Like Arrows (Cedar Tree #6) (35 page)

"Okay," I agree instead, my reply catching him a little by surprise. He curls his arm around my neck, draws me close and presses a kiss to my forehead. Slipping my own arm around his waist, we walk up the driveway to find a big Yukon parked there. Gus and Emma are waiting on the porch.

"We're not staying long," Gus says with his hands up, "I just need a minute of Mal's time and Emma has some stuff for Kim."

Sure enough, when Mal opens the door and we all pile in the house, Gus comes in last with a box full of containers.

"What is all this?" I want to know, taking a peek at what's inside.

"I did a bit of research this morning to see what you should and shouldn't eat while you're getting treatment," Emma starts but Gus interrupts her.

"She was going to cook you pies, silly woman."

Emma slaps her hand in his midsection. "Hush, you know I need to feed. Anyway, as I was saying, after Gus so graciously pointed out that pie might not be the best choice of food in your case, I found some great stuff on the Internet. It says there are ways to minimize nausea for instance, so I made you a bottle of ginger tea syrup that you only have to add hot or cold water to, whatever your preference. It's supposed to prevent or soothe nausea. It also say you should make what you eat count in terms of nutrition but that some things may be difficult on your stomach, so to eat small meals or snacks." She holds up the large square container. "These are Powerballs, made with sunflower seed, oatmeal, almond butter, coconut and cranberries. Supposed to be great energy boosters and are full of healthy protein." She hands me a ball from the container and I try it.

"Ohmigawd," I mumble through my half-filled mouth. "That is so good."

"I know right?" Emma smiles.

"This is amazing, Emma. I don't know what to say." I'm getting a bit misty-eyed at the incredible support I'm getting from people I didn't even know a couple of months ago.

"Not much we can do but try and make this battle a little easier for you. You're still gonna have to do all the fighting yourself, but let us do what we can to cheer you on."

At a loss for words, I wrap Emma in a tight hug, which the older woman returns with equal force.

"H
ow the fuck did you find that place?"

The one man who has the ability to scare me simply shrugs his shoulders. "Got my sources, esé. Not that difficult if you buy the right people."

Figures he would have law enforcement in his fucking pocket too. I was shocked when he just walked in behind the two guys who took me from the FBI safe house. From what I understand, he never sets foot on US soil anymore. That's why I entered into this oil field deal, because I had expected him to be a silent partner. He turned out not to be so silent, dogging me every step of the way during the land negotiations and upping the pressure when the Walker family held out.

Ernesto Duarte was the head of the Mexican Agave cartel and a man whose reputation for being ruthless in his business dealings made me look like Santa Claus. He was also standing across from me, forcing me to tilt my head back, since I'm tied down to a chair. Not a position I particularly enjoy.

Especially not when Duarte motions one of his men forward, carrying an old-fashioned doctor's bag.

"Hey, what's going on?" My voice squeaks as panic closes up my throat.

"You've tried and failed, esé. Time for the professionals to take over."

"All I need is a day, I'll find her," I plead to deaf ears.

The man simply shakes his head, almost making me believe he's regretful, but I know better. "Jacob, Jacob, Jacob—you still don't get it, do you? You've lost focus, my friend. The oil is the primary objective and you've lost sight of that."

"But the girl knows too much—" I try before he cuts me off with a blow of his fist that snaps my head back. I can taste the blood in my mouth and my eyes tear up, blurring the sight of him.

"What's her name?" he barks.

"Kimeo—Kimeo Lowe, I almost had her. I...I think she knows more than she's let on." In a last ditch effort to get out of this, I throw the bitch under the bus. She's the one who's caused trouble from the start. She'll get what's coming one way or another.

With a dismissive wave of his hand, Duarte turns and walks toward the door and for a moment I feel elation at having dodged that bullet. That is, until he stops and turns at the door. "I'm done with him."

It takes the cold steel of a barrel against the base of my skull and a single moment of terrified realization before it all goes black.

M
al

"Joe obviously called."

I watch Neil pick up Boo's ball and toss it to the back fence. Gus had lead us straight through the house and out the backdoor. Of course Boo wasn't gonna be left behind.

"He did," Gus says easily. "Gonna have to get used to everyone wanting to look out for you, my friend.  Your girl's been adopted by our significant others and they demand we do our part, so suck it up. Jed's place is secure, but not as secure as Joe'd like, so I'm here to pick up Neil and we're heading out there to tweak it a little."

"Right now?" I'm surprised and a little peeved that I hadn't even considered that.

"Yes, right now—and stop beating yourself up for not thinking of it first," he chuckles and Neil joins him.

"What the fuck? Since when are all you guys in my head?" I ask, making Gus laugh out loud.

"You fell in love, dufus. The moment you did your mind became predictable. All of us guys, except for maybe young Neil here, have been there. You focus on her and let us worry about the rest. Oh, and by the way," he says picking the ball up that Boo drops at his feet. "May wanna fire up that BBQ. I won't be here long, but prepare yourself for an invasion. It's Monday, the diner is closed and the telephone tree was active. Cookout here and supplies are coming."

"Save some steak for me," Neil contributes before following Gus through the garden gate.

At the same time, I hear the doorbell. The invasion has begun.

-

"A
re you scared?"

Kim's back is tucked into my front, her hands holding my arms around her in place. I lean in and kiss the exposed skin of her neck. "I am," I confess.

