Hard Core Law (Texas Rangers: Elite Troop) Read online

  Josh stepped on board, watching her, acting as if he was about to say something.

  The corners of Tracey’s mouth went up and down. She couldn’t keep a smile as the door began closing, separating them. She lifted her hand, then covered her mouth to hold back the tears.

  “Hold it.” Josh pushed the door aside and held out his hand. “She’s with me.”

  They all moved out of his way and an agent got off, not bothering to argue. Once again he showed everyone around them that she wasn’t just the nanny.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Bouncing back from the low blood sugar levels was a breeze for Jackson. What they hadn’t realized was that his right ulna had been cracked in the plane crash. He’d been so out of it at the time that he didn’t begin complaining until much later in the day.

  Instead of sending them home to sleep in their own beds, the FBI put them in a hotel suite in Waco. They claimed it was easier to protect them there. And since it didn’t matter where they slept, Josh agreed. They were all together. Exhausted but very much alive.

  “Didn’t they catch all the people involved?” she’d asked him once McCaffrey had gone.

  Josh had pulled her into his arms and kissed her briefly. “They’re playing it safe. Think of it this way, no cooking. No commuting back and forth to your place.”

  And no talking about how—or if—their relationship had changed. The suite had two bedrooms. She had to admit that room service and not making her bed had huge appeal.

  Sage drew pictures that were full of Jackson’s favorite things and asked for a roll of tape so she could cover the walls. There were a couple of times where she ran to the bed where Jackson was on forced rest and Tracey thought there might have been a hint of twin talk. Just long looks where they were communicating, but no words were exchanged.

  They were back to their regular twin selves.

  Whatever happened between Jackson and Sage, they didn’t share it with her, but they did involve their dad. Josh had stepped into the hall for several phone calls she assumed were official Ranger business.

  Tracey went to bed after watching Josh hold his kids close, tucked up under each arm. A beautiful sight. His look—before he’d fallen asleep—had invited her to join them, but it wasn’t time. Not yet.

  One day soon, they’d talk about the way they felt. Right now, they all just needed rest and assurance that nothing else would happen.

  Day two of their protective custody, under a Ranger escort, Tracey took Sage home to clean up and grab art supplies. She thought Josh would want something clean to wear and headed to his bedroom when she caught Bryce coming from there.

  “Oh, hi.” He turned sideways in the hall so she could pass. “I was just grabbing him... He asked me to pick up—I even remembered his toothbrush.”

  He lifted a gym bag. She assumed it was filled with Josh’s clothes and she didn’t need to worry about picking anything out. But Bryce looked extremely guilty. What was up with that?

  “Okay. So I’m just going to grab Sage some snacks, then we’ll be ready to head back. Is anything wrong?”

  “Nope. Nothing’s wrong.”

  “I got Jackson’s stuff.” Sage came from their bedroom and Bryce scooped her up to carry her downstairs, making her giggle all the way down.

  Everything shouted that the man was lying. She’d let Josh deal with whatever that was about. One short stop by her place and they were ready to head back to the hospital.

  “Sage, honey, can you wear your headphones for a little while?”

  Bryce waited for the little girl to comply, then her escort took a long breath. “That doesn’t bode well for whatever you’re going to ask.”

  “I need to know what’s going on. Has something else happened? We’re being guarded twenty-four-seven and you’re acting very suspicious.” Not to mention Josh’s compliance with everything Agent McCaffrey suggested.

  “Nothing that I know about. It seems that Xander Tenoreno bribed the pilot. They aren’t making a big deal about that because he died.”

  Even with Bryce’s assurances, Tracey has a feeling something was being kept from her. Everyone was acting so...different. Bryce drove into the parking lot and she saw the two men who had been her bodyguards standing at the front entrance.

  “Oh, that’s just great! Just when I thought everything was settling back to normal my uncle strikes again.”

  “You want me to get rid of them?”

  “No. I can do it. Will you take Sage back to Josh?” She walked up to the guard who had at least spoken to her and stuck her palm out. “Your phone, please.”

  “No need for that, miss. Your uncle’s inside. We’re waiting for him here.”

  The demise of the Tenoreno family, the dramatic recovery of the twins. All of it made good television and press for the state and the Rangers. But all of it put the Bass family in the limelight, too. She’d expected a phone call from her uncle, not a visit.

  She entered the lobby, expecting an entourage to be surrounding Carl. He sat in the corner alone, a cup of coffee on the table next to him. He acknowledged her, she overheard some business lingo and expected to have to wait.

  “There she is. I’ve got to go. Call you back later.” Carl dropped the phone into his pocket—totally an unusual move for him. “You look tired, darling. Getting enough rest? Do I need to secure the entire floor so you can get a decent night’s sleep?”

  “I’m fine. It’s been pretty hectic lately. So what do you need? If it’s about the reporters, my name change is public record—there’s nothing I could do about them finding out our family history.”

  “Same Tracey.” He pulled her shoulders, drawing her to his chest for a hug. “But you’re all grown-up now, right?”

