Intimate Secrets (The Love and Danger Series) (14 page)

Now she had another reason to panic.  The garage door stopped, which meant that Walker was now driving into the garage with Lilly.  She had no concerns that Walker could take care of himself, but he would be limited because he had to protect Lilly.  She couldn’t let this crazy guy do anything to Lilly or to Walker when he was trying to protect their child. 

“Brian, let me go!” she yelled, trying to warn Walker of the danger.  “Get out of here, Walker!” she screamed and then she kicked Brian as hard as she could.  His grip slackened but, because they were both on the floor now, she had to scramble away instead of run.  He might be crazy, but he was fast and grabbed her ankle before she could get away. 

When the door to the garage opened, Amy panicked, thinking Walker hadn’t heard her warning shout.  Her efforts to get rid of the guy doubled.  Unfortunately, they both seemed to be working on adrenaline and his efforts were greater. 

“Stop!”
Brian called out.  Amy didn’t stop.  She couldn’t.  Lilly and Walker’s life were in danger.  There was nothing she could do but continue to push towards getting free and getting this man out of her life. 

Despite her struggles to
break his hold, she still found herself pulled up against his chest, his surprisingly strong arm wrapped around her waist while his other hand held the gun to her head.  “Just stand still and be quiet,” he whispered into her ear, his spittle splattering across her face. 

“You won
’t get away with this,” she groaned but he tightened his arm around her waist, cutting off her breath. 

He bent his head lower and she could smell his breath.  It was gross and made her stomach churn. 
“Stop it!  I love you and I don’t want to hurt you but if you do this, I’ll have to in order to get us free!”

Amy complied, simply because she couldn’t
breathe.  She couldn’t move for fear of Lilly and Walker coming inside and she was paralyzed by the fear of the gun to her head.  “Nod your head if you understand.”

Thankfully, he released her slightly so she could nod and she took in deep, gulping breaths.  “Please don’t hurt them,” she cried out. 

Why hadn’t they come in?  Had he gotten the signal that she was in danger and gotten Lily out of the way?  Amy hoped so.  She didn’t want to think of either of them doing anything dangerous. 

“Let’s just leave,” she coaxed.  “There’s a back door.  We don’t even have to see them.  We can be out of here in just a moment.”

He didn’t respond, but she felt his head shift from one side to the other.  She wasn’t sure what he was looking at, but she wanted him distracted.  “You’re a good guy, Brian.  Let’s just run away together.  We can be alone.”

“You’re trying to trick me!” he roared, shoving the gun against her head more completely.  She released her hold on his arm and grabbed his wrist, her hand trying to pull the weapon away, shuddering with fear that it might go off accidentally.  Or on purpose which was just as likely, possibly more likely, with this nutcase. 

“No one is trying to trick you, Brian,” she soothed as best she could under the circumstances.  “You love me, remember?” she said, cringing at the very idea.  “And I love confident men who know how to take care of their women.  Who know how to be strong and powerful.”  His arm actually slipped slightly.  “You’re strong and powerful, aren’t you Brian?” she asked softly. 

His grip slacke
ned even more.  “You’re going to take care of me, right?  You’re going to protect me and take me to this place you’ve built where you’ve gotten all of my favorite things?”  She backed up, pushing him with her body towards the back door.  “Hopefully you have a car that you can take me away with, right?”

He yanked her head back and Amy wasn’t sure if it was deliberate to scare her and hurry her along, or because of the loud thunk they both heard coming from the garage area.  “Hurry,” he urged, pulling her hair.

Amy grabbed her hair, trying to ease his grip.  “Please Brian.  This really hurts.  You’re supposed to be a strong man who is going to take care of me.  And this isn’t taking care of me.  If you really want to show me you love me, hold my hand.  Not my hair.”

Brian froze, his eyes looking from hers to the door where the sound had come.  Amy’s heart was racing.  “Come,” she said, extending her hand.  “We have to hurry.” 

Brian looked down at her hand and something softened in his eyes.  Amy prayed that she could do this, that her muscles would do her proud.  If only he would release her hair and take his hand!  Her fingers shook even while his grip loosened ever so slightly. 

They were by the back door now and Amy wanted so desperately for him to just take her hand. 

So when the gun lowered again, she took a deep breath and smiled, showing him that she was with him, trying to hide the fear in her own eyes.  “Thanks Brian.” 

