To Honor and To Protect (18 page)

Reluctantly, she pulled back, her breath coming in small, shallow sips as she fought for control. Beside them, by some miracle, her son slept on.

“Take him, Drew,” she whispered, sitting back on her heels.

He didn’t answer and she worried she hadn’t actually said the words aloud.

“Please,” she begged. “It’s the best solution. You can get Andy to safety. I’ll deal with Craig and come find you.”

* * *

D
REW SHOOK HIS HEAD
. “I’m not leaving you out here alone.” He admired her courage, understood where it was coming from, but he refused to budge from her side. She’d never be alone again if he had any choice in the matter.

“You could keep him safe in Detroit,” she pleaded. “Craig doesn’t know anything about you.”

“No, Addi. We’ll get through this together.” He turned her so her back rested against his chest while he used the tree for support. Her legs were pale, bracketed by his, and their hands linked lightly across her waist. In the quiet, he thought she might sleep, but soon she was toying with the charms on her necklace, a sure sign her brain was still working overtime.

“What’s that?” He couldn’t quite squelch the jealousy, wondering who’d given her something she valued so much.

She tensed. “You heard something?”

“Relax. I was asking about the necklace. You didn’t wear anything like that—”

“When we were together,” she finished for him.

“Exactly.” It felt so natural to hear her do that again. They’d often finished each other’s sentences or train of thought. He’d been curious about the necklace since he’d noticed it that first night at Mama Leonie’s shack, but he wasn’t sure he could cope if the answer involved Everett.

Now, after hearing everything she’d never shared with Everett, he suspected she’d never loved the man. Which gave him hope that the bastard had nothing to do with the necklace. She wasn’t wearing an engagement ring, either. Not even the one he’d given her.

He waited while she fidgeted, watching her rub one toe up and down her opposite calf. Bug bites or nerves? Likely a bit of both. He knew she wouldn’t lie to him, but somehow it made him feel better that she didn’t just offer up a quick answer.

“You remember that necklace you gave me for our three-month anniversary?”

He’d never forgotten the little heart-shaped charm inscribed with their initials and the date they’d met. “You rarely wore it.”

“That’s not true.” She made a little noise of impatience. “I just bought a longer chain and you know it.”

“Maybe,” he teased. He remembered that she didn’t like anything right up close to her throat. Except his lips. The thought, the memories of having her in his arms, under him, sighing his name made him hard. Not the time or place, but he promised himself he wouldn’t leave her, and he definitely wouldn’t let her resume her old life before they had a chance to rediscover the explosive chemistry between them.

“Between the necklace and the engagement ring you gave me, I felt loved and safe. Weird, but true.”

It didn’t sound weird at all to him. “In my cell, I used to think about holding hands with you, remembering how your ring felt between my fingers.”

“Drew.”

The way she sighed his name had his whole body aching to claim hers.

“That charm felt like my anchor. A talisman. I nearly panicked when that little diamond came loose one day.”

“Did you find it?”

“Yes, through a fit of tears,” she said. “A jeweler reset it for me, but I worried about it anyway.” She took a breath and held it. “When your dad told me the awful news, he gave me your dog tags.”

“What?” A chill raised the hair at the back of his neck. He couldn’t quite picture his father doing something like that.

“For the baby,” she explained. “He stood at my door and told me the chaplain had delivered the news. He couldn’t bring himself to do a formal memorial service, but he wanted me to have something to show our child.

“When he left, I slipped them over my head and wore them alongside the necklace through the rest of my pregnancy,” she whispered in a raw voice. “And the delivery, too, so it felt like you were there with us.”

He stroked her shoulders. Speaking was impossible.

“I’d had to take off the engagement ring during my last trimester. I slid it onto the same chain with your tags. On the day that would’ve been our first wedding anniversary, I decided to set the tags aside for Andy, but I had the jeweler make these charms first.” She held them up, even though it was too dark for him to see. “One is a miniature of your dog tag and the other is the heart charm, but I had the date changed to Andy’s birthday.”

