Loved by a SEAL

by Cat Johnson

  Whatever it was. Maybe if she knew that—what they were to each other—she’d know how to deal with it.

  They definitely should have spent more time talking and less time doing what they’d done.

  Maybe she deserved that beating after all.

  CHAPTER 16

  “Questions?” The team CO asked while glancing around the meeting room.

  Rocky raised his hand. “So we’re telling the joint forces’ troops we’re on a training exercise?”

  “Yup.” The CO glanced at Grant, who nodded in agreement.

  “But in reality we’re inserting into the forest just a couple of klicks from where we think the target’s leaders are holed up?” Rocky followed up on his first question.

  “That about covers it.” Zane, standing next to Grant for this meeting, nodded.

  Brody was happy to see Zane was finally off the phone with the senator so he could attend this meeting.

  “That’s nuts.” Dawson, one of the newer guys on the team, shook his head.

  Chris blew out a breath. “I’ll tell you what’s nuts. It’s that the Nigerians announced their last attempt against Boko Haram ten days in advance, which gave the target plenty of time to move their leaders out.”

  Rocky’s eyes popped wide. “Holy shit. So when you gonna tell them the truth?”

  “When we get where we’re going. Maybe.” Jon shrugged.

  Next to Rocky, Thom shook his head. “It’s bad enough we have to fight the bad guys. Now we have to deceive the good guys too.”

  “But are they going to believe what we tell them?” Rocky glanced back to Grant as he asked the question.

  Grant answered, “Sure. Because we’ve convinced them we believe their theory that taking Boko Haram in the forest is too difficult. We’re letting the local forces continue their operation to retake control of the towns previously lost, one at a time.”

  Jon nodded. “Boko Haram abandoned Gwoza and a couple of other small villages rather than fight, but the reality is until we defeat them they’ll just move right back in again after the ground forces leave.”

  Zane took over explaining the situation. “The target’s changed goals and tactics. It seems they’ve abandoned the hope of controlling the region and running their own state. They’re being forced underground but they’re not gone. They’ll be using guerilla tactics. I think we can expect small, more frequent, targeted attacks. But not all of the attacks will be smaller. They’ve lost ground but they’re more closely allied with ISIS. I think their main goal will be to prove to the world they’re still valid with a large show of force.”

  In a tag team exchange, Grant nodded and continued where Zane had left off. “Boko Haram has proven over and over that they can adapt and overcome, and fast. Being quick to change tactics and direction to elude us is what makes them hard to defeat. With funding and support from ISIS, they’ll be able to set up in neighboring countries. We want to get them now while they’re mainly contained in the forest. Our goal for this mission is to capture and kill the group’s leader, Shekau. It will take more to completely defeat them, but this will be a damn good start.”

  “You have a preference on that? Capture or kill?” Brody asked.

  The team CO laughed. “You get as far as even laying eyes on Shekau and I’ll owe you all a beer. I’ll take him any way I can get him. Dead or alive. Use your judgment.”

  That’s the way Brody liked it.

  Grant glanced around the room. “We start moving Alpha unit out immediately. Bravo and Charlie will follow tomorrow in the helos just before sunrise. We want the cover of darkness but not to make them suspicious we’re planning a full out assault.”

  Which was exactly what they were doing.

  “I suggest everyone get some sleep now while you can,” the CO added.

  He was right. Once they hit the ground tomorrow, Brody’s team would have to move by foot through not only dense, but possibly booby-trapped and mined forest.

  Likely they’d have to cool their heels waiting until a truck left camp, in which case they could take turns resting once they were set up.

  He only hoped it wouldn’t be too long of a wait. Brody didn’t want Bravo unit hiding in that forest just a couple of klicks from the camp for too long. He didn’t trust the joint forces’ troops to not accidentally give their position away or worse, trigger one of the booby traps or mines and blow themselves up.

  At least the troops wouldn’t be alone. Jon and Chris would remain with Bravo unit in the forest, while Zane and Dawson accompanied Alpha unit on the road.

