Shadow Guardian Read online

  She gave a watery laugh. “Big tough guy like you can handle a few tears.”

  “Not yours.” He pressed his lips to hers. “Spare my heart, kitten.” Nico’s gentle kiss was a balm to Mercy’s aching heart. When he lifted his head, he threaded his fingers into her hair. “Fortress will help you rebuild your life.”

  Fortress Security might help reconstruct her life, but Mercy didn’t know if she would ever feel safe again.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Nico kept a close watch on Mercy the rest of the day and evening. She had taken the destruction of her home hard. He didn’t blame her. He’d be livid if anyone did that to his safe haven, and he didn’t have the same emotional connection to his home as Mercy.

  The devastation was more deeply rooted than the loss of property. Although she didn’t say, Nico suspected Mercy felt as though she had lost her husband all over again, resurrecting the pain of Aiden’s death. Thankfully, Mercy’s tears remained absent.

  What he appreciated the most was instead of brooding, Mercy organized the meal. With her limited mobility, she drafted help with things that required two hands. Before long, two large pots of beef stew simmered on the stove and biscuits baked in the oven, filling the cabin with the homey scent of home cooking.

  “Thank goodness you can cook,” Sam said from her perch on a barstool. “I was afraid we’d starve on this op.”

  “None of you cook?” Mercy filled her glass with water and sat beside the medic.

  “The closest thing we come to it is microwaving frozen dinners and that is iffy.”

  “She’s right,” Nico said from where he was leaned against the counter. “We’ve been known to burn food despite simple microwave instructions.”

  “That is a sad state of affairs.” Mercy turned to Sam. “Would you like to learn how to cook?”

  The medic looked doubtful. “You would need a boatload of patience.”

  “I’m patient and it looks like I’ll have plenty of time. We’ll start with simple things to boost your confidence before we try something more complicated.”

  “I don’t know.” Sam scowled at the interest of the rest of her team. “I don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen every time we’re secluded with a principal.”

  “No problem.” Mercy smiled. “I’m teaching them, too.”

  Nico chuckled as his male teammates groaned and protested Mercy’s plan.

  Joe glared at him. “Why don’t you stop laughing and tell the lady that we’re all thumbs around knives?”

  Mercy rolled her eyes.

  Nico didn’t blame her. He shook his head at his teammate. “That’s not going to fly, Joe. No one will believe operatives skilled with a Ka-Bar can’t handle a kitchen knife or read directions.”

  Trace looked blank. “Directions?”

  “You didn’t notice the cookbooks on the counter?”

  “What cookbooks?”

  With a sigh, Nico grabbed a volume and placed it in front of the sniper who could drop a man from 1,000 yards away but claimed not to see a book ten feet in front of him.

  Trace eased back as though the book would bite his hand. “I don’t cook.”

  “Yet.” Sam gave him a pointed look. “I’m not going into this venture alone. I say Mercy chooses a different meal for each of us to learn. Once we learn those, she can choose something else. Maybe we won’t starve on missions anymore.”

  “This is a dumb idea,” Ben muttered.

  “Suck it up, cupcake,” Nico said, his tone mild. “It’s a good skill to learn.” He followed up his words with a hand signal for his EOD man to shut his mouth. Ben’s face reddened, but his protests subsided.

  “Tonight’s dinner is already underway,” Sam said. “Who wants to volunteer for breakfast duty?”

  When no one piped up, Nico said, “I’ll take the first lesson. I doubt we’ll be back here in time for lunch. Maybe not dinner, either. Besides, after the fed grilling session, I don’t think Mercy will feel up to cooking herself much less teaching an unenthusiastic student.”

  “We’ll pick up something for dinner if we’re not stuck in the hotel,” Joe said.

  Once dinner was over, Nico sat with Mercy on the couch in the living room. She looked tired and uncomfortable. “Your shoulder is hurting?”

  She nodded. “I’m overdue for pain meds. I wanted to leave them off. They make me feel loopy.”

