Speed King (Men of Action)

by Ahren Sanders

  “Do you have any idea where they were in South America?”

  “No.”

  “I’m not an expert, but we don’t have the best relationship with some of those countries.”

  “Doesn’t matter.” Max is quick to throw in.

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because they’re Marines.”

  This makes me feel slightly better. “You’re right. They’re Marines. Do you think Talon or Ford will call soon?”

  They exchange a look that gives me my answer.

  “Never mind.”

  “There are protocols and procedures in place that aren’t defied. Certain ranks and personnel do notifications,” Finn explains comfortingly.

  “I’ve been in the same position when Robbie and Finn were in their accident in the Middle East. It fucking sucks. This isn’t about what they want to do; it’s about obeying the system. It’s also about national security,” Max adds, his gaze on Jewls. “You and Major a thing?”

  “Ummm.” She squirms, casting her eyes between them and me. “Not exactly in the way you mean.”

  Achilles and I promised each other we’d stay out of whatever may be budding between our best friends. Of course, I haven’t always stayed true to my promise, prying a little here and there. But in this situation, I’ve completely gotten involved. They really are in the friend zone.

  But it seems like an odd question to ask right now, especially from a man she’s only met once before.

  “You seemed tight at the Christmas party,” he continues.

  “We’re friends. Kinda getting to know each other better. He thinks I’m a little wild.”

  “Aren’t you a Social Worker?”

  She perks up, squaring her shoulders. “Are you saying Social Workers are dull?”

  “Never personally met a wild Social Worker.”

  Oh, shit, here we go. Presley nudges my side, and I return the gesture, biting my cheek.

  “He thinks I’m wild. I don’t agree. But for your information, I’m great at my job. However, my philosophy is there is too much heavy and serious in the world. I’ve been known to cut loose and kick it up a notch. Plus, I work part-time in a blue bar. It’s a requirement to sling drinks and snark.”

  “So, you know how to hold your own?”

  “Hell yes! I have two brothers and nine cousins who thought they were my brothers. I was born knowing how to hold my own. It’s a science putting a grown country bumpkin in their place. I perfected the art early in life.”

  The corners of Finn’s lips curl.

  “Good to know. Powers will need that when he gets home. You too, Harley. I was there after both Finn and Robbie’s accidents. They were surly, temperamental bitches.”

  At his insinuation, my mouth pops open.

  Finn shakes his head, dropping his chin. “You have no shame. My case was a little different.”

  “Yeah, Presley dumped your bum ass.”

  “Is this your tactic to lighten the mood? Drag my ass through the mud? If so, it sucks.”

  “Just telling the truth. Plus, I’ll do anything to make a beautiful woman smile again.” He spears me with a glance, his lips tipping.

  My insides turn and cheeks flush at his statement. Like all the other guys, Max is extraordinarily good-looking. Tall, built, sharp facial features, and deep, stormy blue eyes that can make a heart swoon. Knowing he’s such a good guy adds to his already oozing sex appeal.

  If I didn’t think my best friend was hiding her true feelings for Major, I’d encourage her to go after Max.

  “In case you didn’t know, Ace and Major are surly and temperamental bitches already. But if you’re advising us to have thick skin, no worries,” Jewls responds causally.

  “I’ve grown up surrounded by law enforcement. The good, the bad, the devastating—I’ve known it all. At sixteen, the bad boy with the raging temper stole my heart. Now he’s a tattooed, fiercely protective, badass that carries a badge and serves his country. When he comes home, I promise I can handle anything.”

  Both their faces mask with approval. Presley pats my thigh. “Of course, you can.”

  Max’s phone beeps and I sit forward. He scans the message, Finn reading over his shoulder.

  “My source is reporting Ace and Major are in surgery.”

  “Where?” I ask anxiously.

  “Don’t know, but this is good. It means they are likely in friendly territory.”

  “Thank God.”

  My phone rings, Cindy Powers’ name on the display. I dislodge from between Jewls and Presley, standing to take the call.

