas jotted down notes on a pad of yellow paper. Ruby nodded and gazed out the window.

She couldn’t help but feel as if she were starting on a new chapter in her life. Perhaps this was because although her parents paid for her protection, they would eventually be two states away. Yes, she lived by herself and tried to enjoy a normal life, but her family still hung around the fringes—always there, always reminding her how she differed from them and how she didn’t fit in with their lifestyle.

The mountains of Arizona sounded like a place she would enjoy. She envisioned high trees, clean, crisp air, and a lot of peace and quiet. No social demands from her parents, no reading about her brother in the society pages of the newspapers, and a week without a gossipy lunch with her mother.

Although nothing like them and not fitting in well with them, she still loved her family. Yet, she’d never had the confidence to totally break free from them. As she sipped her wine and the miles separated them, a feeling of empowerment and freedom washed through her and she smiled.

Chapter 11

The satellite phone rang, and Garrett answered on the second ring.

“Hello, Garrett. We’re about ten minutes out. I assume you’re ready for your next client?”

“Yes, sir,” he said, his stress level through the roof as he wasn’t looking forward to this client one little bit. However, he remembered the paycheck, and that slightly soothed him. He’d earn every damn penny of it; of that, he was certain.

“Very well.”

Joe hung up and Garrett set the phone down on the counter. He gazed around at the immaculate kitchen, thankful the cleaning crew had been able to come in on such short notice.

Thomas had arranged for a week’s worth of fresh meals and groceries to be delivered, and the refrigerator stood stocked full. The guest bathroom had clean towels, extra toilet paper, and two new bars of soap as well as other sundries a woman might need. The bedding had been changed, and a lush, white terrycloth robe stretched across the king-sized bed covered in a light-blue comforter. Yes, the house was ready, and as he tucked his gun into his jeans at his lower back, so was he.

A few minutes later, he heard tires crunching on the gravel and the low hum of an engine.

Taking a deep breath, he walked into the living room. Zach stood facing the door, Savannah sitting by his side, her ears perked as she tilted her head at the sounds of someone arriving.

“Let Hell Week begin,” Garrett murmured as he opened the door.

“You really need to relax,” Zach said as the back door to the van slid open and Garrett stepped out onto the deck.

A woman of average height with red hair got out of the vehicle, and Thomas walked around the front of the van, waving at Garrett and Zach. The ramp lowered, and Joe wheeled himself out as Garrett studied his new charge.

Obviously, she looked nothing like he’d envisioned. No, as he glanced over her full breasts and curvaceous hips, he came to the conclusion she definitely didn’t possess an eating disorder. She tucked a lock of shoulder-length red hair behind her ear as she reached in for her backpack, her jeans straining against her round butt. A surge of blood made a dash for his groin, and he tore his eyes away from all those amazing curves and concentrated on Joe while stuffing his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. As Joe approached, he reminded himself that just because she didn’t look anything like he’d imagined, she could very well still be an uppity, stark-raving bitch.

“Hello, Garrett,” Joe greeted him as Thomas pushed him up the small ramp. “It’s good to see you.”

“Nice to see you as well, Joe,” he said as he shook Joe’s hand. He glanced behind Thomas to see his charge bringing up the rear. “This is Zach.”

“Zach! It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. You and I have much to discuss, but first, I wanted to introduce both of you to your client for the week. This lovely young woman is Ruby Rose McDermott.”

Garrett almost laughed out loud at her name. Her parents had probably wanted to name her based on her red hair, but it seemed they went a little overboard.

“Hi,” she said, stepping forward and extending her hand to him. She smiled, her straight, white teeth gleaming. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Bloom.”

As he took her warm hand, her cheeks turned pink. Her emerald eyes looked at him hopefully, as if she wanted him to say he was happy to meet her.

“Call me Garrett,” he said, his voice more gruff than he’d intended.

“I’m Zach, Ms. McDermott. It’s lovely to meet you.”

She let go of Garrett’s hand, her face falling slightly. She shook Zach’s hand and then gazed down at Savannah.

“What a beautiful dog!” she exclaimed. “May I pet her?”

“I’m sure she’d be very offended if you didn’t,” Zach said with a smile.

Ruby leaned down and scratched Savannah’s head. The dog wagged her tail, her tongue lolling out to the side, and closed her eyes. Obviously, Ruby’s touch delivered her to doggy heaven.

