by Hart, Lea
“That is not making me feel better.” She heard Mark’s voice in the background saying something to Birdie.
“He told me that I was not using the C4 analogy correctly. I informed him that if he wanted any C4 action later on, then I was using it correctly. He surprisingly agreed. You know…. we never figured out how to use sex to get what we wanted. All those wasted years…. we could have had some real power with the men we dated.”
“I think your right. Anyhoo… what to do about crazy Max?”
“Tell me what trip you are on, and then I can give you my advice.”
“I’m going to all of the ASI offices across the country. I will be evaluating the business and making recommendations about the operations part of the business. I’m also assessing if making a corporation makes sense.”
“I think you should just treat this as any other business trip and give yourself a break. You don’t have to make a decision. See how you feel in a week and then reevaluate.”
“I think your right - I just need a break. I have been really emotional lately. Maybe I’m going to get my period.”
“You have been under an enormous amount of stress for over three months.”
“I have been really tired lately. I feel like I need a nap everyday around three.”
“So think of this as a break. The business side of it you can do in your sleep. The evenings are yours - to do what you want.”
“Thank you for listening to me. I think you’re right. If I’m still mad after this trip then I can go to Sienna for a week and then be back in time to help you with your wedding. I can always send my report and never see Max or the ASI offices again.”
“Except at the wedding.”
“Yes, I suppose there is that. I will just relax and not worry about making a decision.”
“Give yourself a break and don’t worry about it for now. I know he loves you, but it may be a love that you don’t want.”
“I don’t know what I want. All I want is a nap and some chocolate ice cream.”
“Well go get the ice cream, and then you can nap on the plane.”
“You’re right. I’m going to go buy several gossip magazines, and then I’m going to get an ice cream and relax. Max Bishop will not be part of my thought for the next two weeks.”
“I think that is a perfect plan. Love you, call me if you need me.”
“I will, love you too. I will keep you updated.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Max walked up to Birdie and Mark’s house and felt like this may be his last hope. If anyone was going to have influence over Rory it was going to be Birdie. He knocked on the door and waited, he looked down the street and saw the house that he and Rory now owned. He had to fix this, it wasn’t a choice for him. It had been a week since he heard her voice and he was slowly losing his mind. He saw Mark walk slowly towards the door, “Do you feel as bad as you look?”
“Probably worse.”
“So… this has been a bad week for you?”
“The worst of my life.”
“Come on in, Birdie will be back from the shop in a little while.”
“Has she spoken with Rory?”
“Of course, they speak every day. They also speak in Italian, so I have no idea what they are saying.”
“They do that so we won’t know what they’re saying. I hate that.”
“Evidently, they have been doing it since they were in Junior High. They figured it out then and haven’t stopped. I get a little worried that they are talking about me. But, then I remember that you are the one in the dog house and I don’t have anything to worry about.”
“Enjoy it while you can.”
“I plan on it. I’m sure it will be my turn soon enough. Birdie is so damn happy that I’m alive that I have another couple of weeks before my sins start catching up with me.”
“What if she never gives me another chance?”
“You can’t think like that. Pull your head out and start thinking like a Commander. Come at it from another angle, there is nothing that can’t be solved and this includes Rory.”
“I wish I felt as confident as you. I fucking made it through fifteen years of impossible and I’ve never felt this way. This woman has to give me another chance.”
“She will, but you have to back off and give her room to come back to you. Did you buy the house?”
Yes, it closed last week. I put it in both of our names. I was planning on giving it to her for Christmas.”
“You will. Wait until she comes home and give her a chance to relax. Then ask her out on a date and start all over again. She has to believe that you are capable of normal.”
“The problem is, that I’m not sure if I am with her. I’m crazy in love which makes me crazy overprotective. I want to wrap her up in a bubble and tell her what to do.”
“You realize that you need to make sure that she never knows what you just said?”
“Yes, I know that.” They heard the door open and Birdie walked in with a grocery bag. Max got up to take the bag from her. “Thanks for having me over for dinner.”
Birdie looked at him for a moment and studied him closely, “Is it as bad as you look?”
He returned her gaze, “It might be worse.”
“That’s what I was afraid of.”
He took the grocery bag into the kitchen while Birdie kissed Mark. He wanted what they had. Actually he had it, until he screwed it up.
Birdie walked into the kitchen and started unpacking the groceries, “Give me thirty minutes and I will have dinner ready. Then I will give you some clear instructions on how to fix your life. You are going to have a small window of opportunity and I don’t want you to screw it up.”
“Thank you, Birdie.”
“Do you love her?”
“With everything I am.”
“That’s what I thought. It’s why I’m willing to help you.”
“I understand and I appreciate it.”
She nodded her head and started getting things together for dinner. She handed him two beers, “Take this to Mark and talk to him please.” She gave him a meaningful look before going back to getting dinner ready.
