Her Adoring SEAL (Midnight Delta Book 3) Read online

  “I can’t believe there is so much activity so early in the morning.”

  “They call New York the city that never sleeps, but I think Vegas is a close second.” Jack said.

  “I think the guys have enjoyed the time here too.” She grinned as she thought of Mike winning at craps. Lou had taught him how to play, and apparently he now had the nickname ‘shooter’—whatever that meant. It’d been such a great time for everyone, and Beth wanted to come back here as often as possible.

  “What has you grinning, sweetheart? Are you finally thinking about gambling?”

  “God no! I can’t imagine being so frivolous with money.”

  Jack looked at her and smiled. “What would you like to do with your money instead?”

  “I’d like to help some of the children at the orphanage.” Beth had written letters to the children yesterday, and she’d gotten some postcards of the fountains to go with them.

  “I’m not surprised. You’ll probably end up working with my dad on his charities.” Beth considered what Jack said, and couldn’t imagine it.

  “But, we still don’t have anything settled when it comes to my future. I don’t know if I have to go into hiding because of the Guzmans. Even with Papa’s testimony, they aren’t sure the DEA agents are going to roll over on Alfonso Guzman.”

  “Beth, no matter what you’ll remain with me.”

  “I don’t want you to have to give up your family or your career.”

  “I would give up everything in a heartbeat if I had to, but I don’t.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “If I’ve learned anything growing up at Richard Preston’s knee, it’s that money and influence matters.”

  “I’ve learned that as well. It would be nice if it was used on my behalf for once.” She grimaced.

  “Sweetheart, everything is going to start working your way. Trust me.”

  She smiled. “Actually, it already is.” She reached across the table and caressed the back of his hand. “Our time together has been wonderful. Sometimes I think it’s what has me worried.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “It’s almost like things are going so well something bad must happen.” Jack got up and came around the table to kneel in front of her.

  “You’re wrong. The bad is behind you. You deserve rainbows and roses. Nobody deserves it more.”

  “Oh Jack, please don’t say that, you’ll jinx it.” He sifted his hand in her hair and placed a kiss on her lips. “There’s no such thing. Now, you better get ready and go pack. Our plane leaves soon.”

  Beth thought it was funny how much she didn’t want to stop kissing Jack. She’d grown addicted to him. After she saw Lydia, she knew the first thing she wanted to do when she got to California, and it wasn’t going to the beach!

  ****

  Jack felt like shit for telling Beth everything would be okay. It was just she was so happy, he didn’t want to do anything to burst her bubble sooner than necessary. After she went into the master suite, he picked up his phone.

  ‘Shooter’ had let it slip this morning the Midnight Delta team had been stateside for the last three days. He’d been calling Clint and Mason for four, and gotten their voicemail, so he’d assumed they were still deployed out of the country. God dammit, he’d been had.

  Why in the fuck had they been ducking his phone calls? Why hadn’t Lydia mentioned Clint was back in town when she and Beth had talked? His head kept telling him they were fellow SEALs and could be trusted, his gut told him to reach out to someone he knew.

  He’d called Aiden O’Malley three hours ago and gotten his voicemail. Then he’d sent him a 911 text. Aiden called back during breakfast.

  Now Jack was calling him back, and waited impatiently for Aiden to pick up.

  “What the hell, you send a 911 text and then you don’t answer?”

  “It’s complicated,” Jack responded.

  “Yeah, you have to babysit a beautiful girl and I’m sludging through sludge. Life’s so tough for you.”

  “Where are you? What are you doing?”

  “If I told you, I’d have to kill you. What’s up my man?”

  “I’m being lied to by my new teammates,” Jack spit out the last word like it left a bad taste in his mouth.

  “Gault’s team? Gault himself?”

  “Affirmative.”

  “What the fuck?!”

  “My thoughts exactly.”

  “I thought you were on babysitting duty. How could you be tangled up in something they would be lying to you about?”

