Protected by a SEAL (Alpha SEALs, Book 6)

by Makenna Jameison

  Brent clenched his fists, glaring at his entire team.

  “Don’t forget he didn’t even sleep with her,” Mike quipped. “That’s true love right there. Any other woman, and Brent would already know details on the type of panties she was wearing. And so would we.”

  The others howled with laughter, and Brent ground his teeth as anger roiled through him. The fuck they knew about anything. He sure as shit wasn’t telling them anything about Ella’s panties. Ever. His stomach turned at the thought of the nameless woman’s panties his brother had found stuffed in his sofa. Yeah, he’d taken her home the other night. Had sex with her right in his living room. Why the hell did he feel guilty? He was with several women each week. Sometimes several in one night.

  The hell with everyone else.

  Matthew groaned, swiping at the screen on his phone. “Bri wants to fly down there tomorrow. There’s no way I’m letting her go alone. I can’t believe she’d ever want to step foot back in that cocktail lounge after what happened.”

  “She’s going for Ella,” Brent ground out.

  “No shit, Sherlock,” Matthew drawled. “I just wasn’t planning on taking a day trip down to Pensacola.”

  “That’s a long fucking day,” Patrick said dryly.

  “We can’t go for long. Brianna’s starting her new job soon. I guess I’ll be booking two tickets though. No way I’m letting her near that place alone,” Matthew said.

  “I’ll go,” Brent ground out. “Don’t buy any damn tickets.”

  Matthew raised his eyebrows. “Ella is pissed at you. Why the hell would you fly all the way down to Florida?”

  “Hell. Never thought I’d see Cobra chase after a girl,” Christopher laughed. “You’re smarter than me though. It took ten years before I found Lexi again, and that was an accident.”

  “I don’t want to see Ella get hurt,” Brent seethed, tossing some cash on the table for his beers. “What the fuck is so hard to understand about that?”

  “We won’t be wheels up for at least a week,” Patrick said, his cool blue eyes assessing Brent. “No need to rush there and back in one day.”

  Brent nodded, grumbling to himself. Could this weekend be any more screwed up? His brother had just flown into town—albeit disappeared with some random woman. They’d decided not to spend the anniversary of Lizzie’s death alone, and Brent was about to blow town.

  Was he really about to fly down to Florida just to get Ella to quit her job?

  Fuck no.

  He was going to apologize. Do the right goddamn thing for once. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to her.

  And maybe he’d even admit that he cared about a woman for the first time ever.

  Chapter 10

  Ella eyed the coffee maker as it popped and sputtered and failed to produce any actual coffee the following morning. Sighing, she opened the top, staring longingly at the coffee grounds. The intoxicating scent was a tease, though, because what she needed was an entire pot of strong coffee. She could probably buy a cheap replacement coffee maker somewhere—the basic model. When she’d stayed at Kenley’s condo in Virginia Beach, she’d had one of those single-cup brewers so popular nowadays. With those expensive little cups you stuck in it.

  Geez.

  At the rate Ella was going, she was going to have to get rid of her cell phone plan to make ends meet. Forget any top-notch kitchen appliance. She’d already stopped buying those fancy coffee drinks at the café. Not that she really could afford them to begin with.

  Her phone buzzed on the kitchen table, and she cursed herself for not turning the damn thing off all together. She already knew that she had to be at work again this evening. Frank had made sure to put her on the schedule every damn night all week. And she needed money. Desperately.

  The phone buzzed again, and Frank’s name flashed on the screen.

  Come in early tonight. I want to suck on those pretty tits again.

  Nausea roiled through her as sweat dampened her skin, and she dry heaved into the trash can. What was she doing wasting her time worrying about coffee for? She had to find another job immediately. She’d need two to make the same wages Frank paid her, and her grades would likely slip without having as much time to study.

  But going back there?

  Not an option.

  She heaved again, her empty stomach clenching uncomfortably, as tears streamed down her face. Just the thought of Frank tugging down the bodice of her dress last night made her want to vomit. And his fat fingers kneading her breast? His sloppy kisses all over her?

  Disgusting.

  She didn’t bother replying to his message, but a new one flashed across her screen.

  Plan on coming home with me afterward.

  I get so hard thinking about you.

  She clutched her stomach, trying to control the nausea roiling through her again.

  No way in hell was she going home with him. He’d practically dragged her down the hall to his office last night, and she’d been an idiot for agreeing to it. For not screaming and running the other way. Glancing down at her bicep, she saw the bruising in the shape of Frank’s fingertips. Jesus Christ. Gingerly, she touched her upper arm. The angry purple would eventually fade to a sickly yellow, but in the meantime, she’d need to cover it up if she was wearing short sleeves. There’d be too many questions to answer otherwise.

  Anger coursed through her at him touching her. At the way he’d grabbed her, nearly forcing her down the hall. At how he’d tugged down her top, giving her little choice in the matter. She felt shame replace her anger as she recalled him hungrily kissing her bare breast.

  Why hadn’t she pushed him away?

  Why hadn’t she tried to stop him?

