Rebecca Zanetti - Blind Faith

Nate held her tight, hunching his body over her to shield her from the blustering wind and rain. He had to get her somewhere warm. Now. Shane and Matt jumped out silently.

They made it through a tangle of shrubs and dying flowers before a bright light descended on them.

Guns cocked and echoed louder than the storm.

Nate’s shoulders tensed, yet he gently set Audrey on her feet, pushing her behind him.

Soldiers in black surrounded them.

Audrey’s bare toes squished in the mud. Rain splattered her gown to her body, and she shivered. Thunder bellowed high above, and for a moment, silence ruled.

Then all hell broke loose.

The Dean brothers moved as one: Matt went left, Shane turned right, and Nathan blazed forward. Hard and fast, they punched and kicked, often simultaneously.

A shot fired.

“Alive,” one of the men in black yelled. “Unconscious is okay.”

Audrey backed away until her butt hit the rough bark of a tree. So the commander wanted them alive. But even so, with the ferocity of the punches being thrown, somebody could be critically hurt.

And Nate was already injured. He had at least two broken ribs and might still be bleeding internally.

Two soldiers took him down, and he grunted as he impacted the ground. Pain filled the noise.

Audrey started forward only to have Matt yell at her to get back. She hesitated, her body trembling, her stomach still cramping. Nate twisted one guy’s neck and rolled the other one over to punch him in the face. Hard. The soldier’s head clonked a rock and he didn’t move. Nate leaped to his feet and one-arm tackled one of several soldiers punching Shane on the ground.

The smell of blood filtered through the falling rain.

A soldier appeared to Audrey’s right with a stun gun already crackling, and she screamed.

Faster than humanly possible, Nate lunged for her, curled around her, and rolled her to the ground. Somehow, he kept her from hitting any rocks or shrubs. He tensed and then convulsed. The scent of burned cotton and flesh clogged her nose.

With a growl, Nate released her and charged the soldier, taking him down.

How could Nate even move? Audrey gulped and scrambled to her feet. She needed a weapon.

Suddenly, two headlights swung wildly around as an SUV jumped a curb and skidded across the wet grass, taking out several of the commander’s soldiers. Bodies flew in every direction, hitting the building, trees, and shrubbery. The vehicle spun sideways. “Get in,” the senator yelled.

Nate kicked his opponent in the head, staggered to his feet, and reached for Audrey.

She tried to fend him off and walk herself, but he lifted her and ran for the SUV, sliding in the back. Matt jumped into the front, and Shane leaped next to Nate.

“Go, go, go,” Matt said, pounding the dash.

The senator punched it, and the SUV rammed over several shrubs, barely skirted a tree, and screeched onto the street. The bumps and jumps made the vehicle land hard, but Nate held Audrey tight.

He leaned over and brushed leaves off her face. “Are you all right?”

“Yes.” She patted his wet face. “Are you? How much voltage did you take?”

“Not enough.” He grinned, his bottom lip bleeding again. “We’ve trained to take shocks and keep going. Chalk one up for the commander.”

“Screw him.” Audrey settled back down, shivering. “You okay up there, Senator?”

“Yeehaw!” The senator cut off a Mercedes that honked angrily. “Call me Jim. Grandpop Jim. And just hold on.”

Grandpop Jim? Audrey shook her head, trying to relax. The man was having the time of his life.

Matt glanced warily at the senator. “Take back roads to the next grocery store you see, and we’ll need to change cars.”

“No problem.” The senator flipped off a honking trucker.

Shane reached over and plucked a stick from Audrey’s hair. “We’re gonna have to change cars a few times. You okay, Aud?”

“I’m fine.” Her body rioted, but she took several deep breaths.

Nate gave a short nod. “Audrey, lay down the best you can.”

She nodded, her body going lax, her head against Nate’s chest and her feet on Shane’s legs. Touching them both and trusting them to take care of her. Nate and his family would keep watch. Her family, too. Finally. She belonged. Plus, she’d joined the family with a grandpa. Grandpop Jim. They’d all come for her, and they’d protect her. The baby would always need protection, and her new family would provide that.

If they destroyed the chips, the baby would never be alone. The kill chips hung over her head, but for now, she’d rest for the baby.

Nate was a deadly man, but she loved him. All of him. The good and the dangerous… he was all hers and she’d accept him as such. They’d find a way to have peace and safety for their child.

With a soft sigh, she smiled and finally relaxed into the sense of home.

After days of traveling, Audrey finally stretched her legs as she stepped out of the most current SUV. She wore new yoga clothes they’d picked up on the way. It was freaking amazing she hadn’t killed one or all of her new family the last day as they’d switched back and driven the wrong way many a time to make sure they weren’t followed. Not one of the Dean brothers would let her do a thing or lift a finger, and they were way too worried about making sure she ate.

The senator was even worse—and he’d no longer answer anyone unless they addressed him as Grandpop Jim.

But as she stood in the chilly Montana morning and eyed the great house surrounded by excellent security, she finally relaxed. “Beautiful,” she murmured.

The front door burst open, and a tiny blonde barreled out and straight for Shane. He caught her easily, kissing her on the nose. “Hi, angel,” he murmured softly. She hugged him tight, burrowing into his chest as if she belonged right here.

At a slower pace, but her smile no less radiant, a tall brunette reached Matt to wipe a finger over a bruise above his eye. “Mattie.”

“Laney.” He tucked her close, dropping his face onto her shoulder.

Audrey just stared. She’d never seen Matt so, well, at peace.

Nate slipped his hand into hers. “Come inside, sweetheart. You need breakfast.”

She’d kill for coffee.

The blonde disengaged herself from Shane and hugged Nate before holding out a hand. “I’m Josie.” Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief, and a smile lit up a very pretty face.

Audrey took the hand. “Audrey.”

The senator cleared his throat.

Audrey glanced at him. “And this is Sen—I mean, Grandpop Jim.”

Josie’s face lit up even more, and she lunged for the senator to hug him tight. “Grandpop Jim. Awesome. We’ve never had a grandpop around.”

The senator started and then gingerly hugged the petite woman. His eyes filled. “Glad to be here.”

Matt led Laney over to introduce them. Gentle intelligence filled the woman’s brown eyes. “How are you feeling, Audrey?”

“Tired of being in a car.” Audrey smiled and glanced around. “But very happy to be home.” Yeah. This definitely felt like home.

“Good.” Laney slipped her hand into Matt’s and turned. “We have breakfast ready for everybody, and I wouldn’t mind taking your vitals.”

Now that sounded like fun.

They all trooped into the sprawling ranch house and into a kitchen with a table big enough to fit everybody and then some. Eggs, bacon, pancakes, and bagels were immediately passed around.

Josie took a sip of orange juice. “We’ve been working on plans to subdivide and build us each houses. I mean, once we take care of the chips.” Clouds covered her face.