Protected in His Arms: Elite Texas SEALs

by Castillo, Holly

  “Did you have a nightmare? Are you okay?”

  “Are you trying to dodge my questions?”

  He sighed and ran a hand down his face. “I’m a little on edge. There, does that answer your question?”

  “So you just pull a gun out and wait until the smoke clears to see if there was ever any danger?”

  “Evie, I won’t get in another argument with you. I believe in defending the people I care about. And I never shoot anything I don’t intend on shooting.”

  His calm certainty sent a shiver down her spine and made goosebumps pop up on her skin. “Maybe I should just talk to you in the morning.”

  “Evie…” He tilted his face down and ran his hand up and down the short haircut on the back of his head. “Shit, I didn’t mean to scare you. You scared me!”

  “Right. Like I could scare the big, strong manly man.”

  He gave her a quirky smile. “Manly man?”

  Evie lifted her chin. “Yes. It’s the only thing I could think of, so just deal with it.”

  He took the two strides to stand directly in front of her and wrapped his arms around her. “Yes, you can scare me.” He spoke into her hair, nuzzling her ear and she thought she could melt on the spot. “The idea of you getting hurt, of anything bad happening to you… It terrifies me.”

  Evie felt the warmth of his body pressed against hers through her silk nightgown and suddenly realized he only wore a pair of boxer briefs. For a moment she thought she might faint on the spot. But the warmth of his chest didn’t reach her. Instead something cold poked at her and she remembered the notebook with a start.

  “Santo! There’s a reason I came to see you.”

  “Other than to scold me and my protective ways?”

  “Yes. I mean no. Oh, would you just stop and listen?”

  He took a half-step back and gave her a serious look. “You wanted to know what I wore to bed?”

  If there had been any light on in the room he would have seen her blush from her neck to her forehead. “No! I figured out something about the judge’s murder.”

  Santo’s expression became deadpan and he watched her closely. “What did you figure out?”

  “Look. In my—oh, we can’t see anything in this light!” Her frustration had started to grow as she recalled all the things she wanted to show Santo. He stepped over near the door and flicked on the lights and she blinked reflexively as her pupils adjusted.

  “Okay. Like I was saying… In my journal, I started marking every serious thing that has happened since I’ve known her, trying to find an anomaly that would make her want to get tangled up in such a mess as the dark web.”

  Santo’s intense gaze made her nervous and she licked her lips nervously. She knew she may be grasping at straws, but if her theory proved right, they may be able to find the killer far faster.

  She flipped open her notebook. “Okay. This is my list of major events in her life. In September two years ago, her husband died. She told me then it had been a murder and that they had caught the murderer. But what if that wasn’t true?”

  “What are you talking about? I went to the funeral.”

  “Was it an open casket or closed casket?”

  He frowned darkly. “Closed. But that’s normal for a victim who was murdered.”

  “Do you know where he was murdered?” Evie watched him, her heart pounding with hope. His answer could influence whether she had followed the right clues or not.

  His brow furrowed. “No. I know he was traveling for business and ended up on the bad side of a mugging. That’s why it was a closed casket. His body took quite the beating before he was shot. She may not have told you all of that.”

  “So you saw his body?”

  “I saw the pictures. She’d already decided she wanted closed casket and no viewing.”

  “What if it wasn’t him?”

  “What are you talking about, Evie? I think you’ve gone too long without sleep.”

  “No, just listen to me. Where was he traveling? Do you have any idea?”

  “India. He did a lot of trade in various regions there.”

  “What if he wasn’t in India? What if he had gone to South America?”

  Santo raised an eyebrow. “Where are you going with this, Evie?”

  “Fred hadn’t even been buried yet with Judge O’Connor asked me to teach her about the dark web. She wanted to know everything possible to get into chats and, in her terms, ‘hunt for information.’ What if Fred was murdered in South America and all this time she’s been trying to find a way to exact revenge against the criminals who did it?”

