Page 5 of Thaddeus

“How long do we have?” Brooks inquired.

“According to the local informant, forty-eight hours. He’ll do his inspection today. Tonight, he’s hosting a dog fight. Tomorrow night he’ll move the girls. Declan is on his way back here with Tatiana and Ivy. As soon as they get here, you’re gonna go meet with a woman Tatiana knows. Her name is Faith—”

“The woman who rescues pit bulls?” Max cut Zane off.

“Yeah. Considering none of us have ever been to a dog fight, I think her insight will be helpful. Your flight leaves at noon. Putting you in the Falcon state of Venezuela around eleven PM local time. You’ll go straight to the warehouse where the fight’s taking place. There’ll be no time for surveillance. The main event begins at midnight.”

“You headed back to Maryland today?” I asked, closing my laptop.

“Nope. Me and Ivy will stay here tonight. Last night of the babymoon.” He rolled his eyes at the expression. “I still don’t understand what the fuck a babymoon is. It’s a vacation, call it that. And now I’m told I have to buy Ivy a ‘push-gift’. What in the actual fuck is that? I mean, she’s pushin’ my kid out of her crotch. What do you buy a woman for that? Arnica gel? Bengay? A bottle of Tylenol?”

“Brother, you buy your woman Bengay as a gift for pushin’ your big-headed kid out she’ll cut off your balls. I suggest something heartfelt.” Max laughed.

“Though I’d pay money to see Ivy explode if Zane handed her a bottle of Tylenol and a thank you card after labor,” Kyle added on a chuckle.

I didn’t know anything about pregnancy, labor, or babies. What I did know was Ivy deserved woman of the year for putting up with Zane’s daily sarcasm. I also knew Zane was full of shit. He loved his wife and unborn child beyond reason and he’d happily go on any vacation she wanted to go on and call it whatever silly name she wanted to. He’d also work himself to the bone to find the perfect gift to show her just how much he adored her and that baby.

“Yeah, you may be right. I should buy her a car.” Zane nodded as if it was a done deal and the over-the-top bastard had already resigned himself to the purchase.

“Who are you buying a car for?” Ivy asked when she walked in.

“No one, Baby. Did you find something to eat?” Zane stood and pulled Ivy into his arms.

A pang of jealousy hit my chest and I fought the urge to give in to the memories. The good ones when everything had been perfect. The ones of Emerson showing up at my place, before it had become our place, with a bag full of my favorite tacos from the truck outside of the base. She’d let herself into the condo with a beaming smile and I’d look at her thinking there was never a more stunning woman than Emerson Pierce.

But things hadn’t been perfect.

She’d simply been a good liar.

Thad

The six of us got out of the rented SUV and I took in the animal shelter in front of us.

“You sure this is the right place?” I asked.

There was no sign, no indication the building housed abused pit bulls. There was a pickup truck parked next to us, and a compact car a few spaces down, but no other vehicles.

“Yeah, this is Faith’s place. She doesn’t like to advertise what the shelter does, or that it’s even a shelter at all. Dog fighting is big business. The rings they rescue these dogs from are not happy their dogs have been confiscated. She also knows there are plenty of people who think pittys should just be put down, and not rescued then adopted out,” Tatiana answered.

Brooks nabbed his wife’s hand and mumbled, “That’s fucked.”

“That’s a fact,” she returned. “Faith doesn’t want any trouble, so she keeps everything as low-key as she can.”

We made our way to the front of the building, and I was surprised when the front door was unlocked. After what Tatiana had shared, I figured this Faith woman would have some level of security even if it was a locked door.

I walked in and stopped dead. Standing in the reception area was Decker “Gumby” Kincade. A beautiful woman stood by his side, long shiny black hair and arresting blue eyes.

Goddamn.

There was also a not-so-happy pit bull growling at his feet.

“Hannah, easy girl.” I assumed Hannah was the name of his dog and he wasn’t speaking to the beauty that had taken a step closer to him.

“Gumby? What are you doing here, brother?” I asked, but made no attempt to move closer for a handshake.

“Hey, man, I was going to ask you the same thing. Do me a favor, yeah? Don’t come any closer. Hannah can still be a little skittish around people. Let me settle her down.”

The big man didn’t wait for my answer and crouched next to the pup. To my amazement the badass SEAL spoke in a hushed soothing tone to the animal and gently grazed his hand down her raised hackles, smoothing the fur as he went.