  He rose. “I’ll find you something over-the-counter.” Nico returned with two bottles of pain reliever.

  Mercy tapped the red and white bottle. “I’m allergic to the other one.”

  Huh. He’d never heard of anyone having problems with the painkiller he preferred. He shook a couple capsules into her palm and passed her the water he’d brought to wash them down with.

  “Thanks,” she murmured.

  Nico settled beside her again and picked up the remote. “What’s your favorite type of program to watch when you relax?”

  “Cozy mystery or police procedural.”

  “Movie or television series?”

  “Series. I don’t watch many movies. Most of the time, I’d rather read a book.”

  “Right now, indulge me, okay? I want to help you relax before you try to sleep tonight.”

  Mercy stared. “How did you know I didn’t sleep well last night?”

  He didn’t want to admit he’d listened at her door several times during his watch and heard her tossing and turning. “With the kind of trauma you suffered, it’s natural to have a hard time at night.”

  “Do you?”

  “Sometimes.”

  “How do you cope?”

  Oh, man. She would have to ask that question. Nico glanced around to be sure his teammates were out of earshot. “When I can’t sleep, I quilt,” he muttered.

  Mercy’s head whipped his direction. “Seriously?”

  He stiffened. “Yeah. Is that a problem?”

  “I think that’s amazing. I’m all thumbs when it comes to needles. I end up sticking myself so much I bleed all over the fabric.”

  “You quilt?”

  “My grandmother tried to teach me. I was hopeless. I wasn’t bad at knitting, though. Do your teammates know about your skill?”

  He flinched. “No, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t rat me out.”

  Mercy grinned. “I’ll keep your secret. What do you do with the quilts? Do you keep them for yourself?”

  Nico shook his head. “I give them to a children’s home in east Tennessee.” Narrowing his eyes, he studied her face a moment. “I think you should even the playing field.”

  “How?”

  “Tell me a secret of yours.”

  “Something you can hold over my head?” She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

  “It’s only fair, Mercy.” He tapped the tip of her nose. “Come on. Spill.”

  “Are you familiar with the Boston Bear comic books?”

  “Who isn’t? The story lines are cute and the illustrations amazing.” He stilled. “Wait. Are you saying you’re the illustrator?”

  She nodded.

  A broad smile curved Nico’s lips. “Why don’t you want anyone to know?”

  “My reputation in the art community would take a hit if they knew I moonlighted with children’s comic books.”

  “You took over the illustrations five years ago, didn’t you?”

  She stared. “How did you know?”

  “The graphics side of Boston Bear moved up several levels at that point. I’ve always loved reading those.” He felt his face start to burn. “I started collecting them when you took over the illustrations instead of passing them on to my neighbors’ kids. I didn’t want to disappoint the kids so I always bought two copies. One to keep, one to share.”

  “Do you still collect them?”

  “Never miss an edition.” He pointed his index finger at her. “And, yes, my teammates do know about that habit of mine. That’s not blackmail material.”

  She grinned. “I’ll keep your s
ecret if you keep mine.”

  “Deal.” Nico picked up the remote and scrolled through the listings until he found an old television series that Mercy liked. “Rest your head against my shoulder and relax.”

  “I might go to sleep if I do that.”

  He shrugged. “If it helps you sleep, I’ll offer my shoulder anytime.” Nico draped his arm across her shoulders, careful not to put pressure on her injury. By the thirty-minute mark, Mercy was sound asleep.

  Excellent. He sat with her for another hour, then slid one arm behind Mercy’s back, the other under her knees, and carried her to the bedroom. She stirred when he laid her on the bed. “Shh. You’re safe,” he murmured. “Go back to sleep, kitten.”

  Nico waited until Mercy was out again, then left the room. Trace glanced up when Nico walked into the security room. “Anything?”

  His friend shook his head. “Nothing except a few deer and a raccoon or a fat cat.”

  “Hope it stays that way. Mercy doesn’t need an interrupted night’s sleep on top of facing hours of interrogation tomorrow.”

