Chapter 18

2509 Words
Lucas Closing the front door, I listen for the telltale beep of the security system as it activates. “Come on. I’ll let you out.” I tell Nero as I walk back to the kitchen to let him outside one last time. It’s well after midnight and the guys just left. While there wasn’t much in the way of evidence, Owen was able to get a partial image of the drone on one of the cameras. We’re hoping it’s enough to ID the type that was used, which would help narrow down who might be behind tonight’s incident. Opening the back door, Nero waits for me to give the all-clear before running past me and down to the grassy area beyond the deck. “Is everything alright?” Surprised she’s still awake, I turn to find her standing by the kitchen island. The subtle tension in her features and the weariness in her tired eyes reveal the toll tonight’s events have taken on her. Even so, she’s by far the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. With her dark brown wavy hair pulled up in a messy bun, and the barely there tank top that does nothing to hide the creamy swells underneath, it’s taking everything in my power to keep my eyes focused on her face. “Yep, just letting him out. Give me a second.” I turn my attention back to Nero, who’s sniffing around the yard like he’s on a self-appointed recognizance mission. I can relate to his unease. The fact someone breached the perimeter of the house without tripping any alarms is concerning. And though none of us expected something like this, it still feels like we failed. It’s our job to plan and anticipate all the things that could go wrong, and I feel personally responsible for allowing it to happen. With my combat experience, I should have known better, for there is no greater threat than the one that descends unseen from the air, catching you off guard. I don’t even want to imagine what could have happened had Nero not been here to alert me. Always vigilant. Protective. Most of all, intuitive. Twice now that dog has come through for Embree, forever cementing his place in my life. I owe that dog everything and now, more than ever, I vow to give him the life he’s worthy of. “Nero, here,” I call him back. When he runs inside, I shut the door and wait for the beep confirming the back door is secure. Nero sits at my feet, panting with excitement, his tongue hanging out with a telltale look that’s like a grin. The excitement of the day is still coursing through him, and the glint in his eyes speaks of his eagerness to get back to work. “We’re done for tonight. Good job today.” I squat down and stroke his head, taking a moment to give him a good scratch. “He’s amazing.” I look at her and nod in agreement. “He’s so good with the girls, too.” “Yeah, he can’t get enough of them.” Standing, I go to her. Wrapping her in my arms, I bring her close and bury my face in her hair. Breathing her in, I close my eyes. The feel of her body against mine loosens some of the lingering anxiety that’s like a vise around my chest. We were so damn lucky that whoever piloted that thing was on an intelligence-gathering mission. God knows if they wanted to hurt us, they could have. “Thank you for keeping us safe. I don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t been here.” At the crack in her voice, I squeeze her a little tighter. “Shhh. That’s unnecessary. And anyway, your gratitude is wasted on me since it was Nero who noticed what was happening.” Sneaking a glance at him, emotion chokes up the back of my throat. I’ll never forget the day I got the call that confirmed my application to adopt him had been accepted. I was at my lowest, fighting my way through depression, desperately clinging to the hope that one day life wouldn’t feel so overwhelmingly impossible. The process started several months earlier when I got word that, like me, he’d been forced into early retirement because of the injuries he suffered on that last failed mission. The minute I heard he needed a home I jumped at the chance, for it’s another thing we had in common. After the rescue, I’d lost the life I thought I was coming home to, while Nero lost Schmitty—his handler, and the closest thing he had to a home. We were both homeless and alone, with nowhere to go and no one to belong to. After everything we survived, it felt unfair that we both came out of that f****d up situation with nothing to show for it. At the time, it felt like the Navy had discarded us both. Used us up and spit us out when we no longer fit into their purpose. I know now that was the depression talking, but at the time I felt the solution for us both was to build a home with each other. Plus, after all the times he’d come through for our team, I owed him. In my mind, I was saving him, but in the end, it was he who ultimately saved me. Within days of his arrival, he snapped me out of my downward spiral with his constant demand for walks, affection, and playtime. He forced me back into the land of the living and pushed my body back into movement. He left me no choice but to get up out of bed to take him outside, where my lungs finally filled with the fresh air I’d been searching for since we were rescued. “So what happens now?” She pulls back, looking up at me with a mixture of hope and fear in her eyes. Taking her hand, I lead her to take a seat, then I cross to the refrigerator to grab us both a bottle of water. The weight of what we’re up against is so daunting that it’s taking everything in me to not grab my three girls and whisk them away somewhere far, where they’ll never be found. The problem is, they aren’t technically mine. At least not yet. Which means, for the time being, I need to find a way to convince her we can’t stay. Setting a bottle of water in front of her, I tell her, “After talking to Ben and the team, we feel it’s best to move the three of you to a safer location. Staying here is no longer an option. They know where you are, which gives them an edge we’re not sure we can defend against. Tonight was a test of our security. They were checking for holes, which I’m afraid they were able to find.” “Where would we go?” “I have a friend about three hours from here. Alex Diaz. He’s a retired SEAL. We went through BUD/s together and served on the same team for several years.” As she shakes her head, I reach for her hand and give it a gentle squeeze. “He lives on a secure parcel of land. There’s a two-bedroom guest house separate from the main house. He said we could stay for as long