  “Hey, Mrs. Powers.”

  “Harley dear, are you okay?”

  “Yes, are you?”

  “Oh, honey, a mother is never alright in these circumstances. Every time Major is out on these missions, I barely breathe right. But we just received some promising news. Jim is calling the others now. I wanted to share with you personally.”

  “What news?” All eyes swing at me.

  “The men are in a Costa Rican hospital. They took Major and Ace to surgery.”

  I slump against the wall in relief, relaying the news out loud. “They’re in Costa Rica.”

  The guys give chin jerks in acknowledgment. My phone beeps with an incoming call. When I catch who’s calling, a fiery pain pierces my chest.

  “Sandy’s calling.”

  “Take her call. We’ll be in touch if we hear anything.”

  “Thanks, Cindy, same here.”

  When I click over, Sandy’s sniffles fill the line.

  “Sandy—”

  “Harley, are you alright?” Her teary voice is hoarse and broken. The pain in my chest intensifies.

  My eyes go to Max, remembering earlier, and I pull myself together. She needs my strength right now.

  “I’m okay, terrified out of my mind, but keeping up hope. These guys are pretty invincible.”

  “You’re right. Are you really okay? I hate to think about you being alone.”

  “I’m not alone. Friends are here with me.”

  The security alerts us to my parents driving up. Finn and Max go to greet them. The next few minutes are a blur. I finish my call with Sandy, promising to call if we get any information. Then my parents pounce as soon as they get in the door. When they’re assured that I’m far from a breakdown, they give me some space.

  Mom immediately turns on the Christmas lights around the rooms, giving the house a brightness that shifts the intensity in the air.

  “I don’t care about the time. This old man needs a drink.” Dad lobbies to the liquor cabinet. “Anyone else?”

  “Yeah,” Finn and Max reply together.

  “Harley?”

  “No thanks, Jewls sauced my tea.”

  “That sounds wonderful! Jewls, whip me up one of those hot toddies,” Mom orders as if she’s here for cocktail hour.

  Jewls grins, hopping over the back of the couch, Presley following her to the kitchen.

  “Guys,” I try to gain the attention of the area. “I appreciate all your support and love, but it’s late. You don’t have to stay with me.”

  Finn and Max are identical in stature, staring at me over the synchronized slugs of their scotch. Neither says a thing, turning back to my dad.

  It may have been a silent scorn, but it was a scorn nonetheless. They aren’t leaving.

  Then it hits me. This is my life.

  My future.

  I’ve been practically living with Achilles, Major, Talon, and Ford for months. Their bond is impenetrable. They have become a part of me.

  But more importantly, I’m a part of them. Which means I’m part of this. It doesn’t matter if they just met Finn, Robbie, and Max. There’s a bond.

  My throat tickles, and my mom catches my eye. She’s watching close and easy to read.

  Get ready.

  When it’s time, Dad will make a call. And then we will be swarmed with police and other members of law enforcement who know and respect my guys. />
  It won’t matter that it’s Christmas. This is family.

  As it sinks in, I think of what we can do to keep busy. I may not be a great cook, but I can bake.

  “Mom, want to make some cookies?”

  “Do you have what we need?”

  I gesture to the pantry.

  She smiles wide, a slight shimmer in her gaze. “That’s perfect.”

  “Jesus, all these sweets, and I’ll be diabetic when this trip is over,” Max grouses.

  “You love it!” Presley calls.

  “I’ll make you an oatmeal cookie,” I shoot him a sarcastic reply, “with raisins.”

  “Turn those raisins into chocolate chips, we’re golden.” He pats his firm stomach.

  The next hour flies by as we work side-by side, Presley keeping the conversation flowing. I force my mind to stay in the present, trying not to remember the reason we’re all gathered in the middle of the night.

  My brain is calculating the timing of baking the rest of the cookies with the brownies when I vaguely hear Max on the phone. He comes to me, his eyes alert, his mouth barking into the receiver, and his body strung tight. “Can you get me into the secure network in the house?”

