Hard Run (Delta Force Brotherhood)

by Sheryl Nantus

  “Thanks. Talk to you later.”

  Finn cut the connection. He still had a few hours before meeting Skye, and he wasn’t going to spend all of it sitting in a truck watching the live feed from both gang hideouts.

  The Sunday surge was in full force with only a scattering of seats open. Finn found himself a spot at the lunch counter.

  “Finn.” April came up and smiled as she handed him a menu. “Skye’s not on today. Sorry.”

  “It’s okay. I’m here for the food. And the company.” He gave her a wide grin. “What’s the breakfast meal deal today?”

  “Chicken and waffles.” She nodded toward the back. “Julius’ll probably give you an extra-large serving, you keeping Skye happy and all.” April batted her eyelashes.

  Finn leaned back. “She told you something?”

  “Honey, I wasn’t born yesterday. Ever since you came to town, she’s got a spring in her step, and given she’s worried to death about Robby, that’s an amazing thing.” Her smile disappeared. “Horrible thing about her brother. He’s got a good soul.”

  “You know Robby?”

  The redhead fiddled with her apron springs. “He used to come here and wait for Skye when she worked late, then walk her home.”

  “Did he mention he was looking for work?” Finn asked.

  “He did. Ran some errands for Julius, but he couldn’t justify keeping him on full-time.” She shook her head. “Horrible thing, getting mugged like that. Makes you afraid to walk alone at night.”

  Finn nodded. “He ever talk about any other jobs? New friends helping him out?”

  She paused, her forehead furrowed. “Not that I remember. We weren’t best buddies or anything like that—I only saw him when he did some work for Julius or came to meet Skye.”

  A bell went off back in the kitchen.

  “Got to go. I’ll put your order in.” April turned away.

  Finn watched her retreat to the kitchen, wondering how Robby Harris had found himself in the company of the Wolf’s Teeth.

  He shifted his thoughts to the upcoming discussion with the Watleys.

  One problem at a time.

  Chapter Sixteen

  As Finn drove up to the Rest ‘n’ Relax, he noticed a fresh pair of tractor-trailers sitting in the parking lot, their owners likely gone off to eat or visit other areas of Whispering Willows without having to drag a huge, cumbersome rig behind them. Skye’s Jeep sat in the back parking lot, now joined by the Watleys’ brown sedan, one he recognized from his previous visit.

  Finn pulled in beside the Jeep and waited.

  Skye came out of the door and waved at him.

  A fist grabbed his heart, holding it tight as he got out of the truck and headed for the store. Every move she made, every step in those tight jeans, made him want her even more.

  She stopped in front of him, rubbing her hands together in a nervous reaction.

  Finn wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and kiss her, take her mind away from the here and now. But this wasn’t the time and sure as hell wasn’t the place for it.

  Instead, he reached out his hand and smiled. “Long day?”

  “Long enough.” She took his hand and led him up to the front door.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Finn said.

  “I know.” She smiled at him before opening the door. A small bell rang, signaling their entrance.

  Edward Watley moved out from behind the counter, a frown on the senior’s face. “Skye. Is everything okay with your car?” His attention went to Finn, and his forehead furrowed even deeper. “You. We’ve met before.”

  “Yes, sir.” Finn resisted the urge to snap to attention. “And your wife’s cookies were delicious. We’d like to talk to you.”

  Edward took a step back and eyed Skye. “Are you all right? Is this guy giving you trouble?”

  Finn suppressed a smile.

  “I’m fine.” Skye looked at Finn. “He’s fine, too. We’d like to talk to you and Annie.”

  Edward gave her one last searching look before turning and giving Finn the same inspection. A few seconds later he gave a curt nod.

  “Annie? Come on out here.”

  The older woman stepped out of the back room, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. She wore a light-yellow dress, her long blond hair tucked into a tight bun. “Just getting ready to cut and wrap some apple pie slices.” She studied her husband’s expression. “Edward? Is something wrong?” Her gaze went to Finn first then to Skye. “What’s going on?”

