Holding Out For A Hero: SEALs, Soldiers, Spies, Cops, FBI Agents and Rangers (121 page)

“But,” Kandi sputtered. “Connor, baby. You can’t mean that. I’m your mama.”

“You are nothing but an egg donor,” Connor replied calmly.

“But—”

“Shelley,” he placed his palm on Shelley’s shoulder and squeezed, “is my mother. The only mother I want or need.”

Shelley’s heart swelled. She tilted her head so her cheek brushed his hand.

“You can’t possibly mean that.” Kandi stomped her stiletto booted foot, her enhanced breasts jiggled and her face twisted into an ugly mask.

“I absolutely mean it. She’s an angel.” Connor smiled.

But Kandi wasn’t done. “
I’m
your mother.”

Shelley thought Kandi might actually launch herself at Connor.

Ric jumped in front of Kandi and subdued her with one quick action. Shelley hadn’t seen him move. He held Kandi’s arm in an iron grip. “You need to leave.”

“But—”

Ric said calmly, “Call security.”

Kandi tried to wrench her arm away but his hold didn’t budge. “Forget it. I’ll leave.”

Ric and Jack exchanged a pointed look. “You okay with that, Connor?”

Con sighed wearily. “Just let her go.”

Ric escorted her to the door. Just as he was about to get her out of the room, their waitress rolled in a cart with the first course and stopped just inside the doorway. She looked confused at the group of people clustered around the entrance. In that moment of distraction, Kandi tugged her arm from Ric’s hold and almost ran in to Shane Washington.

Behind Shane, hovering on the other side of the doorway, stood a bulky man in an Armani suit, hair military short, and craggy blunt features. The man hadn’t been visible until the waitress opened the door.

Once the waitress and Shane were between Kandi and the rest of the room, Kandi shot Shelley a venomous glare. Shelley recoiled at the visible hatred in Kandi’s gaze.

“Let’s go, Kandi,” her male friend spoke. He grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the exit.

That had certainly been weird. Her trip to Las Vegas was just one bizarre happening after another. She hated to imagine what could happen next.

But in typical fashion, Shelley tried to put everyone back at ease.

Her stomach was a mess, between the remnants of her drugged salad, and the sickly acid from this last confrontation, she’d be happy not eating for a week.

“Who’s hungry?”

Ric stared after Kandi and her companion and then made a dash for the entrance. Jack shot out of his chair too. But the cart and Shane blocked their exit, and by the time they got around the obstacle and ran through the restaurant, it was too late.

Queen of Hearts: Chapter Twelve

What a clusterfuck.

As soon as Ric saw Kandi’s companion, he put it all together. They might be Shelley’s stalkers. After all, what were the odds that Con’s mother would show up at the same time that Shelley started having all her problems?

He and Jack had come to the realization at the same time and taken off after the pair but it had been too late. After searching the casino floor, they finally returned to the restaurant, frustrated and subdued. He and Jack had both made calls and notified security, but no one had been able to find either Kandi or the guy. Ric had called his computer guy to run a check on Kandi but he didn’t have her companion’s name. So far, his guy hadn’t turned up much beyond a crap ton of credit card bills and an apartment in Vegas.

Connor had been quiet through the rest of dinner. Of Jack’s siblings, Connor was the brother Ric knew least. Army vs. Navy. But Jack had never spoken of his brother with anything but admiration and maybe a little exasperation.

If only Ric had put it together sooner. But Kandi hadn’t acknowledged Shelley at any time during her interaction with Connor until that very last vitriolic look.

Which led Ric right back to his current problem. This wasn’t going to be a fun convo.

While Shelley was in the bathroom, he quietly dialed Jack. “Tell me you got a picture of Kandi’s friend.”

“Yep,” Jack said. “I’m running it through the facial comparison program now.”

“There was something about the way he moved.” Ric mused. “Did you see it?”

“I thought so too,” Jack said. “Good call. It is him.”

So Kandi’s friend was the one who trashed Shelley’s hotel room.

Although Shelley’s protection duty had only started this morning, he was ready to have this particular job over with. Sitting next to Shelley tonight at dinner had been torture. Every time she moved in that dress, he remembered the night before.

She was unbelievably sensual.

He wanted to eat her up. But first they had to catch the people harassing her.

