The Ranger's Forgiveness (Army Ranger Romance Book 5) Page 6

  Lucas rubbed his face with his hands. “No, I don’t want to put the people in my apartment building in danger.”

  “You sure about that, Mr. Emerson?” the captain asked Elijah.

  “Yeah, I’ve got some resources I can tap into and make sure they’re safe.” Elijah caught Taylor’s gaze and held it. “Unless they don’t want my help.”

  Her dad held up his hand. “We do. As long as it’s not an imposition.”

  Elijah pulled his gaze from hers and looked at her dad. “No, sir. I wasn’t there for you when Momma Mabrey died. Please let me do this. It can be my way of honoring her.”

  Now, that was one thing that hadn’t changed. Elijah’s love for her mother. Actually, it had been mutual. Her mother had treated him like her third child. He’d come to the house, stay for hours on end, and bend over backward doing anything she asked. It had been sweet and one of the things Taylor loved about him.

  Back then, the list of things she loved about him had been so long, it was impossible to fit them on one page. And he was reminding her just how much Taylor loved him, too. His selfless nature and kindness. Two of his best traits.

  It made her wish she could turn the keys of time back to that day she met with Ruth. She loved her mom and didn’t want to lose her, but if she had it to do over, she may have tried to figure out a way to fight Ruth a little harder.

  The thought rocked her. Made her feel guilt so deep it nearly drowned her. Could she really have let Ruth get her mom kicked out of the trial? When it was working? Even if she’d known what would happen? Could she have let her dad face jail time? Just twenty-four hours ago, she could have answered with a solid no.

  Not that it mattered. She couldn’t change the past, and Elijah was just being kind. Not because he cared about her. And she wouldn’t let herself think that way either. It was water under the bridge, and looking back only made her neck sore.

  Chapter 8

  Pacing the study later that morning, Elijah held his phone to his ear. “I need serious security. That fire was engulfing the whole house, and the family is in danger.”

  “Whatever you need, you’ve got it,” Noah said.

  Elijah nearly laughed. Whatever he needed? How about a few minutes where he wasn’t going from one gut punch to the next?

  His boss continued. “I don’t remember you ever mentioning a girl named Taylor.”

  It was inevitable. Elijah knew the questions were coming, but he’d had no choice. Taylor was in danger and needed help. That meant reaching out to Noah. Normally, Elijah would clam up, but he was so tired of quietly carrying this thing.

  “We started dating when I was a sophomore in high school. My family was already wealthy, and it was understood, at least by my mom, that my social status was valuable. Who I dated was more important than anything. Plus, any distraction from me taking over the company was unacceptable.”

  “Okay. This is new territory for you.”

  Elijah took a deep breath and sat down on the nearby sofa lining the adjacent wall to the desk. “I know, but I’m tired.”

  “You know you can trust me.”

  “I know. It’s just hard to talk about.” Elijah rubbed his temple with his fingers. “She was the love of my life.” He used past tense, but after holding her earlier, it was obvious it was the wrong tense to use. She’d fit as perfectly as ever, and it had taken effort not to bend down and kiss her.

  Another gut punch, but he wasn’t stupid enough to give her a second chance to hurt him.

  “My mother hated her. She was beneath me. Her family was…not good enough. I didn’t care. I loved her with everything in me.”

  “What happened?” asked Noah.

  “The night of our graduation, we were going to Albuquerque and getting married. She turned eighteen that day, and we were both legal. We loved each other, had it planned for months. After all the celebrating was over, we were going to meet up at midnight and leave. Only she never showed. I waited and waited.”

  “Did you ever find out why?”

  “I went to her house in the dead of night, looking for her. She answered the door, and we had this huge fight. Unlike anything we’d ever had.”

  “Oh, man.”

  Elijah nodded. “She’d been acting strange the last two weeks leading up to graduation, but I thought it was just nerves. I mean, graduating, turning eighteen, running off to get married. I wasn’t exactly a shining example of steel nerves, ya know?”

