Page 3 of Guarded Knight (Echo Valley #3)

He laughs humorlessly. “Actually, she wanted to go somewhere nobody knows her. But I don’t want my sister hiding, I want this guy taken out of the picture so she can go back to doing whatever it is that makes her happy without looking over her shoulder.

Enter you and Shadow Justice.” Xander’s tone takes on a lighter mood.

“By the way, I’m proud of you for putting down some roots. ”

One month is hardly roots, but I guess for me it is. I hope it can last.

“Your new line of business is just what I need, G. You can watch her and figure out a plan to trap the bastard doing something that can put him behind bars. I’m not looking for a restraining order. I want him out of the picture so she can breathe again.”

“Entrapment?” The corner of my mouth quirks. “I thought now that you were in politics, you had to be a stand-up citizen.”

“That’s why you’re doing it, not me.”

Xander lays it all out for me. “There was an apartment for rent right above that bookstore in Echo Valley. It’s cheap and big enough for her best friend and roommate to come, too.

They both work remotely for a sickle cell charity, and the foundation happens to be headquartered in San Francisco.

Her roommate is dating the founder, so she was motivated to be over in your neck of the woods. ”

He muffles the phone and tells one of his daughters he’ll be right there.

“Even with all that, though, it was a hard sell. She really wanted to be a million miles from nowhere. And you’re right, she doesn’t want a babysitter. You need to sort this guy out fast so she can move on with her life. They took out a three-month lease.”

She’s already gone before she gets here.

But I have to hand it to him. The alternative, emergency accommodation, sounds like just the spot for Lara who told me about her first spicy romance when she was just fifteen and had me by the throat hearing all that come out of her mouth.

The apartment above Pages and Perks? A bookstore with a sex shop in the back? That tracks for Lara.

But there’s more than just an apartment needed. Especially if this takes a while. “How is she going to see her CF doctor? Doesn’t she need to see Dr. Hilder in Albuquerque regularly? I know her new meds are good, but still…”

“Hilder is retiring, so that was another reason being in California as the next jaunt seemed like a good option. There’s an amazing cystic fibrosis clinic in San Jose not far from you.

She’s bummed about leaving her doc, though.

Shit, she’s spent as much time with Hilder as she has with us over the years. ”

He pauses, and I can’t tell if he’s remembering the good parts of that time or the bad parts.

“You’ll make sure she goes to her first appointment?” he asks. “She has a consult booked in already.”

“Of course,” I confirm, but know what a tall order it will be for me to have any sway over Lara these days.

“Send anything you know about Cameron, and I’ll get on it.

” I have to ask, and annoying as it is, there’s a futile desire playing in my stomach.

One that hopes she’s actually okay with this.

With me. “What did Lara say when you told her I’d watch her? ”

“She was pissed at first.” He lets out a one-syllable laugh. “But then I think she realized it’s a perfect opportunity to put you through hell.”

He laughs again, this time with more humor and absolutely no knowledge that present-day hell won’t be the same kind of delicious hell she gave me when we were younger.

“Seriously, though,” he says. “She agreed. I’m not bringing her there in cuffs.”

What this means is that this ex of hers must be a real piece of work because Lara doesn’t scare easily. The fact that she’s willing to relocate, change her doctor, and even be watched by me speaks volumes. “When is she coming?”

“Two days.” He reads my next question and answers it. “She and her roommate, Freya, will stay in a hotel until then.”

It doesn’t seem soon enough. Hell, I want to hightail it to Santa Fe now, knowing there’s some guy who can access her place without any signs of breaking and entering.

I drag a hand down my face, and for the first time sitting in this car on stakeout, I’m glad we’re not working on anything critical. “I’ll handle it, Xan. Send anything you’ve got.”

Anton is watching me when I hang up. He raises an eyebrow. “That didn’t sound like a standard ‘cheating spouse’ case.”

“It’s not.”

Anton stretches his arms up and puts his hands casually behind his head like he’s about to watch a show. “So… who’s Lara?”

I’ve mentioned Xander before, so I keep it simple. “Young’s sister.”

“No shit. I mean, who is she to you?” He cocks an eyebrow.

“Like I said, she’s Xander’s sister.”

Anton taps his fingers on the dash, considering me. “Then why do you look like you just swallowed glass?”

I exhale through my nose. “It’s a job, Ant. She has an ex who needs to learn a lesson. It’ll be a lot more fun than this.”

“Uh-huh.” He studies me like I’m a puzzle he’s not done solving yet. “How close were you to her?”

Head over heels close.

Out of my mind close.

But Anton doesn’t need to know any of that.

“We grew up in the same small town,” I say, gazing back out the window at the house. “She was like a sister.”

There’s complete disbelief on his every feature. “Right. And I’m sure she thinks of you like a brother, too.”

My jaw clenches involuntarily, and of course, Anton picks up on it.

He whistles. “That’s what I thought.”

It’s not going to be easy to keep this professional, but I have to. Not that I’m worried about being able to do my job. Taking down Cameron? I had much more complicated assignments in the SEALs.

Protecting Lara isn’t the problem.

Surviving it is.