“So it’s likely Kandi was working with him to try to scare Shelley away.”

“What the hell is her end game?” Jack snarled.

“Hopefully the cops can round them up quickly and we can find out.” Ric let relief swell over him. This would be over with soon. Ric hesitated which pissed him off. He wasn’t the hesitating type. “What about Connor?”

Jack barked out a laugh. “What?”

“It has to be asked.” Ric paced to the bed and back as he ran his fingers through his hair.

That shut Jack up. “You can’t really think—”

“Doing the job you asked me to do, Jack.”

“Shit. You’re right. Even though you’re wrong. There’s absolutely no way my brother had anything to do with whatever is going on with his biological egg donor.” Jack blew out a frustrated breath. “Fuck.”

“I need to have a chat with him.” Logically Ric didn’t believe that Connor Stone had anything to do with the threats to Shelley. But he wouldn’t be doing the job Jack asked him to do, the job he’d vowed to do, if he didn’t pursue the lead.

“I’ll call him,” Jack said. “I need to prep him.”

Ric didn’t like the idea of giving Connor a heads up but he understood Jack’s reasoning.

“I’ll send him down.” Jack said, “You keep watch on Shelley while I work with the police.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Ric said fiercely.

“Thanks, BP.”

Ric heard the strain in Jack’s voice. He had been aware of the distance between Bliss Lee and Jack tonight at dinner. “You make any headway on that other project?”

“I thought I did but it was a dead end and I’m running out of time,” Jack said wearily.

“You may want to come clean with your fiancée.”

Of course, what did he know about fiancées? His failed marriage had been over years ago.

“Giving it a few more days.” Jack was unable to let go of his hope. “Later, BP.”

Ric hung up and waited for Con to arrive.

Shelley emerged from the bathroom. She had changed from her dress into a pair of running shorts and a t-shirt. There was nothing overtly sexy about the outfit and still every nerve in his body came to attention. Like a pointer dog on the trail of prey, his cock rose toward her.

Sweet mercy, it was going to be a long night.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts and Ric’s cock deflated faster than a popped balloon. This was going to be ugly.

Shelley’s head lifted from the magazine she was pretending to read on the sofa. “Who do you think it is?” Her eyes were wide and startled.

“Connor.”

She shifted getting ready to answer the door but Ric held out his palm. “I’ll get it.”

He let Jack’s younger half-brother into the room. Connor nodded tensely at Ric. He knew exactly why he was here.

Connor Stone was a wickedly smart man.

“Hi Con.” Her smiled faded at the serious expression darkening the younger man’s eyes.

Connor knelt next Shelley. “I’m sorry.”

Right away Ric’s hackles rose. What the fuck? Could Jack have been wrong?

“You have
nothing
to be sorry for.” Shelley grabbed Con’s hands and Ric immediately went for his weapon. “Put that away,” she demanded.

Shelley ran her hand through Connor’s hair.

“Shelley.” Connor bowed his head. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Con, you are not responsible for her actions.”

He hugged her tightly for a moment. Then, because he understood that Shelley’s blind faith wasn’t enough, he stood and addressed Ric, “What do you need?”

Ric nodded. “Just a few questions.”

Shelley jumped up. Her heart was pounding so hard he could see her chest shake. “What are you talking about?”

Ric was pretty sure this conversation was going to deep six any chance of sex in the future but if it kept Shelley safe then he’d forgo the extra hot hook up in a heartbeat. “I need to verify that Connor didn’t have anything to do with your attacks.”

Connor’s mouth tightened but he nodded. Shelley on the other hand jumped in front of her adopted son as if to shield him from Ric’s evil interrogation.

“Shelley.” Ric’s heart sunk.

“He had nothing to do with what happened.”

Connor curled his palm around Shelley’s wrist. “He’s right to ask.”

“No, he isn’t,” she said fiercely, a mama bear protecting her cub. She glared at Ric. Fantastic. He
definitely
wasn’t getting laid any time soon.

“Have you had any contact with Kandi Kane recently?” And didn’t that sound like something straight out of a porn flick? She must have legally changed her name.

Shelley fumed beside Connor.

He shook his head. “She came by the house once when I was around four. I vaguely remember it being…unpleasant.”

Ric had a difficult relationship with his mother but at least she’d been around. And she loved him. He knew that even if they weren’t particularly close.

