Page 41 of Challenging Her Protector

“Yes. Branch just walked in.”

“Give him the phone.” He tightened his hand on the steering wheel, loosened his grip, then clutched it again. He laid on his horn as the person in front of him slowed to let someone out in front of him. His skin was crawling with the need to get to Vee. To see for himself that she was alright.

“What’s going on?” Branch’s tone was rarely serious, but it was now.

“Hannah was on the phone with Vee, and something happened. She thought she heard Scott’s voice.”

“Fuck,” Branch cursed. “I’m on my way. I’ll call the others.”

“Maritime Market. Central Street.”

“Got it. Be safe.”

Iron ended the call and dropped his phone onto the seat beside him, breaking every driving law known to man in his desperation to get to Vee. A block away from the store, chills swept over him, and he broke out into a cold sweat. Blue and red lights flashed from emergency vehicles that were crowded into the lot of the store. Police officers with bright jackets were directing traffic outside of the store while others were blocking a crowd of onlookers. He pulled his car up on the curb, ignoring the shouts of the officers.

“My wife’s here.” He wasn’t sure why that was the first thing to come to mind, aside from wanting it to be true. Law enforcement would be more willing to let him see his wife than if he said girlfriend. Two police officer exchanged glances.

“Name, sir?”

“Iron, erJordanHolt.”

“She’s been asking for you.”

“Is she hurt? What happened?”

“Our medics are checking her out now, and we’re trying to piece that together.”

“Iron!”

He heard his name and watched as Vee broke away from a paramedic and raced across the parking lot toward him. She crashed into him at full force, and he wrapped his arms around her. She was alive. He let that sink in as he held her. Everything else was secondary. She was still with him. He’d never felt more fucking grateful than he did right now, holding Vee close in the parking lot of a grocery store. “Everything’s going to be okay,” he whispered into her hair.

“It was Scott. He was standing there when I closed the trunk of my car. He said he had Thalia in his trunk, and if I didn’t go with him, he was going to kill her. I didn’t know what to do.”

His whole body was trembling with the release of adrenaline.

“I decided once I got in his car, I would be no help to either of us, so I-I hit him with the cart and ran to get help. Then he shot up his trunk and I thought—” A sob broke from her lips.

“You were so smart, Vee. I’m so fucking grateful you didn’t get into his car. This day could’ve ended so differently if you had.” The situation had been too damn close. His throat was thick with emotion as tears prickled behind his eyes. He didn’t give a shit who saw him cry. Vee was with him and that was all the mattered. “And Vee, Thalia was never in his car.”

“I know. The police opened the trunk once they had Scott detained. Wait. How did you know that?”

“I just got off a call with Red and Sully. They located Thalia in Mexico. She’s with them and unharmed.”

A wide smile broke out on her face, even as tears streamed down her cheeks. “This has been a really good day.”

“I know you’re relieved to hear about Thalia, but that might be an overstatement.”

“Nope. Thalia’s safe. Scott is in police custody and will be facing a slew of charges since he opened fire in a crowded parking lot. And the man I love rushed to my side yet again.”

He looked at her stunned. Did she know what she just said? He wasn’t sure if her words were from heat of the moment, relief, or something more.

“And before you start analyzing what I just said, I love you, Iron. I love you so much.”

He lifted her into his arms, taking her feet off the ground. “I love you, too, Vee. I’m never going to let you forget it.” He set her down and kissed her hard and deep right in the center of a crime scene.

“You know what?” he said when he pulled back.

“What?” she asked smiling.

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