Her Master Defender (The Masters Men Series) (29 page)

“If it does, tell them,” he said easing her away so she could see he was serious.

“I will, though not because I need to be taken care of,” she whispered.

Reaching up she stroked his face and smiled. “Go, be safe.”

Dos swore his heart broke in that moment. He’d known love hurt, but not like this.

Unable to deny himself one more taste he pulled her to him and kissed her as if it were the last kiss he’d ever have. The moment he broke the kiss he left. He didn’t look back. If he did he might not leave.

Copper gave herself a minute to rein in her emotions. Her very heart had just walked out the door. But she didn’t have time to wallow. She had work to do.

Leaving the kitchen she met Ace coming down the hallway. He took hold of her shoulders and looked her square in the eye.

“He’s going to be okay.”

Did the Masters men ever take a break from worrying about others? They needed to worry about themselves a little more.

“I know he’s going to be okay, because I plan on making sure of it,” she said, trying to break his hold.

“Oh no,” Ace said, his hold tightening. “Dos would kill me if I let you anywhere near this.”

“Then I guess you’re dead, because there’s no way I’m staying behind.” She pulled free and started toward the door.

“Copper, you can’t--"

Copper whirled around and marched back to him. Aiming her best green-eyed glare on him she poked a finger against his chest. “Your brother tried telling me I couldn’t do something. You see how well I listened.

“The man I love is walking into certain trouble and I don’t plan on letting him go alone. I’m perfectly capable of being part of this. Plus I’m the only one with both medical and combat training.” When she finished she stared at him until he shook his head in defeat.

“You’re right, I’m dead, but let’s get going.”

After a quick stop at Copper’s house they headed down the mountain. They were almost to the security office when Copper felt Ace’s gaze on her. “What?”

“You know it’s hopeless, right?” he asked, as he pulled in behind the office.

“What, getting Dos and Tres out?” She found it hard to believe Ace would think such a thing.

“No, loving him.”

Copper had a feeling the only reason Dos had admitted it to her was he didn’t think he was coming back. She probably had a fight ahead of her when he did, so she nodded. “Yeah, I know the whole story. Let’s get through this. I’ll worry about that later,” she said. Then a thought struck her and she glanced at him across the seat. “And if you say a word to him, well, just remember I know every pressure point in the human body, and I’m not afraid to use them.”

“God, you are perfect for him,” he laughed. “But don’t worry; I’m not going to bring up the L word.”

They met up with Gina and readied the equipment. Copper took her favorite gun, tucking it in her furry boots. She wore yoga pants and a close fitting tank top under a baggy zip-up sweatshirt. With luck the tank would distract them from checking her closely for weapons.

Looking out the window she saw Dos’ truck pull up in front of her shop. He still had five minutes before the deadline. She figured he’d checked the area out with the extra time. Glancing at Dr. Martin, who they’d decided to bring as back up medical support, she reiterated her orders for him. “You are not to leave this building unless I tell you to. We can’t worry about a civilian if this is going to work.”

“Don’t worry; I have no interest in being a hero. I will wait here for your call, or call the back-up number you gave me if I don’t hear from you.”

“Good,” Copper said, putting in her ear piece, courtesy of the Gables police department. She left by the back door making her way across to her shop. Looking through a broken window in the back she saw Tres. His head hung down and he was tied to a chair. At least he was still alive. A door slammed and she knew Dos was making his move. A knock sounded at the front door and she saw a hand signal for someone to go answer it.

A minute later her heart stopped as Dos came into view. He was leaning heavily on his cane. Chewing on her lip she hoped it was for affect.

“He’s in,” she whispered.

“Give him a minute maybe two then make your move,” Ace’s voice came through the earpiece.

Through the glass, Copper could see Dos’ expression harden when he looked at Tres. “You’re dead,” he said.

“I didn’t touch him. His truck slid off the road.”

Copper assumed it was Cardone speaking, but whoever it was stayed behind the divider blocking her view. She noted that two men stood on either side of Dos though neither held him. Cardone probably figured Dos wouldn’t do anything that would risk his brother’s life. Unfortunately, Copper knew that to be true.

“Now, if you’ll come over and take your place on this wonderful table your woman has provided. We can get back to our testing.”

“He goes free first,” Dos said.

“As long as he doesn’t wake up, he’ll live. If you cooperate. Now move!” Cardone yelled.

Copper started toward the front of the building when Gina came up beside her. “They all seem to be in the back room. Two by the doorway, and Cardone behind the divider. You remember the layout, Ace?”

“Yeah, I’m in position, I see him. Son-of-a-bitch is dead,” he hissed.

“Hold on. We need to make sure there are only the three of them. And Dos probably wants Cardone alive to find out who the buyers are for his damned virus,” Copper reminded him, though she would gladly put a bullet in the man’s head herself. She stepped silently up to the front door of her shop. “Okay, I’m going in.”

Taking the new key Dos had given her she turned it and walked in with her head down. She stomped her feet as if to get snow off. Before she turned fully around two guys had her slammed up against the closed door.

“Hey, what the heck?” she said as if totally surprised. “Look I was just robbed, there’s nothing left worth taking.”

“Copper?” Dos yelled.

“Easy, boy,” the man from the pictures said holding one of Dos’ arms behind his back and a gun to his temple.

She pressed her hands to her mouth like she was terrified. “Oh my, God. Dos? What’s going on?”

The man with the gun on Dos shook his head. “Ah, the Kerrigan bitch in the flesh. Man, I am so going to enjoy this.”

“Garrett, I swear I’ll kill you with my bare hands if you even think about it,” Dos growled.

Garrett pushed the gun harder against Dos’ head making it slam against the door jamb. Copper ground her teeth together wanting to punch the man.

