Claimed by My Silent Protector

Chapter Four

Lincoln’s POV

My chest tightens as the familiar red hair of Abbey Sinclair appears out of the doorway of Daisy’s café as we approach. The red headed vixen who has consumed my damn thoughts since she first threatened to cut off my balls if I didn’t let her past to see her best friend, Hali Montgomery.

I was watching the realtor's hospital door, we’d just rescued her from that f.ucking asshole of a building supervisor and though I’d taken the b.astard to the police station myself, we were all wary of leaving her unattended again.

Abbey had stormed up to me, hair pinned up in a neat bun, though a few strands fell around her face in loose curls that made me desperate to reach out and tuck them behind her ear. All of five foot five, she barely came up to my shoulder as she stood in front of me, hands on hips, demanding access to her friend.

Now, I’ve faced down a lot during my time as a Navy Seal, gone toe to toe with some of the worst scum on this earth, but nothing prepared me for the force that is Abbey Sinclair.

After giving in to her, I’d followed her inside the room, throwing my friend and employer, Gage Cadell an apologetic look before watching her rip into him like an overprotective Lioness.

After forcing us from the room, she reappeared outside twenty minutes later, threatening us both once again before storming back down the corridor, those hour glass shaped hips swaying with purpose, leaving me behind shellshocked and with a hard on so strained I wanted to weep.

At one point, I thought I had a chance with her but after, that night, she shut me out and refused to give me a moment of her attention again.

Her daughter, Robyn throws herself at Hallick, the gruff soldier picking her up with ease as she snuggles into him, talking rapidly as he listens.

My gaze is solely for the older model of this duo though, and I shamelessly rake my eyes over her figure, that is in no way hidden by the thick winter coat she’s wearing.

Abbey’s gaze flicks to me before she snaps back to my friend, and that familiar slice of jealousy cuts through me. I know that there is nothing between them, not that I didn’t worry before, she was always f.ucking talking to him, but still, I hate that she gives her time to all my friends but nothing to me.

Finally realising that she isn’t going to be able to avoid us, the red head walks toward us, gaze pinned on Hallick and her daughter, ignoring me completely.

I curl my fists at my side, but refuse to show her that her disregard for me affects me.

She talks to Robyn, chastising the kid and I fight a smile as Robyn gives her back the same sass that Abbey is known for, the f.ucking kid is awesome.

As Abbey speaks again, her brow creased in a cute frown of displeasure for her daughter’s attitude, a huge bang rips through the air. My reaction is instinctive as my hands wrap around Abbey’s body, and I turn, forcing her to the floor, using my own body to shield her as I drop on top of her.

My head swivels around us, trying to find the source of the sound, one I know much more intimately than any person ever should. Around us, people are screaming, running in all directions as cars slam on brakes, tyres squealing in protest. Two shops down, the reason soon becomes clear and I suck in a breath at the flaming wreck that only moments ago was a car.

Feeling Abbey move below me, I snap my attention back to her, but she’s not looking at me, her eyes are wide with fear as her gaze darts around me, looking desperately for her daughter.

‘Mommy’ The little voice draws her attention and she shoves against my chest until, against every fibre of my body, I sit back, allowing her up.

The tiny red headed girl sprints past me, immediately engulfed in her mother’s arms as Abbey rocks her, clasping her little body like a lifeline.

‘My car’ Abbey suddenly mumbles, her eyes drawn to the mangled mess, ‘that was my car . .’

I don’t hear anything else as my blood freezes, Abbey car, it’s Abbey’s car! They could have been inside when it . .

‘We need to get them off the street’ Hallick’s gruff voice mutters before he turns back toward the bakery just as the door opens. ‘No!’ he orders loudly, and I know that it’s Seona that has appeared, ‘stay inside, we’re coming now!’

Unable to keep my hands to myself any longer, I wrap my arm around Abbey, the nurse proving how shocked she is as she doesn’t even try to shake me off, instead she leans into my side as if she needs something to ground her.

I push down the growl of approval, instead, I hurry her toward the bakery door, forcing her and Robyn inside, Hallick on my heels. He slams the door shut behind us, locking it and flipping the sign before scanning the street.

