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Her Forever SEAL

Page 88

by Caitlyn O’Leary

“Understood,” Rylie said.

“Soph, I’m coming your way to the back of the production building,” Drake told her.

“Mason just pulled into the winery,” Clint interrupted. “He’s coming up the drive. Everybody hold while we determine which building he goes in.”

“Okay, Mason just said there are two guards, no weapons visible, in front of the production building front door. He’s getting out of his truck.” Sophia could hear her heartbeat like it was a banging drum as she waited for Clint to keep talking. “Ibrahim just greeted him and told him to come in. I think that’s it for now.”

“Sophia I’m almost to you,” Drake said.

“Mason just said the guards are following him into the building.”

“Angie, this is Dare. Aiden and I should be close to you real soon. Where are you? You couldn’t be seeing the loading dock from the vines.”

“Behind the gas tank.”

“Found it. Forty yards from the vines. You ran out in the open to the tank?” Aiden asked. He did not sound happy.

“I stayed low to the ground. I needed to see the loading dock. Don’t get pissy, Aiden.”

“You know, if shooting starts, that’s not a real good hiding place, don’t you?” Dare butted in.

“And you don’t be a smartass, Dare,” Riley chimed in. “If you’re not helping, you’re hindering.”

Any other night. Any other hour. Any other moment, Sophia would have laughed. But not now.

She jumped as Drake whispered, “I’m here.”

She hadn’t heard him or even felt him come up behind her, and he warned her he’d been coming.

“Lydia, has Mason said anything more?” Sophia asked.

“Neither Mason or Ibrahim have said anything. I’ll report in real time, Sophia. I promise.”

“We only have one sniper. He’s on the tasting room roof,” Finn reported in. “I have him in my sights. He’s focused on the road leading up to the winery.”

“Clint’s got it figured out!” Lydia was excited. “He’s going to patch in the audio from Mason’s burner phone. Try to keep quiet when sound is incoming. He’s got the volume turned down, so they won’t hear us. Plus Clint has muted it to be safe. Mason hid the burner in his sock, so audio will be rough.”

Everyone waited.

The waiting was killing her. Sophia couldn’t stand it. She was crawling out of her skin. She kept her attention on the guard in front of the door, and her hand gripped her Glock. The desire to shoot the man was overwhelming. He could actually be one of the ones who’d put hands on her daughter. One of the ones who had made her bleed. She wanted him dead.

She flinched when Drake gently rested his hand on her shoulder. “Breathe.” He hadn’t said it into their comm system. Just to her.

“I’m fine,” she replied just to him.

“No you’re not. You need to calm down. Just focus on this little part of the mission. Not on Kayla. Just this one step. You’ve got to trust in the plan, and trust Mason.”

Sophia sucked in a deep breath, then let it out. Did it again. Then she nodded at Drake.

“Good.”

“What the fuck, Sula? Look at the way she’s shivering. You couldn’t get her a blanket? It’s damned cold here in the basement and her clothes are wet.” Even through a sock, Mason’s ire came through clearly.

“Stay right there, Mason. No touching. First, we talk. Now sit down.”

Sophia wasn’t clear what she was hearing, until she heard a grunt. It wasn’t Mason’s voice. There was a fight going on. Then she heard a groan. Still not Mason. More scuffling.

“This is tiresome, Mason. You can’t win. Get off the ground and sit in the chair.”