In Zach's Arms (Once a Marine, Always a Marine Book 1) by Kori David Page B

isn’t involved,” Zach said.
    Wolfe shook his head. “No. This guy’s harmless.”
    “You have any other leads yet?”
    “Still waiting on DNA to come back.” He shoved his hand into his hair. “I’ll stay and finish up here. Tell Elizabeth that we will catch this guy.”
    Zach nodded and turned to cross the street. The feeling of being watched was gone. Whoever it was had lost interest for the moment. He didn’t like not knowing who the enemy was or where they were coming from.
    It made him edgy.
    Beth’s lips were pinched and her shoulders tensed when he reached the truck. He shook his head, “It’s not him.”
    “How can you be sure?” she asked.
    “Because he’s here for a cross-stitch festival and looks very comfortable in women’s clothes.”
    “Wow,” Jesse said.
    “Yeah, he makes an ugly woman.”
    Beth huffed out a quick breath and he could see her slowly relax. He hated that this was keeping her stressed out. Zach wanted her happy and focused on him. And moving in with him. That was step one. Marriage and kids were a battle he’d fight later on. He’d be happy if she’d finally agree to just live with him.  
    Permanently.

Chapter 13

    “It’s a diversion,” Zach said. His tone was low and angry.
    Elizabeth looked up from her computer. They’d been home for several hours and she’d been writing while Zach worked at the table on his laptop. She had been jarred out of her story when Zach’s cell rang.
    “Of course I’m not leaving, but you’d better get over there and see what the damage is. Yeah, got it. Call me.”
    “What happened?”
    He looked like he was controlling the impulse to crush his phone. Dark brows formed an angry line and the tic in his jaw had started. “Someone started a fire in the back of our business.”
    “Oh my God.” Jerking to her feet, Elizabeth went and put her arms around him and pressed her face into his chest. “This is because of me.”  
    “Jesse is heading over now to see what can be salvaged.”
    “I’m so sorry. If it wasn’t for me, none of this would be happening.”
    Ramming the phone into his back pocket, Zach shook his head. “None of this is your fault, Beth. Not one bit of it, do you hear me?”
    Looking into his stormy eyes, she could only nod. She hoped to appease him because it was her fault. If they lost the building, it would be because of her and her rotten luck in attracting the attention of a psychopath.
    Elizabeth sometimes wondered if her life was cursed. The only thing convincing her that it wasn’t was standing in front of her.
    “Okay,” she let out a strained laugh. “None of this is my fault. But you should go with Jesse.”
    Even before he shook his head, she knew he wasn’t about to leave.
    Then his phone chirped. Yanking it out of his pocket, he answered, “What now?”
    Elizabeth followed when he went and pulled open the front door. The black plume of smoke outside couldn’t have been from town. That was too far away. This looked like it was coming from the road.
    “Goddammit! I’ll be right there with some extinguishers.”
    “What’s on fire?” she asked.
    “The mailboxes out front and several of the big pines. Jesse needs me out there. If we don’t get those out, and fast, it could turn into a forest fire.”
    “You need to go. We’re surrounded by woods here and I don’t want your home to burn. Or Jesse’s.”
    She watched his face while he struggled with the need to stay and protect her and his need to get that fire out.
    “Go. I’ll be fine. You showed me how to use the gun in the table by the door. I can protect myself with that. I promise.”
    Obviously making his decision, he pulled her close and kissed the breath right out of her.
    “Stay inside and stay safe.”
    “I will.”
    He ran through the house and gathered up the three fire extinguishers inside while calling the fire department to tell them of the fire and the address. Elizabeth stayed out of the way and, when he turned at