Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Scout passes me the phone and leaves.
Just walks out. Talk about a mic drop…
Wow.
Jesus. The man knows how to make a mess of things. And I’m not just talking about what’s going on inside of me.
It takes a few breaths before I can get my vocal cords working again.
Even then, I try to speak, but I only croak. “Griff, you needed to tell me something about the equipment?”
I’ve never heard the exact tone that my brother uses as he proceeds to remind me about some gear he packed. He’s eerily cold. Voice almost monotone, every word a razor’s edge of precision.
But, I’m well aware that the storms that come in quiet are sometimes the most devastating.
When he’s done, he hangs up without saying goodbye.
I’ve known my brother for twenty-one years and of those, I remember thousands of phone calls with him. Many of them scolding me about something any brother would do, just because they want to be a pain. But never can I remember him hanging up on me without some kind of closing remark.
And since he’s been a Ranger, it’s always been. “Watch your six, baby sis.”
By the time I disconnect, I’m so rattled that I pocket the phone instead of returning it to Beast.
“You gonna give my phone back?”
I blink and realize I’ve been staring blankly at a wall and I have no idea how much time has passed. “God, I’m sorry. Here you go.”
“You okay?”
When I shove my hand in my tangled hair, he steps closer.
“If you want me to pull Scout off the case, I will. Justice is fully capable of diving with you too. He is a former SEAL also, and he’s fully certified for cave diving. I am too, but I’ve got a meeting that I really need to go to. And trust me, I’d much rather be diving than meeting with the feds.”
I’m obviously not thinking clearly because my reply makes no sense given the context of the last thirty minutes.
“No, Scout wants to dive.”
He studies me. “But are you good with putting your life in his hands?”
“I already have.” I push my hair back and give my head a small shake. “He has done nothing but look out for me since he arrived at the airport last night. Things are just tense… for obvious reasons with Griff.”
Resting a hand on the counter, the SEAL considers something before he replies. “Copy that. But I want you to remember you’re the diver in charge.”
“Right, well then, Scout is my second diver. Is the doctor still here? King Scout is demanding I get a physical before we go.”
“King Scout?” It’s said with a chuckle as Beast’s brows rise up. “I’ll have to remember that one. Has he heard you call him that?”
“Yep.”
Beast flashes a grin and looks away. “Alright then. The doctor and the professor are in the office. First door on the right, down that hall.”
Ten minutes later, I’m still inside my head.
“You’re cleared to dive. Just remember if you start to feel off?—”
“I know the drill, I don’t have a death wish,” I reply numbly to the ridiculously young doctor who has just given me a neurological exam, listened to my heart, and made me do fifty jumping jacks while he stared at my boobs.
Real fun.
Almost as much fun as twenty minutes later when I climb into the truck with Scout, Justice and a dark-eyed man that I’m pretty sure is an assassin and eats barbed wire for breakfast.
It’s a real party if you’re into brooding operators.
Which I’m not.
Only my stupid ovaries are.
Not all alpha SEALs. Just one.
The one who pinned me in with his gigantic arms, and overly warm body. The one who made my skin go electric from the way his exhales skimmed over my neck. The man that destroyed me with his hand on my throat in a possessive grip .
And it was only around my neck. But I could feel it everywhere.
Lord, it’s hot in here.
Shifting in my seat, I rub my hand over the place where his fingers curled commandingly around my throat.
I’ve never been touched by a man like that.
Turning my face toward the flow of air coming in the window, I close my eyes. It’s a dangerous thing to do.
The overload of hormones in my body is demanding a fantasy. Guess who’s the star?
“Aria.”
I jump at my name and open my eyes to find Scout flicking his gaze to me in the rearview as he drives too fast.
My face is hot, my legs squeezed, my fingers still clutched around my neck. In other words, guilty looking as hell.
Voice deep and rough, Scout demands, “Did you hear me?”
“No,” I squeak.
God, that was pathetic.
Justice swings his head my way and smirks.
When I punch him in the arm he chuckles.
Dropping my hand to my leg, where I clench my thigh, I put on a neutral facade and look Scout’s reflection dead in the eye. “What did you say?”