Still confused, Johnny looked down at the sheet in front of him. The police report looked like they had done their work.
Sure, his team, platoon, and squads had been involved in investigations relating to arms deals and the like, but random murders were way outside their wheelhouse.
Luc flipped another page to a picture of a grungy run-down neighborhood. Windows were boarded up in a couple of the shots while others had been broken out.
“This is where the murder took place. This is downtown Boston.”
Johnny frowned. Didn’t really look like the kind of place some rich businessman would go. Then again, maybe he’d taken a liking to crack like certain former D.C. and Toronto mayors.
He looked back up to Clint and Nathan while Luc took the file from his hands.
“So it’s obvious this guy is involved,” Johnny said and shrugged. “I still don’t get what all this has to do with the US military. I’m assuming this South African guy wasn’t fulfilling a bunch of DOD contracts.”
Clint scrubbed a hand over his chin. “Well, it didn’t have anything to do with us until we came across a piece of intel linking Williamson Enterprises to the area when Emir was killed.”
Johnny’s blood ran cold. They knew there had to be deep pockets involved with the amount of money that was being spent to get black market weapons to the area, but a billionaire? That was some serious cash splashing around and destabilizing the area.
“Why? What would this guy care about matters in the Middle East? Especially some tiny country that didn’t even exist until a few years ago and has no oil?”
Clint shrugged his shoulders. “Who knows? Maybe he has interests there that he hasn’t made public. Right now we’ve got people looking into him, but this guy is good. He doesn’t leave a trail, and anyone that might sell him out ends up conveniently dead.”
Johnny leaned in, glad to have a lead on the person that had led to his friend’s death. He didn’t care how rich this bastard was. If he was involved in Emir’s death, he’d pay.
“So where did we get this intel?”
“A past informant.” Clint shook his head. “It was mentioned before, but no one thought much about the man. Williamson Enterprises is everywhere in small ways, and it took an analyst to connect the dots in the lines.”
“Fair enough.” Johnny nodded. “So when are we going after this bastard?”
Clint looked over to Luc and Nathan and then back to Johnny. “We’re not,” he said flatly.
Johnny jumped up. “What do you mean we’re not? This bastard got Emir killed. We owe it to him. We owe to the other soldiers and sailors killed.”
Clint stood and slammed his hands against the desk.
“We owe it to him to get this right! He didn’t die trying to take down some rich prick. He died trying to get weapons out of his country that could kill his family and friends and start a damn civil war.” He sat back in his seat and stared hard at Johnny. “We don’t do him any sort of honor by going after someone with a bunch of charges that won’t stick. We honor him by getting to those weapons before someone else does.”
Johnny clenched his fists and leaned hard against the chair he had been sitting in. He wanted to drop in there with several squads and blow past whatever weak-ass PMC mercs the bastard had guarding him. But, in the end, it didn’t work that way.
They were the sword of the US government, and their leash might be long, but it was still always there.
He gritted his teeth. This wasn’t Clint’s fault. He knew his commander wanted what was best.
Still, none of this was an easy pill to swallow. They had the man responsible within their grasp, and he was just going to get away with it. The rich bastard’s actions had costs many lives, and not just Emir and the men killed in the safe-house raid.
“We’re organizing a mission to get to those weapons. Our intel is still gathering sources, but the higher-ups want boots on ground there ASAP.”
They all stared at him, and he knew what was coming next.
“You’re officially on leave,” Clint said, “but we can handle that easily enough. This is your run. Even if we can’t get this guy yet, we can still strike a blow against his operations. This is your chance to get some peace for Emir and maybe get word to Kadin about all of this.”
Kadin was another local man who helped them with translation. He’d been forced into hiding to stay alive.
Johnny sighed. This was his mission. It wasn’t the justice his friend deserved yet, but it was a start. Cut the dragon enough times, and he’d be weak from bleeding. Even Osama ended hiding in the end until the SEALs came for him.
“We’ve got some time before we head out, but you’re going to have to make a choice real quickly. I want nothing more than to have you on our team, but I can’t wait around. Our tactical intel is time-sensitive.”
Johnny opened his mouth to respond but couldn’t really find the words. The pull to stay was strong, but he just didn’t know if he had it in him to go back after what he’d seen over the years. If he put on the uniform again, would he ever be able to find it in him to put it away for good?
Clint held up a hand. “You don’t have to decide today. Go home and think on all this. We’ll talk more in a day or two.”
Johnny nodded. His eyes caught Luc’s before he walked out of the office.
“Never quit,” Luc said quietly.
The motto that every SEAL had burned into their bones. ‘Ready to Lead, Ready to Follow, Never Quit.’ The only way of life.
Johnny nodded and stepped out the door. He had a lot to think over.
Chapter Nine
It was dark out by the time Maddy got home from a day of library research and photography around town.
Tired and exhausted, she climbed the stairs to her little apartment. If she were lucky, she’d be able to look over some of the new photos she’d taken. She knew a few were good. Some might even be great.
