She didn’t really know if she was fine, though. But she needed him to believe she was. She started to shift but he put a hand on her, held her firmly but gently.
“Move and I’ll spank your ass as soon as you’ve recovered.”
She cracked an eye open. “Promises, promises.”
“Does your back hurt? Neck? Abdomen? Any severe pain?”
“Yes… No. I didn’t hit my head, but I landed on my side and I bit my tongue.”
“Don’t fucking move. Help is on the way.”
She gripped his arm. “Don’t leave me.”
His gaze lifted for a second. Then his expression hardened. “I won’t.”
“Tony? What happened? I heard a crash…”
“He’s hurt pretty bad, Haylee. T-boned by a trash truck right after you jumped out of the car—Jesus, why did you do that? Though I’m thankful you did. I hate to think…”
“Had to get away. I couldn’t let him take me.”
He lay down beside her and smoothed his hand through her hair. Everything hurt, but his touch was soothing. “That’s my Haylee. Always taking care of business.”
“Your Haylee,” she whispered. “Always.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Haylee was in and out of pain. She thought she might have been in the hospital, but then she woke up in the dark and she was certain she was in Wolf’s bed. She tried to get up and go find him, but the pain was too much and she lay there exhausted. Sleep claimed her soon after.
When she woke again, it was dark out and she knew for certain she was in Wolf’s bed. She knew it because she could smell his scent on the pillows. If she was here, then she wasn’t dead. Or in danger of dying. That was a relief.
She dragged herself upright and yawned. She was stiff and sore, but the pain wasn’t blinding. It was a dull roar now. She couldn’t find the lamp in the darkness so she felt for her phone before she remembered that Tony had it last. Had Wolf gotten it back?
There was a low hum of noise from the living room. Wolf was probably watching television. She called out to him, her voice rusty with disuse. A moment later the hum stopped and the door opened. Wolf was silhouetted in the opening for the briefest of moments before he was at her side, dropping down on the bed and kissing her forehead.
“How are you, baby?”
“Sore. How are you?”
“I’ll feel better when you do.” He twined his fingers with hers.
“What happened after the accident? Was I in the hospital?”
“You were there for a few hours. No internal injuries. Your muscles seized up from the impact, so they sent you home with relaxers to ease the pain. You’ve been sleeping it off for about twenty-four hours now.”
“Muscle relaxers always knock me out.”
“No kidding.” He kissed her forehead again. “You scared me.”
“I scared me, too… What happened to Tony?”
“Maybe we should talk about that later.”
She squeezed his hand. “No, now.”
He sighed. “Okay. He didn’t make it, Haylee. The collision impacted the driver’s side of the car. He died at the scene.”
Her voice caught. “Oh God.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me too.” She’d been trying to come to terms with everything that Tony had said and done, but she’d also thought of him as a friend for a few months. It was hard to flip a switch in her brain and disconnect him entirely.
“What happened, Haylee? Can you tell me?”
She swallowed. “He was angry about you, Wolf. That I was with you. And he said things about Nicole…” She swallowed. She’d been trying so hard to process it.
“You can tell me, baby.”
She squeezed his hand. “I know. They were never dating, Wolf. Nicole wasn’t with Tony. She was with Senator Watson. Tony acted as cover for them—and he somehow got the idea that he was in love with her. That it was his job to save her.”
If he was surprised, he didn’t show it. “I’m sorry, Haylee.”
“I am too. I had no idea, though it makes sense in retrospect.” It hurt to think about her friend in anything but the best light, yet she’d known that Nicole had destructive tendencies. Addictive tendencies. “She could be a thrill-seeker. She liked the finer things, and she often talked about the senator. Her group was lobbying his office and she went there often. I just thought it was part of the excitement of the job. Maybe I was naïve, but she talked about the senator the way she should have talked about Tony if they were the ones dating.”
She pulled in a breath and rushed on. Maybe if she got it all out, it might stop hurting so much. “Tony gave her the drugs. He says he didn’t know she was an addict. She was upset and in pain and he gave them to her to help ease it. He wanted to be the one who picked up the pieces of her broken heart. Stupid asshole.”
Wolf turned until he could lean against the headboard. Then he dragged her gently into his arms and held her. She was surprised to discover her face was wet. She swiped the tears and tried to hold them in.
“Cry if you need to, Haylee. It’s okay.”
She let her tears fall freely. Wolf handed her a tissue.
“I think maybe Tony started to crack after Nicole died. He convinced himself he was in love with her, that she wouldn’t have died if she’d gone out with him instead of the senator. And then he turned that obsession onto me. When you came onto the scene, he thought it was Nicole and Senator Watson all over again.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I think he thought he was saving me from you.”
“He pulled a gun on you, Haylee. Any man who truly cared for you would never endanger you that way.”
“I know.”
“I’m not inclined to feel any sympathy for him. He should have gone to the FBI with the shit he knew, not dragged you into it.”
She loved that he was so protective of her. That he didn’t have any doubts about right or wrong. And she didn’t disagree with him. She’d tried to understand how Tony could have done what he’d done, but she couldn’t wrap her mind around it.
