“How did you get away?”
“Uri hide me with prostitute. She give me card. I call man. He say I can be nanny.”
“Dasha, what happened when you came to the United States?” Finn asked.
“Man and lady took my passport and said I be nanny. But then they took me to a place with many other girls. We not know what happening.”
“So after you are with all the other girls, what happened?”
“They find out I pregnant and get very angry. I am scared they will beat me. But the lady said that it good thing. That is when they send me to the island.”
“How long were you on the island?” Finn asked.
“Two. Maybe three months.”
“Was it Rylie who sent her to the island?” Angie asked Finn.
“No. Rylie didn’t know about the island,” Finn told her. “Dasha, do you know where you were before they sent you to the island?”
“It was hot, like jungle.”
“Mexico,” Finn bit out. “She was part of the Guzman organization. They must have known about the Liu’s baby selling business. God, the whole mess makes me want to kill them all over again.”
Angie put her hand on his arm. He put his other hand on top of hers and took a deep breath.
“So she was in Mexico, to begin with?” Sergei asked.
“Yep. She was part of a huge human trafficking operation that spanned North America,” Finn explained. “I only ever heard of the baby selling going on in Canada though.”
“When they rescue us, many men from governments talk to us. Rylie nice and find Uncle Sergei, but government man say I must to go to Ukrainian Embassy. That is when I beg uncle to run away.”
“Why didn’t you just tell him why?” Angie asked.
“In my apartment, she saw pictures of me in my army uniform. She didn’t realize that it was the US Army.”
“Shit.”
“Exactly, son.” Sergei agreed with Finn. “It was a clusterfuck.”
“Sergei, do you really think the general would be able to find her and do something to her here in the United States?” Angie asked.
She watched the old man rub his temple. “Yeah, I do. Somehow we have to out him before he gets to her.”
“At least we know what we’re up against. Thanks for finally explaining things.” Finn reached out and patted Dasha’s hand. She gave him a tremulous smile.
“I need to get her home.”
Chapter Eight
After they had left, Finn went into the guest bedroom. He looked at his phone for a long time. He really wanted to call Lydia, she would have the information he’d need about the progress of the missing babies, but he missed his team. God knew he thought the world of Lydia, but she wasn’t one of his brothers. Clint was Midnight Delta’s computer guru, so that’s whose number he dialed.
“Hey, Clint. It’s me–” Before he could continue, Clint interrupted with a loud whoop.
“It’s about fucking time. Wait ‘til I tell everybody you’re back. God, we’ve been so worried about you. Are you good?” What a loaded question. Finn sidestepped it.
“You probably know I’m in Austin,” he said slowly.
“Nope,” Clint said with a smile in his voice. “I didn’t track you. Lydia was pissed as hell when I told her we weren’t going to track you down. We had a hell of a fight.” There was a pause. “I want to thank you for that.”
Finn was lost. “Why do you want to thank me?”
“For some of the best make up sex ever.”
“You’ve been spending too much time with Drake.” Finn shook his head, beginning to feel better that he’d called.
“Hell no. I’ve always been a fan of spending time with my woman. Anyway, I’m just trying to ease you back into the fold with sex talk, instead of immediately giving you the third degree. How am I doing?”
“You were doing good, but now you blew it.”
“Well now that we’re done with the kid gloves, how are you doing? Are you coming back?”
Finn thought about earlier in the week when he had lost it in the park. Then he remembered he had actually smiled with Angie. “There are bad days and good days.”
“Thank fuck.”
That floored him. “What are you talking about?”
“When you left, there were only bad days.”
“Clint, I’m talking about a major freak-out.”
“And that surprises you? Does it really, Finn? You’ve been walking a razor’s edge for months. A major freak-out has been brewing. We’ve been expecting more than one. I have a question. Did you get yourself under control?”
“Yes,” Finn reluctantly admitted.
“What was the good day?” Clint asked.
“It was nothing compared to the bad day.”
“Just tell me,” Clint coaxed. It rankled that he appreciated the care in Clint’s tone, but he did. “Finn, answer me, buddy.”
“There’s this girl, well woman really, she actually gave me something to smile about.”
“That’s fucking awesome! Jesus, Finn, you smiled? For real?”
“Come on, it’s not that big of a deal,” Finn complained.
“Yeah, it really is.” Clint sighed. “But you’re not coming home, are you?”
“No, not yet.”
“Okay. I am deducing you didn’t call me because I’m the prettiest member of the team. You must need some information.”
“You got it in one.”
“What can I help you with?”
“I’m here in Austin with one of the mothers.”
“You mean Dasha Koval. How did you know she was missing? Even with Melvin’s help, we haven’t found her. Rylie has been frantic.” Finn didn’t immediately answer the question, surprised Clint had to ask. His team had all met Declan, and Clint more than any of the others had an idea of the Shadow Alliance, and what it was about. He knew it had access to some freaky scary information.
“Think about it.”
