Page 38 of Security Breach

“Tell me what?”

“The safe house is one you’re very familiar with.” He captured her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “After your family died, your grandfather put the family home up for sale.”

Emma stared at him as the truth dawned on her. “You bought it.”

He gave a slight nod. “I didn’t know if you wanted it or not. Since your grandfather couldn’t make the payments on your family home as well as his own, I bought and remodeled the house. New furniture, new decorations. I stored everything inside for you to look through when you’re ready.”

Because he knew the house brought back memories of abuse from her father.

“Remodeled is a mild word for gutted,” Owen chimed in. “You won’t recognize the place.”

“He also added several new security features,” Caleb said. “You’ll be safe there, Em.”

He’d spent a ton of money on her family home in the hope that she was still alive and would return to him one day. If she wasn’t already in love with him, that gift alone would have tipped her over the edge. Emma kissed him lightly, well aware of their audience. “Thank you,” she whispered. “What about my belongings at my apartment?”

“I let the apartment go, but I moved everything into storage along with your equipment.”

“When do you want to shift locations?” Eli asked.

“Tomorrow night at the latest. We’ll go after darkness falls,” David answered. “I’d rather not advertise what we’re doing.”

“In a town this size, won’t take long for folks to figure out where you are,” Elliot warned.

A slight nod. “I’m aware. I’m only planning to stay at the safe house long enough for the Butcher to learn Emma is no longer at the Rocking M.”

“And then what will we do?” she asked.

“Find another place with tight security.”

“What’s the point? He always finds me, no matter where I go.” The Butcher was the source of her worst nightmares.

What if he hurt David? She dragged in a ragged breath. No. She couldn’t dwell on that. David was a Navy SEAL, one the deadliest warriors on the planet. If he couldn’t protect himself, no one could.

“Hey.” The warrior in question cupped her chin and turned her face toward his. “You’re not in this alone any longer. You have me, my brothers, and an entire black ops team at your back. We’ll turn the tables on this guy and track him down. By the time we’re finished with him, he won’t be a threat to you or anyone else again.”

She stared. “You’re going to kill him?”

“If he gives me no other option, I won’t hesitate to take him down. I want you safe, baby. I’ll do my best to take him alive so he can stand trial, but I won’t feel one ounce of remorse if I have to kill him to protect you.” His thumb brushed along her jaw line. “He made his own choices. Whatever happens to him is not on you.”

“He’ll hurt you, maybe kill you.” Emma’s voice broke. “I can’t live with that.”

A soft whistle from Levi. “Ouch, bro. She hit you where it hurt.”

David ignored him. “He’ll try and fail.” Another stroke of his thumb. “I have a very good reason to stay alive. I’m not letting our second chance slip through my fingers by doing something stupid and giving this guy the upper hand.”

A second chance. Emma wrapped her arms around his neck, unable to resist despite their audience.

“Are we on the same page, Em?” he murmured against her ear.

She nodded. “Why are we waiting until tomorrow night to move to my childhood home?”

“If the Butcher is watching, and we have to assume he is, he’ll expect us to run in a panic because he found you again. We’re not playing into his hands. Besides, we set up security measures around the ranch and inside the house. We’ll know if he makes a move this direction. He won’t walk onto the grounds or into the house without us knowing. If he does come for you, we’ll stash you in a safe place while we go after him.”

“No place has been safe so far.” She ought to know. The Butcher had almost caught her the last time she had to run. So close. She shuddered.

“We have a safe room. He can’t get to you in there. All you have to do is trust me, and we’ll get through this together. At the end of this mission, the Butcher will be out of your life for good.” He eased back and cupped her face between his palms. “I will see you through this, Emma.”

The utter confidence in his voice and the blazing hot intensity of his gaze made her entire body relax for the first time in months. He meant every word. She didn’t have to carry this burden alone anymore. And, thank goodness, she didn’t have to depend on the FBI to keep her safe any longer. David was right not to trust the feds. Their protective measures hadn’t inspired confidence.

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