  “There’s got to be more to it than that, Evie. If a bunch of thugs murdered him just to steal from him, she wouldn’t find anything out about them on the dark web.”

  “I agree. I think this goes much deeper. I think Fred may have been mixed up with the wrong crowd and she knew it.”

  Santo ran a hand through his hair, staring down at the timeline Evie had drawn showing the exact date the judge had asked her to help with the dark web. “I need to look into this further. If what you’re saying is true, there could be a lot of people in danger right now.”

  Evie looked up from her notebook quickly, scanning his face. “Why? Who’s in trouble?”

  “If the man we buried wasn’t Fred, we have falsified statements from a lot of people. And why would Francis even do such a thing?”

  “Because she didn’t want Fred’s image tarnished by whatever he’d been mixed up in. You haven’t been around her much the last few years. I have. She was still very much in love with him. She wouldn’t want anything bad said about him—ever.” She realized she’d started talking so fast her words were tripping over themselves, but she had to get the information out.

  “When was the last time you slept?” He ran his hands up and down her arms in a soothing manner.

  “It doesn’t matter. This is what is important right now.”

  “None of this will be important if you can’t function. Get some sleep, Evie, and we can look at this with fresh eyes in the morning.”

  She began to turn to the door but stopped midway and whirled to face him, taking a step closer. “I don’t want to be away from you. I’m not saying I want to have sex. I can barely focus on putting one foot in front of the other right now. I just want you to hold me.”

  He gave her a kind smile, and she knew he had to be as exhausted as she felt. “That I can do.”

  Chapter 17

  It seemed fitting for the day of the funeral to dawn with heavy fog and dark clouds rolling in the sky. Santo slipped on a sports coat before reaching for his cowboy hat. Funerals in Texas, rural Texas, were quite a bit different than funerals in big cities. Jeans were allowed. Hell, they were almost expected. Boots were also strongly encouraged.

  He sighed heavily as he smoothed his hair back and settled his hat on his head. He hated funerals with a passion. He’d lost too many through war. The idea he’d lose a friend on the home front seemed unfathomable.

  They’d moved quickly to get the funeral scheduled so Evie could return to work, though he loathed the idea of her leaving his side. Holding her in his arms at night had been one of the best feelings in the world. They shared kisses and nuzzled, but, other than that, everything stayed tame. He wanted to wait until she felt more than comfortable taking the next step with him.

  He stepped out into the hallway at the same time Evie stepped out into the rotunda from the hallway where Anya’s room resided. Dressed in a fitted black dress, she looked breathtaking. He wanted to haul her back to his room, unpin her hair and let it tumble around him, and go as far as possible.

  He tried to turn his thoughts off what he wanted to do with her so he wouldn’t have an awkward moment with his pants—when she smiled at him. Damn, she’s gorgeous. And she doesn’t even know it.

  He walked toward her, imagining shopping at a packed mall during the holidays or getting racked in a game of soccer just to take his mind off her beguiling beauty
. Nothing seemed to be working. “You look wonderful.” He leaned in and gave

  her a soft kiss on the cheek and caught a whiff of her perfume, an intoxicating scent that did nothing to help his current situation.

  “You look quite fetching yourself. It’s nice to be with a real cowboy who knows how to treat a lady just right.”

  Embarrassment briefly landed on his shoulders. What would she say if you told her I’m a SEAL and not here just as a cowboy to run the ranch? Will she be angry with me? Will she be understanding? Hell, I can’t tell her anything, so it’s not worth even worrying over.

  “Are you ready?” He tugged on a loose strand of hair that had fallen from the bun piled on top of her head. It reminded him of the first time he’d met her. It felt like it had been months instead of two weeks.

  “I don’t know that anyone is ever really ready for a funeral. But I’m as ready as I can be.”

  One-by-one the rest of the team came out of their rooms and joined them before heading out to the large trucks lined up out front. Stryker took Anya, Phantom, Elena, and Lobo, while Snap, Buzz, and Brusco rode with Santo and Evie. Buzz took the front seat since his legs were so long he needed the space, but protested loudly every time Evie deliberately dug her knees into the back of his seat.