  “I think so.”

  He gestures to show him, and I lead him to the media room where Talon and Ford have an elaborate set-up. It doesn’t take long for me to get into their system using Achilles’ log in. He scoots me out of the way and does fast work of getting into wherever he’s looking for. Finn steps in, tapping a few keys and blocking my vision of the screen.

  “Holy fucking shit.” Finn scrubs his hands through his hair.

  “You seeing what I’m seeing?” Max prompts.

  “Obviously.”

  “This means…”

  “Sure as shit does…”

  They speak in clipped, unfinished thoughts until I am coming out of my skin. “Guys! What’s happening?”

  They turn my way, their expressions almost unexplainable.

  I’ve seen this expression before. The night the guys were called away.

  “Those sons of bitches are bonafide fucking heroes. They not only saved the Marine and his family. They helped stop the attack on a naval ship in the Pacific. Then they took out thirteen members of one of the largest drug cartels in Columbia.”

  I fight standing, a whimper gurgling in my throat.

  “Grab your phone, Harley.” Max grins wide. “You should get a phone call from your guys any minute.”

  27

  Ace

  “His vitals are good. Don’t worry, he should wake up anytime now,” a female voice says in a thick accent.

  “I’m not worried. I’m waiting on this dipshit to wake up so we can go home,” Talon complains.

  “I’m pretty sure we can handle his patient care and you can go home.”

  “You don’t know his woman. If we arrive without him and Major, we’ll be the ones in hospital beds.”

  The female giggles. “Is she the spitfire who calls my station several times a day?”

  “Most likely. She’s blowing up our phones.”

  “It’s Christmas, she’s anxious. There’s nothing wrong with hoping for joyous news.”

  Christmas?

  The word resonates in my brain, and my pulse races. Jesus, how long have I been out?

  A monitor beeps and a cool hand compresses my wrist. “Something has him rattled.”

  “Fuck, Ace, if you can hear me, open your damn eyes,” Talon demands.

  I fight through the sleepiness, twisting my neck and groaning at the stiffness.

  “Stop the growling. It’s overrated.”

  The first thing I see when my eyes slit are his haggard eyes that fill with relief. A sterile odor of antiseptic and antibacterial cleanser hits me next. My gaze darts around the room and immediately tells me I’m in a hospital.

  The hand at my wrist squeezes, bringing my attention to the nurse staring down at me with a kind grin. “Mr. Kingston, can you hear me?”

  My throat is like sandpaper and I croak, “Water.”

  Talon brings a straw to my mouth, and I sip greedily, the cold liquid helping me find focus. It all comes back. The raid, the rescue, the ambush, the helicopter…

  “Major?” My voice is rough.

  “Next door. Alive, awake mostly. Bullet caught him under the armpit and punctured a lung. He’ll make a full recovery.”

  “Harley?”

  “She’s ready to talk to you.”

  “Give me a phone.”

  “I need to do a full assessment and alert the doctors you’re awake.” The nurse gently nudges Talon away from the side of the bed.

  “That can wait. Get me a phone.”

  “When I’m done.”

  “Talon—” I snarl.

  She shoots me a threatening glance, her eyes narrowed and unyielding. “When I’m done,” she repeats curtly.

  He raises his hands, backing away. “I’ll let Major and Ford know you’re awake and let her do her thing. I’ve seen enough of your junk the last two days to give me nightmares for life.”

  “Jealous jackass,” I mumble with irritation to his back as he leaves.

  “You and Mr. Powers are lucky. The bullet that hit him missed his spine. Fast action on their part helped save your life. Your blood loss could have been fatal.”

  She doesn’t need to elaborate for me to know the danger of a bullet to the spine. Major’s recovery will suck, but the alternative of a spine injury is much worse. Then I realize her freely sharing this information is highly prohibited in the United States.

  “Where are we?”

  “Costa Rica. Obviously, in the hospital.”

  I move to sit up, wincing at the pain radiating from my bicep and leg.