  Noah laughed. “I bet you weren’t. What did you do?”

  “I tried reasoning with her. That we could wait a few weeks or something. Give ourselves time to think it through, but she was done. She had college on the horizon, and she didn’t need to be saddled with a high school sweetheart. She wasn’t ready to settle down with one person. The look on her face…I’ll never forget it.” Her green eyes had held his, and she’d said everything with such a fierceness and determination he’d never seen before.

  “Wow.”

  “I was…broken. I wandered around until early in the morning. I was desperate, so I went to see her mom who was in the hospital. We sat and talked a little while about a wide range of things. I didn’t tell her about what happened with Taylor.” He’d wanted to and had planned on it, but when he got there, he couldn’t do it.

  “Did she help?”

  “She always helped. You had to know her. She was one of the most special people on this planet.” He paused. “At the time, I couldn’t imagine staying in Las Vegas. I told her I was going to join the Army to get away from my mom.” Elijah smiled at the memory. “She kissed my forehead, patted my hand, and told me she loved me. That no matter what I did, where I went, or what decisions I made, she loved me and she was proud of me.”

  “Sounds like a sweet lady.”

  Elijah swallowed hard. “You have no idea.” His voice broke. “She was so full of life and love and kindness. I am who I am because of her. That’s why I need to help them. I need to keep them safe. If nothing else, because of how much I loved her.”

  “Okay, tell us what you need.”

  “I need Ryder and Mia to do their computer thing. I can get them access to Taylor’s laptop, but as hot as that fire was, it’s probably burnt to a crisp. Maybe they can extract something from the hard drive, though. I can overnight it if I can get it from the police.”

  “Can’t be Ryder. He’s on his honeymoon.”

  Elijah groaned. “That’s right. I forgot about that.”

  “He’s still got two weeks in Cabo.”

  “It was an all-around good move sending him to Kennedy.”

  Another one of his Ranger buddies was now married. First Kolby, then Gunner, and now Ryder. At least Ryder was sticking around with the Guardian Group. Kolby was sort of, but he was mostly just training new guys as they were hired. Gunner, on the other hand, had left the group to be with his wife, Sophia, in California.

  Noah snorted. “That’s Mia.”

  Elijah smiled. Noah’s wife was a character. Sweet, friendly, and like a sister to them. If someone messed with her, they messed with all of them. She was closest to Ryder because of their shared computer talent.

  Elijah nodded. “True, but I’m happy for him.”

  “Me too, but back to your problem.”

  “Right. I need to see if Mia can trace the threats. Taylor is convinced she’s been far too careful for anyone to figure out who she is, but we both know you can never be too careful.”

  Noah laughed. “True. Mind if I call the local police and talk to them?”

  “No, you’re better at that than I am anyway.”

  “Okay, I’ll let Mia know what’s going on. As soon as I hear from local law enforcement, I’ll text you. We’ll go from there.”

  “Thanks,” Elijah said and hesitated a moment. “Uh, I have something else too. I found out this morning from the estate attorney that a large sum of money in the estate went missing the year I graduated.”

  “What’s large? Our definition might be d
ifferent.”

  “Two million.”

  “Okay, that’s not a lot to us, but that does get my attention.”

  “Exactly. My mom took it out of an account that didn’t have her name on it, so someone helped her. I need to know everything I can about that transaction.”

  “All right. Mia will need access to your finances. Are you okay with that? She knows about your wealth, but that’s because I don’t keep secrets from her.”

  Elijah’s shoulders sagged. “Yeah, I know. I understand. I’ve just been afraid to tell the others because I like my life and the simplicity of it.”

  “I’ve told you, none of them care. You see how they treat me. Does Gunner really behave like he gives a rip?”

  Taking a deep breath, Elijah sighed. “No, you’re right. I’ve trusted them with other things. It’s time I trust them with this too.”

  Noah let out a huge sigh. “It’s about time.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Shut up.”

  Noah barked a laugh. “I’ll get things started on my end. Is your home secure?”