He understood that she wanted him to talk to Mark about the transition when he wasn’t cleared for active duty again and was forced to retire. She must have felt like he needed someone to talk to. He would do his best to try to help his friend understand that there was life after the teams. It was different for every man, and he had no idea how Mark was going to handle it.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Max sat in his office and tried to focus on the paperwork in front of him. The last two weeks had been absolute hell. He didn’t think he was going to make it after the first week and here he was still alive at the end of the second week. If only he could have been more relaxed before the trip - she wouldn’t have felt the need to get away from him. He knew at the time that he was supposed to back off but he couldn’t help himself. His stupid, testosterone - driven compulsion to keep her safe had driven her away. He wanted to protect her from everything bad in the world, and he couldn’t get control of his possessiveness in time.
So here he sat in San Diego while she traveled all across the country alone. The only thing that saved his sanity was that all of his partners were taking care of her. He made sure that they picked her up from the airport and kept a very close eye on her during her visit. He knew she was safe, but he hadn’t heard her voice in two weeks and he felt like something was about to break inside. For a hardened warrior that was a very difficult concept. He thought only his bones could break, not his heart. At least she would be home in two days and he would have a chance to try to repair the damage he did before she left. His phone rang and he picked it up. It was his partner in the Florida office, “Hey Joel. How is Rory?”
“I’m not sure man, she texted me that she didn’t need a ride from the airport. She said she would text me later on and find out about dinner plans. I never heard from her, so I figured she was tir
ed from the traveling. I was in the office this morning for our meeting and she never showed up. I don’t know what hotel she is staying at, so I can’t go check on her. Can you get me some Intel so I can find her?”
“What the fuck, how could this happen? I have been tracking her all over the country and she has been fine and following the itinerary very closely. Give me ten minutes and I will have everything sent to your computer.”
“I will be ready to go as soon as I get it - don’t worry man. Maybe she is just tired and taking a day off. Rorke called me yesterday to let me know that she was at the airport and said she seemed a little tired and never really ate anything. Maybe she caught a bug and is just resting up in the hotel room.”
“Let’s hope so, I can’t let anything happen to her. I’m going to marry her.”
“I got your back - just get me some Intel and I will be out the door in five minutes.”
Max got up from his chair and yelled for Frank and Derick, he slammed into their office and they both looked up. “What the hell happened?”
“Rory is not following her itinerary, and I just got a call from Joel and she is a no show.”
Derick spun around in his chair and started working his key board, “On it - give me a couple of minutes.”
Max pulled his phone out and dialed Rory’s mom. He needed access to their jet so he could get his ass to Florida by tonight.
Derick worked his computer, and Frank pulled up the info on the tracking device that she had in her purse and briefcase. “It looks like she is in the Miami area, but the signal is very faint. If there is too much cell activity, it’s going to slow down our ability to pinpoint her location. I knew we should have upgraded to the new software.”
Max got off the phone with Rory’s Mom, “The jet is going to be ready in an hour. I can be in Florida by tonight. I’m going to grab my go bag and supplies and I will have the sat phone, so I expect immediate updates. Let’s treat this as a snatch and grab until we have further information. Send everything to Joel, he’s ready to leave his office as soon as you get him the Intel.”
Frank turned to Derick as he let his computer run down the location on the tracking balls that were tucked away in Rory’s things. “Should we run facial recognition on the security cameras in the airport?”
“It’s running right now.... unfortunately it takes a while. I don’t want to hack into the federal database unless we absolutely have to.”
Max walked back into their office as he was tucking a gun into the waistband of his pants, “Keep me updated, I’m on my way to the airport. I will give you my eta once I speak with the pilots.”
When he was airborne, he started receiving updates from Frank and Derick. Apparently she was at the Eden Roc Hotel which was not where her initial reservation was booked. She also used her personal credit card and not the corporate one that she had been using for the last two weeks. Something was up and he was going to fucking figure it out. He had left a message on her cell phone, and of course she hadn’t called him back yet. The advice that Birdie gave him last week was running through his mind as he sat back in his chair. He was going to use it when he saw Rory.
It had taken Derick longer than he would have liked before he could get Rory’s room number. Joel was finally on his way over to check on her. Max didn’t want him going in the room and scaring her to death, so he had him do a quick sneak and peek and confirm she was there.
The good news was that she hadn’t used her credit card at any other locations. She had checked into the hotel and hadn’t left. At least that’s what he was praying for.
His sat phone rang and he quickly answered, “Hey Joel, please give me some good news. I’m about two hours from landing in Miami.”
“I’m not sure what kind of news I have for you.”
“Just spit it out.”
