A SEAL Never Quits

by Holly Castillo

  “Hello, Santo,” Anya said, extending her hand. “I’m the veterinarian.” That was the best introduction she had? She needed to work on that.

  “Ah. So, were you able to save the heifer? She woke up Brusco with that damned cry of hers, and he was just about to shoot her and put her out of her misery.”

  Anya recoiled in shock at his words and nearly didn’t catch the wink Santo gave Brusco as he rounded the corner. “Don’t believe a word he says,” Brusco said, giving Santo a none-too-gentle elbow to the ribs. He grabbed ahold of her hand and squeezed it gently. “Nice to meet you, Doc. I’m Brusco. The only sane one of the bunch.”

  “Oh, please, just call me Anya.” She felt so tiny standing next to the three burly men. They were all lean, tall, and muscular, and seemed carefree. But there was an undercurrent of tension, something she couldn’t put her finger on.

  “I really should return to my clinic,” Anya said, turning toward Stryker and finding his eyes watching her intently. “I don’t want to interfere.”

  “You’ll be hurting my feelings if you leave.” Another large man came walking toward them, a wide grin on his face. “I’ve already made extra food for you to have breakfast with us.” He dried his hands off with a towel and extended one to her for a handshake. “I’m Snap.”

  “Hello, Snap,” she said politely. “I wouldn’t want to hurt your feelings, especially when everything smells so good.”

  His grin broadened, and then he motioned for her to follow him. “It’s serve yourself around here. And I recommend you get to the food before the rest of the men, or you’ll end up with crumbs.”

  “Does that mean you’re finally done cooking?” a male voice called from around the corner, and two more men stepped forward. Anya thought she must be seeing things. How could they all be so muscular, so powerful and confident?

  Distantly, she realized Stryker was rubbing her back through her shirt, soothing her. He must have sensed she was becoming nervous around so many intimidating men. He leaned into her, and her heart raced as she felt his whisper against her ear. “If you want to leave, I completely understand.”

  Anya drew a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She wasn’t going to be intimidated by all these men. Especially not in front of Stryker. “I don’t want to let Snap down,” she said, her lips tilted in a half smile as she looked at him.

  “All right. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you. These guys can be savages when it comes to food.”

  “And what’s funny is that Stryker is usually the worst of all of us.”

  Anya gazed up at Stryker and noticed him cast an irritated glare in the direction of the man who said it. Then he looked back at her and a lopsided grin touched his face. “You’ve already met Phantom. And the one with the big mouth is Buzz. Guys, in case you didn’t catch it, this is Anya. She’s our veterinarian and will be helping us with all the animals.”

  She shook hands with each one of them, amazed by how small her hand was compared to theirs. Did they all spend hours upon hours a day at the gym? Were they all somehow related by larger-than-life relatives? That had to be it.

  Stryker led her around in the home until they came upon a large, open kitchen that allowed her to see the dining area and the living room. These men were certainly spoiled. Their house was easily one of the most exquisite she had been in around the Hebbronville area. Farther outside of Hebbronville were some lavish homes, but even they seemed to pale in comparison to this one.

  He handed her a paper plate and guided her to the stove. “Snap loves to cook, and he does one helluva job at it. So we let him run free—in the kitchen, that is.”

  She looked down at the lightweight paper plate in her hands, and her lips twitched at the thought of any one of these men washing dishes, but that didn’t change the heat in her cheeks. Stryker still had his arm around her waist, and now only shifted so she could get access to the food. “What about you?” she asked, noticing he didn’t hold a plate.

  “I’ll get mine when the men have gotten theirs.” He spoke low and soft, as though he didn’t want the men to hear him.

  There were eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, and even chorizo and egg with tortillas on the side. Anya’s mouth watered just looking at the food. Finally, she settled on a chorizo-and-egg taco and was going for the chile when Stryker’s arm tightened around her. “Careful. It’s muy picante.”