  Thom, Rocky and Brody would be the ones to go after the truck. A smaller team would be less likely to be detected . . . or trip a landmine.

  Meanwhile, Grant would orchestrate it all from the command post.

  The door swung open and every eye in the room turned toward it. There were maps and sensitive material scattered all over the meeting room. Things that shouldn’t be seen by the wrong eyes.

  Considering that for now they were still lying about this being a training and not an assault, that included pretty much everyone not in the room.

  Mack stopped dead in the doorway and cringed. “Sorry I’m late. Transport issues.”

  Jaw tight, the CEO said, “Close the door.”

  Once it was closed, the tension in the room eased up a bit.

  Grant nodded to Mack. “I’m glad you made it. They told me you had some trouble getting in.”

  “Yeah, you could say that.” Mack snorted.

  The CO glanced at Brody. “Cassidy, brief Mack on the plan. He’ll be on Charlie team with you. Everyone else, make sure your kits are packed and get some rest. I need you on the flight line by zero-three-thirty.”

  Brody stifled a groan. There wasn’t much chance of him sleeping unless he drugged himself. But he had to be careful about that since they were mustering early.

  He’d decide what to do about sleeping later. Right now, he had Mack’s surprise visit to deal with.

  As the room slowly emptied, Brody turned to Mack. “I didn’t know you were gonna be here.”

  “I asked for a transfer out of my unit.”

  “What? Why?” The moment the question was out of his mouth, Brody realized why. “Speedy?”

  “Yeah. I feel like a fucking pussy but I couldn’t go back there.” He raised dark eyes to meet Brody’s. “I’m not afraid.”

  “I know.” Brody nodded.

  “I mean it, dude. I will gladly die on this op—”

  Brody held up one hand. “Mack, I believe you. I get it. You go back to Fallujah and you’ll spend the whole time second-guessing what you did that day. What you might have done differently. The what ifs, not to mention the guilt, it’s too much of a distraction. You’d be putting yourself and your team in danger.”

  Mack nodded, silent. He drew in a breath and let it out. “Thanks for understanding.”

  “No problem. Now let’s go over this plan so I can get some fucking sleep. Tomorrow starts at zero-dark-thirty and our workday isn’t gonna end until we take out the target.”

  Mack treated Brody to a half-hearted smile. “That sounds pretty good to me.”

  Brody let out a short huff of a laugh. “It would.”

  He stood and led the way to the map where he could better explain the plan that would hopefully be the beginning of the end of Boko Haram in Nigeria.

  CHAPTER 17

  Ashley carried the tray to the bedroom and set it down. As she handed the glass of tea to Miss Eleanor, she asked, “So, have you heard from Brody?”

  The older woman reached for the glass and glanced at Ashley. “Yes, he called.”

  “He did?” She did her best to act casually as her heart thundered and her mind raced. He could call home but not call her?

  What the hell?

  “Yes. He told me there were muffins left in the fridge. Can you get me one?”

  Ashley tried to calm herself. “No, Miss Eleanor. That was a few days ago. You ate them all. Remember?
”

  Horrible as it sounded, Ashley was relieved the woman’s mind seemed to be slipping just a bit and that Brody really hadn’t called the house but not her.

  “Yes, of course I remember eating them, I just thought there might be more left.” Miss Eleanor, obviously insulted Ashley had insinuated she hadn’t remembered, scowled and focused back on the television.

  That was fine. Ashley needed to get her emotions back on an even keel. She’d made herself a promise to understand his job and his dedication to it. She’d vowed that when he did get in touch with her—whenever that might be—she’d support him and be understanding.

  All of that was easier said then done.

  Reading everything about world events that she could get her hands on had turned out to be a mixed bag.

  In one respect, it helped her understand everything happening in the world that Brody had to face. On the other hand, it scared the hell out of her that he was out there amid the horrors and the danger.