  Elijah had checked that the moment he got home from the fire. “It was back in the day, but it needs updated. Can you find a company we can trust in this part of the world and get them working on that?”

  “Yeah, we can do that. Anything else?”

  “No, nothing I can think of.”

  “All right, I’ll talk to you later. Keep me updated, okay?”

  Elijah nodded. “I will. Thanks,” he said, ending the call.

  Being a sniper, he held a lot of secrets, carried them with shoulders strong enough to give Atlas a run for his money. Nothing on earth could compare to that, but in that moment, he felt crushed under the weight of everything he was feeling.

  His mom’s funeral, seeing Taylor, learning that money was missing and there was no trail, that his mom and dad weren’t as happy as he thought, their deal about him…suddenly, the entire trip home was crashing down on him.

  Laying his head back against the sofa, he closed his eyes. Exhaustion slowly crept up on him. There was so much to do. So much to take care of. And as hard as he tried to force himself to move, he couldn’t. The world would have to turn without him for a few hours.

  * * *

  Sitting on the bed, Taylor hugged her legs to her chest in the guestroom Elijah had offered her. The room was huge, and it was pretty obvious it had been mostly unused. The wood furniture still gleamed like it was newly delivered. The lounge sofa that sat by the window still had a tag on it. It was so opulent and lush. Whoever Ruth planned for, they were going to be treated like royalty, which meant she hadn’t intended Taylor to ever step foot in it.

  A knock came at the door, and she glanced over. “Hey, Daddy.”

  “Hey, sweetheart,” he said, leaning against the doorframe. “Lucas and I figure you need clothes since yours went up in smoke.”

  “I guess I do.” In her haste to get out of the house, she’d crawled out her bedroom window in a shirt, pajama shorts, and bare feet. She’d smelled smoke, seen the flames, and knew she needed to get out. “I’m really sorry, Daddy. I didn’t…” Tears trickled down her cheeks. Their home was gone because she didn’t take the threat to her as a real problem.

  A second later, her dad was pulling her from the bed into his arms and hugging her tightly. “You think that house means more to me than you? Shoot, that house can burn to the ground for all I care. I’m just glad you got out safely. I will miss the things, but I have you.”

  “But all of Momma’s stuff.”

  He leaned back. “I won’t lie.” His eyes grew glassy. “I will miss the things your momma held dear. Our pictures, her dishes, the things that made that house a home. But this isn’t your fault. I do wish you’d been forthcoming with what was happening, but I don’t blame you.”

  Taylor nodded. “It’s supposed to be a joke. Just messing around. Poking fun at stuff. Nothing is serious. I did it anonymously because I thought it would add a little more fun to it. No one was ever supposed to take anything I did or said as gospel. I even state that on the blog and in my podcast every time.”

  “This world is full of crazy people. Hopefully, Elijah gets it sorted quickly.”

  The quicker the better. Living with him would be tricky. She couldn’t tell him about what happened with Ruth. That she’d had a hand in Taylor’s mom getting into the treatment and that Ruth had held the power to get her kicked out. Plus, Ruth had managed somehow to make it look like her dad had been the one to bribe the doctor to let her mom in on the trial. Fraud was a big deal. If Taylor talked, those documents would find the right people, and her dad would be in trouble.

  Lucas stopped at the door. “Hey, Dad, I got in touch with insurance. I gave them Captain Durant’s number and the case number the police gave us. They’re coordinating with the authorities so they know when to send an adjuster.”

  “Okay. Sounds good to me. I guess I need to do a little clothing shopping too.”

  Taylor grinned. “Good. Maybe now you won’t look like an eighties fashion disaster.”

  He rolled his eyes. “You and that smart mouth. I’ll show you fashion disaster. I’ll come home with a paisley shirt and check corduroy pants. Orange sneakers to go with it.”

  “Oh, Daddy, that hurts just hearing it.”

  He laughed. “All right, we’ll get going. See you in a little while. Keep your cell phone handy. I’ll send pictures and such in case I’m on the fence about something.”

