Kit Wilkinson - Protector's Honor

“Every time I think I can trust you, you remind me why I shouldn’t. We’re not on the same side.” Tabitha stood abruptly and started for the door.

Rory grabbed her hand. “We are absolutely on the same side,” he whispered. “Tabitha, face the facts. Somehow, you and your brother are involved in this mess. Only your brother can tell us if he was a willing participant or not. I know that you are not. I want to find your brother and make sure he has the chance to tell us his side of things.”

Her anger abated somewhat. “So what do we do now?” she asked.

“We need to go back to the safe house. Let me see what I can dig up. All you have to do is follow my lead.”

“What else is new?”

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KIT WILKINSON

is a Phi Kappa Phi graduate, holding multiple degrees from the University of Virginia, the University of Tennessee and the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. After teaching for many years, she became a stay-home mom and started writing romantic fiction while her kids were napping. Besides writing, Kit loves hanging out with friends and family, cooking for lots of people and participating in almost any sport. She and her wonderful husband reside in Virginia with their two young children and one extremely large Labrador named Ernie.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

In this world you will have trouble.

But take heart! I have overcome the world.

—John 16:33

To David, for loving me always, in sickness

and in health. I love you this much.

And to my mother, for all her gifts,

guidance and graciousness.

Thanks to my fabulous editor for shaping this story into its current state. Thanks to Donna, Ron and Charlotte for their many hours of help. Thanks also to Darin Riedlinger for technical support, to Steve Bracciodieta of the Chesterfield County Police Department for his savvy on procedure, to Brendan Conroy for his Navy knowhow, and to the art department for the perfectly fitting cover design.

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

Just three more miles.

Tabitha Beaumont struggled with each new step. After swimming one mile through a cold mountain lake then biking twenty-six through the Carolina Blue Ridge, her legs felt more like weighted anchors than lean stretches of muscle. Still, she trudged on.

For over three miles, she’d emulated the long, steady strides of the two seasoned competitors beside her—just as her brother, Max, had coached her. But when passing the little crowd on Hendersonville’s Main Street, she hit “the wall.” Her body could no longer maintain the unvarying clip of the other runners. When they started up the final mountain trail to the finish, she slowed and watched as the two runners pulled farther and farther ahead, leaving her to battle the mountain alone.

Just three more miles.

She needed to focus. But her mind refused. Every muscle in her body screamed to stop. Her lungs ached for air. Her heart pounded against her chest. Her legs felt limp and numb. The dark, steep path loomed ahead invincibly.

Come on, Tabby. You can do this.

Following a sharp rise in the path as it curved around patches of evergreens, she continued to grind her way upward. The August air lay dense under the canopy of foliage. Sweat dripped from every strand of her hair, down into her eyes, the back of her neck and the front of her chest. Slowly, she progressed.

“Beaumont.”

The whisper jump-started her tired senses. She looked around, but there was no one in sight. She must have imagined her name being called. Her eyes sifted nervously through the thick forest. Her legs continued to churn over the mulched trail.

“Ms. Beaumont!”

A gruff male voice sent a chill through her body. She could not have imagined that. Crunching leaves and snapping twigs confirmed someone was near.

Again, she glanced back. Two men dressed in camouflage ran less than ten feet behind her. Where they’d come from or how they knew her name, she had no idea. But they didn’t belong on this mountain. Only competitors were allowed on the trails. Today, all the entrances had been roped off and guarded by event officials. And who in their right mind would run a triathlon in full fatigues?

Fear zipped through Tabitha’s tired body. Her overworked adrenal glands fired up and she doubled her speed, trying desperately to outrun them. But the men were not shaken. They stayed close, nearly flanking her and mumbling to one another.

“Number forty-seven,” one of them said.

Tabitha glanced down at the black writing on her left arm. Her entry number. Forty-seven. Why did they know that? She didn’t want to imagine. Instead, she ground her heels into the mountain path with what little energy remained and pressed on.

The men continued to close in. One of them reached for her elbow. As his fingers grazed her arm, her fear transformed to utter panic. Her mouth opened. She tried to scream. But only a tiny gasp escaped. Still, she jerked forward, slipping from the man’s loose grasp as his giant paw fell away from her sweaty arm.

Nothing less than blind terror moved Tabitha now. She bounded into a full sprint. Her head spun from the forced exertion. Her breathing fell short and shallow.

“Come on, lady. Stop. You know what we need.” The evil in his voice churned Tabitha’s stomach.

“Yeah,” the other man echoed. “Hand it over.”

Hand what over? Her mind clouded at their words. What were they talking about?

Forget it. She needed help. Frantically, she searched for other competitors, but she’d lost the two runners ahead and there seemed to be no one behind. How in a race with over one hundred participants had she found a gap? How could she have put herself in this position?

Foolish Tabitha.

All she could do now was pray and run. As fast as possible, she propelled herself onward. The thud of her pulse drummed in her ears. She had to get away. And still, they closed in.

“Come on, lady! What Max gave you…we need it.”

Max? Did they say Max? They knew her brother?

Tabitha pushed on. Every step more painful than the last. In her fear and exhaustion the trail began to blur beneath her. A protruding root caught her heel. Her ankle twisted and she went down on hands and knees. Rolling to her back, she kicked out blindly, sending one of the men back a few feet. The other grabbed her by the wrists.