  “Agreed. You on watch?”

  “At midnight.”

  A nod. “I’ll wake you in a couple hours.”

  He clapped the sniper on the shoulder and climbed the stairs to his room. He sprawled across the cover and was out in seconds.

  When the knock from Trace came two hours later, Nico sat up immediately, weapon in his hand.

  “It’s Trace,” his friend murmured. “Time for your shift.”

  Nico dragged a hand down his face. “Give me five minutes.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed and made his way into the bathroom. After a quick shower, most of the sluggishness was gone. A mug of coffee would chase away the rest.

  He listened at Mercy’s door for a few seconds and heard nothing. Good. She’d need every ounce of strength to weather interrogations by the fed agencies.

  Nico walked into the kitchen, filled a large mug with coffee, then went to the security room. “I’ve got the watch. Get some rest.”

  Trace pushed back from the console. “Wake me in three hours.”

  “Copy that.” He settled down behind the computer screens and scrolled from one camera angle to another. From what he could see, nothing had been disturbed since the last time he sat at this desk.

  A few minutes later, Sam wandered in. “Anything happening?” She handed him a bottle of water.

  Nico had to smile. The medic was always on Shadow’s case about drinking more water to balance the vats of coffee they consumed. “Nothing new.”

  “How was Mercy?”

  “Sleeping as far as I could tell when I came down.”

  “Will you encourage her to see a counselor about what happened in Mexico?”

  “She talked to Marcus yesterday morning. They’re scheduled for another session tomorrow.”

  Sam remained silent a moment, her expression troubled.

  “What’s on your mind, Sam?”

  “She’s been horribly battered by life.”

  “I know.”

  “Do you know what you’re doing?”

  “Be specific, Sam.”

  “You can’t toy with her emotions, Nico. If you’re not serious about her, you need to lay off.”

  Where was this coming from? Had Mercy expressed concern to Sam? “I believe I’ve made my intentions plain. I don’t plan to hurt Mercy. I care about her.”

  An emotion Nico couldn’t identify came and went in his medic’s eyes. “After only a few days?”

  “I can’t explain it. You know as well as I do relationships can develop fast.”

  “And sometimes they never develop,” she murmured, her shoulders slumping.

  “Want to talk about it?” Nico patted the chair next to his. “I can’t leave the console, but I can watch screens and listen at the same time.”

  “I shouldn’t.” She sat.

  “Joe?”

  Her head snapped his direction. “You knew?”

  He glanced at her before returning his attention to the screens. “I’m responsible for the wellbeing of my team. Conflict between teammates will affect us all.”

  Sam stiffened. “Nothing is going on between us.”

  “But you wish it was otherwise.”

  “Would that be a problem?”

  “Not for me. I don’t want to lose either of you. If you two decide to change your relationship, be adult enough to find a way to work together if the relationship doesn’t gel.”

  She gave a huff of laughter. “I’m not the one with the problem.” The medic turned her attention to the screens. The rest of their shift passed without incident. At four, Joe and Ben took over.

  Nico returned to his room to sleep for another two hours. When he opened his door a second time, he noticed that Mercy’s door was open.

  Peeking inside, he found her sitting on the side of the bed, scowling at the floor. “Good morning.”

  She glanced at him over her shoulder. “It would be if I could use both hands.”

  He walked inside. “What do you need?”

  “To tie my tennis shoes.”

  Nico knelt in front of Mercy and tied her shoes, then leaned up and brushed her lips with his. “Sleep well?”

  “Better.” Her eyes sparkled. “You put me to sleep.”

  “Ouch. I prefer you to say I helped you relax.” He stood and lifted Mercy to her feet. “Teach me to make something edible.”

  By the time breakfast was over, Nico felt confident he could handle a redo of the pancakes Mercy taught him to make. While the others cleaned the kitchen, he clasped Mercy’s hand and walked outside with her. She would be cooped up all day and probably into the night. He wanted her to have a chance to breathe fresh air.

  Partway through the walk, he said, “Are you sure you want to do this today?”

