Free Targeted (Firebrand Book 1) by Sandra Robbins Page B

preparing her for the arrival of his current girlfriend.
    Her lips trembled, but she forced a smile to her face. “Casey Morgan? Who is she?”
    “She’s a great person. I think you’ll really like her.” He stood up, walked to the cabinet, and pulled out a cup. He poured himself a cup of coffee, grabbed a napkin, and sat back down before he continued. “She grew up in Virginia and served in the army for a while. When she heard about Firebrand, she wanted to join. We all kind of laughed about it at first, but she sure proved us wrong. She’s the only woman who’s ever passed the rigorous requirements to be admitted.”
    Lainey took a sip of her coffee and set the cup back in the saucer before she directed a somber gaze at Ash. “She sounds like quite a woman. And will she be sharing your old bedroom with you?”
    He had just taken a drink from his cup, and coffee spewed from his mouth. He grabbed the napkin and clamped it to his mouth as his face turned white. Pushing back from the table, he rushed to the sink and leaned over it as he tried to quiet his coughing.
    When he’d gained control again, he turned and stared at her as if he was seeing her for the first time. Slowly he walked back to the table, never taking his eyes off her. She squirmed under his searching gaze and looked down at her cup.
    He kicked the chair he’d been sitting in out of the way and leaned forward, his arms stiff and his hands planted on the table. She’d seen him angry many times, but this was different. “Do you really think I’d do something like that, Lainey? Do you believe I have so little respect for you and Max that I would bring another woman into your home?” His last words were nearly a shout.
    She pushed back from the table and leaned across it to face him. “I have no idea what kind of person you are, Ash. I haven’t seen you in years. When you said you were bringing another woman here, I assumed. . .”
    He straightened to his full height, gritted his teeth, and walked around the table to face her. They were barely inches apart, and the heat of his fury set her heart to pounding. “Well, you assumed wrong,” he yelled. “Casey is a good friend to me, and she was to you last night. She stood out in your yard all night and until this afternoon keeping guard on you and Max. She’s only had a few hours sleep, and she’s willing to come back here and try to keep you safe tonight. She also has high morals and a deep faith in God. I won’t have you thinking badly of her.”
    Lainey tried to take a step backward, but he reached out and grabbed her arms. She tried to twist away, but his grip tightened. “I’m sorry I misunderstood. I’ll make her feel welcome here.”
      “And what about me?” he demanded.
    She stopped trying to escape his grasp and stared up into his flushed face. “What about you?”
    He leaned his head closer until she could feel his breath on her face. “Are you sorry you misunderstood me, too?”
    She hesitated for a moment as she stared into his stony gaze. Then she inhaled and nodded. “I’m sorry, Ash.”
    “You should be,” he muttered as he released his hold and pushed her away. He didn’t move for a moment as his gaze raked her, and her heart shriveled up from the fire in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but then seemed to change his mind about whatever he was going to say. He took a step back from her.
    “I think I’ll go back outside for a while. I’ll bring Casey in when she arrives.”
    He headed for the back door, but before he could open it Max’s voice rang out from the den. “Hey, Mom, we have a package that was just delivered. I think it’s some kind of clock. I can hear it ticking.”
    Ash stopped, his hand on the door knob. He turned to Lainey. “A package? How could that be? The gate is locked, and no one can get in.”
    Lainey’s knees grew weak, and she put her hand on the back of a chair to steady herself. “Why would there be. . .”
    The words died in