  The answer was frightening.

  She’d been too scared to move.

  After Frank had cornered her in his office, she’d reluctantly finished her shift, feeling like she had little choice since she needed the cash. Frank had leered at her the entire time, making her uncomfortable, though. She’d always thought he had a thing for Brianna when she worked there, but he’d never touched her. Never dragged her down the hall. He probably knew she wouldn’t put up with his shit.

  So did that make Ella weak in comparison? Or just desperate and all out of options?

  Frank had trapped her once at the bar last night before her shift ended, pinching her ass when no one else was looking and then lightly swatting her backside as she’d walked away. She’d nearly dropped her tray of drinks, but he’d laughed and made a crude remark.

  She shuddered.

  Pouring herself a glass of cool water, she took a few sips, hoping to settle her stomach. Maybe she could dig up some change for coffee later. If she could stomach it.

  And crap. She’d never even called Brianna back. Not that she had time at work anyway. She hadn’t dared take another bathroom break—not with Frank potentially lurking around to tug her down the hall to his office again. And who knew what he’d do the next time? She never should’ve consented to let him kiss her.

  Anxiety roiled through her at the idea of calling Brianna. Her friend had flown her to and from Virginia Beach, driven her around all week, and all Ella had done was lie to her. About the whole job situation. About her money situation. She’d acted like she had some great new job lead, and in reality, she was just running back to somewhere she hated.

  She pushed the speed dial on her cell phone, collapsing onto the sofa in her living room.

  “Ella! I’ve been trying to call you,” Brianna gushed. “Why didn’t you call me back last night?”

  “I’m sorry. Things haven’t been so great. I, uh, ended up picking up my old shift.”

  “Yeah, I heard. I couldn’t believe it when Whitney told me. Are you okay? Why would you go back there?”

  “I’m fine,” Ella said, hating how the lie sounded to her own ears.

  “You sound like you’ve been crying. Seriously, why would you go back to work there anyway?”

  Ella blew out a
sigh. She knew the other waitress was just looking out for her, but Jesus. She wasn’t a kid. “Look, I didn’t want to say anything last week, but some of my financial aid fell through for next semester. I really need the extra cash right now. I was planning to look for something else, but Frank offered me my old shift back. I needed the money, and I’ll be done with school in a year.”

  “I thought you were rushing home to look for a new job, not running back to Frank. I was serious the other day about loaning you some money. You shouldn’t be working there.”

  “I know you were, and I appreciate it. But I need to figure this out on my own. You of anyone should understand that. You didn’t ask your parents or anyone else for money when you got laid off—you were working there, just like me. Making ends meet. Surviving.”

  “I know, Ella, and I’m not trying to be a hypocrite, but damn. That was before I was attacked in the back hallway. I just don’t think it’s safe working there. You need to be careful.”

  “I will. And I’ll try not to go anywhere alone there,” she said, her voice wavering.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Brianna asked. “I can tell something’s bothering you. And sweetie, you’re not alone. Ever. I’ll help you figure it out.”

  God, her friend had always been there for her. Ella felt terrible for not telling her everything. Telling her the truth. If anyone would understand what a sleazy manager Frank was, Brianna would. Plus, Brianna’s new job was in a law firm. Maybe someone there would know how to deal with sexual harassment. To let her keep her job but get rid of Frank. But who was she kidding? She’d just make things worse for herself that way. Whether she worked for Frank or not, she needed the money.

  “I’ll be fine,” Ella said. “I promise to let you know if I need help.”

  “I don’t know, hun. I think it’s a bad idea, and—wait. Did that have anything to do with those harassing texts you’ve been getting? I thought you meant some guy you’d dated was texting you.”

  Ella blew out a breath. “No. They were from Frank.”

  “Frank? Holy shit! He’s your manager. He’s not allowed to sexually harass you.”

  “I know, I know. I’ll go try to find something different today. There’re other restaurants around here. Maybe I could become a bartender or something. They get paid better than waitresses, right?”

  “Just be careful, Ella.”

  “I will. Thanks for looking out for me.”

  “I was also calling to give you a head’s up about something. Someone,” Brianna clarified.

  “What? Is everything okay?”

  “Matthew was out with the guys last night when I called him. I might’ve gone a little overboard saying that we needed to rush down there and find you.”

  “He was out with the guys on his SEAL team?” Ella asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “So what’s the big deal? Was Brent acting like an asshole again? Because that’s pretty much the norm for him.”

  “He said he’s flying down there.”

  “Who? Matthew?”

  “No. Brent.”

  Ella paused for a moment, shocked, and then laughed. “Give me a break. Brent? To do what, tell me to quit my job? Why on Earth would he? That man only thinks about one person—himself. Actually, I don’t even know if that’s true. He thinks with his dick. End of story.”

  “Ella—”

  “He didn’t even tell me why he up and left the other night. He just decided he’d had enough and stormed out.”

  “I thought you didn’t sleep with him.”

  “I didn’t! But he kissed me and came inside the condo. We were, uh, on the sofa.”