  When he released her, she took a couple of steps back, looking at him. “What’s going on?”

  “I needed to see that you were okay. Completely okay. And here.” Wallet now in hand, he reached inside and took out a check. “Spend it on whatever you need. Buy a new electric fence or a security system or even bodyguards for a while. No, don’t argue. You’ve discovered there are some seriously bad people in the world. Those kids need to be protected. Oh, and I’m here because I was invited.”

  He wrapped her hand through the crook of his arm and escorted her to as if it was Buckingham Palace. She might actually enjoy being an adult around him, but why would he say he’d been invited? By whom?

  Carl stepped aside just before they reached the door to the suite. Bryce handed her a handmade princess hat Sage had decorated that morning. “I think you’re supposed to put that on.”

  She followed instructions and entered. The room was overflowing with friends and relatives. Everyone was wearing either a crown or a princess hat.

  “My lady.” Carl placed her hand on his and took two steps.

  The room was silent, people practically held their breath. Asking what was going on would ruin the entire effect. Carl joined Gwen’s parents, who were steadying Sage and Jackson on chairs next to Josh. Both children had towels draped around their shoulders as if they were acting out one of their stories. Sage even had the wand they’d made together months ago.

  Josh formally bowed. He raised his eyebrows and carefully took her hand.

  “I was hoping for a moment alone before this happened,” he whispered, “but I got outvoted.” Josh cleared his throat. “Before we have an audience with the Prince and Princess Parkers, you need to know that their father—”

  “The king,” the twins said together.

  “The king, loves you with all his mind, soul and heart. So...Tracey Cassidy...” He dipped his hand in his pocket and knelt on bended knee.

  “Would you marry us?” they all said together.

  Josh opened his palm where a sparkly diamond solitaire was surrounded by mul
ticolored glitter. She cupped Josh’s checks and kissed him with her answer as he stood.

  Everyone began clapping.

  “That means yes!” the twins shouted.

  Epilogue

  Two weeks later

  “Let me get this straight. All you have to do is wait around until you’re thirty years old and you get control of your own money. That sounds like a plan. You’re already set for life,” Bryce told Tracey. He had one arm around the waist of his girlfriend and the other wrapped around a bucket of Bush’s chicken strips.

  Tracey nodded like the ten other times she’d answered the question for Josh’s men. Josh thought she’d lose a gasket if she discovered Bryce was teasing a fellow silver-spooner. She needed rescuing and this time he didn’t need a gun.

  “Did he tell you that I had to collect that rock and get it to the room before you?” Bryce said, pointing to her ring. “So you really don’t have to work—”

  “She does if we want to eat.” Josh jumped in and stole the chicken from his computer expert. He whisked Tracey away to a corner of the kitchen not occupied by a ranger or significant other. “Sorry.”

  “You said you wouldn’t tell anyone.”

  “I didn’t.” He shrugged. “They are investigators, you know. They all worked on different possibilities of who had the kids even when they were told to stand down. It’s just one of those things that happens at my office, Mrs. Parker.”

  He took a chicken tender from the box. Gone in two large bites. She laughed.

  Life still hadn’t settled into something resembling normalcy. Maybe it never would. Maybe normal didn’t exist. But here they were—husband and wife. Had he been romantic? He couldn’t wait that long. He’d asked. She’d replied, “Yes. Let’s not wait.”

  So they hadn’t.

  Two weeks later, the Company was throwing them a surprise party. Tracey’s uncle had flown Gwen’s parents in the previous week. They all encouraged them to have the courtroom ceremony while they were visiting.

  “Don’t you think you should put the chicken on the table with the rest of the food?” Tracey asked, making a lunge for the box.

  He plucked another tender and shoved it in his mouth. “We could feed a starving nation with what’s on that table. They aren’t going to miss this little bit of bird.”

  “Bryce will. You should have seen his face when you stole it from him.”

  “Ha. You should see yours now that you can’t reach it.”

  “Oh, I don’t want the chicken. I want your hands free. I’m getting kind of used to them touching me. But if you’d rather hold deep-fried chicken, then...” She shrugged and spun out of his arms.

  “Okay, okay. You’ve made your point.” He followed Tracey to the table, where she picked up two plates and filled them with munchkin-sized portions.

  “I thought Gwen’s parents were taking the kids to dinner?”

  “They said they’d take them for chicken and since it’s here—”

  “You feel kind of weird letting them leave the house?” Josh took the plates from her hands and set them on the bar. “I get it. I’ll take it up and explain.”

  “I’ll go. They’re really nice and I think they’ll understand.”

  “Yep. And you’re right.” He wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her to him for a kiss.

  The door opened and Josh watched from a distance as Aiden Oaks entered. White hat in hand—at least the hand that wasn’t holding a crutch, blue jeans ripped up to the knee, leg in a cast, badge over his heart. “May I come in?”

  “Sure.”

  “Need a beer?”

  “Here, take this chair.” The men of Company F made their commander comfortable.

