Classified Christmas Mission. Lynette Eason

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       FIVE

      Lance paced his large den. From fireplace to recliner where he’d start to sit then spin on his heel and cross the room again. He couldn’t sit, he had to think. Backup had arrived at the cabin after he and Amber had managed to escape. He’d already reported that they were safe and in another location. The others would take care of the cleanup at the cabin while he tried to decide what to do. He glanced at his watch and grimaced. It had been a little over an hour since the attack and he needed to make some sort of decision soon.

      He wanted to respect Amber’s wishes that he not say anything to her family, but he just didn’t see any other option. He knew it wasn’t that she didn’t trust them, but that she feared they’d be in danger if they knew she was here. But the very fact that the people after her and Sam knew who she was and where she lived put her family in danger.

      They were going to need to bring someone else in. If they were going to live long enough to catch the people who were after Amber and Sam, they needed help. He just had to convince Amber of the fact. Amber, the girl he’d regarded as a little sister. The girl who was now an attractive woman who sent his senses spinning. What was he going to do about that?

      Nothing, he decided. At least not until she didn’t have killers after her. Or maybe never. He’d sworn off marriage and women in general. After Krissy’s descent into her secret criminal lifestyle and willingness to kill anyone who crossed her, Lance wasn’t sure he trusted his judgment when it came to women. Krissy had been immature when he’d fallen for her, sure, but when her love of money and greed for more had overtaken her, she’d stepped into crime like she’d been born to it. And Lance hadn’t seen it. If he could be so blind—

      He shook his head. Friendship was fine. Romance was not. However, the problem with having a friendship with Amber was that he wasn’t sure it wouldn’t turn into something else. And why was he even thinking about this? She had people trying to kill her. He could help keep her alive without falling in love with her.

      The knock on the door sent him into the foyer. After checking out the window, he opened the door and let in the two guys who worked for him. “Hey, thanks for coming.”

      “Sure thing, boss, what’s up?” Thirty-year-old Justin Allison pulled his Stetson from his head and held it in front of him. Handy Kilroy did the same. Handy’s given name was Kevin, but he’d earned his nickname as a teenager when it was discovered he could do just about any job on a ranch—and do it well. Now Handy was forty-seven years old and a confirmed bachelor. All he was interested in was working the ranch and adding to his book collection.

      Justin handled the horses and Handy worked with the dairy farm Lance had started about a year ago. It was a profitable venture and growing. Soon he’d need to hire more men, but for now, he needed to put these two on high alert. “I’ve run into a problem. I need you two to keep your weapons on you at all times and let me know if you see any strangers lurking about. But be careful and don’t confront them, just let me know about it, understand?”

      Handy’s brows went up. “Boss?”

      “I can’t go into the details, but suffice it to say, trouble might come knocking and you need to be ready.”

      “All right, then,” Justin said. “We’ve got your back.”

      And that was that. Lance couldn’t express how much that meant to him. They stayed in the small apartment they’d helped him build at the edge of the property. A two-bedroom split plan that gave them each a bedroom and a bathroom with a kitchen and living area in between.