Page 66 of Bravo

She’s got me there. “That’s currently being rectified,” I tell her. “All areas surrounding our personal residences will be covered.”

“It’s not enough,” she insists. “You don’t understand who you’re dealing with.”

“It has to be enough,” I growl. “Because I’m not leaving you to die in some motel room.”

She pushes to her feet, wincing when she puts too much pressure on her injured foot. “You need to just go. Leave me to whatever comes next. I’m good at disappearing.”

“I’m not leaving you.” The fact that she even thinks I would is absolutely ridiculous.

“You’re going to die. This isn’t some storm where you come running after me, Bradyn. These men are killers. You have no idea what they’re capable of.”

I move in closer, getting within inches of her so I can make sure she understands just what I’m saying. “I know killers, Kennedy. I’ve walked alongside them, fought against them, and suffered at their hands. I can assure you, there is no man who walks on this earth that I fear. And I. Am. Not. Leaving. You.”

“Why?” she asks breathlessly.

“Because I defend what’s mine.”

“You barely know me.”

“I clearly don’t know you at all,” I admit. “But that doesn’t change the facts. You worked for my family, and they found you because of a fire that happened at my ranch. I’m not leaving you to die.”

“Then you should have thought about that before giving them my picture.” The fire is back in her eyes, a fight that I first saw that night when she was tending to Rev’s injury.

“I didn’t give her your picture. Arthur Kidress did.”

“Arthur? How did he get a picture of me?”

“Seems he had a torch for you and took it upon himself to grab a photo.” I turn away, trying to beat back my own anger at her accusation. “Confidentiality is a clause in our contracts. You should have known it wasn’t us who gave her that photo.”

Her cheeks redden. “I should have,” she admits. “I’m sorry.”

“He’s since been fired and escorted off of the property,” I tell her.

She takes a seat back on the bed. “I can’t believe this is happening again. It’s never going to stop. The walls are always going to cave in. I’m never going to be free of this.” She yanks on the thumb drive, but it remains securely on her neck.

“Kennedy.” Kneeling at her feet, I reach up and tilt her face so I can see her eyes. “You’re not alone anymore.”

“All that means is one more body to add to the count.”

“I’m not an easy man to kill,” I reply.

“They’re not easy men either.”

“We’re going to make it through this. You have to have faith. Don’t give up.”

“Faith.” She chokes on a laugh. “My mom had faith, and look where that got her. Dead and buried without even a funeral.”

Kennedy’s pain is still so fresh, her wounds ripped right open again with having to tell that story. “I’m so sorry for what happened to your parents.” It’s all I can say. Explaining to her that God doesn’t promise us a peaceful life in this world will mean nothing right now. All I can hope for is that, if I remain at her side, she’ll see what I do.

That He brought us together so I can do what I do best and free her from these shackles.

“You good?”Elliot asks through the phone.

“For now.” I lean out and peer through the window. “But it’s bad, Elliot. She’s in deep and doesn’t even know why.”

“We can’t find much either. Tucker ran those names you gave us, but all of it’s buried. The marshals she mentioned are listed as KIA. But not anything else that we could find. It’s all hidden behind security that even Tucker is having trouble cracking.”

“Not surprised. If it’s a senator involved, he’ll have deep pockets and plenty of resources to pull from.”

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