Payback (Otter Creek Book 5) Read online

  “Last chance to back out, sweetheart. I’ll understand if you choose to stay.”

  “How long will it take us to get there?”

  His eyes lit at her quiet question. “About 12 hours. Depends on how often we stop.”

  “Then I guess we better get moving.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Alex shut the door, rounded the hood and climbed behind the wheel.

  Two hours down the road, he slowed and took an exit ramp. Ivy glanced up from her Kindle and the latest Robyn Carr book. “Everything okay?”

  “Taking care of my girl and feeding my coffee habit.”

  “Need me to drive a while?”

  He shook his head. “I’m fine, angel,” he said and guided the vehicle into the parking lot of a well-lit fast food restaurant. He escorted Ivy inside. “Order whatever you want.”

  She bit her lip, glanced up at him through her lashes. “I’m a little hungry,” she murmured. She hadn’t had a chance to eat dinner before calling around to find Alex.

  He smiled. “Good. So am I.”

  Following a quick meal, they climbed back in the SUV and resumed their journey. At seven the next morning, they drove into the city limits of Hunter’s Glen, Virginia.

  Ivy drew in a deep breath, wondering what awaited them both.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Through the tech geeks at Fortress, Alex learned what room his father was in at Baptist Hospital. Security was sure to be tight around the hospital perimeter and his father’s room. He scowled. At least it better be tight. Didn’t mean he wouldn’t achieve his objective, in any case.

  Alex took a right at Hospital Road and parked near the entrance to the medical facility. He turned off the engine and sat a minute, scanning the area. The media had descended like a pack of vultures. Television cameras from the major networks were aimed at on-air reporters.

  He grimaced. Great. They arrived just at the beginning of the morning news cycle. The only consolation was at this point, no one knew who they were. They shouldn’t be accosted so soon. His lips quirked. Fifteen years was a long enough time that most people had forgotten his existence.

  A small hand clasped his own. “Are you okay?”

  He raised their hands and kissed the back of hers. “Thank you for coming with me.”

  “I didn’t want to be anywhere else. You shouldn’t have to do this alone, Alex.”

  He blinked away the moisture clouding his vision. “Now I don’t have to.”

  “So how do we do this?” Ivy’s gaze took in the frenzied chaos of the parking lot.

  “Simple. We act like we’re supposed to be here. No one knows who we are right now. That will change by this evening’s newscast, but for now, we walk past all the hoopla and go about our business. Do you have sunglasses?”

  She nodded.

  “Put them on. Keep your face averted from the cameras and hold tight to my hand. If someone stops us, I’ll handle it.”

  “Fine with me. I had all the press I want to deal with at Lee’s trial.”

  Two minutes later, they completed the trek through the parking lot without incident. Alex guided Ivy through the lobby to the elevators and punched in the floor that housed the critical care unit. During the ride up to the third floor, Ivy threaded her fingers through his. He pressed a kiss to her temple as the elevator stopped. His angel had no idea how much her support meant to him.

  Off the elevator, he turned left and approached a nurse at the desk.

  “May I help you?”

  “I want to see Senator Morgan.”

  “Only family is allowed in.”

  Alex pulled out his ID and laid it on the counter. “I’m his son, Alexander.”

  She studied his identification a moment. “I’ll have to confirm that, sir.”

  “You do that.” He retrieved his credentials and walked with Ivy to the waiting area not far from the desk. He thought it best to let the inquiries proceed without further pressure from him. If his mother or brother denied him admittance, or the feds for that matter, he’d go way above their heads to get some time with his father.

  Two minutes later, a couple of feds strode into the lounge, eyed him carefully. Slow and easy, Alex stood and extended his creds. One of the suits walked off, phone pressed to his ear. The other stood nearby, eyes squarely on him. Smart man. He knew who the real threat was.

  “What’s happening?” Ivy whispered.

  Alex seated himself next to her again. “FBI is checking my identity,” he murmured.