  “It’s a fuckload more complicated than babysitting duty.”

  “Okay, that was a stupid question. They shouldn’t have been lying to you, no matter what you’re doing. You’re part of the team. I’m done with my deployment. I’m going to ask for leave. Where do I meet you?”

  That was why Jack loved his Senior Chief. No more questions than that, just immediate loyalty and help.

  “Beth and I will be back in California in four hours. We’re flying into San Diego. For the last three days Gault’s team has been back stateside, and I’m going to confront them. You want in?”

  “Absolutely. Just tell me when and where.”

  This time when Jack got Mason’s voicemail he left a very detailed message, using some very colorful expletives. It still didn’t tamp down his anger, but it helped him put on a calm face for Beth.

  ****

  “Hello Lydia,” Jack nodded as cordially as he could. Beth noticed, and gave him a questioning look as she walked into her sister’s home.

  “Beth, you look radiant,” Lydia enthused.

  “I’m leaving Mike and Lou outside. Terry and Chris are going to head home. I have to go for a little bit. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

  “Jack, we just got here. Where are you going?”

  “I have to check in, sweetheart.” Lydia didn’t meet his eyes.

  “Oh, I didn’t think of that.” Beth came over and hugged him. “Hurry back.”

  “I’ll be back as quick as I can. Enjoy your time with your sister.” Lydia looked pale. Good. She was as accountable as the rest of them. Goddammit, somebody better tell him what the hell was going on, and soon.

  He shut the door softly behind him.

  “Mason is over at the Denny’s down the street,” Lou said as he passed him. Jack nodded and got into the SUV.

  “Fucking automatic! Can’t even grind the gears,” Jack groused as he slammed it into drive. He was in the Denny’s parking lot in less than five minutes—it should have taken him ten. Mason and Clint were in a booth in the back. They looked grim. They should have looked scared.

  “Sit down Preston, you’re frightening the natives.”

  Jack looked around and saw people staring at him, so he sat across from the two men.

  “Explain.”

  “It’s complicated,” Clint started.

  “Un-complicate it.”

  Clint slammed his hands on the Formica table top. “Look you asshat, Beth means as much to me as she does to you.”

  “Bullshit. You wouldn’t have kept me in the dark so I couldn’t be properly protecting her if she meant something to you. Both of you are so fucking out of line it is beyond comprehension.”

  “Watch it, Preston,” Mason warned.

  “Quit acting like you’re my lieutenant. You haven’t earned my loyalty.”

  Mason sighed. “From your perspective I can understand that.”

  “Jack, we really thought we would have this under control, and you, and especially Beth, would never need to know. After what Lydia told me, I really didn’t want Beth to ever have to know.”

  “What did Lydia tell you?” Mason asked.

  “Sorry Mase, I can’t tell you, it’s private,” Clint answered.

  Jack knew it had to be about the molestation. It meant all of this had to do with Berto.

  “Well apparently your plans didn’t work, so tell me.”

  “Nine da
ys ago Guzman senior was captured. Everybody has kept it hush hush because of everything else we’ve found.”

  Jack was trying to wrap his head around everything. If Guzman senior had been captured, it should have meant the Hidalgo’s didn’t need to go into witness protection. None of them were targets any longer. They only needed protective duty until Ricardo testified, and then they were done. The Hidalgo’s were free to live their lives.

  “Explain. This should have ended it.”

  “We said senior has been captured. It looks like Guzman junior has taken the business to new heights, or depths, however you want to slice it. It’s bad.” Clint looked at Jack, his face filled with anger and disgust.

  “Look Clint, just tell me. I’m tired of the guessing games.”

  “Berto Guzman is in the human trafficking business. It’s a big time operation. DHS, DEA, and our team are all working to stop this bastard. When we broke into Guzman senior’s location we found the information on one shipment. They’re moving the people in shipping containers. We debriefed some of the women. Apparently Berto is making use of the women before selling them off. He is targeting specific types—all Hispanic.” Clint’s voice trailed off. Both men sat in the booth opposite Jack, and they looked at him with sympathy.

