A sigh escaped her lips. It might be her idea of heaven but Jason would hate it. He loved the city. Loved to do parkour with his friends. She’d bandaged him up more than once. Her son wanted to be agile and adventurous, but he took after her and spent more time falling than achieving. Today being a perfect example.

  “Jason’s head is going to need a couple stitches. He said you were a nurse.”

  She lifted an eyebrow in surprise. “He told you I was a nurse?”

  “Yeah. That’s why I didn’t take him to the hospital.”

  Amused, Mia shook her head. “I may as well be, considering how many bumps and bruises I’ve tended over the years. No, I’m not a nurse. I’m a teacher.”

  The surprised look on his handsome face had her rushing to explain. “Jason hates hospitals. Has ever since he was little. Maybe because he spent so much time there. He’s always been adventurous, but clumsy.”

  “He lied to me.” Disbelief colored his tone.

  “He did and I’ll have a talk with him about it.”

  “Can I?”

  Not expecting that, she hedged. Her son didn’t do well with authority figures. Typical teenager, but his mistrust ran deeper. Her fault for trying to pick up the slack from an absent father. In her desire to provide everything for him and fill the void she’d caused by divorcing Ray, she’d caused Jason to rebel. Hard.

  Since she didn’t know this man, she decided against letting him have a go at her son. If she did, Jason wouldn’t forgive her. With all the tension between them lately she didn’t want to add to it.

  “I’d rather—”

  Jason came into the kitchen, cutting her off. His gaze bounced from her to Brendan. “You’re still here?”

  “I was talking to your mom. She tells me she’s a teacher.”

  Jason opened the fridge, peering inside. Mia tensed, prepared to intervene. “Yeah, she is.”

  “Why’d you tell me she was a nurse?”

  Closing the fridge, Jason shrugged.

  “The lie wasn’t necessary. I would have honored your request, regardless what it was.”

  Her gaze jumped to Brendan. He told the truth. Nothing on his face said otherwise.

  “Thanks, man,” Jason said.

  Shock didn’t even begin to explain her feelings right now. Her son wasn’t angry about being confronted or called out on his lie.

  “You still need that wound looked at,” Brendan said. “Head wounds can be tricky. I have some medic experience. I could take a look. If your mom approves.”

  Both sets of eyes turned to her, Jason’s hopeful and Brendan’s seeking approval. How could she say no? She’d never get Jason to a hospital and it would save her bandaging another wound on her child.

  “You have medical experience?” she asked him.

  “In the Air Force.”

  A military man. Somehow she just didn’t see him as a rigid, take-orders kind of guy. Not with his cocky half-smile and devil-may-care aura. All of which she found very intriguing. “Oh. You’re enlisted now?”

  “No. Retired a few years ago.”

  “Mom. God. Stop with the third degree. He’s qualified enough.”

  “Don’t speak to your mother that way. She’s your mom and she deserves respect.”

  The reprimand caught them both off guard. Mia gaped; Jason pulled himself up. No one had ever stuck up for her before. Even if she were still married to Ray she doubted he would. He’d never been that kind of stand-up guy.

  “Yes, sir.”

  What just happened? Her son remembered his manners and called Brendan “sir”. Joy filled her, making her want to hug her son, and Brendan for bringing out the boy she remembered.

  “Do you have a first aid kit?”

  It took a moment for her to realize Brendan was asking her. Snapped out of her happy stupor, Mia nodded. “I’ll get it.”

  She hurried out of the room to retrieve the kit, taking a second to let today’s events sink in. When she’d woken up this morning, she had no idea her day would go from packing up her aunt’s things to meeting a hot former military man who saved her son’s life.

  The shock of almost losing her son set in hard and fast, about knocking her to her knees. She gripped the edge of the sink to remain standing.

  She’d. Almost. Lost. Her. Son.

  Drawing in a shaky breath, she forced her fears back. Living with a child who sought dangerous exploits on pretty much a daily basis gave her palpitations every time he left the house. Worse, she had to see him bruised and broken when he failed. Part of her knew Jason did it because of his father, somehow trying to gain his approval, even though his father would never know how hard his son tried.