  “Please.” Finn pointed at the two chairs behind the counter. “You both need to sit down.” He put as much authority into his voice as he could, mixed with respect for their ages.

  Edward studied him for a long second before complying. He nodded to Annie, and she came to his side.

  He remained standing while his wife sat.

  “Are we in trouble?” He stared at Skye. “Are you in trouble?”

  “No.” Skye took the initiative. “This is Finn. He’s here to help me take care of Robby.”

  “You’re a doctor?” Annie asked.

  “No.” Finn paused. “I’m associated with a group of people who help those in trouble. Those who need help outside of the law.” He remained standing, his hands in his pockets. “People like Skye.”

  “I don’t understand,” Edward said. “What trouble?”

  “You know Robby was beaten up,” Skye said, taking charge of the conversation. “What you don’t know is that he got beaten up because he was running drugs for the Wolf’s Teeth. The bullies who threatened you into letting them use your parking lot at night.” She spoke slowly and cautiously, as if navigating a minefield. “I went looking for help to push them out of town and found Finn and his friends. They’re going to take them down, put them behind bars. We need your help.”

  “Drugs?” Annie went pale. “But…” She turned to her husband. “What’s this all about?”

  Edward shook his head. “I didn’t want to put this burden on you.” He slumped on the stool. “They came in and told me to take out the tape, destroy it and not to replace it. They come in every two weeks and take some money.”

  Annie put her hand to her mouth.

  “It’s never a lot; it’s never enough to break us. They said it’d be much more if we didn’t let them use the parking lot for their games. I never thought it was about bringing in drugs.” Edward took her hand. “I was an idiot.”

  “No.” Finn interrupted him before the senior could go down that path. “You did the right thing.”

  “The police…” Annie started.

  Finn gave a shake of his head. “The police won’t be able to do anything, not without evidence. Without that, there’s only Smith’s word against yours.” He looked at Annie. “It won’t end well. Edward chose the right path for you, and it’s kept you safe so far. Now I want your help to collect enough evidence to put the gang away.”

  The blond woman sighed. “I thought something was wrong.” She shook her head. “Every time I came out to visit, you acted odd. Whenever I had to be here alone you’d hurry up with the errands to get back to me.”

  “I didn’t want to worry you.” Edward pulled her hand up to his mouth for a light kiss. “I’d do anything to protect you, keep you safe. I couldn’t imagine putting you in danger for a second.”

  “That’s why we’re here,” Finn interrupted, speaking softly. “We’re going to make sure you’re safe, along with everyone else in Whispering Willows.”

  Annie reached up and touched Edward’s face, the gentle gesture tugging at Finn’s heart. “I do love you. Let’s make this right. Let’s do what it takes to get rid of these monsters.”

  Edward nodded. “You’ve got it. What do you need us to do?”

  Finn smiled. “We want you to take a vacation.”

  Annie and Edward looked at each other, frowning.

  “We want both of you to take a lovely vacation in Las Vegas. I have a friend who has arranged for you to have a month’s s
tay at a good hotel, one of the best on the Strip. Take that second honeymoon and enjoy yourself.”

  Annie’s mouth opened and closed, her eyes widening.

  Edward spoke first. “And while we’re gone, who will take care of the station?”

  “We will,” Skye said.

  “I may be an old man, but I’m no fool. If we’re not here the gang is going to get suspicious.” He released his wife’s hand. “I won’t let you do this alone.”

  Skye’s smile disappeared. “You know how dangerous this could be? Those men beat Robby up and shot him full of drugs before dumping him in an alleyway. They won’t mind killing you to keep from going to jail.”

  “They won’t mind killing you, either.” Edward stood up. “I’m not going.”

  “Sir.” Finn moved closer, choosing his words carefully. “As a fellow soldier, you know the importance of keeping civilians out of the field of fire. Noncombatants need to be removed from danger and kept safe.”

  Edward stood straighter, as if on parade. “I do.”

