Page 16 of Rattlin' Bones

I had to strip him of it. That was the only way Lacey would be safe. I had to ensure his business dealings fell through, his men doubted his leadership, and his associates got spooked.

With a few strokes of the keys on my desktop computer, I set things in motion, knowing I had just created a shit storm and placed myself on a hit list. It wasn’t wise to get involved in this bullshit, but I couldn’t walk away, not after meeting Lacey and finding her in that cemetery.

Luis Diego could have harmed her much worse than he did. He frightened and intimidated her, but he didn’t rape or beather. I knew his type. That would happen next if I didn’t stop him. Men like him didn’t back down until they got what they wanted.

I’d fucking kill that motherfucker if he touched Lacey again, which meant I was involved now, and there was no turning back. My years in the Marine Corps prepared me for dealing with my enemies. I faced men far more ruthless when I was stationed overseas. Luis Diego didn’t scare me. He was a boy trying to fight like a man.

He would regret his choices.

I pushed away from my desk and stood, stretching as I headed into the kitchen to rinse an empty coffee mug. Now that I had set things in motion on my end, I needed to talk to Lacey. She would want to know how my research was progressing, and I felt she needed to understand that this mess with Luis would escalate before it was over.

I offered my services as a P.I., but that wasn’t all I intended. She needed my protection. Her father was powerful but couldn’t protect her from Luis Diego or his men. Luis would have to be put down like a rabid dog. If that opportunity happened on my watch, I wouldn’t hesitate.

I didn’t enjoy snuffing out a man’s life, but sometimes there wasn’t much choice. Some people were just evil.

I’d done vicious things in my life to protect innocents. Helping Lacey was just another mission. I wouldn’t fucking fail.

I didn’t have her number, so I decided to head back to her building, hoping I could get inside and take the elevator up to the penthouse. If I got lucky, she’d be home. I planned to ask her to dinner and to go over all of the information I had learned.

After a quick shower, I dressed in dark jeans and a black hoodie since the weather had grown cool and crisp. I stuffed my phone, wallet, and mask in my pockets, rushing out the door with a singular focus in mind. Lacey. She’d become almost an obsession since I met her.

A young woman far too vulnerable, in danger, and fucking gorgeous. All the traits that attracted a guy like me. I might not be a criminal, but I wasn’t a saint either.

I lived my life the same way my old man did—a vigilante and outlaw, taking justice into my hands when necessary. The military bred me for war. My father prepared me for life. The combination? A ruthless, cunning, intelligent Marine who never backed down from a fight.

I retired from the Corps, but I never stopped training. The minute I ceased to use my skills, I’d become weak. That wasn’t an option.

So, I wasn’t sure what led me back to Lacey other than the need to keep her safe. I was too fucking old for her. Too set in my ways. I had nearly twenty years on her, and it should make me sick to think of her like I did. I wasn’t.

Lacey intrigued me. She turned me on. But it was her intelligence and resilience I found sexy. She didn’t cower or hide or break down when Luis took her. Some people shut down when confronted with extreme stress and violence. The shock proved to be too much. Lacey didn’t. She stayed strong, persevered, and refused to panic.

She was fucking fierce. Goddamn, that made my cock hard.

When I rolled to a stop outside her building, I shut down my bike’s engine and rose off the seat, eager to see Lacey. I didn’t reach the entrance before she walked out, staring at her phone instead of paying attention to her surroundings.

We’d have to discuss that. She needed to learn situational awareness and how to identify potential threats or hazards. It was an important skill to master for making effective decisions and responding to danger. I could teach her all about it.

She didn’t notice me yet, so I slipped my mask over my head. The advantage of being so close to Halloween was all the parties and costumes. People didn’t alert to my mask around this timeof year. It was easy to brush it off as a Halloween gimmick. It wasn’t.

I adapted to civilian life after both my tours overseas and the twenty years I gave to my country. I learned to adjust my routine. But a part of me would always enjoy the anonymity of hiding my identity and observing from the shadows. It saved me the explanation or headache of dealing with the public.

Lacey finished texting whoever she messaged and slid her phone into her purse. Her head lifted, and she locked eyes with me. Or, more accurately, the mask. “Skel.”

My name left her lips with a sweet gasp.

“Lacey. We need to talk.”

She tilted her head to the side and bit her lip. “I’ve got to make an appearance at a Halloween party.”

“Then I’ll come with you.”

She nodded. “Good. I could use someone with your skills.”

My body stiffened, suddenly alert. “Have you received any threats?”

She smirked. “No. I just might need a reason to escape all the spoiled offspring of the powerful elite.”

Ugh. “Why don’t we skip and go for a ride instead?”