That was all it took.  His hand released her hair and he reached out for her hand.  She heard something, not sure what it was.  It sounded like a mouse but she wasn’t sure.  All she was sure about was that she had to get this man away from Lilly and Walker.  She had to do something! 

If only he would just take…her…hand!

When his sweaty palm slid into her hand, she relaxed somewhat, giving him a false sense of security.  And as soon as he smiled back at her, she took her other hand and covered his ever so gently.  That was all it took.  Her hands were in place, her motivation was sky high and she knew what she had to do.  Split seconds before she acted,
her mind pictured the action, went over the move carefully.  With a vicious twist, she turned, using her weight as momentum and keeping her hands in place.  Amy had done this several times in self-defense classes but it had never been so important to get it right.  Up and over Brian flew, falling with a loud crash against the hardwood floors, his face down and his arm twisted behind his back while her hands pressed his fingers at an awkward angle. 

Just at that same moment, Walker, Colt, Sam and Brock burst through several different doors, guns drawn and a furious expression on
each of their faces.  She didn’t pay any attention to them, holding the pressure on Brian’s fingers steadily. 

“Amy?” Walker asked, his eyes lighting on the man prone on the floor with a pained expression on his face. 

Amy looked up, smiling with her victory.  “I did it!” she gasped.  “I really did it!  I took the class when I was in college but never thought I would need to use it but I did and I did it right!”  She looked down at Brian, thrilled that he was completely immobilized.  “I really did it.” 

And that’s when it started to fall apart. 
Her hands started shaking and her fingers were weakening.  “Walker, I think you need to take him very quickly,” she said.  A moment later, she felt herself falling.  She didn’t see Brock move in and restrain Brian, placing a knee in the guy’s back while he slapped handcuffs on his wrists.  She didn’t see Walker stuff his gun back into his holster while he rushed forward, catching Amy only moments before she fainted. 

Colt and Sam kept their guns pointed at the intruder who
had been about to capture their friend’s future fiancée, having no compassion for the man’s screams of betrayal.  He probably needed a mental hospital, but he was heading to jail tonight.  Most likely restrained because he was certifiable. 

“She faints now?” Sam teased as Walker brought her over to the sofa.  “She was a
little tigress only moments ago when her life was in danger.  But she passes out when everything is settled?”  Three men chuckled, Brock maintaining a pinch hold on the still screaming man’s shoulder.  He nodded to one of the uniformed officers who was standing by, indicating he should take the crazy man to a police car.  “Don’t let him out of your sight.” 

The crime scene guys were ready to come in and gather evidence but Walker knelt by the sofa, his hands rubbing Amy’s as he tried to bring life back to the most amazing woman he’d ever met in his life.  “Amy, come back to me honey.  You can’t do this now.”  He watched her breathing, feeling only slightly reassured when her chest rose and fell rhythmically.  “Come on, love.  I need you.  Come on back to me.”

A paramedic swooped in right behind Walker and Sam had to grab hold of Walker, pulling him out of the way so the medic could help Amy.  After taking her pulse and her heartbeat, the medic turned slightly. “She’s going to be fine.  Looks like her blood pressure just dropped dramatically.”  He broke something under Amy’s nose which gave off a horrible smell that permeated the whole room.  A fraction of a second later, Amy sputtered awake and looked around while pushing the smell away from her nose.  “Walker!” she gasped out, looking at each of the men until her eyes rested on his handsome features.  “You’re here!”  And then she remembered.  “Where’s Lilly?  That man…”

The big guy was already pushing the medic out of the way and grabbing hold of Amy again. 
“Lilly is fine,” Walker reassured her quickly.  “I saw the blue sedan when we were coming back from the grocery store.  She’s in an officer’s arms right now, probably charming him into tickling her.”

Amy relaxed slightly.  “You’re here!  You’re safe.”  She looked at his chest and arms.  “You’re okay, right?  You’re not hurt?  He didn’t get to you?”

Walker rolled his eyes, trying to control the anger for the man who had tried to hurt his woman.  “Amy, he tried to kidnap you!  Are you okay?”

She reached up and touched her hair slightly.  “He pulled my hair.  I’ll probably have a bruised wrist tomorrow.  But he didn’t hurt me.”

Walker lifted her into his arms, holding her close.  “Thank goodness!” he whispered.  “Don’t ever do that to me again!”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoying the strong arms that held her close and the wonderful, warm smell of his tough body. 
“Do what?”

