Defending Morgan (Mountain Mercenaries #3)(59)

“Have you thought any more about it?” Arrow asked.

Morgan nodded. “Yeah. I think I’m going to do it. I watched her interview with Jaycee Dugard, and she was very respectful and didn’t ask any invasive questions. My dad has a point, I do need to give some interviews so the press will back off, but I guess I’m just scared.”

“You know whatever you decide, I’ll support, right?” Arrow asked.

Morgan nodded immediately. “Yeah. And I appreciate it. It’s just that I’m so sick of being between my parents. My dad thinks one thing, and by default, my mom will take the other side. And when Mom wants to do something for me, Dad decides it’s not healthy and tries to throw money at me to get me to do what he wants. It’s exhausting.”

“Speaking of parents . . . I need to get you up to Michigan to meet my mom and sister.”

“Um . . . what?” Morgan croaked.

“What, what?” Arrow parroted.

“I can’t meet your mom and sister!”

“Why not?”

“Because,” Morgan blurted.

“That’s not an answer.”

“I just . . . they’re your family. Your only family.”

“And I love them very much and want them to meet the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with,” Arrow retorted. “What’s wrong with that?”

Morgan could only stare at him in shock.

Arrow shook her slightly. “Morgan, me wanting to be with you shouldn’t be a surprise. Hell, I practically told you that the same day we met. I’m not going to change my mind. Besides, I’ve met your family, why shouldn’t you meet mine?”

Morgan smacked his arm. “I swear you’re going to give me a heart attack one of these days,” she complained.

“What’d I do?”

“Meeting a guy’s parents is a big deal, Arrow. You can’t spring that on me out of the blue.” She didn’t know why she was complaining, really. She knew how Arrow felt about her. Knew he was the most patient man she’d ever met, and she wanted the right to call him hers more than she’d ever wanted anything. Okay, not more than she’d wanted to escape her captors, but almost.

She was still confused about what it was he saw in her, but through his every action and every word, he was convincing her that he was serious. He liked her. Really liked her. Even though she was still dealing with the psychological aspects of having been kidnapped. He told her over and over again to cut herself some slack, that it would probably take years to get over what had happened—if she completely got over it at all. She didn’t want to think about still having flashbacks and nightmares years from now, but when Arrow had told her that he’d be there for her no matter what, it made her feel better.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “They’re waiting for you,” he said, and nodded to the now open door that led to the offices where the doctors had their sessions. “I’m proud of you, beautiful,” he told her. “I’ll be back in an hour to pick you up. I’m going to stop by a friend’s house and take a look at a few of his outlets that aren’t working properly. Call if you need me before then.”

He took a step back and reluctantly dropped his hand from her waist.

“Thanks, Arrow.”

“Anytime, beautiful. Anytime.” Then he was gone.



“Hey, Morgan,” Allye said as she came through the door to Morgan’s doctor’s reception area. Two hours had passed since Morgan had said goodbye to Arrow, and when he hadn’t been there when she was finished, she’d been worried. But then she remembered belatedly that she’d turned off her phone for the session, as were the rules.

She’d missed a text from him saying that he wouldn’t be able to pick her up, and that Allye would be there as soon as she could after her dance class.

“Hi,” Morgan said. “Do you know where Arrow is?”

Allye frowned. “He didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what? Is he all right?”

The other woman waved her hand. “Yeah, he’s fine. But someone slashed his tires. All four of them. He had to call a tow truck to take the car to Ro’s.”

“Slashed his tires? Seriously? That sucks!” Morgan exclaimed.

“He definitely wasn’t pleased,” Allye said. “Especially since his were the only ones damaged in the parking lot at his friend’s condo complex. You ready to go?”

Morgan nodded, thinking about Arrow’s tires as she followed Allye out to her car.

“Arrow told me to just bring you to Ro’s place. Ro’s a mechanic, if you didn’t know, and he’s putting new tires on Arrow’s truck now. I hope that’s okay.”

“Of course,” Morgan told her. “Did he say who he thought did it?”

Allye scrunched up her nose. “No, not to me. Gray and the other guys still think I need to be protected against every little thing. I told Gray that hearing about kidnappings and burglaries isn’t going to throw me into a funk because of what happened to me, but he still treats me extra carefully when it comes to talking about his job or other bad shit that happens in the world.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course. You can ask anything,” Allye said.