Chapter Seventeen
T he sight of Sam stretched out on the couch opposite Hannah liberated the tension he’d carried for two weeks. He’d never had someone waiting at home for him. Never obsessed about another’s safety because he wasn’t around to see that they were okay. The overwhelming release of stress left him light-headed. Usually, the end of a mission was met with indifference. A time when he’d go back to his lonely apartment. Sure, he’d hang out with the guys, but he was a homebody at heart. He just hadn’t realized how much it would mean to have someone share it with him. Someone to talk to, cook for, and watch shows with. Sam hadn’t just worked her way into his heart and softened out all the jagged pieces—she was his heart.
Angel gave a soft chuff and crawled from under Sam’s throw blanket, prancing over to him and scratching at his leg to be picked up. He lifted the tiny dog and stifled a laugh as she licked his face. Oscar spotted Ransom, and his tail slapped against the beanbag chair he shared with Brynn. Ransom went over and scooped up Brynn, kissing her forehead and carrying her down the hall toward their room.
He placed Angel down and moved toward the couch, lifting Sam and positioning her so she rested in his lap. Her eyes fluttered, unfocused and dreamy at first, then they sharpened and she drew in a quick breath. “Julian.” She flung her arms around his shoulders, and his heart expanded, warmth seeping through his chest.
“Hey, Starburst.” He closed his eyes, soaking in the feel of her pressed against his chest, arms wound around his neck. This was the first time someone had looked forward to him coming home, and it felt damn good.
“I missed you so much.” Her palm smoothed over his cheek and beard, which was a little longer than when he’d left. “You’re here. You’re okay.”
“I’m okay now that I have you in my arms. Missed you like hell,” he murmured into her hair. The door down the hall swung open, and Sam startled, jerking in his arms.
“Branch Hunter Green!” The shriek that followed had Hannah sitting up and twisting around. Collin whipped into the room, clapping his hands, and stopped an inch from his teammate.
“Hey, buddy.” Branch’s eyes lit with affection, and Collin tapped his arm a few times. “Bring it in.” Branch held out his arms, and Collin laughed, hugging him.
He stole a glance at Hannah. Her eyes were wide and glistening with emotion so profound he looked away. Maybe it was Branch who’d made the single mom’s eyes mist, or perhaps it was just her son’s exuberant reaction to him and their fast bond.
“Breakfast pizza?” Collin suggested, and Branch tipped his chin back and laughed. “I’m starving. Let’s go search Jacob’s refrigerator and see what we can find. Is Jacob still sleeping?”
“Jacob Godfrey is sleeping.”
“All right, then. Maybe we can surprise him with something.”
“Collin, honey, Hunter just got back. He’s probably tired and wants to go home.”
“Actually, I came straight here to see Collin…and you. Ransom and Joker had texts that you were all having a sleepover. Didn’t want to miss the fun. You stay right where you are. Me and Collin are making breakfast.”
“Making breakfast,” Collin repeated. Both dogs followed them into the kitchen, hoping some wayward snack would fly out of the cabinets.
He’d planned to scoop Sam up and take her back to his apartment, make love to her until they were both too exhausted to do anything but sleep the day away, but the way she was smiling at Branch and Collin’s exchange, the way some secret message silently passed between her and Hannah, made him want to stay so they could all have breakfast together.
By the time Branch had told them they had ten minutes until breakfast, Brynn and Ransom had gotten Jacob out of bed and ready for the day. He lifted Sam off of his lap and joined her and Hannah at the dining room table, where Branch left cups of coffee.
The sound of Jacob’s high-pitched call of excitement had them all turning. Brynn was pushing the teenager into the room, and his bright smile was a hit straight to Joker’s heart.
Jacob used his gaze to choose his words. “Welcome back.”
“Morning, sunshine,” Sam called across the room as Brynn wheeled him to the table. He stood and moved a chair so Jacob could sit next to him.
“Where is Silver?” Jacob was looking around the room for the final member of their team.
“Oh, you know. He’s a grumpy old man. Needs his rest, so he went home for some shut-eye. Good to see you held down the fort yet again.” He ruffled the boy’s hair, and a broad smile crossed his face.
