Hidden Fates (Hidden Heroes #4)

Chapter 1

Reese stood by the large picture window in the cozy living area of the guest house she’d been staying in for over a month now. It overlooked a beautiful lake surrounded by tall wild grasses and was often visited by egrets and butterflies. Most of all, she loved watching the fireflies at night. They fascinated her in a way that made her want to stay up for hours, sitting in the safety of the dark room as they lit up like tiny floating lanterns.

It was only four o’clock in the afternoon though, several hours before the first fireflies would appear, but Reese wasn’t disappointed. She had a far better view right now of the most handsome and sexy man she’d ever laid eyes on. Garrett leaped off the small dock jutting out over the lake, and dove head first into the freezing water.

Reese only allowed herself the briefest of interactions with Garrett, mostly when he brought her groceries, or the science magazines they both loved reading, and that time when he was kind enough to bring her one of those disposable pay-as-you-go cell phones. He’d even loaned her his tablet that she spent most nights scrolling on when she couldn’t sleep, afraid to wake up back in that musky motel room chained to the bed, or worse, in that psychiatric hospital, drugged out of her mind.

At first, she’d tried to give the tablet back, insisting it was too much, but he’d just shrugged and said he hardly used it. She didn’t really believe that. Garrett Cooper was just a good and generous man.

As he swam in the lake, first doing laps, then floating on his back, she shivered just thinking about that frigid liquid touching her skin. He dove under again, then surfaced at least twenty feet away, and the corners of her mouth pulled upward.

Even when no one was watching, or at least she didn’t think he saw her watching him, the man was a ball of fun energy. It said a lot about him, since he was a Texas Ranger, and wore a gun and badge for a living. She’d seen him in action once, when he’d rescued her, and unlike the man out in that lake right now, Garrett was fierce and a force to be reckoned with on the job.

It was one of the many reasons she chose to stay in his guest house, instead of running away as soon as she got her bearings and strength back. Garrett Cooper made her feel safe.

She honestly hadn’t felt much of anything in a very long time, but safe hadn’t even been on her radar until he closed the distance between them in that filthy motel room, slipped the handcuffs from her wrists and ankles, and said, “You’re safe now.”

Reese had almost laughed in his face, but something about the way he said it made her believe him. Maybe it was the sincerity in his rumbling voice, or those deep-set eyes she found herself wanting to look into, but stopped herself just in time. She wasn’t sure she could’ve survived the repercussions if their gaze had met. She’d felt so weak, broken, and defeated, both mentally and physically. Seeing this man’s death, feeling it consume her so soon after seeing Vivian’s death, it would’ve been too much.

Then his large, calloused hands touched hers, enveloping her cold fingers like a warm familiar blanket, and the most bizarre thoughts filled her mind. She blamed them on dehydration or hunger, or even whatever that condition was called when someone supposedly fell in love with the person who’d saved them. She kept telling herself it wasn’t real. That these feelings for Garrett weren’t real. But every day that went by, they didn’t seem to fade.

“Hey Garrett!” A man’s voice called from outside, penetrating her thoughts, and she instinctively stepped back from the window. The man wore a navy blue t-shirt with khaki shorts. He smiled at the woman next to him, a beautiful brunette. But the lines on her arms and legs that looked like scars had Reese’s breath hitching. Garrett said he knew the other woman Vivian held captive. Was that her? A strange longing to go out there and meet her tugged at Reese, but she quickly pushed it aside. It wasn’t like she knew the woman, nor did she have any idea what to say to her. Bonding over a traumatic experience didn’t seem like the greatest way to start a friendship.

Garrett had come by that morning to tell her that his friends were coming over for a barbeque today. He’d invited Reese to join them, but she had declined. The thought of being with that many people in broad daylight terrified her. If she accidentally looked into any one of their eyes… just the thought sent fear skittering up her spine.