  “Then you know that you and your wife are too important for us to risk either of you. I appreciate and respect your service. Now let me do what I do best.” He glanced at Annie. “Your husband worked too hard and too long for you to be in this type of danger. Please, go to Las Vegas.”

  She pressed her mouth into a tight line, and Finn knew he’d won.

  Edward was still frowning. “If you need my help…” He stopped speaking when his wife tugged on his sleeve.

  “Honey, we’re not young anymore. Let them carry the weight this time around.” She cleared her throat and nodded to Finn. “We accept your gracious offer.”

  Finn held back a smile.

  Skye didn’t. She hugged Edward and then Annie. “Thank you. I’ll feel better if you’re both safe and sound, far from here.”

  “What’s your usual routine today?” Finn asked.

  “We finish here at five. I set up the night deposit and drop it off on the way back to the house,” Edward said.

  “Okay.” Finn turned to Annie. “Can you go back to your home and pack whatever you need for your vacation? You can leave from here for Vegas.”

  She nodded her agreement.

  Edward eyed him with the cool composure of a man who had been under fire and seen death. “I’m holding you responsible for Skye’s safety.” He locked eyes with Skye, his face softening. “Listen to me. We can rebuild the store. But we won’t have you in danger. If it comes down to the business or your survival, let it burn to the ground.” His attention returned to Finn. “We understand each other?”

  Finn heard the weight behind the words, the elderly veteran defending what he saw as his after all these years. “Yes, sir. Now please get ready to go. We’ll be back in a few hours.” He stepped around the counter and pulled his cell phone out. “I just need to take a few photographs here.”

  Edward watched, one eyebrow raised, as Finn snapped a series of shots detailing the security system—the empty recording bay and the control panel. A tap of his finger sent the photos to Trey for the tech genius to figure out what they needed to transmit the feed to the Playground’s servers.

  “All done.” He nodded at Edward. “We’ve got the best people on this. Don’t worry.”

  “I’ll worry,” the veteran answered. “But I have faith in you.” He smiled.

  “Let’s go.” Finn took Skye’s hand.

  Annie escorted them to the door. “I’ll be ready to go in a few minutes, as soon as I get those pies taken care of. Then I’ll go home and pack.” She turned to Skye. “I hope Robby’s going to be okay.”

  “Me, too.” She smiled at the older woman. “I’m sure you’ll have a great time in Vegas. Be sure to play a few slot machines for me.”

  …

  Finn didn’t realize how nervous Skye had been about dealing with the Watleys until she got back to her car and slumped against the driver’s side, her knees wobbling and close to buckling.

  “You okay?” His hands went to her waist, steadying her.

  “Yeah. I’m just…” She ran her hand over her forehead. “I never thought coming to see you would start all this, involve all these people. People I care about.”

  “Hey.” He tipped her head up to gaze into her eyes. “They’re going to have the time of their lives in Vegas. Dylan and Jessie are going to make sure of that.”

  She nodded. “What are you going to be doing while I’m running the truck stop?”

  “Looking like a desperate man scraping by for cash and willing to consider any offer.” Finn leaned in and kissed her, a hungry kiss that left no mystery about what he wanted. “Right now, we’ve got a few spare hours, and I’d like to make mad, frantic love with you until we’re both too tired to move. If that’s okay with you?”

  She exhaled. “Definitely okay with me.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  “So, what’s your plan?” Skye rolled onto her belly, struggling for air. She tingled from head to foot, their recent lovemaking sending sparks through every inch of her body. “You said something about being desperate.”

  “Not for this.” He playfully slapped her ass, pulling a squeak out of her. “The gang’s going to be down a driver, and I’m going to apply for the job.”

  “How are you going to do that?” She laid her head in the crook of his shoulder. “Don’t believe you’ll find a Help Wanted sign outside their clubhouse.”

  “I’ve got a plan.” He glanced over at the clock. “And we’ve got to get going. First to meet the Watleys and take possession of the truck stop, and after that I’ve got to go to work.”