Same initials, only a slightly different meaning. Was it any wonder he loved her? “What about the engagement ring?”

“It’s in a safe-deposit box waiting for the day when Andy wants to propose. I thought you’d appreciate giving him that option.”

“You were right.” Her thoughtfulness, her care for preserving the best of what they’d had only proved how right they’d been for each other. He’d been so lucky to find her. Would he be lucky enough to keep her?

“When Andy was four, I showed him your dog tags and really started explaining who you were. Andy has them still.” She twisted around, frowning. “Unless they were left behind at Nico’s cabin.”

He hoped not, for Andy’s sake. He kissed her right on that crease between her eyebrows. “We’ll go back and look if he doesn’t have them.” Drew had been motivated to protect Addi and wrap up this mess before, but he was doubly motivated now.

In the bag he’d packed two transmitters that would call in Casey’s reinforcements. It was tempting to activate one right now and get the hell out of here, but it would potentially give Everett room to escape again. If Everett thought he’d lost all hope of stopping Addi, he would surely disappear.

When they left this swamp, Drew wanted to be sure they wouldn’t be looking over their shoulders for danger the rest of their lives. Besides, Addi wouldn’t rest until justice had been served to Everett.

So close. The moment that was accomplished, sooner if it proved necessary, Drew would hit his knees and beg for her to take him back. He could practically smell what life would be like with her. Waking up each morning next to the woman he loved as their son slept in his bedroom down the hall. He could hear the patter of small feet as they filled a house with children. He wanted to see her pregnant, experience every minute of that with her, if she was willing.

He stroked his hands up and down her arms, just needing the contact. She’d worn his dog tags in one way or another since he’d disappeared. Surely a shrink would agree that it symbolized a commitment of some sort. He wanted to believe, like him, she’d never given up on the dreams they’d shared.

He cringed as she went back to watching the water. They were out here partly because of him, and she deserved his best to overcome it. If by some cruel twist of fate Everett got the better of them, he knew a shrink wouldn’t be enough for him to recover. He just couldn’t lose her again. “Addi?”

“Hmm?”

“If I’d come forward that day in the park, would you have taken me back?”

“The minute I’d been revived from fainting.”

That scenario was laughable. “I don’t think so. You didn’t faint when I found you in the swamp.”

“I was in mama-bear mode and not about to let anything near my son.
Our
son.”

Her correction was sobering. “I’m sorry I didn’t come forward. You might not be in this mess if I had.”

His skin sizzled when she rubbed a hand along his thigh. “I’ll grant this isn’t ideal, but I choose to believe we’re right where we should be. The lost time is unfortunate, but I hate to think how long Everett would’ve gotten away with his illegal deals if I hadn’t recognized something was off.”

“There is that,” he agreed.

They seemed to be out of words again and a companionable silence fell over them as they kept watch. He thought she might’ve dozed as her head rested on his chest, but it didn’t matter. He was alert enough for both of them.

Once more he considered activating a transmitter, and then rejected the idea yet again. He’d use both of them, but not until he could put one of them on Everett.

“Drew?”

“Yeah.”

“In the morning I want us to tell Andy the truth.”

“About me?” The silk of her hair brushed his arm as she nodded. He swallowed. “Okay.” He had no idea how she’d start that conversation, but he’d happily back her up.

“Then I want you to take us to Casey.”

“If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure we’ve wasted enough time and energy with this game of cat and mouse. I’d rather get back on the offensive.”

He was all for that. “What changed your mind?”

“Having you as an ally.”

As an answer, he felt that was a good start. “Then that’s what we’ll do.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and tried not to think about what she would do when the threat was eliminated and she had the world at her feet again.

Whatever happened, he wanted her to know one option was to reunite as a family.

Chapter Fourteen

Having never drifted into a sound sleep, Addison came fully awake at the sound of a boat running aground downstream. The black water of the swamps disguised all kinds of debris that frequently tangled up motor blades and dented or cracked hulls. Sunken logs, inexplicably changing depths, root systems and animal habitats all combined to make the swamps an ever-changing environment. Navigating the area was less about maps and direction and more about knowing what to watch for along the way. It had all seemed to come back to her, like riding a bike, since she’d arrived.