  A point of anger for her. Ray had screwed up all their lives and she hated the impact it had on her son.

  She put a hand to her forehead. God, so many mistakes. When would she get it right?

  Chapter Three

  Turned out the kid didn’t need stitches after all. Brendan put a butterfly bandage over the wound and covered it with gauze and tape in case it bled.

  Leaning back in his chair, he said, “Change that bandage daily. If it gets wet, change it.” He turned his gaze to Mia, who watched his every move. “Keep an eye on him overnight. Can’t rule out a concussion. Watch for things like blurred vision, nausea and vomiting, loss of short term memory or repeating things.”

  Mia nodded. “How do I know if I should take him to the emergency room?”

  “If he loses consciousness, extreme drowsiness or inability to walk, slurred speech. Go with your gut. If it tells you to take him, then do it.”

  “Hello, I’m right here,” Jason said, waving his hand. “I’m fine. Can I go now?”

  Mia looked at him and Brendan scooted his chair back to let the kid pass. There wasn’t anything else he could do for now. The rest would be up to Mia and Jason. Not that he trusted the kid to tell his mother anything. He seemed closed off where his mom was concerned. Typical teenager. Maybe. All he knew was he didn’t like the way Jason talked to Mia. Disrespect he wouldn’t tolerate. In anyone.

  His initial impression indicated Mia was a good mom. Patient, caring, and willing to do anything for her son. He particularly liked the fact she didn’t make excuses for his bad behavior like a lot of parents did. Mia didn’t wear rose-colored glasses. That alone made her a good mom in his book.

  But, a mom could only do so much. A boy like Jason needed a strong hand. She wore no wedding ring, but that didn’t mean she was single. And he wasn’t about to ask. Hell no. Single, married, didn’t matter. He didn’t do kids. Or marriage. Or anything that went along with it. The thought of settling down with only one woman, raising a family, being tied down, gave him palpitations. He liked his lifestyle just the way it was. His. He could come and go as he pleased. Didn’t have to worry about anyone worrying about him while on a mission or away trying a new extreme sport.

  Extreme sports were more than a hobby. They were a calling. Something he had to do. Needed to do. He’d never been one to sit still for long. Too much energy coursed through him. Being tied down to a family would suffocate him.

  Why was he thinking about this anyway? He had no intentions of getting involved with a married woman, or a single mom.

  No matter how freaking beautiful she was.

  Fighting a scowl, Brendan rose and started cleaning up his mess.

  “You don’t have to do that,” Mia said, helping him.

  A knock on the door snapped her head up. “Excuse me.” She tossed the bandage wrappers in the trash on her way to the door.

  Brendan continued to put stuff away. When he heard Mia’s voice rise, he dropped everything and strode to where she stood blocking the door from whoever stood on the other side. Her posture told him everything he needed to know. The visitor wasn’t welcome.

  “Everything all right here?” he asked, coming to stand behind her.

  A fit man with dark eyes had his hand on the door, preventing her from closing it. Neither looked happy.

  “Who’s this?” the man asked Mia.

  “No one. Please leave, Ray.”

  “Not until we talk.”

  Mia’s body language spoke volumes so Brendan stepped in. “The lady asked you to leave.”

  “Stay the hell out of this. It’s between me and my wife.”

  “Ex-wife,” Mia snapped. “Don’t treat my guest like that.”

  “He’s your guest? Did you sleep with him too?” Ray challenged.

  Brendan shifted in front of Mia, putting himself between her and her ex. “Time to go.” His tone leaving no room for argument.

  “Stay out of this.”

  The warning didn’t faze him one bit. He’d dealt with worse men than this. This guy had the hard edge of a criminal, but Brendan wasn’t bothered. He liked a challenge.

  Since the guy didn’t seem willing to go, Brendan jerked the door from his hands and pushed through, knocking the guy back a step. The door closed behind him.

  “I told you to leave.”

