Page 8 of Honoring Lena

Five

Marshall marveledas Lena Rebel’s expression warred with emotion. It was the first time in two months that something other than disdain or flat-out dismissal had crossed her face when in his presence. He knew she had other emotions. He’d witnessed them when he’d spied on her with Carter. Well, not spied, rather supervised. What played across her face now resembled doubt and maybe guilt.

Lena Rebel didn’t doubt. At least, not that he’d seen. And she’d definitely never expressed remorse around him. Just what had she seen in his expression to cause the unflappable woman to flutter? He turned fully to her, not wanting to think about his perceived weakness.

“Something wrong? Why aren’t you with Carter?” He used his big boss voice, hoping she’d just leave him in peace to grieve over his failures.

Lena’s beautiful eyes flashed, and a shiver of awareness raced down Marshall’s spine. He shifted, not comprehending if the reaction was in fear or excitement. His pulse beat like a duck’s wings before taking off—fast and violent. Excitement couldn’t be right. She despised him, and he hadn’t been attracted to anyone since Amara. Never would. So, it must be fear, though the buzz running through him felt nothing like any fear he’d experienced before.

“Carter’s fine. You’re the one acting like a ground squirrel when the grizzlies come hunting.” Lena stepped into the room and the buzzing skimming along Marshall’s skin intensified and made it hard to concentrate.

“Did you just call me a squirrel?” Marshall crossed his arms over his chest to ease the discomfort her presence brought.

“Yes. You’re acting squirrelly, and I need to know why.” She stopped with her feet planted wide, and one perfect brow raised above her dark brown, almost black, eye.

“Why?” Marshall parroted, and Lena’s eyes rolled.

After all this time, why did his brain have to go and decide it found Lena Rebel, of all people, attractive? She was the exact opposite of his tenderhearted Amara. Where she was light and vivacious, Lena was hard and callous, unless she interacted with Carter. Her sharp tongue and steely demeanor melted away around his son. The memory of her lyrical voice singing along with Carter’s sent another shiver down his back. This wouldn’t do. Wouldn’t do at all.

“Yes, why.” She sat in the chair in front of his desk and muttered below her breath, “I thought he was supposed to be smart.” Her quiet comment wasn’t soft enough to escape his notice and shook him out of his stupor. He moved to his seat behind the desk as she continued. “Why are we holed up on the far side of Lake Coeur d’Alene? What made you drop everything and run scared?”

He sat up straighter as heat filled his chest. He wasn’t running scared. His leaving was well calculated, especially until he could assess the extent of the danger.

“Yesterday, while at lunch with an investor, I received a message.” Fear chilled his defensive anger just thinking of those words.

“A Facebook message from a jilted lover? An invitation to go fishing with a long-lost friend?” Lena motioned to the lake outside, her increasing annoyance evident in her voice. “Don’t be obtuse, Mr. Rand.”

He stifled the grin that threatened at her sharp words. People rarely challenged him anymore, especially employees. When they did, it wasn’t so upfront and in his face. He liked it, more than he cared to admit.

“Read for yourself.” He pulled the receipt from his back pocket and tossed it across his desk.

As her eyes scanned the words, her light brown skin paled.

“The only lover I’ve ever had is buried back home in Kentucky.” Marshall swallowed the grief always skimming under the surface. “I won’t let that happen to the other half of my heart.”

Lena lifted her gaze to his, and he was shocked to find regret there. Fiery passion pushed the regret away as her chin hardened.

“They won’t hurt Carter.” Purpose and a promise laced her voice. “As long as I’m alive.”

They stared at each other across the desk, a sense of camaraderie stretching between them. They may not know each other well. Her underhanded disapproval got on his nerves, and it was obvious she didn’t like him very much. They both loved Carter, though, and that was more than enough to bind them together to keep him safe. Lena shifted and broke their connection by glancing back at the receipt.

“‘Do what we say.’ What is it they want?” She tossed the paper back toward him.

“About ten minutes after they slipped me this, I received a text on my private line demanding I stop supplying your friend June with materials for her inventions and that I forget about my push for term limits in the legislature.” He sighed, grabbed the note, meticulously folding it into a square, and placed it back in his pocket. “Basically, stop everything I’m doing or else.”

“That’s what you’ve been doing in DC?” Lena’s face scrunched in confusion. “But you’re no longer in Congress.”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t want to see change.” His ego ruffled. He was getting sick of how every word she said caused his defenses to rise. “My term in Congress showed me how having lifetime appointments has denigrated our system, allowing corruption and money to influence lawmaking rather than the good of the people. If lawmakers only had a limited time in the capitol, then maybe they’d spend less time stuffing bills to appease their money masters and more time representing the people who elected them.”

Marshall blew out a frustrated huff as Lena’s eyes widened. Why did he always have to get so riled up? He needed to learn how to respond without calling on his best Braveheart persona.

“Sorry.” He shrugged, laughing at himself. “I get a little passionate.”

“If this is how you feel, why’d you get out after only one term? Why not stay longer to push change from the inside?”

Maybe she’d stop shooting daggers his way if she understood him better. He shook his head. He obviously needed a vacation, a retreat, something. His mind hadn’t been this distracted since college. How could he answer without telling the whole truth and exposing his own treason to the citizens he’d sworn to protect?

“After Amara’s murder, I inherited her family’s company.” He ran his hands along the smooth wood desktop. “I couldn’t do that, raise Carter, and fulfill my congressional duties.”

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