“Let’s go inside, shall we?” Joe asked, leading the way.

They filed inside, Garrett bringing up the rear. He took the opportunity to check out Ruby’s full backside, which seemed more than a handful, and just the way he liked it. Shaking his head, he knew he had to focus on something else besides the way her ass jiggled ever so slightly while she walked.

“I’ll need to collect any electronics from you, Ruby,” Garrett snapped.

“I didn’t bring any with me.”

“No phone? Computer? Reading device with Internet capabilities?”

She reached into her bag and pulled out an e-reader. “This is what I have.”

He flipped it on and realized that although it tried to connect to the Internet, it wasn’t something she could browse the web with. He handed it back to her, and made a mental note to go through her bags when she wasn’t around. “You can keep that.”

“Thank you,” she murmured with uncertainty in her voice as their hands grazed each other.

“I’ll show you to your room,” Thomas said to her.

She glanced up at Garrett again, a look of anxiety on her face, and then she turned and followed Thomas down the hall. A moment later, Thomas came back to the kitchen.

“Is she settling in?” Joe asked.

Thomas nodded. “Yes. She said she wanted to unpack and then take a shower.”

“Excellent. That gives us a few minutes to talk.” Joe wheeled himself into the kitchen and they all gathered around the kitchen table. “Zach, Garrett has filled me in a little bit about your ability. It’s quite fascinating, and I’d like to hear more about it.”

“Garrett has told me a little bit about your company, and how all this happened to us, about how we were part of a government experiment. I’d certainly like to hear about that.”

“Yes. I’m trying to piece together the whole story and mainly find out who made the ultimate decision, but as with any black operation, finding out the details can be difficult.”

Garrett tuned out the conversation. What was that noise coming from the hallway? He listened harder, thinking maybe he heard Ruby drop her suitcase?

Suddenly, there was a small scream, and a much larger thump. He flew out of his chair and dashed down the hallway.

Pounding on Ruby’s door, he yelled for her. “Ruby!”

Thomas came down the hall behind him as Savannah barked.

No answer. He threw open the door to find her lying on the floor just outside the bathroom, naked. She didn’t move, and he slid into the room, gun drawn as he waved Thomas back toward the kitchen. If there truly was an intruder, Joe needed to be protected.

He shut the bedroom door, surprised he worried about someone seeing Ruby’s body. The bathroom door lay partially closed, and he stood to the side and slowly urged it open with his gun. When the door hit the wall behind it and he was certain no one tried to hide there, he stepped over Ruby’s legs and quickly moved into the bathroom. He caught movement out of the corner of his eye on the shelf below the window. A raccoon stared at him, hissed and growled, and then scampered through the open window he’d forgotten to close earlier after airing out the house.

He dropped his gun to his side, taking a deep breath to calm his pounding heart. Just to be on the safe side, he pulled back the shower curtain and found nothing. He turned and looked down at Ruby. Her unmarred skin reminded him of milk, or white silk, and he couldn’t help but stare at her full breasts and the flare of her hips. His cock thickened, and he shook his head at his body’s reaction to her as he grabbed a throw blanket from the bed. He gently laid it over her and then yelled for Thomas.

When he entered the room, Garrett said, “There was a raccoon in the bathroom, and I think it scared her when she went into shower and she slipped on this rug. She probably hit her head.”

Thomas nodded. “We’re clear in here!” he yelled down the hallway as Ruby groaned. “Let’s get her on the bed and I’ll take a look.”

Garrett tucked the gun into the back of his waistband and bent down, wrapping his arms under Ruby’s knees and nape of her neck, making sure his grasp stabilized her spine. Her skin not only looked like white silk, but felt like it, as well. He quickly set her down on the bed, taking care to prop her head on the pillows.

“It looks like she’s coming around,” Thomas murmured as he studied the sides of her head. Slipping his hand under her neck, he threaded his fingers through her hair, and then looked at them. “No blood, so that’s a good sign. Although, I did feel a knot back there.”

Ruby groaned again.

“Garrett, please go get her some Motrin and a glass of water. I have a feeling she’s going to need it.”

He nodded as he headed to the kitchen, barely able to see past the images of her naked curves clouding his vision.