Page 4 of Sutton's Shadow

“I’m scared.” Those words nearly sent him to his knees. He never wanted to hear those words from her again. Had thought after the incident tonight, she’d be safe with him. But now, he had to hand her over to strangers. His fortitude was being torn to shreds.

“I know you are. I will come find you tomorrow, okay? You just go now and get some rest, and we’ll be together before you know it. You are so brave, and I am incredibly proud of you.” She nodded again with a large sniff.

Before his eyes, he watched as her tears dried up. She pushed her shoulders back, pulling her courage deep into her. Bethany gave him a small smile he felt clear down to his bones, then she marched over to the CPS guy, determination in every stride.

“I love you, little heart,” he shouted to her.

She grinned over her shoulder. “Love you too, big brother.”

He smiled, loving the sassy tone of her voice. Now that she was a teenager, she pretended to dislike his nickname for her, but he knew she secretly loved it. She showed him that every time the endearment made her smile.

“See you tomorrow,” he assured once more before she stepped out into the night following the CPS man to God knows where.

Jude approached, his hand once again resting on his shoulder. “She’s going to be fine.”

Wyatt nodded, attempting to swallow the lump in his throat. He prayed that was true. But he couldn’t help but feel like he’d failed her again. Trepidation settled in his gut. He had a bad feeling and couldn’t shake himself out of it.

Chapter 2

Wyattsatatthebar at Jolene’s, nursing his beer. The afternoon sun shone through the plate-glass window at the front of the restaurant, creating interesting light patterns across the hardwood floors. With his back to the wall at the corner of the bar, the former Ranger had a perfect view of the entire restaurant and could watch the light patterns move across the floor as the sun traversed the sky.

But he saw none of it. The trepidation he’d had after saying goodbye to Bethany had morphed to unease, then anxiety. It had been five days since he’d found her in the woods. Five days, and he hadn’t heard a word from her or CPS. He’d called the number on the card every hour for five days, to no avail. The man wasn’t answering his phone.

Yesterday, he’d given up on that guy’s number and called the main number for CPS in the county. The person he’d spoken to had assured him someone would get back to him, but that was over twenty-four hours ago. He was still waiting. The anxiety was mutating into a foreboding dread that he’d never see Bethany again.

Having given the authorities her phone as evidence exacerbated the feeling, leaving him with no way to contact her. He had no idea what his next step should be. All he could think about was her being hurt again.

Elbows on the bar, he dropped his head into his hands, his fingers tearing through his hair. He was about to shatter into a million pieces with no way of containing the impending detonation.

The door opened, and a woman stepped through. Sutton Masters. Years ago, he’d been on her military escort team through Afghanistan and had been impressed by her work, even as he hated some of her methods. In her determination to get the shot she wanted, she could act impetuously.

His buddy Liam Callaghan had agreed to work with her after he’d left the Rangers. Liam had joined Condor’s Overwatch, a large security company run by Flynn Condor, a man of unlimited means and skills. Sutton had hired the company for her protection detail while she traveled to the world’s hellholes. His friend had proposed soon after they’d started working together.

Wyatt and Liam had attended Ranger school together. He could attribute Liam as the reason he’d succeeded in earning his tab from Ranger school. He’d pushed Wyatt through the rigorous training, never backing down from his relentless prodding for Wyatt to keep going. They’d had each other’s sixes those first few years after Ranger school. Since leaving the military, they’d kept in touch through email and sporadic visits.

And now Liam was dead. And the way he understood it, the little blond woman who’d just walked into Jolene’s was the reason. He hated to think that way, hated to blame a woman for his death, especially a woman his buddy had loved. But the way Liam’s teammates told the story, if it wasn’t for the stubborn photojournalist, Liam would still be alive.

But as Wyatt observed the woman from his vantage point in the corner of the bar, he could see hints of sadness?grief?in her shockingly blue eyes. He wondered what the actual story behind Liam’s death was and what role she’d played.

Sutton hesitated just inside the door, her gaze traveling around the restaurant before she continued to the bar and stopped a few stools away from him. When their gazes met, he gave her a nod, and her lips tilted upward in a small smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Wyatt tried to remain detached, but she constantly drew his gaze. She had removed her coat and placed it around the back of the stool. Her back was to him, allowing him a pleasant view of her firm ass and long legs as she bent to rummage through one of her bags. An image of those legs wrapped around his waist popped into Wyatt’s head. The fitted gray sweater she wore revealed a nice figure. Not supermodel worthy, but it had always worked for him. He’d been attracted to her when they’d worked together years ago. Clearly, her appeal hadn’t faded.

Once settled on the stool, she lowered her head slightly, allowing her hair to drop forward, hiding her face from those around her. Curious. The Sutton Masters he’d known was a bit of a badass; a no-holds-barred photojournalist who’d visited every war zone imaginable. Unafraid to enter the no-go areas to capture images of the situations the world needed to know. And had felt no qualms about putting the men protecting her in danger. He’d witnessed and heard even more stories about the many times she’d disobeyed orders to head deeper into the danger. Which meant those men had to place their lives on the line to protect her.

He’d run across many journalists from his years in the military. Ambitious. Tenacious. He’d witnessed their detached greed for grabbing for the most salacious stories during his many deployments. Many photojournalists took advantage of humanity’s worst moments, getting right in the faces of the innocent victims of war, hungry to capture their struggles. To plaster a victim’s worst moments across whatever publication they worked with. Never bothering with permission.

Many photojournalists clogged the war zone hospitals, jockeying for the most sensational images. If injured children were involved... forget it. That was the golden ticket for those piranhas. A child, bloody from whatever injuries suffered, pure gold as far as they were concerned. It had made Wyatt sick.

But Sutton Masters, while also tenacious and ambitious, had been different. It was in the way she talked to her subjects. The care and concern she’d shown them. The tears she’d shed right along with them. And that difference had shown in her pictures. The accolades she’d received had been numerous and included a Pulitzer Prize.

But this woman perched on the barstool was nothing like the bold and brash woman he’d once worked with. This woman sat with shoulders hunched, hair hanging in her face. Her bangs pushed over to one side, covering her right eye. Hiding. This woman looked... defeated. Were the circumstances behind Liam’s death putting the shadows in her eyes? Or was there more?

Jolene came out from the kitchen with a burger and greeted Sutton warmly as she plunked the plate in front of him.

“What’s this? I didn’t order any food.”

“I know that, but you need to eat. I bet you haven’t eaten much in days. Natalie told me the latest. Have you heard anything?”

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