  “What makes you think I don’t like things hot?” she asked with a coy smile and looked up at him. The way he was watching her made it very obvious what he liked hot, and she was feeding the flame.

  “Remember what I said about playing with fire?” His voice was low and husky.

  No man had ever spoken to her in such a way. She had sworn off men after the disaster with her boyfriend so many years ago, but the things promised in Stryker’s eyes made her wonder…

  “The men are waiting,” she said softly, trying to change the subject.

  “And they can continue to wait if necessary, bella.”

  She struggled to tear her eyes from his and snagged a pancake, then let him escort her to the table. He pulled out a chair for her, then went back, following his men into the kitchen. It wasn’t very long before she was surrounded by five large men, all of them talking and laughing. Stryker had been right: Santo was the rather quiet one, but he threw in quips when needed, well-timed and delivered with perfection so they always hit their mark and often left the men either slack-jawed in pretend offense, or laughing so hard they had tears in their eyes.

  None of them touched their food as they waited for Stryker. It was odd, in these times, to see that level of courtesy. She marveled at it. These men were disciplined. She glanced over at the man who was approaching the table—the man who was making her heart and stomach trade places.

  Stryker joined them quickly, and she noticed not one of them had made a move toward the head of the table where Stryker now sat. So he was the “boss man” as they had said. She supposed they had to have someone as the leader of the ranch or dysfunction could quickly follow. And Stryker seemed a natural born leader.

  He had come back to the table with his plate heaped as high as the rest of them and grinned as he looked around the table. Instantly, the men interlinked hands, Snap grabbing hers on the left and Stryker grabbing her right, and Stryker led them in prayer. Anya was surprised. She had never thought hard men such as these would be the type to pray before a meal. But she’d been wrong.

  “Amen! Let’s eat!” Snap said, and Anya smiled at him. It seemed to be a contest between Snap and Buzz over which one could be the loudest and proudest. They all had great qualities in her mind.

  For a few minutes there was silence at the table as the men enjoyed the food. Anya dug into her taco with gusto, unaware of how hungry she was after having been up all night. The chile was hot, but not more than she could tolerate. And the flavor was fantastic. As she finished the last bite of her taco, she suddenly became aware that all eyes at the table were on her.

  She wiped at her mouth with a napkin to make sure she didn’t have grease all over her, and her eyes scanned the table. “What?” she asked hesitantly.

  “If you can eat Snap’s chile, you can eat with us whenever you want.” Phantom’s lips twitched.

  Anya’s gaze shot to Stryker, and he was watching her intently, but he wasn’t smiling. Instead, she saw the same fire burning in his eyes as she’d seen when she had touched his lips earlier. Before she lost the ability to speak, she turned back to the table. “Well, if he wants to make it so weak, anyone can eat it.”

  “Oh!” The collective shouts around the table as fingers pointed at Snap made her laugh at their antics. She glanced back at Stryker, and he still watched her intently, his gaze never leaving her face.

  “Can you pass the butter?” she asked, squirming under his scrutiny. She felt as if his eyes were peering into her soul, searching for all her ho
pes and dreams, fears and nightmares. And if she let him, he would have access to it all.

  He broke his gaze with her and handed her the butter and the syrup, and returned to the last of the food he had on his plate. She drowned her pancake in butter and syrup, and her eyelids fluttered in bliss as the fluffy, sweet morsel melted in her mouth. She was almost disappointed it was a paper plate. Because she was seriously tempted to lick the plate clean.

  “Snap, you sure can cook,” she sighed contentedly. “I think I may be able to make it through the day now that I’ve had that delicious meal.”

  “You’re going to give him a bigger head than he already has,” Brusco grumbled good-naturedly.

  “At least let me help with the dishes,” she said, as she stood and began to collect the empty paper plates from around the table.

  Phantom stood and took the plates from her, shaking his head. “You’re a guest in this house. You don’t need to do the dishes.”