  Ray didn’t back down. He pulled himself up and tried to stare Brendan down. That made him laugh. Who the hell did this guy think he was?

  Rage flared in Ray’s eyes.

  Brendan quirked a challenging brow. What ya gonna do about it, buddy?

  “Stop this.” Mia’s voice stopped her ex from doing whatever he’d planned next. “Ray, leave. Brendan, back off.”

  Ray tried to stare him down. Brendan advanced a step.

  The door opened behind him. Mia positioned herself between the two of them, facing her ex. “Do I need to call the police?”

  Ray took a couple steps backward. He cast a hard glare at Brendan. “This isn’t over. I’ll be seeing you, Mia.”

  With that he turned and walked down the driveway, disappearing around the bushes. Mia’s shoulders slumped. She turned to him, brows furrowed.

  “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

  Helped, he thought.

  “You can’t taunt men like Ray. It always ends badly.”

  Not angry. Defeated. He didn’t like seeing her that way. “I can handle myself.”

  “I can see that. What you don’t realize is that by provoking him you’ve made my life harder.”

  He hadn’t thought of that. All he’d been thinking about was protecting her. “That wasn’t my intention.”

  She rubbed her forehead. “I know.”

  “What kind of hold does he have on you?”

  “He doesn’t. Well, he thinks he does, but I will never give him what he wants.”

  “Which is?”

  Her lips pressed together. “Nothing. It’s not your problem. It’s mine.” She moved past him to the door. “Thank you for saving my son.” With that, she went inside, closing the door behind her. Effectively shutting him out.

  Damn if it didn’t sting. What the hell? He’d done his duty by bringing her son home safely. He owed her nothing. She owed him nothing.

  So why did he want to go back inside and fix her problems?

  Maybe because her ex left with a threat and looked like a hardened criminal. The ink on his neck looked like a prison tat. How did a woman like Mia get twisted up with a man like that? He couldn’t see it. Or he didn’t want to.

  Brendan cursed and raked a hand through his hair. Like she’d said, this was her problem. He had no business here.

  Shaking the unease from his shoulders, he started down the driveway. When he got to the empty street he headed toward the mountains to his campsite near the waterfall and to his solitude.

  Absently, he rubbed a palm over the scars on his chest. Healed, but a physical reminder of a screw-up that had almost cost his sister her life. And his.

  Attie forgave him. He couldn’t forgive himself. He’d fallen hook, line and sinker for the ploy that got him kidnapped and used as bait for his sister. His weakness for women had played right into Santiago’s hand and he’d almost lost everything because of it.

  Never again. He’d sworn off picking up women in bars, airports, hotels, and anywhere else they temped him. Hardest thing he’d ever had to do, but damn if he’d make the same mistake twice.

  A sound behind him made him turn. Straight into a closed fist. The blow landed solid on his chin, snapping his head back. Reacting on instinct, he struck back, busting his attacker’s nose with a resounding crunch.

  They guy stumbled back, his hands going to his nose. Brendan advanced, prepared to defend himself. When he saw Ray glaring back at him he hesitated.

  “Seriously?” he muttered, lowering his fist. “What the fuck?”

  Ray tilted his head back to stem the blood flow. “That was your first warning. Stay away from my wife.”

  “She’s not your wife anymore.”

  Ray lowered his head, eyes narrowed. “Just stay away from her. Or next time I’ll do more than break your jaw.”

  Brendan scoffed. That punch would leave a bruise, but it sure as hell didn’t break his jaw.

  “I don’t take kindly to threats,” he said in a low, lethal tone. “Unless you want an ass-kicking you’ll never forget, you better move along.”

  “What’s going on here?”

  At the sound of Mia’s voice both men took a step back. Mia hurried over, her brows drawn in an angry frown. She looked at Ray, then to him.

  “Why is he bleeding?” she demanded, propping her hands on her hips.

  “I punched him in the nose.”

  Her lips thinned. “I put that together already. Why did you punch him?”

  He wasn’t about to get into this with Mia. Her plate seemed a bit full. Adding Ray’s threats to it wasn’t something he would do. Besides, he could handle a fool like Ray.

