Page 49 of Guarded from Treachery

Jade gives me a friendly little wave. “Hey, Isla. How are you feeling?” With her other hand, she absently rubs the swell of her belly, the diamond of her engagement ring glinting as the sun streams through the window at the end of the hallway.

From our first meeting, I thought Jade was lovely—kind, friendly, and a bit serious in the beginning, but funny once she opened up. From what Matt told me, I know she’s been through some pretty awful stuff, and I’m glad she’s found happiness on the other side of it.

But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little jealous.

Six months pregnant with a much-wanted baby, married to the love of her life, and living at the ranch with a wonderful group of people who’ve become like extended family, she has the life I wish I had. Not that I begrudge Jade the good fortune she absolutely deserves, but I can’t help the wistful fantasy of having the same.

Not for the first time since I got to Blade and Arrow, and probably not the last, I wonder what it would be like if this wasmyhome. Living at this expansive ranch with every amenity I could possibly want—a gym nicer than the one I used to go to in Dallas, a gorgeous library stocked with thousands of books, an enormous restored barn with an outdoor kitchen, games, and even a small theater, plus miles of trails winding through the gorgeous tree-filled property—is better than I could have imagined.

And it’ssafe. Not once since I got here have I worried about my safety. Not with all the security and the constant presence of at least one former Green Beret to protect me.

It’s not just the ranch that I like, but the people here, too. Like Matt told me before, it really does feel like a big family. All it takes is spending a few minutes with them to realize how much everyone cares about each other. And while I know I’m just a client, I haven’t felt that way since I arrived.

Everyone has just been so welcoming and helpful—Dante and Sarah showing up with home cooked food to stock my fridge and freezer, Niall and Jade bringing over a gift basket filled with candy and candles and aromatherapy supplies, and Xavier and Lucy showing up the first evening laden down with fresh treats from the local bakery and boxes of herbal tea.

I still have my daily yoga sessions with Erik, which I’ve grown to really look forward to. Rhiannon stops by each evening under the auspices of making sure I feel okay, but ends up staying to watch an episode of our favorite show on HGTV.

And Matt.

He’s the best part of being here by far.

Initially, I was worried I wouldn’t see him as much once I moved here. Living at the Blade and Arrow ranch, I don’t need the same sort of protection, so there’s no reason for him to be around as much as he was back in Dallas.

But he has been. Every morning he brings over breakfast, and at lunchtime, he takes a break from his work to walk around the property with me. And in the evenings, we have dinner and playMinecraftand take turns picking something to watch on TV. I know he doesn’t have to do any of it—I’m sure sharing meals and playing video games with me isn’t in his job description—but he hasn’t mentioned stopping and I’m not bringing it up.

Am I going to have to leave eventually? Yes. Matt and his teammates will figure this out and in time, my case will be resolved. Which is good; I don’t want to keep living in fear, and I want to know the truth about where my baby came from.

Mybaby. Whoever the father is, they’re not a part of it, not in my mind at least. At the end of this, it’ll be just me and the baby, making a life for ourselves back in Dallas. And I’ll make sure she—I feel like it’s a little girl, though I don’t know for sure—knows she’s loved unconditionally.

Although. If Mattwantedto be involved, I wouldn’t say no.

Deep down, in my heart of hearts, that’s what Ireallywant. Matt. Not as my protector, but my boyfriend. My partner. Someone to show my baby how a man should be.

It won’t happen. I know that. But there’s a flicker of hope that won’t be extinguished. And every time I see Matt, a little voice in my head whispers,What if?

What if I could find love in all of this?

What if Matt is the man I’ve been waiting for?

“If you’re not feeling well, we can come back.” Jade’s expression fills with concern as she looks at me. Apology tinges her voice. “We should have called first. I’m sorry.”

Crap. Since I’ve been pregnant, my mind wanders even more than it used to.

“No, no, it’s okay,” I reply quickly. “Sorry. I get distracted so easily lately. But I’m feeling fine. Better than fine, really.”

“Oh, pregnancy brain?” Jade laughs. “Tell me about it! I’ll get into a room and forget why I went there. Or I’ll go to the grocery store and come back with bags of stuff I don’t even need.”

Sarah smiles as she holds out another stack of covered dishes. “I made some more of that taco casserole. Matt said you loved it when you had it the other night. And I went light on the seasoning, so it won’t upset your stomach.”

“Oh, thank you.” I give Sarah a one-armed hug as I take the dishes from her. “That’s so nice of you. But you didn’t have?—”

“Sarah loves to cook,” Lucy says, casting an affectionate look at her friend. “When I was going through—” Her gaze shadows for a second before brightening. “Sarah brought over tons of food. Dante, too. It was so nice not to have to worry about cooking. Plus, anything they make is much better than what Xavier and I can come up with.”

“We all love Sarah’s cooking,” one of the other women says. She has blonde hair and bright blue eyes and a warm smile. As she extends her hand out to me, she continues, “Hi. I’m Milena. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Milena is married to TJ,” Sarah explains. “And TJ used to be a Green Beret; he’s actually the reason why Dante decided to join, too.”

“We live in San Antonio,” Milena adds. “Just like Blythe and Hope.” She glances at the two other women. “We’re kind of all a big family here.”

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