Her Dominant SEAL (Midnight Delta Book 9) Read online

  “Of course, I am. You didn’t think I was going to make you walk from the parking lot, did you?”

  There were people in the lobby who were staring out the window. What the hell? How had she not noticed? God, the man turned her mind to mush.

  “Now go in and get warm and check-in while I park the car.”

  She stared at him. “Karen? Are you listening to me?”

  “Huh?”

  “Honey, it’s cold outside, move your ass.”

  “Go park the car, jerk.” She turned too fast and gasped. He was right there with his arm around her. She found herself being walked in.

  “You can’t leave the SUV there.”

  “Fuck it.” He walked with her to the nurse’s station. The nurse looked up with a frown.

  “You’re going to have to wait.”

  “I’m Chief Petty Officer Avery. This is Ms. Eastman, she’s a school teacher, and she’s in a great deal of pain.” Drake gave the woman an amazing smile. “Is there any way she can lay down?”

  The woman melted. Karen did too. “What’s wrong?”

  “Yesterday she was a victim of an assault. She should have been taken to the hospital for x-rays of her ribs.”

  “Oh, my God. You poor thing. Let me take you back.”

  “Let me get you my insurance card at least,” Karen said.

  “We’ll take care of that after we get you settled.”

  “I’m going with her.”

  “Well of course you are.” The nurse smiled.

  She got an orderly who brought out a wheelchair and ushered them through the double doors. Soon Karen found herself being seen by a doctor.

  “Drake?”

  A man about Drake’s age came rushing over and slapped Drake on the back.

  “Robert?” Drake asked.

  “Oh, my God, it’s good to see you. It’s been years. You’re looking great.” Karen twisted to get a good look at the small man who was smiling up at Drake.

  “I need you to hold still,” the woman who was examining her said.

  Drake and Robert walked off.

  Dammit. She knew it was a bad idea for Drake to come to the hospital with her.

  “Ms. Eastman, I asked you a question.” The doctor frowned at her.

  “I’m sorry.” Karen focused on the doctor.

  ***

  Drake looked at Karen seated in the study. She wasn’t feeling much pain. She’d been right, her ribs were only bruised. But still, to see her more comfortable did his heart good. Of course, he really wished she would go take a nap, but she was stubborn. He looked at his sister Evie. She was stubborn too. He didn’t like the fact that she was sitting on the arm of Aiden’s chair.

  The familiar ring of the SKYPE call sounded. He turned the laptop so everybody in the study could see it. Clint’s face appeared.

  “You have some problems. This is wider than Jasper Creek.”

  Drake’s jaw clenched. He felt like an idiot. “I should have guessed that. I’ve been so focused on this place, I guess I’ve had my head up my ass.” He sighed. “So, tell me the bad news.”

  “There were hospital reports that showed the increase in overdoses. Yeah, it went to the sheriff, but it also went to the DEA in Knoxville, but it never went any further. This should have gone up the line. There should have been agents assigned and crawling all over Jasper Creek, but there weren’t.”

  Clint gave them a significant look. “We have another problem.”

  “What?” Drake demanded.

  “Your friend, Judge Kirkland. He knows.”

  Drake sat up in his chair. It couldn’t be possible. Not the judge who gave him the opportunity to go into the Navy. “There is no way he knows. He is not in on this shit. He’s one of the good guys.”

  “When nothing was done, I did some digging, I found two letters that were sent to him. One from the hospital administrator, and an anonymous source from the sheriff’s office. Both of them went out about last fall.”

  Drake stood up and pushed away from the desk. He was beyond upset. Aiden and Karen watched as he did a lap around the study. He picked up one of the crystal glasses from the bar and considered throwing it against the wall, but then put it down. He marched back to his laptop and leaned into it.

  “Dig further. There’s somebody in his office who made sure he didn’t see those letters. I’m sure of this. Dig, Clint. You’re wrong.”

  Clint held up his hands. “Okay. I’ll check it out.”