  She changed her guess pretty much nightly as to where she thought he’d been sent.

  Currently she was convinced he was helping with the refugees. She liked that theory best since it seemed the safest.

  Her other theory was that he’d been called to fight ISIS in Iraq. That was her least comforting scenario. Even thinking of it now, and the grim tally of the group’s assassinations, twisted her gut as she carried the tray back to the kitchen.

  Safe in Alabama was not at all a comforting place to be. It should be, but it wasn’t. Not when the man she’d loved with her whole heart once upon a time—the man who she was doing her best to not love now—was in mortal danger somewhere doing something. All information he couldn’t ever tell her.

  In the rollercoaster of her emotions, for every high there seemed to be two lows.

  Standing in his family’s kitchen where she’d spent so many happy hours as a child, she grasped at what little hope she could find. In the next breath she had to think there was no hope for them.

  Even if she did pick up her life and follow him to his base, how could she live with him gone all the time? How could she live a life while he kept her in the dark?

  The doubt crept in and she wondered if it even mattered what she wanted. Maybe Brody didn’t want her in his life.

  The ringing of the house phone had Ashley jumping. She leapt for it. If by some miracle it was Brody calling, she wasn’t going to miss it.

  “Hello?”

  “Is this little Ashley answering my momma’s phone?”

  The voice sounded enough like Brody’s it had her heart pounding, but it was clear it wasn’t him. “Chris. Hi. It’s me.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned. Brody told me he’d seen you. How you been?”

  “Good. Um, you talked to Brody?”

  “Oh yeah. I was just with him.”

  “You were? I thought he got called back to duty . . . or whatever.” This military speak was not exactly in her wheelhouse.

  Chris laughed. “He did. I’m with him.”

  “But, wait. I thought you retired.” She frowned.

  “I did. I, uh, picked up a part-time job. Actually, I’m going to have to get back to work in about two minutes but I wanted to call the family and say hey first.”

  Her mind working fast, she was trying to figure out how to get more information out of Chris, and hopefully get to talk to Brody too, all within the two minutes he said he had to spend on the phone.

  She still hadn’t come up with a plan when fumbling on the other extension of the house phone interrupted her.

  “Hello?” Miss Eleanor’s voice had Ashley ready to stomp her foot in frustration.

  “Hey, Grandmother. It’s Chris.”

  “Chris. It’s about time you called.”

  As he laughed, Ashley felt awkward listening in on this private family moment. “Um, I’m going to hang up now. Bye, Chris.”

  “Bye, Ash.”

  She wanted to tell him to say hello to Brody for her. She wanted to ask and say so many things, but all she did was hang up the receiver.

  Curiosity won out. She ran down the hall and stood by the doorway of Miss Eleanor’s room.

  Listening to one half of a conversation was always frustrating. Since Ashley was intruding where she didn’t belong and violating almost every rule of the good manners Nana had taught her, she probably deserved the frustration.

  Finally, after a conversation that yielded not a whole lot in Ashley’s opinion, Miss Eleanor hung up the phone, thereby severing the only connection Ashley had to Brody.

  Ashley drew in a breath to calm herself and stepped into the bedroom. “So, that was nice of Chris to call.”

  “Yes, it was.”

  Since it hadn’t been a question that required an in depth answer, Ashley shouldn’t be frustrated that Miss Eleanor’s reply didn’t enlighten her at all.

  She tried again. “When I answered the phone in the kitchen, before you picked up the extension in here, he told me he was working a new job. Did he say where?”

  Hopefully the inquiry sounded like everyday small talk and not like what it really was—Ashley’s desperate attempt to discover where Brody was and if he was in danger.

  The other question uppermost in her mind was why Chris could call home from wherever they were but not Brody. She doubted she’d get that answer from Miss Eleanor, but it might be worth a try.

  “Wherever he was, the connection got very bad near the end. I could hardly hear him.”