  Santo grinned. In her short time with them, Evie seemed to have become part of their chaotic family. The funeral would be difficult on her, but they’d both been able to process it together and with the help of their friends. Evie had picked out a simple service and, with the guidance of Santo and the funeral director, she had prepared for the possibility of a large turnout.

  As they pulled up to the town cemetery, Santo let out a low whistle at the number of cars already lining both sides of the road on the outside of town. They found a parking spot several spaces down from the entrance to the cemetery and Santo moved quickly to help Evie out of his tall truck. He kept his arm wrapped around her as they made their way to the burial site.

  He had been glad when she’d chosen to do a closed casket. He didn’t want to see his former friend in a made-up state and know her life had already left her body. He had enough difficult images to deal with.

  It seemed the entire town had turned out for the funeral. Gradually it became obvious more people than they’d even anticipated had turned out. Several security individuals tried to blend in with the crowd of mourners as a couple of Texas State Representatives and state judges stepped forward to greet Evie.

  Evie graciously received them and their kind wishes and turned to some of the other people eager to say hello to her. A tall, older woman stepped forward and Evie greeted her with a warm smile and embrace. “Judge Mitchell, this is Santo. He’s—”

  She waved off Evie’s introduction. “I’ve heard about Santo for years. Francis always had a wild story to tell about the little brother she decided to adopt.” Santo extended his hand to her and she batted it aside. “We hug here in south Texas, son. Don’t forget that.” She embraced him and stepped back. “I’m sorry we’re having to meet like this, but I’m glad to finally meet you.”

  “Likewise, ma’am.”

  They moved forward and Evie stutter-stepped when they got close to the casket. He tightened his arm around her waist and she squeezed his hand. Wreaths and sprays surrounded the entire gravesite, and the coffin had been draped with yellow daisies, Francis’s favorite flower.

  The pastor stepped forward and those who could find seats took them while others stood under the extra tent and fanned themselves with anything they could get their hands on. The pastor’s voice lifted in the hot temperatures, ringing with authority. Santo wanted to feel a sense of relief that things were finally wrapping up, but the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.

  Something’s not right. Danger is nearby. He glanced over at Buzz and saw his friend had started looking around, too. He began scanning their surroundings. The brush surrounding the cemetery gave coverage to anyone who wanted to hide.

  He wanted to drift out and begin to search the parameter, but he couldn’t leave Evie alone during such a vulnerable time. He made eye contact with a couple of the security guards and darted his eyes to the surrounding bush. The guards nodded and began to drift out of the crowd, catching on to his non-verbal message.

  A soft thumping sound nearby drew his attention. Another thump kicked up some dirt near his feet. “Son of a…” Another cloud of dirt kicked up near Evie’s feet. “Move!” he yelled. “Take shelter anywhere! Now, now, now!”

  There were startled shouts and cries of surprise as everyone began to scramble. Santo tried to keep Evie protected by his big body as he guided her toward the security of all the vehicles. “What’s happening?” Evie demanded, and he hoped she wouldn’t try to fight him and ask too many questions.

  “Keep your head down.” He placed his hand on top of her head and tried to get her to lower it further.

  She clutched onto him and allowed him to drive her at a rapid pace toward the cars. He saw his brothers-in-arms guiding others, including Anya and Elena. They had to reach safety and fast. He wanted to get all the people to safety, then hunt down whoever had been shooting at them.

  Finally, they ducked down behind one of the trucks. The worst part still lay ahead, though. He had to convince Evie that he, a simple rancher, hadn’t betrayed her trust when he left her side and pulled his weapon to go after the shooter.

  He waited for the pinging sound of the bullets striking the cars, but everything seemed to have suddenly gone quiet. He could sense the danger hadn’t ended yet, though. He could see a couple of people wounded near the gravesite and he clenched his hands into fists. He needed to get to them.

