Chapter Six
S ilver drew his fist back and rapped on the door again. The lights were on in the small brick home Addison was renting on the north side of Virginia Beach. It had been a few days since they’d lain in the grass kissing for hours. He wouldn’t let it go further. Still, as he held her in his arms while shooting stars arced through the sky, he’d known there was no turning back. He’d iced her out the past couple of days, desperately fighting the overwhelming urge to never let her out of his sight again. Part of him hoped she wouldn’t answer her door. Sleep had been impossible. His mind torn between playing out all the possible scenarios of how to handle the situation and fighting the fire that burned through his blood from the moment he buried his hands in Addy’s thick golden waves. They’d come together like two sides of a magnet.
In his forty-one years, Silver had never felt this kinetic force driving him to be closer. To protect and claim her for his own. Best damn kiss of his life. Too much time had passed since he’d felt her mouth fused to his, her scent clouding his brain as he swallowed every sweet sigh she made. Not only had Addy forgiven him for following her, but she’d shared the secluded spot in the forest. Their chemistry was consuming. Addy was making a mistake by trusting him, but she was a burst of light in his otherwise mundane life.
He knocked once more and started to turn when the front door creaked. Addison stood in the doorway, looking impossibly beautiful. Her long hair was in a neat bun on top of her head, and she wore a blouse and dark slacks. He’d never seen her dressed like she was about to go into the office. Despite her put-together appearance, her eyes gave her away. There was regret within in the soft, mossy depths. Had he done that? Fuck.
“Addy.” His voice was pained as her name broke from his lips. He wanted to drag her close and never let go but was afraid she’d slam the door in his face, and he’d lose the chance to explain. “I’m so sorry for not answering your texts. I—” Something in her hand caught his eye and his heart leaped in his throat. Why the hell was she carrying a duffel bag? “Where are you going?”
“I got called out on an assignment.”
“Were you going to tell me?” he bit out. Damn. The hurt that sliced through his chest was completely unreasonable. He’d been the one ghosting her texts, and now he was being an asshole over the repercussions.
Fire flashed in her gaze. “I was going to send you a text before I left.”
He’d realized too late that the warnings he’d given to Addy the other night were for him and not her. She was okay with no strings attached, while he’d gone and done the exact thing he was trying to prevent. Sickness turned in his gut. The sound of tires easing over pavement made him glance over his shoulder. A white Tesla parked behind Addison’s car, and a man in a sweater vest and dress pants got out. Something white hot and ugly bubbled through his blood.
“Is everything all right here?” The man’s dark hair was parted neatly on the side. He carried himself with an air of superiority that Silver didn’t care for, but his heart was also breaking. Being unbiased toward the man was probably a lost cause right now. Maybe ever.
Addison stepped out of the house and onto the porch. “Yes.” She dipped her chin. “This is my brother’s teammate, Archer. Archer, this is my colleague, Wyatt.” The man adjusted his glasses, then stepped forward, hand extended. Silver looked down at Wyatt’s callous-free palm, ignored the urge to punch him, and met his hand. The hair on the back of his neck rose the moment he met the man’s limp shake.
“How do you do?” Without waiting for a reply, Wyatt dismissed him and turned his head toward Addy.
“Are you ready to go?” The man checked his designer watch.
“Yes, let me just get my bag.” She turned inside the threshold, leaving the door partially open.
“We don’t want to be late,” Wyatt called to her. “It’s cold. I’m waiting in the car.”
Silver ground his teeth together. Addy was a woman worth waiting for. Didn’t this asshole know better than to rush her? He wanted to stop them and demand to know where they were going, but Addy wasn’t his. Never had been. The realization stole his breath. He was the one who had fallen.
“Addison. We need to talk.”
“We have to get going.” Addy’s tone was gentle.
“Not until we talk.” He’d never once blocked a woman’s path, but urgency and adrenaline were coursing through him. He invaded her space until she took one step back, then another. Once they were beyond the threshold, he kicked the door shut and pulled her into his arms. “Gonna kiss you, sweetheart.”
The breathy little sigh she made was all the encouragement he needed. He captured her mouth, kissing her deeply. She didn’t hold back, going up on her toes to meet him halfway. She tasted like ginger and honey. A type of tea she often preferred to coffee. Fuck, he could spend every day for the rest of his life kissing this woman. “I’m yours, Addy. God, you must have whiplash from all my indecision. I told you I’d hurt you. That I’d let you go. But I can’t. I’ve never had a long-term relationship because of the loss I felt when my sister died, but I’m going to care about you regardless of if we’re together or not. At least by your side I can protect you.”
