Page 61 of Her Delta Force Protector

“Who was she supposed to have killed?” Kade asked.

“A woman by the name of Abby Warton.”

Kade exchanged a look with his brother. “The game just got dirty.”

“That’s the woman you saw at the warehouse?” Tristan said.

Harper nodded. “Yes. She was alive when I saw her. I only knew she’d died when I saw her picture in the paper, and I was at my dad’s when it happened, so they can’t put that on me. The paper quoted the police as saying it was a drug overdose. She’d looked drugged the night I saw her.”

“Did the marshals have a warrant?” Skylar asked.

“No, they only said that the police wanted to talk to her as a person of interest.”

“That’s interesting,” Tristan said. “Usually, the marshals have an arrest warrant when they come looking for someone. My money’s on a cop calling in a favor.”

“A dirty cop.” Kade was going to take the dude down.

Harper grabbed his hand. “I didn’t kill anyone.”

“We know that, H.”

“I’ll call the police there, find out what the deal is,” Skylar said.

Kade shook his head. “No, not yet. Nick Talon apparently has a talent for getting into places with a computer, and he’s following the trail of the email Harper got from the fake Detective Johnson. Let’s give Nick another day to see what he can dig up. I’d rather not alert our bad cop that we’re onto him.”

“Keep me updated,” Parker said. “If the marshals return, I’ll keep up the clueless act. By the way, Everly wants her dog back.”

“Tell Ev that he’ll be home soon.” His niece was a trip.

“She means he needs to be back today, but I’ll give her extra pickles in exchange for being patient.”

Kade disconnected. If only everyone’s problems could be solved with extra pickles.

Chapter Thirty-Two

“You’re in charge of the boat,” Kade said after Tristan and Skylar motored off.

“Why?” Harper did not want to be in charge of the boat. She did not want to be in charge of anything. What she did want was a magic wand she could wave that would send her back in time while knowing what she knew now. If she could make that happen, she would have never called Kade, begging for his help. But she had, and here she was.

“If you need to escape and all other options have been taken away from you, go to the boat. I’ll leave it ready for you, so you need to practice.” He whistled for Duke, and when her dog was aboard, Kade stepped to the other side of her. “She’s all yours, Captain.”

This was her second time driving Kade’s boat, and she hadn’t been sure she’d like boating since it was something she’d never done. She loved it and wished her life was normal and she and Kade were out for a day of fun instead of planning for battle.

“You’re doing great,” Kade said. “Give her a little more speed.”

She pushed thoughts of what was to come out of her mind as they sped over the lake. For the time it took to return to the cabin, she was going to enjoy herself. Duke had his face in the air, snapping at the wind. She grinned at Kade, and he grinned back, and so much joy filled her heart that she didn’t know what to do with the feeling.

No, no, no! Don’t go and fall in love with him.

Wise words, but she was afraid that she was halfway there. She didn’t have experience with protecting her heart since no man before him had been a threat to that organ, but she needed to figure out how to do it before it was too late.

She wanted a happily ever after, a man who loved her the way she loved him, a big family, a dog. Duke was the first step in her life plan, but even he wasn’t hers anymore. No matter how much she might want that happily ever after with Kade and all that came with it, it was never going to happen. She wasn’t upset with him because of that. He’d been honest with her on what he could and couldn’t be for her. It made her sad for him more than anything. She’d seen him with Everly, and the man could deny it all he wanted, but he’d make a great father.

There was no use wishing for something that would never be, so she would cherish her time with him, and as soon as this was over, she’d leave. Hopefully with her heart intact. They were approaching the dock, and she eyed it with trepidation. “You should probably take over now.”

Instead of taking the wheel, he moved behind her. “You can do it.” He put his hands on her shoulders. “Ease back on the throttle. You got this, H.”

“If I crash your boat, I’m blaming you, sugar lips.” He had his chest pressed to her back, and his chuckle vibrated through her.

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