Protecting the Presidents Daughter

Chapter 4

“How many people know you own the ranch?” Tanner didn’t like the appearance of their home for the next two weeks. They were understaffed to properly protect Braden and Emily.

“It’s not public knowledge and it has only been mine for four days.” Braden watched Tanner calculate. She could only see her profile and her eyes were covered by sunglasses in the rear-view mirror. “I want to be here, Tanner.”

“Yes, you made that clear.” She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. “Let’s drive up to the house, Dylan, you and Meghan clear the inside. Once we’re clear there, we’ll set them up and then take the outside. We check everything, find every possible hiding spot, and then we set up a perimeter. I’ll work out a schedule. It’ll go easier when CJ and Elliot get back.”

Two hours later, Tanner was as satisfied as she could be that Emily and Braden would be safe. She hadn’t seen them since they’d cleared the house and she’d started working on securing the ranch. Everyone knew their job, and CJ and Elliot were already on the way back to them. She couldn’t wait for them to get there. She’d be more relaxed knowing there were more than just four of them. Mike may be a very intelligent man, but he had no experience in a fight or how to handle a gun.

She made her way to the kitchen and froze in the doorway. Emily sat on one of the kitchen chairs, a cup of coffee and a sandwich in front of her. Her headphones were on her head, and she seemed to listen intently to whatever was playing through them. The stiffening of her shoulders told Tanner Emily had heard her. And she wondered if Emily was actually listening to something or just wanted to be left alone. Tanner decided it was probably the latter and turned to leave.

“You didn’t leave a letter, you didn’t call. I woke up one morning and my whole life changed, and you were just gone.” Emily said softly. She didn’t look up and Tanner didn’t turn around. “You owe me. And I’d like you to pay up, by promising me that Braden won’t get hurt. Promise me you will protect her.”

“I will protect you both. I promise.”

“Okay.” Emily picked up a sandwich and took a bite. “You can make something to eat if that’s what you want to do.”

Tanner wanted to ask if Emily was sure. But decided a semi-truce was better than nothing and turned back into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and grimaced. They needed to go to a store soon. She grabbed bread, mayonnaise, and butter, made herself a sandwich, and sat across from Emily. They didn’t speak, and Emily didn’t storm off. They sat in silence and ate their sandwiches.

Braden watched them. The teenager, one knee bent with her chin resting on top of it, the other foot firmly on the floor. Her eyes flicked at the woman across from her every now and then but never lingered too long. Tanner sat seemingly relaxed and leaned back against the chair, her long legs stretched out in front of her. Her eyes never left Emily as she chewed on her sandwich. They looked so much alike. And if she was completely honest with herself, she would admit that Emily was, had always been more Tanner’s than she’d ever been Amanda’s.

Emily looked up and saw Braden. She smiled then, after draining her cup, kissed Braden on the cheek and left them alone in the kitchen. Braden filled a cup of coffee for her and then sat across from Tanner. Tanner sat up and looked down into her cup. Braden felt the distance between them, a distance that spanned more than seven years since they last saw each other. When things had gone so horribly wrong for them, she’d shut her heart, body, and soul down. Shoved every feeling she’d ever had for Tanner as far down as she could and never looked back. She scoffed inwardly at herself. That was a lie. She’d looked back many times. Wondered what would have been if she’d been stronger back then if she’d stood up to the pressure put on her. She’d wondered where she’d ended up, and if Tanner would have been a part of the future she’d never had.

“I should…”

“We were all wrong that night. The way it was done, and what was done to you. It was wrong. And I am sorry for my part in that.” Braden spoke quietly. She knew she had no right to ask for forgiveness. So, she wouldn’t. “If I could go back.”

“It wouldn’t matter. I was the bad guy that night. The villain in your family’s story.” She shrugged. “It’s done.”

“And yet I stand and watch you two together and I think to myself, the two people who deserved to be hurt the least in all of this. Are the two who hurt the most.” Braden shook her head and stood. “She should have been with…”

“Don’t!” Tanner shoved her chair back and stood. “Don’t.” She said again softly. “Nothing can be done about it. Let it go.” She left Braden staring after her.

It was just after two in the morning when Meghan woke Tanner with a soft shake of her shoulder. “We have a car parked in the driveway. The person is not coming closer but also not trying to hide that they’re there.”

Tanner stood and stretched. “Okay, get Dylan.”

“I’m here. CJ and Elliot took watch when they arrived just after twelve,” Dylan said. Meghan and I have the next watch.

“Right. Okay, Dylan with me. Meghan, I want you outside their doors. If anyone besides me walks down that hall, you shoot them.”

“Of course.” Meghan walked away to do her part and Dylan followed Tanner outside.

They climbed into the golf cart and drove the short way to the main gate. “When we get out, take my hand.”

“What?” Dylan asked, surprised.

“Just do it and follow my lead.”

“Okay.” Dylan shook her head and hoped she wouldn’t get shot by whoever was at their gate. They got out and Dylan walked to meet Tanner and, as planned, took her hand. It felt weird and wrong but she held on and followed Tanner to the gate.

“Can I help you?” Tanner asked the man who stood outside the driver’s side smoking. The back door opened, and Tanner fought to hide her surprise. She dropped Dylan’s hand. “Wait in the car.” To Dylan’s credit, she did as she was told without protest.

“It has been brought to my attention that you and my daughter, Braden, to be specific and avoid confusion, have been having s*x in the cabin down by the lake.”

Tanner said nothing as she faced Braden’s mom. She’d met her a few times at parties her mother had thrown. But they’d never spoken to each other. She did swallow the fear that Braden was in trouble. She would never let the woman see her scared.

“I am not going to ask you to stop seeing her.” Amelia watched relief wash through the young woman’s eyes and hated that, just as she’d done with Braden, she would have to squash it. “I am going to tell you, that if you ever go near her again, lay a hand on her ever again, I will personally make sure that you are thrown out of that camp you are so fond of, and that you never work in your field of expertise again.” She watched relief be replaced by hatred. She could and would handle hatred. There was too much at stake for her family.

“I need to see her.”

“Yes. She requested that too. I have arranged for you to have a meeting. It will be the last one.” She turned and pulled open the door to her office. “Make it count and make sure my daughter knows you agree and fall in line.”



“Yes.” Tanner walked out and Amelia closed the door quietly behind her. She’d never hated anyone. But she hated Braden’s mom now. Hated her, hated everything that they stood for. She was going to lose Braden. There was no question about that, and she hated that even more.