  “But I want to help…”

  Stryker stood, immediately drawing her attention, and she was captured by his gaze. He looked…pleased. “You have your clinic you need to tend to. We won’t make you stay and wash the dishes this time. But next time…” He shrugged. “Next time might be a different story.”

  Anya tore her eyes off him and gazed at the rest of the men at the table. “Y’all are wonderful,” she said with a smile. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed spending time here, and I hope one day I can learn how y’all earned your nicknames. I’m sure you have some incredible stories to tell.”

  The men exchanged glances around the table, then grinned up at her. She was suddenly reminded of the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland. Then, she felt Stryker’s hand on her upper arm, the warmth of his skin seeping through into hers. She turned to look at him, struck again by how powerfully handsome he was.

  “I’ll walk you out to your truck.” His hand slid down her arm to her hand, and he gripped it lightly.

  Anya turned back to the men with a smile. “Thank you, all of you, for the wonderful breakfast. And for the great company.” They responded with nods, and all of them stood as she left. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been around men who had so much respect for a woman. But as soon as she left the dining room, all her attention was focused on the man who made her feel as if she were already melting in the hot Texas sun.

  * * *

  Her hand felt so small in his giant paw. She was a petite woman, but she had more fight in her than women he’d met who were twice her size. And she had a sense of humor that had shined through as she joined in the banter at the breakfast table. Maybe she wasn’t human. Because she seemed too good to be true.

  They came to her truck far too soon, and she turned to face him, a small smile lifting the corners of her mouth. “Thank you.”

  “I should be the one thanking you. If it weren’t for your skills, I’d have lost both the calf and the heifer this morning. You’re amazing.”

  “I’d hardly go that far. If it weren’t for your help, I wouldn’t have been able to save them.” Her gaze traveled around, looking at the improvements to the arena, the cattle chute, and other areas they’d been working on for the past week. “I can see you’re starting to remember ranching life.”

  “It’s in my blood.” He still hadn’t released her hand. He didn’t want to. He didn’t want to let her go. And that very idea was what made him drop her hand and take half a step back. “Thank you again. I hope that’s the last heifer we struggle with.”

  She looked confused for a moment, then nodded. “So do I. But just call me whenever there’s even the slightest concern. It doesn’t matter what hour it is.”

  He nodded and reached around her to open the door to her truck. “Be safe. I don’t want you to fall asleep driving back to town.”

  She chuckled, a husky, rich sound that made his heart pound hard and heavy. “It’s impossible to fall asleep on these bumpy roads.”

  He closed the door when she had slid into the truck, and she gave him a small wave as she drove away. He simply nodded to her. Then he turned and stomped back to the house to take a cold shower.

  * * *

  “I think I’m losing my mind,” Anya groaned.

  Elena chuckled as she fastened the horse into the stanchion. “What happened this time? Another bizarre calving story to share with me?”

  Anya cast her a frown as she moved toward the horse. “I don’t know how to explain it. The things I’m feeling… There’s something special about him, Elena. He’s so strong and smart and kind—”

  “Yes, you’re losing your mind,” Elena interrupted. She smiled at her best friend. “But I’ve known that for years. What you are suffering from is far worse, I think.”

  “What are you talking about?” Anya asked, running her hands down the front of the horse’s leg, checking it for swelling and tenderness.

  “You think he’s hot.”

  Anya’s head jerked up, and she frowned at Elena. “Don’t be preposterous.” She returned her attention to the horse. “I only recognize he’s a good man.”

  “I’ve never heard you talk about a man that way. What happened to us being confirmed bachelorettes for the rest of our lives?”

  Anya laughed. “It’s not as if this is going anywhere. I’m allowed to appreciate a good man, aren’t I?”

  “It sounds like a lot more than appreciation.” Elena shrugged, her curly, black hair bouncing on her shoulders. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  Anya looked away from her best friend and concentrated on the horse. “Whose horse did you say this was again?”