“Shut it,” Garrett sneered. “You won’t be in any position to tell me what to think or not think.”

“Stop the bickering,” another man’s voice said. He pushed around Garrett and into the front room. “Women are a dime a dozen, not worth fighting over. Though I must admit, this red hair is tempting.”

Copper couldn’t stop her recoil response when his hand reached for her hair. The thought of him touching her made her want to vomit.

“Pat her down,” he said to the goons holding her.

“Oh yeah, I always carry guns into my shop,” she said as one released her arm to do as he was told. She pulled back her jacket exposing her low cut tank. “Do you really think I could hide anything wearing this?”

Copper thought their eyes would fall out. She glanced at Dos. His eyes were narrowed and angry if she didn’t miss her guess.

“Fine, keep her coat and bring her. She can watch the show,” Cardone said leading the way to the back room. She watched as he returned to his position behind the changing screen.

“What show? What’s going on?” she asked as one of the men pulled her along. When she was through the doorway she looked at the chair. “Tres? What have you done to him? Someone tell me what’s going on?”

“Shut-up, princess, before I shut you up,” Garrett said. He slammed Dos into the massage table then forced him to lay on it by pushing on his throat. The other man that had been holding her went over, pulled Dos’ form fully onto the table and started tying him down.

Copper met Dos’ gaze as he struggled against the choke-hold Garrett had on him. Letting fear show wasn’t an option. She had to keep her wits. That reminder had her looking closer at him. His gaze moved to the right just a bit. She cut a glance that way and saw his cane leaning against a shelf. Meeting his gaze again she tipped her head a bit.

“What are you doing to him? He’s sick leave him alone.” She strained against the man still holding her. “I swear if you hurt him all four of you will pay with your life.”

“Finish tying him down,” Cardone said. “And shut her up!”

Before the man holding her could do anything Copper stomped her foot on his instep and elbowed him in the side. She dove for the cane as glass exploded into the room. Gina had taken out the other man tying Dos down before he finished. Dos held Garrett’s gun hand with his one free hand. Hearing a growl Copper looked to her right. Cardone jumped from his hiding place behind the divider and charged toward Dos.

Cardone lifted his arm as if to plunge the syringe he held in Dos anywhere he could reach. Copper threw the cane at him at the same time she heard another shot.

The guy she’d elbowed grabbed her pulling her around so she didn’t see what happened to Cardone. With her free arm she pulled her gun from her boot and slammed it into the side of the guys face. He hit the floor hard and didn’t move.

“Ace, Gina, get in here!” she yelled, as Ace crashed through a window and Gina slammed through the door.

Looking back toward the massage table she didn’t see Cardone. In her peripheral vision she saw Tres raise the chair he’d been tied to ready to swing it. Leaving Tres to it she crossed the room to help Dos who still struggled with Garrett. Pinching a spot on Garrett’s shoulder he released his hold on Dos. Copper pressed her gun to Garrett’s temple.

Ace helped Tres; Gina cuffed the guy Copper had knocked out. Copper held Garrett, and watched Dos work to free his other hand. His movements were stiff, his face a ferocious red. 

The second the rope fell from his wrist he slammed his fist into Garrett’s face. The force of the punch drove Garrett out of Copper’s hold and he fell to the floor, out cold.

“Ace, tie him up,” Copper yelled. Dos’ hand clamped hold on her arm and she met his gaze. It was frantic, bright, and losing focus. “Oh, God!” 

“Sorry,” he gurgled as the spasms took control.

Copper looked down and saw the hypodermic needle Cardone had been wielding jabbed into Dos’ abdomen. “Doc, get over here quick. Bring more antidote!”

Dos parked his truck behind the security office and climbed out. He’d gotten back in town last night, but hadn’t gone up to his cabin. Instead, he had spent the night at his parents’ house. He grinned remembering how his mother had babied him royally. For the first time in his life, he’d enjoyed it. It felt good to be home and surrounded by his family.

When everyone had finally left, he and his mother had spent a couple hours alone. His confessions and guilt poured out of him. Her love and forgiveness replaced it. Shaking his head now he wondered why he’d ever carried it all alone for so long.

Entering the office he walked directly to the front window and looked across the street at Copper’s shop. Perfect, her SUV was parked next to it. She was in.

It had been three weeks since he’d seen or spoken to her. The Colonel and his brothers fed him information, so he knew she was okay. It just hadn’t seemed fair to build her hopes up if the second antidote hadn’t worked.

Between overseeing the operation to bring in the rest of Cardone’s men and the never ending tests Dr. Martin kept running, he hadn’t had a lot of free time anyway. And most of it had been spent soul searching. Accepting that he still had a soul to search had been overwhelming. He’d talked with one of the shrinks on base, a guy he’d known in boot camp, and let go of a lot of his guilt. The talk with his mother last night had washed away the last of the black sludge that had marred his ability to see the positive.

Now he was ready. Ready to take that step. Ask that question. Make that commitment.

And scared shitless
.

After plowing his hand through his hair, he replaced his cowboy hat, thumped his cane and left the building. The two-lane road had never seemed so wide before. By the time he reached the door to Copper’s shop he was sweating. At least this time it was nerves, and not some damned virus.

Smiling, he opened the door and heard a bell ring over his head.

“I’ll be right out,” Copper’s voice called from the back room.

“Take your time. I’m not in a hurry,” Dos said, even though he was dying to see her.

The last word had barely left his mouth when she appeared in the doorway. “Dos?”

“Yep.”

“What? Why? When? Dad didn’t tell me--"

“I asked him not to.”

“Why? I could have picked you up at the airport,” she said, then quickly stopped and dropped her gaze. “Oh.”

“Oh?” He’d never heard such a short comment from her before.

“It took a minute to register, but I’ve got it. You didn’t want me to know because you don’t want--"