  “Be careful. Here, let me help.” She holds her arms out, and I hesitate. “I’m a mother of three boys, wife to a Fire Chief, and a nurse. Don’t underestimate my strength.”

  She helps me into a comfortable position and goes about her assessment, all the while explaining my injuries.

  Bullet graze on the bicep that needed a few stitches. My nicked femoral artery was repaired, but my blood loss was significant. After surgery, they’ve kept me loaded on drugs, and I’ve been out for thirty-two hours.

  When she pulls the blankets down and lifts my hospital gown, I instinctively cover my cock and block her hand.

  She doesn’t raise her face to mine, but her amused grin is visible. “Three sons, macho husband, and a nurse,” she reminds me with humor in her tone.

  “You’re a little close for me to feel comfortable.”

  “You were shot near the groin, Mr. Kingston. Not much I can do about it.”

  I know what Talon meant now about seeing my junk. Then I think about how many people have seen my naked ass in the last thirty-two hours.

  My fingers skim the piercing and hit a tube at the tip of my dick. “I want this out.”

  “The doctor has to make that call. You haven’t exactly been alert and functioning.”

  “I am now. A catheter isn’t necessary.”

  “Regardless of your thoughts on who has the authority here, the doctor will decide.”

  I glare at her, flinching when she pokes at the row of sutures on my thigh. The skin is shaved, red, and angry. Even I can see the swelling around the wound needs attention.

  She cleans it, chatting away about nothing in particular. Finally, she redresses the wound.

  “I’ll allow your friends to come in. Hopefully, talking to Harley will make you amenable to our healthcare protocols,” she chirps, enjoying my discomfort entirely too much.

  As if on cue, the door creaks, and Talon waltzes around the partition, Ford pushing Major in a wheelchair. It’s hard to miss the exhaustion on his pale features.

  “You shouldn’t be out of bed.”

  “You look like shit, too.” He reads through my statement.

  My lips twitch and I shake my head. “You good, brother?”

  “Yeah, you?
”

  I dip my chin as an answer. “Be better when I can talk to Harley and get this catheter out.”

  “We need to talk before you talk to Harley.” Ford’s serious reply has me sitting up straighter.

  “What’s the deal?”

  A quiet settles over the room, and the nurse catches the hint, slipping out.

  They each take turns telling me parts about the success of our mission. Apparently, the last thing Bayer did after we killed his captors was get a secure message to the Commander on the ship. The cartel liaison was apprehended, and the rest fell into place. The men who came at us from the hidden tunnel accesses are all dead.

  Except during our surgeries, Ford and Talon have been with us since arriving at the hospital. Switching back and forth every few hours.

  “Ace, we all know you’re made of steel, but that was close. You lost a lot of fucking blood. Scared the shit out of us.” Major pins me with steely eyes.

  “I didn’t—”

  “We know, man. The adrenaline, the chaos, the focus, we all get it. But shit, I hope we never have to go through something like that fucking ever.”

  “You were shot, too.”

  “And your mind was on me.”

  “My mind was on the objective, and that includes you,” I correct him.

  “We’ve been talking while you were taking your nap.”

  “I was drugged.”

  “Drugged, asleep, resting, however the hell you want to phrase it.”

  “Want to get to the point?” Irritation stirs in my gut. They’re stalling.

  The look they share is the giveaway. “You want out.”

  “Weighing the options,” Talon says breezily.

  “All of you?” The question is pointed at Major, who gives a non-committal shrug.

  Something is off. An uneasy feeling curls in my chest, slowly making its way through my body until I’m practically shaking. “What the fuck is happening?”

  Talon rolls back on his feet, crossing his arms. “You flat-lined. For nine seconds, I didn’t know if you would pull through. Major’s lung flooded with blood, and he couldn’t breathe. We watched helplessly, not knowing if either of you would live.”

  The news blows me away, and my gut turns at the reality of the situation. We’ve all seen death. Too much death. But the fact that they witnessed us in the same position at the same time would rattle even the strongest of men.