  “But they spent a long time questioning you yesterday at the police station.”

  “Not these particular agents, sweetheart.”

  Before long, the first agent returned and carried on a muted conversation with his partner whose gaze shot to Alex, body tensing.

  “And he just learned I was Delta.”

  “Is that good or bad?”

  “Jury’s out on that one. Depends on whether or not the feds still think I’m the one who pulled the trigger.” Mills and Blades hadn’t contacted him again after he left the police station in Otter Creek so his alibi must have checked out. He wasn’t sure if the info would have made it into the system this soon.

  The senior agent approached. Alex stood and drew Ivy to her feet.

  “Mr. Morgan, I’m Ted Banks, FBI. The senator is in critical but stable condition. That means only two people at a time can be in the room. As soon as your mother and brother leave, you can go in.” Banks turned his attention to Ivy. “And this is?”

  “Ivy Monroe, my girlfriend.” And wasn’t that a kick in the gut to say.

  “Your ID, ma’am.”

  Ivy glanced up at Alex, a question in her eyes. He gave her a nod. It was the only way she could go with him and he refused to leave her out here. She dug in her purse for her wallet, pulled out her driver’s license, and handed it to Banks.

  After a couple minutes of waiting, the agent returned with her license and nodded his thanks. “This way.”

  They followed Banks through two sets of double doors. Down the hall, two other agents waited on either side of a door. Through the glass, Alex saw his father, pale, still, with his mother and brother standing on either side of his bed. He swallowed hard against the sudden lump in his throat. He’d never seen his father looking so frail and helpless. When Alex left to enlist in the Army, James Morgan had been a big bear of a man with a head full of thick, black hair. In the intervening years, his hair had thinned and grayed. His father had aged. Foolish to think he would have remained exactly as Alex remembered when he’d slammed the front door as his oldest son left for boot camp.

  Alex forced himself to breathe. Fifteen years and his mother still looked as coldly beautiful as ever. His brother, though, was no longer a kid. Porter. Had his brother grown into a good man? Or had he turned out like the myriad other spoiled wealthy kids they’d made fun of growing up?

  His mother leaned over, kissed his father on the forehead and turned to leave. Her eyes met his through the glass. Cold fury washed over her expression.

  Ivy’s small hand tightened on his own. He glanced down. She didn’t say anything, just smiled with some much needed encouragement.

  The door to his father’s room opened. His mother and brother approached, stopped a foot away. Hatred gleamed from Porter’s eyes. Well, guess that answered his question about his brother.

  “Mother, Porter. How’s Dad?”

  “Did you come crawling back after all these years, hoping to get in your father’s good graces, or to be made an heir in his will?” Cynthia Morgan snapped. “It won’t work, Alexander. No son of mine would have abandoned his family to play soldier and wallow in the world’s filth. You made your choice. Now you’ll have to live with the consequences.”

  Cold wrapped around his heart. Irrefutable proof that his mother hadn’t softened her stance in his absence.

  Porter wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Go on to your charity luncheon, Mother. I’ll deal with this.”

  She patted his che
st. “Thank you, dear.” Without any further acknowledgment of Alex, she left.

  Ivy caressed the inside of his wrist with her thumb. That small movement melted some of the ice inside him.

  Alex studied his brother, disappointed to find signs of bitterness, anger, and arrogance. What had changed him over the years? Of the two of them, Porter had been the sunshine while Alex had been more aligned with the night. “What are the doctors saying about Dad’s prognosis?”

  “Bullet missed his heart by less than an inch. Cracked a rib, collapsed his lung. Muscle damage. He’ll live, though, no thanks to you.”

  He stiffened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “The FBI says you pulled the trigger.” Porter moved in close. “Were you trying to get back at Dad for disowning you?”

  “If I had shot him, Dad would be in the morgue.”

  “The Army taught you marketable skills. Selling yourself off to the highest bidder, brother?”