  “For now, just a couple pairs of jeans and some shirts, okay? Some flip-flops too. I’ll go do some serious shopping later.”

  Lucas tapped the doorframe. “Come on, Dad. Let’s go get her some clothes.”

  Her dad winked and sauntered out of the room.

  Once she was sure they were gone, she took a minute and freshened up in the bathroom. Well, as much as she could. She wanted to find Elijah and tell him thank you. Granted, a face-to-face with him would make her all out of sorts, but it was the least she could do.

  Finished in the bathroom, she strolled out of the bedroom. After checking to make sure he wasn’t in his bedroom, she took the steps to the first floor and searched for him.

  When she reached the study, she stepped inside and found him asleep on the couch. His head rested against the arm at an angle that didn’t look all that comfortable, and his phone dangled precariously from his fingers, about ready to tumble to the floor.

  She stopped about a foot away and studied him. Good-looking didn’t come close to describing him. He was sexy. He’d filled out in all the best ways possible for a man to fill out. No wonder she couldn’t reach her arms around him; he was built like a tank. Since he worked for a security firm, she suspected he worked out a lot, and it showed.

  Then she noticed his arms. Little lines like welts were here and there. As well as she had known Elijah, those hadn’t been there before he left Las Vegas. Suddenly, she was itching to know everything she’d missed about his life.

  Where had he served? Had he enjoyed being in the military? Did he…did he miss her as much as she missed him? Did he still love her as much as she loved him? Probably not since she broke his heart. Did he know she’d broken her own that day as well?

  Shaking her head, she shoved the thoughts away. It was in the past, and she needed to let it go. Maybe…maybe they could form a tiny friendship before he left again. It wouldn’t be enough to satisfy her, but it would be better than nothing.

  Chapter 9

  Someone was calling his name. Through the fog of weariness, Elijah could hear the familiar song-like lilt. How many times had this happened when he was a kid? He and Taylor would find a spot under a tree or curl up on the couch at her home and drift to sleep in each other’s arms.

  “Elijah, why don’t you stretch out?”

  He sat up, his phone dropping to the floor as he tried to wake up. “I need to get up.” Setting his elbows on his knees, he set his head in his hands as he tried to get his bearings. “Sitting down was a mistake
.”

  Taylor’s slender fingers wrapped around his forearm. “If you’re tired, you should rest. I know being home has been hard on you.”

  Pulling away from her, he said, “I’m fine.” He lifted his head and forced a smiled, grabbing his phone as he stood.

  What he needed was distance. It would be entirely too easy to take her in his arms and hold her. Having done it once already, it would be nothing to pick up where they’d left off. One moment of weakness, of letting his guard down, would be all he’d need. Which would mean he’d leave Las Vegas brokenhearted again. Something he couldn’t afford.

  She stood and hugged herself. “Dad and Lucas went to the store to get me clothes. I came looking for you to tell you thank you for letting us stay here.”

  “You’re welcome.” He rubbed his face with his hands. “Wait. Your dad and Lucas left the house?” Why did he have to sit down? He should have known that was the wrong move.

  “To get me clothes.”

  “They shouldn’t have left. It isn’t safe. I shouldn’t have fallen asleep. I wasn’t thinking.” His gaze ran from the top of her head to her bare feet. She’d always been beautiful, but now…now she was breathtaking. The little set of pajamas she wore gave his pulse a jolt. If he wasn’t awake before, he was now. “I don’t know why I didn’t think about you needing clothes.”

  She smiled. “It’s okay. I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

  He exhaled heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m sure they will…it’s just…next time they need to let me know. I’m sorry. I should have been awake.”

  Closing the distance between them, she looked up at him. “You’ve been more than great. I’ll never be able to thank you enough for coming to the rescue.”

  Catching her gaze, he glared at her. “I did this because I loved your mom. I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye because no one had the decency to call me.” He truly was tired, and his patience was non-existent, as evidenced by his mouth.