“Barely,” Jacob responded with a big belly laugh, his gaze still darting around the screen as he composed another message for his voice output device. “Brynn started a kitchen fire.”
“She what?” Ransom’s brows rose. “Babe, what happened?”
Brynn’s cheeks turned scarlet. “It was more of a smolder in the microwave. I got it under control.”
“It happens to the best of us.” Sam shot her a sympathetic smile.
“Yeah.” Hannah was sitting across from Sam. “When I moved out of my parents’ house, I had no idea how to boil water. Many a kitchen fire had to be snuffed out before I resigned to a life of fast food and takeout.”
Branch came in holding a pot of coffee in one hand and three additional mugs in the other.
“Look at you all domestic.”
Branch ignored him and looked over to Ransom. “Did Joker, the surliest A-hole to ever live, try to make a humorous quip?”
“He’s a changed man with Sam in the picture.” Ransom took a mug from Branch. “Don’t mess this up, Joker.”
He didn’t mind that they all had a laugh at his expense because the truth was he felt lighter than he had in years. Sitting around the table with his teammates and their women, and he included Hannah in that because it was hard to miss how Branch’s eyes lingered on her, hearing Collin sing about making breakfast from the kitchen, and seeing Jacob’s smile made him feel whole. He squeezed Sam’s knee beneath the table.
He was glad they stayed, not only because Collin couldn’t have been prouder that he and Branch had scrounged up the ingredients to make a breakfast pizza with scrambled eggs, potatoes, and cheese, but because as they were finishing eating, there was a knock on the door. Ransom got up to answer and came back with Axe.
“Hey! Take a seat.” Branch pulled out the chair closest to him, the legs scraping against the floor. “Breakfast? Coffee?”
He shook his head and lowered himself onto the chair. “No, no.” Deep lines furrowed the man’s brow, and his jaw was tight. “She was here last night, sitting in front of the house.” And just like that, the jovial atmosphere thickened with concern. No one had to ask who. Sam stiffened next to him, and he put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.
“I went up to the car. She didn’t seem too concerned until I told her I was a friend of the homeowners. Made up some story about getting turned around while trying to stop for cigarettes. If I didn’t wait for her to leave, I have no doubt she would’ve stayed. She’s up to something. Anyway, I called the police, and they tried to locate her vehicle but couldn’t. Said they’d increase patrols on our street, Sam, but I could tell that wasn’t their top priority.”
Joker glanced at Sam. He didn’t like how her chin dipped to her chest or the vacant look in her eyes as she stared at the edge of the table. “I can’t believe I put everyone in danger last night. Just by being here.” Sam slowly stood, and Angel scampered from beneath the table where she’d been accepting table scraps with Oscar. “I don’t know why she can’t take no for an answer. Even if I had money, I wouldn’t loan it to her. Things have gone too far. Thank you for looking out for us last night, Fred. Breakfast was excellent, Collin, thank you. Excuse me.” Sam scooped up Angel, then stood and left the room. He needed this to be over for her.
Brynn and Hannah stood, looking after Sam, but the front door quietly clicked open and shut. “I’ve got this,” he said to them. “I’m going to follow her home. See you guys soon. Thanks for the information, Axe. Appreciate you keeping an eye on the situation.”
Sam was already pulling out of the driveway when he got into his truck, but she didn’t even glance in his direction. How could she not expect him to follow? Maybe she really didn’t have the first clue how deep his feelings for her ran. If she did, she’d know that no amount of danger would ever deter him from seeking her out, and her mother wasn’t exactly a significant threat. He followed her through the downtown area, but a few cars got between them, so when he pulled onto her street, there was no sign of her car. She was probably already parked in the driveway. Some of the trees he passed had dropped their leaves, the branches harsh and angled without their soft coverings. When he got close to Sam’s house, he muttered a curse and lifted his phone.
“Ransom, I followed Sam, but she didn’t come home. I was right behind her until I had some cars cut me off.”
“Maybe she was going to your place? Oh shit. Do you think there’s any way she would go—”
“To her mom’s. Fuck.”