“I know the security guy at the hotel, so I was able to confirm with him that it was Rory who checked in. I checked the security footage when she checked in and it was definitely her. I went up to her room and listened, and all I could hear was moaning. I’m not sure what kind of moaning though. I checked the security cameras in the hallway and it doesn’t look like anyone went into her room. She has the do not disturb block on her phone and hasn’t ordered any room service or anything. My guy says we can’t go into her room unless they are absolutely sure she is in danger.”’
“It’s not what you think.”
“I’m not thinking anything man. Let me know what you want me to do?”
“I want you to sit there until I get there, update me with any changes. I will see you in a couple of hours.”
“You got it. See you when I see you.”
Max sat in his seat and was very still. He analyzed all of the information he had and knew in his heart that Rory was not with another man. She was probably sick and needed him to be with her. He didn’t care what she said before she left, they were going to be together and that was that. He took a deep breath and went into combat mode; quiet breathing, clear thought and swift action.
***
Max stood in front of his friend in the hallway, “Anything new?”
“No, a little bit of moaning and maybe crying. It’s been quiet for a while.”
“Thanks man, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”
“It was nothing. Hell, you saved my life when we were on that op in Somalia. You want me to hang out for back up?”
“No thanks, I will call you tomorrow. You can tell the team that we are clear, and I’ll call them later to thank them.” They shook hands, he turned towards the door and let out a big breath. He needed to mentally prepare himself for whatever he was going to see.
He knocked lightly on the door before he slipped his key card in the door. He slowly walked in and called out her name so she wouldn’t be scared when she saw him in the room. The sliding doors were open and he could smell the ocean and something else. He looked at the bed and saw the woman of his dreams asleep. He looked around and saw her clothes were on the bathroom floor. He noticed the smell again and realized that Rory had been throwing up. He went back to the bed and looked at her and realized how pale she looked. He decided not to wake her up. He went back to the bathroom and gathered her clothes and put them in a plastic bag and rinsed out the sink. He quietly slipped out of the room and called for a dry cleaning pickup and went down to the vending machines, and got a bucket of ice and some ginger ale from the machine. He walked back into the room and noticed Rory was still asleep.
He set the ice out and had the drink ready for when she woke up. He looked in her purse and noticed that her phone was dead and so was her Ipad. She also had a box of saltine crackers in her bag and sour gummy worms. That was strange - he had never seen her eat candy. Her suitcase was on the rack and she hadn’t unpacked anything. He texted everyone a sit rep so they wouldn’t worry and decided to lay down next to her. He was damn glad he flew across the country and was here now to take care of her.
He got out of his clothes and called her name as he laid down next to her. As his body hit the mattress she rolled into him and mumbled something. He wrapped her up in his arms and breathed her in and felt like his heart had finally taken a normal beat for the first time in two weeks. “It’s ok sweetheart, I got you. You’re ok.”
“Max, too early…. not time to wake up.”
He kissed her head, “Sleep baby.” She slept against him with her head on his chest and her hand around his waist and he felt his world click right back into place. He hadn’t slept much since she left and he found that he was exhausted. Having her wrapped up in his arms allowed him to finally fall asleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Rory woke up against a hard hairy surface and didn’t know where she was for a moment. They were not at home and she was sleeping in a robe. She tried to lift herself up, but Max had his arm securely around her anchoring her against him. She smelled the ocean but knew they were not at his condo. She pushed him, “Max wake up, I’m disorient
ed.”
His eyes flew open and he looked at her and smiled, “Good morning sweetheart.”
She sat up and looked around and then flew off the bed towards the bathroom. Was it something he said? He heard her throwing up and immediately got up and went into the bathroom. She was leaning against the toilet and throwing up viscously. He went over and held her hair up and rubbed her back. He sat down behind her and supported her weight. “I’m here baby, I got you.”
She waved at him in between bouts, “I don’t want you to see me this way.”
“Too late baby. I’m here and I’m not leaving.” Before she could say anything else she started throwing up again. He was starting to get worried, because he knew that she had not eaten anything in two days. She finally had nothing left and all that was left was dry heaves. He managed to get up and get a wash cloth wet to wipe her face and neck. He handed her a bottle of water and she managed to take a sip and spit it out. “Max please, I don’t want you to see me like this.”
“I’m not leaving you, so just lean back and rest. I’m going to call a doctor. How long have you been throwing up?”
“I don’t know…. maybe two weeks. It’s my new morning routine, and I’m not really enjoying it. I think I caught a bug or something. It hit me really hard when I got off the plane in Miami. The smell of jet fuel had me losing my crackers in the bathroom at the airport. I barely made it to the hotel before I became sick again.”
“Do you want some ginger ale or seven up?”
“I don’t know if I can keep it down, but maybe I should try. What day is it?”
“It’s Friday.”
“What day did I get here?”
“You got here Wednesday evening.”
“Wow, I must have really been sick. I remember throwing up and then sleeping. I have been really tired.”
