Chapter 13
“Guess what, Mom, I’m pregnant.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Solace blew out a disgusted breath and slumped into the corner of her couch.
Nope, it didn’t sound any better aloud than it had when she’d practiced it in her head.
If she was going to tell her mother she was having a baby, she didn’t want to just blurt it out like that.
Especially since the baby didn’t come with a husband.
She sat forward and conjured an image of her mom’s face.
Perhaps it would sound less abrupt if she said…
“You know how you’ve been after me to make you a grandmother?” The image of her mom got all excited—brown eyes widening and bright with anticipation, while a great big smile spread across the image’s face. “Well, you’ve gotten your wish.”
Then the image ruined it when the first thing out of its mouth was, “When’s the wedding?”
“Ugh…” She slumped back into the couch again. Maybe she should just wait until her pregnancy was so noticeable her mom wouldn’t be able to miss it.
Right.
Like that would make it any easier. Besides, it would hurt her mom’s feelings to find out that way, and she wasn’t going to do that.
Solace grimaced. Even worse would be for her to find out from someone else.
Two people already knew. How long would it be before the whole team figured it out?
As observant as those men were, she might as well be working with a bunch of profilers.
And what about Duncan? Would she already have a baby bump when he returned? She refused to say if he returned. Why put it out there? But she was almost two months along, so it was a good question. Once she started showing, there would be nothing she could do to hide it.
All of those rambling thoughts finally brought her back to pondering on how to break the news to her mom. It would have to be face to face. She stared at her phone sitting screen down on her coffee table. Wouldn’t it? Maybe she could just call her and then hang up if the questions got too tough.
No, that wouldn’t work. Her mom would just show up at her door.
Her phone drew her gaze again, sort of mocking the fact she was kind of afraid of it. Like looking at it would prompt it to ring, and that it would somehow be her mother sensing her indecis?—
Bzzzzz…
“Not possible,” she groaned. She’d turned off the ringer earlier, which might have been a mistake. Now she had no idea who might be calling her at…
She checked the time. It was after 8:45. Surely too late for her mother.
“Pull it together, woman,” she mumbled before sitting forward to reach out and pick up the vibrating phone, then reluctantly turned it over to check out the screen. “And grow a pair of balls.” If it was her mother, she?—
“Cal,” she said on a relieved breath, but she did frown as she hit accept and lifted the phone to her ear. Why was he calling? “Davidson.”
“We’ve got a situation.”
Solace sat up straighter at his dire tone, her frown deepening.
Had something happened to Duncan? It was the first thing that crossed her mind.
Her pulse ratcheted up to the point she was ready to crawl through the phone to demand answers she knew better than to ask.
Cal wouldn’t give anything away until everyone was together.
“I need the team at the office in thirty minutes.”
“I’ll be there in fifteen.”
Solace had made it in just over ten. Had she sped?
Could be. Luckily, she’d missed every red light from her condo to the office—kind of—and being around nine o’clock, traffic hadn’t been too heavy.
Unfortunately, being in a rush hadn’t done her much good.
Oh, she was here, but alone in the conference room.
That left her staring hard at the open door and waiting on everyone else, while her crossed leg shook with nervous energy.
If Garrett got here late and delayed whatever news Cal had to give, she would take her shaking crossed leg and kick his ass with it.
“Did you speed?” Cal said, his brows raised as he came through the door. “I gave you thirty minutes.”
“I didn’t want to be late.” That sounded completely lame, but all he did was shrug. “Is it just us?”
“No,” came from the hallway, as Cal’s jaw tightened. Behind him Haven Sheppard marched through the door, her face pale and features pinched.
Oh, god, this is about Duncan.
Solace sent her gaze flying back to Cal who had his focus on gently guiding a clearly angry Haven to a seat. Solace couldn’t help but check out the other woman’s rounded belly. How far along was she? Four, maybe five months?
“I can sit by myself,” she grumbled, pulling her arm from Cal’s loose hold, before she dropped her head and shook it. “I’m sorry. I just…”
Cal wrapped his arms around Haven, whispering into her hair, “It’s okay, my sweet girl,” while slightly rocking her.
Solace had never seen Haven so frazzled. Not even after she’d been kidnapped. The younger woman was without a doubt one of the strongest-willed women she’d ever met. So, to see her?—
“It’s the pregnancy,” Haven murmured, while raising her gaze to Solace’s, before taking the chair next to the one at the head of the table.
