Protecting His Heart (A James Family Novel Book 1) Read online

  "Who you talking to in there, nephew?" Aunt Clara's voice sounded loud and clear through the rush of the water and the heat in his veins.

  "Aunt Clara! You're supposed to be with Angelina!"

  "I was but she's doing the same thing you are. At least, she is taking a shower. I doubt she is fantasizing about herself the way you are about her though!"

  "Ugh! Is there no privacy with you?" He reached up and snapped off the water spigot. His body felt cold at the loss of the pounding spray. He grabbed a towel from the rack by the shower and wrapped it tightly around his waist. Yanking another towel off the rack, he threw it over his head, towel drying his blond mop of hair as he walked from the bathroom.

  "Hmpf! If you were so concerned with privacy, you wouldn't have walked out here wearing nothing but a piece of cotton around your waist. I am your old, feeble aunt, you know."

  "Old and feeble? Right, Aunt Clara. You are anything but old and feeble. And that still doesn't give you the right to walk in on me."

  "I didn't walk in on anyone anywhere. I heard your voice and thought you were calling for me. Maybe you needed a towel. Maybe you fell in the shower...or maybe you were in there fantasizing about that pretty young thing in the guest room. It's quite obvious, even to the old and feeble, that you got a thing for her, my young nephew."

  "You are an old woman, half blind already. You can't see your feet on the floor." He shot his aunt a wry grin as he started pulling jeans, a long-sleeved t-shirt, and a soft flannel shirt from various drawers. Tossing the clothes on the bed, he dug through another chest of drawers in search of a fresh set of boxer shorts and a clean pair of socks.

  "Not so old I can't feel the attraction between you two. Just where did you find that young lady?"

  "Aren't you going to ask me why we are here? I know you must be dying to know." Logan grabbed the clothes back up off the bed and stepped into the bathroom to get dressed. The mirror was still covered in moisture but the majority of the steam and heat had dissipated from the space.

  "Ahhh, the subject change tactic. Once a cop, always a cop." He heard Aunt Clara chuckle from the other room and smiled at her perceptiveness. Despite the cloudiness of her vision, there was absolutely nothing wrong with his aunt's mind. She was as sharp as a tack. Clara knew it as well as he did.

  "Okay, Aunt Clara, we met at work."

  "That little thing is a cop?"

  "Nope. Didn't I tell you? I am a history teacher now."

  Aunt Clara showed up in the bathroom doorway, her expression incredulous to say the least. "You are a what?"

  "A history teacher."

  Understanding dawned in her eyes as Aunt Clara nodded knowingly, "Ah, more undercover work?"

  "Yup." Logan chuckled. "An all girl's Catholic school, if you can believe it."

  "Oh my, those poor, poor girls! What was the police department thinking putting you in there?"

  "Come on, Aunt Clara. I'm not an idiot. How hard can it be to teach a few dates and discuss a few battles?"

  "Harder than you think, nephew of mine. How'd you land that job?"

  "My eternal bachelor status—as always." Logan shrugged and sighed. "Chief expected the gig to last a long time, I'm the only one with no one waiting up on me at night."

  Clara grinned at him. "Not for long anyway."

  "Relax, Auntie. I'm just trying to help her out. I don't mind the undercover thing. Problem is, I only made it one day before—"

  "Before what? That sad little girl in there broke your heart with her secrets?"

  Logan ran the towel over his hair one last time before tugging a comb through it. "What did she tell you?"

  "You need a haircut. She didn't tell me a single thing. But you don't have to be a crack investigator to see she's got secrets. Somebody's hurt her and it better not have been you!"

  "Aww, come on, Aunt Clara! You know better than that!" His aunt's words angered him. She was accusing Logan of being like him.

  "Now simmer down, boy. You know that's not what I meant." Her understanding eyes and gentle pat on his arm softened the reprimand. "I know you are nothing like my brother in law. You have your mother's heart and she was a good woman, Logan."

