by Lea Hart
“All right.”
He dropped a kiss on her head and then bent down to look her in the eye. “So lunch around one?”
“All right.”
“How many more ‘all right’ answers do you have in you? Because if you have a few more, I’m going to ask for something really good next time.”
“That was the last one.” She pulled her hands away from his and walked out of the office.
He watched her go and smiled as he admired her pretty legs. She made me breakfast and lunch…damn, it’s a good day.
***
They drove in Chris’s truck toward Undisputed, which was the gym that Dean’s father owned in downtown San Diego. “I appreciate you joining me on this little expedition,” Chris said.
David glanced over at his good friend and decided to go for the big ask. “Do you appreciate it enough to give me the cookies from your lunch?”
“What’s it with you and my cookies? You sound like a demented twelve-year-old.”
“You wouldn’t be the first to tell me that. I think that I’ve been spending too much time around couples lately, and I’m a little jealous. The cookies in your lunch represent something that I want in my life.”
“What is it that you want?”
“I want someone to smile at me the way Cary does with Travis, I want someone to respect me as much as Rory respects Max, and I want to have the absolute certainty that Mark has about Birdie.”
“Why did you blow off all of Birdie’s matches, then? If you really wanted what you say you want, you would’ve done everything that Birdie told you to do.”
“I see that all in hindsight, which is clearly not going to help me. I didn’t want to be told what to do by Birdie. I hated the idea that she knew better than I did what I wanted or needed. Trust me, I see the error of my ways…now.”
“Why don’t you just tell her that and have her set you up?”
“I have, and she just smiles at me and tells me ‘we’ll see.’ I think she’s using me as an example of what not to do for the other guys. You know, for someone so sweet and caring, she has a decidedly devious side. I respect that, but I’m not enjoying it.”
“Give it time. You never know. She may change her mind.” He turned into the parking lot of the gym and checked the surroundings. “So do you want the sitrep on what we’re walking into?”
“Yes, give it to me,” David replied.
“Dean and Rachel dated for two months over a year ago. When she decided to end it, he lost his mind. Then he kept losing it and never got himself together. She got a restraining order against him almost six months ago, and he violates it every couple of weeks. It seems that he leaves her alone long enough for her to start to relax, then pops back in. He’s threatened her physically and obviously has terrorized her emotionally. I spoke with her contact at the SDPD, and he says that the guy seems to know how to inflict the greatest amount of damage while staying just this side of the law. The guy I met on Friday doesn’t seem capable of that. He was strung out on steroids and didn’t seem very intelligent. Something doesn’t add up.”
“So is he an MMA fighter, or does he just train?”
“He’s had a couple of fights and has done all right, but apparently, he lacks the self-control to succeed beyond the local circuit.”
“What is your gut feeling on this guy?”
“I think he’s capable of losing his mind and hurting Rachel. If I hadn’t been there on Friday, I don’t know what would’ve happened. He managed to put serious bruises on her arms in less than a minute. I fucking want to kill him for putting one finger on her, much less a hand.”
“So I’m your voice of reason in this situation?”
“Yeah. That should tell you how desperate I am,” Chris huffed.
“Why hasn’t she asked for help before this? She works for a company that has over one hundred guys who would take this on without any questions. Not to mention Rory. That woman would go crazy if she thought someone was threatening one of our people.”
“She was embarrassed and didn’t want to take away from the ‘important cases.’ At least, that’s what she told me. But it ends today, because I can’t stand this sort of bullshit,” Chris fumed.
“Agreed. Let’s go in and see how far the crazy falls from the tree. Maybe the dad taught his son what was acceptable when it comes to women and life,” David replied.
CHAPTER SIX
They strode into the gym and took a look around. Chris noticed how busy it was and figured they must be fairly successful. There were guys working the bags, and some in the octagon going at each other. Chris didn’t spot Dean right away, so he and David leaned against the wall and observed the gym.
They saw a couple of guys fight in the octagon, and David leaned over to Chris. “They seem like they’ve been doing it for a while, but they’re not any good.”
“Who was your instructor when you had the combatives class?”
David moved off the wall as he responded. “He was a world champion at the time, but I can’t remember his name. That was over twelve years ago. The guy taught us a lot, and I’ve used the moves for years. I spent a year on a Team that was assigned to taking on the pirates out of Somalia, and I used those submission techniques all the time.”
“When we were on searches in the villages, I used several techniques for the body searches. I also found it helpful when I was interrogating someone. I like to get in the ring down at the warehouse and work it out a couple times a week. Laird and I are evenly matched, so we get a good workout.”
A big guy walked over to them and gave them a friendly greeting. “Considering a new place to work out?” he inquired.
Chris stood up straight and faced the guy and studied him for a moment. “No. I’m looking for a guy named Dean or his father. Are they around?”
The guy’s friendly stance fell away as he studied both men. “Dean doesn’t show up until late in the afternoon, and Dean Sr. is in the office.”
