AllFreeNovel
Share Us
7
Being the single one without kids to rush off to, Porsche was tasked with the final clean up in the kitchen area. Why was this more taxing on her body then hours on a pole? She yawned from the late hour, even though she knew if she crashed on a pillow her mind would be circling in a thousand directions and never shutting down. Who knew what would hit her in the next thirty minutes. One question or a bright shiny object could send her once again on a spiral of planning, plotting or otherwise reckless abandon. Doc was right, she needed to do a hard reset and she needed to get home and take her new medication to try and find sleep.
Tucking away the last of the serving spoons, the loud alarm blared from her phone as it vibrated at her hip. Removing her phone from the purse she’d forgotten was hanging across her body was sounding a warning as if missiles were incoming. None of the men were hopping up to rush out the door, then again the music was blaring and the last thing they tended to notice was a buzz from their inside pocket. Especially when most of the men were already in the clubhouse.
The sound blaring in the kitchen had her heart racing, it was probably that stupid radar app she downloaded. Was it tornado season yet? Shit it was Montana it could have three feet of snow arriving in the next twelve hours. Flipping the screen toward her Sydney’s face appeared underneath bolded letters with a bright orange ribbon spelling out AMBER ALERT.
“What the actual fuck!” she exclaimed to no one. This was beyond a stuffed rabbit on a stick teasing the greyhound that was her brain to run faster. The world blurred out around her phone as she pressed for more information.
Learning more about the man who mysteriously arrived with the shitty back story of spring break in Montana. As likely as when Doc arrived stating she needed a getaway in the middle of the week. While Montana had its beautiful vistas, mountains and national forests, neither Doc nor Sydney seemed like the types to take those in during the colder months.
Sydney lived outside of San Francisco, California and it appeared that Mike had taken Sydney away from her mother. Right now, they were worried this was more than a custody dispute because they had been unable to reach the two. Mike didn’t seem like the type of man to not have a phone. While it gave his description it wasn’t calling him a suspect instead they noted his vehicle was found abandoned and they worried about the safety of the child and him. If being around Hack taught her anything SEALs knew how to disappear. Was he here to turn into a ghost? Whatever he was doing Sydney was obviously not fully settled and at ease with the travel. Knowing enough from doing rescues with the Steels, she had learned to spot red flags. State lines and kids made Red nervous.
While the Steels rescued those from violent situations and those included crossing borders, international ones at times, it didn’t mean Red liked it and he most definitely took extra precautions. Including verifying it wasn’t a petty bullshit argument between squabbling exs. Only she didn’t get that vibe from Mike, was her radar off because when his hand touched hers a dormant feeling sent a tingle along her arm. No, she wasn’t going to be that stupid again to trust a man based on her body’s reaction. Already the way Sydney acted had a neon pink sign flashing abuse and the last thing any Steel would tolerate was harboring a man on the wrong side of hurting a child. Brotherhood outside the Steels aside, she had to go and confront the man himself.
Leaving the kitchen to the gathering room in the clubhouse she glanced over to the bar where a bunch of the members were all hanging out doing the long goodbye. Some standing with an angle toward the door while others were sitting with the obvious settled in for the night body language.
Scanning the place she didn’t spot Mike or his daughter, but she did see Hack being pulled in with clasped hands to Brick right by the front door so she headed his way. With a barely there touch on his shoulder she kept her voice low as she took one step out onto the porch.
“Hack, I really need to talk to you.”
The claimed man’s brow furrowed as they both stepped out on the porch allowing the conversation blocking music to be drowned out in the late night silence of the ranch. A few people were making their way to vehicles or over to the apartment buildings as Hack crossed his arms and stood ready.
“What’s up Porsche?”
“This.” Making sure the screen was bright she held up her phone screen toward him.
“Oh my God! What the fuck is this?” Hack, snatched her cell from her hand and read the details. “He said he needed a safe space for a few days. This is pretty vague and the fact they have nothing from the Navy about him being AWOL puts up some pretty big red flags.”
“Really?” she wondered.
“Yeah, his CO isn’t calling for his ass, that tells me he’s really on leave.” Hack passed the phone back to her, then began to pace, running his hand through his hair and mumbling to himself. “Shit, I know Sassy had a mean streak, but I can’t let this pass if it’s real.”
“Hack, you believe there has to be an explanation for this?” Porsche’s stomach was churning and the new med wasn’t in her system long enough so it was still in a loading stage. Her mind normally split between a thousand things at once was pinpointing on a little girl who reminded Porsche a bit too much of herself.
“I’m tryin’ my best to not let my past cloud my judgment.” Hack’s dark eyes stared at her. “I don’t owe him a life because we went one for one in the whole saving each other on missions. He asked for a few heartbeats to settle in, but he also told me the call was live.”
“What the hell does that mean?” For a decade she’d been around Steels, their shorthand she knew as well as a bilingual child understood their parents. But those who served, especially those like Red and Hack in elite forces had a vocabulary you only establish in bunkers and fucked up situations.
“It means he needs help with a mission,” Hack said, letting out a long breath. “The kind you don’t question until later, if ever.”
“That little girl is scared of something.”
“I know,” Hack raged, his fist taking out the frustration on a post of the porch as Ax stepped out into the fresh air.
“That fucker gave me a splinter the other day too,” Ax said, the comment jovial, but without a tone to match. “It all good out here? You need sandpaper? An oozie? I can snag a few beers. Not sure you can fight a four by four post in the boxing ring, but I’d be game to see it.”
“I’m good prospect, you’re off shift right?” Hack said, the rank setting the man trying to earn his member status back after a major fuck up to rights.
“Yes, sir,” Ax replied, then glanced at Porsche. The worry evident on his face as she realized how tight her own arms were to her body as she tried her best to mask her own unease at the way the conversation was going. “You need an escort, Porsche?”
“No, I still have a few things to finish up with in the kitchen,” she lied and he gave her a nod. Heading across the open area toward the apartment building with only a handful of glances back toward her as he did.
“You’re not going to call and turn him in are you?”
“Ax?” Hack questioned, so lost in his own processing of the situation unable to see she’d returned to the task at hand.
“No, Mike, we could return Syd no harm no foul,” she suggested.