  Jack felt almost as sick as when Beth told her story of abuse at Berto’s hands when she’d been a teenager.

  “So the bastard is obsessed with Beth,” Jack surmised. “All of the girls look like her, right?”

  “You got it in one,” Mason agreed. “We’ve been trying to figure out if he ever met her. Clint told me recently he had. He won’t tell me the details, but he said it was a significant encounter.”

  “Yeah, you could say that,” Jack said bitterly.

  “Jack, you gotta understand, we really thought by this time we would have Berto caught along with his father. Then Beth would be able to live free and clear along with Lydia and her parents. That’s all we wanted for her.” Jack heard the faint plea in Clint’s voice, but he didn’t give a shit. He should have been told. Mason must have seen what he was thinking.

  “This was my call, not Clint’s. If anyone is to blame it’s me, Preston.”

  “And you’re who I’m holding at fault. This wouldn’t have happened with my lieutenant.” Jack got up.

  “Hold up, where are you going?”

  “I’m headed back to Beth.”

  “We’ll meet you there. We’ll have a team meeting, and bring you up to speed.”

  “It doesn’t sound like you’ve gotten very far.”

  “Don’t be too sure.”

  “I’m bringing in one of my team mates.”

  “Who?” Mason demanded.

  “Aiden O’Malley.” Jack stared at both men. He felt the eyes of some of the patrons and realized he was once again causing a stir. He really didn’t care.

  “I know him. He’s a good man.” Jack didn’t say anything.

  “When will he be available?” Mason asked.

  “He’ll be here within the hour.” He had to get the hell out of there. If he didn’t, he’d say something he’d regret. Despite everything, there was a part of him that understood why they’d done it, and he respected them for it. He would have tried to protect Beth as well in their shoes.

  ****

  “Let me get this straight. You got engaged, officially engaged, while I was in Las Vegas? There was an actual party with hundreds of people and I wasn’t invited?” Beth thought her head might explode.

  Lydia looked like she was going to cry.

  “I didn’t know about the party, it was a surprise, and there weren’t hundreds of people, I promise.”

  “Oh for God’s sake, it doesn’t matter if there were hundreds or ten. Mama and Papa were there, and people you cared about. Just not me. You never mentioned once on any call that Clint was back in town for three days. Then after the party, you never told me about it. I can’t believe you!” Beth took a deep breath. “Now let me look at the ring again.” Beth grabbed Lydia’s hand. Not sure if she wanted to slap it or cry.

  “It was a surprise. If I’d known about the party I would have invited you.”

  “Clint should have invited me. What the hell is going on? And don’t tell me nothing!” Beth was having none of the lies. “You know Lydia, we’ve played some weird games in our little lives. You protect me, I bully you.”

  “And it works,” Lydia exclaimed.

  “You’ve needed to be bullied because you damn well don’t take care of yourself, but I haven’t needed protection for quite some time.”

  Lydia gave her a pointed look.

  “See! See that look.” Beth’s eyes watered. “I was scared to death in the jungle, but why did it have to be you? Why did you have to be the martyr? To this day I regret I let you take the beating. I should have been stronger. You never protect yourself.”

  “Beth, I love you. I want to take care of you.”

  “I know you do, and something is up, and you’re protecting me again.” Beth started to cry. “The price was too high in the jungle and it’s too high now. I didn’t get to see you on your happiest day. What? You’re going to protect me again, and I won’t get to see you on your wedding? I won’t get to be there for the birth of your first child?”

  “No! God, no!” Lydia tried to hug her, but Beth shoved her away. “Please Beth, let me explain.”

  “It’s too late.”

  “I was just trying...” Lydia stopped short.

  “You were trying to protect me,” Beth finished bitterly.