“Scare me!” he growled into her hair.  He pulled back.  “Where did you learn that move?” he demanded.  “I didn’t know you could flip a guy so perfectly.”

Amy’s smile grew despite the weakness in all of her limbs as the adrenaline started to burn off.  “I did, didn’t I?”  And she relaxed against Walker’s chest.  “I did it!  I tossed him.”

The others in the room all laughed softly, giving the two of them a bit of space while they cleaned up. 

“Tell me why you won’t marry me,” Walker said, holding her close while they watched the flames dance in the fireplace.

Amy stood up, feeling lost as soon as his heat wasn’t around her. 
But she needed to answer his question without those crazy sensations zapping her common sense away.  “Walker, I know you want Lilly in your life.”

He looked up at her, trying to figure out what she was thinking. 
“I want both of you.”

She smiled, but it was sad.  “You love Lilly.  And I know that.  I love her and I can understand what you feel for her.  And we’ll work out something.”

He leaned forward, his eyes flaring.  “Why am I sensing a ‘but’ somewhere in his conversation?”

She sighed and sat down in the opposite chair.  “I love you so much,” she whispered, looking down at her hands.  “I never stopped loving you.  I didn’t know that I could love a man so much but you broke through all my barriers.  A year ago, I loved you as a man.  Now I love you as a protector, a man, as a father and sometimes my heart actually aches with the intensity of what I feel for you.”

He nodded his head as if to indicate that he understood, but he didn’t really understand anything.  “So why won’t you marry me?”

A tear slipped off of her lashes and she dashed it away.  “Because I know you don’t love me.
  I know you want to marry me just to keep Lilly in your life, but I won’t keep her from you.  The two of you need each other.”

He stood up as if someone had burned him.  “Don’t love you?  Where the hell did you get that idea?” he demanded
furiously.

She shrugged with a sigh.  “I just…”

“Well, un-just it!” he growled before she could finish her statement, walking over to where she was standing and pulling her into his arms.  “I’ve loved you and never stopped loving you!  Are you insane to think I don’t love you?”

This was news to her! 
“You never…”

He covered her mouth with his to stop her.  “If I’ve never said it, then I’m more of an ass than you deserve.  I wouldn’t have been so furious with you about aborting our child if I hadn’t loved every inch of you.  I wouldn’t have be
en so desperate to find that creep if I hadn’t loved you and that was before I found out about Lilly so don’t even think that my feelings are contingent upon Lilly’s presence in our lives because that’s just a crock of BS.”

He took a breath and leaned his forehead against hers.  “Amy, you’re the only woman I’ve ever loved.  I haven’t been with any other female
in more than a year, not even glancing in their direction because you blew my mind the first time I saw you across the room at that coffee shop.  Never had any woman ever created such feelings inside of me.  And every time I got to know you, I fell more in love with you.  I love your curly hair, your laughter, your intelligence and every single freckle on your delectable body.”  He ignored her laughter at his outrageous statement.  “Every time I thought about you, I would get hot and bothered.  When you told me you’d take care of the pregnancy, I thought I’d just about fall apart.  I did for a couple of weeks actually.  But then I was driving around on my other investigations and I realized I was always looking for you.  I simply wanted the sight of you.  When I saw your name on that victim’s list, I almost lost it right then and there.  I think I threw the paper across the room at Sam, but I can’t remember because all I could think about was getting to you and making sure you were safe.”

“You mean…?”

“I mean, that you’re the love of my life and if you don’t marry me, I’ll just have to kidnap you every night and ravish you in my bed until you are convinced of that truth.  When you’re gone, I’m only half alive.  Knowing you’re waiting for me at home, and now Lilly as well, I feel like my world has finally made sense.  So please Amy.  Marry me and let me prove to you that I’ll love you for the rest of my life.”

She was crying by the time he finished that beautiful speech and she could only nod her head.  She lifted the diamond ring out of her pocket, laughing when his eyes widened in surprise.  “I couldn’t leave it alone.  I’ve been carrying it around in my pocket ever since you gave it to me.”

He lifted her up into his arms, giving her a bear hug and spinning her around while she laughed excitedly.  “I love you,” she whispered a moment before he kissed her again.  She wasn’t aware of him carrying her off to their bedroom.  All she knew was that her happiness at this moment was overwhelming and Walker was holding her, just as she’d wanted so many times over the past year.  Right now, her world was absolutely perfect!