  “Are you contacting the state DEA office?” Drake demanded.

  “Already done.”

  “Good. When will they be here?”

  “Tomorrow. But they’re not going to take everything you say at face value. They’re going to want to conduct their own investigation. That’ll include conferring with the sheriff.”

  “Great. Just fucking great.”

  “But they’ll also be talking to the hospital personnel,” Clint said.

  Drake sucked in a deep breath. “I’ve got a contact at the hospital. He has a ton of information to provide. But until they’re up to speed, a lot of this still rests on us.”

  “Sounds like it,” Clint agreed.

  “But the influx of ex-cons is going to be a huge tip-off,” Aiden inserted.

  “First we’re going to have to show them where they’re all holed up.”

  “Eva?” Aiden asked her.

  “Yep, I can probably find them.” She bit her thumbnail. Aiden pulled her hand away from her mouth.

  Drake turned his attention back to the computer screen. “What else? I know there’s more.”

  “We’re checking some of our contacts down South about the increase in heroin. Maybe we can find out something.”

  “Clint. You have that constipated look on your face. You have something really bad to say, so just spit it out.”

  “Look, your dad was really in with some of the gangs in prison. I have no idea how in the hell he got out early. It makes no sense.”

  Drake didn’t want to ask while Evie was in the room, but he had to. “The Aryan Brotherhood?”

  “Yeah,” Clint said quietly.

  Drake looked over at his sister. She looked sick. This time he was happy that O’Malley had his hand on her clenched fist.

  “I heard that they weren’t showing up until the end of the month. Do you have any idea why, Clint?”

  “Right now, there’s a contingent in Kentucky. My guess is that they’re mobilizing.”

  “How in the hell do you know this?” Aiden demanded.

  “There’s a compound out there. They sold out for a pretty penny. Rumor has it that a coalition got together to buy them out to get rid of bad rubbish. It worked.”

  “Great. Now Jasper Creek gets them. Have they bought in?”

  “Nothing’s on the books. I’m working this as fast as I can. You know the feds are watching them, and I’m tapped into their database. I’ll keep you apprised of the situation,” Clint said.

  “Evie?” Drake asked, turning to his sister. “Clint’s checked out county records, but you have your ear to the ground. Can you see if anybody is considering selling?”

  “Sure. I think I’m going to go outside for a bit,” Evie said.

  “Want some company?” Karen asked.

  “I want to be alone.”

  Drake watched his sister leave the study.

  “Is she going to be all right?” Clint asked.

  “She’ll cope,” Drake answered.

  “Anything else? Any other bombs?”

  “Nope, that does it.”

  “Thanks, Clint.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Drake closed the laptop and turned to Aiden and Karen.

  “Karen, go take a nap.”

  She sat back in the chair and crossed her legs. “Would you like to rephrase that?”

  “No. You look drugged up.”

  “Probably because I am, which is why I’m not out helping Piper with scholarship applications, and why I kept my m
outh shut during most of this meeting.” She picked at an imaginary piece of lint from her pant leg.

  Aiden got up from his chair and walked carefully out of the study and closed the door behind him.

  “Seriously, did you get any sleep at all last night, or were you up because you were in pain?”

  “Now that’s a much better way to start a conversation then, ‘Go take a nap’ and ‘You look stoned.'”

  Drake’s eyes glittered with anger, but behind that, she could clearly see the pain. Her heart ached for him.

  “I did not say you looked stoned,” he ground out.

  Karen stood up. She looked at him with soft hazel eyes, walked towards him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and rested her head against his chest. “Let it out,” she whispered.

  He stood stock still for a long time.

  Finally. Finally, he whispered into her hair, “I hate him. I hated him before. How could a man that fathered us be this evil? How could our mother condone this?”

  At last, ever so softly, he put his arms around her, she burrowed even closer, and his pain lessened.