  “We must go now, ma’am. We can’t wait.” One of the guards spoke urgently to a state appellate judge and urged her toward her suburban.

  The explosion created an instant vacuum in the air and the heat singed the hair on his forearms. A moment after the vacuum came the blowback. He tried to grab Evie to shield her, but the force of the blow knocked her out of his reach.

  His ears ringing incessantly, he crawled toward Evie, comforted to see her trying to sit up. Her dress had been torn and she had several scrapes and cuts, but nothing serious from what he could tell. “Are you all right?” He knew he shouted, but he hoped she’d be able to hear him with her ears ringing the same as him.

  She looked confused and she reached for him, running her fingers along his hairline and pulling back, her fingers covered in blood. He took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles. He flashed his best smile at her and motioned for her to stay where she sat and she nodded.

  In a world that only sounded like a high-pitched whistle, finding his friends became extremely difficult. He soon realized, though, they were doing the same as he and trying to help the injured. He moved closer and closer to the car that had exploded.

  One of the guards kneeled on the ground and tended to the judge lying prone in the street. Fragments of the burning car surrounded them. He rushed forward and skidded to his knees beside her. She had a cut in her forehead and a small fragment of metal protruding from her chest. She labored for air.

  “Have you called for back-up?” He had to grab the guard by the shoulders to get his attention. “Have you called for back-up?”

  The shock had clearly taken over the guard, but he had enough faculty to answer with a jerky nod. Santo patted his shoulder for comfort and returned his attention to the judge. It couldn’t be a coincidence she had been targeted. Two judges in a week. Someone wanted to send a message.

  * * *

  Evie hadn’t heard the emergency vehicles arrive. A high-pitched whine reverberated through her eardrums and pounded into her head. She’d tried to stay at put where Santo had instructed her to stay, but she had to help people.

  She began to line-up people against the cars, trying to identify the worst injured first. When a paramedic gently caught her by the shoulders she turned with a startled heartbeat and her fists raised to defend herself. The p
aramedic lifted his hands in a gesture to say he wouldn’t hurt her and she let out a shaky breath of relief. He extended a hand to her and she shook her head, pointing at all of the other people who needed care.

  He frowned and started to say something, but she couldn’t understand him. She waved him off and returned her focus to the injured. She had torn strips from her dress to use as tourniquets and found a few bottles of water she brought to those who seemed to need it most.

  Fortunately, the blast seemed to have only injured around twenty people. Many, many more stood off to the sides, watching in horror. She’d seen Anya and Elena walking up and down the line, trying to tend to people as best they could. They didn’t appear to be injured, much to her relief. She’d also seen Santo’s friends moving in and out of the crowd, helping in any way possible.

  The feeling of hands on her arms surprised her again and she jerked, suddenly realizing she’d fallen asleep leaning against one of the cars. Santo leaned in her face, watching her closely. He placed a hand along her cheek and spoke, but she couldn’t understand him.

  He shook his head and turned slightly, gesturing to one of the paramedics. A gentleman jogged up to her and spoke in a near shout. “Do you have a headache?”

  Her head felt as if it were splitting in half. She nodded slowly. He took a penlight and flashed it in her eyes several times. “Do you hurt anywhere else? What about any of your cuts?”

  She took stock of her body and shook her head. “I’m fine!” She winced at the pain her shouting caused in her head. The paramedic didn’t seem convinced and checked some of her deeper cuts but found they were indeed mainly superficial. He turned to Santo and shouted something at him, something she couldn’t understand, and she leaned her head back against the car, longing for the blissful ignorance of sleep.

  Santo’s strong arms lifting her off the ground made her clutch at him in surprise and she scowled at the cut on his forehead he clearly had not had examined. He leaned in close, pressing his lips against her ear and talked loudly, but didn’t shout. “I’m fine. They already checked me out. They have the worst injuries headed to Laredo right now. You lucked out, too. You got your bell rung, but you don’t have a concussion.”