Protecting Lexi (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read Free Page B

surroundings. You never showed weakness. Weakness could get you killed at any given time. They were taught to protect, and they could defend themselves in any dangerous situation they found themselves in.
    “Peter said she is a sweet woman. He also mentioned she is thirty-two and she has never been married.” Max looked at Kane and wiggled his eyebrows. “Maybe we can all get to know one another while being here together.”
    “Max, she’s here because her life has been threatened. She’s not here to get laid, nor is she here for a vacation at a singles ranch. We have to act professional and be on our toes at all times. Do I make myself clear, little brother? What if that Lenny guy has her followed and we fail?”
    “Kane, I was just kidding around. This house is heavily armed, and we have the best security money can buy. No one will get anywhere close to her while she’s staying here.”
    “I know. My heart goes out to Ms. Brooks, and I want to make sure she feels safe with us while she’s here.” Kane walked toward the front window to look at the metal gates surrounding their home.
    Kane rubbed the back of his neck. He had another nightmare last night that had kept him awake. It had been months since the last one. It was always the same one, memories of innocent people being killed, children and the elderly, mostly by their own countrymen
    Max and Kane had served in Afghanistan during the war. Kane saw many of the men he fought with in his platoon lose their lives daily. Some were just kids out of high school that just wanted to serve their country. The one that stuck in his head the most and haunted his dreams was a kid named Chris. Chris was a quiet and shy kid that kept to himself. He told Kane that he was a farm kid right out of Oklahoma. He was a scrawny, freckle-faced, redhead kid that Kane was sure was frightened of his whereabouts and second-guessed joining the Marines.
    That day they were on one of their usual trails through the valley following behind the convoy of tanks. They were always cautious of their surroundings and whereabouts. It happened so quick. Kane and his platoon watched Chris’s body explode right before their eyes. The kid never saw the IED mine detonator until he stepped on it. Things like that were common. The IEDs were either triggered by stepping on them or set off by a simple cell phone. They could be on the ground or even placed in the walls of buildings.
    Kane couldn’t get the image out of his head. The kid was so young. He had his whole life in front of him. Kane was so thankful when he woke up every morning and thanked God he and Max survived the war. Max didn’t have the same issue with sleep deprivation. Sometimes Kane would wander the house at night when he couldn’t sleep or go sit out on the porch and wait for sunrise. The military psychiatrists told him it was a mild case of PTSD and he should overcome it as the year passed.
    It seemed he only had the nightmares when stress or anxiety was drawn out. Maybe knowing they had a job to do with Ms. Brooks brought on the nightmare last night. He would have to contain his emotions when it came to the job at hand. Her life depended on his self-control.
     
    * * * *
     
    Peter drove up the long dirt driveway. Alexis could see cattle and some horses grazing off to the side of the ranch. It was beautiful. Wyoming was a beautiful state. Kane and Max Walker lived in Buffalo. It was still hard for her to believe she had allowed herself to stay with complete strangers. She valued her life. She would do anything to stay alive at this moment.
    They pulled up in front of the two-story ranch-style house. The porch had white wood shutters. There were a few white Adirondack chairs on the porch along with a wooden swing. Alexis couldn’t wait to just sit there and relax in the evening and watch the sunset.
    “Here we are. Let me get your suitcases from the trunk. I still can’t believe how much stuff you brought with you. Did you pack