by Jaime Lewis
Cody’s eyes widened. “Really?!” He asked excitedly, making Frost smile.
“Really, Cody. You’re a cool kid, and just so you know, I don’t introduce just anybody to my team.”
Cody was smiling from ear-to-ear. “I get it, Frost. I’ve read about SEALs and how you guys like to lay low. I won’t say a word. Not even to my friends.”
“I appreciate that, Cody. So, I’ll expect to see you tomorrow then?”
“You bet.” He turned to his mom, who was silently watching the interaction between them. “Mom, isn’t that awesome?”
Autumn chuckled and kissed the top of Cody’s head. “It sure is kiddo.”
“This is so cool! Can I go grab a juice out of the vending machine before we go?”
“Sure, honey. I’ll meet you in just a minute.” She adjusted her bags on her shoulder.
“Later, Frost!” Cody said, waving over his shoulder as he hurried out of the door.
Frost chuckled and waved back. “Later, Cody.”
Autumn turned to Frost and stepped toward the bed, bringing with her the scent of her perfume. Frost tried not to be obvious as he inhaled, but she smelled really good.
“I hope he wasn’t a bother. He normally has his regulars he visits.”
Frost waved her off. “Not at all. He seems like a good kid.”
“I like to think so. But then again, he is my kid,” she said, smiling. “But it’s nice to hear it from someone else once in a while.” He laughed, and she stepped even closer and looked him over, giving him a sincere look. “How are you feeling after the exercises this morning? And don’t lie to me,” she said, grinning. “I’ve worked with a few SEALs, and I know you guys tend to hide the truth. But, believe me, when you do that, it will only cause setbacks and delay your return to active duty.”
Frost was taken back by the sincerity in her voice. She really did care about her patients. He’d been through several medical professionals during his career, and none of them had the bedside manner that Autumn brought. Most doctors and therapists treated you like you were just a number in the system and would rely on what the patient told them. But Autumn wasn’t like that. She watched closely for any signs, whether it was verbal or physical. And the others sure as hell didn’t look like her either. Hearing her talk about working with other SEALs made him jealous. He wondered if any of those guys ever hit on her.
What the fuck am I thinking? She isn’t mine. But I want her as mine. Goddammit!
Frost startled when he felt her soft, warm hand on his forearm.
Shit! I completely zoned out. What the fuck is wrong with me?
Autumn pulled her hand back quickly. “I’m sorry.” She swallowed hard.
Frost looked directly into her eyes. Her green eyes shimmered.
“I’ll always be honest with you, especially when it comes to my health and wellbeing. If I’m not, I’m not only endangering myself, but I’d be putting my teammates’ lives on the line as well, and that is something I’d never do.
“So, to answer your question, yes, my leg is sore, but that’s expected from the workout my beautiful drill sergeant put me through.” He winked and knew immediately he had embarrassed her as he watched her lower her head submissively at his comment. And dammit if his cock didn’t start to harden, again. Shit! He was losing control. Earlier today, when she was leaning over him during PT, he had to use every fiber of his being to keep from getting an erection. What the fuck was happening to him?
When she raised her head, her gaze held his, and they both stared at each other for a few long seconds until she cleared her throat and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I’d better get going before Cody engages in another conversation with someone.”
Frost smiled, but deep down, he wasn’t ready for her to go. He wanted her to sit and talk, so he could learn more about Autumn Kauffman.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, bright and early, Rhoades.”
“It’s Frost.”
She gave him a weird look. “What?”
“Call me, Frost. My friends call me Frost.”
She smiled. “Okay, Frost. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He grinned. “I’m looking forward to it, Autumn. Drive safe.”
She shook her head, and before she turned to leave, Frost noticed her cheeks were a little pink. He watched her walk out the door and couldn’t resist taking another look at her ass again. His mom always said love could come out of nowhere and hit you on the head when you least expect it. He began to wonder if Autumn could be that woman.
