SEAL's Honor (Alpha SEALs Coronado Book 3)

by Makenna Jameison

  “Thanks, but maybe another time,” Taryn said. “I just ate. I’m headed for a walk around the neighborhood.” That and she knew she couldn’t afford wherever Clarissa wanted to go. She only had a few dollars to her name at the moment.

  “I might run out to the store then. I had a craving for an omelet this morning. Blake didn’t want to eat a big meal before PT, and then I realized we were almost out of eggs.”

  Taryn nodded, not wanting to tell her neighbor how little food she had at her own house. She’d be shocked, probably. She may have some design clients, but she was barely scraping by. Renting a huge townhouse was obviously a mistake, but she figured Austin would be more likely to look for her in a rundown apartment complex if he ever tracked her here. He certainly wouldn’t check townhomes full of families and couples.

  “I thought Blake usually left earlier in the morning,” Taryn commented, wanting to change the subject.

  “He does. They’ve got evening training later on, so he headed in a little late today. He probably won’t be home until I’m done with my lectures tonight. Oh, do you want to come over for an early dinner? I’ve got a class starting at six-thirty.”

  “Thanks, but I wouldn’t want to impose. I just came over last night for the barbeque.”

  “It’s no imposition,” Clarissa said with a smile. “We’ve got tons of leftover food—much more than we can finish on our own.”

  “Well, okay, if you’re sure it’s no problem.”

  “Trust me, it’s not. Even with a hungry SEAL team, we ended up with way more food than I expected. Does five sound good?”

  “Yeah, that’s perfect. I don’t mind eating earlier and will head out before your class.”

  “Awesome. I’ll see you later on then.”

  Clarissa waved goodbye before walking back to her townhouse, and Taryn glanced back once more before going on her walk. It would be nice to have a friend here, she supposed. As long as Clarissa didn’t push her to date Jackson. She didn’t seem like the matchmaker sort, but one thing was for certain—she couldn’t be in a relationship.

  Taryn had to keep her head down and go about her life, not letting anyone find out too much about her past. Keeping a low profile was the only way to make sure her ex-husband never found her.

  ***

  Jackson dropped to the ground after he’d rappelled down the wall, stepping back to watch his teammates come over one at a time. They drilled constantly for their missions—on the water, on land, in hand-to-hand combat.

  The sun was beginning to set, obscuring their line of site as they moved through the training course. He squinted as he looked up, watching Ethan swing his legs over before rappelling down. After this, they’d complete the course while being timed, trying to shave precious seconds off their performance from several weeks ago. When dealing with unknown enemies, being quick and moving forward without hesitation was imperative. They didn’t have time to mull over options when they were moving in. They needed to charge forward as one unit, and drills like this kept their skills sharp.

  On their last op to the Middle East, they’d captured a terrorist wanted for killing American soldiers in and around Bagram Airfield. They’d gone there twice after the asshole. The first time he’d slipped through their fingers, but the second time he hadn’t been able to escape.

  “Think we’ll head back to Afghanistan soon?” Ethan asked, dropping down beside Jackson.

  “As soon as we have intel on the missing Americans,” he said with a frown.

  Grayson came over the wall next and joined them, taking a swig of water from his canteen. “Hailey still has nightmares about the bombing. And she’s worried sick over her friend Kim.”

  Jackson clenched his jaw. The two American women being held hostage concerned all of them. If they knew their location, they’d have staged a rescue the last time they were there. As it was, the two women were believed to be held in the mountainous regions of Afghanistan. No one had the exact coordinates. No one knew their condition. Had they been hurt? Raped? Killed?

  Jackson’s blood boiled at the idea of harm coming to any women.

  Troy jumped down next, moving quickly aside as Logan was hot on his heels. Their team leader, Blake, was the last man down, but he’d been watching from his perch at the top, ready to quickly descend.