“My name is Chris Ellis, and I would like to talk to him. Can you see if he’s available?”
“You want to tell me what this is about?”
“Not really. Just tell him I want to talk to him about his son.”
“What the hell did Dean do now?”
“Just tell him I’m here.” The guy went to the office, shaking his head. Chris turned toward David. “So no one’s surprised that Dean has two guys asking for him. I wonder how big of a fuckup the guy is.”
“Probably monumental. If he’s willing to terrorize a woman, we know he has no moral code. Rachel must not be his first victim.”
The guy returned and told Chris that he could go back. Chris and David glanced at one another and instantly had a plan about how it was going to go down. That was the thing about SEALs. They all spoke the same language. Two SEALs could meet on the street who had never worked together, and they would be working hand in hand in ten minutes. Chris gave the guy a nod and stepped into the office as David stood rear-guard in the hall. He already had the exits mapped and knew three ways to get out of the building without blowing anything up.
Chris entered, saw a large man sitting behind a desk, and knew at once that he was Dean’s father. They had the same eyes and build. He wondered if the crazy came from the father or if his son did it all on his own. He decided to start out on the right foot and extended his hand in greeting. “Sir, I’m Chris Ellis, and I’m Rachel Miller’s boyfriend.” He waited to see if the older man’s face registered any signs of recognition and saw none. He was either a liar or totally unaware. “I had the opportunity to meet your son the other night when he violated a restraining order that’s been in place for six months.” The man’s eyes shuttered closed for a second before he replaced the expression with a mask of indifference. “I came here to speak with your son today. But since he’s unavailable, I thought I would take the opportunity to speak with you.”
Dean Sr. studied him and finally let out a sigh of resignation. He wasn’t going to be able
to bullshit his way out of it. He sat up straight in his chair. “My son sometimes gets a little crazy. It’s nothing that we can’t handle as a family.”
“Well, here’s the thing…your son is messing with what’s mine, and I take that seriously. I came here to reiterate what I told him the other day when he abused my girlfriend and managed to leave some pretty good bruises on her arms. You can probably imagine how I feel about that.” The man’s face fell, and he didn’t try to cover his emotions. “There’s no second chance with me when it comes to this, and it ends now. If I ever see your son within a thousand feet of Rachel, he will not survive the experience.”
Dean Sr. studied the big man standing across from him and knew he was the real deal. He figured him for military and guessed at what he was capable of. “I’ll talk to him and convey your feelings.”
“I appreciate that. You understand that it’s not just me. Rachel works at SAI, and there are one hundred more guys just like me who are not going to take the news of what your son has been doing well. I, however, have the most at stake, so you can well imagine how serious I am about this.”
Dean Sr. nodded his head in understanding. “I’ll let him know and make sure that he understands.”
Chris extended his hand. “Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. I plan on returning later this afternoon to speak with Dean personally. I want to make sure that we’re clear on where things are.”
Dean Sr. shook his hand. “I understand, Chris.”
He gave the man a long look before he nodded and left the office. Striding down the hall, he saw David standing rear-guard as he scanned the room. “Clear,” Chris said.
David turned, tipped his head in acknowledgment, and then followed him out of the gym.
They went to the truck and got in. “So how did it go?” David asked.
“The dad knows his son is a little unhinged and wasn’t surprised by what I was telling him. He was calm, and we had a civilized conversation. I told him that I would be returning later to speak with Dean personally.”
“When you have a civilized conversation with someone, it usually ends up with someone confessing and giving up all kinds of intel. Your ‘civilized’ conversations are usually fairly deadly.”
“I conveyed my feelings about his son’s behavior and laid out what the consequences would be if the behavior continued. I think we were both clear about where things stood by the end of the conversation.”
“I’m sure you both were. Do you want me to come when you catch up with Dean?”
“Yeah, that would be great. I appreciate the backup, man.”
“Anytime. Do you think that Rachel will make me cookies?”
“I don’t know, but you can ask her when we get to the office,” Chris answered.
“I think I will. After we visit Dean, let’s go over to the warehouse and work out. Watching the bozos at the gym makes me want to get in the ring.”
“Sure. I just have to make sure that Rachel is covered. I think Dean may lose his mind after our conversation this afternoon, so I want to know that she’s secure before I leave her alone.”
“She can come with us to the warehouse, and then we can all go to dinner.”
“As fun as that sounds, I don’t think she’s going to be interested.”
“You may be right.”
***
Chris went into Rachel’s office with his lunch bag and saw her at the desk. “Hi, Rach. Are you ready for lunch?”
She twirled in her chair and studied him without saying anything. Finally satisfied that he wasn’t hurt, she smiled. “Sure. Let’s get out of the office and have lunch in the park.” Grabbing her bag out of her desk, she followed him out of the office. He placed his hand on her lower back as he guided her down the hall toward the elevators. Her skin tingled under her dress where the heat from his fingers seeped into her skin. What a lovely feeling.