He laid his head back on the pillow and started to think. He was turning thirty-one in a couple of months. Seeing his best friend Alex happily engaged to Ace and his other best friend, Tenley, now married to Potter, another one of his teammates, made him contemplate what he wanted with his future. He wouldn’t always be in the Navy, and he wouldn’t mind a family.
His thoughts drifted to Cody. He couldn’t be any older than ten or eleven years old, though he acted a lot older. But considering his father was a Marine and then having to deal with the loss of his father probably forced him to grow up faster.
He wanted to know more about Autumn and Cody. Something about the duo touched him deep inside. He wanted to do something for Cody, and he got an idea.
Reaching over to the table next to the bed, he picked up his cell phone and dialed Stitch.
“What’s going on? You calling to have me come rescue your sorry ass from that place?”
“Shit, I wish.” He rubbed a hand down his face.
“Oh, come on, it can’t be that bad. I’ve seen how those cute nurses cater to your every whim and need.”
“Yeah, well, that’s part of the problem. Anyways, I need a favor.”
Stitch got serious. “Sure, man. What’s up?”
“Tomorrow, before you guys stop by, can you swing by the commander’s office and ask him for a Team 2 t-shirt and hat and bring them with you. Men’s size small if they have it.”
Stitch snorted a laugh. “Please tell me you’re not resorting to offering SEAL novelties to get a date.”
Frost laughed. “Fuck you! No, it’s for Autumn’s son.”
“Autumn? Oh! Your physical therapist. The hot redhead? Wait, she has a kid?” Stitch asked.
Frost rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that Autumn. And, yes, she has a son. Look, I’ll explain later, just bring the shirt and hat with you.”
“You got it.”
“Thanks, I’ll see ya tomorrow.”
“Later.”
◆◆◆
Autumn flicked her blinker on as she turned into her housing complex. It was a few minutes after seven, and the sun was starting to set. She was still smiling inside from spending time with Frost today. Though their day didn’t start great, at least it ended on a good note. Gosh, she was so embarrassed and couldn’t believe she had insulted Frost’s team leader. She never meant for that to happen. Thankfully, they managed to make up during his therapy session. Frost didn’t really talk too much about himself, which didn’t surprise her. However, she was surprised how easy it was for her to talk to him, especially about her late husband. She was grateful Frost didn’t ask questions, which made her respect for him grow.
She pulled into her assigned parking spot in front of the duplex she rented. She hated arriving home when it was dark out. The complex they lived in wasn’t the greatest or the safest, but for now, it was all she could afford. Just as she does typically before getting out of the car, she glanced around, making sure nobody was nearby. As her eyes scanned the house, she noticed her bedroom window was pushed up, and the screen was missing. Her stomach clenched. She didn’t remember opening the window this morning, and even if she had, she never would have left it open when she wasn’t home. Not in this crime-ridden area. She looked around again and saw all of the hoodlums loitering in front of another duplex a few homes down, and she got a creepy feeling.
She noticed that Mrs. Higdon, her seventy-three-year-old neighbor, who lived in t
he duplex connected to hers, was out walking her poodle. Maybe she saw something. She instructed Cody to wait in the car and lock the doors while she went to speak with her. She didn’t tell him why because she didn’t want to alarm him.
When she stepped out of the car, her foot landed in a pile of cigarette butts, and she silently cursed. Someone had been emptying their ashtray right next to her parking spot. It was the fourth time in the last two weeks she would have to clean it up. Letting out an audible sigh, she continued toward Mrs. Higdon.
“Hi, Mrs. Higdon,” Autumn spoke as she approached the older woman. Barney, the little white poodle, jumped up on his hind legs at the sight of her. Barney knew Autumn usually carried around little treats just for him, but she didn’t have any today. She bent down to pet him. “Sorry, buddy. I don’t have any treats. I’ll bring you over one when I get a chance.” He gave her cheek a little lick and barked, making her laugh.