as we need, and he’d be there as backup should we need the extra security.” “No, Lucas.” She pulls her hand away and rises to her feet. “I can’t take them to a strange place, around people they don’t know. Mallory would struggle. It would be too hard on her.” Coming around to where she stands, I pull her back into my arms. “I know, sweetheart. But right now, our options are limited.” Like she’s considering this, she falls silent. With every stroke of my hand on her back, her body grows more slack. I hate how difficult this next part will be for them, but there’s no other choice. Keeping them in harm’s way is out of the question and if not for the guys keeping watch outside of the house right now, I would have demanded we pack up and leave tonight. “I don’t know about this, Lucas. Mallory’s so sensitive. Taking her away from everything she knows and expecting her to manage… it just feels like too much to ask of a four-year-old.” Closing my eyes, I let her sadness wash over me. There’s a battle raging within me. The trained soldier who is adamant we do what needs to be done against the man who loves them down to the depths of his very soul and wants them to feel happy and safe. “What about the Inn? Can’t we stay there?” “We can’t stay at the Inn, Emb. It’s not easily secured, and it’s one of the first places they’d look the moment they realized you were gone.” “I don’t want to take them too far from the world they know, Lucas. Can’t we find someplace closer to home?” Her voice is laced with desperation as she looks up at me with tears in her eyes. Fuck! I know just the place, but I don’t know how I’ll stomach going back there. Shoving down the emotion, I think through the possibility. The property is gated and secure. There’s an alarm system already installed, though it’s a far cry from the high-tech setup Owen is used to. As long as he can upgrade the system to what he installed in this house, it could work. It would allow us to remain in Ruby Creek, in a location no one would think to look for her and close enough that the team could assist if we needed the backup. Though my stomach churns at the thought, it’s the pleading look in her eyes that convinces me this may be our best option. “My house,” I tell her in a rough voice. When she looks at me in confusion, I clarify. “My parent’s place.” “Wait. I thought you sold it.” Overwhelmed by the sudden wave of grief that washes over me, I’m unable to speak. Taking my face in her hands, she asks, “You kept it?” “Yes.” I clear my throat, trying to rid myself of the heavy lump that’s settled there. “When Jenny and I talked after I first came back, I tried giving it to her, but she refused. Instead, she insisted I keep it, so I’d have a place to call home if I ever returned.” With tears in her eyes that match my own, she reaches for the back of my head and draws me close until our lips meet. Soft and warm, the taste of her shoots sparks of need through my body. When her tongue coaxes at the entrance of my mouth, I groan, sinking my fingers into the hair at the nape of her neck, I tug gently until her mouth is at the perfect angle for me to devour her. She tastes so goddamned sweet. So f*****g perfect, that for a moment I almost forget the promise I made to take things slow. With great effort I bring the kiss to an end, pulling back far enough to lay my forehead on hers but still close enough so we’re breathing the same air. The desire that pulses through me is so strong that I close my eyes and will myself to breathe through the discomfort. When I’m back in control, I take her by the hand and lead her up the stairs to the room that’s become mine. As we’ve done every night since that first night she saw my scars, we climb into bed together and she nestles into my arms. Kissing the top of her head, I offer a silent prayer to whatever deity is willing to listen to a flawed man like me. “To whoever is out there, please grant me the strength to overcome the fear of what I have to do next.” Whether they’ll listen and take pity on me or not, one fact remains. No matter the cost to myself, there is nothing I won’t do for her and the girls. “Lucas.” “Hmm?” “What could these people possibly want with me?” Nothing good, I’m afraid. For these people, Embree and the girls are a means to an end. A way to bring Creed back in line and punish him for the infractions he’s committed. Knowing what we know, it’s highly likely their goal is to lure him out by making Embree and the girls disappear. And if that happens, we’ll likely lose them to the dark underbelly of the seedy world Creed’s single-handedly trying to destroy, never to be seen or heard from again. It’s a terrifying thought. One I can’t bring myself to share with her, so I swallow down the panic clawing in my chest. “Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out. I don’t want you worrying about this right now. I know it’s hard, but I’m asking you to please put your trust in us. We’ll keep you safe and I promise the team and I will do whatever it takes to get you and the girls free from this mess.” “I’m scared.” “I know, sweetheart.” I am too but there's no way in hell I can tell her. Kissing her forehead I pull her in closer. “But remember, I’m here now. No matter what happens, I won’t leave you to face this alone.” “I love you, Lucas.” “I know, Emb. And I have always and will forever love you.” Want to read ahead? The next 2 Chapters are available FREE if you FOLLOW ME on REAM!!! (https:/eamstories.com/arianaclarkauthor) Please remember to like, comment, & review. For updates on this and future stories, remember to follow me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Author’s Note: In this scene, we learn a bit more about how Lucas came to adopt Nero. The bond between them is like no other, because it was forged out of circumstances few could relate to. Nero is quite special, and I modeled his character based on research I conducted on real-life Military Working Dogs and their handlers. He's by far one of my favorite characters and I cannot wait for you to see what else he can do. Tell me what you think about this chapter. It looks like Lucas is headed back to his childhood home. Do you think this will give him the closure he needs, or will it trigger the self-loathing that often sabotages his decisions? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NEW CHAPTERS post at 3:00 PM EST on Tuesdays & Thursdays!!!
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