Holiday Defenders: Mission: Christmas Rescue / Special Ops Christmas / Homefront Holiday Hero. Debby Giusti

rearview mirror and then turn his focus back to the road.

      The SUV tore through the neighborhood of white lights and evergreen wreaths. An inflatable Santa Claus and Jolly Snowman nodded in passing. After a series of sharp turns, they left the subdivision and sped away into the night.

      Everything had changed seemingly in the blink of an eye. An informant was dead. Zack was in danger, and she had to depend on Nick Fontaine—a man she’d never wanted to see again—in order to save her niece and nephew and herself. Elizabeth hadn’t been able to trust Nick ten years ago. Why should she think she could trust him now?

       TWO

      Nick could barely take his eyes off Lizzie’s reflection in the rearview mirror. She’d grown even more beautiful over the years, but it hadn’t been her pretty face that took him by surprise earlier.

      Rather it had been the look in her blue eyes that cut him to the core when she’d opened the door at Zack’s house. Betrayal and abandonment flashed across her face for an instant before she’d raised her chin and glared at him with accusation.

      As much as he wanted to explain what had happened ten years ago, he had to focus on the children’s and Lizzie’s safety first. They could delve into past issues after the danger was over.

      When Zack called, he’d been on the run and worried about his family. Without a moment’s hesitation, Nick had raced down the mountain to his old friend’s house.

      The two guys had reconnected a number of times over the years when Nick came back to Tennessee on leave, always meeting at Nick’s mountain cabin, on Nick’s turf. He’d never gone back to Lassiter. Never would have, if not for Zack’s plea for help.

      Nick couldn’t say no to his old friend, especially when he’d learned Lizzie was in danger along with two adorable kids. The promise Nick had made to Lizzie’s father, Judge Tate, years earlier, that he would never step foot in Lassiter again—a promise that Lizzie never knew about, made under duress—wasn’t as important as keeping the three of them safe.

      “Where are you taking us?” she asked from the rear.

      He glanced again at her reflection. Long honey-brown hair, arched brows, full lips and crystalline eyes he’d seen too many times in his dreams.

      “We’re going someplace safe.”

      “I need to know where,” she insisted, her voice raised ever so slightly.

      He lowered his gaze to the little guy strapped in beside her who still clutched the stuffed lamb in his arms. Long, thick lashes drooped over his full cheeks.

      Nick raised a finger to his lips. “Shhh. Someone’s falling asleep.”

      Lizzie glanced at the boy. The strain that furrowed her brow eased, and a hint of a smile teased her lips.

      “His name’s Joey,” she said, her voice thick with emotion.

      “I seem to recall Nick telling me that big sister is named Mary.”

      Turning to her niece, Lizzie stroked her fingers through the child’s curly hair and gave her a reassuring smile.

      The little one smiled back. With her bow-shaped mouth, upturned nose, golden hair and blue eyes, she’d steal many a boy’s heart when she grew up.

      “My name’s Mary Grace,” she informed him without hesitation. “Aunt Lizzie calls me Sunshine ’cause I brighten her day. I’m six years old.”

      Nick inwardly chuckled. Little Miss Sunshine was cute as a button. “You’re so grown up. I’m sure you help your dad around the house.”

      “Daddy says I need to help take care of Joey, too.”

      “Because he’s younger or because he’s your brother?” Nick played along and paired his seriousness to hers.

      “No.” She shook her head emphatically. “’Cause he doesn’t talk.”

      Nick threw a questioning glance at Lizzie, who remained silent.

      “Joey hasn’t talked since Mama died,” Mary Grace explained.

      Nick felt a stab of remorse at the children’s pain. How could a so-called loving God allow their mother to be taken?

      Nick’s own dad had died some years earlier. After three deployments with the military, Nick had been up close and personal with death, but what rocked him to the core was senseless loss of life, like Zack’s wife.

      And Jeff.

      His army buddy shouldn’t have died. If only Nick hadn’t—

      “Aunt Lizzie, where’s Baby Jesus?” Mary Grace asked, her eyes suddenly wide with concern.

      “Here, honey.” Lizzie unzipped the tote she’d packed for the children and removed the Nativity play set.

      Mary Grace tugged on the Velcro fasteners and pulled out Mary, Joseph and the infant babe, along with a lopsided donkey and a two-humped camel. With a contented sigh, she rested her head on the back of her car seat.

      Once the child was asleep, Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder at the road behind them. “Any chance we’re being followed?”

      Nick studied the darkness. “I’ve kept to the side roads and doubled back a few times. So far I haven’t seen anyone on our tail.”

      Seemingly satisfied, Lizzie settled into the seat and glanced at Joey to ensure he was asleep, before she lifted her gaze. “I’m worried about Zack.”

      Nick was, as well, but he wouldn’t tell her. She needed something to hold on to, something that provided hope.

      “Your brother’s been snooping into other people’s business since before we graduated high school. He’ll be okay.”

      She rubbed her arms and stared out the passenger-side window. “You don’t understand. He’s placed himself in danger too many times since Annabelle died. Sometimes I think he’s running away from her death, trying to overfill his life so he doesn’t have time to remember how good it was when she was alive.”

      Nick could relate. He’d run away from Lassiter and the townsfolk who never let him forget his father was a failure, and who seemed convinced that Nick was following in his dad’s footsteps. Back then, no one believed in Nick. No one except Zack and Lizzie.

      “Your brother has never worried about danger,” Nick said, unwilling to dwell on his own past failures. The army had changed him, thankfully for the better.

      “Maybe not, but Zack needs to be careful, especially with two young children.”

      She was right, of course. “Tough break to lose a spouse. Cancer, right?”

      She nodded. “Thirteen months ago. Everything happened fast. Annabelle was fine one minute and gone the next.”

      A weight settled on Nick’s shoulders. He knew too well how quickly life could change.

      “But then...” Lizzie stared at him from the backseat. “I’m sure you understand about leaving without notice.”

      Her words were a stab to his heart. His gaze locked on hers for a long moment but then broke away. They both knew the history of their past. No reason to bring it up again. She’d moved on. So had he.

      Headlights pulled his focus to the road behind them. A vehicle moving quickly. He swallowed down a rise of concern.

      “We’re being followed.”

      She glanced over her shoulder.

      “Get down, Lizzie,” he warned.

      Slipping lower in her seat, she placed her hands protectively on the children.

      “Is it a van?”

      He