“There are things you can’t protect me from,” she said softly. “No more than you could’ve stopped the disease that took Quinn. It’s not a protector that I need.”
Maybe not, but he’d torch the world trying.
“Then what? Tell me and I’ll give it.”
“You need to believe in your ability to let me past those walls you’ve built. To trust me to help you work through the wedge you’ve been trying to push between us. I know the man you are, but I’m not sure you quite understand what he’s capable of. Be brave for me. Let me take risks with the understanding you cannot determine the future.”
As a SEAL, no one had ever questioned his bravery, but she was right. “You see everything, don’t you?” he murmured against her lips. He was scared shitless of this woman and the things she made him feel. A horn beeped impatiently.
“Who is he?” If some man he didn’t know backed a woman into her home he would’ve ripped the door down no matter who he was—granted, harming Addy was the last thing he’d do.
“I told you—my colleague, Wyatt.”
“You trust him?” He tried to keep his tone neutral, but only managed a low grumble.
“I’ve been on research assignments with him many times before.”
He smoothed his palms down her arms, resenting the fabric that covered her soft skin. “How long will you be gone?”
“I don’t know.” She shifted and glanced away. “This one is…different.”
“How so?” The uncertainty in her gaze made his stomach tighten.
“We’re helping the government with something.”
“Text me when you find out. I’m going to do my best not to be overbearing, but I can’t promise not to worry.”
She placed her hands on his chest, gave him a sweet-as-hell kiss, then picked up her bag.
“Hand it over.”
“You’re not carrying my bag.”
“Addy, please.”
Muttering something about bossy men, she handed him the bag and turned to lock the dead bolt. A rush of wind greeted them as clouds gathered in the sky. Wyatt was sitting in car, his expression puckered with annoyance. Archer wrapped his arm around Addy’s waist and gave her a hard kiss, hoping it conveyed his message. Too bad. She’s mine. Wyatt quickly looked away, but Archer caught the quick flash of anger on the other man’s face.
Addison slipped into the passenger side of the Tesla, and he shut the door, reluctantly. As they backed out of his driveway. His phone vibrated in his pocket, just as the flashy electric car disappeared down the street. He didn’t feel like talking to anyone, but one glance at the screen had him moving his thumb over the green circle to accept the call. It was rare for his commander to reach out when there wasn’t an urgent need.
“Lieutenant Commander Richardson, sir.”
“Silver, wheels up in three hours. We have a lock on the next shipment. I need the team on base now.”
“Yes, sir.” The churning in his gut grew. He was being called out on a mission that could last weeks or even months. Ransom would have Brynn and Jacob take care of the cat he’d grown so attached to. He’d miss Addison terribly, but he was going to do his best to honor her requests and trust her to keep safe while he was gone. He’d call her from the base to let her know he’d gotten called away, too.
A raindrop licked his skin, and he glanced up at the wall of dark clouds rolling through the sky. Clenching his teeth, he rounded his car and got into the driver’s side. Not knowing where she was going would drive him mad. He’d ask Joker if he had any ideas about where this trip was taking his sister.
The drive to the barracks was a blur, his mind stuck on Addy and the man who showed up at her door. The raindrops drumming against his windshield cushioned his thoughts. He slowed his SUV in front of the security office and was waved through the fence. When he pulled beyond the gates and surveyed the parking lot, a white Tesla parked in the visitor section caught his eye.
Tesla was a popular vehicle, but the hair on the back of his neck rose as he pulled into the spot next to the car, killed the engine, and scrubbed his hands over his face. He had to get his shit together. If they were being sent out on an active mission, being in this type of mindset could get himself or his teammates killed. It had only been a handful of months since Branch had been shot while fast-roping to the ground. Every fiber of his being ached as he released a breath, torn between loyalty to his team and worrying about Addison and Wyatt. So far, he was doing a shit job honoring Addy’s request.
He reluctantly opened his door and stepped out onto the wet parking lot, his boots splashing over the pavement. Branch was walking into the building ahead of him, and Archer called out. “Hey!” He jogged to catch up to his teammate.
Branch turned and waited, mouth set in a hard line. “Man, Joker is going to lose his shit. Sam is days away from giving birth.” They always looked to Branch for calm. He was the easygoing one of the group but not right now.
