Page 47 of Colton Family Bodyguard (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

“Why don’t you go back to the inn?” Kerry said. “I can have an officer escort you.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Callum said.

“Are you sure? It’s too dangerous for you to come and go from the inn and I’m concerned next time you won’t get away without being harmed.”

Or killed. Although she didn’t say so, Callum knew she worried they could very well be murdered.

“I’m sure.” He would not let his guard down again.

“We need to come up with a way to get you out of the inn and Evie somewhere safe.” She tapped her lower lip with her forefinger and then lowered her hand. “How about if I have someone drop off some disguises so you can get Evie out safely? Then I can arrange for undercover officers to watch you and make sure you get on your way.”

Callum grinned. “I like that idea. In fact, I know the perfect disguises.” He leaned close to Kerry’s ear and told her in a low voice what to get for them.

Kerry smiled and glanced at Hazel.

“What are you up to?” Hazel asked Callum.

“You’ll see.” Then to Kerry, he said, “Just ask Patsy to pick them up. She’ll have fun with that.”

He gave Kerry Patsy’s contact information, looking forward to the trip to Hazel’s brother. All that time they would spend together as a family... And then he would be alone with Hazel after they dropped Evie off. That came with so many conflicting emotions. Leaving Evie would be sad, but being alone with Hazel gave him all kinds of unwelcome thoughts...and welcome ones, too.

Chapter 8

Later the next morning, Hazel couldn’t believe what she had allowed Callum to talk her into wearing. She looked at herself in the mirror. The studded leathe

r sleeveless top zipped up to just above her breasts and the low-hipped leather pants hugged her shape. The jewel encrusted shoes with four-inch heels would bring her much closer to Callum’s height. A blond wig completed the ensemble.

Beside her Evie giggled. She had a wig, too, also blond, and wore an adorable biker girl T-shirt with leather pants—not skintight like her mother’s. Patsy had also gotten her a fun metal rivet and leather wrap bracelet and a pair of black boots.

Evie posed in front of the bathroom mirror, only her head above the sink counter.

Hazel chuckled. “Come on, Evie.”

They left the bathroom. Callum waited for them in the kitchen, leaning against the island counter, holding his phone. His eyes lifted as they approached, frozen in that pose as his gaze roamed down Hazel and then back up.

“I’m a biker girl!” Evie jumped and stopped in front of him.

“You sure are. Looking good, too.”

“Hopefully you haven’t ruined her future,” Hazel said with humor, enjoying this and feeling like they were a family getting ready to go on an outing. She wouldn’t even analyze that right now.

She did have a moment where she had to stare at him, though. Dark blue jeans that cupped his crotch and a leather jacket over a gray T-shirt that had a black print on the front. He also had on glasses to ramp him up from lowly biker to biker with money. She liked his wig, black with a tasteful ponytail.

“Are we ready?” he asked.

“Yeah!” Evie called out cheerily.

“Let me check outside first. I have my rental car waiting in front of the inn,” he said.

He had prepared well for this. And even though her disguise was a bit sexy, all of them were convincing. They looked completely different than they had this morning.

* * *

In the lobby, Hazel took Evie’s hand, and Callum noticed a man walking with another woman staring at her.

She looked away, stopping before following Callum through the doors. He covertly checked the front of the inn and beyond and then turned, still holding the door open, not saying he’d spotted a dark SUV across the street. The driver turned their way, stared a few seconds then turned away. A man and a woman with a child wasn’t unusual. They might stand out as a biker family but they looked nothing like they usually did. Callum was pleased the man apparently hadn’t caught on to their disguises.

Hazel stepped outside with Evie. The car was right in front of them, a valet having already opened the back door.

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