He fought his fatigue, but the movement of the car did him in. He closed his eyes and faded out.
»»•««
“Max, do we have time to swing by the bank?” Shae rubbed the bridge of her nose.
“What for?” Max caught her in the rearview mirror as he drove.
“I’d like to return the money. I’m not sure how to explain all this Brazilian loot to my bank in Houston, if you get my drift.”
“I hear you. Okay, but make it quick. In and out.” He drove a little farther and then turned down a street, and within ten minutes they were at the bank.
“Logan, go with her.”
“Right.” Logan hopped out and opened the door for Shae, who crawled past her still sleeping dad.
They went inside and waited for Marta at her cubicle. She started when she recognized them.
“You’re back.”
Shae stepped in, speaking Portuguese. “The sale fell through. At the last moment, the sellers wanted to change the deal. They wanted more money.” She shrugged. “I wasn’t prepared to pay that much.”
“Oh. I’m sorry. What can I do for you?” Marta showed them to her cubicle, and they all sat.
Shae put the backpack filled with money on Marta’s desk. “I want to deposit it back to my account, please. If you don’t mind.” She smiled, trying to look truly sorry.
“Well, of course.” Marta took the bag, opened it, and pulled out the money, placing the stacks on her desk. “I’ll just count it, do the paperwork, and give you the deposit slip.”
“Thanks.” Shae smiled and nodded.
It only took about five minutes for the transaction to go through and for Marta to hand Shae a deposit slip. With a final handshake, Logan and Shae left the bank.
Logan opened her door, and she climbed in, settling in her seat. Logan got in the front passenger seat.
“All done.”
“Good. Let’s go.” Max pulled out of the parking spot and down the street.
“He’s still out?” She glanced at her dad.
“Sleeping like a baby.” Travis grinned at her.
She exhaled. “He deserves it. I don’t want to think about what he went through out there.”
She put her head on his shoulder and just inhaled. Her father’s familiar scent, although a bit crusty, warmed her heart.
Chapter Twenty-Five
It took them just about thirty minutes to pick up Travis at the hotel and get back on the road. All the way there, Shae had been looking out the windows, searching for what, she didn’t know, just worried that someone somewhere would jump out and stop them.
Could they be arrested? Who would tell on them? The kidnappers? No way.
Still, she let out a sigh when they finally reached the airport. The plane waited for them on the beaten up tarmac. The stairs had been pushed up to the open door, ready for them to board, and the cargo ramp was down. Sometime along the way, Travis must have called ahead and told the pilot to be ready.
They’d done it. Rescued her dad. Sweet Jesus!
She had her dad; he was alive and unhurt. That’s all that mattered.
They got out of the vehicle so it could be driven onboard by Travis and Rowdy. The rest of them followed Max as he headed to the stairs. Shae took her dad’s arm and led him along.
“Where are we, honey?” Shae’s dad scanned the area. “This isn’t the airport, is it?”
Logan stepped up next to them and spoke for the first time. “Well, no. It’s a cargo strip just outside of Belem on the edge of the Amazon jungle.”
Walter jerked free of Shae and halted in his tracks. His face flushed red, and his mouth dropped open and then snapped shut. “What the hell?” He squinted at Logan. “Oh, no. Fuck no.” He spun to Shae. “That’s Logan Speers! What’s he doing here? Shae, what’s going on?”
“Dad! Calm down.” Shae tried to take his hand, but he shook her off. She glanced over at Logan, who looked pissed as hell. “Logan and his team just saved your life.” She took a step nearer to Logan. “He’s the one I turned to when you went missing.”
“Logan fucking Speers! Him!” Walter ran his hands through his hair, and tufts of it stood on end.
“I didn’t have anywhere else to turn, Dad. He was the only one who believed me when I thought you’d been kidnapped. The company wouldn’t do a damn thing.” She threw her arms out and faced him. “I don’t care what you think about Logan, he’s a good man, and he cares about me and, amazingly, about you.”
