Page 5 of Lone Star Protector

She was right next to Nash when he hurried to the door. Since there were no windows or even a peephole, he eased open the door, hoping he’d see Ruby or one of his Maverick Ops teammates.

But it wasn’t.

The sleek silver Mercedes skidded to a stop next to his SUV, and someone hurried out. Not Bodie. This was a tall brunette that Nash didn’t recognize.

Nash couldn’t see if she was armed, but he stepped in front of Caroline anyway. “Who are you and what do you want?” he demanded.

The woman ignored him, instead pinning her attention over his shoulder and directly on Caroline. “Where’s Bodie?” she shouted. “What the hell have you done with him?”

Chapter Two

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Apparently, this was going to be a day of surprises, but Caroline hoped this visitor, this stranger, wasn’t as nasty of a surprise as the one Nash had already doled out.

That Bodie had escaped.

And that he was likely on his way to kill her.

This woman obviously didn’t think that though. In fact, judging from her second question, she appeared to believe Caroline was the one in control here, that she was somehow after Bodie.

Not totally off the mark.

Caroline had already made up her mind that this time she’d be ready for the sonofabitch. This time, she wouldn’t have her back turned to him. This time, she would see the attack coming. This time, she wouldn’t be eighteen years old and way too trusting. She’d face him head on and make him pay for what he’d done to her.

Of course, Nash might have the same idea in mind.

That was why he kept moving in front of her despite Bodie being nowhere in sight. However, she supposed this woman, whoever the heck she was, could be just as much of a threat.

“Who are you, and what do you want?” Nash repeated, and he sounded more than a little dangerous.

Looked it, too.

He’d probably just come from an op because he was wearing dark camo pants, combat boots, and a black tee that showed off all those incredible muscles. Something she probably shouldn’t be noticing at a time like this, but she would have been blind not to have seen them. As her crusty granny would have said—the man was built like a brick shithouse.

The woman shifted her attention to Nash, dismissing him with an annoyed flick of a glance before looking at Caroline again. “Where’s Bodie?” she yelled. “You’d better not have hurt him, you bitch.”

Caroline huffed. “Listen, bitch,” she fired right back. Her days of backing down from a fight were long over. “I haven’t hurt Bodie. I haven’t even seen the piece of shit. What makes you think I have?”

The woman snapped back her shoulders and seemed to rethink what she’d been about to spew. “You’re lying,” she muttered, and she repeated that a couple of times before she sagged against her car. It was as if her legs had given out on her.

“I’m not lying, and you’d better tell me who you are right now,” Caroline demanded.

“I’m Jordana McKenna,” she said, the fire no longer blazing her voice or her expression. She looked defeated.

“McKenna?” Nash and Caroline questioned in unison. It was a toss-up as to who was more shocked and confused by that.

Since McKenna was Nash’s surname.

And Bodie’s.

“Oz, do a search on Jordana McKenna,” Nash instructed without taking his eyes off their visitor.

Caroline figured he was talking to his AI app that was a staple among her mother’s operatives. She got confirmation of that when his phone began doling out some details.

“Jordana McKenna, nee Harris. Married to Bodie McKenna for four months and one week.”

“Oz, pause,” Nash said, and he made a sound of disgust while he popped in an earbud. “You married a convicted felon?” There was plenty of disgust in his voice, too, when he asked that of their visitor.

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