‘Into the back’ I bark, ‘away from the doors and windows. When none of the women move, I add, ‘NOW!’ shouting the word, making each of the scared females jump before they scramble for the kitchen area.

‘See anything?’ I mutter to my friend, the soldier shaking his head as he continues to survey the area.

‘Nothing’ he huffs, ‘what the f.uck? Was it an electrical fault or something?’

He looks back at me and I see the same understanding in his face as I have, that wasn’t a faulty electrical issue, that was a car bomb, but why the f.uck would someone put a bomb under Abbey’s car?

‘We need to get back there’ I murmur, the soldier nodding as he marches to each window and pulls down the blind along with the one that covers the window in the shop door, blocking the view from outside. We were damn lucky the car was parked far enough away that Mackenzie’s windows are still intact.

We trudge through the barn style door into the back room where the three women are huddled in the farthest corner from the doors, a terrified four year old clinging tightly to her mother as she sobs.

Hallick marches toward Seona, his arms wrapping around her as she turns fearful eyes on him, her shoulders immediately relaxing, as soon as her fiance’s arms are around her. I swallow down my bitterness as my gaze seeks out the red head, fighting the deep need to do the same to her. I know I can’t, she’s not mine to comfort, and now that the initial fear has subsided, I doubt she’d take kindly to me touching her like that.

‘W . .what happened?’ Eralia asks, her eyes wide as her gaze ping pongs from Hallick, to me and then to Abbey and back again.

‘My car . . ‘ Abbey starts before cutting off her words and I notice she’s trembling.

Snatching up the chair that sits beside the decorating table in the centre of the room, I place it beside her, giving in to my need again as I tug at her arm that is wrapped tightly around her daughter and pull her down toward the seat.

‘We think it was faulty wiring’ Hallick states firmly, flicking his gaze to me in a quick warning that this is what we are going with.

‘F . . faulty wiring?’ Abbey’s gaze wrenches itself to my friend, her brow creasing in confusion, a look, almost like disbelief ghosting her features but she doesn’t openly argue with the soldier. I open my mouth to ask her what she thinks caused the explosion, but my words are cut off by the soldier who takes control of the conversation.

Nodding curtly, Mark gives his fiancee and Eralia a confident smile, ‘yep, it’s not common, cars are pretty damn safe, but a battery, fuel and wiring if put in the right situation . . . ‘ He trails off and I just nod in agreement when Eralia and Seona both look toward me for confirmation.

‘Oh . . OK, well at least you weren’t in the car, thank God’ Seona says worriedly, her eyes finding the red head who just nods, her gaze back on her daughter.

The sound of sirens fills the air, announcing the arrival of the police and fire brigade. I step back from the group, catching Hallick’s eye.

‘You stay here, I’ll go and talk to the boys in blue’ I tell him firmly. I know he needs to be with his woman right now, hell, I don’t want to leave either, but I don’t have a reason to stay.

‘I’ll come lock the door after you’ Hallick grunts back, not arguing with me, ‘do three raps when you come back, let me know to come open up again for you.’

I nod, my gaze falling to Abbey once more, my chest squeezing as she doesn’t even look up, before turning on my heel and walking back toward the shop front, striding to the front door and flicking the lock.

‘The cops are going to want to talk to Abbey’ I mutter quietly as I pull the door open, keeping my voice low as I glance back toward the empty doorway that leads into the kitchen. ‘It won’t take long to figure out that it wasn’t faulty wiring that caused her car to turn into scrap metal.’

Hallick nods, ‘yeah’ he agrees, ‘though I don’t hold out much hope of them finding out who put a f.ucking bomb under her car.’

I lift my chin in agreement, like Hallick, I have very little faith in our police department, after what happened to Seona and how her husband’s badge wearing friends protected him, I wouldn’t trust them to scratch my ass for me.

His eyebrow lifts as he silently questions me, 'mistaken identity?' he asks roughly.

I shrug, it must be . . right? I mean, who would go after Abbey? She's a nurse, hardly the kind of person to get the attention of someone capable of a car bomb . . .