“Any other contact?”

Con replied, “No.”

“Would you be willing to submit your phone?” Ric asked.

“Sure.” Connor reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell. “Here.”

“Thanks.” Although his surrender of his phone really proved nothing since Connor was a computer genius.

“You know that I could program my phone not to show specific contact information? Or I could have a burner.”

All that was true. Connor was savvy enough to do it.

“This is absurd.” Shelley curled her arm around Connor’s shoulders. “He has nothing to do with Kandi and her issues.”

Ric rubbed his palm over his face. “Shelley. Jack asked me to keep you safe. If I don’t follow all potential trails, then I’m not doing my job.”

Her mouth flattened into a tight line.

“So that was the first time you’d seen your mother in years?”

“Uh yeah.” Connor looked ill at ease. “In the spirit of full disclosure, I did…look her up when I was about seventeen or eighteen. But I didn’t have any contact with her.”

“Oh, Con,” Shelley said softly. “You could have asked me.”

“Yeah, I wanted to do it on my own. But once I did some research I knew I didn’t need to see her in person again.”

“Sweetie.” Shelley’s green eyes filled with tears. “I’m so sorry.”

“Not your fault she’s a fucking gold digger.” Con clenched his fists and his face contorted into a brutal frown. “I promise you. I will not let her hurt you.”

“I know that.” Shelley turned and glared at Ric. “This is done.”

It was. Ric could see by the sheer affection between them and the way that Connor shielded Shelley from Ric that Connor would never hurt Shelley. “Can you, uh, stay in the room with Shelley, while I make a quick call?”

“Yeah.” Con smiled.

Ric let himself out of the room.

Shelley paced around the sofa trying to burn off the frantic, angry energy that Ric’s questioning had caused.

Neither one of them said anything for a few moments. Then she couldn’t stand it anymore. “You know I had nothing to do with that, that travesty that just occurred.”

“Shel, I’d be more worried if he didn’t question me.”

“Well that sucked. Of course you don’t have anything to do with whatever is going on.”

She kicked at something on the floor and it skipped across the carpet next to Connor’s shoe. He picked up the crumpled condom package. Oh my God. The maid hadn’t been allowed back in the room since the incident and somehow they’d missed one.

“Yours?” Connor raised one eyebrow.

“Oh my God.” Her face burned. She’d blushed more in the past day than in the past twenty years. But there certainly wasn’t going to be any more sex happening here now.

“At least you practiced safe sex.” Con snickered.

“You want to think back a few months to me walking in on you and Ava?”

That shut him up.

“I thought not.” She was mostly teasing him.

Con wrapped his arms around her shoulders and tugged her into a hug. No hesitation, no tentative pause before he showed her affection.

Shelley’s heart melted at the fact that Con finally, finally embraced her with no hesitation. All it took was having her hotel room trashed, being poisoned, and threatened by her baby daddy’s ex-girlfriend.

Shelley almost laughed.

“I’m glad you’ve got someone, Shel.”

“It’s only temporary.” That truth hurt. It was realistic. It
was
only temporary. Their few hours of pleasure had somehow turned from a one night stand into a bizarre unexpected need for protection. Ric had promised to protect her body, but she wondered how she was going to protect her heart.

“You never know,” he said softly. “It was killing him to have to interrogate me about Kandi. Because he knew it hurt you.”

Shelley shrugged.

“Shel, he did it anyway, to keep you safe.” Connor said, “It takes an honorable man to do what’s right even if it will make things difficult for him.”

“Aw, sweetie.” Shelley hugged Connor. “I love you. You know that right?”

“I know.” He rested his cheek against her hair. “Love you too.”

In the oddest way, Kandi had managed to give Shelley something she’d been waiting and hoping would happen for years. Connor had finally fully accepted her.

Queen of Hearts: Chapter Thirteen

He was sick of these four walls.

Shelley paced around the suite, which yesterday had seemed fairly large. But after being confined for the past twenty-four hours while the police, and the extended Stone family, searched for Kandi had taken its toll.

In an odd twist, the boyfriend had come forward last night and turned himself in for trashing Shelley’s hotel room. He’d had a massive fight with Kandi after they left the restaurant last night, and he’d gotten a look at the Stone family.