Maddy opened the door and entered. She immediately walked over to her laptop on the couch and plugged in the camera. As the photos downloaded, she walked to her room and changed into a pair of pink and black shorts with a black tank.
Far more comfortable, she made her way over to the fridge just off the living room. She didn’t tend to keep much in it since she typically ate with her dad, but the fridge and the microwave next to it were two things she’d insisted on getting.
Sometimes a girl just needed her alone time.
She sighed loudly as she looked at the empty fridge. With all the craziness of the week, she’d let her dad do the shopping, which meant she hadn’t gotten anything for her own fridge. So much for alone time.
Maddy glanced over to the door. She could make a quick run to the house. With her dad doing the shopping, there was sure to be a ton of crap that he shouldn’t be eating. She could grab a little of it for herself until she could get to the store.
But did she really want to chance running into Johnny?
Her heart sped up at the thought of him. She wasn’t totally sure that she didn’t want to see him. There’d been a strange sort of back and forth with him that she’d never experienced before.
The real question was how long it would all last. He wouldn’t be staying with them forever, and when all that ended, what could she expect?
He was leaving the Navy, leaving the SEALs. Even if he was going to work with Trent, his life, his purpose would be way different. Maybe he just wanted some comfort as he transitioned back into civilian life and would move on once he got used to the idea.
Too many questions and not nearly enough answers. She wasn’t sure she could risk her heart again.
A soft knock came at the door, and she jumped at the sound. Maddy glanced at her watch. Eleven. Little late for her father to be visiting.
She took a deep breath and peeked through the hole.
Again her heart kicked up a bit. Even through the damned peephole Johnny looked amazing in his tight gray shirt and jeans. How could a man fill out h
is clothing like that and legally go outside? It should be a crime to be that hot.
Maddy brushed her blond hair from her face and opened her door a bit, keeping the rest of her body partially hidden by the door. He was about the last person she could deal with right then.
“Is something the matter?” she said.
Johnny gave her a wide smile and held up a plate with foil over it. “Your dad said you usually eat with him, and I thought you might be hungry.”
She stared hard at the plate in hand. “My dad cooked, and you actually ate it? You’re even braver than I thought.”
He laughed. She loved the sound, deep and sexy. The sound made her nipples harden.
“I actually cooked. I can only make a few things, but tacos are one.”
Her stomach rumbled at the thought of real food. She blushed a little when he smiled at the sound.
He held up a six pack of Dos Equis. “Thought we might have a beer while you eat.”
Maddy chewed her bottom lip. Letting him into her space was crossing all the lines she previously drew for herself during the day. This would likely end badly.
She stepped back and opened the door a bit.
Still, the chance was there. Why not take it? It was just tacos and beer. What could go wrong?
Johnny sighed quietly to himself. For a moment he thought she was going to take the tacos and slam the door in his face. Not that he would really blame her, but he hoped to hell she wouldn’t.
The place was small. The living space was just enough room for a small round table in the corner next to a microwave cart and a tiny refrigerator. A couch in front of a small television sat near the door.
Photos covered the walls and shelves. He’d never seen so many photos in one place before.
He stared at a few. They were fantastic. Professional, really. Some were black and white, some in color.
He stepped into the room and walked over to the fridge to deposit the beers.
Johnny grimaced at the lack of food. It was a good thing he’d found his balls and brought her something to eat. Otherwise she would have just gone to bed hungry.
When he turned around to hand her the plate and a beer, his gaze landed on the little number she was wearing.
The pink and black shorts rode high up her thigh, exposing all the kissable skin there and making him ache to see more. The tank was all black, and he thanked God she’d decided to wear a bra tonight, or he would have lost his fucking mind. As it was, he had a very good view of her cleavage.
Maddy crossed her arms over her chest, and he felt his mouth go dry as the movement pushed up her breasts a little.
“I threw on some PJs when I got home,” she said.
Johnny nodded and handed her the plate.
“Well, that’s good timing on my part,” he said with a grin and made his way over to the couch.
He watched her as she microwaved the meat in the container and then filled up the shells on the plate. She glanced over to where he was and gave a little grin as she lifted up the taco.
“Are you sure these won’t kill me?” she said, her eyes narrowed.
Johnny laughed and spread his arms wide on the back of the couch. “You take a bite, and then let’s see you trash talk.”
He watched anxiously as she bit into the taco. It shouldn’t matter that much, but for some reason he wanted to prove himself to her in some small way.
Maddy moaned loudly. The sound zipped directly to Johnny’s dick, and within half a second he was half hard from just the simple moan.
“This is so fucking good,” she said and placed the taco back on the plate.
Hearing her say fuck was about the last thing he needed right now, but he was glad he’d made her happy.
She sat next to him on the couch and crossed her legs. Carefully she balanced the plate on her legs as she reached for her beer on the coffee table. Johnny popped off both their caps and handed hers back to her. Their fingers touched briefly, and as silly as it was, he didn’t want to let go.
