“Curtis?” she choked.
He nodded and charged into the house, slamming the door and locking it behind him. He reached for her, one hand digging around her arm.
Thorn pulled him away with a growl. “You want to keep your balls attached to your body, you don’t grab her.”
“She’s my daughter.”
“Who you’ve never been much of a father to,” Cam pointed out. “Why are you here?”
Curtis’ shrewd gaze darted between the two half-dressed men and her clad only in a man’s shirt and drew some accurate conclusions. Surprise skittered across his face. But he also looked dirty and tired and hungry. Strained. Whatever he’d been about to say regarding the choices in her love life, he swallowed.
“I got your message. Someone came for you?”
“How did you get my address?” Cam demanded.
“Got a buddy of mine to run your license plate.”
Cameron swore and shook his head.
Curtis couldn’t have cared less. “Tell me, someone came looking for you? Who?”
Thorn let Curtis go, but placed his body between hers and her father’s. Brenna tried not to be touched but that was impossible. He really was so protective and caring in his growly way.
“Yeah, asshole,” Thorn answered. “They did. Two goons tried to abduct her at your little mountain love shack. You know, the one where you keep the girlfriends her age you like to inflict pain on.”
Curtis had the good grace to wince. “I didn’t think Julio knew about the place. I thought she’d be safe there until after the trial.”
“Oh, come on. Julio makes it his business to know everything about everyone involved with him. I wouldn’t be surprised if they knew she was your daughter.”
At that suggestion, Curtis turned white. “I’m sorry. Really sorry.”
“You’ve been a fuckup her whole life,” Thorn accused.
“I know.”
“And nothing has changed.” Brenna frowned, confusion and pain sliding through her. “I came to Arizona to talk to you about why you just left me.”
“Look, now isn’t the best time…”
“It never is!”
Curtis raked a pale hand through short, graying hair. “I knew your aunt and her husband would raise you better than I could. Hell, when you were born, I was already ass deep in trouble. I’ve been in prison twice since you were a toddler. You didn’t know that, did you? Your aunt kept it from you. Honey, I’m just bad. I don’t know any other way of life now. If I hadn’t given you up, you would have gone into foster care, and God knows what would have happened to you then. I cared for you the best way I knew how.”
Which wasn’t much. Curtis had always been about Curtis, and that would never change. “You forgot most every birthday.”
“I thought of you every July seventh of every year.”
So he did know her birthday? “And every Christmas except the last one.”
“Who do you think sent your aunt that Santa Claus money when you were a kid? I know it doesn’t make up for my absence—”
“It doesn’t.”
“And maybe we’re just broken. Maybe it will never be repaired. I didn’t know how to be a father or how to care until you were too old for me to just waltz back into your life. I’m sorry. It’s in the past, and I can’t fix it. Right now, I just want to keep you alive.” He turned to Cam, glanced at Thorn. “I’m being followed.”
“Marco’s men?”
“I’m sure of it. The Feds are easy to spot. They stick out like stink on shit wherever I go.”
“Why trust us?” Cam asked.
“I can tell by the way you’re treating Brenna that you’re not going to do anything that would hurt her. She may be pissed at me, but throwing me to Marco’s wolves would devastate her.”
It was true. Brenna didn’t bother to refute him.
Cam leaned in. “I would have protected you from the start if you’d let me.”
Curtis rolled his eyes. “You don’t get it. Marco has eyes, ears and guns everywhere. You’re crazy, Detective, if you think that you and a few uniforms could keep him from offing me. Marco’s men got close to me when I was hiding. I overheard them say they knew Brenna was here and they were going to nab her and use her to bring me out of hiding. I had to head them off. We’ve got to get out of here now.”
With a curse, Cam reached for his cell phone. “Let me get backup.”
Thorn glanced out the window. “Too late.”
Gun drawn, Cam charged toward the back door and lifted the blinds a fraction. And swore.
“They’re here?” Her voice shook, every bit as much as her insides.
Cam nodded grimly and punched a few buttons on his cell phone. In less than ten words, he’d managed to call for help.
There was going to be shooting, blood and death. She could feel it. Brenna tried not to panic, but what did a waitress with a few college credits from the lazy city of Muenster, Texas know about gun battles? Nothing at all.
“Brenna is most important. We get her out safely, no matter what,” Cam said.
“Absolutely,” Thorn said.
Her father nodded in agreement.
The detective groped around on a nearby counter and found his car keys, then tossed them to Thorn. “Get her in the car and get ready. We’re going to lure them into the house. When we do, get the hell out of here. Hide her on the floorboards. Don’t let them take cheap shots at her though the windows.”
Thorn looked like he wanted to argue, but one look at Brenna’s face and he swallowed it. “We’ll go. How soon before your boys arrive, Cam?”
“Less than five.”
With a grim nod, Thorn took her by the hand and clapped Cam on the shoulder. “Call us when it’s over.”
Tears welled in Brenna’s eyes. They couldn’t just leave Cam to a fairly certain death. “I won’t go.”
“Please.” Cam stroked her cheek. “Please. It would kill me if you were hurt. I love you.”
She gasped. Really? Truly? “I love you too. I would die if something happened—”
He pressed a quick kiss to her lips, stopping her words. “Shh. Go with Thorn. He’ll keep you safe. I do this all the time. I’ll be fine.”
Thorn stepped up to Cam. “Man, I—”
“Later. We’ll hash it out later.”
If there was a later.
Thorn sighed. “You always were a heroic son of a bitch. You’re the best friend I’ve got.”
Surprise rolled through Cam’s dark eyes. “I’m more than that.”