Page 64 of Guarded Hearts
“It’s the first anyone can actually see,” Willow piped up.
He slanted a warning look her way and endured the rest of Layne’s medical care. She didn’t fuss over him and quickly bandaged the wound.
Willow turned her head from Oaks to Carson. “I feel left out. You both have gauze taped to your faces.”
Carson issued a rough chuckle and mashed his hand over her head, rubbing her hair into disarray. “Be glad you don’t, sis.”
She ducked away from his hand and smoothed her hair. “Sit down and drink your coffee while you tell me what happened tonight.”
Layne stepped up to Oaks and took out her phone. “Before we do that, give me your bank details.”
His brows pinched. “What for?”
“I’ll send you money to fix your car. It’s my fault that it got shot up.”
“Shot up!” Willow’s outburst went unnoticed.
Oaks shook his head. “You’re practically family, Layne. Or you will be if my dumb brother doesn’t fuck it up. I’m not taking your money.”
Her heart sputtered. She met Carson’s gaze and saw the truth of Oaks’s words in the depths of his gray eyes.
If they made it through this, they were strong enough to make it forever.
Chapter Fifteen
Fuck, that was too close. A fucking shootout at the private airstrip where his family kept their jet?
Rage still pounded through Carson’s veins in place of type O negative.
No way was it a coincidence that a vehicle Layne was riding in was fired at. And the motherfucker had a military-grade weapon.
First thing he’d do was get Willow checking into all weapons of that caliber registered in the tristate area. That would likely be a dead end, though. Criminals didn’t register their weapons. They procured them illegally.
He sat on the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. Nothing was going right on this op. Black Heart Security had been in business for two years. Not once had they even come close to losing a ward.
And of all the wards to be targeted, it just had to be Layne.
The sound of the shower in his en suite bathroom turned off, indicating Layne was finished.
The motherfucking stalker knew she’d left by jet. Carson had personally searched all her belongings and didn’t find so much as a bug or tracker tag.
The guy must have gotten lucky, maybe even followed a car registered in his brother’s name.
He could follow them here. To the Black Heart.
Not that Carson worried about protecting her here. The ranch was prepped for bear with weapons and ammo. They wereall trained in personal safety, even Willow. And if it came down to it, there were dozens of military veterans on the premises.
After a few minutes, Layne emerged. Dressed in sweats and a fitted top that showed off her rounded breasts, with her long hair wet, she was the woman of his dreams.
He pushed to his feet and crossed the room to enfold her in his arms. “Feel better?”
She nodded, cheek rubbing against his chest. “How are you doing?”
He knew she wasn’t asking about his next move, but he wasn’t going to share his feelings about coming so close to losing her.
“I need to talk with my team.”
“By team you mean…?”