“I take it you don’t get along too well with him?”
“We get along well enough or at least we used to do. He seems angry all the time.”
God, did I want to head to Alabama? Yeah, I did – one word – cowboys. Besides, I liked weddings, I’d had the pleasure of being a bridesmaid at twelve weddings in my twenty-one years, so it would be fun to go to one in Alabama.
“Thalia, let’s eat and talk about something else. My stomach can’t take anymore talk about my family.”
Gia
Lawful Novella
Prologue ~ Jarrod
“Gia,” I shout, unable to keep the distress out of my voice as I barge into the foyer of my home.
Leaving the front door open, and without any regard to where I drop my belongings, I take the stairs two at a time in one hell of a rush to get to my daughter’s bedroom.
I’d usually walk into my home and spend a few seconds standing at the door, taking in the grandeur of the foyer, which anyone only has to look at to realize I’m worth more than a few peanuts. It’s the one thing that I do every day. Not because I’m vain but because it’s a reminder of what I have today—how far I’ve come from the child I used to be. The child that was lucky to receive one hot meal a week.
But today a call on my private line in my judge’s chambers has sent me running home to check on Gia, who isn’t answering her cell. I’ve no idea if she’s being stubborn after we had a few choice words before I left for work five hours before or if she can’t. The thought of which causes the air I breathe to freeze in my lungs at what could be happening to my Gia.
The caller was very specific about what he intended to do to Gia when he got his hands on her. There was no if’s—just when.
“Gia, goddammit.”
Still no answer.
As I rush down the landing toward Gia’s room, one thing that I haven’t realized on my mad dash is how quiet the house is. The house is never quiet. There is always someone here. My housekeeper never misses anyone coming up the drive and will always be at the door by the time they arrive—but not today.
The hairs on the back of my neck prickle with unease as I stand facing my daughter’s bedroom door while I break out in a cold sweat. I should have called the police as soon as the call ended, but I’d just wanted to get home to make sure Gia was okay.
About to face my fear, the samurai swords that I have on display on the wall catch my eye. Without making a sound, I manage to retrieve one from the grip holding it to the wall and unsheathed the blade. Any weapon will be better than none at all.
Taking hold of the doorknob, I push the door open.
For a split second I freeze at the scene before me. My daughter isn’t slaughtered, but she’s sitting on her bedroom floor, bound and gagged with a piece of paper attached to the front of the rope—until next time…
Chapter One ~ Hunter
“Hunter, I really need this favor and you’re the only one I trust to do this.” Colin paces back and forth in his office as I watch him while trying to figure out why he’s called me into the office at three in the morning. He keeps trying to explain to me why he needs me to do the protection gig he’s trying to set up. But in the past thirty minutes that he’s been talking he hasn’t once told me the real reason that he wants me specifically. I’m more used to undercover work than that of bodyguard and Colin knows this. As well as he knows my right eye twitches when I’m pissed, which is what it’s doing right now.
“I still don’t get why me? You trust any of us out there to have your back so why only trust me with this assignment? You’re not making any sense. And I’m not going in somewhere without knowing everything that’s going on. I don’t work on the fly when there’s no need.”
As I listen to my boss go on and on about the favor he needs from me the unease in my stomach has started to get worse. Colin has been avoiding the issue and has circled around the truth about this assignment. It isn’t like him, he is usually upfront about the details, but this time, he’s trying to tell me as little as possible. This is going to stop. There is no way I’m going to say yes until I feel as though I know everything Colin does. I’ve never known him to be so fuckin’ evasive.
“Fuck,” Colin says dropping his ass into the chair behind him. “The protection is for a friend’s daughter.” He runs his hands through his hair before he finally meets my stare. “He’s a Judge. Jarrod Carrington.” He sighs. “I’ve known him since college. He’s a good man and the only person I’d consider asking a personal favor for.” He pauses until the importance of that hits me. “The only family he has is his twenty-two year old daughter, Gia. He found her bound and gagged in her bedroom yesterday with a note pinned to her chest saying “until next time.” As you can imagine, she was pretty badly shaken and so was Jarrod. He isn’t working any big cases right now so he has no idea where this threat is coming from. But he’s terrified that they’re going to come back for Gia, and that’s where you come in.”
A babysitting gig.
I’m not sure I want to be sent to babysit someone’s daughter, but I know I won’t be able to refuse. And so does Colin. He worked with me out in the field for years before a bullet to his leg put him behind the desk where he’s currently sitting as he waits for me to agree to help his old friend out.
“When do I leave?” I sigh with patience I don’t really have. We both know I don’t have a choice in this. Colin wouldn’t have asked me if he thought the cops could handle it without any interference from us.
“Now.” He smirks and I curse him silently for knowing me too well. “Your ticket is in there,” he says, passing me a file. “I’ve added some brief notes about Jarrod and his daughter as well as an address. Her father has managed to convince her it was a random act, although he doesn’t believe that. Jarrod felt this was very personal.”
“You kidding me?” I laugh. “Of course it’s a very personal act. You don’t get much more personal than leaving a message through the one thing the guy loves the most.” I shake my head wondering what the hell I’ve just gotten myself into.
My gut is telling me that there’s something more to this case, but what is anyone’s guess. I know Colin and I know he’s told me as much as he knows, which is basically nothing.