Chapter 4
4
Morse
A MELIA’S GAZE MET mine, and it felt like the time I’d tried to stand in a canoe. Any minute now, my legs were sure to fly out from under me, and I’d end up falling and fucking drowning in those wide hazel eyes.
Her eyebrows shot halfway up her forehead. “I’m… in danger?”
I swallowed and forced myself to focus, staring into her eyes. She’d always had a thing about eye contact and honesty, and there was no time to beat around the bush. “Yes. Someone has put a hit out on your life.”
“Come again?” Thia asked as Amelia said, “What does that mean?”
I looked back and forth between the two women, unsure where to start.
“You should probably come inside.” Amelia hooked her arm in mine, only to startle at the contact.
Had she felt the same zap of electricity I had?
No. Her eyes filled with concern, and she settled her palms against my bare arm. “You’re freezing.”
She looked me over, and I had to remember how to fucking breathe. Everything about this woman knocked me on my ass.
“You’re not even wearing a coat.”
Surprised by her admonishment, I glanced down, and sure enough, I wasn’t. I’d ridden all the way from Seattle to Lakewood in the drizzling springtime weather.
“I… You were in danger. I didn’t think.”
Her brow furrowed in thought. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before ushering me inside. Her touch was fucking torture as she led me across the threshold. Nostalgia punched me in the face as the years melted away until I was once again a terrified eighteen-year-old who’d just left everyone and everything I’d ever known to rely on the kindness of strangers.
No. I wasn’t that boy anymore. This time, I was here to rescue, not to be rescued. Straightening my shoulders, I marched on. Ted’s image watched me from the family portrait above the fireplace. Vowing to do right by him, I gave the canvas a nod.
A bark and the harsh sound of paws scrabbling on the floor caught my attention. Experience had given me a healthy respect for dogs and their powerful jaws with sharp teeth, so I started backtracking, reaching for the doorknob, even before I fully registered the black ball of fur barreling toward me. In all the excitement, I’d forgotten all about the dog.
“She doesn’t bite,” Morgan said, though she made no move to intercept the beast. “Worst she’ll do is pee on you.”
The dog’s movements were off. Rather than running in a straight line for me, her ass kept swinging side to side, trying to overtake her head like some old-time cartoon character. She stopped inches from my boots and tried to jump on me. I stepped back, easily evading her efforts, and she flopped back down on all fours and rolled onto her back, whining pathetically. I’d seen this behavior before from Boots, Link’s dog. He roamed the fire station, eating treats and encouraging people to pet him.
“Am I supposed to scratch her belly?”
“No!” all three women shouted at once.
“It’s a trap. Give in, and she’ll pee.” Thia marched past the living room furniture and slid open the glass door leading to the backyard. “Come on, Bailey. Out you go.”
Bailey sprinted out the door, ass still racing her head.
Everyone jumped as the dog started barking hysterically.
“Fuck,” muttered a familiar masculine voice.
Thia flicked on the outside light. Rabbit’s hands shot up as he squinted into the light.
“He’s with me,” I said as the hairball collapsed in submission at Rabbit’s feet.
“What the fuck?” Rabbit muttered.
This mission was getting out of control. “He’ll need the outside lights off in order to keep watch,” I said.
Thia slapped the switch off. “Bailey, come.”
The hairball scrambled to her feet and scurried back in, sprinting for the bathroom.
“What’s wrong with it?” I asked.
“She was the runt of the litter.” Morgan flopped onto the sofa and focused on her tablet. “She’s neurodivergent.”
“The dog?”
“Yep.” Morgan nodded. “Takes anxiety meds and everything.”
“Huh. Learn something new every day.”
Amelia tapped her head with a finger. “Knowledge is power.”
“Fuckin’ A.”
Morgan’s eyebrows rose, and I realized I’d just dropped the F-bomb in front of a minor. Not technically, since she’d recently turned eighteen, but she was still in high school.
“Sorry,” I said to both her and her mom.
“The military.” Amelia shook her head with a fond smile. “Turns everyone’s vocab to shit.”
“So does high school,” Morgan added. “Pretty sure there’s nothing you can say I haven’t heard.”
I’d never attended high school, so I’d have to take her word for it.
Amelia ushered me toward the kitchen, and I took in the familiar sights along the way. Seventeen years had passed since I said goodbye to the Hansens and left for basic, but almost nothing had changed. The photos on the wall and bookshelf had been updated, and a string of fairy lights now hung from the doorway leading into the kitchen, but the home still felt like safety and acceptance.
“Where’s Theo?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.
“Idaho State.” She beamed with pride. “He’s studying to become a pharmacy tech.”
“Nice.”
She nodded. “He’s thriving there. Can I get you anything to drink?”
“No, thank you.”
Her demeanor seemed downright serene, considering the danger she was in. Shouldn’t she be panicking or something?
“We don’t have time for hospitality.” I tried to snag her gaze, but she flitted around the kitchen, dumping dishes in the sink and wiping down the countertop. “I’d like to get you all packed and out of here as soon as possible.”
