Targeted. Becky Avella

really sorry, Rick. About making you hunt me down again. I figured you would be done trying to save me if I didn’t want to be saved.”

      “It’s tempting,” he told her, even though his anger had fizzled out. He understood her thinking. “But I owe Terrell more than I will ever be able to pay back in this lifetime, so if being your personal bodyguard for a little bit frees him up and eases his mind, that’s what I’m going to do.”

      During the long months of fighting off infection and suffering through rehab, throughout all of the boring hours of being a desk jockey on light duty, all he had cared about was getting back to doing real police work. And now after only one day back at it, he was volunteering to walk away from it again. This girl better be worth it. Apparently she was to Val and Terrell, and they were definitely worth it to him. He couldn’t think of any of his other friends who would be able to call in a favor like this.

      Stephanie bumped her shoulder against his. “That is if I let you be my bodyguard.” She was teasing now. Was she giving in?

      “Terrell asked for one week to get organized. After that you guys can make whatever other plans you want to make.” Rick waited for an answer. “So, think you can put up with me for a week, or do I have to keep hunting you down all night? It’s been a long day and I wouldn’t mind clocking out and getting something to eat.”

      She bit her bottom lip. He could tell it was hard for her to admit she didn’t have any other options. Then she smiled a real smile like the one in the photograph. She held her hands up in surrender. “Okay. You win. What’s the plan?”