Page 19 of Guarding Her Heart
I sit there for a moment, processing what I’ve just learned. Vincent Torres. If he’s involved, then this is bigger than I thought. And more dangerous.
I dial Jenny’s number, my heart pounding as I wait for her to pick up.
“Ethan?” she answers, her voice soft but laced with concern.
“Jenny, I need to see you,” I say, trying to keep my voice calm. “There’s something we need to talk about.”
“Okay,” she replies, the worry in her voice evident. “I’ll be home soon. We can talk then.”
“Perfect. I’m on my way.” I hang up, my mind racing with possibilities. Why would a guy like Torres be involved with Richard? Or is Richard even involved? Is it just a coincidence, or is there something more going on?
When I arrive at Jenny’s apartment, she’s already there, waiting for me. Her eyes widen when she sees the look on my face, and I can see the fear starting to take hold.
“What is it, Ethan?” she asks, her voice trembling slightly. “You’ve got me worried.”
I take a deep breath, pulling her close. “I did some digging, and it looks like the person behind those text messages might be connected to a guy named Vincent Torres. He’s involved in organized crime—smuggling, racketeering, you name it. I don’t know why he’s interested in us or is this something to do with Richard? And if it involves Richard, it means we’re dealing with something a lot more serious than your ex-husband not moving on. This is a completely different level than we thought. Do you know the name?”
Jenny’s face pales as she shakes her head, and she grips my arm tightly. “No, I don’t. Do you? Are we sure this is about me and not you and your past work as a SEAL? Why would someone like that care about us?”
“I don’t know,” I admit, my voice low. “But I’m going to find out. And until I do, I need you to be extremely careful. Don’t go anywhere alone, and don’t trust anyone you don’t know. Especially Richard.”
She nods, her fear evident but controlled. “Okay. But what about you? You can’t just go up against a guy like that alone.”
“I’m not alone,” I assure her, my hand cupping her cheek. “I’ve got people I can count on, and I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I promise.”
She leans into my touch, her eyes closing for a moment as she takes a deep breath. “Ethan, I trust you. Just... be careful, okay? I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t,” I promise, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “We’re going to get through this. Together.”
By the time Jenny finally falls asleep, I feel a sense of resolve settling over me. I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but I do know one thing: I’m going to protect Jenny, no matter what it takes and that means I need to talk to Robert Fitzwallace of Cerberus.
While Jenny is sleeping, I dial the number in my contacts listed only as a hashtag. It used to be called a pound sign and that’s what Fitz would do if you fucked with anyone he cared about – especially JJ, his wife.
“West. What’s going on? Ready to reconsider my offer?” Fitz answers the phone without preamble.
“Actually, I need to run something by you.” My voice is low.
Fitz picks up on my tone, “I’m listening.”
I tell him everything that’s happened from the night I met Jenny, everything she’s told me about her marriage and divorce, to the text messages and Vincent Torres. I tell him I love Jenny, too.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this, but I just can’t put my finger on it. Maybe I’m too close, I don’t know, but something’s not right.”
“Understood. I’ll have a team down there tomorrow… just in case you need them.” Fitz tells me.
“Are you sure? I’d appreciate it.”
“Are you kidding me? They’re based in Chicago. A Florida vacation in February? The entire team will be volunteering,” Fitz chuckles.
“Thanks, Fitz. I owe you.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll call in the favor one day.”
We hang up and I’m feeling better knowing that I’ll have some of the most highly trained men on the planet here, watching Jenny… keeping her safe.
Chapter 8
Jenny