  “We’ll start at the front of the course in five minutes,” he said. “If our time is good, we can head home for the night. Tomorrow we’ve got another set of drills starting at oh-eight-hundred. We’ll meet for regular PT beforehand.”

  The men began walking back to the front of the training area, talking amongst themselves. “Any word from the CO on the hostages?” Grayson asked Blake. They’d all briefed with their commander that morning, but Jackson knew he’d be eager for any new information. Even if Grayson couldn’t tell Hailey any details personally because it was so highly classified, it was possible she’d learn something due to her work at the Department of Defense.

  Hailey’s friend Kim was an Army reservist and DOD contractor. No doubt Hailey would be informed to some extent if they had new intelligence—both because of her own position and because she’d been there at the time of the explosion.

  “Not yet,” Blake said. “As soon as we get a specific location, our team will be sent in for a rescue op.”

  “Damn it,” Troy said, spitting on the ground. “It’s not right to leave them over there.”

  “Agreed. But we’ll waste time and resources running around if we don’t know for sure where they are. They’re gathering new intelligence daily. As soon as it’s confirmed, we’ll move in.”

  Ethan grumbled from beside Jackson. “Those assholes will fucking pay for harming innocent women.”

  The other men glanced over at him. His eyes were heated as he looked at his teammates. “Hailey told me a little about Kim,” he said in a low voice.

  Grayson nodded. “Yeah, she mentioned that to me. She’s worried as anything about her.”

  “She’s in the reserves, but she’s a contractor. She’s not as highly trained as the other soldiers stationed there—I don’t mean that in a negative sense, but it’s true. She’s not a career solider. She’s got to be scared out of her mind. Fucking hell,” he spat out, shaking his head. “Those women didn’t deserve to be kidnapped by insurgents.”

  An officer on base barked out a command from the distance, and Blake looked at his teammates. “Two minutes,” Blake said as they stopped at the front of the obstacles set up for training.

  Some of the men took swigs of water from their canteens. Jackson’s stomach rumbled, but he’d grab dinner after he got home. It had been a long day, and he was ready to complete the timed training and finish this up. They’d be back here drilling tomorrow morning soon enough.

  Blake turned to him as they stood off to the side of the others. “Did everything go okay when you walked Taryn home last night?”

  Jackson nodded. “Yeah. She’s easily spooked though.”

  “I figured. I saw her when I was leaving this morning, and she nearly jumped out of her skin when Clarissa called out hello.”

  Jackson frowned, not liking the sound of that. She’d been startled by him yesterday, but he was a big guy. She knew her neighbor, and Clarissa wasn’t the type of woman to intimidate anyone. He wished there was a way to make Taryn feel safe, but damn. If she was running from her ex-husband, the only thing to ease her fears would be for the asshole to end up behind bars.

  “Is she in some sort of trouble?” Blake asked.

  “Sort of. She ran from her ex,” he said in a low voice. “I got the impression that she just up and left. She briefly panicked when I walked her home last night and a cop car drove by, but the asshole doesn’t even live around here.”

  Blake stilled. “He’s a cop? Was he abusive?”

  Jackson could see the anger in his eyes. His teammates protected the innocent. They didn’t tolerate men harming anyone weaker than them. They’d rescued women and children in all sorts of horr
ible situations around the world. They’d seen things that would give anyone nightmares. Taryn had been harmed on U.S. soil though, by a man who should’ve loved her. Who’d sworn an oath to protect others as a police officer. For Taryn to be betrayed by a man who’d promised to honor and protect her and who others looked to for help wasn’t something they’d easily forgive.

  “I’m still learning the details, but yes. She’s afraid of her ex-husband. She was terrified just thinking it was him. She didn’t tell me much though. I was there and saw her reaction. She ran, and I’m assuming she’s afraid he’ll track her down.”

  “Fuck,” Blake muttered. “No wonder she’s so skittish around men.”

  Jackson hardened. “She is, and I’m not sure what I can do to help her. I can’t push for more information. I barely even know her, but I swear if I find out that asshole’s name, I’m tracking him down.”