  “Enough, Porter. The feds cleared me.” This whole confrontation with his family was upsetting Ivy. He could feel her trembling in reaction. “I want to talk to Dad.”

  “Not without me. I’d be a fool to trust you with him. Who’s to say you didn’t hire someone to do your dirty work?”

  “Look, you want to take verbal shots at me later, fine.” He dropped his voice to a murmur. “But this isn’t the place or time to air our grievances. I didn’t come here to cause trouble. I just want a couple minutes with Dad.”

  “I’m going in there with you.”

  “Only two people are allowed in at a time. Ivy’s with me.”

  “I can wait here, Alex,” she said softly.

  “Together, angel. Always.” Ivy should know by now she came first, no matter what. He didn’t want her to be uncomfortable with the feds in close proximity.

  “Screw the rules,” Porter said. “The hospital staff wouldn’t dare throw me out.”

  “Then let’s go.” Alex strode toward his father’s hospital room. Inside, monitors recorded his father’s vital signs. At the bedside, he clasped his father’s hand.

  “Dad, it’s Alexander.”

  For a moment, there was no reaction. Then his eyelids raised a fraction, blinked, focused finally on Alex’s face. “You’re here, safe,” he whispered.

  Alex blinked. Safe? What did that mean? Made him wonder what the docs had him on for pain. “Yeah, Dad, I’m here. How do you feel?”

  “Like a mule kicked me. Bullets hurt.”

  He squeezed his father’s hand. Never should have happened. A point he would make to the shooter when he caught up with him. And he would catch up. Fortress Security had far better skills than the feds. “You’ll be on your feet in no time. Do what the doctors and nurses tell you. They know what they’re doing.”

  A frown. “Experience talking?”

  He shrugged. “Hazards of military life.” And the black ops world, though he didn’t plan to point that out. His family already thought the worst of him without adding fuel to their opinions.

  His father’s gaze drifted to Ivy. A faint smile curved his lips. “Yours?” he murmured.

  “This is Ivy Monroe, Dad.” He glanced at the woman standing by his side. “She’s very special to me.”

  At his statement, Ivy beamed at him before she smiled at his father. “I’m glad to meet you, Senator Morgan. I just wish it was under better circumstances.”

  “Alexander is a good man.”

  “Yes, sir, he is.”

  Shock reverberated through Alex. After the way his father had kicked him out years before, he never expected to hear James Morgan call him a good man.

  His father’s gaze shifted back to him. “So proud of you, son.”

  Porter uttered a strangled oath.

  “Kept up with you. You accomplished much.” His father’s voice began to fade.

  Stunned, he stared down at his father a moment, mute. “Rest now, Dad. We can talk more later.”

  A slight shake of his head. “Watch your back, son.”

  “Why?”

  “They want you.”

  “Who?” His voice sharpened.

  “Don’t know. Emails, personal account. Pictures of you and your girl.”

  Beside him, Ivy jerked.

  Alex closed his eyes. Ivy. Oh, man. Would his past rear up and bite her? He should have stayed away from her, no matter how crazy he was about her. He knew better than to hope for a life with her. Now, he might lose her if he couldn’t figure out who wanted him before they got to the most amazing woman he’d ever known in his life. He focused his gaze on his father. “I’ll take care of it, Dad, and watch over Ivy, too. You just focus on getting well.”

  “Favor?”

  “Name it.”

  “Stay at the house. Watch over your mother. Worried.”

  “Dad, I can take care of her,” Porter protested. “She doesn’t want him anywhere near her.”

  His father’s gaze stayed locked on Alex. “Please. Trust you.”

  He glanced at Ivy. If he agreed, it would put her in the middle of everything. Maybe he should put her on the first plane to Knoxville and have Quinn meet her at the airport. His Delta teammates would keep her safe while he ran the shooter to ground. He’d contact Brent and arrange a rendezvous with the Fortress assets in the area.