“You seriously think Amelia’s in danger?” Thia’s dubious tone made me want to rip out my hair. She casually slid onto a kitchen chair and gestured for me to do the same.
I stayed where I was, still trying to convey the urgency of the situation. “Yes. And the longer we stay, the more exposed you all are.” Then, knowing how it would affect her, I added, “And the more exposed my men are. They’re watching both entrances, covering us while we have this conversation.”
Amelia remained standing as well. She leaned against the counter, arms folded across her chest, and stared me down. “What’s going on, Levi?”
“It’s Morse, now.” I pointed to the patch on my cut, realized how goddamn lame that looked, and promptly dropped my hand. It smacked against the back of a chair so hard I had to bite back a curse.
Amelia winced. “You okay?”
“Great.” My knuckles throbbed. So far, this was going swimmingly. A+ performance. “As I was saying, I go by Morse because code is my specialty. I’m a bit of a hacker.”
“I remember. That’s how you escaped the cult.”
“Wait.” Thia slapped the table. “I’m missing some vital information here.”
Thia’s opinion was important to Amelia. Their body language and shared glances made it clear the two had grown close over the year they’d lived together. I needed to win them both over, and we didn’t have time for that shit. As much as I hated telling anyone my story, I needed to give her something.
“The abridged version is I grew up in a cult, hacked into the priest’s computer, and found Ted. He got me out. I’ll gladly give you the full story once you’re safely tucked away.”
“Ted recruited Levi… I mean Morse… for the Air Force.”
I gave Amelia a smile, grateful she’d respected my road name. Not like I’d expected less. She’d always been kind and accepting, which was why I knew she’d give the club a shot. If I could convince her the threat was real.
“Yeah. Anyway, I have a habit of hacking into shit I shouldn’t and pissing off powerful people. To protect myself, I invested in a program that monitors the dark web for any mention of my name.”
Confusion furrowed Amelia’s brow, and she met my gaze. “What does that have to do with me?”
Afraid she’d see too much in my expression, I looked away and replied, “And the names of anyone I care about.”
“The dark web is real?” Thia leaned forward, her expression fascinated but skeptical. “I thought that was fictional. Something they made up for action movies.”
“Trust me, it’s very real, but it’s found on the part of the internet you can’t access with search engines. It’s mostly used for trafficking and other illegal transactions.”
“I still don’t see what that has to do with Amelia. My girl is as straight and narrow as they come.” Thia frowned at her friend, but mischief glinted in her eyes. “It’s her biggest flaw.”
We shouldn’t be joking around the table, we should be packing and getting them to safety before fucking assassins showed up. Frustration took over, and I crossed the handful of feet separating me from Amelia.
Grabbing her by the shoulders, I locked our gazes and willed her to see my fear. “Someone put a hundred thousand dollar hit out on you. They want you dead enough to pay a shit-ton of money to make it happen. I’m sure you have questions, and I’ll be happy to answer them, but first, we need to get you to safety. Now. Then I’ll fill you in on all the details. I promise. You know you can trust me.”
“A hundred thousand dollar hit?” Thia asked. “On Amelia? No way.” When I didn’t respond, she added, “You’re serious?”
“Wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”
Some emotion I couldn’t place flickered in Amelia’s eyes, but she didn’t say shit as her gaze continued to search mine.
“I’ve never lied to you. Ever.” Sure, I’d withheld truths to protect her, but that was different from outright lying.
Amelia knew me deep down. Despite the years of no contact, there was still a connection between us. It hadn’t faded with time. In fact, now, it was stronger than ever. She had to feel it, too.
She bit her lip, and I released her shoulders, stepping back to give her some space.
Thia pushed to her feet and started pacing. “But where would we go? Should we call the cops? Can you show them this hit on the dark web? Will they protect Amelia?”
“Possibly, but that’ll take time and depend on the department’s resources. I have a place that’s fully monitored and protected. You guys can stay there until we get this shit sorted.”
Amelia frowned. “I don’t want to put anyone out.”
Thia snorted. “If your life really is in danger, putting someone out should be the least of your concerns.”
The ‘if’ annoyed me, but I kept that to myself. “I agree. But your presence won’t be an inconvenience. I’m taking you to a place dedicated to protecting those in need.”
This time, when Amelia’s gaze crashed into mine, I saw something else. Something vulnerable. “This is crazy.”
I nodded. “It absolutely is. I’m having difficulty believing it myself, but it’s true.”
“I… I trust you, Morse.”
Trying to hide my relief, I bobbed my head. “Thank you. I won’t let you down. Now, let’s get you guys packed.”
Thia swallowed. “What about Bailey? Can she come, too?”
“Yes.” I should probably call Link and verify that, but fuck it. There was no way he’d leave a woman in danger because of a dog. The prez liked dogs. At least, he liked Boots, the club’s rescue that behaved like a therapy companion. I hoped Boots wouldn’t eat the neurodivergent little mutt.
Morgan appeared in the doorway, and the look on her face told me she’d heard the whole conversation. “The toilet’s running again. We can’t leave until we fix it.”