  He shrugged away from his aunt's touch. "I'm sorry, Aunt Clara. I don't know… I mean I'm not sure why…"

  "It's okay, dear. Why don't we go find your friend? She must be done showering by now. I left her some clothes that ought to actually fit her...and shoes. My goodness, Logan, what happened to her shoes?"

  "Angelina was in a car accident yesterday afternoon. I found her at the bottom of a ravine. Her fancy high heels didn't survive. None of her clothes did actually."

  "That explains why she looked like she dressed herself at the local Rescue Mission. If she wrecked her car, why isn't she in the hospital?"

  "The um… accident… wasn't really an accident." Logan wasn't sure how much he should tell his aunt without Angelina's permission. On the other hand, they had shown up at Aunt Clara's house unannounced in search of safety and protection. His aunt deserved to know what was going on. Just in case.

  "That sweet little thing didn't try to kill herself, did she?" The shock in his aunt's eyes surprised him as did her suggestion. Even in the short amount of time he had known Angelina, he was certain suicide wasn't something she would ever contemplate.

  "No, of course not. Someone ran her off the road."

  "So, it was an accident."

  "Nope. Not at all. Angelina has a hit out on her."

  "A hit? Like from the mob?" Aunt Clara exclaimed incredulously. "How exciting!"

  "Aunt Clara!" Logan shook his head at his aunt. She watched way too many television dramas. "Angelina should really be the one to tell you the rest." He took his aunt by the arm and led her to the door of his bedroom. "Let's go have tea, maybe a little something to eat? A growing boy on the run needs to eat, you know."

  "Growing boy, my dentures!" She swatted Logan's arm as they headed down the hallway toward the great room and kitchen area.

  "Dentures? Why, Aunt Clara, you always told me those were your own teeth!" He teased.

  "Well, of course they are!" She huffed. "When did you get to be so infuriating?"

  "When I spent my teen years being raised by my aunt."

  "Don't you be putting your inequities on me!" His aunt chuckled. "Just one more thing. You said you met that girl on your undercover gig but I could have sworn you also said she was a cop. Was she undercover too?"

  "Sort of. I'll let Angelina tell you the rest if she wants to, okay?"

  "Fine. Fine." She patted his hand again. "Let's have a little lunch and all get to know each other. You go start the tea kettle and I will hunt down your little lady. You will find everything you need in the pantry."

  Aunt Clara headed off to locate Angelina while Logan continued on to the kitchen. The pantry his aunt spoke of was more storage warehouse than pantry. His aunt kept enough stored supplies to feed herself and seven guests for up to three years. More than enough time to re-establish society, or at least a good victory garden, she liked to say. Logan perused the shelves until he found the tea selection. He chose a cranberry orange blend he thought Angelina might like and set about heating the water.

  Just as the kettle began to whistle, Aunt Clara showed up with a shy looking Angelina dressed in a pair of tight fitting jeans that looked like they had been made especially for her, a figure hugging black sweater and a pair of black cowboy boots. She looked like she just stepped from the pages of a magazine.

  "Feel better after a good hot shower, Angelina?" Logan asked, pouring hot water in to three tea cups.

  "Yes. The guest bathroom was amazing. Like a spa. I thought this was supposed to be a little cabin in the woods but the house seems to go on and on and on…" Her words faded away as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "I didn't mean to sound rude, Ms. James. Your home is beautiful."

  "No apologies, little lady. This house is full of surprises. If civilization happens to collapse in the next twe
nty years, I plan to live out my days in luxury!" Aunt Clara chuckled as she motioned Angelina to a chair and began pulling plates of ham and turkey from the massive built in refrigerator. Thick slices of homemade bread and fresh tomato completed the luncheon fare.

  They sat down together at the hand carved solid oak table. Angelina picked up the tea cup Logan placed in front of her and held it with both hands. Logan watched as she sipped the warm liquid, her expression intense as she looked around the great room.

  "Aunt Clara has a knack for design, doesn't she?"

  Angelina nodded and smiled. "It's not at all what I expected. Thank you, Ms. James, for the clothes. Everything fit perfectly. It's nice to have shoes on again."

  "You are very welcome dear. I like to think that I am prepared for everything. Go ahead and eat something. You could use a little meat on your bones. And for the love all things holy, call me Clara."