Logan cleared his throat. “Well, it’s part true. I do care about Shae. Not so much you, sir.”
Walter lunged toward him, but Max stepped in between the two men. “Really, Speers?” He sighed. “Look, sir, we don’t have time for this. The SUV is onboard, and I suggest we get through, er…customs.” He glared both of them down.
Jake reached into his pocket and brought out her father’s documents. “I think you’ll need these, sir.” He handed them over and then gave him the cell phone.
“Thanks.” Walter nodded and shoved them into the pockets of what was left of his pants.
They entered the hangar and went to the office. A man took their passports, stamped them, and handed them back without a question. Shae figured they’d paid extra for that service, and it was worth the money.
Logan walked out of the hangar, evading any looks from her dad. Shae reached out, took her father’s arm, and following Logan, tugged him toward the plane. “Come on, Dad.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Men. Seriously,” she huffed under her breath.
Her father grumbled the entire way up the stairs and to his seat. Shae sat next to him and watched as the other men took their seats. Logan and Max sat together, and the others filled in the rows around them.
Walter leaned close and hissed at her. “Shae. You know I forbid you to have any contact with Speers.” He settled in and buckled his safety belt. The engines roared to life, and the plane began to taxi.
“I’m a grown ass woman, Dad. I make my own decisions about who I have ‘contact’ with.” She made air quotes at the word contact. “Logan and Max, they put all this together. Well, their team, Maximus Force, did. They found you in the jungle, tracked you, set up the ransom drop, the attack on those men who had you. Everything.” She slammed her back against the seat. “Damn it! Do you think I could have done all this without them?”
“Who are they?” Walter leaned over into the aisle and looked up and down it.
“Ex-special forces. Military experts. Max is the leader. Logan is second-in-command. They had the expertise to hack into the company’s email and find out what happened to you. The company stonewalled me. The government wouldn’t do a damn thing. I had to do something.”
“But he killed Billy.” Walter rubbed his eyes. He had to be exhausted. For a moment her heart ached for him.
“No, Dad. You’re wrong. Billy wanted to serve. If anything, he dragged Logan into the service. He was proud of what he did, and he loved it. Logan and Billy, they were a team, had each other’s backs.”
“Then how come Logan is alive and Billy is dead?” Walter glared at her.
She put her hand on his as he clutched the armrest, his knuckles white with strain. “It was an IED. You know that. Logan was there for Billy, even at the end.” Shae’s eyes watered. “You blaming him all these years? That’s just wrong. Billy would be supremely pissed about it, you know.”
Walter turned away, looking out the window, his lips in a tight, straight line.
Shae sighed and folded her arms. What the hell was she going to do?
Immovable object meet unstoppable force with Shae stuck in the middle.
»»•««
Logan groaned. “Man, he hates me.” He ran a hand through his cropped hair.
Max chuckled. “Yep.” He folded his arms, stretched out his legs, closed his eyes, and settled into the seat.
“It’s not funny.” Logan growled deep in his throat.
“Sure it is. Shae’s dad hates you. You
love Shae.” He chuckled again.
“Love Shae?” Logan choked. “What are you talking about?”
“You. Shae. Love.” Max cracked open an eye and stared at him.
“I don’t know what you mean.” Logan picked at something on the leg of his pants.
“Well, you better figure it out, Lieutenant. You don’t have much time before we land.”
“What the hell am I supposed to do?”
“Well, for one, make sure Shae knows how you feel about her. Two, make sure her dad knows you’re not going anywhere anytime soon.”
“I think he’d rather shoot me than see me with Shae.” Logan sighed.
“Naw. You saved his life.” Max elbowed him. “He’s going to realize it sooner or later, and then he’d be grateful. It might stick in his craw, but he’s a good man.”
“A good man? How do you figure that?”
“He raised Billy and Shae, didn’t he? Can’t think of finer folks.” Max clicked his tongue and nodded. “He may be stubborn. He may be hurting. But he’ll get there.”