  “She trusts you,” Blake commented.

  Jackson raised his eyebrows.

  “She let you walk her back last night. She moved in a month ago and has barely talked to Clarissa or me. You sat there in my living room and ate dinner with her. She spoke more to you in an hour than she has to us the entire time she’s lived next door.”

  “Maybe so, but that doesn’t mean she’ll spill her guts and tell me everything. I don’t know where she’s from. I don’t even know if Taryn’s her real name.”

  “Probably not,” Blake agreed. “Not if she’s smart. I’ll keep an eye out for anything. I might have to let Clarissa know about this, too. If that asshole somehow finds Taryn, I don’t want either of them to be in danger.”

  “Understood,” Jackson said.

  The other men gathered around them, and Blake told everyone to get ready. The sun sank lower in the sky, and Jackson wondered what Taryn was doing at that very moment. He was planning to stop by Raptor’s house to look for the cell phone he’d inadvertently left there last night, but he couldn’t just knock on Taryn’s door, could he?

  He didn’t have a right to check up on her, and she might not appreciate the intrusion. One way or another, he wanted to find out more about her though. To make sure she was safe. It had been a long time since a woman had got under his skin, but something about her called to him. She sent his protective instincts soaring, and Jackson knew he wouldn’t rest until he could ensure her complete and total safety.

  Chapter 5

  Taryn checked her email again that evening before she headed to Clarissa’s. The client had finally approved her website changes and been thrilled with her redesign. She’d send them an invoice for the completed project but probably wouldn’t get paid until tomorrow at the earliest.

  Groaning, she closed her laptop.

  Last week, she thought she’d found another new company to do some design work for, which would’ve given her another steady income stream, but they were unwilling to pay her off the books. Maybe she needed to look into getting a fake ID. With a new driver’s license and new social security number, she could take more jobs. Pay taxes. Live a real life.

  But how exactly would she get a new social security number?

  Damn Austin for ruining her life. They’d married young when she’d found out she was pregnant, but a miscarriage in her first trimester had been both a blessing and a curse. She’d love to have a child and had cried her eyes out at the loss, but a child with Austin?

  She was safer not being pregnant and not raising a child with him.

  She’d stayed with him an entire year, but what had previously been harsh words and an occasional push or shove had gradually turned more and more violent. He’d slapped her across the face once, and it had only escalated from there. He’d hurt her. Bruised her. Locked her in their bedroom. Taken away her cell phone and laptop.

  Austin controlled their finances, controlled their household and bills. She had a job, but he deposited the money into his bank account. She’d realized after they married that the joint account he’d reluctantly agreed to open with her had virtually nothing in it.

  She’d hidden some money, biding her time, and when he’d finally snapped and thrown her into the wall of their house, she’d filed for divorce. It had been a long, drawn-out process, but he still followed her. Stalked her even when she’d tried to return to school.

  She’d left everything when he’d shown up drunk one night and threatened to kill her. She’d taken a single bag and simply run.

  Shuddering, she looked around her kitchen. She loved to work here where it was sunny and open and she felt safe. No one could hurt her here. Austin wasn’t nearby. But the trauma seemed to stay with her, popping up at unexpected times. She liked the light and openness of her kitchen, the ability to sit there at the table and create. To not worry about him storming in, mad about some absurd thing.

  And now because she was hiding and didn’t have a secure, full-time position, she had to go another day without grocery shopping. She still had a small amount of peanut butter left in the jar and a few things in her fridge, but after paying her rent at the beginning of the month, she was left with next to nothing for food.

  She should’ve gotten a roommate, should’ve rented a cheap apartment. She should’ve done a lot of things differently. Having a townhouse made her feel safer though. There were multiple ways to escape—the front door, the deck, the garage, and all the windows. If she stayed in a small apartment, she’d be trapped. And Austin wouldn’t look for her here.