  “God, hun, why would you get involved with Brent? You know what kind of guy he is. I’ve never seen him with the same woman twice. You’re not his type—and he’s definitely not yours.”

  “Exactly. No one is his type. Which is why he’d never come down here.”

  “It seems unlikely, but I just wanted to warn you. He told the rest of the team that he was going down there after you. Matthew was livid when I was attacked, but so was Brent. His sister was killed years ago by her abusive ex-boyfriend. Brent feels protective of you.”

  “What?” Ella asked. “His sister was killed?”

  “Yeah. He didn’t tell you?”

  “No. He just implied that I didn’t know everything about him.”

  “According to Matthew, Brent feels guilty as hell about it. The guys were all out on an op when it happened, and Brent didn’t get back there in time.”

  “Wow. Jesus.”

  “Yeah. So…I guess that’s partly why he rushed off down to Florida. He’s worried about you.”

  “He shouldn’t be,” Ella huffed. “And he certainly doesn’t have the right to try and tell me what to do after acting like a total ass the other night.”

  “Yeah, I agree,” Brianna said with a sigh. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  “Got it. Listen, I better get going. My coffee maker broke this morning, and I’m going to die if I don’t get a little caffeine.”

  “All right. Just be careful. Promise me that.”

  “I promise,” Ella agreed.

  The two women said their goodbyes, and Ella ended the call, plugging her phone into the charger. Her head throbbed and stomach rumbled. Geez. Had she even eaten dinner last night? It was tough to remember with rushing from the airport, working the evening shift, and making herself sick over her incident with Frank. First, coffee. Then she’d be pounding the pavement looking for a job. Despite agreeing to work there again, she didn’t think she could go back tonight.

  The disgusting texts and messages from Frank loomed in the back of her mind.

  No.

  She couldn’t ever go back.

  ***

  Brent grabbed a seat at the bar in the cocktail lounge Saturday night, eyeing the waitress walking past. She sashayed along in sky-high heels and that damn-near indecent dress all the women who worked here had on. Hell. How could he have liked that outfit the first time he was here? Maybe it had looked good when he’d been hitting on the pretty waitresses, but now? He’d rip the balls off any man that even looked at Ella in that skimpy dress.

  So where the hell was she?

  His phone buzzed from atop the bar, and he glanced down, seeing a text from his brother.

  Find your girl yet?

  Jesus Christ. After Brock had given him shit the other night for not getting over the blame Brent placed on himself for not getting to Lizzie in time, he’d barely seen his brother. And Brock would be flying back to New York before Brent made it back home.

  On it.

  Brock’s reply came immediately.

  You’re fucking her?

  Brent clenched his jaw, irritation rolling through him.

  Looking for her, not fucking her, asshole.

  He pictured Brock laughing. Hell. His brother probably wouldn’t think twice about texting someone while nailing a girl. Two birds, one stone.

  A loud group of men laughed to his right, and he clenched his jaw, watching as they flirted with a pretty brunette. He ordered a drink, and the no-nonsense female bartender shot him a questioning glance as he watched another waitress walk by.

  “Looking for someone in particular?” she asked, sliding a Pilsner glass his way.

  Hell. Should he play it cool and just observe things tonight? Or get right to the fucking point? He nailed her with a cool gaze. “Is Ella working tonight?”

  The bartender eyed him curiously. “I don’t know. She’s on the schedule, but I haven’t seen her. Are you friends with her or something?”

  “Something.”

  The woman laughed. “Uh-huh. Well, she’s a sweet girl. Don’t screw around with her.”

  Brent narrowed his gaze. “It’s more like I don’t want anyone else screwing around with her.”

  “I can appreciate that. You look familiar. Have you been in here before?”

  “About a month ago. When Brianna was attac
ked in the back hallway. So you can understand why I don’t like the fact that Ella is working here again.”

  The woman nodded. “Have you checked back in Frank’s office? He wanted her to come in early before her shift. Not sure if she did though.”

  “Frank, as in the shitty manager of hers?”

  “The very one,” she said dryly.

  “Hi Brent,” a raven haired waitress cooed as she walked by. “Are you back in town this weekend?”

  Shit.

  He’d gotten her number when he’d been here with his buddies a month ago. And yeah, after Ella had dropped him and Evan off at the hotel, he’d met up with the woman later that night. Spent the night at her place. Managed to slip out after she made him pancakes the next morning and they went another round on the kitchen floor.

  His gut clenched.

  “Just for a day or so. I’m looking for someone.”

  “She have a name?” the woman asked, cocking her hip and looking at him expectantly. He met her gaze, and she laughed. “Oh honey, don’t think for a second I believe you came here for me. We had a fun night, but you’re not the one-woman type. More like a one-night-stand kind of man.”

  He muttered an oath. “I’m looking for Ella.”

  “Ella, huh?” The woman laughed again. “Have to admit I didn’t see that coming.”

  “Have you seen her?” he asked, clenching his fists.

  “No. Frank was expecting her to come in early for some reason though. He looked pissed as hell when she didn’t show up.”