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Chapter Four

Knox felt as if he’d won Olympic gold or scaled Mt. Everest.

Finally, Harper was safely tucked away, out of the public eye, and far from whoever had set things in motion today.

He’d talked with Jess last week about a safe house, just in case, and she’d come through. The only bed and breakfast on Brookwell Island with a private cove, Hargrave Hideaway, was theirs for the next two weeks. Longer if this situation dragged out.

He hoped it didn’t drag out. He wasn’t sure he’d survive two weeks without crossing one line or another with her.

Off limits. Reminding himself wasn’t helping.

Harper was like an onion. Granted, it wasn’t the sweetest of comparisons. One she’d likely despise, he thought. But to him, her every layer was more tempting than the last. On the surface she was beautiful and smart, a credit to her upbringing and ambition. Each fact he learned, each action he witnessed, left him with more questions about who she was underneath.

What did she dream about? She had the means and drive to go anywhere in the world. Why did she stay in South Carolina? Why didn’t she ask for help when faced with potentially dangerous harassment?

Nothing potential about it now, he thought as they explored the house and chose their rooms.

Just like a hotel, each room had its own full bath. They wouldn’t have to share anything except the kitchen and other common areas. He urged her to choose first and once she did, he took the suite directly across the hallway. It gave him the best access to her room in the unlikely event they were found or confronted here.

The Hargrave Hideaway was well-known to the residents on the island, but the locals didn’t worry him. He appreciated that there was one main approach to the house and a clear view of the street out front. He could talk to Jess about adding more temporary cameras around the perimeter, if necessary. Requesting a regular patrol for back up would be smart too. He figured the extra measures were overkill, but this was Harper. Nothing bad was allowed to happen to her on his watch.

With sleeping arrangements decided, they headed back downstairs to the kitchen to make a grocery list and discuss any other necessities. Jess and Bruce must’ve conspired on the basics, because both his luggage and hers had been in the foyer when they’d arrived.

The groceries were easy enough and he was still feeling good when Harper asked for more.

“I’ll need a phone,” she said. “And my laptop.”

He stared at her. “If we thought either of those things were a good idea, they would be here.”

She stared right back at him and for a moment, he let himself get lost in those clear blue eyes. Harper’s classic beauty slayed him every time. This job would’ve been easier if she had some annoying-heiress habits. But she was the opposite of a spoiled princess—down to earth, completely approachable. Around her, he wanted to believe in the impossible.

“You can’t expect me to stop work, Knox. It’s April. There’s way too much going on for Audrey to handle it on her own. We have entertainment events lined up through the Fourth of July. Plus, wedding season and a couple of family reunions, with more getting booked every day.”

“Bruce told us the staff will manage.”

“They shouldn’t have to.” She pushed at her hair and winced as it crunched, full of salt water. “I need a shower.”

Yeah, that was an image he shoved right out of his mind. “Go on up,” he suggested.

“In a minute. You have your gear,” she pointed out. “I’ve made big enough concessions agreeing to stay here.” She would much rather have him move into a suite at the resort where she could pretend her life was still normal.

But Knox and his bosses wanted her out of easy reach. They would’ve preferred to take her entirely off the radar, but she refused that option.

“We’ll discuss it on the call,” he said, delaying the inevitable argument. Gamble and Swann had scheduled an all-hands video call to flesh out the protection plan for the days ahead as well as review the background research on the short list of suspects.

“Whoever started this can’t keep it up if he can’t reach me.” She backed away from the kitchen island, letting her fingertips trail along the cool marble surface.

His skin went hot, longing for her touch on his skin. Get it together . She needed his protection and focus. “He reached you on a boat no one knew you’d be taking.”

She stopped in her tracks, her face going sheet white. “I-I didn’t think of it that way.”

“Because it’s my job to think about the ugly stuff.”

Was that pity that flickered in her gaze? Sorrow? Couldn’t be. “You don’t believe it was a coincidence.”

“No. Not a coincidence.” He thought about the random guy who’d jumped in when she’d fallen. “Not an accident either.”

