The Hero She Needs (Unbroken Heroes Book 1)(18)

“I’m going to get you safe.” He cupped his hands over her shoulders. “I don’t care about your father.”

“It’s not your job, Boone.”

“It is now.”

Their gazes locked.

“And just for the record,” he said. “I see you. Not your father’s money or influence. You.”

She made a sound. He pulled her close and hugged her hard. She held on tight.

“What happens now?” she asked.

“I’m going to message Vander with an update. Then we go dark.”

Her head jerked. “Go dark?”

“We have no idea how they found you at my place. My guess, they’ve been checking out properties along the river. But it’s best to ditch my phone, just in case, and I’ll pick up a burner.”

She blew out a breath. “Okay. Then?”

“Road trip.”

“To where?”

“Away from here. I have buddies from my Ghost Ops team scattered around the country. They’ll help.”

“So, you know a whole bunch of heroes?”

“Just men who want to do the right thing.” His chest tightened. Mainly because they’d seen the wrong thing too many times. Been forced to do lots of wrong things in the name of the right thing.

He pulled out his phone, messaged Vander, then turned his phone off. He stashed it on the dusty workbench.

“We’ll get on the road, and then you try to get some sleep.”

He opened the tailgate on the Ford and climbed up. He opened a storage box on the back. He had clothes and gear wrapped in plastic. He pulled out a blanket and handed it to her.

She gave him a small smile.

“Atlas, quit exploring.” Boone gave a whistle. “Time to go.”

The dog bounded over and jumped into the cab.

Once they were all settled, Boone started the engine. It ran with a well-tuned purr. He reversed out, then pulled his truck in, and closed the barn up. He kicked leaves over the tire tracks.

Soon, they were out on the road, their headlights illuminating the trees.

“They won’t stop, will they?” she said quietly.

“They’re pros, Gemma. Their reputation depends on them finishing a job.”

“God.”

He reached out over the top of a snoozing Atlas and touched her arm. “I’m not letting them get one finger on you.”

She nodded and let out a large exhale. “So, where exactly are we going?”

“Colorado.”

“Colorado! That’s like two thousand miles away.”

“Right. The last place these mercenaries will expect you to be.”

“One of your buddies lives there?”

“Yep. Shep isn’t fond of people. He has a cabin in the Rocky Mountains.”

“Ah. That sounds familiar. Is that a requirement for your friends?”

“What?”

“A loner personality with a cabin in the woods?”

He laughed, then was quiet for a moment. “We carried out classified missions.”

She was quiet for a moment. “Hard missions.”

His hands flexed on the wheel. “Yeah. We didn’t come back whole. Being part of regular society isn’t easy.”

“So it’s easier to be alone.”

He stared through the windshield. He saw the faces of his lost brothers. “Yeah. Get some sleep now, Gemma.”

“All right.”

She shifted around and settled with her head against the window. Atlas leaned into her.

Finally, she went still. Her quiet breathing was the only sound in the cab.

She was holding up well. He hadn’t expected a billionaire’s daughter to have steel under her smooth skin and freckles.





Gemma woke with an ache in her neck, and her hip itching like crazy. Scratching her hip, she felt the healing cut marring her skin. She straightened, then stared through the windshield at the open road and remembered everything.

The sun was shining, and the truck was filled with the drone of the wheels on the road. They were heading down some highway. Atlas had his head in her lap.

She looked at Boone. He drove well—steady and in control. Her gaze fell on his strong hands. Hands that had protected her.

He didn’t look tired, even though he must’ve been driving for hours.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hi.” Atlas moved his head, and she rubbed between his ears. “Where are we?”

“Ohio.”

“You must be exhausted.”

“Not really. I’ve had to stay up for far longer than this, and in much worse conditions.”

Gemma felt a catch in her belly. She couldn’t even imagine how tough he was, what he’d endured.

“Hungry?” he asked. “I figured we’d find a place for some breakfast.”

Her stomach rumbled at the thought of food. “Is it safe to stop?”

“I think so. I’ll head off the highway for a bit to make sure. I had a stash of cash in my gear, so we won’t use a credit card.”

She plucked at the oversized sweater she wore. “My outfit is really good for dining in.”

He glanced at her. “You look fine. We’ll pick up some clothes for you when we can. My stash only has stuff in my size.”