He grinned down at her and pushed the button for the elevator. Stepping in, they moved toward the rear, and Chris took the opportunity to take her hand and hold it. He needed the physical connection with her and hoped she wasn’t going to object. It was like being in high school again and trying to get the prettiest girl interested in him. She gave his hand a small squeeze as they stood silently watching the numbers descend on the display. “Thanks for making me lunch today. I’ve never had a woman make me a meal.”
“I find that hard to believe. What about your mom?”
“My mom made meals. I meant someone other than my mom.” He led her out of the elevator into the lobby. “Which park do you want to go to?”
“I like to go to the one that faces the harbor. How does that sound to you?”
“Perfect.” He moved her to the inside of the sidewalk and took her hand as they made their way down the street. “How often do you have lunch at the park?”
“I go two or three times a week. I like to get outside and people-watch.”
“I don’t like you out here without someone when Dean is acting so crazy. I’ll go with you from now on.”
“I’m going to take a breath and not lose my temper, even though I feel like it. For your information, Dean’s behavior on Friday was nothing new, and I’ve been dealing with it for a year. I refuse to become a victim and cower inside. That would make this situation much more unbearable than it already is. I have already made more adjustments than I’ve wanted to.”
“I can’t function if I think you’re in danger. I won’t be able to breathe if I think you’re not happy. It’s not going to happen, so please don’t make me suffer.”
“Why don’t you just ask me to hang out? Your offer would be a lot more attractive if I thought you liked me and wanted to get to know me. It feels like I’m some unwanted responsibility that you got stuck with.”
He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and let people stream around them. “Rachel, you’re all I think about. It’s been that way since I met you. I never thought someone like you would be interested in me. So please don’t ever think that I have a choice about this, because I don’t.”
Leaning down, he touched his lips against hers and pressed gently. Fireworks went off against the backs of her eyelids, as her heart beat against her chest. When he released her mouth, she leaned toward him, reluctant to let go of the contact. She felt his physical strength, mental potency, and emotional depth, and knew she wanted something with him, despite all the craziness in her life. Before he could straighten up, she kissed his cheek. If only her life was different. A man as good as Chris shouldn’t have to deal with her mistakes.
A wide smile crossed his face because she’d kissed him back. Rachel Miller, the woman he’d been dreaming about, kissed his cheek. This was a good day indeed. He took her hand, led her down toward the park, and plotted his next move. “What do you want to drink?”
“There’s a cart down at the park that sells lemonade and iced tea. Would that be okay with you?”
“Sure.”
“You’re very agreeable and easygoing about food.”
“I’m an easygoing guy, and I’ve decided that you can be in charge of most things because I want you to be happy. I have just a few things that I need to be in charge of, and those are nonnegotiable.”
“What do you want to be in charge of?”
“Safety and security issues are my primary concern. Also, I don’t share. When we decide to start this between us, then it will be just you and me.”
“That’s a two-way street, right?”
“Yes, of course. Also, I have to pay for stuff. You can’t pay for things when we’re together.”
“I don’t like that. Why should you bear the financial burden of the relationship?”
“Because I want to take care of you. I know you’re capable of doing everything yourself and don’t have a lot of use for me. I understand that’s how the world works now, but if you let me take care of you, then I know it’s because you want me to.”
“So you want to feel needed, and if you protect
me and take care of me, then you’ll have that?”
“Pretty much—it’s how I’m wired,” Chris responded.
“Okay, then you can buy our drinks. The cart’s over there.”
They stood in line, and he put his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. He looked around and noticed that Laird was walking next to a woman who was pushing a stroller. He wondered if it was the same woman who had him tied up in knots.
Rachel followed his gaze. “Is that Laird over there?”
“Sure is. I wonder if that’s the woman he likes. He’s been talking about her a lot.”
“Where did they meet?”
“He helped her out when she was stranded on the road. She’s a single mother and apparently doesn’t date. Laird said her daughter has special needs, and she’s not interested in starting anything romantic.”
“He doesn’t seem to care. He’s smiling at her like she’s the ice cream to his cookies.”
“He sure is. Maybe we should go over and say hi.”
“No way. We don’t want to kill his vibe,” Rachel replied.
“How do you know he has a vibe to kill?”
“Look at the smile on his face. That’s a man with a definite vibe.”
“If you say so.” They took their drinks over to a bench that faced the water and sat down. Chris felt the heat of Rachel’s skin against his arm and smiled down at her. He watched her eyes grow big as their gazes locked, and the air around them moved with sexual tension. He was about to say something, then stopped. She didn’t seem quite ready to hear what he had to say. He should solve the Dean problem and then tell her about his thoughts. Or maybe he could show her. That might be better.
“I hope you like what I made you,” Rachel said.
“I’m sure it’s delicious. David was out-of-his-mind crazy that you made me lunch. He almost lost it when he found out there are homemade cookies, too. He’s become fixated on homemade cookies and wants someone to make them for him.”
“What about Zoey? I thought he had a crush on her.”
“I think he decided it was a no-go.”