  “Jonas Franklin’s.”

  Anya pulled a face. “Ugh. That guy gives me the creeps. I don’t see how you can work for him.”

  “I rarely have to work with him. All I do is train his horses and compete in shows for him. I avoid him whenever possible.”

  “Good. That’s one guy I can say is not a good man.”

  “Returning to the subject of good men,” Elena said, unwilling to let go of the juicy tidbit her friend had just shared. “What makes you so certain this Stryker guy is a good one?”

  Anya ignored her for several moments as she concentrated on the horse. Then she urged it to lift its left front hoof for her. “How long has she been lame?”

  “Nice deflection,” Elena said wryly, then sighed, accepting the fact that Anya had donned her veterinarian hat and wasn’t going to take it off until she had answers. “About a week ago she received new shoes. I thought that was where the problem lay. Figured the farrier had trimmed her down too short. But the problem should have worked itself out by now.”

  “She’s got a hoof abscess,” Anya said, her voice muffled as she leaned over the horse’s hoof to examine it. She straightened and turned to face Elena. “The farrier should have caught it. I’m sure getting her hooves trimmed and a new set of shoes aggravated it. We’ll have to drain it and treat it.”

  “Jonas will be thrilled to hear that.”

  “So long as you keep him away from my clinic, I’ll be happy. I’m glad you brought the horse in here so I didn’t have to make a trip out there.”

  Elena gave her a goofy smile. “What’s a best friend for?” They walked back into the clinic, and Elena grabbed a candy off the counter, popping it into her mouth. “So, you gonna tell me how you suddenly have magical powers and can tell if a guy is good or not?”

  Anya groaned as she sat down in her chair and made notes in the chart for the horse. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

  “This is the most fun I’ve had in weeks.”

  “I had a panic attack on our way home from the cattle auction.”

  Elena’s joking face immediately fell flat. “Oh, shit, Anya, I’m sorry.”

  Anya waved a hand dismissively. “He took care of me. He wasn’t irritated or bothered by it.
He held my hair back while I threw up. Not one of my best moments, but he didn’t care. Not even my own parents reacted that way when I had a panic attack. He’s a good man, Elena. I can feel it.”

  Elena watched her closely as she twirled the hard candy around in her mouth. “If he takes care of you… If he makes you smile, then he’s okay in my book. You know how I feel about men.”

  “Yes, and it isn’t healthy. Not all of them are going to be like that jerk. You need to live again, Elena.”

  “All I’m saying is, be careful. Don’t let him hurt you—and I’m not talking about physically. I’d hate to have to hunt him down if he broke your heart.”

  Anya smiled and grabbed Elena’s hand. “We’ve got a long way to go before there’s a chance of that.”

  Elena gave her a speculative look. “You’re more than halfway there already. I can see it all over your face.”

  “Ugh! Enough! I never should have told you. Now you’re going to harass me nonstop. C’mon. Let’s go take care of your horse and get ice cream from Dairy Queen when we’re done.”

  “Oh! Did you hear they have a new Blizzard flavor out this month?” Anya couldn’t help but laugh at Elena’s excitement. For the rest of the afternoon, her thoughts were occupied by Elena’s latest adventures, and not the dark eyes and warm touch of the man who filled her dreams.

  Chapter 6

  “We believe he’s been in and out of the U.S. at least ten times in the last year. But he’s a ghost. We’ve tracked surveillance from the border patrol cameras. We’ve also pulled images from the buildings we know he’s been in or around. Every time we think we’ve found something, there is a blip on the screen, or a portion of the data has been erased. It’s like I said… The man is a ghost.”

  “A ghost.” Admiral Haslett ran a hand down his face wearily, then studied the commander sitting across from him. The man was competent and had worked hard to gather intel. But they needed more. So much more. Whoever this ghost was, he was wreaking havoc. “This ghost is costing us time and money. How the hell does this guy keep slipping past us?”