The sudden outburst of angry voices and resulting commotion made it a safe bet the frustrated boaters were likely part of the team hunting her. Why couldn’t they shake them? The rising sun put a glow behind the trees to the east, but there were shadows still working in their favor. They needed to decide on the fastest route to rendezvous with Drew’s friend Casey.

With her hand on her shotgun, she looked to Andy. Drew was already there, waking him gently and urging him to be quiet.

“Mom,” he whispered, tugging on her free hand. His eyes were wide and a little desperate. At first she thought it was the situation, but then she realized he had to pee. The very normal need made her smile. In as calm a voice as she could muster, she let him know where to relieve himself.

She exchanged a look with Drew and knew telling their son he had two parents would have to wait, not just for nature’s call, but until they could speak without fear of capture. When Andy was ready, she looked to Drew. “Which way?”

“We’re pinned between two teams.”

Panic threatened, but she kept her gaze on him. “What do you mean?”

Drew raised his chin in the direction of the trees. “A team went by about two hours ago and again half an hour ago in the other direction.”

“Are they lost?” she asked hopefully.

“I don’t think we’re that lucky.”

Damn. She calculated the choices. It would be so easy to trudge up the swamp and let Everett’s men haul her in. The move sounded foolish, but she felt it would give her back some control, especially if Drew used the time to get away with Andy.

The words were on her lips, but Drew was already shaking his head. “Don’t you even think about it. We’ll do this together.”

“Fine.” The odds were stacking up against them anyway, and working together was better than struggling alone, she had to admit.

Although hiding deep along the inlet had given them better protection through the night, now they were stuck. Drew boosted Andy onto his back again while she slipped the bag across her body and checked the load on the shotgun. They didn’t risk the noise or movement of tearing down their shelter. “Your call,” she said. “I’ll follow you.”

His brown eyes held hers for a long moment as he silently confirmed her full meaning.

She wished he’d hurry up and start moving. At this point the direction didn’t matter; she just wanted to get on with it. Standing here waiting to be discovered was making her antsy. She didn’t know exactly what he had planned, only that she trusted him to make the right call. For all of them.

“We’ll circle back to Nico’s cabin.”

She nodded. If the radio was still there, if the boats were intact, they had better options.

They set out at a brisk pace and soon crossed the broken twigs and stomped undergrowth from where the other team had been wandering through the night. It wasn’t the ideal family hike and she gave a start when Andy asked about fishing.

She held a finger to her lips.

“But it’s early. The fish will be biting.”

“Another time, I promise,” Drew said, cutting short the protest.

“I can walk,” Andy started again a few minutes later.

“I’ll let you prove it later,” Drew answered.

“Promise?”

“Yes.”

“’Kay.”

Addison shook her head at the two of them as she fell into step behind Drew. His long legs made quick work as he marched along in the fresh tracks left by the others. No point asking why; she was sure he had good reason for taking this route. It was certainly easier walking in areas already torn up by people who didn’t care about leaving a trail.

The voices from the boat faded, but the occasional attempts to restart the motor cut through the natural morning sounds of the swamp, jarring her every time. A shout from behind had her turning and she caught movement from the direction of their inlet camp.

“We’ve been spotted.”

Drew shifted gears, his long legs creating distance. She jogged behind him, hitting the dirt when a gunshot sent a flock of birds into the air.

“Run!” Drew put Andy down, placed their son’s hand in hers and sent them on, turning back to deal with the attack.

She ran as fast as Andy could go, sliding into the only cover as soon as she spotted a knot of bushes. Sinking to her knees in mud, she propped Andy on her hip. “Tell me if someone comes up behind me.”

She waited, willing Drew to join them. She wouldn’t let him change the definition of
together
now. He jogged into view moments later and offered her a hand out of the muck.