“Feel for them both. Shit timing.” The flag whipped back and forth, rattling the chain-link perimeter as the wind and rain rushed around them. They passed through the double doors and another layer of security before making it into a long corridor. Silver stopped short in the doorway of the debriefing room, Branch crashing into his back. His chest tightened, and he blinked several times, trying to process the scene laid out before him. Addy sat at the conference table next to Wyatt. Joker was at the end of the table, looking murderous.
“Come in.” Wrinkles he never noticed lined the lieutenant commander’s eyes. He couldn’t recall a time the man had looked more exhausted.
“Sir.” Silver dipped his chin and sat directly across from Wyatt. The man had strategically moved his seat, so he was nearly on top of Addy. Every so often the prick checked his watch, pursing his lips. What the hell were they doing there? This couldn’t be the assignment Addy got called on—and civilians weren’t exactly privy to the information shared within these walls.
Addy’s gaze shifted, pinning him with those gorgeous eyes. Fuck. The taste of her soft lips, the feel of her fingers curled into his shirt came rushing back. Blood rushed to his groin. She looked away quickly and swallowed. Ransom was the last of their team to come through the door, and he did a double take at Addy before entering. Ransom glanced at Joker, then at the commander, before sitting next to Silver. Without a word, the commander pulled out a seat at the head of the table and cleared his throat. “Horrible timing on this, Joker. I am sorry to be delivering this news. I’m doing my best to pull a SEAL from another team but with all the simultaneous unrest in several regions, they’re a lot of groups on active missions.”
Joker’s jaw clenched. “The mission isn’t my only concern, sir.” His friend was barely holding it together. Joker’s eyes were pinned on his twin.
Ransom angled his body toward the head of the table. “Can we have a moment to speak privately?” Every person at the table knew what Ransom meant. It was strange not to be briefed prior to having civilians present during an active mission meeting.
“They’ve both received a favorable determination from their personnel security investigation and have been granted clearance to access classified information. Disclosures were signed before your team arrived. We can speak freely.”
“I was surprised to receive your message.” The man sitting next to Addy moved his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
“As you know, administration reached out to your organization because of the extensive research done by Ms. Desmond and yourself on the Javari Valley and the uncontacted indigenous population. We have reason to believe traffickers are taking advantage of the lack of regulation and operating along the Itaquaí River.”
“There’s never been a state presence in that area. Cocaine traffickers have smuggled drugs on that waterway for decades,” Branch added.
“Easy access to Peru, Colombia, and Brazil,” Silver said under his breath.
“Cocaine is no longer the only thing being trafficked through that area. A group of women, consisting of four American citizens—one who is the granddaughter of the ambassador to the US consulate in Brazil—were last seen on Sunday along the main waterway.”
“What does this mission have to do with my sister?” Joker bit out.
“Julian,” Addy said softly. “If the smugglers try to cut through those riverside communities, the indigenous tribes will suffer tremendously. Cartels don’t hesitate to murder innocents. Not to mention the danger of introducing diseases. Sometimes tribes will lose half their community because of an illness their immune systems aren’t able to fight.”
“And what will you do to stop it?” Julian said. Archer knew his teammate well enough to recognize when he was masking his fear with anger. “If you make contact with them, aren’t you just as likely to expose them to a disease?”
“Actually, the point is not making any contact at all,” Wyatt said and sighed.
“We can help navigate uninhabited parts of the Amazon. Keep you as far away from the indigenous people as possible, whether that’s navigating the waterways or the jungle.”
“You’re not doing this, Addison. Research is one thing. Going into the field? Being part of an active mission that can go sideways at any moment? Absolutely not. You don’t have the experience to do something like this.” Julian folded his arms.
Hurt flashed in her eyes, and she drew back, like she’d been slapped. Shit. Her reaction tempered some of his own anxiety and fear. Be brave for me. Let me take risks… A few nights ago, Addy had easily snuck up on him. Not just anyone could do that. She moved silently and had great instincts. Plus, he’d die before anything happened to her. Maybe Silver was scared out of his fucking mind, but what Joker failed to realize through his anger was that she’d been up and down those riverways before, most likely with minimal protection. This time, he’d be at her side, and nothing would touch her.
“She can.” His voice carried around the room, amplified by the silence. Every pair of eyes in the room bored into him, as tension ballooned in the small space. “And we’ll have her covered at all costs. If the traffickers decide to abandon the waterways and disappear into the forest, Addison will be our best chance of finding the women and children while avoiding the people living there.”