  If he ever did manage to track her to San Diego, he’d look in apartments and other inexpensive housing. He’d probably look places that were popular with the college kids. She couldn’t afford this place, and he’d know that. She’d already burned through the meager savings she had to afford rent. If she could just get more clients and take more jobs, she’d be okay. She had the skills, just not the freedom to take a position like that.

  Her safety was the most important thing.

  Austin could never, ever find her.

  Sighing, she stood up from the kitchen table. Thankfully, Clarissa had invited her over. Taryn had skipped lunch and was starving. The meager breakfast she’d eaten hadn’t done much to keep her full either. Maybe she should’ve skipped that long walk, but she liked getting exercise.

  A few minutes later, she knocked on Clarissa and Blake’s front door. His SUV was gone, and she assumed he was probably still on base training.

  Was Jackson with him, she wondered?

  No matter.

  He’d already seen too much yesterday. She didn’t need to drag a guy like Jackson into her complicated life or problems. He was older than her and had his job to worry about. An actual career. She was barely making ends meet and couldn’t get a real job if she wanted to.

  “Hi!” Clarissa said as she pulled open the front door.

  “Hi. Sorry I’m a few minutes late. I know you have class later on.”

  “It’s no problem,” Clarissa assured her. “It’s just leftovers, remember? I just took stuff out of the fridge. Make yourself a plate, and we’ll reheat it in the microwave.”

  “All right, that sounds perfect,” she said, following Clarissa inside. It was quiet, nothing like the boisterous group that had been there last night. Walking into the kitchen, she was surprised to see bridal magazines scattered around.

  “I figured I better start planning,” Clarissa said. “We’ll probably get married next summer.”

  “Wow. Congratulations! Jackson did mention that the party last night was for your engagement, but no one was talking about it much, so I forgot to say something.”

  “It’s fine. We’re pretty low-key about it. I think the guys figured it out before we even made it official,” she admitted with a laugh. “We’ll probably just do a beach wedding here. Blake said we could have the wedding in Texas, but honestly, I didn’t have a ton of close friends there. Blake’s teammates are here, and I love the idea of a wedding near the ocean.” She shrugged. “We’ll figure it out.”

  Taryn absently nodded, putting some food onto a p
late. There were indeed a large number of leftover platters of food. Her stomach rumbled, and she flushed, hoping her friend hadn’t heard.

  “Would you like a glass of wine?” Clarissa asked. “I’ll pass since I’m lecturing tonight, but we have plenty.”

  “Water is fine,” Taryn assured her. “So do Blake and his team usually have to work late?”

  She wondered what the schedules of the SEALs were like. Not that anything would come of her and Jackson, of course, but she had to admit she was curious. The guys were all in perfect shape and clearly trained hard for their jobs. Even last night when they were all hanging out together, she could see how muscular and fit the men were. They might have been casual and having fun, but no doubt they could charge into any situation and take control if needed.

  “It varies a lot,” Clarissa said. “They do PT every morning but sometimes have evening or night drills. When they get sent on missions they could be gone for days or even weeks. Blake hasn’t been gone much since I met him, but our relationship is pretty new. It sounds like it’s unusual for them to be around so much.”

  “And you’re already engaged?” Taryn asked before quickly hurrying on. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that as a negative. It’s just Jackson said you met over the summer.”

  “We did. It was fast, but we both just knew. It’s hard to explain. I felt safe and at home when I was with him. I up and left everything in Texas. At first, I just came with plans to stay for the summer and see what happened, but we both quickly realized it was more.”

  “Wow. That’s exciting though—a new life, new home, a marriage.”

  “Scary too, because of their line of work. What if something happens to him, you know? But I trust Blake and his teammates, so when he’s out late for training or meets up with the guys for early PT, I know it’s so he’ll be safe when he’s gone. I guess it’s a little lonely since I just moved here and didn’t know many people, but now that classes have started, I’ll be busy again.”