Page 1 of Securing His Family

ChapterOne

What am I doing?

The question tumbled around Reed Bolton’s mind as he pulled up to Café Tabby, the place owned by his boss’s new wife. He still had trouble believing that his hard-nosed boss was a married man. Reed had been convinced that Steve Power was going to be a bachelor for the rest of his life. How wrong he’d been. Nevertheless, he was happy for Steve, as the guy looked happier and more relaxed than he had in years.

There was something to be said about the single life. He could come home when he wanted. Eat what he wanted, not that he ate badly, just some nights he had cereal when it had been a particularly long day. Or if he’d returned from a harrowing mission they’d done, either for the Australian Federal Police, or one of the joint ones they did with Alliez Security in LA. If he wanted the company of a woman, he’d go out and get it. Everything was easy and not complicated at all. Which was why he didn’t understand why he was doing what he was doing.

Why was he thinking about a woman who barely said anything to him when he was all but four feet away from her?

Lauren Wishart had a vulnerability about her that called to him in a way no other woman ever had. Had done so ever since he caught her reading messages on her phone that both angered and scared her. That day at the café’s opening, a protective need had arisen in him to slay whatever, or whoever, was causing her pain. A need he still didn’t understand, but knew he couldn’t ignore.

What he needed to do was reverse out of the parking spot, grab some takeout and head back home for the afternoon. He’d watch a show where he didn’t have to think. Or he’d work on his garden. His former Army buddies would laugh their asses off if they saw him tinkering around the yard. His co-workers, well they wouldn’t blink an eye, understanding why he found solace doing something uncomplicated. Working with plants helped ease the stress from some of the jobs they went on.

Or maybe he’d give Ben a call and see if he wanted to go grab a beer, that is, if his fiancée Fern would let him out of the house. She’d become more possessive since Ben had put a ring on it.

Yet, Reed didn’t do any of those things. Instead, he switched off the car, got out and headed into the café. It was close to two in the afternoon so it would be closing soon, like it did most days. Saturdays were no different. Tabitha liked to make sure that her employees had plenty of free time.

He strode up to the counter and smiled at Tabby’s assistant. “Hey Lauren, busy day?”

“Oh hi, Reed, yeah it has been.” Lauren looked everywhere but at him when she spoke. “What can I get you?”

Reed sighed.

Why did he think today would be any different?

She was still skittish around him, as if she expected him to hurt her. Or demand her to explain everything that was going on in her life to him. He may want to know what had caused her fear that day, but he wasn’t going to force her to tell him. He just hoped that one day soon she would.

“Are you scared of me?” he asked.

Her blue eyes widened. “What? Why would you ask that?”

Thankfully the café was empty, so he could have this conversation with her without being interrupted by a customer wanting to order something. “Because every time I come here you never look me in the eye and you act as if you’d rather I wasn’t here.”

“I’m not scared of you.” This time she met his gaze and her chin lifted as if sayingtry me.

Oh, I will. Challenge accepted.

“I beg to differ,” he said quietly as he made his way closer to the counter. “I think there’s something going on with you and you don’t want anyone to know about it. I think it goes back to those messages you got on your phone the day of the opening.”

Her gaze slid away and she fiddled with the band of her apron, before she rolled her shoulders and looked at him again. “It’s nothing I can’t handle. Now is there something you want or are you just here to annoy me?”

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He liked seeing this hint of sass from her, but he wasn’t going to give her the out she wanted him to take. “I’m sure you can handle it. I’m just saying that you don’t have to handle it on your own. You’ve got me and the others to help you.”

“Others?”

At least she hadn’t completely shut down the conversation between them. “Yeah, me, Andy, Wilt, Damon, Steve, and Chris. You need help, you can call any one of us and we’d be there in a flash.” Although he’d do everything possible to make sure it was him she called first. If she did call one of the other guys, he would arrive with them. No way was he going to let one of his teammates handle whatever she needed on their own.

“I don’t think so. And I’m not sure why you would say that. You don’t even know me.”

Reed shrugged. “You work for Tabitha. Tabitha is Steve’s and anyone who is close to her is part of our family.”

“Now you’re tripping,” Lauren said, shaking her head. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. I don’t need you to go all macho on me. I’ve taken care of myself and my daughter for a long time. I can handle things on my own.”

Reed needed to tread carefully with her. He didn’t want to scare her away and have her not call him should she really need to. “I’m sure you can. I’m just saying you have options now if things get a little hard. That you’re not alone.”

The chime of a phone alert sounded, and Reed noted the way Lauren’s fingers tightened into a fist, before she made herself relax, even as her eyes darted away from his again.

Who was contacting her that caused her this much distress? He fought the urge to round the counter and pull her into his arms, tell her that everything was going to be okay. He may feel the need to protect her, but he had to win her trust. Show her that he wasn’t spouting empty words and that he meant them. So, he kept his feet firmly planted on his side of the counter. “I’ll have a vanilla milkshake and a chocolate cupcake if you still have any.”

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