  “Bastard attacked me,” Ray said, pinching his nose.

  Brendan shot him a look.

  “Why would you do that?” Mia accused. “And in the middle of the street. What if Jason had seen you?”

  Jesus. He didn’t need this. Exactly the reason he steered clear of relationships. Jason was a teenager; no doubt he already knew what kind of man his father was.

  “Brendan? Aren’t you going to say anything?” Mia persisted.

  “Yeah. I have to go. Later.” He turned and started walking away.

  “Wait—”

  “Let him go.”

  Ray’s voice grated down his spine. Lying bastard. Mia had saved him from an ass-kicking. Right now Brendan really wanted to pound him into the ground.

  Something made him stop and turn back around. Just in time to see Mia try and yank her arm free of Ray’s hand.

  Dammit.

  Gritting his teeth, Brendan strode toward the couple, something deep in his gut telling him this would be a mistake he’d never recover from.

  Chapter Four

  Brendan lengthened his stride, gaze narrowed on Ray, whose knuckles were turning white where he held Mia’s arm. He saw Mia wince, heard her demand to be let go and saw Ray’s other arm pull back.

  Seeing red, Brendan grabbed Ray’s arm right before it connected with Mia’s face. He twisted, forcing Ray to let go of Mia. “Go inside,” he said to Mia without taking his eyes off her ex.

  He heard Mia’s footsteps fade and bore down on Ray, dangerously close to breaking his wrist. To his credit, Ray didn’t balk.

  “You’re lucky I don’t break every bone in your body,” Brendan threatened. “Take my advice. Get the fuck off this island and don’t ever bother Mia again.”

  Ray tried to jerk his arm free. Brendan held tight. He got in Ray’s face. “Are we clear?” With that he released Mia’s ex and waited until the bastard had climbed in his car and sped off.

  Adrenaline still coursing through his veins, he drew in a deep breath. He needed a release. A free climb or a base jump. Maybe both.

  Instead, he went to check on Mia. She opened the door before he could knock. “Come in.”

  He stepped inside, not liking the waver he heard in her voice. “Are you all right?”

  “I don’t know. Ray has never lifted a hand against me.” Absently, she rubbed her wrist.

  “Let me see.” Brendan moved forward, gently pulling her wrist toward him. Angry bruises circled the soft flesh. He rubbed his thumb lightly over the marks, wanting to rub them away. “Can you move it?”

  “Yes,” Mia said, breathless.

  Anger and regret filled him. “I shouldn’t have walked away.”

  “This isn’t your fault. Ray…he’s different. I’ve never seen him so aggressive.”

  The hell it wasn’t. He’d read Ray right. Knew the guy was trouble. Yet, his issues had made him turn his back on a woman in need.

  The last time he helped a woman in need he’d ended up with a needle in his neck and woke up to a nightmare.

  That had been about sex. He’d just returned from a mission and needed to release excess energy. This was about protecting a woman from her ex. Not sex. Not adrenaline.

  “What does he want from you?”

  “Something I’ll never give him.”

  “His son.”

  Mia scoffed. “Ray has never wanted to be part of Jason’s life.”

  “Then what?”

  She pulled her arm free and turned away. “He wants to steal my dreams.”

  Brendan frowned. “How can he do that?”

  “By taking the money my aunt left me.” Her shoulders lifted in a sigh. “I planned to buy my own house. A home for me and Jason. And use the rest to put him through college.”

  “I don’t see how Ray could take that from you. The money is yours. He’d have to steal it to get it.”

  “Or threaten me.”

  Brendan went rigid. “What is he threatening you with?”

  A pause. “To tell Jason that I was the one who turned his father into the police and put him in prison.” She turned to face him. “Why am I telling you this? It’s not your problem.”

  He put his hands on her shoulders. “Would it be so bad if Jason knew the truth?”

  Her shoulders sagged. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not my son’s favorite person right now.”

  “Sounds like a normal teenager to me.”

 

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