For seven months, he’d known the truth. He’d watched her struggle with it, listened to her sorrows, talked about his own feelings of loss. She’d felt for him and she’d felt like he understood. He’d manipulated her to assuage his guilt.
“I’m furious with him,” she said. “I’m not offering excuses for him and I don’t forgive him for it. I’m sorry he died, though. It was senseless.”
“So was Nicole’s death.”
Her throat was tight. “Yes.”
“Sometimes, doing the right thing is painful. Tony didn’t want any pain for himself. He wanted to assuage his guilt without getting his hands dirty. But he was too stupid to hide his tracks. The video he sent you was one he made himself. He was the one walking through the facility with Silva and the others. Recording the whole thing like some kind of James Bond wannabe. It was also why he ran that day—he knew they were onto him.”
“Oh wow. How did you find that out?”
“Mal and Gem and Easy are here. They brought the news. Hacker and Bliss traced the video to the camera, then the camera to the IP—or some such shit like that. God if I know exactly how it works. Anyway, researching Tony’s credit cards and travel records—he was in Mexico during the time frame, and he bought a body cam from a DC shop that specializes in espionage before he left.”
“Holy cow.”
“Yeah. With Tony, we might have been able to connect Senator Watson to the organization, but now… Well, it’s going to be a lot harder. But that’s okay, we’ll get him eventually.”
She turned to gaze up at Wolf’s profile in the dim light coming from the living room. She heard talking out there now. She’d assumed it was the television, but apparently it wasn’t. “I want to thank them. Can you help me get dressed.”
She could feel his hesitation. “You sure you’re up for that?”
“No, but I think I have to move or I’ll never be able to move again
. I’m sore, but staying in one place isn’t going to help, is it?”
“No, it won’t.” He eased away from her. “Let me get some clothes out of your suitcase.”
She worked her way to the edge of the bed, watching him as he moved. He switched on the lamp and she blinked at the light for a second. Contentment settled in her soul as he tried to pull an outfit together for her. “Thank you, Wolf.”
“For what?”
“For being you. For taking care of me. For supporting who I am and not trying to make me be who you want me to be.”
He stopped and turned to face her. “Whoa, why would I do that? The best thing about you Haylee is you. I love you just as you are.”
“I love you too. Just as you are… Well, maybe I love you naked and inside me too.”
He snorted. “Yeah, I love me that way too. But we’ve got time for that. Let’s get you together so you can say hi to the guys.”
Thanksgiving
* * *
Wolf was the only man in the room. He felt the stares keenly, but he did his best not to high-tail it for the porch. If only he were a smoker, at least he’d have an excuse. But he wasn’t and he wasn’t about to start.
Haylee was helping her mom in the kitchen, though every once in a while she’d look up and catch his eye. They’d smile at each other and his insides would melt just a little bit more. They’d arrived yesterday, having driven down from DC. He’d talked to Haylee’s mom via FaceTime before, but this was the first time he’d ever met her in person.
Lillian Bright was intimidating as hell. The woman was highly educated and, according to Haylee, not inclined to like men. Haylee had told him they didn’t have to do this, that she could tell her mom she wasn’t coming this year, but Wolf had insisted he wanted to go with her. So here he was, ensconced in a feminist enclave surrounded by Lillian’s educated single friends, and feeling the heat just a little bit.
It meant a lot to him to show Haylee’s mom that her daughter was important to him. Just like he intended to show his parents the same thing when he took Haylee home at Christmas. He’d endure any number of stares and grilling for Haylee. In the almost two months since Tony Davis had tried to abduct her, they’d moved in together and settled into a routine. He’d gone on a couple of missions and he could tell she was nervous when he did, but she had the other wives and girlfriends to talk to. She fit right in with them, too. He was glad for that. He didn’t want her to be alone while he was gone.
His phone buzzed in his pocket and he started since he hadn’t been expecting it. He’d already talked to his parents this morning. He fished it out and saw the California number. Excusing himself, he went out onto the porch and answered.
“Dean?”
“Cheryl—is everything okay?”
“Yes, it’s fine. I just… I wanted you to know that I’m getting out of here soon. I’ve successfully completed the treatment. And I want to go home. I want to see Mom and Dad, and I want to hug my kids again.”
Taylor and Jack had been with his parents for the past month. His parents had finally negotiated the thorny foster system and gotten temporary custody. They would get permanent custody eventually, especially since their senator had gotten involved. Having a United States senator on your side opened bureaucratic doors.
That was Haylee’s doing. She’d told Grace Spencer about his parents and their fight for their grandchildren at one of the HOT girls’ nights. Grace was the president’s daughter and she’d wasted no time. Of course Wolf had known who she was, and that Alpha Squad’s Iceman was married to her, but he’d never thought there was a damned thing she could do to help. Turned out he was wrong.
“I’m sure they’ll be happy to see you, honey.”
“It’s going to be different this time, Dean. I’m going to enter an ongoing treatment program back home. And I want Mom and Dad to have custody of my kids. It’s for the best, and I know it.”
His chest was tight. “I’ll do anything I can to support you. You know that, right?”
