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Jake and Hank grinned.
“Congratulations, Griff.” Hank stepped forward, holding out his hand. “You’ve just found your first assignment as a Brotherhood Protector.”
Griff frowned. “I don’t know what you mean. I haven’t interviewed, and I would do this for Rachel with or without being an employee of your team.”
“We like to think of our members as teammates, not employees,” Jake said. “We work together.”
“I don’t make much money as a sheriff’s deputy,” Rachel said.
Hank shook his head. “Money isn’t why we do this. My wife was my first ‘assignment.’ When she was in trouble, she needed someone to protect her. I filled that role, and we made it through.” He grinned. “We’ve been married for several years and have two beautiful kids.”
Rachel frowned. “Are you saying I’m going to end up married with kids after this ‘assignment’?” She chuckled. “That’s not quite what I had in mind. I need someone to have my back until I know if the threat is real or my imagination.”
Hank grinned. “My point is that Sadie and I understand the importance of protecting those who can’t always protect themselves.”
Jake picked up from there. “Like you said, Rachel, you need someone who has your back. The men of the Brotherhood Protectors are highly trained in special operations. They understand what it means to have your six, and they have the weapons and hand-to-hand combat training that can keep you alive.”
Hank nodded. “Sadie and I don’t require all of our clients to pay for those services. If they don’t have the means to pay, we help anyway. It’s our way of giving back. We don’t want anyone to suffer because they can’t afford to hire the help they need. We’re blessed that we can afford to pay our guys no matter how, or if, we get paid for the services they provide.”
Rachel nodded. “Thank you. Hopefully, it’s all in my head, and it won’t take too much of your time to figure it out.”
“We’ll stay with you until we know for certain,” Jake said. He tipped his head toward Griff. “Or rather, Griff will be with you if he chooses to accept this mission.”
“I told you, I’d do this with or without the Brotherhood. You don’t have to pay me for this job.”
“We want you to work with us,” Jake said. “Iwant you to work with us. I know your skills and what you’d bring to our organization.”
“I’m not the same man I was six months ago,” Griff said through gritted teeth.
Rachel studied the man. He was right. His face was leaner, dark circles created shadows beneath his eyes and he had a haunted, sad look that pulled at her heart.
“None of us are the men we were when we were on active duty.” Jake bent and pulled up his pants leg, exposing a prosthetic leg attached at the knee. “I didn’t think I had anything left to offer when I lost my leg.” He gave a crooked grin. “I was wrong. Physicality isn’t the only requirement of this job. What we learned up here,” he tapped his head, “is even more important.”
Hank nodded. “It took a while to convince Jake he had huge potential. Tell you what… Let this assignment be a test. We can see if you have what it takes, and you can see if this is what you want.”
Griff’s frown deepened as his gaze fixed on Jake’s leg, now covered by denim. “I didn’t know.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Jake said. “If anything, it makes me a better man. I’ve learned not to take myself so seriously and to capitalize on what I have.”
Griff stared from Jake to Hank and back to Jake. “Okay. I’m in. But I won’t take pay for helping Rachel. And she’s not an assignment.”
Jake cocked an eyebrow. “Mission, then?”
Griff’s frown grew even fiercer. “No. My last mission was a complete failure. I lost every man on my team.” His hand, still holding Rachel’s, tightened.
Rachel’s finger hurt in his grip, but she wouldn’t say anything. The man was hurting more inside than the pain he was causing her hand. No wonder he hadn’t been in contact with her.
“Are you sure you want me on your team?” He shook his head. “My track record ended in flames.” He looked down at Rachel. “And that goes for you, too. Do you want a washed-up SEAL covering your six?”
“If Griff doesn’t do the job, we’ll assign another one of our team to provide the protection you need,” Jake assured Rachel.
“No,” Griff said. “I’ll do the job.”
Jake lifted his chin toward Rachel. “She might prefer someone else.”
She shook her head. “I prefer Griff.”
Jake grinned and pounded Griff on the back. “Welcome to the Brotherhood Protectors. Your probationary period begins now.”