“You’re getting home late tonight, Autumn.” Leave it to Mrs. Higdon to know everyone’s business around here. But being nosey in a good kind of way might be why nobody ever bothered her.
“Yeah, I left work a little late, and then I needed to run to the store.” Her mind drifted to Frost. For some reason, the man got her insides all twisted up when she was around him.
She saw Mrs. Higdon look toward her car, where Cody sat watching them. “Why is he still in the car?” She asked.
“Well, I wanted to ask you if you noticed anybody hanging around the house today. When I pulled in, I noticed my bedroom window was open, and I don’t remember opening it this morning.”
Mrs. Higdon gasped and covered her mouth. “Oh, dear. No, I haven’t seen anyone, but I was at my quilting class at the Senior Center for a few hours this morning. Do you think someone broke in?”
“I don’t know. I’m afraid to go in and check. If someone did, I don’t want to contaminate any evidence left behind. But then again, I don’t want to look like a fool if I did open it and just don’t remember doing it.” Damn, this sucked.
“Well, why don’t you call the non-emergency number to the police department and explain the situation to them. They will still send someone to check it out just to be sure. Go ahead, call them, then you and Cody can come to my place while you wait. If someone did break-in, you need to contact Mr. Voight, the landlord, so he is aware. Now that I think about it, wasn’t that the window that the lock broke on about a month ago?”
“Yes. I spoke with Mr. Voight about it, and he said he would get it fixed.”
“Let me guess, he never ‘got around’ to fix it,” she said using air quotes, and Autumn just nodded.
Mrs. Higdon let out a sigh. “I swear that man is a cheap ass son-of-a-bitch. He pulled that crap with me when I first moved into my place when the handle to the faucet in my bathroom broke. It took the bastard almost two months to replace it. And he only did that because I threatened to sue.”
Autumn loved Mrs. Higdon. The woman was a spitfire for her age. She wasn’t afraid of anybody, and that included the three-hundred-pound landlord of theirs. In a way, Autumn considered Mrs. Higdon a mother figure to her. She was someone she could talk to about anything.
“No matter the outcome from tonight, you and I are both going to call Mr. Voight tomorrow and demand he gets his ass out here and fix that lock. Next time something breaks or needs to be repaired, you stay on his ass until he gets the job done.”
Autumn just nodded her head in agreement. She would certainly do whatever Mrs. Higdon wanted her to do. There was no use in arguing with the woman because, in the end, she’d get her way whether you agreed or not.
“Now, go get that wonderful son of yours and come in while you make that phone call to the police department.”
Autumn smiled, not even trying to argue with the tiny but powerful woman. “Yes, ma’am.”
◆◆◆
“Let me know if you see anything missing or out of place.” The friendly officer told her as he escorted her through the house. Autumn thought escorting seemed like a funny word to use because the house was so small, the guy could stand in the living room and see every nook and cranny.
He was good looking, she guessed, probably in his forties. Tall with dark brown hair with a little grey starting to show and light brown eyes. The color reminded her of caramel. She referred to him as the nice officer because the other officer who was on the scene earlier was young and cocky. He looked annoyed at having to be there. God forbid the man actually had to work to earn a paycheck. After he pretty much accused her of forgetting that she’d opened the window, the officer in charge who was escorting her now, had stepped in and dismissed him from the scene. At least he apologized for the young officer’s behavior.
They walked through the living room, then Cody’s room. Nothing looked to have been tampered with or missing. They got to her room, and again, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, just the window was wide open. They did have their evidence team dust for fingerprints around the window. They were able to get a couple of partial prints, but they could be hers or Cody’s. The officer lectured her about needing to get the lock fixed on the window as soon as possible. She explained for the second time today how it had broken a few weeks ago, and she called the landlord, but nothing had been done about it. But she assured the officer she would try calling again, just like she assured Mrs. Higdon.