“I’m thinking.” Then Clint whistled. “I’ve got it. This stinks to high heaven of Declan. I should have thought to ask you, but it just never occurred to me. I’m off my game. I’m a dumb shit, and you’re good.”
“Let’s not get too crazy. Crazy being the key word in that sentence.” He heard his friend stifle a laugh.
“Okay, you found Dasha. I can’t wait to tell the team. What do you need our help with?”
“I need to know what progress you’ve made on finding the five missing babies, but most specifically, her baby.”
“Hold on, I need to pull up some of the information.” Finn listened to the normal sounds of Clint tapping on the computer keyboard. How often had he heard that sound? Too many times to number.
“Okay, there were two more reunited with their moms. As for Dasha’s baby... We have a lead. We think her daughter is in Indianapolis.”
“That’s fantastic news. You know the name of the couple who bought her?”
“No. Just the city. But we think we’ll have it narrowed down next week.”
“Man, that’s wonderful.” Finn thought about Dasha and was overjoyed. The girl had been through hell. She needed to be reunited with her daughter.
“What about the final two babies?”
“We’re still working every angle. We had to go on a mission, so it was just the women and Melvin working on it for a while. Lydia said that having me here actually helps. I was stunned she admitted it.”
Finn’s gut clenched. “You were on a mission? Where?”
“The Middle East.”
“Was it bad?”
“When do they ever send us on a good mission, Finn?” Clint asked quietly.
And that was the crux of the matter.
“Is everyone safe?” Finn asked.
“If there had been something wrong with any of us, I would have gotten ahold of you within an hour.”
“Thank you for that.”
“You’re one of us.”
“No. I’m not. Not right n
ow. I can’t be.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Trust me, it’s not easy. I’m trying, man.”
“If this was just a matter of grit and determination like BUD/S, you’d be here in San Diego. You’d be fine, and you would have been by my side in the middle of some God forsaken desert.”
“Tell me about it,” Finn said ruefully. “It feels like I’m fighting shadows that pop up out of thin air.”
“If there is anything, and I mean anything, we can do, name it. We’ll drop everything and be there.”
“Fuck, I know that. But that was part of the problem. I needed to be on my own two feet without feeling like I was surrounded by people with their hands out ready to catch me. You know?”
“I could see that.” He could almost hear his friend switch gears. “Tell me about the woman.” Finn knew he wasn’t asking about Dasha.
“Nope, you’ll just be checking her out. I’m keeping her close to my vest right now.”
“Hey, I wouldn’t be checking her out.”
“You, Lydia, Rylie. Does it really matter who? You’d have her third grade school picture by tomorrow.” Clint let out a loud laugh.
“You sound so much better. But because you went dark, I’m giving Drake this number.”
“You’re an asshole,” Finn said without heat.
“Yep.”
Finn hung up and smiled.
***
Angie was elated when he told her the news. He asked her to call Dasha.
“Why me?”
“I’ve had enough emotional phone calls for one night.”
“Honey, could you sit down beside me?” It was the first time she ever used an endearment. He liked hearing it. She lifted her legs just a little bit, and he sat down on the couch next to her and lifted her legs further so her knees could rest on top of his lap.
“It must have been really tough talking to one of your teammates. Which one was it? Mason?”
He gave her a surprised look. He guessed he shouldn’t be surprised she had paid attention to his stories about his friends.
“No, it was Clint.”
“Oh, the computer geek.” She grinned. “He’s the one who is married to Lydia, right?”
“They’re just engaged.” He took one of her feet and started to rub it. “But he’s going to drag her down the aisle as soon as she finishes her master’s. Actually, I’m surprised he’s allowed her to wait.”
“So how was it talking to Clint?” She sighed as he used his knuckles against the arch of her foot.
“They really understand what’s going on with me. They were fine letting me have the space I needed.”
“Really?” she prodded.
She was perceptive, this woman who was tired up and wounded, curled up on the couch.
“I wouldn’t be fine letting someone who is close to me just take off. If they were hurting, that’s when I would want them closest to me.”
Finn sighed. “There was some of that. But they also respected my need to work things out on my own.”
“You have some great friends.”
“They’re my brothers. They were just on a mission. I know if I had been home and tried to go with them, I would have been a liability.”
“Other foot.” He looked at her. She lifted her left foot and pointed at it. “Rub my other foot.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He suspected she was using a stalling tactic.
“I thought you did pretty good at the park. I know you’ll think I’m just saying that because I want to kiss you again, and maybe do other things besides kissing. But I really do think you handled yourself really well.” He stopped rubbing her foot.
“What planet do you come from?”
“Here me out, okay? Yeah, sure, I saw you freak out, but I also saw you pull yourself together pretty damn quickly. I’ve been reading up on this. Dasha triggered you, but you were able to deal with her within minutes after your episode, that is significant.”
He didn’t say anything, so she prodded him with her toe, and he started rubbing again.
“Maybe you have a point,” Finn finally admitted.
“I do.”
“But not having an episode is key. I can’t do my job if I’m not under complete control.”
“This was a unique set of circumstances. How often are you confronted by crying Ukrainian teenage girls?” Angie teased him.