  Chapter Ten

  It had been a subdued day at the Chalet. Drake had finally talked Karen into an hour-long nap before she’d been up again working on scholarship applications with Piper. Bella had been cranky after dinner, and Karen had worked magic on her. She had gotten out red nail polish and painted the little girl’s toes in between painting her own. Drake had found himself twisting in his seat watching the whole show. Aiden had smirked at him, the bastard.

  “She’s good with kids,” Trenda said in his ear as she handed him a Rice Krispy treat.

  “She’s a kindergarten teacher,” he whispered back.

  “Yeah, but she has the touch. Not every teacher does.” Trenda sat down beside him and promptly yawned.

  “How much sleep have you been getting?” he asked.

  “More than Evie. Less than Piper. Little sister’s finally settling down.” Drake put his arm around Trenda. It was good to be home.

  “How’s Maddie liking the master’s program?”

  “They’ve got her hopping. Between the student teaching position and her job, she doesn’t know if she’s coming or going.” Trenda yawned again.

  “What job?” Drake asked loudly.

  Karen and Bella looked up from where they were sitting on the floor.

  “Damn. She didn’t want you to know. She’s working part time at a department store.”

  “How in the hell can she manage that and get her degree? I should never have bought that truck,” he hissed.

  “Maddie’s twenty-four years old. She’s a big girl. She knows what she can handle.”

  He hated it. He absolutely hated it. He was the one who was supposed to take care of them.

  “Trenda, I think someone is ready for bed.” Trenda got up from the couch and swung her daughter up into her arms. Karen walked over to the couch and eased next to him. He broke off a bit of the gooey treat and put it to her lips. Her eyes glittered as she slowly opened her mouth and took the offered food. Her tongue touched his fingers, and he went rock hard.

  “Lord almighty, you’re potent.”

  Her smile was all woman. He was toast. She snuggled closer and rested her head on his shoulder.

  “Do you want more?” he asked, holding up the rest of the goodie.

  “No. If I can’t have it all, I think I’ll pass.”

  Dammit, he had to go out tonight. Things couldn’t wait. But, dayam.

  ***

  “I’ve got good news and bad news. Which do you want first?” Aiden asked that night.

  Drake looked at Aiden. It took a moment to process his words. Get your head in the game, Avery, he admonished himself. Quit thinking about the woman sleeping upstairs.

  “Give me the bad,” Drake said.

  “Company’s coming.”

  Drake gave Aiden a hard look. “Explain.”

  “I had no idea it was happening either. They called me when they landed, I gave them directions here.”

  “So, that’s why you’ve been stalling me,” Drake said disgustedly. He threw down his gloves. “Your team or mine? And you better fucking say your team because mine needs the down time.”

  Aiden looked him in the eye and didn’t say anything.

  Drake sighed. They were in the study. He could swear because Bella was in bed and the door was closed, he was doubly safe. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. It’s Mason. That asshole. He’s as bad as an old lady.” He replayed what Aiden had said. “You said they. Who else?”

  “Darius Stanton.”

  “For God’s sake, the man has ten kids. He can’t possibly be here.”

  “Ten? I thought his fiancée just moved to San Diego, she’s too young to have ten kids. Did they adopt an orphanage?”

  Drake raised an eyebrow.

  “You’re so full of shit, Avery. But what’s the deal?”

  “She has three younger siblings. Of course, one’s graduating high school this year. Sawyer’s joining the Navy, he wants to be a SEAL. Dare thinks he has a shot. The girl is fifteen. But the seven-year-old boy is autistic. He adores Dare. Seriously, Georgie goes downhill when Darius goes on missions. Rylie is fantastic with him, don’t get me wrong, but since Darius has come into the picture, Georgie has improved.”

  Aiden’s phone vibrated. “That’s them.”

  Drake left the gear on the couch and went to the console to let them in. As much as he was bitching, he couldn’t hide his grin when he saw his teammates faces on the screen. He pressed the button to open up the gate, then turned to Aiden.

  “Mason just got married, but he won’t do babysitting duty. So, Dare is going to stick with the women. Got it?”