  15

  Angelina

  "So, Logan tells me you're a cop."

  Angelina dropped her sandwich onto the plate and shot Logan an angry look. "I'm a high school history teacher."

  "Now, young lady, even if Logan hadn't told me otherwise, I never would've believed that. You're not like any teacher I've ever met. Why don't you tell me your story? I'm a pretty trustworthy old bird, you know."

  "I don't know what Logan has told you but my current career is that of history teacher in a private high school. I don't doubt your trustworthiness. I do, however, doubt your nephew's at this point in time."

  "Angelina…"

  "Don't even bother, Logan. You knew how important it was for me to stay under the radar."

  "I didn't tell her anything."

  "Sure you didn't."

  Clara was watching them both, a curious look on her face. A fuming Logan pushed back his chair with such fury it fell over on the stone floor. Clara just smiled as she watched him stomp from the house.

  Angelina picked up the thick ham sandwich and nibbled at a corner of it, but her appetite was gone. She felt completely betrayed. How dare Logan tell her secret? Did he not understand the importance of secrecy in witness protection? She'd violated her contract by telling him. That was enough to get her in trouble with Jack. If he told his aunt everything, she could be kicked out of the program. And then who would protect her from Salvatore and his hit man?

  Logan.

  A tiny little voice inside her head reminded her that Logan, a complete stranger just a couple of days ago, had done more to protect her than witness protection had in over a year.

  So, why couldn't she trust him?

  Logan's aunt had opened her secret home to them without question. She suspected the other woman could be trusted, even if her nephew couldn't keep his word.

  "I'm sorry, Ms. James. I don't know what came over me. I'm not usually so rude."

  "For the last time, please just call me Clara or Aunt Clara if you prefer. Enough with the formal nonsense. Second, my nephew is the most trustworthy man you will ever know. What he told me when I guessed you were a cop is that I needed to talk to you to get your story. He wouldn't tell me a thing, which of course makes me want to know even more what is going on with you." She chuckled. "I am also dying to know why you and my nephew showed up on my doorstep this morning and why you looked like a homeless person when you got here."

  Angelina couldn't help but laugh then. "I did look pretty bad, didn't I?"

  "I suspect that a girl as pretty as you could never look bad." Clara winked at her.

  Clara James made Angelina feel comfortable. It had been a long time since she had felt comfortable anywhere. Her gut told her that she could trust Logan's aunt. Despite how difficult it was for her to admit, she needed to be able to trust someone. Smiling sadly at Clara, Angelina took a deep breath and jumped right in to her story.

  "I used to be a cop. In New York City, where I grew up. And then I got involved with the mob boss's son, took down his human trafficking ring while pretending to get shot and killed, and landed myself in witness protection. Only someone let the boss know I wasn't actually dead and he is trying to rectify that situation right now."

  "So, you now have a mafia hit man after you?"

  "Yes indeed."

  "Any idea how he found you?"

  "The only person who knew where I have been living is my witsec agent." That's when it hit her. A rock formed in the pit of her stomach at the realization of what she had just said. Had Jack sold her out?

  Clara studied her thoughtfully. "You think he gave you up, don't you?" Clara asked quietly.

  "I don't know. I mean, no one else knew where I was. But Salvatore's hold is far reaching. He could have had one of his own investigators seek me out. If it had been my witsec agent, would it have taken over a year for them to find me?" Angelina looked down at her hands in her lap, weighing her words carefully before she resumed speaking, her voice a near whisper. "The only other option is Logan. He truly was the only one who knew where I was last night."

  Clara stood still, studying Angelina with an impenetrable gaze before she finally responded. "I raised Logan myself and I can promise you this, that boy is as honorable as they come. Why on God's green earth would he go to so much trouble to hide you away if he was just going to give you up? Wouldn't it have been easier, on him, anyway, if he just turned you over this morning instead of risking the wrath of his crazy Aunt Clara by bringing you to my bunker?"

  Angelina, ashamed for believing the worst in Logan, slumped against the back of the chair. "Oh, I just don't know! Yeah, I guess so. What you say makes sense."