  “It’s bad. It’s really bad.”

  “So tell me. I’m a big girl. Hell, do you know how many times I’ve had to be the big sister? Do you realize how many times I’ve pushed you around? Think about it, Lydia. Really think about it.”

  Beth watched the comprehension dawn on Lydia’s face. Good. She was sick of this. She wanted—no—she needed to be treated as an equal. They both did, it was the only way this relationship was ever going to work.

  “Alfonso Guzman was captured over a week ago. It was when you were in Texas.” Beth just waited. Obviously it wasn’t the good news it should have been.

  “So tell me the rest,” Beth demanded.

  “Berto’s taken over a new part of the operation.” Beth winced at the mention of the man’s name. Lydia again tried to put her arms around her.

  “Not yet, you don’t get to hug me yet. Just finish it.”

  “Berto is embroiled in human trafficking, and what’s worse is he’s targeting girls who look like you.” Beth slumped, and this time when Lydia went to hug her she let her.

  “That’s what you didn’t want to tell me,” she whispered.

  “Oh baby girl, we thought, Clint and Mason thought, he would be captured by now. And you would never have to know.”

  “You can’t leave me in the dark anymore. You just can’t,” she said in a raspy whisper.

  “I see that now. Please forgive me.”

  Beth looked into her sister’s brown eyes. They were still wet with tears.

  “Are we clear we’re not going to do this stupid ‘protect each other thing’? We’re going to be equals?”

  “Equals who care and support one another. But Beth, sometimes I do need to be bullied.”

  Beth gave a soggy laugh.

  “Yeah, you do. But from now on it’s Clint’s job.” Beth sniffed and wiped her eyes. “Let me see the ring again.”

  ****

  Beth waited for Jack out on the stoop of the duplex. She’d seen Lou and Mike across the street earlier. They’d waved to her, and she gave them a half-hearted wave back.

  “Beth, why are you out here?” Jack asked as he made his way up the stairs. “Have you been crying?”

  “Yeah. I’m over it.” He sat down beside her.

  “Is Lydia still inside?”

  “Yeah. I saw you pulling up.” She gave a big sigh. “So was your meeting to talk to Clint?”

  “Yeah.” He put her arm around her shoul
ders and coaxed her head against him. “It’s a pretty fucked up situation,” he said.

  She snorted.

  “I got that. I think what burns me the most is I missed the engagement party.”

  “What engagement party?”

  “Clint proposed to Lydia, he threw a surprise engagement party. We missed it. I know they were thinking they would have captured Berto, but it still makes me mad.”

  “Join me on the angry train.” He kissed the top of her head. “He’s an asshole for having the party without you, but there was a good reason why he’s kept you away. He’s coming over here right now with the rest of the team to fill us in.”

  “At least Lydia didn’t know about it, so she didn’t exclude me.”

  “That’s good. Let’s get back inside. I see Mason and Clint parking right now.” She saw the two men getting out of Clint’s truck. Jack held out his hand to her. She took it, and he guided her inside.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Beth sat close to Jack on the couch. Lydia and Clint were seated on the loveseat across from them, and Mason stood near the front door as they waited for members of the team to arrive.

  “I’m really sorry about keeping the two of you in the dark. It was a mistake on my part.”

  She looked at Jack, and saw him give Mason a nod. It looked like maybe things would work out. She hoped so. No matter what, she would always remember how Mason and his team had saved her and her family.

  “Mason, Aiden will be here in fifteen minutes,” Jack reported after looking at his phone.

  “I think he is going to be a good addition to this project.” She felt Jack relax even more.

  There was a knock on the door, and Mason opened it. It was Finn Crandall. He’d been on the protection detail with her parents, and she hadn’t seen him in months. She knew he’d come close to losing his life when her parents were almost killed.

  He came and squatted in front of her. “Beth, it’s good to see you.”

  “You too. Thank you for being such a good friend to Mama. She told me how you brought her romance books.”