“I’m not here because of Jenna,” he said out loud. “I’m here because, evidently, I needed more jackasses in my life, and you three were readily available. Tell me what’s been going on around Wyoming’s most notorious town.”
Riley and Baby launched into tales of what had been happening in Oak Creek as they climbed, like Mark wanted. It kept their attention off him and that he was moving a little slower than he should be.
And they had no shortage of stories to tell. With all the Linear Tactical guys and their military backgrounds and contacts, someone always seemed to be in danger or drawing some sort of trouble.
And, of course, everyone was getting married and having babies. That was happening at Zodiac Tactical too.
But it wouldn’t be happening for Mark. Not with the health news he’d gotten a couple of months ago.
Mark was the last one to the top, thanks to his damned leg, but not so far behind that anyone really noticed. He rubbed at his knee and calf as the other guys took in the view around them.
He didn’t want to rush them to head back down—that would definitely give away what was happening. But rappelling was heavily leg- and knee-dependent. Mark should have a few hours before his really became a problem, but he didn’t want to take a chance on this being the one time the pain and numbness moved quickly through his limbs.
Ended up he was saved by a highly unlikely situation. They’d only been at the top of the cliff for a few minutes before Ian got a message on the two-way radio from one of his assistants.
“Boss, we just got word of a situation in Oak Creek.”
Ian froze. “Wavy?”
“Secure. Her team has eyes on her. She’s at her mom’s.”
Wavy had a security team everywhere she went. Ian had too many enemies who might once again try to use her to get to him. There was no way in hell Mark’s boss would ever allow a repeat of that.
Ian relaxed slightly at the news his wife was okay. “What’s going on?”
“We’re not sure. All we know is there are weapons drawn at the Eagle’s Nest. Some sort of situation involving outsiders. Dorian and Ray Lindstrom captured them on the way into town.”
Mark met eyes with Ian. Everyone knew Dorian and Ray, but the husband and wife tended to keep the lowest of profiles. With their pasts, it was necessary.
If they’d taken someone into their own custody, it was a big deal.
“Any indication of what this is about?” Ian asked.
“Apparently something to do with Jenna Franklin.”
Mark froze. What the hell would someone want with Jenna?
“Make sure Wavy’s team keeps her out of town,” Ian said. “We’ll be there ASAP.”
Mark was already running for the rappelling equipment.
Chapter 3
Jenna’s hands were still shaking hours later as her fists pummeled the fighting dummy.
When most women referred to a BOB, it was a Battery Operated Boyfriend. But for Jenna, BOB was a Body Opponent Bag—a lifelike mannequin with a vinyl “skin” for more realistic self-defense training.
She ignored the tremor in her limbs as she struck one of the multiple BOBs in her home gym and training area. The tremors were no longer coming from fear, but from exhaustion.
She’d beat the fear out of her system after the first hour in her gym. It had melted away, leaving only anger.
Anger at what had been done to her.
Anger at the fact that she couldn’t get past it and enjoy being outside.
Anger that even if she could get past it, she should probably stay inside away from people anyway.
She spun, hitting the BOB in a roundhouse kick with enough power to knock its stand off-balance, causing it to crash to the floor.
Breathing hard, she stared down at the faceless apparatus. “Sorry, buddy.”
BOB didn’t reply. He never did.
Jenna wiped sweat from her forehead. As always, her workout session had exhausted her enough to allow her to reset herself. At first, her training had been a mental necessity—learning how to get herself out of dangerous situations. Making sure she could never again be taken against her will.
She’d become a damned expert at that.
But having these deadly skills could lead to even more nightmares—she knew that from experience. What good was knowing how to defend yourself if you had no control?
She unstrapped her sparring gloves, wincing at the sight of her fists. The thin gloves had saved her hands from the worst of the abuse, but she was still going to have bruised and tender knuckles.
She righted BOB then spent the next few minutes cleaning up the gym. She’d brutalized three different fighting dummies and pounded the hell out of two different bags.
It still didn’t change the fact that she hadn’t even made it a full minute outside, but at least she was spent enough now that she didn’t care.
Thirty minutes later, after a shower and with a bowl of salted caramel ice cream on the table in front of her, she cared even less.
But she grimaced when she looked down at her phone and saw she had missed half a dozen calls from Charlotte—Charlie—Bollinger. The tiny woman was a pit bull, and evidently, she’d discovered Jenna was in town.
Jenna let out a curse when the phone buzzed in her hand with an incoming text, this time from Wavy DeRose.
You are in Oak Creek, right? Need to talk to you.
Shit. Today was not the day Jenna wanted to have visitors, especially not ones of the good friend variety. Friends who might figure out how much she was hiding from them.
She hadn’t let anyone know that she was back at her house here in town. Hell, most of her friends in Oak Creek didn’t even know she owned this house.
They definitely didn’t know that this house was much more than what it seemed. Sharing that information would just lead to more questions.
It was better to keep everyone at a little bit of a distance. Jenna had become an expert at that too. She wouldn’t answer Wavy’s text or return Charlie’s call right now. Maybe they’d give up.
The doorbell rang.
Clearly, they wouldn’t give up.
With a sigh, Jenna clicked the app on her phone so she could see who it was, not at all surprised to find Wavy and Charlie. She was tempted to ignore her friends, but she knew they wouldn’t go away since they’d figured out she was here.
Jenna opened the door, standing so that she was as far from the outside as possible. She forced a smile on her face. “Surprise. I’m in Oak Creek.”
All five-foot-one of Charlie burst through the door. She glared at Jenna with an eyebrow raised. “Hey genius, did you forget how to use your phone? I’ve been trying to call you for an hour.”
“I was, uh, working out.”
Charlie narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “How long have you been in Oak Creek?”
Jenna had no idea what answer would get her in the least amount of trouble. “Not very long,” she finally replied.
Wavy, Charlie’s much less rambunctious sister-in-law, reached over and gave Jenna a hug. “It’s good to see you.”
Jenna hugged her back, relieved when she could close the door.
Charlie pulled her in for a hug too. “We’ve missed you. You should’ve let us know you were in town. It’s good to see your face in person rather than on a phone.”