Her Only Protector, page 17
Gil gazed at Sonny and wondered how he’d been lucky enough to find a woman so incredible and so alive. How had he wandered aimlessly through his life not knowing her?
He’d spent many years with Special Forces in the military and the past seven chasing criminals. He was a nomad by nature, not a family man, and yet something about being with Sonny made him think he’d cheated himself out of the best part of life.
She felt good in his arms, as if God made it so that a man had only one perfect fit and Sonny was his.
He kissed her gently and then with more intensity. When their lips parted, he held her for a long time and said a silent prayer of thanks to the Lord for guiding him in this direction, helping him find his way to Sonny.
Listening to the sounds of the water sloshing against the catamaran as it cut its way through the Caribbean Sea, a distressing thought invaded the quiet tranquility he’d been feeling.
“He’s never going to forgive me for putting you in danger, is he?”
“I don’t know. My father might be a bit…ornery at times, but he’s a fair man.”
“No, he won’t.”
Sonny turned in his arms to look at him. “How do you know that?”
“Because I wouldn’t if I were in his shoes.”
“Even if you knew what he knows?”
“Which is?”
“That I’m falling in love with you.” Her voice cracked as she said the words. “At least, it feels that way. I can’t know for sure because I’ve never been in love before. Not like this.”
Her bottom lip was quivering and he wanted more than anything to put his mouth on hers and just die with her in his arms.
But her face changed and her eyes turned cloudy. “I won’t lie to you. I don’t know how my father is going to feel when we get to Ponce. Right now he’s in pure bliss holding his granddaughter. But I don’t know if that joy will be enough to erase what he’s been feeling for the past week. Or the last few months for that matter.”
He nodded. “I appreciate your honesty.”
“It’s important to me that you care about this. I care a lot about you.”
“I feel the same.” He bent forward to kiss her but she pulled back, putting her hand on his chest.
“But we can’t entirely trust what we’re feeling.”
Puzzled, he leaned away from her to get a good look at her face. She was serious.
“You can’t say that what’s happened to us is at all normal in any way. These feelings might not be real.”
Gil’s insides ached just hearing her say the words.
“Let’s be realistic,” she said. “Our emotions have been on edge since the moment we met. Under the circumstances, how can we really know that what we’re feeling is genuine?”
“What are you saying to me?”
She sighed. “I’m not sure. This has all been so fast and so much has happened in the last month—week, even—that I’m not sure which end is up. All I’m saying is that I think we need to slow down a little and think about what is really going on with us.”
“And this has nothing to do with my going after your brother? Bringing him in when he’s found?”
He couldn’t read her expression. “I’m saying that we need to slow down.”
“You still think this is all about money?”
“It’s not about Cash or what you are going to do. It’s about how we feel.”
“Why don’t I believe that? When you were kissing me just now, there was no hesitation, no uncertainty. Why now? What changed? Are you sure you’re not afraid of your family’s reaction to me?”
She shook her head. “I should be—they’re very protective of me. But my father seemed open to it earlier. And Dylan, well, he’ll behave. I hope.”
Despite the warning Sonny was giving him, Gil couldn’t help but think he’d like her older brother.
“I’m just saying, let’s wait and see how we feel when we get back to Puerto Rico,” she said.
“You say you know how you feel about me, but I wonder if that’s true,” he countered.
Her eyes filled with tears. “Let’s just wait and see.” Then she went below, leaving him on deck to watch the Caribbean sunset alone.
Despite her reservations, Gil knew the feelings between Sonny and him were real. More real than anything he’d ever experienced in his life. If she needed time, he’d give it to her.
She was still scared. She had been through a lot and needed to rely on her family right now. That much was for certain. He wished he could tell her that as long as she leaned on him, too, they’d be okay.
Sonny could hardly contain herself that morning when she looked out the portal and saw the shoreline of Puerto Rico. United States soil never looked so good. The Coast Guard cutter was dead ahead of them, leading the way.
Ellie was talking to herself, stretching her legs and waving her arms wildly in the little crib Serena had put on board. It was almost as if she knew she was going to see her mommy again.
Unable to stay cooped up in the little bunk, Sonny quickly jumped out of bed and yanked on a pair of jeans and an oversized T-shirt.
“You’re going to see your mommy, sweet pea,” she said, nuzzling Ellie’s belly as she changed her into a fresh diaper and clothes. Gil was already on deck with her father, who was at the helm radioing the harbormaster to announce their arrival.
Lifting the baby into her arms, Sonny quickly walked through the main cabin and climbed the stairs to the deck.
“Your mother is going to be there when we dock,” her father said, sitting at the wheel. His face grew bright at the sight of Ellie. “She’s going to love this little one.”
A bubble of laughter escaped Sonny, which made Ellie giggle, too.
“The cutter just radioed. They want us to file a report about what happened, and then check in with Customs before going to the Immigration office so they can validate our passports,” Gil said.
“You still have Ellie’s?” Kelly asked.
