Shotgun Bride

Hawk nodded.

“I’ll make sure the chapel and the priest are ready. Also, I’ll contact the lawyer.” Emory grinned and grasped Renee’s hand. “Thank you. I’m going to be a grandpa.”

The smile on Emory’s face was pure joy.

“I’m afraid after the announcement on Saturday none of Emory’s family will be happy,” Hawk commented on their way to her office.

They had argued about him driving her to work, but he said he didn’t feel comfortable letting her go alone. With the shooting incident fresh in her mind, she didn’t argue for long. Besides, her car was still parked in the garage at work. She turned to face him. “Are you trying to scare me?”

“Yes.”

“At least you’re honest. But then again, you were faultlessly honest about so much.” It was a low blow, but the words were out of her mouth before she thought.

His face tightened, but he didn’t try to defend himself as he drove the car around a slow-moving truck. “We’ll need to think about how we’re going to handle things after the marriage.”

“What things?”

“Where are we going to live? Do you want to move in with me, or me with you, or get another apartment?” He sounded so blasé, as if their living arrangements didn’t matter to him.

He had a valid point, but all her emotional reserves had been used up, and she didn’t want to slay that dragon now. “Could we talk about that later?”

“That’s fine. I’ll pick you up after work. Also, I’ll have some things with me for this next week. We can go over wedding details tonight.”

What she would’ve given to have heard that two months ago. “Do you need to stay—”

“Yes.”

“Surely you don’t think they’re going to come to my apartment?”

His eyes narrowed. “They kidnapped David from his football practice, in front of a field full of witnesses. It would be a hundred times easier to come after you in the privacy of your apartment.”

She wanted to argue the point, but too much had happened since noon yesterday when her world had exploded. “That’s fine.”

Five minutes later they pulled up in front of the office building. She scrambled out of the front seat, not waiting for him. He hurried after her, walking with her to her office. A new secretary sat outside her office. “Where’s my secretary?”

“She’s not feeling well today. I’m a temp here to help you.” The woman looked at Hawk and nodded. “I’m Julie McKinney.”

Once they were inside her office, Renee turned to Hawk. “Who is she?”

“She’s a policewoman. She’s going to be around for a while. We don’t want something else to happen to you.”

The color drained from her face. Hawk grasped her arm and guided her to her chair.

“You think something else is going to happen here?”

“I like to err on the side of caution, Renee.” He squatted before her. “I’ll do my best to keep you safe, but we need someone here.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “I know you’ll try to keep me physically safe. Too bad you couldn’t have been as good at guarding my heart.”

He flinched and stood.

She wanted to call back the words, but before she could say anything, the door to her office opened and Jacob Blackhorse, the head of security, entered. Jacob had broken more than one heart at the company. He was a handsome man with black hair and brown eyes. His exotic features and teak skin made the women at the company want to catch his attention. No one, as far as Renee knew, had. He and Hawk were two of a kind—and friends.

“I wanted to check and see if everything was okay here,” he said surveying both Hawk and herself. He pointedly looked at the bandage on her forehead.

“I’m fine, Jacob.”

“I’ve doubled the security around the building. And I’m thinking of upgrading our camera system in the garage.”

“Where’s my secretary, Jacob?” she asked.

“She’s temporarily been reassigned to another division. When things settle down a bit, we’ll bring her back.”

Heaven knew when that would be.

“I hear congratulations are in order.” He didn’t say more.

“Emory told you?” Renee said, then shook her head, swallowing her embarrassment. “Of course you’d need to know what was happening.”

A silent exchange passed between Hawk and Jacob.

“I’ll accompany Emory on Saturday,” Jacob informed her.

“I’m going to have more guards than the queen of England,” Renee grumbled to herself.

Jacob grinned.

“Why don’t y’all leave so I can work.”

Jacob moved to Renee’s side. “If you need anything, or are worried about anything, call me.” The understanding in his eyes made her want to cry. When she looked at Hawk, his frown surprised her.

“Thank you, Jacob.”

With a nod, he accompanied Hawk out of her office. Closing her eyes, Renee wondered if her life would ever be the same—or sane.

Hawk and Jacob studied the concrete pillar in the underground garage that bore the scars of his and Renee’s encounter with a would-be assassin’s bullet.

“The police didn’t find any evidence of the shooter in the bushes near the garage entrance,” Jacob informed Hawk.

“I know. Was anything on the security camera?”

“We’re still looking at the tapes.”

Hawk turned to his old friend. Jacob and Hawk had shared a number of hard times together. Jacob had been the one who’d witnessed his ex-wife, Brandy, proposition a friend of Emory’s nephew, Todd, and had let him know what had happened. Hawk had been there when Jacob had lost his wife to cancer. They’d also worked together to stop several attempts to kidnap Emory. Together with Hawk’s old partner, Tony Ashcroft, they’d been labeled the Three Musketeers.

“I don’t like this, Jacob,” Hawk muttered, surveying the area.

“I understand.”