  "Logan is a good man. If he has undertaken the task of protecting you then that's what he will do." Clara slapped a hand against the counter for emphasis. "Besides, I get the feeling my nephew may be a bit personally invested in keeping you safe at this point." Clara winked at her mischievously.

  Angelina felt the heat rise in her cheeks as she thought about being in Logan's arms. Had Logan told his aunt what had happened between them? "I'm not entirely sure I know what you mean."

  "Oh, I think you do, honey. The chemistry between the two of you is hard to miss. That boy is like my own son. I'd say I know him pretty well and I have never seen him look at a woman the way he looks at you."

  "We hardly know each other," Angelina stated without any real conviction despite the deep flush rising into her cheeks. Truth of the matter was that her body didn't seem to care that her brain knew almost nothing about the man. Nope, her body didn't care at all. Just the very thought of his touch on her skin made her nerves tingle with anticipation.

  "So, you'll get to know each other." Clara shrugged as she dried a platter and put it away. "You could know someone as well as you know yourself but without chemistry it would be a very dry, very boring relationship. You two got as much chemistry as a meth lab. No doubt about that."

  "I don't have room for a relationship in my life. I couldn't stand the thought of putting anyone else in danger."

  As soon as she said it, she regretted it. Her very presence in that place was enough to put Logan and his sweet aunt into plenty of danger. Salvatore and his men would stop at nothing, including killing the other woman, to get what they wanted.

  Clara seemed to sense her feelings as clearly as if she had spoken them. She walked over to where Angelina stood and patted her arm soothingly. "It's okay, honey. We James's are more than capable of taking care of ourselves."

  "I shouldn't have let Logan bring me here."

  "This is the perfect place for him to bring you. My little bunker here has more surprises than a hooker in a free clinic. No one knows what they are going to get when they sneak up on Clara James. Don't you worry your pretty little self over anything. You are safe here."

  "Thank you for saying that."

  "No need to thank me, dear. It's all in a days' work for my boys."

  "Your boys?"

  Clara smiled, her expression proud. "I've got two sons of my own. Twins. Kaiden and Keegan. As handsome as any. Smart and talented
too."

  "Are they cops like Logan?"

  "Federal agents. One works for the FBI and one is involved with Homeland Security."

  She was right, they could take care of themselves. Angelina was impressed. "You must be very proud."

  Clara returned to the drying pile of dishes and began stowing them in their appropriate places. "Very. I did all right by all my boys. Even without a man around."

  "What happened to your husband? If you don't mind me asking."

  "Not at all dear. Jed was a good man, God rest his soul. His only fault is that he up and died on me when the twins were just toddlers."

  "Oh, I am sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

  "Nothing bad about remembering the man I loved. Good men are so hard to come by. I count myself as lucky to have had him for as long as I did. Not nearly long enough, of course."

  "Of course," Angelina agreed.

  "Logan is one of the good ones too, you know. His daddy, not so much, but Logan, well, he has a heart of gold. If only he would let himself use it." Clara eyed her from across the room. "Of course, all that might be about to change, Angelina."

  "I don't know. I mean, even if there were potential for something…"

  "Oh, there's potential, all right," Clara said with a chuckle.

  Angelina ignored the hot flush in her cheeks. "When this is over, Witness Protection will probably relocate me again. So, it won't matter what sort of potential there is, nothing could ever come of it."

  "Love has a funny way of getting what it wants."

  "If only that were true. I don't believe in fairy tales, Clara."

  "Neither do I, young lady. But I do believe in fate and lady fate always gets her way."

  Aunt Clara didn't appear ready to budge on the issue. Angelina wished she could have such faith in something as abstract as fate. As far as she could tell, ol' fate had it in for her and she wasn't giving it anymore satisfaction. "At any rate," Angelina changed the subject, "thank you for allowing Logan to bring me here. I wouldn't have had anywhere to go if I were on my own. Actually, if not for Logan, I would probably still be at the bottom of that ravine." She shivered at the thought of a long, lonely death in the middle of the woods.