The taxi driver was chatty, and Maddie had him talking all about his wife and three daughters and their future as Olympic swimmers. The man was convinced they were the most talented athletes to ever be born to a “lowly cab driver.” Braden liked the guy being a proud dad. He was just having a hard time focusing on anything but keeping Maddie safe. What if the zip drive was a tracking device? Mrs. Seamons could’ve easily installed a tracker on it so she didn’t lose it. Were they going to get attacked? He needed some weapons.
They finally made it to Shelly’s, and he and Maddie wished the man luck with the swimming dreams as Braden handed him some cash. The man drove off with a grin and a wave. “We should’ve had him wait so we could get to a rental car place,” Braden said.
“We’ll be okay. There’s an Avis a couple blocks over.”
“Okay.”
Maddie turned and walked up the walkway. Braden hurried after her, looking over his shoulder a few more times to make certain the taxi didn’t have a tail. They hurried up the porch steps and slipped into the bed and breakfast. The foyer was empty, Shelly was probably back baking. Maddie slid her sunglasses into her purse and jogged up the steps. Braden took his sunglasses off and held on to them. He kept up with her quick pace.
“You worried about someone following us here?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said quietly as they reached their door, unlocked it, and hurried inside. “I don’t want them to hurt Shelly or anyone else.”
He nodded his agreement and shut the door behind him. They both packed their bags quick and met at the door.
Braden smiled, hoping to reassure her. “You doing okay?”
She shrugged. “Sure. Why?”
“It’s always disturbing to see someone get shot and be that close to being a shooter’s target.”
She looked at him strangely, rolled her eyes, and yanked open the door. “Seeing people get shot is routine,” she muttered, echoing Admiral Seamons’ response.
Braden stopped her with his hand on her arm. “Maddie?”
“Please don’t,” she said quietly.
“Don’t touch you, or don’t try to get you to talk to me?” It was frustrating that she refused to open up to him.
“Both.” She wouldn’t look at him.
He lifted his hand off her arm.
She nodded and studied the door. “Thank you. Now please understand that seeing someone get shot or being shot at is honestly routine to me. I’ve administered death and wounds many times and barely avoided both. It doesn’t bother me. I appreciate your concern, but I am not that girl who needs comfort or protection from the tough, alpha male.” She finally looked at him, her blue eyes as cold as he’d ever seen them. “Understood?”
Braden’s own eyes narrowed as he processed her words. She’d had to kill or be killed. How many times? No wonder she had nightmares. No wonder she seemed so cold at times. No wonder she claimed not to have a relationship with God. Could he get her to talk to him? Could he help her?
“I understand you have been through some horrific situations and you might not need my protection, but I can offer comfort and a listening ear.”
He held his breath as he awaited her answer.
Her blue eyes carefully swept over his face and body as if cataloguing his strengths and weaknesses. “Thank you for your concern, Lieutenant Moyle, but I am just fine without your listening ears or your comforting arms.”
She grabbed her bag and hurried from the room. Braden had no choice but to follow. His hopes of a future with Maddie were once again shot full of holes. He was probably insane to think there was hope. But he wasn’t ready to give up. Not even close.
ChapterNine
Maddie glanced over at Braden as he drove north toward Michigan. Everything had gone fine at the rental company as she’d used a different fake I.D. in case somebody tracked them to the bed and breakfast. She usually used the same one in each city or island she visited, making it easy to keep them organized and associate the name she chose with the location. She kept her career the same, an artist of some sort.
They’d stopped for gas, drinks, and some prepackaged food a bit ago, but besides that drove as fast as they could.
Braden looked at her and gave her an appealing smile. Maddie yanked her gaze away, pulled out her phone, and started deleting emails to distract herself. It didn’t work. Her hands trembled slightly. What on earth? She didn’t tremble. She was strong and decisive and a Delta.
She needed to figure out how to finish this job, quick, and get far away from one Lieutenant Braden Moyle. Sheesh. The man just wouldn’t give up. The real problem was, she didn’t want him to. That was a terrifying thought. If she would’ve wanted him to give up, she would’ve broken something on his body and made it explicitly clear that he needed to stop with the sweet words, the irresistible offers, the appealing looks, and especially any touching. Why couldn’t she just do that?
Looking out at the thick green trees lining the road, she tried to imagine snapping a picture of the scenic view, but that didn’t distract her either. All she could think about was Braden and how it felt to have him hold her close, tell her she was tantalizing and perfect, tell her he’d prayed for her.
The tension seemed to ramp up in the car. Neither of them had moved or spoken, so it had to all be in her head. She glanced out the rear window and studied the traffic behind them and then flowing around them. They were on the U.S.-131 North, past Grand Rapids and more than halfway through their trip to Lake Leelanau. She didn’t think anyone was following them, so that was good news. The silence in the car was getting to her. Maddie liked to tease and keep things light. It was the best insulation she knew against attachments.