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She wasn’t wrong, I had been racking my brain about what to do next since we got out of that courthouse.There was no way I was turning my back on Scar now.Sure, I may have threatened Nick and Rafe, but that didn’t mean they were going to back down.Nick was clearly just a patsy.I could see that he didn’t really mean her any harm.He was just following orders.But if I’d learned anything it was that those men were often more dangerous than the men who gave the orders.
Nick didn’t want to let Rafe down and although he’ll report back what happened today, the only thing that was going to do was buy us some time.It was only a matter of time, though, before Rafe came at us with his next shot.And we had to be one step ahead, so we weren’t in the crosshairs.
Not that I could say any of this to Scarlet, of course.She had enough on her plate, and didn’t need to be worried about what was going to happen next.All she needed to know was that I promised I’d take care of her and that was exactly what I was going to do.
Frankly, I wished she had never gotten involved with a man like Nick to begin with.I wish I knew her back then.I would’ve treated her like the princess she is and never let anything bad happen to her.Then again, if I never joined the Army I never would have met her brother and we may never even been having this conversation.Instead, Scarlet would be on her own and God knows what would’ve happened to her by now.I only wished I knew why she didn’t tell me that I was the reason she was in that courthouse today.
“Colt, I’m kind of tired.I think I’m going to call it a night,” she said as she stood up and began walking upstairs.
“Wait, you shouldn’t have to walk another step.”I swept her up into my arms and carried her up the stairs as she yawned two more times.It took everything in me to not kiss her right there.
When I placed her on the bed, she leaned up and gave me a chaste kiss on my cheek.“Thank you, Colt.I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Her eyes were half-closed by the time I said, “I’ll always protect you.You don’t have to worry, baby, because I’m never leaving you.”
She smiled and sighed her contentment, then drifted off to sleep.
I went downstairs and immediately called my buddy at the FBI.We had served in the Army together.He got out two years before me—injured, shot in the chest.He had barely survived, but after a heart transplant and a transfusion or two, he was well on his way to recovering.Now, he made a home for himself in D.C., still serving his country, with his wife and their two kids.
“Easton,” I said when he picked up.
“Colt, it’s the middle of the night.What’s going on?”He sounded like I just woke him, which I was sorry about, but had bigger fish to fry.
“I have a situation I need your help taking care of.”
Easton harrumphed.“Something tells me you’re calling me because you don’t want the FBI involved.”
“No, I just want you.I need you’re expertise.”
“But with the utmost discretion?”
“Yeah, something like that,” I replied.
Easton grew serious.“Anything.What is it?”
Once I explained the whole situation to him, he responded, “Shit!That’s one hell of a situation she’s in.”
“I know, and I need your help,” I reiterated.
I heard Easton sigh.“Are you sure you don’t want to just wrangle the police in on this?I’m sure they can take care of it.”
“Easton, you’re my man for this.I know you can help me.What’s stopping you?”
“Nothing,” he responded quickly.“I’m game to help you.You know I will.It’s just, I want to make sure this is what you want.And we have to be real discreet about this, because if you don’t want to sound any alarms, then I have ways around it, but it’s going to take some time.”
I cursed.“Easton, I don’t have time.Scarlet doesn’t have time.”
“For now, I can promise you that I’ll try a work around.Perhaps I can bring them in for other charges.But I’ll need to watch their every move.See what I can get them on.”
“It’s Rafe you really want.”
“Nick is the dummy, right?”
“Right.”
Easton agreed.“All right, man.Consider it done.I’ll let you know when I’ve got something.”
I had to make sure before we hung up that we were on the same page.“No one can know I asked this of you.Likewise, no one can know Scarlet had anything to do with this.If they are brought in, then none of this can lead back to her or I.”