“I have it downstairs,” Sonny replied, searching the dock for familiar faces. “We’re all set.”
“Then we’re home free. For this leg of the journey, anyway,” Kelly said.
Just as planned, Sonny’s mother was standing at the pier with Serena and Tammie. Tears blurred her eyes as she held Ellie in her arms, waiting for the boat to dock and for Serena to climb on board. There wasn’t a dry eye among them when Sonny handed Ellie over to Serena.
“My goodness! You’ve gotten so big, Ellie,” Serena cried. “Oh, my sweetheart. I can’t believe I’m holding you. Thank you for bringing her home to me, Sonny.” Ellie seemed confused by all the commotion around her. It would take a few days for the strangeness to wear off but Sonny was sure mother and daughter would bond again as if the past few months had never happened.
Sonny turned to her mother and gave her a hug.
“Thank you, God, for bringing my daughter back to me,” her mother whispered. “What happened to you in Colombia?”
Sonny kissed her mother’s cheek. “It’s a long story, Mom.”
Then, she turned to Tammie, who had her arms outstretched, ready to give her a hug. “It’s good to have you back, Sonny,” Tammie said.
Almost afraid to ask, Sonny hesitated. “Any word from Dylan yet?”
Her smile became brighter, if that was at all possible given the reunion taking place on the dock. “The troops are coming home.”
Her pulse pounded. “All of them?”
“That’s right! A bit rough around the edges but otherwise able.”
Sonny closed her eyes and gave praise to the Lord for seeing them all through this journey that seemed like a never ending nightmare. She was almost afraid to laugh through her tears for fear that someone would take the joy away.
Serena could hardly talk, she was so overcome. Pressing Ellie’s cheek against her face, she said, “My family is almost complete.”
“Don’t you worry,” Kelly said. “Dylan will have Cash back to you soon. Then we can all celebrate Montgomery-style!”
“That’s sounds wonderful.”
In the midst of all the commotion, Sonny had lost track of Gil. She looked around the dock and saw him off on the sidelines.
“Did you hear that, Gil? Cash is coming home!” She launched herself into his arms, despite Gil’s confused expression. “I can’t believe it. My brothers are coming home.”
He held on to her.
“It feels strange not having Ellie in my arms now that she’s back with Serena,” Sonny said.
“She’s safe with her mom. And she’s not going anywhere. You’re going to get to enjoy being her auntie for the rest of your life.”
“It’ll be nice not to have to look over my shoulder. To just enjoy her, you know?”
“Yeah.”
She pulled back to look at his expression. “What’s wrong? You’re sad.”
He shook his head. “Come here with me.”
Gil took her by the hand and pulled her with him to the deck of the catamaran.
“What are you doing?”
“I want to talk to you.” He drew in a deep breath and pulled her into his arms. “I’ve been thinking of what you said last night.”
She placed her hands on his face. “We don’t have to discuss that now. Nothing needs to be decided.”
“I think it does.”
Her heart dropped. “I don’t want to argue about this, Gil.”
“Some people might call it communicating,” he said. His eyes smiled but his face was serious. “I sat right here holding you close and feeling like there was nowhere else I wanted to be than on this boat with you in my arms.”
She studied his face. She saw light and hope there. He meant what he said.
Sonny sighed. “But what if it’s not real, Gil?”
“My feelings for you couldn’t get any more real than this,” he said quietly. The wind blew his hair around his face. Dark eyes that seemed determined and gentle at the same time peered into hers.
The lines that made deep crevasses around his eyes suddenly smoothed away and turned into a full smile. “I love you. I don’t want this to be the end for us. I can’t change what happened in Colombia any more than you can. And I take my job seriously. When Cash gets back, I need to bring him in.”
She swallowed. “I can’t let you do that, Gil—he’s my brother. They’ll kill him. If they didn’t kill him in Colombia, they’ll do it in jail.”
A tear ran down her cheek.
“I won’t let that happen.”
She continued through her tears. “You don’t have the power to stop it. You saw what Eduardo Sanchez and his people can do.”
“I know he’s innocent. Neither Dylan nor I are going to allow him to be in harm’s way. If I have to guard him with my life, I will. And I’m going to do everything in my power to help Cash get the charges against him dropped.”
Her eyes widened. “You’d do that for him?”
“I’d do it for you. For us.”
She wrapped her arms around him tighter, unable to believe God had blessed her by bringing this amazing man into her life. “Thank you, Lord,” she whispered.
He released her gently and looked around the dock at Sonny’s family. “My way of life has had me living like a nomad for years. But I’ve been thinking.”
“Yes?”
“I need a change. I’ve managed to save some money, enough for me to take time off, maybe reevaluate my options.”
She nodded. “Oh. Where will you go?”
He gave her a half grin. “Don’t you worry. It won’t be far from you.”
She smiled and kissed him.
Then he looked around. “Do you like this boat?”
Confusion filled her. “It’s nice.”
