Navy SEAL Security. Carol Ericson
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signal. At three, she shot off as if she was heading into the ocean for a rescue.
The car alarm beeped once, and she grabbed the handle and dropped onto the leather seat. Before she closed the door, the car lurched forward and Riley careened around the corner. Panting, Amy twisted in her seat. No headlights followed them.
She snapped on her seat belt and leaned against the headrest, closing her eyes. “Where to?”
“I can drop you off at the police station or at least down the block from the police station. Then you can report everything, and they’ll come back to the house with you. Those men won’t try anything with the cops there.”
She stuffed her feet into her flip-flops. “What about when the cops leave?”
“Can you stay with someone for a few days until this blows over? Chances are once Carlos’s killers realize you don’t know anything, and you keep your distance from me, they’ll leave you alone.”
“Chances are?” She gripped the edge of the seat, her damp hands slipping off the leather.
“Those boys have bigger fish to fry to risk going after a witness who may or may not even be a witness.”
“All right then. Take me to the police station.” She knotted her fingers in her lap. “What should I tell them…about you, I mean?”
His boyish grin danced across his face. “Tell them the truth. I have a feeling nothing-but will do for you.”
“I’ll tell them you saved my life…twice.”
He cocked his head. “Are you always so loyal?”
“I don’t know about that. If you’re telling me the truth, you don’t need to be locked up in a jail cell while the cops try to figure out your involvement and degree of culpability. Sometimes the cops aren’t too particular.”
He squeezed her clenched hands with a firm grasp. “Don’t worry about me, beach girl. The cops aren’t going to find me.”
She glanced at his large hand, brown from the sun, his calluses rough against her skin. “What are you, Riley?”
“I told you before, the less you know, the better. This way you don’t have to lie to the cops.”
She snorted. “I don’t mind lying to the cops if there’s a good reason. Where will you go after you drop me off? You’re not finished with those men, are you?”
His mouth formed a thin line as he fumbled with Carlos’s built-in GPS. Amy sighed. She’d never know anything more about him than his name—and how his body felt against hers, shielding her, protecting her.
“There’s a police station pretty close. I’ll drop you off down the block, watch you go inside, and then I’ll be out of your life.”
She swallowed. “What are you going to do with Carlos’s car?”
“I’ll leave it someplace where it can be recovered and returned to his…wife.” He raised one eyebrow. “How’d that happen anyway?”
Hunching her shoulders, Amy clasped her hands between her knees. “I met him at the beach while I was working. We went out a few times from there. He came to my place a few times…”
She clenched her jaw. She didn’t want to waste her last few minutes with Riley talking about her train wreck of a love life. “You know, I never thanked you for saving me on the beach. And if you hadn’t come back with me to my house, that man outside with the gun could’ve killed me.”
“It’s the least I could do.” He brushed his fingers along her arm. “I put you in danger by landing on your beach.”
Every time Riley touched her, she felt a current of electricity run through her body. She’d better turn that off. This mysterious man would be disappearing from her life in a matter of minutes.
She rubbed her eyes. “Didn’t look like you had much choice.”
Drawing his brows together, he scratched his chin. “Yeah. I don’t know why they decided to anchor off the coast at that particular spot. But I plan to find out.”
Amy’s heart galloped in her chest. Riley was a man who lived dangerously—and seemed to enjoy it. Just her type. She’d tried and tried to gravitate toward stable men with stable jobs, but it never seemed to work out. Carlos had his own import/export business, but he hadn’t turned out to be dependable either. Maybe her excitement radar had somehow picked up on that, too.
The car slowed and Riley pulled into the parking lot of a strip mall. “There’s the police station. I’ll watch from here until you’re safely inside.”
Amy rubbed her tingling nose. Once she got rid of Riley she’d be safe. Wouldn’t she? She grabbed the door handle.
His hand dropped to her shoulder, and she twisted around. He slid his fingers up to her throat, his eyes now a dark blue, clouding over like a stormy sea. Her pulse ticked wildly beneath his touch.
“Be careful, beach girl.” Then he cupped the back of her head and drew her close, sealing his lips over hers.
The quick kiss didn’t feel like goodbye. It felt like a protective stamp that she’d carry with her forever.
She managed an inarticulate goodbye as she scrambled out of the car. Walking toward the police station, she didn’t dare turn around, even though she could feel Riley’s gaze searing her back.
God, she hoped the police could help her, even though she didn’t trust them. She hoped for once they could reassure her and make her feel safe.
As safe as she’d felt with Riley.
RILEY EXHALED HIS PENT-UP breath as Amy swung open the glass door of the San Diego Sheriff’s Station and disappeared inside.
Velasquez’s people murdered Carlos because they expected Riley to show up there with Amy. Why didn’t they just wait there? Why did they leave then return? Carlos must’ve upset their plans even though it didn’t look like the guy put up much of a fight.
He rolled his shoulders and put the car in gear. Once Amy returned with the sheriff’s deputies, Velasquez’s men would realize Riley had taken flight. Then they’d leave Amy alone.
They’d better leave Amy alone.
He swung the sleek car back onto Imperial Beach Boulevard and accelerated toward the highway. He had to get back to that beach to find out why it had been such a strategic location for the Velasquez Cartel. The boat hadn’t moored off that coast and sent a diver in by accident.
If the guy hadn’t spotted him and attacked him underwater, Riley could have surprised a meeting or interrupted a drop. Maybe their fight had scared off the contact on the beach.
He smacked the leather steering wheel with the heels of his hands. He’d have to wait until morning anyway. The cops would most likely follow Amy back to the scene of the crime and light up that beach like a Christmas tree.
Until they realized there was no evidence of a crime. No evidence. No crime.
They’d find plenty of evidence at Amy’s house though. Really sucked for Carlos. Should be a warning to married men everywhere not to cheat.
Although, after spending a few hours with Amy, he could understand the temptation Carlos had faced.
A buzzing noise filled the car, and Riley almost swerved into the next lane. Tilting his head, he determined the sound was coming from the backseat. Cell phone?
He took the next exit and swung into an empty parking lot next to some train tracks. He unsnapped his seat belt, twisting in his seat. A small light glowed from the pocket of a jacket on the backseat. Riley reached over, slid his hand in the pocket and pulled out the cell phone, flashing Missed Call.
The guy’s wife? He flipped open the phone and checked the display, which read Restricted. The caller hadn’t