SEAL's RESOLVE - Rebecca Deel Page 0,48
when they parted company. “I’ll call you later.”
“Be careful, Kristi. I can’t lose you. I wouldn’t survive.”
“Wolf Pack is taking good care of me. The kidnappers will be behind bars soon.”
Alan turned away from her and stared at Rafe. “Take care of my daughter, Rafe. I’m trusting you with her life.”
“No one is more important to me than Kristi.” He held out his hand to her. “We should go. We want your return to town as low key as possible.”
“Hold it,” Alan snapped. His gazed dropped to their entwined hands. “What’s going on here?”
“My personal life is my business.” Kristi stepped closer to Rafe.
“You’re not dating this man. I won’t allow it.”
Kristi’s eyebrows rose. “You don’t have a say over my private life. You haven’t had a right to do that since I graduated from college and moved out on my own.”
“Where is your integrity? You’re still involved with Hugh.”
“That’s enough, Mr. Stewart.” Rafe’s voice held an edge of steel.
“Stay out of this. I’ll be lodging a complaint with your boss.”
“Dad.” Kristi waited until his attention shifted to her. “Stop. I won’t change my mind.”
“You’ve known this mercenary for two days.” His scathing look at Rafe was at total odds with the hearty handshake when they entered the office a few minutes earlier.
“I’ve known Rafe for a few years.” She started for the door. “See you later, Dad.”
“You’re going to regret this. Mark my words, Kristi. Rafe Torres isn’t the man for you.”
Kristi stopped and glanced over her shoulder. “Why not?”
“You deserve better than an assassin. He’s not good enough to wipe your shoes on.”
“He risked his life to save mine.” She opened the door. “I love you, Dad. Keep the extra security team for yourself. I don’t want to lose you.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
As soon as the elevator doors slid closed, Kristi turned into Rafe’s arms. The knots in his stomach loosened. At least she had turned to him instead of writing him off as a bad risk. Unfortunately, her father’s words were the absolute truth, and soon Kristi would realize that for herself. When she did, would she walk away? What had he been thinking? Rafe didn’t belong in her world or her life. A society princess shouldn’t be with a man who lived in the shadows.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured.
Rafe’s arms tightened around her, afraid letting her go would be impossible now. He was crazy about her. When had that happened? “For what?”
“My father. I’ve never seen him like that. Alan Stewart might be a shark in the business arena, but he’s always a gentleman.”
The elevator stopped on the ground floor, and Rafe brushed a soft kiss on her lips before releasing Kristi and escorting her across the lobby and outside Stewart Group headquarters.
On the way to his SUV, Rafe scanned the area, his skin prickling. Not good. Someone was watching them. Frank the security guard, or someone else? Perhaps Alan Stewart watched them from the top floor of his empire’s headquarters. Whoever it was set Rafe’s teeth on edge.
“Is something wrong?” Kristi asked.
“Wait.” He unlocked the SUV and assisted Kristi into the vehicle, anxious for her to be inside the safety of his ride. The security upgrades cost a staggering amount of money but had been worth the dent in the company’s bank account for the peace of mind they provided him.
He closed Kristi’s door and removed an electronic signal detector from his pocket. Rafe turned on the device, slowly circling the vehicle and watching the chaser lights. Near the back of his SUV, the lights turned from green to red.
Rafe blew out a breath and crouched by the wheel well. Seconds later, he removed a small black object and tossed it into nearby bushes before continuing his scan. Finding no other GPS trackers attached to his SUV, he turned off the gadget and climbed into the driver’s seat.
“Something wrong?” Kristi asked.
“Plenty. Let’s get out of here before we talk. Do you have a favorite coffee shop, preferably one that serves breakfast sandwiches?”
She gave him directions to Claire’s Coffeehouse. After he parked in the lot outside the coffee shop, Kristi laid her hand on his arm. “Rafe, what’s wrong?”
“Someone planted a GPS tracker on my vehicle when we were with your father.”
Kristi twisted in her seat to look out the back window. “Did they follow us here?”
“I removed the tracker before we left, and I’m sure no one followed us, not that it matters.”
“What do you mean?”
“We’re going to your home and business. Whoever planted the tracker won’t have