Oblivious to his turmoil, Maddy returned to eating her tacos and making little sounds as she did so.
“These are really good,” she said after she’d finished her second. “Thanks for bringing them up.”
He smiled at her and nodded. “Can I confess something?”
She stared at him for a moment before nodding.
“I sorta had a shitty day and knew you’d make me feel better.”
She set down part of the third taco and took a long drink off her beer.
“Wanna talk about it?” she asked quietly.
He shook his head. It wouldn’t help matters to talk about it, and technically everything that he’d been told was classified.
“Just got some news I wasn’t expecting,” he said. He sighed and downed the rest of his beer.
Johnny stood and made his way to the fridge for two more beers. He handed her one when he sat back down on the couch.
Something dinged next to her. He looked over and spotted a folder of pictures appear on the laptop.
“Did you take those?” he asked.
She nodded.
They were small, but he could still see that some were very good, as far as he could tell. He wasn’t an expert, but he knew what he liked.
He nodded over to the computer.
“Can I see?” he asked.
Hesitantly, she handed him the laptop while she slowly made her way through the next taco.
He clicked on the first image and scrolled through them. Each one was a different picture of some place in town he could vaguely remember seeing but was too busy to really see what was there.
Every now and again, the image was of a person or animal. A homeless woman feeding a stray cat. Children running in the park. A dog stopping to smell a flower. They filled him with a warmth and hope he never knew could be had through a photo.
Johnny looked over to her and found she’d placed her plate on the coffee table and was watching him closely.
“These are amazing,” he said quietly.
Two pink spots spread across her face, and she quickly busied herself with her beer.
“Just some stuff to practice my work,” she said.
Johnny went back to looking over the pictures. He’d always known she liked to take pictures but never guessed that they were like this.
He clicked out of the photo folder and opened up another labeled family.
Maddy moved quickly on the couch to set down her bottle on the table. “Okay, you’ve seen them, hand it over.”
Johnny frowned as he opened up the pictures.
He laughed as the young girl he once knew popped up on the screen. Most were supposed to be serious self-photos but came off more like a teen trying too hard to look mature. He paused on one where her blond hair hung over part of her eye. She was leaning into the camera and looked as if she were shutting it off as the shot was taken.
Maddy stopped trying to get back the computer and settled next to him on the couch.
He clicked on a few more photos and grinned at her.
“I remember this bonfire,” he said. “It was at the Allen camp out. Just after I finished high school.”
He laughed as he skimmed through the photos.
“I was leaving for boot camp just after this, and you all came.”
Maddy leaned into him and looked at the photos. Their thighs touched as she did so.
“Dad walked out barefoot to pee that night and ended up stepping in poison ivy,” she said. “So every time he walked all weekend, he cursed.”
He laughed remembering how pissed Rich had been about that.
They came to the last night of the trip, and he paused on a picture. It was one of him sitting on a log in front of the fire. He wasn’t staring at the camera as he’d seen from the other pictures. Instead he stared into the flame in front of him.
His hair was a bit longer than it was now, and the fire illuminated his face. The smile he normally carried was gone. He looked so alon
e.
It was startling staring at yourself in a picture and seeing your innermost thoughts bared for all to see. Maddy snapped his photo and in it captured a piece of his soul.
“Oh, I think that’s enough photos,” she said and pulled the laptop over to her.
He watched as she pulled it over.
“My dad had passed a month earlier,” he said quietly. “I really wanted Ryan and Brandon to come. Mason tried, but… I wanted all of them.”
Maddy placed a hand on his arm. “I’m sure your brothers wanted to be there.”
He shook his head. They hadn’t been close in years. It wasn’t really their fault. They were older than him and closer in age. He’d always been the odd man out. But still, he thought they might try a little more when he joined the Navy.
Johnny gave a small laugh. But it wasn’t the Marines, and there would always be the divide between them, even though he’d gone Special Forces.
He turned to look at Maddy, her hand still on his arm as she looked up to him.
“You always seemed to be there,” he said, “even when I didn’t know.”
Her cheeks turned bright red, and she quickly looked away, pulling her hand back as she did so.
Johnny caught her small fingers in his own.
“Don’t,” he said quietly. The rest of that sentence stuck in his throat.
She stilled as he rubbed his thumb over the tops of her fingers.
His heart skipped when she turned her face up to his, and he stared into her clear blue eyes.
“I don’t—” she said.
Johnny leaned in and sealed her mouth with his. He didn’t want to hear her protest or the reasons why he should leave. Right now all he wanted was to hold her in his arms and know that she wanted to be there with him.
Right there in that moment.
Chapter Ten
Maddy sighed against Johnny. Her fingers held by his were now laced through his, holding on as if she thought he might run away.
Johnny reached around her, his warm hand skimming the exposed skin where her shirt had ridden up. Her skin prickled at the feel of his calloused fingers running along the soft skin.
Johnny: #2 (Special Forces) Page 5