Page 17 of Too Lethal to Love

“But he can’t be.” Beth dropped her voice to a whisper as if Kane could hear from downstairs. “He’s bound to hear people talk about my curse.”

Scarlett grabbed Beth’s hands between her palms. “And he’ll think it’s nonsense, just like you should.”

“I do think it’s nonsense.”

“No, you don’t.”

A familiar sense of shame crept through Beth. She was a scientist, for Christ’s sake. She, of all people, should know better that curses didn’t exist. It was ridiculous to believe God or the powers that be had said, “Hey, this Beth Parker chick is a bad person, so let’s punish her.” But that’s what North Benson’s gossip brigade whispered behind her back. Even though Beth had no idea what grievous sin she’d committed, the doubt her hometown’s resident gossips planted had taken root so deep into her psyche a part of her believed it.

Beth sighed and stood. “You’re my best friend. You’re supposed to be on my side.”

“I am on your side, but I agree with the plan.”

“What, you work for the Department of Defense, and now you’re an expert on strategic planning?”

Hurt clouded Scarlett’s green eyes. “That’s not fair. I want you safe, and I trust Kane. Besides, all you talked about when I started working with VIPER was meeting the ‘hot vets.’”

Obsessed with meeting them had been more like it. She may not be on the hunt for love, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t discover if the nation’s finest on the battlefield were good in bed. And then Kane sauntered into Scarlett’s house in his cowboy hat and that dimpled smile. A dozen ways he could heal her had come to mind, and none of them included going to the hospital.

Yet, she’d gone with the hot, strong vet. Even though she’d fought going, he didn’t press for a reason why. Instead, he’d used his cocky charm to get her seen quickly. Made her laugh while she fought memories from the last time she’d been in the ER.

And he’d taken her for ice cream.

She sighed as she turned to her dresser and inhaled the lingering fragrance of her lilac-scented perfume. Scarlett always said the VIPER boys were more than hot vets. By the time she’d left the ER, Beth understood Kane Darren really was more than muscle, dimples, endless blue eyes, and the tightest ass she’d ever seen. He was the kind of guy a girl could fall in love with.

She liked him too much to sentence him to that fate.

Scarlett sidled up to her side. “What’s this?” She picked up a silver chain with a shiny medallion about the size of a nickel hanging from it. A heart gleamed from the center.

Beth smiled. “It’s a gift from the North Benson hospital for my fundraising services over the years. They presented it to me at the last meeting when we finalized details for the Christmas party. I attended virtually, but Evangeline was there, so shesent it to me.”

Scarlett placed the medallion back on the dresser and brushed her palms together as if they were dirty. “I hadn’t realized she was back from Dubai.”

Beth picked up the necklace and clasped it around her neck. “She got back a couple of months ago. Her three-year contract was shortened to two for some reason.”

“Are you sure the board didn’t make her send you the gift? Doing something nice doesn’t sound like her.”

Beth shrugged. “Maybe she’s trying to make amends.”

“Maybe. Either way, she’s going to be green with envy when she sees you with Kane. You’ll need to guard him like you’rehisprotection detail.” Scarlett opened the jewelry box on the dresser and riffled through the earrings. “I know I don’t know Evangeline that well. Maybe I’m jealous because she became your best bud after I was shipped off to boarding school. Or maybe I don’t like her because she worships my stepfather, which is a giant red flag, but she always seems like she has to one-up you. And I haven’t forgotten about the cruel things she said after Danny’s funeral.”

Beth hadn’t forgotten either. She hadn’t seen Evangeline since she’d moved to Dubai days after Danny’s burial. They’d only spoken in the last couple of months because Evangeline joined the fundraising committee at the hospital.

“Wear these to the party.” Scarlett handed Beth a pair of silver hoops encrusted with delicate crystals. “And look on the bright side. At least you don’t have to introduce Kane to your mom and dad.”

“There’s that.” Her parents were embarking on an African safari first thing in the morning. She’d already been warned communications would be spotty, thank God. If her mom got wind she’d brought a guy home for Christmas, she’d be on the first flight back with the wedding halfway planned. “I do have to contend with the gossip brigade though. They’re almost as scary asthe Diablo cartel.”

“You handle the dumb gossips. Let me and the VIPER team handle the stalker and drug lords.” Scarlett swiveled her head around the room as if to make sure nobody was listening.

“Don’t worry. Kane and Nic swept the entire place for surveillance equipment.” Beth’s gaze darted toward her bathroom. How thoroughly had they checked? Earlier, she’d put her vibrator into her toiletry bag on the sink. God, she hoped she’d zipped it up.

Scarlett closed the jewelry box. “Of course they secured your place. They’re professionals. And the way they refer to themselves assuperisn’t an exaggeration.”

“Can you elaborate on these superpowers?”

“No, I can’t. Just know you have four loyal, dedicated men on your side and the best technology in the world at their disposal. You’ll be safe while they work to end this.”

But would Kane be safe? While his leg felt strong enough to repel a bullet, and he looked like he could take on a gang in a dark alley with one hand tied behind his back, he was still vulnerable to forces out of his control.

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