A weariness seemed to weigh her down and he felt terrible for causing it. “Go freshen up,” he urged. “You’ll feel better.”

She nodded, clearly unconvinced. “What about you?”

“I’ll call in the grocery order and can clean up after you do, or after the team call.” Why did she keep hesitating? “Are you afraid of something?”

Her shoulders tensed and her chin came up. “Yes.”

Waiting for her to explain was a challenge. Almost as hard as keeping his hands off her. He wanted to comfort her, to make promises, to cajole her into letting him whisk her off to a safe house on the other side of the world where no one knew her at all.

Her mouth moved to one side, then the other. The twitch was a small tell that gave her away whenever she was debating something. “Thanks for being here, Knox.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied as she hurried away, leaving him wondering what was brewing inside her head.

* * *

Two hours later, Harper felt almost human again. She’d been drinking water, glass after glass, breaking it up with some hot tea from the B&B supply. They’d been told to make themselves at home, but she was keeping a mental list—until they replaced her phone—so she could compensate the Hargrave sisters properly.

Knox had the groceries delivered and soon after, Lila and Travis showed up with two prepared casseroles, fresh-baked bread, a strudel, and hot barbeque sandwich plates from Benny’s. They hadn’t stayed more than a few minutes, just long enough to satisfy Lila that Harper wasn’t injured. Knox and Travis exchanged a few quiet words and then they were alone again.

Now, sitting beside Knox as he signed in for the video call, she shivered. Typical. He smelled too good and looked even better.

“Are you cold?” he asked, while he adjusted the camera settings.

“No.” She was on edge and unsettled. Although she respected Knox and his skills, while she’d been in the shower, she decided to ask for a different protector. Everyone claimed they wanted this to be as painless as possible. Cutting Knox loose was the best way to make that happen. Nothing felt easy when he was close. She struggled constantly to keep her thoughts and hands to herself. It wasn’t his fault she was so desperately attracted to him.

Living with him would be cruel and unusual punishment and she wasn’t the bad guy. Just the almost-victim. “Still shaky, I guess.” Not a total lie. The explosion kept rolling through her mind. Followed by Knox pulling her from the water and rushing her out of harm’s way. His hands had been strong and firm, an immediate comfort. Once she’d recognized him, she’d wanted to kiss him.

Just like every other time she saw him.

The others joined in, Gamble and Swann from what must be a conference room at their Chicago law office, and the researcher, Jenna, from an undisclosed location. She didn’t even have her camera on. Harper assumed that was standard, considering no one commented.

Sitting beside Knox, she listened carefully as he brought the others up to speed. They’d heard the quick and dirty version of events on the water this morning, during the drive to Hargrave Hideaway, but now they were trying to put it into context.

And they expected her to help. Starting to fidget, she tucked her hands in her lap. What would they do when they realized she had no idea who was behind this?

“Any helpful evidence is underwater now,” Swann grumbled. “Unless you found something Jenna?”

Her voice, warmed by a subtle southern accent, rolled from the speakers, “Still working on it. I’m combing through any and all security cameras near the dock. Logic says the explosives were small, triggered by a cell phone, and strategically placed near the boat engines. The captain and his crew are clear.”

“What about the folks on the responding boats?” Knox said. “Someone from that bigger vessel with the rescue inflatable?—”

“I heard you from the first text,” Jenna reminded him gently. “Still working on identifying all the players. Even with extra help it will take some time.”

No one mentioned those names, but Harper hoped they would keep her sister, Hannah, out of it. Same with her new brother-in-law, Connor. Her parents brought enough worry to the situation already.

“Someone wanted to be her hero,” Knox muttered.

Gamble agreed. “The theory lines up. Make trouble, join the rescue, stay close.”

“But why?” Harper interjected. “The messages on my phone weren’t at all heroic.” Now that she’d seen Knox’s heroism up close and personal, she couldn’t picture anyone else in the role. Even with the extra baggage that stemmed from her infatuation.

