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“After all the years he’s dedicated to the Navy, how could anyone think that of him?” She straightened as her anger returned, but it wasn’t directed at Cole this time. “What exactly did the email from him say? I want it word for word.”
Cole pulled out his phone and opened his email, knowing that she wouldn’t be satisfied with his recitation of the short message. “See for yourself.” He handed her the phone.
“If you receive this,” Kelsey read aloud, “the situation is worse than I feared. I need you to keep Kelsey and Eddy safe until I send word that the threat has been neutralized.” She looked up at him. “What threat? Why does he think we’re in danger?”
“I don’t know, but I plan to do as commanded,” he answered. Edwin must have had reason to believe his daughter and grandson were vulnerable. Cole wished he knew what the specific danger was, but the message hadn’t contained any details. Didn’t matter. The email was tantamount to an order in Cole’s mind, even though it meant he’d been tasked with protecting the woman he’d dated and cared for and their four-month-old son, whom he’d never even met and hadn’t expected to. He’d removed himself from Kelsey’s life when she told him she was pregnant with his baby because that’s what she seemed to want from him. She’d flat-out stated that the baby would be better off with just a mother who would always be there versus also having a father who was gone for long stretches like hers had been. He’d agreed, for mostly the same reasons. She thought he couldn’t offer the kind of commitment she wanted, and she was right. That wasn’t because he was in the military, though.
It just wasn’t in him. He wasn’t built that way.
He and Kelsey had ended their relationship that December night, but it hadn’t kept Cole from thinking about her and the baby. They were constantly in his thoughts, and he’d been grateful when she’d notified him in July that their son had been born healthy. Cole had been overseas at the time, which he viewed as a good thing. If he’d been in California, he might not have been able to keep his distance. Twice he’d allowed himself to look at pictures of Eddy that Kelsey posted on her Facebook page. But he didn’t want to make a habit of that. He’d made his choice, one that seemed in the child’s and Kelsey’s best interests, and he had to live with that.
But things were more complicated now that he’d been called on to ensure their safety. It was a hell of a position to be in.
“There’s something I’d better show you,” Kelsey said.
“The baby?” The question was out before he could stop it. Instantly, he regretted it. If he wasn’t going to be in the boy’s life, it would be easier not to have any contact with him.
Kelsey cast a glance over her shoulder toward the family room. “That’s not what I meant. Wait here—I’ll go get it.”
Cole tried not to stare after her as she walked out of the kitchen, but it was almost impossible for him to ignore her curves.
She came back a few minutes later and held an envelope out towards him, a stoic expression on her face. “I found this in my mailbox yesterday. I think you should read it.”
He took the envelope, noting that there were no markings on it, and pulled out the single page. The typewritten message was brief and harsh.Locate your father by the end of the month or you and your son will suffer the consequences.
No signature. He turned the paper over, looking for clues to who might have sent it, but there was nothing, not even a postmark. It had clearly been hand-delivered. He re-read the message, his concern flaring into something deeper. It was already the twentieth of November, giving them just ten days to comply with the demand.
But that wasn’t what made his blood burn hot in his veins. The threat did that. Cole had seen enough horror in the world during his three years as a SEAL to grasp what those consequences might look like for a woman and baby. No way was any of that happening to Kelsey and their son. Edwin had entrusted him with preventing that—and more than that, Cole himself was now fully committed to their safety.
“I have no idea where to look for Dad,” Kelsey said, sounding remarkably calm for a woman under such a threat. She had to be frightened, but she was tough and refused to show it.
“Why didn’t you contact me as soon as you got this?” he asked, but her only reply was a tiny shrug, reminding him that they’d made the choice for her to be on her own with the baby, and that was what she’d planned to stick to despite the dire situation. “I will protect you, both of you.” He wanted her to know that. He’d do whatever it took, which started with finding out as much intel as he could about Edwin’s disappearance.
“I guess Dad suspected that things could go wrong with whatever he’s doing, or he wouldn’t have scheduled that email for you. I just wish I knew…” She trailed off and glanced out the window, her fear seeping through her calm façade.
Cole wanted to pull her into his arms in the worst way, to reassure her that everything was going to be okay. He could almost feel her pressed against him, the sensation of her body seared into his memories. But he knew that if he did that, he’d be reminded of everything he’d walked away from. And hell, it wasn’t likely that Kelsey even wanted his touch. Not anymore.
“We’ll figure it out and find him.” His hand grazed hers as he gave the letter back. He could give her that promise at least, and his pledge to keep them safe. Kelsey’s eyes met his, a current passing between them. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to rub the feeling away or hold onto it. Either way, being back this close to Kelsey was dangerous.
TWO
Kelsey took a step back from Cole to lean against her kitchen counter. It would be so easy to fall into his arms and let him be her strength, but that wasn’t how she functioned. It couldn’t be. Much as she loved her dad, she’d learned hard lessons from her mom about what happened when you tried to hold together a life with someone who was never there. That was why she’d given Cole that ultimatum, knowing all along that there was a good chance he’d choose to walk out of her life.
Which he had.
“I hope so,” Kelsey said. Since receiving the letter, her emotions had been fragile. Yesterday, she’d wanted to collapse in a puddle of tears, but she’d fought the feelings and toughened up, just like always. Having Eddy to care for had forced her to keep it together, even when she was terrified for her father and her son. Her ex’s sudden appearance only complicated an already difficult situation, but she needed to focus on the real problem and ignore the tension between her and Cole.
Her father was the one in real trouble. He was a dedicated and well-trained officer, which made his disappearance that much more puzzling. The Navy had been his life for as long as she could remember. He’d sacrificed everything, including his family, because his devotion to the service defined him. Whatever had possessed him to go AWOL had to be unimaginably bad.
Cole was someone who understood the intricacies of the situation and could help her. More importantly, she trusted him and knew her father did, too—trusted his integrity and his loyalty. She noted the creases on Cole’s forehead and could sense that he was as worried as she was about her father. She’d rarely seen that emotion from him in their time together until that last conversation nearly a year ago.
She tried to push away the memory and the hurt. Nothing about that encounter had played out the way she’d hoped it would. Despite everything they’d built together, Cole had opted to leave her and their baby. Letting go was the hardest thing she’d ever done but she wasn’t about to sacrifice what she needed for what she wanted. If Cole didn’t want to commit to being there for her and their child, it was for the best to make a clean break.
It still hurt, though. And having him back in her home, just steps away from their baby, made the pain come roaring back.
She studied his face, looking for any sign of regret. If he felt any, it was carefully masked, as usual. His handsome façade flawlessly concealed the vulnerable man beneath. It hadn’t taken her long to figure that out about him—that he buried his deepest feelings down where no one could touch them.
It would be so much easier to deal with Cole if the man wasn’t so damn sexy. Even now, his black hair was tousled, as if he’d just woken up. It gave him a roguish look and stirred memories of their nights together. She thought of the weekend Eddy was conceived. They’d been to the Navy Ball—their third one, a floating anniversary considering it was where they’d first met—and gone back to her place to make love. A perfect evening, even though she didn’t know at the time that a beautiful child had been created.