  “That’s too bad.” Ashley nodded, though that didn’t tell her much. They could be anywhere, in this country even, where there was poor cell phone coverage.

  Though the information helped a little bit. If Chris’s phone was getting terrible signal, then maybe Brody’s phone wasn’t any better. It could even be worse depending on the model of the phone and his carrier.

  She knew she was likely grasping at straws, but what else had he left her to hold on to?

  Not much.

  All she had was his promise that they’d talk again, sometime, when she was feeling better.

  The pendulum of her emotions swung one more time.

  Damn man. If she didn’t love him so damn much—

  Ashley drew in a breath. Crap. She loved him.

  CHAPTER 18

  “Alpha unit is in position.” Zane’s voice came over the comm, funneled directly into Brody’s ear.

  Brody’s T-shirt beneath his body armor was soaked with sweat from the trek, not to mention the oppressive African heat.

  He flicked a bead of sweat off his forehead before it ran into his eye and obscured his vision. Besides that there wasn’t much he could do about the situation.

  “Bravo unit in position,” Chris’s report followed.

  Rocky’s sit rep was next. “Charlie unit in—fuck!”

  Brody yanked his gaze from the access road leading into the target’s camp, to Rocky, in position and also flat on his belly to Brody’s right.

  “Repeat, Charlie unit?” Grant’s question was not Brody’s top priority as he saw what was happening just a couple of yards from him.

  Rocky seemed to be in a staring contest with a long green snake barely ten inches from his face.

  Farther from the danger of the situation while positioned just to Brody’s left, Thom whispered, “Holy shit.”

  Brody could relate.

  The team had made it on foot through miles of dense forest, which took far longer than it should have as they watched for traps and mines.

  Based on the deeply worn tire tracks, they’d located the camp and the main access point where the trucks would come and go, but remained far enough away they wouldn’t be heard or spotted.

  With two men set up along the narrow path, a gap, and then two more men, Charlie unit had positioned themselves to flank the enemy once they left camp and exposed themselves.

  The team’s next battle should have been against the targets unlucky enough to drive a truck out of that camp. Now it seemed Brody’s t
eam would also have to face off against snakes.

  Mack, next to Rocky, slowly let go of his rifle and reached down.

  Moving fast and with precision, Mack snatched the snake with one hand and sliced off its head with the knife he’d grabbed with the other.

  “Command to Charlie unit. Report!” There was more than a little stress evident in Grant’s repeated question as it filtered into Brody’s ear.

  Rocky let out a visible breath of relief as the snake lay in two parts in front of him. “Okay, yeah. Charlie unit in position.”

  “You sure about that, Charlie unit?” Grant asked sounding relieved.

  Brody figured it was best if he stepped in and finished the report while Rocky caught his breath. “Charlie unit in position. Holding and awaiting movement.”

  “Roger, Charlie. Out.”

  There was a click as Grant switched off the open communications, at which point Rocky let out a string of mumbled cusses.

  After he’d apparently gotten it all out of his system, Rocky glanced at Mack. “Thanks, dude.”

  Eyes again focused on the wooded path through the scope of his weapon, Mack answered, “Anytime.”

  “Not a snake person?” Brody whispered, smiling as he too focused on the path leading to the enemy camp.

  After a snort, Rocky said, “Nope.”

  “I had a couple of snakes growing up. That one was a beauty. Shame I had to kill it.” Mack’s offering up personal details was so unlike him, it had Brody glancing his direction.

  Rocky lifted a brow in reaction as he too shot Mack a look. “Yeah. Real shame.”

  Smiling, Brody went back to watching and waiting.

  Out of his field of vision, Thom sighed. “Well, at least that was exciting.”

  Brody understood the man’s frustration. They had to be prepared for what could be a long wait for the target to decide to leave. It could be hours, if not days.

  Or maybe not . . . the sound of an engine and something big breaking through the trees had all eyes focused on the path.

  Brody clicked the communicator to life. “This is Charlie unit. We have movement.”