Protection for Amelia (Safeguarded By The SEAL #5)

Chapter 1

The last thing Avery “Apple” Owens wanted was to visit Tara in prison. It wasn’t the prison so much that he minded, but what had happened, who he’d betrayed to be with Tara.

That time of his life had been bad. He'd made some big mistakes. Now, he couldn't think about it without embarrassment hitting hard.

If he’d stayed with Tara, he would have never become a SEAL and he might have ended up in prison, too. He loved his job, loved that he got to do good in this world. Knowing with just a few small changes, he would have ended up in a totally different place kind of freaked him out.

The jingle of the bell above the door drew him from the dark memories.

A smile played across his lips as an older lady stepped in.

He was heading to St. Louis during his month off, going to visit his parents for a few days before going camping in the Rockies.

The diner on the frontage road had sounded appealing, giving him a few minutes to rest and grab a good mug of joe.

He wasn't a coffee snob, but this cup might turn him into one.

The waitress stepped over to refill his mug. “You headed east?”

He flashed a smile and nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I’m going home for a few days.”

“Wish my kids could break away. Best thing ever, having kids. Do you have any?”

He shook his head. “No, I don’t.”

The woman grunted before walking away. If he ever had kids, he wanted to be there for them, take responsibility, and do what was necessary to make sure they turned out all right.

Thoughts of Tara invaded again, sending chills through him.

She hadn’t turned out to be good, but he hadn’t known it when he first got involved with her.

He glanced at the map, noticing he would drive right past the prison where Tara was being held. Heat filled him, and he flipped his phone over, pushing away the idea of visiting Tara. He couldn’t do it. There was nothing she could tell him that would make him want to see her again.

His phone buzzed as he moved to stand. A smile spread over his lips when he saw it was Jay calling him. “Hey, Apple, how’s the drive?”

“Everything is going okay.”

“We don’t fly out until next week.”

He’d had his issues with Nichole when Jay had first brought her around, but she’d turned out to be a great friend and an awesome addition to Jay’s life. He’d never seen his buddy so happy.

“I hope you have a good time. Maybe I should have flown.”

Jay chuckled. “But then you’d miss camping with your own gear.”

“Yeah.” His voice sounded down to his own ears. He wasn't upset. He'd just spent too much time in his head in the past.

“Whoa, dude. You sound off.”

He grunted. “I pass by Leavenworth.”

Jay huffed out a breath. “Tara, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Nichole said she could interview Tara for you.”

Apple thought about taking her up on the offer, but he needed to do this on his own. “No. If I’m going to learn anything, I need to see her face to face.”

“What do you think she will tell you?” Jay asked.

Disgust filled him. “No clue. I don’t really want to hear it.”

“Then don’t go.”

Jay was right. He shouldn’t go. He didn’t need that drama in his life. He could drive right past Leavenworth and totally ignore the fact Tara was inside one of those cells. The desire to tell her she was a terrible person wouldn’t win. He could ignore her plea to see him.

“Well, I gotta hit the road. My parents are expecting me.”

“How long are you staying there?” Jay asked.

“A few days. Then I’m headed out to Colorado.”

“Be careful. If you need anything, give me a call.”

“Thanks, man. Will do.”

He ended the call and stood, dropping some cash on the table for the tip.

The food was good, and the coffee was amazing.

The waitress waved goodbye, and he took off, heading home to his parents' place.

No way would he stop by the prison. He didn't need to find out what Tara had to say, even if she said it was important.

Five days later, after leaving his parents’ place, he found himself sitting outside the prison, wondering if he’d lost his damn mind.

He had an appointment to see Tara at ten that morning.

Anger and fear twisted through him. Why was he here?

He should start his vehicle up again and leave.

There was nothing Tara could say, nothing she could do to make his life better.

Instead of driving away, he walked into the prison, and went through the procedures, leaving all his stuff in a locker, before being granted entrance into a dull gray private room that looked sadder than any place he'd been on a military base.

This place wasn't supposed to be fun or inviting.

It was a prison, exactly where Tara deserved to be.

When the door opened, the guard reminded him there was no touching and to remain seated at all times. Like he wanted to touch Tara. She was the last person he even wanted to see, there would be no hugging or happy reunion. She'd meant to fuck him over, but she hadn't dragged him down with her.

His stomach was in his throat, threatening to empty its contents.

Again, he asked himself why he was here.

He was about to get up and leave when she entered the room.

She looked older, thinner, and much more worn.

Her eyes lit up when she saw him, making his stomach turn. What had he ever seen in her?

“Hello, Avery.”

“Tara. What do you want?”

It seemed like she chuckled, but he wasn’t sure. “No warm reunion, I see.”

He said nothing, just stared at her. She had no idea what he’d been doing on the outside, and he wanted to keep her ignorant of his life.

“I’ll get to it. I always felt guilty—”

Apple snorted. She was a piece of work trying to act like she had a conscience.

“I know that’s hard for you to understand, but I didn’t feel guilty about the documents. What I felt guilty about was your girlfriend, the one I forced you to break up with. She came by your place one evening when you were out.”

Apple felt like the world was closing in on him. If Tara had done anything to Amelia, he would kill her. He glanced around, seeing that the guard was watching them closely. No doubt, he would be in big trouble if he got up and strangled Tara. It might be worth it, though.

“What about Amelia?”

“She was pregnant with your kid. I told her you wouldn't want anything to do with a kid but that I would tell you. I didn't. I kept that from you to punish you.”

He blinked at Tara, anger rising fast. He squeezed his hands into tight fists, knowing that if he reacted, the guard would take him down fast.

Tara shook her head, and her eyes filled with sadness. “I shouldn't have kept that from you. I don't know if she kept the baby or not, but I wanted you to know.”

His hands shook and then it was almost his whole body as the rage built. The guard stepped over and put his hand on the table between them. The guy looked Apple in the eye, his frown deep.

“It’s not worth it, man. Just get up and leave.”

No question, the guard had heard every single word.

He could see the pity in the man’s eyes.

The rage inside Apple was almost too much to handle.

He stood stiffly, his muscles barely unclenching as he turned and strode away, leaving the room and Tara behind.

When he made it outside to the car, he let loose a primal scream.

He had to find Amelia. He couldn’t make up for lost time, but he sure as fuck would make sure she had money.

God, how could he have been so stupid back then?

He’d felt things for Amelia, but she’d pulled away, and then Tara was there, telling him stories about Amelia, so he didn’t feel bad that she’d walked away, never contacting him again.

He shouldn’t have let Amelia go so easily, but he’d tried to respect her decision to back away.

Now, he regretted ever letting Tara into his life.

He’d fucked himself over so badly he would never recover.