There was a time Reese tried to live as normal of a life as possible, ignoring whenever her ability was triggered. But after seeing the awful death of a client, she started going out of her way to avoid making eye contact altogether. Even if it made her stand out in all the wrong ways, she just couldn’t deal with it anymore. Seeing all the horrible ways people died gave her nightmares and anxiety attacks, but seeing that poor woman being buried alive had caused her to have a full-blown panic attack.

Of course, not meeting people’s gaze led to moments of awkwardness and various outlandish accusations, including that she was on the spectrum. Not that there was anything wrong with that, except she wasn’t. She would have no problem looking people in the eyes, if that was all she saw when she did.

But now, just peering out the window from several feet away, made Reese feel uneasy. She kept her gaze low, aiming well below the neckline in case anyone turned and looked in her direction. She had no idea what Vivian told them before she was killed, or what she herself knew. Vivian made a lot of assumptions, but Reese never told her the truth. Reese had known a few bullies in her life. She’d grown up with one. And the last thing Reese was ever going to do was give them power over her by admitting to anything.

Reese took another step back from the window as Garrett used the edge of the dock to pull himself out of the water. Despite her fear of making eye contact, she couldn’t seem to look away from the man’s glistening, muscular body. A large tribal tattoo covered his shoulder, and Reese wondered if it had any special meaning, or if he just liked the design. Her gaze lingered on him, appreciating the way his abs and peck muscles rippled every time he moved. The way his thick thighs carried him across the dock and somewhat unkempt yard. Even his bare feet were sexy, the way they cut through the grass to meet his friends.

The woman’s laughter traveled through the walls and windows that weren’t thick enough to keep out the sound, and Reese smiled at the lightness of her joy. Garrett was in profile to Reese now, talking to the couple, so she chanced a quick glance at his face. The man had a rigid jawline, a dimple in his right cheek, and a smile that could light up the state.

Reese had kissed a few guys in her time, mostly in cliche places that were veiled in darkness - movie theaters, cars. One guy actually thought it would be romantic to kiss her in a dark alley, but hearing the skittering of rats in a nearby dumpster, just left her feeling gross and unclean. Yet somehow the idea of kissing Garret - anywhere, really - made her skin tingle. Her cheeks burned with the thought and her core seemed to tighten with anticipation.

She was just being silly though. That man could have any woman he wanted, why would he choose someone like her, with a crazy step brother to boot? She nibbled her bottom lip, forcing herself to turn away from the window before Garrett sensed her gaze on him.

As more people came into the yard, Reese didn’t want to chance making eye contact with anyone. She returned to the couch and picked up the tablet, turning the screen on. It opened to the last website she’d been scouring before growing weary and going over to the window in time to see Garrett jump into the water.

Not wanting to sit and think about a man she could never have, Reese continued her scrolling of local jobs. She needed to start making money and move out of Garrett’s guest house before she wore out her welcome.

The problem was that she was only good at exactly one thing.

Before everything happened, she’d been a successful and well-established artist, living in Sedona, Arizona. She made a comfortable living selling her mixed media art sculptures and canvases, and was on her way to booking her tenth gallery show in the Southwest region. One of the gallery owners was friends with another gallery owner in New York City, and she’d promised that if Reese’s show did well, she would recommend her to her friend in the Big Apple. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, and Reese had missed out on it.

Just thinking about how many wrong turns her life had taken in such a short time had Reese’s stomach threatening to revolt. She could easily put all the blame on her step brother, but in the end, it was her own fault.

She’d been too trusting. Too open with a stepbrother who’d never accepted her as family. And it had cost her everything, including her freedom. She just wished she knew why Russell had turned on her like that.

***

Garrett kept his eyes forward on his friends, but he didn’t miss the prickle on the back of his neck telling him he was being watched. He smiled, nodding at Caden and Hallie as they closed the distance, but the smile was really for Reese.

“You just couldn’t wait,” Caden said with a chuckle.