“I do. And though I hate to ask, I was wondering if you could get me a flight home. I’ll pay you back when I can.”
“You don’t have to pay me back.”
“Yes, I do.”
He knew not to argue with her. It was important for her to feel in control of her life. “Okay. Anything else?”
“If you could be there when I land—well, that would be great.”
“I’ll do you one better. I’ll come and get you.”
He thought she’d started to cry. “You would do that? After everything I’ve done? The lies and broken promises?”
“I love you, Cheryl. You’re my baby sister. I’d walk through fire for you.”
“I don’t deserve you.”
“Yeah, you do. You need to understand that.”
“I’m trying.”
“All right then. So text me the information and I’ll make arrangements.” He could get the time off of work if he had enough notice. And if something happened and he couldn’t go, he’d ask Haylee. She’d be perfect for the job. He’d cross that bridge when he came to it though.
After a couple more minutes, he hung up and stood on the porch, staring at the quaint houses on the street and breathing the cool air in slowly. He didn’t know if this time would take or if Cheryl would fall off the wagon again, but he damn sure intended to help her have the best chance of success he could.
“Hey,” Haylee said, and he turned to see her stepping onto the porch, closing the door behind her. “Everything okay?” She wrapped her shawl around her and walked over to his side.
He put an arm around her shoulders. “Honey, everything is perfect.”
“I know Mom can be difficult. I’m sorry if she’s giving you a hard time.”
“She’s not. She’s just worried about her baby.”
She slipped her arms around his waist. “Well, her baby has never been happier.”
“Neither have I. And maybe there’s something more to be happy about.”
He told her about Cheryl’s call. Her face lit up with genuine happiness.
“Oh, Wolf. That’s great. We both know it’s a long road, but it’s a start, right?”
“Yep. Hey, did you tell your mom about your article yet?” She’d worked hard to write the exposé about Oscar Silva and the Juarez Cartel, the bad drugs and the death of her friend. She’d shopped it around and a big New York magazine had picked it up. Her editor had mentioned the word Pulitzer in connection with it. Haylee was excited, but also realistic. It was her first big article and what she really wanted was to reach people, not win prizes. But he hoped she did both.
“No, I wanted to surprise her when the edition comes out next week.”
“You should tell her, baby. Just tell her and then send her a copy. But let her have the joy of it here today with her friends.”
“Maybe you’re right,” she said a touch shyly.
“It’s up to you, but I think she’d be so proud. I know I am.”
The door opened and Lillian poked her head out. “Dinner’s ready.”
“We’re coming, Mom.”
Haylee took his hand and led him inside. Wolf’s heart was full as he sat down at the table with Lillian and her friends. His woman was by his side and he was in love for the first time in his life. That was a lot to be thankful for. If he died right now, he’d die happy.
But he hoped he had a lot of years with this amazing woman. He intended to spend them all making sure she knew she was the most important woman in the world to him.
“Hey, Mom,” Haylee said once they’d started passing the food. “I have something to tell you.”
Shortly thereafter, the room erupted in cheers and exclamations of surprise and pride. Wolf sat back with his glass of sweet tea and soaked in the love in the room. Yeah, he was a lucky man. Saint and Hacker were right. Love was so worth the risk. Life with Haylee was going to be filled with it—and he couldn’t wait to see what each day would bring.
&nb
sp; Or what her reaction was going to be when he asked her to marry him later tonight when they were alone…
Epilogue
New Year’s Eve
* * *
The party at Buddy’s Bar & Grill was in full swing. People were laughing and drinking and having a good time. Echo Squad had just returned from a mission a few days ago and they were jubilant because they’d stopped a terrorist organization from blowing up an American military base on Christmas Eve. Yes, it meant they’d been away from their families, but they’d saved lives.
Add in the fact that Senator Frank Watson had just announced his retirement from the senate this afternoon and they were pretty damned stoked. No, Watson couldn’t be officially tied to the Juarez Cartel, but the optics were so bad that he had no choice but to resign. It was rumored his wife was planning a divorce as well. Stupid bastard deserved it.
Mal nursed his beer as his HOT teammates caroused. Much of Alpha Squad was here, and the SEALs. A few Delta Squad members were there too, and some guys he didn’t know yet. Best of all, Cage and Haylee were headed toward the pool table. Somehow, the guys had kept it quiet about Haylee. Cage had no fucking idea what was about to hit him. He even made the mistake of giving Haylee the break, same as Wolf had done in El Salvador.
The guys tried not to look too eager for the match. Haylee racked the balls and took aim. Those in the know got quiet and sauntered toward the table. Cage stood by looking unconcerned about the whole thing. Like he knew he had it in the bag.
His wife sat at the bar with her friends and shot looks toward the table. Did Christina Marchand know? And if she knew, had she shared that knowledge with her husband?
Haylee broke and the balls went flying around the table. She sank two right away. Then she chalked her cue and walked around the table, studying it. She looked hot as hell in a red sweater and black leather pants. Wolf was a lucky man.
Mal eased over to where Wolf stood, looking stony. “You upset, dude?”
HOT Justice: A Hostile Operations Team - Book 14 Page 24