He took a deep breath, as if he needed to draw strength. Then he cleared his throat and looked directly at her. “Look, I’m going to ask you something and I want you to think about it for a while. You know, give yourself time until this whole thing with Cash is over and we have the people from the Aztec Corporation responsible for Cash and Ellie’s kidnapping behind bars.”
Sonny groaned. “That may take a while.”
“Your family is not all that thrilled with me right now.”
“They’ll get over it.”
“I don’t want that to be a source of distress for you, Sonny. I’m not blaming them for the way they feel. I know I’d feel the same if the situation was reversed.”
She shook her head, not sure what he was getting at. “You’re my choice, Gil. Not theirs.”
He smiled. “I want to marry you, Sonny. I know it sounds crazy, but I know what I feel and—”
She launched herself into his arms and silenced him with a kiss. When she pulled back, she looked into his stunned eyes. “I’m sorry for what I said last night, Gil. I can’t believe I questioned our feelings for each other.”
Gil spun her around on deck. “You’re amazing. I think I’ve loved you since that very first kiss at the airport.”
“Gil, you haven’t seen anything yet.” She laughed and kissed him again.
“Good. What do you think about taking this boat out for our honeymoon? I’ve been wanting some downtime, maybe go scuba diving—”
She threw her head back and laughed. “I’ve never been.”
“I can teach you or we can take a class so you can get certified. Maybe find some sunken ships in the Caribbean.”
“Buried treasure?”
“As long as I’m with you, I don’t need any other treasure, Sonny.”
She nuzzled his neck. “A honeymoon on the Caribbean, huh?”
“We can just enjoy being together. No pirates to worry about or needing to call the Coast Guard for a rescue.”
“Oh, I know I won’t have to worry about any of that.”
“Why?”
“Because you’ll be there to protect me. What more could I possibly need?”
In his arms, Sonny truly felt blessed. Blessed to be home and to have the love of a man she knew was a gift from God.
Dear Reader,
I was pleasantly overwhelmed by the e-mails I received from people who read Cradle of Secrets and fell in love with Cash, Serena and Ellie as much as I did. I was thrilled to be able to write this next installment, Her Only Protector, so you all could reconnect with familiar characters and find out what happened to them.
In Her Only Protector, Sonny needs to rely on her faith and the strength she derives from her family to overcome situations that most of us will never know. As I wrote the story of Ellie’s rescue, I thought of different situations in my life where my family and my faith became the rock in my life that grounded me.
I’m currently writing the last story in the series about Cash and Serena’s reunion. To find out more about upcoming books, contests and general news, please check out my Web site www.lisamondello.com or visit www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com.
I so enjoyed getting your e-mails and letters. Please keep in touch at lisamondello@aol.com.
Many blessings to you all,
Lisa Mondello
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
Kidnapping is a serious charge. How does Sonny use her faith to come to grips with “kidnapping” Ellie?
Sonny needs to travel to a foreign country to rescue her niece. She’s all alone, without her family. How does she use the knowledge that her family loves her—and her faith—to get her through her ordeal?
Trust is a huge part of any relationship. Right from the beginning, Sonny needs to trust Gil, but she struggles with how much she should trust him when he clearly wants to use her to find Cash. How does Sonny deal with issues of trust throughout the story?
Lucia was killed during Ellie’s rescue. How does Sonny use her faith to deal with her guilt over Lucia’s death?
There are times throughout the story that Sonny needed to lie to keep Ellie safe. Have you ever had to lie to protect someone? How did it make you feel?
Gil grapples with why he distanced himself from his faith in God. He admits that there was no particular event other than his mother’s grief over her sister’s death that could explain it. Has there ever been a time in your life when you found yourself distant from your faith? If so, what brought you back?
People pray at different times and for different reasons. Sonny sees Gil in the courtyard alone and thinks he’s “talking to the moon.” She’s surprised when she realizes later that she’d wrongly assumed he wasn’t a faithful man. Have you ever made the mistake of assuming a person is not faithful because they are not open about their faith?
Gil clearly feels responsible for preventing Sonny and Ellie from getting on the plane to the United States. Have you ever done something that put someone else in danger? How did you use your faith to deal with the responsibility of that?
Sonny fears that her family won’t approve of Gil. Her father is clearly wary of her being involved with a person who put her life in danger and was after Cash. How does Sonny come to terms with this?
Gil was clearly affected by the death of his former partner. He also admits that he’s good at his job and makes a lot of money, but then feels as if his greed for money might have clouded his judgment. Do you think Gil is right?
After just a week of being together, Gil realized he wants to be with Sonny. Do you think that two people can be that certain of their love that soon?
Sonny tells Gil that her faith is the backbone of her life and her family’s life. She’s dealing with extraordinary circumstances that could lead to her death and to the death of her niece. Do you think her strong faith in God helps her get through the trials she faces in the story?
Sonny naturally feels protective of Ellie because of her circumstances. She has difficulty trusting the baby with the others. How did Sonny resolve those feelings?
ISBN: 978-1-4268-2099-1
HER ONLY PROTECTOR
Copyright © 2008 by Lisa Mondello
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