Garrett smiled and grabbed for a towel. “Water’s great.” He quickly dried himself then reached for the bag Hallie was carrying. She readily handed it over and he acted like it was filled with a ton of bricks. “Good grief, Woman, does your fiancé always make you carry the heavy stuff? What’s in here? Rocks?”

Caden sneered at him, but Hallie laughed, exactly the reaction Garrett had been hoping for. In truth, the bag was light as a feather. A quick peek inside told him it was filled with several boxes of graham crackers, chocolate bars, and a bag of marshmallows. The gang had decided to make s’mores tonight, and Caden and Hallie had volunteered to bring the supplies.

It felt good to see his friends laughing and smiling again. They’d gone through hell not too long ago and it had definitely taken them a while to come back to a place of semi-normalcy.

Hallie wore jean shorts and a floral tank top, leaving the scars from Vivian’s stabbings on her legs and arms easily visible. This was the first time he’d seen her wearing anything this revealing since the incident. He hoped it meant she was working her way through the trauma she’d endured.

Blake O’Connell and his girlfriend Skyla Madigan arrived then, bringing the meat Garrett knew would soon be landing on his grill. Skyla usually brought the booze, but Garrett had plenty stashed up from their last gathering to hold them over for at least another two get-togethers.

“Hey,” Garrett said, giving Skyla a quick hug. “How’s the morning sickness?”

“Ever present,” she grumbled. “But don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Just keep that grill far away from me.”

Garrett chuckled, which earned him a meaningful glare from Skyla and a playful punch in the arm from Blake. “She’s not kidding,” his friend said, giving him a quick hug and slap on the back. “Her sense of smell is seriously heightened right now, and it’s not to her benefit.”

“I’ll be fine,” Skyla reiterated. “I just might leave a little early.”

Garrett eyed his friend, but waited for Skyla to move out of earshot with Hallie before saying, “are you sure she should be at a barbeque if the smell of cooking meat is going to bother her?”

Blake shrugged. “I offered to stay home with her, but you know how she gets when she wants something.”

Yeah, he knew. Skyla was one of the toughest and strongest women he’d ever met, but he hated the idea of her being uncomfortable around him and her friends.

“Don’t worry,” Blake said. “I’ll take her home whenever she needs me to. I think she just didn’t want to miss seeing all our friends. Even if it was for a short while.”

“I’m glad she’s here,” Garrett said.

Blake joined Caden at the large picnic table where all the food was being set out. Without even thinking about it, Garrett’s gaze went to his guest house. The white barn that he’d converted into a comfortable living space had stood empty for nearly six months after it was finished. Garrett had loved building out the space during his free time, but after it was done, he hadn’t been sure what to do with it. He considered renting it out, but he didn’t like the idea of having a stranger living on his property. He was starting to think he’d just wasted a bunch of time and money, and then Reese came into his life.

She hardly ever came outside when he was home, but he hadn’t missed the small garden she’d cultivated on the opposite side of the yard near the property line. Little bushels of strawberries, a few potato and cherry tomato plants, and a vine that he thought might be cucumbers now occupied a space in his yard that he hadn’t really given much thought to before. He also noticed the area under the swing he’d hung last summer was trimmed and cleared of weeds and overgrown grass.

He’d told her on more than one occasion that she didn’t have to do any of those things, but Reese had just given him a shy smile and a quick nod. He just wished she’d come out of the guest house when he was home so he could get to know her a little better, maybe even ask her some things about Russell. He’d even dared to hope that today would be the day when she came out and met his friends, but the small corner of the curtain that had been pulled aside when he first got out of the water was now back in its place.

He’d felt the moment Reese’s gaze left him, and he’d instantly missed it. It was uncanny how often Garrett thought about his guest, considering he barely knew her aside from what was in her very thin file that just included her name, birthday, last known address, and the fact that she was an accomplished artist. He thought that last part was pretty cool, having never met a celebrity before. He also knew she enjoyed reading, particularly his science magazines that he’d been subscribed to since he was a kid. Getting to share them with her somehow made her feel less like a stranger and more like a guest.

A guest that preferred to be left alone.

