Page 79 of Evening Shadows

“Yep.”

If he said that word again, she’d toss something off his desk at him. “But why take Cody?”

“Because she knew you’d do anything for him. And if she took the fight to Mexico, she would probably get away with it because my guess is that Alejandro had the law in his pocket.”

Closing her eyes and letting it all wash over her, a renewed sense of purpose filled her, but one thing still had a hold. “I can’t believe I allowed myself to be part of her trap. And to think I might’ve done something regrettable.”

“Sam, first, I don’t believe you’d ever have followed through and allowed Ken or me to die. Second, why would you doubt Beverly, who was your friend? I imagine she was very persuasive, convincing you it was the only way.”

She had been, but that didn’t absolve Sam of not getting to the truth of such vital information before it all began.

As if realizing she didn’t wish to speak of it further, Jesse shook his head. “I’m worried about Cody.”

So was she.

“Since Beverly used the boy to execute her plans, there’s no telling if she’ll try again. She’ll know he’s with you since we took him. She doesn’t know where I live, but she knows where you do.”

She opened her mouth to speak and closed it. Although she’d worried about Cody’s safety, she hadn’t thought through how she’d move forward.

“You’re not alone, Sam. With us, you’re never alone. You have some choices to make. AJ and Jake are watching your place in case she shows.”

He’d brought most of his family back for her? A warm acceptance slid through her veins. “What about Trent’s problem?”

Jesse picked up a pen and tapped it on his desk, focusing on it until he spoke. “They caught the men in the act and Devon tracked them back to who’d been giving Trent trouble. With this situation, they cut their vacation short to be here for the team”—the corners of his lips twitched into a smile—“and you.”

Flabbergasted—an emotion she rarely felt—and unsure what to say except “Thanks” again, she smiled. “You said I had choices.” While she had an idea, she’d never pass up something from his brilliant mind and experience.

“No matter which you choose, you’ll have a HIS guard.”

She nodded in relief that she wouldn’t be Cody’s only protection.

“There’s an extra couple of rooms at my house, and you two are welcome there. As we’ve said, unless she recently found out, she doesn’t know I live here and couldn’t pass the security Devon’s had built around the place.”

She nodded and waited. He tapped his pen more, quicker this time.

“You could go back to your place with an agent.”

There seemed to be another option, though she couldn’t think of what it might entail.

“Although my least favorite, you could check into a hotel. Mind you, the last two options can be with or without Cody. He’s welcome here as long as needed to keep him safe.”

While room service and someone making her bed each day appealed to her, she couldn’t do it in this situation. There were too many people to consider. It was too difficult to control. Going back to her place would be comfortable. She knew all the nooks and crannies of her home and neighborhood.

While she wanted to stand and fight Bev, she chose the one that kept her and Cody the safest. “We’ll stay with you.”

The movement of the pen stopped and he tossed it down. A broad grin spread over his lips. “The right choice.”

With a suppressed laugh, she wanted to ask him why he’d even given her a choice. Then she remembered, he wanted her to see that she controlled her life… her decisions… her actions.

Now”—his firm tone made her gulp at what might come next with this change—“are you ready to see Cody?”

Pleasure flowed through her, bringing a smile to her face. “Yes,” she said emphatically. “I am. How is he?”

Jesse stood, and she followed suit. “He’s fine. The only thing he says about his mom is that he doesn’t want to go back to her. We didn’t prod him, figuring that’d be best for you to do since you know them both.”

Damn Bev.“I’ll see what I can do. If all else fails, I’ll get him into counseling or anything that might work.”

He nodded his approval, and that somehow made her feel comforted in her choice. Jesse’s daughter, while an infant, had lost her mother. As a father, he understood a parent willing to go to any length for their child.

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