Cal, his eyes hardly leaving Haven, took the one generally reserved for Duncan.
When he finally managed to look away from his fiancée, his troubled gaze fixed on hers.
Whatever this was, it had to be bad. And whether Haven and Cal found it telling or not, she immediately cradled her stomach with both hands.
My precious baby, what has happened to your daddy?
Moments later, heavy footfalls sounded in the hallway, growing louder, until one by one, the remaining members of the team silently came in and took a seat, bringing with them a palpable tension she could almost taste.
So, she wasn’t the only one dreading this meeting.
“Alright,” Haven said, in a tone so sharp, several people at the table jerked—Solace included.
“You said you wanted me here to meet with the team.” Her red-rimmed gaze went around the table, focusing on each team member, before she skewered her fiancé with it.
“This has to be about my dad. So, tell me, Cal, what’s happened to him? ”
True regret—mixed with pain—crossed Cal’s face. As much as he loved Haven, making her wait had to have been hard. And there was no doubt he loved her. Everything about him spoke that fact in no uncertain terms.
“Nothing,” Cal said, matter of fact. “At least…” He cleared his throat. “At least as far as I know. But he did call, and he had instructions for me. One of them was to wait to tell you with the team.”
“Where is he?” Haven’s trembling voice had grown thick with emotion. “He’s never been out of touch for this long. Never.”
“What did he say?” Garrett leaned across the table, his menacing tone and unyielding expression reminding her above everything else, he was a Marine.
“Yeah…” Chance Granger’s serious side didn’t come out often.
The last time had been when they’d taken on Salazar’s men at Duncan’s home.
But it was there again. Solace traced her gaze over the hard profile of the focused, battle-ready, former Army Ranger sitting next to her.
A man prepared to take on anything to see the mission complete.
A man willing to give his all for his comrades.
Then he too leaned across the table, pressed his large, flattened hands atop the solid wood surface and dug in his fingers. “What are his orders?”
Opposite her, a stony-faced Declan might as well have been staring a hole in Cal. While beside him, Noah appeared more stoic than usual.
Standing, Cal took a moment to flick his blue gaze toward a much more composed Haven, then faced the team.
“The colonel didn’t disclose his location, but I know he’s not alone.”
“Who’s with him?” Solace congratulated herself after she’d managed to say that in an even tone.
“He wouldn’t say. It was something he let slip.” Cal’s reply came as a surprise. As secretive as Duncan had been, it was a wonder he’d given away that hint. “And, before anyone asks, he didn’t ask for help for himself.”
“Of course, he didn’t,” Haven groused, shaking her head. “Bull-headed.”
Solace had to agree.
“So, if not for himself,” Declan finally said, “then who?”
“Harrison Shaw, or Adam Stanton, or whatever you want to call him.”
“The gate incident?” This from Garrett, his focus growing even more intense as most everyone else around the table nodded in obvious understanding, even Haven. Since Destiny was Stanton’s daughter, it wasn’t a surprise he’d heard about something Solace hadn’t.
“What gate incident?” How had she missed an incident with Shaw/Stanton?
“It was all over the news,” Haven provided.
“That big-ass gate leaving his property malfunctioned…” She used air quotes around that last word.
“And it nearly crushed his car. Luckily no one was injured, since the vehicle was reinforced and didn’t completely crumple.
Honestly, I hadn’t seen the news about it, but it had worried Destiny, and she had let me know. ”
“It did worry her,” Garrett added. “Her dad made a covert phone call to her to assure her he was okay. And just so you know,” he said, directing this toward Cal, “he doesn’t believe it was a malfunction either.”
“I’m sure no one thinks it was,” Cal said, with a definite sarcastic bent to his voice. “Including the colonel. He had me call Stanton directly to offer our assistance if needed, and to suggest Alyn’s people get involved.”
“Alyn,” Chance growled low, drawing her gaze to his grimacing profile. Something had gone on in the past with those two, but now wasn’t the time to question what.
“Does Stanton want our help?” Solace was pretty sure she knew the answer to that question.
“No,” Cal said, shaking his head. “But he also didn’t rule it out.” Cal’s features hardened. “Stanton isn’t our main concern.” His gaze once more went around the table, finally landing on Declan. “It’s Mercy.”