The Mercenary by Katherine Garbera Page A

name.” Olivia wished she’d kept quiet, but to be fair it had been her first kidnapping and rescue. And she suspected that it took some time to get used to doing the right thing under pressure.
    “Damn,” Kirk said. “Savage wants a conference call in ten minutes.”
    “Can I come, too?” Olivia said.
    Kirk hadn’t said a word about last night and she realized he probably wasn’t going to. She’d thought that today would have to be better than yesterday, but now she wasn’t sure. Kirk was treating her like a stranger, the world thought she’d been kidnapped, and her parents would be going nuts once they got word. Today seemed to be another crazy day. And she wondered if her life would ever get back to normal.
    Laz led the way out of the kitchen. She realized he wasn’t distant, just prudent. He wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of saving her. And that was kind of reassuring, but she wasn’t sure she liked the way he could switch off his emotions.
    She couldn’t do that and all she really wanted was to be in his arms, to feel his strength wrapped around her so she’d have the sense that she was safe. Because seeing her photo on the television didn’t make her feel safe at all.
    They kept playing the grainy airport image and her engagement announcement photo. “Why didn’t I realize Ray would do this?”
    “How could you know?” Kirk asked. “We thought he’d come after you.”
    “He still will,” Laz said. “Only when he kills you he’s going to blame Kirk.”
    She flushed and felt faint at the thought of dying. She hugged herself even tighter than she had before. What had she been thinking last night? There was no safety for her in this new life she’d stumbled into.
    Kirk put both hands on her shoulders. “You aren’t going to die, Olivia.”
    She shook her head. Only Kirk could protect her until they were able to get Ray behind bars. And even then she might not be safe. And what would happen if he got her parents?
    “Look at me,” he said. There was such command in his voice. So much confidence and she wasn’t sure of anything at all. She was just a little coward who kept getting more scared with each hour that went by.
    “Olivia?”
    She shook her head. She was barely holding it together. If he looked at her with either annoyance or pity she’d lose it.
    “Laz, will you give us a minute?” she asked.
    Laz left the room. She walked over to Kirk and put her arms around him. He hesitated and then wrapped his arms around her. “I’m scared.”
    “I know.”
    “You make me feel safe.”
    “Good.” He tried to step away, but she held him close. She needed this.
    “Tell me what you are afraid of,” he said.
    “I’m scared for my parents. Ray could kill them.”
    “We won’t let that happen. Lambert isn’t going to get away with this. We are going to stop him and keep you and your family safe.”
    “How?” she asked.
    “Anna will call your parents. They know her, right?”
    “Yes,” she said. “They do. I’m sorry for breaking down a bit.”
    “That’s understandable. The first time I saw an image of myself on the news as a murderer it shook me.”
    “Murderer?”
    “I have been accused of some hairy stuff. I’ve done some things that might not make you feel comfortable, but those things—my skills—are the only thing that can keep you safe now.”
    She swallowed hard. She had pushed the reality of what being a mercenary meant. Had tried to ignore the fact that a man with scars from gunshots and knife wounds and burns wasn’t a man who’d lived a safe life. He would have had to do things that were unimaginable to her.
    “I’m better now. You are the best man to keep me safe, and I’m very glad to be here with you.”
    Kirk said nothing else, simply let her go. Olivia walked away from him, trying to think only about this moment and not beyond it. That wasn’t too hard considering she had no idea what the future held for her.
    Every neat little plan