Wilderness Reunion

He was a damaged man.

He grabbed his gun from the table. “Do you need to get some things from your house before you settle in here?”

Vehemently, she shook her head. “I can sleep in what I’m wearing. If he followed me to the house, I don’t want to lead him here.”

If they hadn’t already done just that. But Griffin didn’t want to bring up the possibility and scare her more than she already was. He wished her brothers were here to protect her, someone other than him. Could he be an effective protector when his heart distracted him completely whenever he was near Alice?

Regardless, and in lieu of her brothers or father, he would be here for Alice to protect her until tomorrow when the sheriff got here. She knew how to wield her weapon and on some level could protect herself, but the kind of men she’d run across in the woods were seriously dangerous.

“I just want to make it through this night,” she said. “Tell the sheriff what he needs to know so he can rid the woods of the vermin and be done with it.”

“Did you tell him everything? Including that the guy might have recognized you?”

She paled. “I didn’t have the chance. I thought I’d have a chance to tell him more, but he had an actionable emergency and I had to wait until the morning. But now you’re here.”

And what if Griffin hadn’t come? She had friends in town, but apparently she hadn’t shared what happened with anyone. “Do Cooper and Gray even know about this? Or your father?”

“I didn’t want to call Cooper or Gray. They’re both on excursions and hard to reach, as it is. Dad’s out of the country. There’s nothing they can do anyway.”

Except protect you, Alice. But it looked like Griffin was up for that job now. And wouldn’t Coop and Gray just be thrilled to hear about that?

Yeah, her brothers hadn’t much liked Griffin. He didn’t think it was personal. Just that nobody was good enough for their sister. On some level he got that. But was she supposed to spend her life alone, then?

No. She was just supposed to pick someone better than him. Since he wasn’t relationship material, why should he stick around and waste everyone’s time and let himself fall for her, let her fall for him, and break both their hearts? The call to Kenya that would propel him back into action couldn’t have come at a better time. Except maybe he’d broken both their hearts anyway.

Alice cleared her throat. “Imagine the reputation our business would get if Cooper cut his wilderness training short to rush back here.”

She pulled out the band securing her hair and set it free, shook it out, then wrapped the band around it again, captivating his attention. A simple habit, but did she have any idea what that did to him? Her dark blue eyes blinked up at him. “And now, you’re here. Thank you for showing up at just the right time.”

Yeah. I’m such a great guy. I left you high and dry and didn’t come back or call, and then I happened to walk back into your life just when you needed me. I’m such a hero.

He was a coward when it came to commitment. But when it came to keeping her safe... “Nobody is going to get to you tonight, Alice.” He chambered a round. “They have to go through me first.”

“I don’t want you to get hurt because of me.”

“I’ve survived two tours in the Middle East, I think I’ll be okay.” And countless other covert missions. Griffin wanted to grip her shoulders again, make her look at him and believe him, but then again, keeping his distance was the best for both of them. “It’s you I’m worried about. Now get some rest. I’ll be downstairs if you need me.”

He left Alice in the apartment upstairs and lay on the sofa in Cooper’s office, listening. He had no intention of falling asleep, though he needed the rest to be prepared for his trek in the wilderness tomorrow with Uncle Davis and his deputies. But a woman’s well-being was more important than being at his best to get the story. Otherwise what was the point?

He tried to convince himself it didn’t matter that woman was Alice. And he would keep trying...

When he blinked his eyes open, he realized that he’d fallen asleep, after all. Still, he’d been trained to sleep lightly, and a subtle sound had disturbed him, waking him.

Pressing his hand over his firearm on the side table, he waited and listened.

Had Alice moved in the apartment above? Or had an intruder approached?

Grabbing the weapon, Griffin decided to head outside to check the perimeter. The only issue he had with Cooper’s old apartment was that privacy entrance in the back, which meant that someone could get to Alice without having to go past him. He grabbed a set of keys off the desk and let himself out the front door, locking it behind him.

While he wanted to wait and listen, that could be a luxury he couldn’t afford. He moved around the house, quietly, and kept to the shadows.

Searching for anything out of the ordinary.

Behind the house, he waited in the shadows.

A figure crept up the stairs to the apartment.

* * *

Alice heard a noise.

Even with Griffin bunking in the office below, she hadn’t been able to fall asleep. Her heart pounded at every sound, every creak of the house, hoot of an owl or cry of coyotes.

But this sound was different. The noise she’d heard sounded close by. Maybe it was just a raccoon that snooped around, but she had to check. She palmed the grip of her weapon and peeked out the curtain, ever so carefully.

Movement on the stairs drew her attention. That was no raccoon. Nor was it Griffin.

A man dressed in dark clothing crept up the steps. So much for their grand idea that she would be safe here, and that Griffin’s presence would somehow protect her. It appeared she was on her own.

A scream lodged in her throat.

Moisture slicked her hands.

Fear paralyzed her.

No. “No...” She couldn’t just stand there and wait for that malicious man to kill her.

Alice shook free of the chains of terror. She would be proactive and take him out first. After chambering a round, she flung the door open and rushed through the opening, pointing her weapon out and ready to fire.

Someone shouted.

The figure on the stairs turned away from her and fired his weapon in the opposite direction. Returning gunfire from beyond him sent the man leaping down the stairs and running into the woods.

Who else was out there?

“No, don’t let him get away!” she called to whoever had chased the intruder away with gunfire.

She had to stop this. Looking over her shoulder forever was no way to live!

Fueled by adrenaline and her need to end her terror, Alice bounded down the steps. Strong arms seized her, yanking her back from her pursuit. The shock of the sudden grip ricocheted through her.

Griffin pulled her hard against him.

“Alice!” He clutched her and turned her to face him, putting just enough distance between them to get in her face. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m going after him, that’s what. And you’re preventing me. Now let me go.”

“What? Are you crazy? You’re definitely not going after him.”