  “Thank God. Not that I don’t love your sisters and Karen of course, but I need out of this place!”

  “What do you mean love?”

  “It’s a figure of speech. You need to chill.” Aiden damn near ran up the stairs. Drake knew he was getting his gear. He couldn’t blame him.

  He threw on his coat and went out on the porch to wait for his friends. It had stopped snowing for just a moment.

  How did they manage to get a truck? Plus, it wasn’t red. Score! Drake stopped short. He realized he was focusing on the truck because he was nervous. He’d been lying to these men for years.

  “To hell with it.” He blew out a breath and watched it condense in the cold air. “Time to pull up the big girl panties.”

  Mason Gault got out first. He was big and lean. Drake could take him in a fight, but it would never come to that because Mason was always a step ahead of him, that’s why he was in charge. He was carrying his duffel and a suitcase. Obviously, he had checked baggage which meant he had some firepower with him.

  Darius Stanton got out next. His gaze missed nothing. Drake remembered when he’d played the role of superspy. He had the look of a pretty boy, but his early years in foster care made him a sneaky bastard. He was going to be pissed when he found out he was the babysitter. Drake would bet his bottom dollar that Dare would have Bella eating out of his hand, and he wouldn’t have to pay her.

  Dare walked up the stairs first.

  “Six baby sisters, huh?” Darius said as he held out his hand, and clapped Drake on his back. “Are any of them like you?”

  “They’re all pretty and nice, so no.” But then Drake paled. “Holy shit. I think one of them is kind of like me.”

  “Awesome.” Darius smiled. “Hopefully she gives you hell.”

  “She does, every time I turn around.”

  Darius stepped back, and Drake turned to look at his lieutenant. It was hard to read Mason’s face. Was he disappointed?

  “It’s freezing. I grew up in San Diego. Is O’Malley inside?” Dare asked. He was already opening the door. Then he was gone, and it was just him and Mason.

  “Drake, quit it,” Mason said quietly. “Everything’s good.”

  Drake swallowed, then smiled. “Sure, it is,” he quipped. “I lie to
my best friend for years, and everything is right as rain.”

  “You’ve taken a bullet for me. You’d literally die for me, and not just in the heat of battle. This is petty little shit that I’ve known about forever.”

  “So, you pity me.”

  Mason laughed. Laughed loud and hard. “Look, I think you’re kind of a dumbshit for thinking you couldn’t tell me. I think that being forced into the Navy was a Godsend. But pitying you for having a shit father? Hell no. You nailed the bastard. I pity him. I pity this town right now because you’re going to grind it into dust. But pity you? Hell no.”

  Drake felt almost as good as when he’d been in Karen’s arms.

  ...Karen.

  Now she was something he wanted to share with his best friend. She was amazing

  “Mason, there’s this woman.”

  Mason gave him a considering look. “You’ve never once said that to me. Have you finally fallen like the rest of us?”

  “You guys were pathetic. Those women lead you around by your-”

  “If you value your life, I’d shut your mouth.”

  “Okay, I’m pathetic too.”

  “There you go.” Mason smiled. “So, this happened in five days?”

  “It happened in five minutes.”

  “Sounds about right.”

  “Okay enough of this feely shit,” Drake said with a mock shudder. “I need to fill you in. Let’s go inside.”

  As soon as they entered the house, the aroma of coffee hit them.

  “Shit, one of the women is up.”

  Mason didn’t say anything, he just followed Drake into the study. There he found Darius, Aiden, Evie, and coffee.

  “You’re supposed to be in bed,” he growled at his sister.

  “You told us that nothing was going to go on tonight. If you’re going to be a lying asshole, it’s fine, but I’m roaming the halls in the middle of the night. Suck it up, big guy, I made coffee.”

  “I think I figured out which one is like you,” Darius said.

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Evie demanded. “I’m nothing like that Neanderthal.” She turned to Mason and smiled. “Are you his boss?”

  Mason nodded.

  Evie got up and poured a cup of coffee. “How do you like it?”