Wed to a SEAL (Hot SEALs) (Volume 8) (4 page)

The staircase frightened her the most. Being caught halfway down within its narrow walls would be like a trap.

If he was coming up while she was going down there’d be nowhere to hide. No escaping him.

Tito would be able to move far more quickly than she could while carrying a baby.

She made it down the stairs but she was desperate and near hyperventilating when she reached the bottom. There she slowed, pushing the door to the street open just a bit so she could see before being seen.

When she was as confident as she was going to get that the coast was clear, she exited the building.

Making a beeline for the car, she walked fast, but forced herself to not break into a run. That would only raise suspicion. She couldn’t look as if she was fleeing, even if that was exactly what she was doing.

Hands shaking, she opened the rear passenger side door. She tossed the bags onto the floor and strapped the baby into the car seat in the back, realizing if Tito got a look inside her car he’d see the telltale car seat and know what she had been hiding from him for the better part of the past year. A pregnancy. A baby.

She’d need to remove all evidence.

It would be okay. She’d take the seat out of the car when she got to the club. Whoever watched Lola for her would need the seat anyway.

Confident with that plan she slipped behind the wheel, checking the rearview mirror as she slid the key inside.

Memories of last night’s car trouble hit her and she went cold with fear. Holding her breath, she turned the key in the ignition.

This time, it started right up.

Thank God for her unlikely guardian angel—Rocky, the bearded man from the bar. Whatever he’d done under the hood last night still held. She’d have to thank him one more time if she ever saw him again.

If
she made it out of this thing alive.

Feeling sick to her stomach, and not because she’d never gotten to eat this morning, she pulled the car out of the space. She wouldn’t feel better until this block was far behind her.

The club wasn’t far, but it felt like an eternity to get there.

Lola, of course, fell asleep. Not a surprise. She had a full belly and a ride in the car always put her out like a light.

Thank goodness for that. Isabel was having enough trouble figuring out what to do without having the baby screaming.

She slowed as she approached the turn into the lot for the club and eyed the few vehicles parked there, trying to determine if it was safe to pull in.

The presence of the big truck she’d seen Rocky go to last night surprised her.

Was he back there already? The guy had a problem if he was.
 

In the daylight she could see the truck more clearly, right down to the US NAVY bumper sticker.

Addiction to strip joints or not, it might be a good thing if he was here. She remembered how big he was. How capable under the hood. And with military training, he’d be handy to have around if the worst happened and Tito had followed her here.

That fear had her pulling past the club. She glanced in the rearview mirror and tried to determine if she was being tailed.

It always seemed so easy for the characters on TV to know when they were being followed, but in real life? Not so much.

Determined to be cautious, Isabel decided to drive around a little while and then circle back.

Better to be safe than sorry.

CHAPTER 4

 
Rocky emerged from the bathroom in his room in the bachelor barracks a tad hung over but at least he was feeling a little more awake after showering.

Too many beers, and two ill-advised shots of whisky last night, had him staying at the club later than he’d intended.

The whisky hadn’t been all his fault. He’d bought a couple of shots for Jasmine and a gentleman never let a lady drink alone.

Whatever the reasons, it had resulted in him waking up late today. But if no shit hit the fan in the terrorist world that would require his team’s immediate attention, he had a well-earned day off.

Now all he needed was his truck so he could get on with enjoying the day.

His vehicle, unfortunately, was still parked at the club where he’d left it last night.

Even if he could have driven home safely, driving through the gate on base with alcohol on his breath would be a good way to fuck up his career. Elite SEAL or not, command took that shit seriously.

So step one, get his truck. Step two, figure out what to do with his day.

The bachelor-occupied housing on base was cheap and pretty nice as far as these things went, but no way was he spending his day off inside in a space that consisted of two small rooms sporting two windows total.

Nope, not Rocky’s idea of fun.

Brody and Mack were both away for the weekend, but with any luck, Thom was around. And he was conveniently located in the same building.

After shoving his feet into sneakers, Rocky pocketed his keys and headed out. One flight down the stairs and he was knocking on Thom’s door.

Thom answered with his cell phone pressed to one ear and motioned with his free hand for Rocky to come in as he spoke. “Bag of ice. Got it. Anything else?”

After a moment during which Rocky closed the door behind him and had time to wonder who in the world Thom was talking to about ice, Thom nodded. “Okay. See you in a few.”

Once Thom had disconnected the call he turned to Rocky. “Hey, you got plans for the day?”

“Nope, not really. Why? What’s happening?”

“Rick’s throwing some stuff on the grill at his place. Jon is gonna be there. Grant might stop by and supposedly Chris and Brody are on the road back from Alabama and should be there by dinnertime.”

“You sure it’s okay if I come?” Rocky knew Rick through the other guys, but they weren’t especially close.

Not like how friendly Rick was with the Cassidys and Thom since they’d all been on the same team together.

Thom’s dark brows drew low in a frown. “Of course. It’s fine. Rick’s parties are always open door.”

“All right. If you say so.”

“Dude, definitely. The more the merrier.”

He’d have preferred to hear that from Rick himself but he’d have to trust Thom.

Rocky nodded. “Okay. I’ll pick up some beer to go along with your ice.”