We spent a loud and rambunctious, but fun evening with even Clint and Beth. The two little monsters, Mattias and Max, gave Boo a good workout. After a little initial shyness on the boys' and Boo's parts, they were thick as thieves as soon as the first ball was tossed. Seb and Arlene had shown up with coolers full of dinner fixings: steaks, hot dogs, a macaroni salad, green salad and baking potatoes. Naomi and Joe hauled in a few gallons of ice cream, a case of beer and a big bottle of wine and Emma made an apple crumble appear while dinner was cooking. We had that with ice cream after dinner.

Kim and I had been so exhausted when we made it to bed that we wrapped around each other and promptly fell asleep.

It's early morning now, light filtering through the blinds and I am surprised Boo hasn't come begging to be let out yet. I'm halfway between sleep and awake when Kim asks me and maybe had I been fully awake I wouldn't have been so direct.

"I'm mostly frustrated, angry that I can't protect you from this—can't take it on for you. But there's a small part of me that is scared of even the most remote possibility of losing you to something I can't control."

She turns around in my arms to face me, her hand immediately reaching up to touch my face.

"You won't lose me. God wouldn't be so cruel. I won't let him." Her eyes are sincere, but they have a sparkle.

"Won't let him, huh? You've got that kind of clout with the big guy?" I tease her, chuckling.

"I do. I think we're both due for some happy. This is just the last hurdle before we get to it." She scoots closer and I lay back when she rests her head on my shoulder. My arm tucks her tight.

"Whatever happens, if this moment, right here, is all we'll have, it's still the happiest I've had. I love you, Malachi." Her voice is soft but firm, and I'm amazed again at the strength and light this woman is no longer afraid to share.

"Love you. Heart and spirit,
Nizhóní."

Forcing everything but her smell, her touch, her love out of my awareness, I grab a handful of her hair and press her even closer.

K
im

"I'll be right behind you," Mal says as he leans into the car and gives me a kiss. "Just going to give Boo a quick walk and then I'll head into town. Neil's gonna be following right behind you guys."

Mal's brother had some business in town and Katie had driven up with him yesterday, leaving Mattias and Blue with Beth. I was actually relieved to hear they were coming, the mood in Jed's beautiful house was getting more strained by the minute. I don't know what I expected, shacking up with two guys who seemed to only tolerate each other, but this past week and a half has been a test on everyone's nerves. After my first chemo, I hadn't felt ill at all, at first. It was the second day, the Wednesday, that my system raised protest. I spent a lot of time in the bathroom that day and both Mal and Neil had fluttered around, trying their best to make me comfortable. I hadn't even been able to muster up any feelings of shame for my upset stomach or bowels. I'd been too miserable. But it was clear that as much as this wouldn't be easy for me, it was perhaps even worse for these guys, who with all their protective instincts at peak level, couldn't do a damn thing for me.

Radiation had been a cakewalk in comparison. In and out in twenty minutes and only the last round yesterday left me with a slight burn and a scratch in my throat. Merely uncomfortable in comparison to what I know this next chemo session will be for me. I've been holding back on voicing my anxieties around Mal, because it only seems to enflame his need to make me feel better. That, in turn, is starting to eat at me. Guilt. I know it's unreasonable and out of my control, but still, I feel responsible for bringing this on everyone. Which is exactly why the timing of Caleb and Katie's visit couldn't have come at a better time. The moment they arrived, Katie's direct and pertinent approach felt like relief. No careful and cautious questioning, but a blunt statement that had me doubled over laughing.

"You look like crap." Was the first thing out of her mouth and I could've kissed her for being real. Mal started to react but I surprised him when I burst out howling until tears ran down my face. I missed having my friends around to distract me and lighten the mood. Being excommunicated to a log home in the middle of nowhere had fast lost its shine.

The building tension in the house dissipated into thin air over the dinner that Caleb and Mal cooked. Lean protein, softened vegetables and a peach cobbler, sent up by Emma who couldn't resist. I didn't eat much but enjoyed every bite, if not for the flavor, for the company I shared it with.

This morning, for the first time since I started this journey, Mal won't be glued to my side and I was glad for it. Not that I don't want him there, but I'm starting to worry more about him than about me. We both need a little break. Both Katie and Neil are fully trained security specialists, so I'm not worried about that. In fact, nothing has happened in the past week and I'm starting to think this may all be over. In any event, having Katie drive me this morning is a great distraction from what I know is coming. She chatters about Mattias and his antics, and tells me she's been in touch with Kerry, who is planning to come up next week.

"I offered her to tag along, but she said she has a few things to sort out this week, but she'll call every day and promises to be there for your last chemo. She wants to celebrate with you."

Tears burn my eyes, but I'm willing them not to fall. Noticing my struggle, Katie quickly changes direction. "So any hot doctors I need to look out for?" She wiggles her eyebrows, making me snort.

"Not hot enough to be any kind of distraction from the fine set of brothers we've got our claws into."

"Ain't that the truth," she says, turning to me with a wide grin.

The moment we pull into the parking lot my anxiety is back. If she notices my sudden quiet, Katie doesn't seem to miss a beat, but simply continues to chat about...well, I don't really know about what, since my mind is on what is to come. It's welcome though. The sense of normalcy she tries to inject when otherwise I would probably be asked if I was holding up all right constantly.