A part of him wanted to go knock on her door again and insist she come out and officially meet his friends, but his thoughts were interrupted by Orly. “Hey, Garrett. I brought the plates and cups, but I totally forgot to pick up some plastic silverware. I’m sorry. I can run back to the store and -“

“Don’t worry about it,” Garrett smiled, opening his arms to hug his friend’s wife. “Where’s your other half?” Garrett asked, noticing Luke wasn’t on her heels. The man hardly left her side unless one of them was at work.

“He got called in right before we left, but he promised he’d make it before the s’mores.”

Garrett scoffed in jest. “Oh sure, he’ll come for dessert, but he’s willing to miss out on the best part?”

Orly laughed. “We’ll have to be sure and save him some of the good stuff.” Her gaze caught on something over his shoulder, and if Garrett didn’t know exactly what she was looking at, he would’ve turned to see for himself. “Is she going to join us today?”

Garrett shook his head. Of course, Orly was asking about Reese. The two women hadn’t even met yet, but Orly was always asking about her, worrying that whatever she’d been through was too much for the woman to handle on her own. Garrett hated to admit that Orly was probably right. But he hesitated to bring a stranger into Reese’s life when the woman wouldn’t even look at him these days, much less talk to him other than a polite “hi,” “bye,” and “thank you.”

“Maybe I should go knock on her door,” Orly suggested. “I know she hasn’t been very forthcoming with you, but maybe I’ll be less intimidating.”

Garrett mockingly dropped his jaw. “Are you suggesting I’m intimidating?” Sure, he played up his height, large build, and overpowering presence at work, but at home, with his friends, and when he was with Reese, he did his best to soften his demeanor.

“Not to me,” Orly quickly defended. “But to someone who doesn’t know you…” She shrugged. “Do you think maybe she’ll talk to me?”

He hated to say no, but he didn’t want to risk spooking Reese. Or exposing Orly to her just yet. He just didn’t know Reese well enough, and the way she avoided him and his friends, definitely raised some red flags. “I know you connected with her in the past, but I don’t think it’s a good idea right now. Not yet. Give me a little more time with her, and I promise, as soon as I think she’s ready, you’ll be my first call.”

Orly nodded and was promptly whisked away by Hallie before she could say anything else on the subject.

Garrett’s gaze drifted back to the guest house. He was being ridiculously overprotective of Reese, and he knew it. Maybe talking to Orly would help her. But he selfishly just wasn’t ready to share her with anyone yet. It made absolutely no sense. He had no claim on the woman. But at the same time, he couldn’t help wondering what Reese was doing right now. Had she read through the last science magazine he’d given her last night? Was she bored or lonely hearing all his friends, but too scared or nervous to join in on the fun? He didn’t like the idea of her hiding out, but the woman was still such a mystery.

Ever since he set her up in his guest house, she seemed to stick to the shadows, always preferring darkness to light, like she was a vampire or something.

The mere thought was ridiculous. Of course, she wasn’t a mythical blood lusting creature. But there was something about Reese Graham that had attracted someone like Vivian Bennett to her, and Garrett didn’t want to do anything that would risk her safety before he learned exactly what that something was. If it was a paranormal gift, or anything like what Orly, Hallie or Skyla could do, then her problems didn’t die with the rogue FBI Agent.

Her step brother, Russell Graham, was still out there. He was the one who’d had her committed to Desert Cove, and while Reese was a lot of things, Garrett didn’t think she was crazy. That likely meant Russell not only knew about her ability, but viewed it as a threat, making her a threat to him . The last woman who came close to exposing Russell for the rogue killer cop he is, nearly lost her life.

Thankfully, Orly was safe now. Luke was making sure of it. But Reese didn’t have anyone to turn to, except the only person she’d allowed within five feet of her.

Garrett.

And from everything he’d seen and learned about her so far, he was happy to be the guy who stood by her, and between her and whatever danger came her way.

He just hoped Reese would open up to him before it was too late.