  “What if I don’t?”

  “I’ll have Maddox pass the word to the feds that you aren’t ready. They’ll wait. They won’t have a choice.”

  “I’m tempted,” Mercy admitted. “I won’t do it, though. If I can tell them anything that will help, I want to. My security detail’s friends, families, and co-workers need information and closure. It’s the least I can do.”

  Unsurprised by her decision, Nico squeezed her hand. “When you talk to them, remember a few things. Don’t volunteer information. Answer questions they ask, nothing more. Any time you need a break, take one. The feds will cooperate.”

  “What if they don’t?”

  “I’ll make them. Take opportunities to stretch your legs and clear your head between agencies. They will all insist time is of the essence, that every minute counts. They’re correct, but nothing is worth hurting yourself over. If you sit too long, you risk muscles spasms and blood clots. Whether or not you think you need a break, I’ll cut in every two hours and see that you take one anyway. If you become too tired, we’ll stop the questions and retreat to one of the bedrooms where you can rest for a few minutes.”

  “That’s why you insisted on the suite.”

  “Interrogations are difficult at the best of times. You aren’t at your best physically. I’m trying to accommodate your desire to help and the feds’ need for information.”

  He turned them around and started back toward the cabin. “I’m staying in the room with you at all times as is Sam.”

  “Surely that’s not necessary. They are federal agents, after all.”

  “Doesn’t matter. I don’t trust anyone with your safety but my team. All the feds are unknowns, and we suspect there’s a leak on the fed side. I won’t risk your safety by leaving you alone with them.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Nico placed his hand on Mercy’s arm. “Wait here.” He opened the door along with Trace and stepped out of the SUV to scan the parking garage. Joe, Sam, and Ben parked a few slots away and spilled from their vehicle to search for threats to Mercy.

  When he was satisfied she was at minimal risk for the moment, Nico opened her door and assisted
her from the vehicle. He slid his arm around her waist and got her moving toward the stairs. “We’re taking the stairs to the Honeymoon suite which is on the third floor. We’ll go up while Ben gets the key card to the suite.”

  “Why take the stairs?”

  “We can maneuver better on the stairs if a problem develops. In an elevator, we’d be easy prey.” There was nowhere to go trapped inside a metal box.

  Mercy blew out a breath. “I never would have thought of that. I won’t look at an elevator the same way from now on.”

  “We’re trained to think of the worst-case scenarios and plan for contingencies.” He rushed her inside the staircase and stopped her by the door while his team swept the stairs for threats.

  Two minutes later, Trace said, “Clear.”

  “Let’s go.” When they reached the third-floor landing, Joe and Sam checked the corridor. A minute later, Ben arrived with the key cards. The three of them swept the suite and declared it clear of unwanted occupants.

  Once Nico had Mercy inside the hotel suite, he pressed his finger to her lips and pulled the signal tracker from his pocket and searched the rooms for bugs and other electronic devices. Ten minutes later, he was convinced no one had accessed the suite and left a surprise. For now, at least, Mercy was secure.

  He returned to Mercy’s side. “No bugs or cameras. We can talk freely.”

  She motioned toward his hand. “That’s what the gadget is for?”

  Nico nodded as he led her toward the living room couch. “It alerts us of electronic signatures. We have over an hour before the feds are scheduled to arrive. Are you hungry?”

  Mercy grimaced. “I’m not sure I could handle anything.”

  “You need to try,” Sam said. “Once the questions start, you won’t have a chance to eat for hours and you’re still rebuilding your strength.”

  Nico grabbed the room service menu and scanned the hotel’s offerings. “What about a chicken salad sandwich, Mercy?”

  “That’s fine. Thanks.” She turned to Sam to ask how soon she could lose the sling.

  He placed orders for Shadow and Mercy. The feds could fend for themselves. Nico had no intention of giving them a reason to stay longer in the suite with Mercy than necessary. With the added incentive of a large tip if the order was delivered quickly, the bellman brought up their order within thirty minutes.