Page 61 of Abducted

Her lips pressed together, and her eyes narrowed. “How did Cal come into the picture? Who is he?”

Lana tucked her hair behind her ear. Shit. Nothing got past her mom. Ever. That was one of the reasons why, as a teenager, she’d chosen to live with her dad.

“He…he works in cases like this.” Sonja’s brow furrowed.

She took a deep breath and continued, “He’s a freelance security contractor.”

If her mom’s eyebrows could have flown off of her face, they would have taken flight. “He’s a what?” she hissed.

“Mom, it’s nothing like what you think.” It was everything, and worse, that she would be thinking. “He was in the military and in recon. From there, he began doing freelance work, and now he’s hired to help take down drug rings or find missing people.”

Sonja’s eyes widened. That was as PG as it was going to get. Her fingers dug into her palms, waiting for the backlash.

Her mom crossed and uncrossed her legs, then smoothed an invisible wrinkle from her dress pants. “I see. Well, you’re a grown woman. You know what you’re doing. I know something is going on between you two, I can see it.”

Lana bit her lip. “Mom, you were around us for two minutes.”

“That’s all it took.” Her hand closed around hers. “Just be careful, honey. It’s easy to get fascinated by men like that.” She waved her hand in the air as if she was shooing away a fly. “It’s not real, though.”

Lana straightened her spine. Certainty filled her veins. “I’m more sure of him than I am of anything in my life.”

Sonja’s eyes grew heavy with worry. She pursed her lips. “I suppose I’d better get to know him, then.”

Gratitude warmed her chest. Years and distance had changed her mom. Lana was a grown woman and maybe her mother saw that now. A weight lifted from her chest, making her breathing easier.

One parent down, one to go.

She hugged her mom tightly. “Thanks, Mom. Can you tell Dad I’m okay?” She patted her back. “Of course, honey. He’s going to have a lot of questions, though. I don’t know how I’m going to keep your location a secret. Your father’s house looks like a beehive filled with men in suits. The phone lines are tapped, and he has private investigators scouring the streets. He’s really bent out of shape.”

Guilt lodged a painful rock in her throat. “Tell him that I love him and will be home soon. Just be sure he doesn’t say anything to anyone.”

She nodded. Together they made their way to the kitchen, where Cal and Ethan patiently waited.

“I hope Lana was able to cover everything you need to know and ease any concerns,” Cal spoke as he led Sonja to the center island, where he’d set some chopped veggies, crackers, and cheese. Amusement rippled through her. He was trying to impress her mother.

Sonja accepted the small plate he handed her and sat. “So, tell me, Cal. What are your intentions with my daughter?”

“Mom—”

Cal scratched his head. Ethan whistled and filled his own plate.

“I don’t suppose you intend to drag her around on all of these wild missions, and I sure hope you don’t plan to leave her behind in a puddle of worry.”

“‘Missions’?” Cal’s eyes found Lana’s. She cringed and shrugged her shoulders.

“Lana told me what you do.”

He cleared his throat. Lana kept her eyes down. Heat swirled up her face. “So, what is your plan?” Sonja stabbed a cherry tomato and nibbled.

“Cal, you don’t have to answer her.” Then, to her mother, under her breath, “Mom, please. This is not the time.”

Her chin lifted. “It’s the perfect time.”

Cal pushed away from the counter to stand behind Lana. He rested his warm, protective hands on her shoulders. “It’s okay, babe. She has every right to ask these questions.” He gently massaged her stiff muscles. Her mom watched them carefully as heat rushed to her face.

Oh God, he was being intimate with her in front of her mother. She wished the floor would swallow her up. Cal must have sensed her unease, because he stepped to her side and drew her body tightly against his. She looked up at him, her heart in her throat.

He turned to Sonja. The lines of his face hardened, and his jaw worked. “You’re absolutely right. I’m looking at other career options and will be ending that chapter of my life.”

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