Page 10 of Colton Family Bodyguard (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

“I technically have one less sibling now—even though I still consider Ace my half brother. Ace’s switch has caused a bit of chaos in the family,” he said.

She breathed a tiny laugh at his sarcastic tone. “It sounds dramatic. Who switched him and why?”

“We don’t know yet.”

“That must be hard for him to face,” Hazel said.

He fell silent and Hazel sensed he had given out enough family information for now. Then he just nodded and said, “Yes, it is.”

“What made you decide to leave the navy and become a bodyguard?” Hazel asked to change the subject.

“I was getting too old to be a SEAL.”

At his short, simplistic reply, she wondered if he didn’t want to discuss this. He seemed reluctant to talk about anything personal.

“How old is too old?” she asked anyway.

“I’m thirty-two. Right now, I’m not taking out-of-state assignments, so I can be close to my dad.”

“I’m twenty-five,” she said. “Have you been married or in any serious relationships?”

She had confessed her failed serious relationship, so that justified her asking the question. “No to marriage. Yes to a relationship, but it didn’t work out.”

“What happened?”

“It didn’t work out,” he repeated, turning his head and not looking at her anymore.

She watched the tension on his face for a few seconds, then said, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”

“We should get going to the police station. Why don’t we go get her and head to the hotel?” Callum said.

She wanted to get to Evie as soon as possible—and slow down whatever was happening between her and Callum.

* * *

Waiting for Hazel to finish getting ready to leave, Callum struggled with what her questions had brought to the surface. Shortly after he had left the SEAL team, he had lost Annabel. He never talked about her and their unborn baby. After she died, he had told everyone they’d broken up. He couldn’t bear to face the truth and he didn’t like people asking him about her. No one had enquired about her in a long time, which probably explained the heavy emotion he felt right now.

When Hazel joined him at the back door, Callum left the apartment, carrying two of her bags with one hand, leaving the other free. He searched the parking area behind the bakery and at first everything seemed quiet. But then he saw someone sitting in a car parked at the end of one of the rows. It was different than the one that had nearly mowed down Evie and Hazel; this one was white with tinted windows. He couldn’t see the person inside, but the shape had the form of a man.

Alarmed that someone might try to harm Hazel again, he said, “Go back inside, Hazel.”

“What?” Her eyes searched his face beneath lowered eyebrows.

“I need to check out that car over there. Go back inside.” He had to keep her safe and she’d be safest in there for now.

Hazel looked out into the parking lot. “Oh, no.”

“It might not be anything. Just let me check it out,” he said as reassuringly as he could. He didn’t mean to frighten her.

She turned and went back inside. He saw her go to the window next to the door and watch.

Callum stepped down the stairs, leaving the bags on the landing by the door. He walked to his truck and started it, then drove closer to the building. There, he waited a few moments. The driver of the other car pulled out of the parking space and drove down the alley toward the street.

Getting out of the truck, Callum went to help Hazel as she came out of the apartment and locked the door. He searched the parking lot and alley, keeping his body between the direction the car had gone and Hazel. He picked up the two bags and followed her down. At the passenger door, he opened that and waited for her to get in, continuing to watch for the mysterious car.

Putting the bags in the back seat, he got behind the wheel and started driving.

At the street he pulled out into traffic, glancing frequently into the rearview mirror. As he suspected, the stranger had waited for them.

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