Shelby's Secret (Once a Marine, Always a Marine Book 4) by Kori David

That is a deadly combination. Add that you’re his ultimate target, and those are odds I don’t like. I can protect you, but I want you and Rebecca on my home turf.”
    “How can you protect us better than my guys?”
    “They don’t have my training. I looked over their background checks. None have any military service, and none of them have ever been in a situation where they’ve had to take a life. That means they’ll hesitate. And if they do, even if it’s only a second, then people die.”
    “And you won’t hesitate?” Shelby wanted to understand, because she was chilled by the hard resolve in his voice. He was serious, and he was deadly. She could see all of that written on his face and in his body language.
    “No.”
    His intention was there, stark in its simplicity. He was telling her that he’d kill for her. Or maybe not her, maybe for the dead women or the woman that he was sure would be next. And even while the topic chilled her, his hard resolve warmed her heart. Truth was, she trusted him. Even after all these years, she knew deep down he’d always be that rock for her. And here he was proving it, yet again. “What about when I come back for the concert?”
    “Extra security is already planned for the concerts. Checkpoints will be stationed at the entrance of the arena to make sure everyone coming and going gets a thorough search. A lot of that is normal procedure, but we’ll have undercover officers there as well, milling in the crowd and looking for potential threats.”
    “I don’t want anyone else hurt because of me.”
    “Then come away with me. Let me protect you both and get you out of reach. We need time for forensics to come back, and we need this guy to think you’re still here, hiding out until the concerts. Security will remain in place and act normally.”
    “And you think that will work?”
    “He’s watching this place. Waiting for glimpses of you. We know that, otherwise he couldn’t have followed your hairdresser to plant that letter. He’ll think you’re still here if everyone acts as if you are.”
    Shelby took a deep breath. She wanted to go with him, and not only because she was scared of this killer. She wanted to be with him, even if he was just acting as a bodyguard. The chance to be close to him was a temptation she didn’t want to resist. She’d loved Mike once, but she’d walked away. As the years passed, she realized she’d walked away from the best thing she’d ever had.
    Maybe this was her second chance. Or maybe it was the worst decision she could make, but she was doing it. Mike would protect her and Rebecca and make sure nothing happened to them. And if something…more…happened between them during the time away?
    Well, a girl could always hope.

Chapter 8

    “Now listen,” Zach Steele said above the noise. He was amazed that animals still came around their cabin in Flagstaff, with as much ruckus as the three kids made. And with his friend Mike’s eminent arrival with Shelby Lynn, he needed to lay some ground rules. “I expect you kids to be nice. None of your usual shenanigans around this girl, Rebecca. Am I clear?”
    Three heads nodded. The oldest boy grinned and gave a thumbs-up, and the twin girls just giggled.
    “Did he just say shenanigans?” Jesse asked.
    Zach heard him and glared at his best friend. “Now get outside and play.” He dismissed the kids and turned to the three adults grinning from the kitchen table. “What?”
    His wife, Elizabeth, smiled openly and gave him a wink. Her pale blond hair was piled lazily on her head, giving him an intriguing view of her very sensitive ear lobes. Zach might have to nibble on those later.  
    The view made him want to kick out everyone and kiss her. And maybe more.
    “Just marveling over the new vocab word,” Jesse said, his grin stretching across his face. “I wasn’t even sure you knew words over two syllables.”
    “You leave him alone,” Lily said, punching the big man in the