  She dragged a finger down the center of his chest, twirling through the light body hair there. Her heart was racing, but not because of the past—it was the future that had her on edge. “This is where it gets dangerous, isn’t it.”

  “Yes.” He caressed her arm. “I won’t lie to you. From here on, it’s going to be crazy, and I don’t know when or if we’ll get any time like this together.” His arms went around her, pulling her atop him as he kept speaking. “I’ll be working my part by hitting the bars late at night and helping you during the day at the store. You have to stay frosty at the truck stop, keep things going when I’m not there. Keep those cameras rolling so we can document every move those bastards make.”

  “I saw the Wolf today.” The words came out before she could call them back.

  He stiffened under her. “What? When?”

  “He was at the truck stop with two of his buddies, filling their tanks. It was around noon.” The memory filled her with dread, cutting through the recent pleasure. “Bastards smiled at me.”

  “Did they say anything? Did they approach you in any way?” Finn’s tone shifted to an interrogation, grinding against her ears.

  Skye sat up, her palm flat against his heart. “No. I was okay. Smith came into the store and bought some soda. Son of a bitch belched then grinned like he was a little kid, trying to get a rise out of me. Wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.” Heat rushed to her cheeks, anger flaring up. “I did want to get the shovel out of the storeroom and beat his head in before dancing on his balls.”

  Finn began to chuckle. It evolved quickly into a full-bellied laugh before he cupped her face with both hands, delivering a hard, fast kiss.

  “Skye Harris, you are one amazing woman. And I am glad you came to the Devil’s Playground to find me.”

  “I’m glad you came as well.” She smirked at her joke, enjoying his reaction as he winced. She cast a quick peek at the clock before sliding one hand down between his legs, feeling him rise under her touch. “We’ve got a bit of time left. Let’s see how we do under pressure.”

  He let out a hungry growl and tangled his fingers in her hair before pulling her into a passionate kiss.

  …

  The package was sitting against the apartment door when they got back from securing the Rest ‘n’ Relax and sending the Watleys on their way. Finn smiled and he placed it on the coffee ta
ble as he sent a quick text to Trey to say it had arrived.

  “What’s that?” Skye asked as he ripped open the cardboard box.

  Finn held up the box. “This is what we need to tie into the cameras at the store.” He turned it around and showed her the input jacks. “Plug the lines in here and here.” Finn showed her the piece of paper taped to the top. “Trey’s got the information here along with his private phone number for us to call if we have any problems. We can put it on tomorrow morning.”

  She nodded. “I’ll hook it up as soon as I arrive.”

  “Okay.” He glanced at his watch. “I’m going for a short run to clear my head before I’m heading off to the bar to see if I can work my way in with the gang. Put down a few bills, maybe buy a round or two.”

  Skye nodded. “I’ll see you early tomorrow morning when you come to bed. I’ll set the alarm so I can get up and get ready to open up the station at eight.”

  “Listen. This is important.” Finn put both hands on her shoulders and pulled her to face him. “From now on, if I disappear for a full twenty-four hours without any contact, you get your ass to Vegas. No ifs, ands, or buts—you get in the car and floor it. You don’t call anyone, you don’t tell them you’re leaving town.” He hesitated, knowing this part would be the hardest for her to do. “You don’t call Pat. You don’t stop at the hospital. Drive straight to the Devil’s Playground. Call Dylan while you’re on the road and let them know you haven’t heard from me, and you’re on your way based on these instructions.”

  “Robby…”

  “No. He’s got Ace and Wyatt with him. The two of them can get Robby out of the hospital, but they can’t cover you. You show up, you’ll be an added weight. Let them follow their orders, and you follow yours.” Finn gave an angry shake of his head. “Robby would want you to save yourself first. You’re no good to him if you’re hurt or worse.” An icy ball formed in his belly at the words.

  “Okay. I cut and run to the nightclub.” She drew a staggered breath. “Then what happens?”