“That’s exactly the point,” Gamble explained. “We’ve seen this kind of manipulation before. The troublemaker steers you into a corner, then comes to your aid only to turn on you.”

A tremor of fear slithered across her neck. “I can’t think of anyone who would do this,” she admitted. “There are rivals in business, of course, but no one I consider an enemy.”

“She’s right,” Jenna confirmed. “Knox gave me his short list of potential problem-children. None of them were close to the resort or the dock in the past week.”

“Dangerous to plant an explosive device that far out,” Swann mused.

“The fishing trip wasn’t even on my calendar a week ago,” Harper said. “We’re sure this isn’t about someone else on the boat?”

“We’re sure,” Jenna said.

“Is Aubrey clean?” Knox asked Jenna.

“Yes,” Harper snapped. “She wouldn’t be party to this.”

“Maybe not willingly,” Knox said. “You haven’t told her there was any reason to keep your schedule private.”

“Except she knows me,” Harper insisted. Audrey was the best assistant she’d had. “She respects my privacy. Besides, who would she blab to?”

“I agree with you, Harper,” Jenna cut off what could easily have become an argument. “Give me more time and I’ll find any leaks.”

But there couldn’t be any for her to find.

Gamble took control of the conversation and, as a team, they evaluated the people she’d been in close contact with most recently. With Knox tense beside her, she was grateful there hadn’t been any serious romantic ties to hash out. Her last serious relationship had been last year, she realized.

Was that better or worse than being presently involved with someone who might be manipulating her? She couldn’t decide. After the lengthy discussion, the shakiness returned. She hadn’t been able to point them to an obvious lead. Knox was surely thinking she was holding back.

“I guess we all have our marching orders,” Gamble said.

“One more thing.” She felt Knox turn, but she couldn’t look at him. “Is it possible to have Knox assigned to the resort? He can probably be more useful helping Bruce. With my computer, and a new phone, I can work remotely.”

“Alone?” Gamble queried.

“No.” Knox’s voice was low. “That’s not happening.”

She risked a peek in his direction. He glowered at her. Stern, his jaw set. Nothing at all like the young man she’d fallen for when they were kids. Well, when she was a kid and he was the fascinating older boy, she really hoped would notice her.

“Who would you have instead?” he barked.

She jumped. “Um, no one. I’ll stay put. I have friends on the island to keep tabs on me.”

“Friends with their own busy schedules. You need me.”

“He’s right,” Swann said with compassion. “Even on Brookwell, tucked into that B&B, we’d be remiss to leave you alone.”

“But I get my computer and a phone?”

“Jess is handling it,” Gamble confirmed with a smile. “We do understand that work ethic.”

“Thanks.”

“One caveat,” Jenna interjected. “I’ll be keeping tabs on your texts and calls, just in case the threats start again.”

Harper reached for her water glass with a trembling hand and fumbled it. It crashed to the tile. “Sorry.”

Knox leapt up. “I’ve got it.”

“Still shaky?” Swann asked.

She nodded. “Yes.”

“That’s to be expected,” Gamble soothed. “Don’t worry about putting on a brave face for us,” he added.

She wanted to keep a brave face for herself. After everything they’d talked about, she couldn’t deny that she’d been in more trouble than she realized. Who had she offended so greatly? And how? She really should know those answers.

And now, she was reliant on Jenna, Knox, and their team to fix things so she could get her life back. It was disconcerting in the extreme.

“Do you want us to send out a doctor?” Swann asked. “I’m sure they can prescribe something to help you relax.”

Not unless the meds would help her stop obsessing over Knox. She shook her head. “I’ll manage. Thanks.” She’d inconvenienced enough people already. “I’ll feel better when I can dig in and lose myself in work.”

Behind her, Knox’s voice rumbled over her frazzled senses. “I’ve got her. If she needs anything, I’ll make sure she gets it.”

With a thank you to the others, Harper exited out of the video call and retreated to her room. She needed some space to gather her thoughts and regain her composure.