Page 29 of Honor ’N’ Duty

“It wasn’t like that. It was—” He smacked his palm on the wheel. “Christ,” he muttered half under his breath, then his chest expanded as he took a deep breath. “Let’s just concentrate on getting you and Rosa somewhere safe, then we’ll talk more about what’s next.”

His voice might be calmer now, but judging by the continual flexing of his fingers and a tic in his jaw, he was anything but calm. The same could be said for her. So many emotions screamed inside her head to get out, confusion being at the tippy-top of the list.

This man—the one who’d raced to her house yesterday, taken total charge with the police on two occasions, and was now rescuing her and Rosa from God knew what—wasn’t the same selfish, self-centered man she’d come to expect. This man was more like the person she’d met in that elevator. Kind. Caring. Charming. And who’d gotten her blood pumping with excitement the same way it was doing now. Even having an argument with him was more passionate than anything she’d experienced with Josh. Or any other man.

And that was the most dangerous revelation of all.

Two hours later, and after a quick stop for groceries, Laia’s jaw dropped when Kade parked the Suburban inside the attached garage of Jamie’s so-called shack.

The garage alone was bigger than the entire ground floor of her duplex rental. The house itself was an enormous structure on stilts and situated at the end of a road on the beach. As in… On. The. Beach. As in, uber-pricy beachfront real estate. The kind she and Josh used to live in before…

Before everything bad that could have happened actually did happen.

“Mommy, can we go to the beach?” Rosa kicked her legs up and down, a sign that she’d been in the booster seat for too long.

“No, sweetie.” Laia got out of the Suburban and opened Rosa’s door. “It’s dinnertime.”

The moment Kade let Smoke out, the dog ran right to a short stairway and stood in front of another door, acting as if he’d been here many times before. “I’ve got her.” Kade had opened up his side and was now reaching over to unbuckle Rosa.

As Rosa scrambled into his arms, once again Laia was struck by sheer and utter confusion. This uber-helpful, unselfish side of Kade was still difficult to wrap her brain around. Had Josh been lying to her about him all these years? Either that or Kade had been body-snatched and replaced by an alien.

“C’mon, Cream Puff.” He winked at Rosa. “I think you’re going to like your room. Leave the groceries,” he ordered Laia, using the same commanding tone he’d used when ordering Rosa to wipe her hands before eating. “I’ll come back for them, then fix dinner.” The shock must have shown on her face because he frowned over Rosa’s head. “What? I can cook.”

“It’s not that I—” Just assumed she’d be the one doing things like carrying Rosa inside and cooking. The same as her life had been with Josh. “I figured I’d do the cooking.”

“Nope. I’ve got that covered.” He grinned, leaving her standing there, stupefied as to how such a masculine face could have such adorable dimples.

After Kade had punched in a code on the security box by the connecting door, they followed him and Smoke inside, through an enormous dining room with a table so shiny she could see her reflection in it. Mahogany. She and Josh used to own a pricy dining table made of rosewood. Funny how none of that seemed to matter anymore.

Next, he led her through a kitchen that was as equally jaw-dropping as the rest of the house. The Sub-Zero appliances alone were worth more than a year’s rent at her duplex, and the living room view was spectacular.

Floor-to-ceiling windows ran the lengths of the east- and north-facing living room–great room, providing unobstructed views of the Atlantic Ocean. There was only one full wall, and it housed the biggest big screen TV she’d ever seen. It had to be close to eighty inches.

“Wow.”

“Yup.” Kade turned so Rosa could look through the windows. “See?” He pointed. “There’s a lotta sand out there with your name on it. Maybe tomorrow, if your mommy says it’s okay, we can all go to the beach.”

“Really?” Her face lit up, then fell. “But I forgot my sandcastle buckets.”

Kade sobered. “I’m sure I can dig one up around here somewhere.” Then he grinned.

Rosa giggled. Looked like even five-year-old girls weren’t immune to his killer dimples. “Can Smoke come?”

Hearing his name, Smoke barked.

“Yes. Smoke can come.”

Smoke barked again, and Laia could swear the dog had actually followed the entire conversation.

Rosa pressed her nose and hands against the window. “Can I go on the Ferris wheel?” Through the window Laia saw that a small carnival had been set up on the shoreline about half a mile down the beach. “Pleeeze?”

Laia could only shake her head. Already, Rosa was a master manipulator when it came to getting something she wanted. “We’ll see.”

“No, you won’t,” Kade interjected. “You both need to keep a low profile.”

She opened her mouth to object, but he was right. They had to remain hidden. Rather than being annoyed with him for making parental decisions for her, she ought to be grateful for him taking charge, not just with the police but of their safety.

“Let’s go look at your room.” Kade led them up the stairs to the second floor.