“Then he’ll be even happier you’re there.” Thom grinned.

 
“Good. It’s a plan. Which brings me to the reason I stopped by. Can you drop me at my truck on the way?”

“Sure thing. Where is it?”

“The strip club right outside the gate.”

Thom laughed. “All right.”

“What’s so funny? I would’ve invited you but now that Ginny keeps your balls locked up in Connecticut, I figured you wouldn’t be allowed to come.”

Thom cocked a brow. “You want to walk to your truck?”

Though Rocky felt his statement had been true, he decided to back off any further comments about Thom being pussy whipped. “No.”

“Didn’t think so.”

“So when are we leaving?” Rocky asked.

“When are you ready to go?”

He was as ready as he was going to get. He’d shoved some breakfast in his mouth before he’d showered. He had his keys and his wallet. He was dressed good enough for a barbecue.

Rocky lifted one shoulder. “Now.”

“Okay. Let’s go. We can stop at the commissary on the way off base, and then grab your truck and you can follow me to Rick’s place.”

“Sounds good.” Rocky was all about being agreeable.
 

He could get his truck without having to call a cab and now he had plans for the day. Life was good.

That was reaffirmed when Thom pulled his SUV into the lot of the strip club and Rocky saw his parked truck, safe and sound right where he’d left it.

Surprisingly, there were quite a few other vehicles already parked there. He glanced at his watch and realized it was noon.

The club was open for another day and he had no doubt there were already dancers on the stage. Another day, another dollar bill shoved in their G-strings. The free enterprise system at work. It was enough to warm any red-blooded American male’s heart.

With a promise to follow Thom, Rocky fished his keys out of his pocket and headed around to the driver’s side of his truck.

Rick’s house wasn’t too far from the base so a short while later Rocky slowed behind Thom’s SUV as he pulled up along the curb in front of a small house sporting a neatly trimmed lawn.

With Thom toting the twenty-pound bag of ice and Rocky holding a case of beer, Thom hit the doorbell.

“I got it!” The sound of Rick’s booming voice came through the door shortly before it whipped open to expose the man himself. “Hey. Come on in.”

When Rick stepped back Thom asked, “Where do you want the ice?”

“Cooler is on the back deck. Beer can go in there too.” Rick nodded to Rocky. “Good to see you, man. Glad you could make it.”

“Thanks for having me.”

“Not a problem. The more the merrier.”

Thom shot Rocky a cocky glance that clearly said
I told you so
as Rick closed the door behind them.

Rocky rolled his eyes and followed Rick and Thom through the living room. They passed the kitchen on the way to the sliding glass door in the back of the house.
 

“Ladies.” Thom nodded to the three women on the other side of the kitchen island as they passed.

“Hey, Thom.” A blonde called out the greeting as they passed.
 

As Rick went ahead to open the door, Thom stopped and leaned close to Rocky. “Did you see who was in the kitchen?”

Rocky paused too. “You mean the blonde who said hello?”

“No, that was Rick’s sister Darci. She’s dating Chris Cassidy. And the brunette next to her was Jon’s girl Ali, but Sierra Cox is here. You know, the actress.”

“Really? What’s she doing here?”

“She’s Rick’s girlfriend.”

Rocky frowned as he vaguely remembered Brody mentioning something about Rick and some actress. He supposed he didn’t believe it then, but if she was in the kitchen with Rick’s sister it must be true.

It still didn’t explain the hows and whys of the situation. “How the fuck did he land her?”

“I guess taking a bullet for a woman has its benefits.” Thom laughed.

Rocky had to agree as they moved toward the open door where Rick was waiting for them on the deck.

Outside, Rocky could see that while the women all seemed to be in the kitchen, the men had settled in on the deck by the beer.

Jon was already there, leaning against the railing with a longneck in his hand.

“We have arrived and we brought provisions.” Thom dropped the bag of ice on the deck and reached to open the lid on a big blue cooler.

Rocky set the beer down and turned to Jon, who stepped forward to shake hands. “Good to see you again.”

Rocky snorted. “Good to see you on US soil this time.”

Jon grinned. “That too.”

Not long ago Rocky’s SEAL team had spent some time with Jon’s company, GAPS, in Nigeria. The military was turning more and more to using private contractors for consulting and extra manpower.

Rick let out a huff. “I can’t believe I missed that job.”

Jon cocked one dark brow. “If I remember correctly you were in New York, no doubt staying at some fancy hotel and working security for People Magazine’s Sexiest Woman on Earth, so no complaining.”

“Yeah. While we were sweating our balls off in the Sambisa Forest. You forget how hot Africa is?” Thom asked.

“I remember.”

Rocky had to laugh as Rick continued to scowl and look unhappy about missing the op. “I gotta agree with them, Rick. You get no sympathy. We were fighting Boko Haram and frigging snakes at the same time. I can tell you one thing, if I’m gonna be killed in action, it better not be from a damn snakebite.”

Thom jumped up from his knees where he’d been kneeling to load the beer and ice in the cooler. “Oh my God. Rick, you have to picture this. There are four of us, in position, on our stomachs sighting the path out of the target’s camp with our rifles . . .”