  Aiden swung the crutch like a pro and made himself comfortable. Josh squeezed Tracey’s hand and kissed her for luck. That uncertain future might be resolved in the next couple of minutes.

  “Hello, Captain.”

  “Major.” He adjusted the crutch to lean on the chair and hung his hat on top. “How are the kids, Tracey?”

  “Physically they’re great. We’re working on the kidnapping slowly. But I think we’re all getting back to normal.”

  Josh threaded his fingers through hers. She knew why Aiden was there. Most of the conversation had stopped. There was the lull of a baseball game in the background. They’d all been expecting a decision on his reprimand at any time. Maybe it was appropriate that they get the news tonight.

  They were celebrating the start of a new life.

  “A couple of decisions came down the pipe today. Xander Tenoreno’s been indicted on racketeering, kidnapping and everything else the attorney general’s office could come up with. An operation to free the families of men who worked for him was successful. And before you begin clapping, the thing you’ve all been wanting to know...” he paused while the crowd came closer. “I’m returning the reins of Company F to Major Parker.”

  Cries of laughter and relief echoed through the house from the men and women surrounding him. Claps on the back and congratulations should have distracted him, but all he could see was Tracey’s joy.

  Their relationship had begun with a tragedy, and then adversity had brought them closer. His bride had the right to ask him to walk away from the Rangers after the kidnapping. Her uncle had told them he’d make arrangements for her to access her inheritance. Unlike what he’d told Bryce, neither of them needed to work.

  Seemed like all he wanted to do was make up for the time they’d been waiting on each other to make decisions. He knew how much support he had from her. Seeing it now, all he could do was pull her to him and kiss her.

  One kiss that turned into a second and a third. It might have gone further, but a couple of fake coughs started behind him.

  “Do we have to stay upstairs, Daddy?” Sage crooked her finger several times, then just waved her hands for him to bend down so she could whisper in his ear. “What am I supposed to call Trace Trace now? Grandfather told me she’s our stepmother. Is she going to get mean and grow warts like in all the stories?”

  Josh laughed and picked up his little girl. “What do you want to call Trace Trace?” he asked, using the kids’ nickname.

  “Can it just be Mommy?”

  His eyes locked with the woman who’d been there with him through the darkest part of his life. Her eyes brimmed with tears ready to fall. “I think she’d like that.”

  Tracey nodded her head, quickly whisking the tears from her cheeks before letting Sage see her. “Hey, kidlet. That sounds like a perfect name. No one’s ever called me that before. You two will be the first.”

  Cast banging on the rails, Jackson flew down the stairs and into her arms. “They said we needed to ask, but I knew you’d like it.”

  Tracey kissed both of their cheeks with lots of noise. “I don’t just like it. I absolutely adore it.” Her eyes locked with Josh’s. “Almost as much as I love all of you.”

  And just like kids that subject was settled and they ran back to their grandparents on the stairs. Their grandmother declared there was enough food to feed all five companies of Rangers. He felt Tracey’s sigh of relief as she relaxed within his arms. The kids went up and Gwen’s mother came for their dinner.

  Before they handed her the plates, she gathered them both close for a hug, then wiped away a tear. “I want you to know how happy we are for you. We had begun to wonder if Josh was ever going to ask you after what he said last Christmas.”

  Tracey looked confused. “What did he say?”

  His mother-in-law pushed forward. “Josh told us how he felt and that he wanted to remarry. You were a blessing to our Gwen, Tracey. If she can’t be here to raise her children, I know she’d be happy you will be. Welcome to our family.”

  Tracey looked happy as they watched his mother-in-law ret
urn upstairs. “I meant to tell you about that.”

  “Did you change your mind or something?”

  “Obviously not. I thought I should probably ask you on a date first. I intended to on your birthday,” Josh whispered.

  She twisted around to face him. “Get out of town. Really? What changed your mind? Get a little too tipsy instead?”

  “I wasn’t tipsy. Just lost my nerve.”

  “You? The man who ran and jumped into the small door of a plane with machine guns firing all around him?”

  “Yeah, I know, hard to believe. But a wise man once told me never to ask a woman a certain question you didn’t know the answer to. I thought I did. Only to realize the only thing for certain I knew was that I loved everything about you. But you might not necessarily feel the same.”

  She swatted at him as if he was totally wrong. He knew better. He’d messed up her birthday and he’d messed up the romance. He’d spend the rest of his uncertain future making it up to her.

  Every day was precious. They knew it better than most. And he wouldn’t take life for granted.

  “Do you think those two will even notice that I’ve moved in?”

  Josh seized the opportunity of her upturned face to kiss her again. Slowly, gaining the notice of their surprise guests and family. He came away with a smile on his face.

  Happy. Satisfied that Tracey, Jackson and Sage were the normal he wanted.

  Josh whispered his answer so only his wife could hear. “There will be a heck of a lot of sleepovers to explain if they don’t.”

  * * * * *

  THE MONTANA HAMILTONS Series

  by B.J. Daniels goes on.

  Read on for a sneak peek at INTO DUST...

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