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Dean answered and General Harkness’s angry voice filled his ear. “Why in hell do I have to find out secondhand that you were almost blown up yesterday?!”
“Good morning to you, too, General.”
“What is going on there? Update.”
Dean filled him in, and the general was quiet for a moment. “That undercover idea is a good one. Yours?” he growled.
“Yes, sir, mine.”
“I wasn’t misplacing my trust when I put you in charge.”
“It’s not official—”
“Yet,” the general said. Then went on. “I sent you a link to a secure server so you could check out the particulars of the job, the salary, the perks, and think about it.” The line crackled like the general had covered the phone or put it down. “I’m coming,” he said, his voice muffled. There was some more swishy crackling, and this time his voice was loud and clear when he spoke. “I expect to hear from you or Dr. Scott on a regular basis. Keep your sixes covered.”
The call ended and Dean leaned back into the counter. Hmm, particulars of the job? Salary? Perks? That sounded good. He started for the cupboard when someone knocked on his door.
“Damn busy for six o’clock in the morning, he mumbled, hurrying to the door and opening it.
“Hey,” Gage said, Donner beside him. “How are you doing?”
“Sore, but okay. Come on in.” Dean stepped aside. “How did you sleep?”
“Not much,” he said, as Donner padded to the living room rug and lay down. Gage settled at the kitchen counter. “That coffee smells good.”
Dean smiled and pulled down two mugs from his cupboard. There was another knock, and he bit back a curse. Now what?
“I’ll get it,” Gage said. While he went to answer the door, Dean continued pouring his much-needed coffee.
“Hey, what’s for breakfast?” Logan asked as he came in and Gage closed the door behind him.
Dean chuckled. “Scrambled eggs and bacon do it for you?”
“Sounds great.”
Gage moved into the kitchen and grabbed the bacon out of the fridge, then popped in four pieces of toast. He started frying the bacon.
Dean got out the butter, eggs, and milk, whipped up the mixture and poured it into a hot pan with the melted butter. “So, you guys got more than you bargained for here. I’ll understand if you want to bow out.”
“Hell, no!” Logan said. “I want to see the city safe from these assholes. They think nothing of attacking me and my family in my home. They won’t think anything of selling seriously dangerous weapons on the street. I’m in.”
Dean looked over at Gage who hadn’t said a word. “How about you, jarhead?”
“I thought when I got out of the service, my days of ducking and returning fire were over. I got that job with Ave, and I figured I would never look back. But after the firefight, even if you win, all you’re left with are the memories and the shock of loss. I fight my demons every day. There are bad guys everywhere and there always will be. I’m inclined to stand in their way. I’m in, too.”
Once a warrior, always a warrior. It was what the three of them were. Two of them had been hardened by combat, one by the streets. He couldn’t have better men at his back.
He heard the water come on in the bathroom as he dished up the eggs. Gage parceled out the bacon and buttered toast.
There was noise in the bedroom and Dean wondered how many of his decisions had altered the course of his life. The decision to leave LA, the decision to go to Paris, the decision to enter BUD/S certainly had. He wondered what would have happened if he’d stayed. End up like his brother Riley and his dad? Maybe.
He heard the bedroom door open, and a moment later Ophelia entered the living room. She had her hair piled on the crown of her head in a topknot, leaving all that beauty exposed from cheekbones to ears to her tough little jaw. She looked fresh and relaxed dressed in a pair of jeans, a patterned tan and white shirt and brown sandals. At least one of them was. Dean smiled a little, remembering the very first time he’d seen her. She was standing up to a bully. Her hair had been long then, down to her hips, and she’d looked strong and fearless with her dark eyes and sweet lips. The sight of her had stopped him cold—as if he recognized her from another time. He could clearly remember thinking she was someone special. That was one sentiment that hadn’t changed in over seventeen years. He still thought she was special, and he couldn’t imagine what his life would have been like without her in it.
“Good morning,” he said past the sudden tightness in his throat.
“I didn’t know this was Grand Central.” She grinned and kissed him briefly while she ran her hand over his stubble.
“You hungry?” he asked.