  “All right. I’ll bring in help, the best in the business. Rest now.” He leaned close. “I love you, Dad.” He dropped a kiss on his father’s forehead, pleased to see a slight smile and an easing of the tension in his father’s body.

  He waited until he was sure his father was sleeping before nudging Ivy from the room. Porter trailed them out to the hall.

  “What’s he talking about? Someone shot him because of you?” Porter demanded.

  Like he would tell his brother if he knew anything. “You probably know more than I do.”

  Porter cursed at him.

  “Watch your mouth, Port.” He scowled at his brother. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on. But I’ll find out.” And then he’d find a way to remove the threat to himself and Ivy. Permanently.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “No.” Ivy folded her arms, ignoring Alex’s furious brother.

  “What do you mean, no?”

  “Just that. No. You aren’t sending me home for my own safety.”

  His face lost all expression.

  Yep, she’d seen that before from members of Delta’s Durango team. Not wanting their true feelings to show, they resorted to showing nothing. And she knew this man after spending so much time with him in the last two months. He was honorable and protective down to his bones. His first thought had been her safety. She suspected he planned to call his teammates and have them keep watch over her.

  Well, that wasn’t happening. He needed them to watch his back. “Bring Durango here if you want. I won’t leave you.”

  “You’ll be safer at home, angel. I can’t take the chance someone might hurt you.”

  “I could get hurt crossing the street. You can’t protect me from everything. Besides, whoever is after you already knows about me.”

  “We don’t know that for sure.”

  Would he be angry at her? A shiver wracked her body. He’s not Lee, she reminded herself again. This is Alex, the man who thought she was amazing. She might fall off her pedestal with her next statement, though. Would he still want her in his life? “Someone’s been sending pictures to my email and cell phone.”

  He cradled her face between his warm palms. “Baby, why didn’t you tell me? I would have tracked them down and put a stop to it.”

  “You were so busy with the school and I thought they’d give up if I didn’t respond. I planned to tell you over the weekend if pictures didn’t stop.”

  “Nothing and no one means more to me than you, Ivy.” He wrapped his arms around her. “Anytime, day or night, I will drop whatever I’m doing to come to you if you need me.”

  Oh, goodness. Tears gathered in her eyes. A few escaped before she cou
ld blink them away. How did he know the perfect thing to say to melt her heart and her fear?

  “What about Mother?” Porter demanded, impatience evident in his tone.

  When Ivy would have stepped out of his arms, Alex tightened his hold. “Do you know where she is?”

  “I always know where she is.”

  Ivy blinked at the bitterness in his voice. Sounded like Cynthia Morgan held a tight grip on the one son she acknowledged. She could sympathize. Her mother had tried the same tactic and, instead of solidifying her hold on Ivy, had caused her to move to Otter Creek in order to get away from the pressure and begin rebuilding her life.

  “What about your job? Do you need someone to cover your shift at the hospital?”

  A pause, then, “I’m not a doctor.”

  “Okay.” Alex dragged the word out, as if shocked by his brother’s revelation. “What is your occupation, then?”

  “I manage the family’s money.” Porter leaned in close. “And that’s why I can guarantee you won’t see a penny of the Morgan inheritance,” he whispered furiously. “No matter what Dad might want.”

  “Get this through your thick skull, Port. I don’t need money. I have zero interest in the Morgan trust funds. Are you free to watch over Mother today?”

  He nodded.

  “Good. Do it. Most of my unit will be here by sundown to take over security.”

  “Your unit? As in your military unit?” Porter dragged his hand down his face. “Great. More thugs to add to the mix.”

  “Well-trained warriors who would take a bullet in a heartbeat for you or Mother,” Alex corrected. “Is anyone at the house?”

  “Housekeeper.”

  “Call ahead and tell her Ivy and I will be there soon. I’d rather not have to face off with Hunter’s Glen police this morning.”

  Porter Morgan stalked away without another word.

  “That is one very angry man,” Ivy said as the elevator doors closed, cutting him off from their view.