“I don’t want to be with you anymore.”
“The hell you don’t.” He shot to his feet.
“I made a promise, and I’m going to keep it. No commitment. All I ever wanted was for you to experience life as everyone else does, even though you’d made the decision to go it alone.”
“I changed my mind days ago.” He stalked toward her. “I went through hell while you were missing, and I never want to experience that kind of loss again. What I wish for is to have you with me, and nowhere else.”
She leaned against the cool glass and shook her head. She should have expected this reaction from him. His protection was always absolute. “Ben, you guard and defend others, and even now you can’t help yourself. For thirty-two years, your mind has been set. You can’t have changed it that fast.”
“You call a year of becoming emotionally attached to you, and months of us sleeping together as fast?” He boxed her in, his hands either side of her head on the glass behind her. “Saria, I can’t live without you. We need a new agreement.”
“If you’d like visitation, I’ll never say no.”
“I want that, on a daily basis.” He stroked her belly. “With both of you. Let’s bring our child into this world in a way I never experienced, with absolute love and devotion. I want to put a ring on your—” His cell phone beeped as did another two cell phones from the direction of the dining room. “Shoot. Hold on a sec.” He hauled his phone from his pocket and checked it. His gaze darkened then returned to hers. “Someone’s entered our secluded area of the cove. The sensor snapped a pic.”
“Who? Is it one of Officer Kupita’s men?” It better be. If the killer had found them, they’d be on the run again.
“No.” He turned his cell phone toward her. On the screen, an image of a shaggy brown-haired man in green and brown camouflage gear, a sniper’s rifle slung over his shoulder, pulsed back at her.
“That’s him, the man who hurt me. Boyd Hyena.”
“And I’ll never let him hurt you again.” From the side table, he picked up a pair of binoculars then slid in front of her. He peered through the lenses toward the cove. “He’s going to pay for everything he’s done to you, and I’ll make sure of it.” Over his shoulder, he whistled to Tyler and Brigs. “Boys, get the weapons and ammo.”
“I’m on it.” Brigs tore down the hallway toward the office where their gear was stored in the safe.
“I’ll call Kupita and let him know about the sighting.” Tyler already had his cell phone at his ear as he marched toward them.
“You’re going after him now?” She wrapped an arm around Ben’s waist from behind, wanting to keep him with her. “The man is dangerous.”
“Yes, but we’re out his firing range right now, as he’ll be out of ours. For Tyler and me to take him out, we have to get closer.”
Tyler hung up his phone. “Kupita’s got a couple of teams fairly close. He wants us to take Hyena alive if possible.” He rummaged through the side cupboard and pulled out two bulletproof vests from a stash of at least half a dozen. He passed one to her. “Help him into it. He needs to keep his eyes on the prize should Hyena appear.”
“Arms out, Ben.” She eased it on him, one arm at a time before reaching around from behind and zipping the front. “Can you see him at all?”
His phone beeped again, as did Tyler’s. Ben checked his then eyed her. “He’s close to the trail leading onto the beach. This image shows him scaling a tree near the shoreline. He’s setting himself up for a birds-eye view of the ship.”
“Here we go.” Brigs ran into the room with a large black canvas bag in hand, Lydia right behind him. “All the weapons you’ll need are right here. Do you want me to come, or remain on guard?”
“Remain. Look after the girls, and as a precautionary measure, keep them away from the windows. Tyler and I will head toward the resort then find a decent spot to double back. If Hyena moves, call me.” He tossed Brigs the binoculars then backed her up against the wall. He caught her face between his hands then seized her mouth with his. He kissed her, long and deeply, like a man on a mission. Too soon, he pulled away. “You, my love, will stay out of sight. Also, consider yourself engaged.”
“We are not getting married.”
“Wanna bet?” He kissed her again, and with dizzying passion. Then he was gone, slinking out the door and disappearing over the side of the ship.
Tyler kissed Lydia then nudged her toward the wall next to Saria before he grabbed the ammunitions bag and silently followed in Ben’s wake. The inflatable’s motor rumbled then the noise drifted away.
“If he gets even a scratch, I won’t be happy.” She gripped Lydia’s hand, closed her eyes and wished for Ben to come right back. “Do you think he was serious, sis?”
“About the two of you being engaged?”
“Yes.”
“Have you ever known him to lie?”