Logan sat back and exhaled. Max was right. Despite Walter Walker’s hatred of him, Billy and Shae loved him. Billy might have wanted to be free of his dad’s plans for him, but he never didn’t love the old man. And Shae had done whatever was necessary to get her dad free.
Just because the man was hurting over his only son’s death and blamed the closest person he could, namely Logan, that didn’t mean the man wasn’t a good man. Just…hurting.
And if Logan wanted Shae for his own, some sort of truce, an uneasy peace even, had to be drawn. Because the last thing he wanted was to cause Shae any more pain. And making her choose between him and her dad, well, that was downright stupid.
Besides, he really had no idea which way she’d jump. They’d only been together twice, and it wasn’t like they were dating or anything. It’d been all hot sex and desperation.
And Logan might not be the smartest man, but he knew stupid when he saw it. And pushing Shae on this? That was stupid.
»»•««
Walter woke when the pressure in his ears popped. He glazed out the window and recognized Houston below him. The plane descended, and everyone around him was talking, gathering gear, and prepping for landing.
He had nothing. He’d left it all in his apartment in Brazília. Thank God, he still had his home in West University. He’d be able to get a hot bath, fresh clothes, and some coffee. He’d kill for a good cup of coffee.
Shae put her hand over his and smiled at him, her brows gathering together. What the hell was he going to say to her?
She was right. She was a grown woman, had been for years. He just found it hard to reconcile that with the image he had of her stuck in his head…all of sixteen and standing with Billy in the yard, his arm looped over her shoulders.
His heart hurt. He’d lost Billy. Was he ready to lose Shae? She’d shown what she was made of, found people to help her get him out of that fucking jungle. And he was thankful.
He only wished they’d let him dish some more pain out to Marco.
Walter patted Shae’s hand.
“Honey, you’re right. Thank you for coming for me. I thought…for a while there…I’d never see you again.” He put his hand on her cheek. “I’m grateful. Truly.”
She smiled. “Well, maybe you should let the team know.” She leaned closer and lowered her voice. “And by the way, this rescue wasn’t cheap. We owe them some money.”
He gasped. The idea of the cost of this excursion never hit him. “Of course. Anything.”
“Well, Maddie drew up a contract for the mission. We owe them expenses, that’s all.”
“What? Just expenses? That’s not very good business.”
“Dad. They did this for me. Logan talked them into it, for me.” She gave a shy smile. “Logan…he’s the reason you’re free. It’s him you should be thanking.” She looked sort of goofy, like just the thought of Logan…
“Hey, honey.” He took a deep breath. “Be honest with me. Is there a you and Logan happening here?” At the moment, he didn’t know if he hoped for a yes or a no.
Shae bit her bottom lip and chewed on it. “I’m not sure, Dad.” She shrugged. “If there was, would you…”
“Hate you? Hell, no.” Walter shook his head. “Never.”
“No. I was going to say be disappointed in me.”
“No, of course not.” He patted her hand. “But, it’s obvious you’d like there to be something. What about him?”
“I don’t know.”
“He hasn’t been playing with your heart, has he?” If he had, there would be hell to pay, for damn sure. Logan would understand what shock and awe was all about if he messed with his daughter.
“Dad. Grown ass woman, remember? I don’t need you to fight my battles or talk to my boyfriends about their intentions.” She laughed. “I can kick ass, and I carry a gun, remember?”
Walter grinned. “Yeah. I remember.” He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “I guess when we land, I have some thank-you’s to spread around.”
They sat back as the plane dropped, the wheels touched down, and the braking system kicked in. They taxied toward some large hangars and away from the commercial side of the airport.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Shae found herself crammed between her father and Rowdy in the SUV, heading back to the garage. The others were complaining among themselves about being crushed together.
“We need a bigger boat, Captain,” Travis called up to Max. Everyone laughed. The only ones not uncomfortable were Max and Logan in the front seats.