“About once a month,” he said with a straight face.
She reached out to hit him and then gasped with pain.
“Dammit, Angie, you need to be careful. Is it time for another pain pill?”
“Maybe,” she admitted.
He got up from the couch and brought her back a glass of water and a tablet.
“Thank you.”
“It’s time to get you to bed. Put your hands around my neck.” He said and picked her up and took her to the guest room.
“Did I ever tell you that I love how you carry me around?”
“That works out pretty well since I really love holding you.” He pulled back the coverlet, and placed her on the bed, then he went over to her suitcase. “What do you want to sleep in?” He watched as she blushed. It was cute, but then it bothered him.
“Angie, what can I do to make this easier? I know we were intimate earlier but are you going to resent needing my help to undress now?” She pressed her hands to her cheeks.
“It’s stupid.”
He sat on the side of the bed. “No, it’s not. Feelings are never stupid, they’re just feelings.” She gave him a shy smile.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Now how can I make this better?”
“You just did. Get my Longhorn sleepshirt, and help me in to it, okay?”
“Your wish is my command.” He made brisk work of getting her out of her tunic and into her sleep shirt. But as he was smoothing it down over her back, right above her bottom, he saw it. His hands stilled.
“Finn?”
“How did this happen?” he asked in a careful voice.
Keep it together, Crandall.
“It was a long time ago. I was young and stupid.”
“How?”
Angie let out a sigh. “Help me under the covers.” Like she might shatter, he settled her onto the mattress and pulled up the covers. She shimmied out of her pants and handed them to him.
“Tell me.”
“It was only twelve stitches.” She smiled.
He continued to hold her gaze, unamused.
“It wasn’t because I was on the job, so we can’t blame that.”
“I’m listening.”
She pulled at the cover, and he plucked her hand up in his. “Just tell me,” he said.
“I was getting gas. One stall over a kid jumps this older lady who was pumping gas. He had a knife. I apprehended him.”
Finn’s hand tightened. “That’s a bad place for a knife wound.”
Angie looked down as he laced their fingers together. “I was lucky. It didn’t hit anything vital. No surgery.”
“Dammit woman, what am I going to do with you?”
She pulled his hand to her lips. “Let me play in the big leagues?” she asked hopefully.
He did a double take, then he shook his head. “You are something else, Ms. Donatelli. Can I get you anything?”
“I’m good.” She smiled at him.
“Okay. I’m going to leave both of our bedroom doors open tonight. I’ll be able to hear you if you need anything.”
“Thanks, Finn.”
***
On the third day, Finn gave in and agreed to take Angie into the office.
“You know I’m fine,” she cajoled.
“That’s a load of crap.”
“You know I’m getting on your nerves.”
“Well there is that,” he relented. Angie laughed. She really enjoyed the man, but being in such close quarters with him, and not jumping his bones, was getting more and more difficult.
“What?”
“What do you mean, what?”
“You were looking at me funny,” he said.
“Just take me to the office. I dressed myself and everything.” It had been a major pain in the ass, but she had managed to do it. Hell, she’d gone all out, even applied makeup and lip gloss.
He opened his mouth to lodge what she knew was going to be another protest when she stopped him.
“You know it requires a security check to get into the office building. They have a picture of Paul Jackson, and they won’t let him up. I’m not leaving the office until you pick me up at two o’clock. I’m only going to be at the office for five hours.” He shut his mouth.
When they got to the apartment parking lot, he ushered her to his car.
“I really think you should only stay there four hours.”
“We agreed on five. I promise if I get tired after three hours, I’ll call you.” He gave her a glance as he started the car.
“Seriously, I will. I’m not going to jeopardize my recovery. I have meetings today and tomorrow with Anders Microtech. I really need to be there.”
“I know. You’ve explained it to me—multiple times.”
By the time they got to her office building, she was breathing heavily, but not from pain. It was the parking garage. She hadn’t considered it. Finn drove in and hit the button for the ticket and waited for the gate to lift up. She could barely take in air. He caught on immediately.
“Angie. We’re leaving. It’s not a problem. We’re getting out of here now.”
She heard him swearing under his breath, calling himself every kind of idiot, as he sped around the garage and exited in record time.
As soon as they were back on the street, she could breathe again. He found a spot to parallel park, and came over to the passenger side and opened the door.
“Do you want to go back home?” he asked. Her eyes were closed. She didn’t want him to see her tears. God, this must be how he felt twenty-four seven. It sucked donkey-balls. She opened her eyes and tried to smile.
“Yes, I want to go back home. No, I’m not. I’m going to the office. Thanks for getting me out of the garage so quickly. It scared the hell out of me.”
“I wasn’t thinking. Being the king of flashbacks, I should have thought of it. I’m a dumb shit.”
“Don’t pick on my guy.” He brushed a kiss on her cheek. She quickly turned her head, capturing his mouth. Heat flared. The last of the fear dissipated.
Her Fierce SEAL: Midnight Delta Book 6 Page 11