He risked a look at Joker. His friend’s brows were drawn together, jaw clenched tight. When Joker met his gaze, Silver braced, but the intensity in his teammate’s cold, imploring expression hurt. When this meeting was over, he’d clear the air. Tell him he had deep feelings for Addy and would die a thousand excruciating deaths to keep her safe. Right now, though, with Joker about to completely lose his shit and everyone else on edge, he wasn’t going to voice his personal feelings, but he’d damn well ensure everyone knew Addison was competent to do this.
“And she’ll have my expertise.” Wyatt gestured with his hand. “I’ve penned numerous peer-reviewed articles on the subject. Have been endorsed by both the private and public sectors.”
Silver’s jaw ticked. This guy could listen to himself talk all day, and he didn’t like how he spoke like he was superior to Addy. He couldn’t believe he’d initially been threatened by the asshole. It didn’t matter what was in Wyatt’s bank account or if he worked a steady job that would bring him home every night. He was too high on himself to love Addy like she deserved. He’d staked his claim. He’d make space for her to be exactly who she was meant to be. He’d cherish her for as long as she wanted him, with the knowledge that he’d love her with his dying breath, even if she chose a different path.
“I don’t give a fuck about your scholarly articles. When shit hits the fan, those pieces of paper aren’t going to save you from a bullet. Won’t stop a knife from sinking into your—”
“Joker, that’s enough,” the lieutenant commander barked. “You don’t get to decide the level of involvement a civilian contractor has with a mission. The United States government does.”
Wyatt fussed with the sleeve of his shirt, brushing at an invisible imperfection. Silver wanted to knock the smug look off the man’s face.
There was a knock on the conference room door and the commander rose. He opened the door and stepped into the hallway, speaking in hushed tones. The commander returned to his seat and faced Joker. “We have a replacement. You’re off the mission.”
Joker shot out of his seat, the chair skidding back. “Sir, as much as I want to witness the birth of my first child, you’re sending my sister into the field. If I’m not there to protect her—”
Silver stood and placed a hand on his teammate’s shoulder. “I will. We all will.”
Joker shrugged him off, staring at him like he was looking at him for the first time. Betrayal and accusation filtered over his face. “How the hell didn’t I notice before?” He shook his head and pushed past Silver.
“Sir?” he asked, following behind his teammate.
The commander pinched the bridge of his nose. “Go. Follow him and say what you need to. We don’t have much time.”
“Yes, sir.” He paced down the corridor and out into the parking lot. Sheets of rain pierced through the humidity, soaking him within seconds. “Joker!”
His friend turned up ahead, posture taut. “Fuck you.” He turned away from the parking lot and walked toward Silver in purposeful strides. “You’re my teammate. My goddamn brother.” Joker shoved him, but he stood solid. If this is how Joker needed to get his rage under control, he’d take a few punches. God knew he deserved them for not being honest about his feelings toward Addy. “How long has it been? You and my sister? Why the hell didn’t you tell me…and if you care about her at all, how could you support her going on this mission? She could die—”
“Don’t.” His own temperature had spiked. It was a miracle the torrents of rain weren’t vaporizing against his skin. “Don’t question my feelings for her.” He loved her, but he wasn’t going to tell Joker that before he told her. “Nothing will touch her out there. You have my word.”
They stood in front of the barracks, both breathing hard. He released his grip on Joker’s shirt, and his friend’s expression of bitter anger morphed into a desperate fear that was far worse. “I can’t lose her,” Joker rasped. “She’s my sister. My twin sister.”
“Know that. I can’t either.” Thunder cracked overhead. The flash of lightning that followed exposed the agony etched on Joker’s face.
“You have no idea what it’s like to lose—”
“The fuck I don’t! Your mother walked out, and as messed up as that was, she’s still alive somewhere. My sister died before she had a chance to truly live. She was a fucking kid!”
All the fight drained out of his friend. “Jesus, Silver. You never said anything. Never told us.” His friend took a step closer, then stopped. They were good at reading each other, and right now physical contact was not what he needed.
He scrubbed his hands over his rain-soaked face. “Because until I met your sister, I couldn’t even think her name without being torn apart. So, when I tell you I will keep Addy safe, it’s not a promise I take lightly because I live with that loss every day of my goddamn life. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy, never mind a man I love like a brother.”
“Shit, Silver. I’m sorry, man.”
“We can talk later. Just know that no one, aside from you, is more invested in keeping her safe. Go home and take care of Sam. She’s going to need you.”
Joker swallowed hard, his throat bobbing with the motion. Silver stepped back and turned, leaving Joker standing out in the rain.