As soon as they’d unloaded the SUV, everyone had piled in, and Max took off without much talk. Once they unpacked the vehicle, she hoped her dad would make good on the contract, and then they could all go home.
Home.
She couldn’t believe it was all over. What an adventure. Thank God it went well. No one killed, hurt, and her dad safe and sound.
She got out her phone and texted Maddie.
“We’re back!”
“I know. Travis texted me about two hours ago. Checking up on me.”
“Ha ha! He’s worried about you.”
“No. He’s worried about the garage. Your dad’s with you, right?”
“Yes. Thank God.”
“Tell me all about it later.”
“Will, for sure.”
“How’s Logan?—winky-kiss emoji—“
“—rolling eyes emoji—”
“Maybe I should text him and ask?”
“Don’t you dare. Seriously.”
“Okay. See you soon.”
“Soon.”
Shae shut her phone down and exhaled. She had some talking of her own to do, for damn sure. She just had to decide what she wanted to say to Logan. Open her heart or wait for him to make the move?
What she was sure about was the fire that burned between them. If this was just about the sex, hot damn, it was on. But if it was about a relationship? What then? Did Logan want her that way? Long term with a side of permanent?
Maybe all he wanted was a few good times, a roll in the hay?
The only way to know was to ask, but she needed to figure it out before they got to Hockley and the garage.
Time was up. They turned off the highway and drove down the gravel drive to the Quonset hut. Max parked the vehicle, and everyone spilled out like it was a clown car in the circus. Most of the guys stretched. A few moved over to the large doors of the hut and pulled them open.
“Maximus Garage? I thought you said you guys were Maximus Force?” Shae’s dad gave the building a once-over look.
“We are. The garage is our business. We outfit vehicles to specs for our clients. We also run ops missions under the Maximus Force name.” Max glanced over his shoulder as he walked toward the office door.
“So, you’ve done this before? Rescued people?” Her dad followed Max, and she dropped back to walk next to Logan.
“As Shae might have to
ld you, we’re ex-special forces. Rescue is one of the things we do.” He stopped at the door, his hand on the knob. “Actually, you’re our first non-military mission.”
Shae tried not to tense, worried her dad would say something to upset the men.
Her dad faced Max and Logan.
“Well, I’m glad you agreed to help Shae and me.” He cleared his throat. “All of you, really.”
“All of us?” Logan snorted.
Walter stepped closer to Logan, his eyes narrowed. Shae swallowed and prayed her dad kept his temper.
“All of you. Especially you, Logan.” He shook his head. “I’m an ass sometimes. I’ve been…treating you wrong for a long time. Thought it was your fault Billy died, but I know the truth.” He put his hand on Logan’s shoulder. “I want to apologize to you for that. You were a good friend to my son.”
Logan blinked. “Billy was my best friend. I…I promised him… then…when,” he sucked in a deep breath, “I’d take care of Shae. Look out for her. I’ve been checking up on her every year on Billy’s birthday, sir. Making sure she was okay. This year, for the first time, Shae needed me.”
The two men locked gazes. “I thank you for that, Logan.”
“Sir. It’s what I promised him. I intend on never breaking that promise.” He turned as Max opened the door to the office and went inside.
Shae touched her father’s arm, and he pulled her into a tight, hard hug. Her heart filled with something powerful and strong, and it stung her eyes like crazy.
“Oh, Dad.” She snuffled into his shoulder. “I’m so glad you’re home and safe.”
“Shh, honey. Me too.” He patted her on the back. “Come on, we need to go in and get a few things settled.”
She nodded, and they followed Logan.
In the office, Maddie gave a high squeal, jumped out of her chair, and crossed the office to grab Shae up in a hug.
“Shae! I’m so glad you’re back! I was so worried.” Maddie wiped a tear out of her eyes.
“Don’t you start!” Shae shook her finger at her. “Besides, you’re supposed to say, I knew you could do it.”
Logan Page 18