As they were exiting the room, something caught her eye, her husband’s dog tags. They were sitting on top of the small jewelry box she kept on her dresser. She let out a low gasp and covered her mouth, catching the officer’s attention.
“What is it?” He asked her.
She pointed with a shaky hand to the dog tags. “My husband’s dog tags. I know for sure those were not left there.”
He looked at her as if he was trying to scrutinize her. “Are you positive?”
She nodded her head as her eyes started to water. Seeing those brought back memories. Both the good and the bad. She sniffled. “They haven’t been out of that jewelry box since the day I buried him two years ago.”
He gave her a sympathetic look and put his hand on her shoulder in a friendly and caring way. “Okay. Let me call back in the crime scene technicians and get them to process this area. Go ahead and wait out in the living room for me, okay.” She nodded her head and went to the living room to wait.
Forty-five minutes later, the officer came back out. Knowing the dog tags had been removed from her jewelry box confirmed her fear. Someone had definitely been inside her home. But why had the person targeted the dog tags? She didn’t understand.
“Mrs. Kauffman, we are just about done here. About another five minutes, and you’ll have the place to yourself. I’ve arranged to have extra patrols in the area through the night and for the next few days. If we get any information or if we have any further questions, I’ll give you a call.”
She gave him a faint smile. “Thank you, officer. I appreciate your help.”
He smiled, then handed her a card. “This is my card. My office line is on there, along with the general number. I’ve written your case number on the back. If you notice anything else or if you have any questions, just call either number, and either I or someone else can help you.”
She nodded her head.
“Now, before I go, is there someone who I can call to come over and stay with you?”
As much as she would love to have someone come over, she didn’t have anyone she could call. She had Nathan, but what could he do 3,000 miles away? She had a few friends at the hospital and Mrs. Higdon next door. But that was really the extent of her ‘friends’. Why, at that moment, did Frost’s name pop into her head?
“Ms.?”
“Oh, sorry. I was just thinking. No, there isn’t anyone. We’ll be okay. I’ll make sure I call the landlord first thing tomorrow about the lock.”
She escorted the officer out and promised again she would get the lock fixed and notify his department right away if anything else occurred.
After picking up Cody from next door, she got him into the shower and tucked in bed. Thank goodness, Mrs. Higdon was kind enough to fix him a ham and cheese sandwich with some chips for dinner.
She changed into a pair of loose cotton shorts and a tank top, then gathered her bucket of cleaning supplies from the linen closet before getting to work cleaning the filth the crime scene technicians had left behind. The powder they used to dust for fingerprints covered her bedroom. Although, she planned on disinfecting the entire house anyway, knowing a stranger had been in her house. Only then would she try and get some sleep, though it didn’t seem likely. She was on guard and didn’t plan on letting it down anytime soon.
Chapter Four
Skinny stood just down the street and watched the police leave the hot red head’s house. A woman he wouldn’t mind sinking his dick into. But that wasn’t what he was getting paid to do. Although it was tempting, it would be easy to break into that crappy ass house. He and his buddy 8-Ball, who’d been helping him mess with the woman, could tag team her. Man, the thoughts that went through his mind, imagining her tied up and gagged while he fucked her rough and hard. The fear in her eyes alone would drive him wild.
He reached down and adjusted his throbbing dick. Just thinking about her sweet body made him hard. He needed to head to the club he belonged to and find an easy piece of ass. His boss, who financed the club, always made sure there were women at all times of the day and night available to satisfy the club members. It didn’t matter that the women were drugged. He only cared about the pussy. Maybe he’d mention the redhead to his boss. His boss had a particular taste for women. And this one seemed to be right up his alley. Yeah, he’d give Cecil a call.
First, he needed to call the woman he was doing the job for. He couldn’t fuck this up. It was easy money.
He pulled the burner phone from his pocket and hit the pre-programmed number. It rang twice.
“Is tonight’s job done?” The voice, on the other end, asked.