Chapter 11 #2
I put my arm around Danae and drew her to me. “I know exactly what I’m getting, and I love every bit of her. I caught a glimpse of her evil side with her mom. It was beautiful. As long as she doesn’t come after me, I’m all for her having as many sides as she wants.”
She raised on her toes. I leaned down. Right before our lips met, she said, “Good answer, Lover.”
The kiss set me on fire. I felt myself becoming aroused. However, before it got out of control, we were parted by Johann.
“Come on, you two. Save it for home. Let’s load these boxes into the truck, then get dinner. I need food. You’ve been working me all day.”
“Oh, yeah, you’ve been worked to death. Are you sure you’re a SEAL?” Danae asked.
It was a riot to listen to them as we carried the boxes.
She was relegated to watching. No way was she allowed to carry anything.
Once the boxes were stowed and locked in the covered bed of my truck, and the house was locked up, we headed to a restaurant.
Danae chose it. She had a craving for a Cajun place that served a seafood boil.
I’d never been to it, but I was all for giving it a try.
Johann praised the place as one of the best outside of Louisiana.
The seafood was composed of shrimp, clams, Alaskan king crab legs, and lobster.
In addition, it contained sausage, potatoes, corn on the cob, celery, onions, lots of garlic, and spices.
I thought my mouth watered as they described it, but when we entered the restaurant, the aroma made my mouth really water and my stomach growl in approval.
It wasn’t terribly crowded yet, so we only had to wait about ten minutes to get a table.
I let them order for all of us. In addition to the boil, they asked for toasted garlic bread, hush puppies, baked beans, and coleslaw.
We chatted about this and that until our feast came. When they set the food in the middle of the table, I thought I heard it groan. There was enough for ten people.
“Jesus, there’s no way we can eat all this,” I remarked.
“We know. You want leftovers of this, trust us. It’s even better the next day. I don’t know why, but it is,” Johann said as he put food on his platter.
Not to be left behind, I got to work on fixing a platter for Danae and myself.
I groaned at the first bite. It wasn’t my last groan as the meal progressed.
The place filled up, and the din of so many voices and the moans of appreciation became background music.
The bibs and moist towels we were given were needed, but greasy fingers were more than worth it.
By the time we were done, I leaned back in my chair and rubbed my stomach.
“God, why didn’t I know about this place? I’ve got to tell Ben and the others about it.” I told them.
“We should see who we can get together and bring whoever wants to come one night. Make it a family outing,” Danae replied.
“I like that idea. We’ll do it soon.”
After boxing up the leftovers and paying the bill, we lazily made our way out to the truck. It was dark, but the June night was still warm enough not to need a jacket. We were almost to the truck when a sense of unease came over me.
I always had Danae walk on my left side so my dominant hand could get to my gun without being blocked.
I slowed my steps, and my hand went to my hip.
Without a word, Johann, who was on the opposite side of her, gently pressed her behind me.
Then he put himself with his back to hers, facing behind us.
“What is it?” she asked softly.
“I don’t know. Something doesn’t feel right. Stay between us. If anything happens, get down,” I ordered.
“Alright,” was all she said.
I scanned the darker areas of the lot. They had lighting, but it didn’t reach every corner.
I removed my gun. The faint sliding sound coming from behind me told me Johann had done the same.
We kept moving toward the truck. I’d feel better once I got Danae inside with the doors locked and the engine running.
Straining my ears to catch any sounds, my heart beat faster.
Usually, I was cool even when I might be in danger.
But I didn’t have my woman and unborn child to worry about in those instances.
Sure, I had my team or a partner to watch out for, but it felt different.
A cold sweat broke out all over my body.
It seemed to take forever to get close to my vehicle. We were about ten feet away when a figure darted out from the darkness between my truck and the car next to it on the driver’s side.
“Stop right there!” I shouted, even though I knew the person wouldn’t do it. And I didn’t shoot because, unless they endangered us, I had no right.
The figure looked back. The shape and size told me it was a man. He was dressed from head to toe in black. And to make sure he wasn’t recognizable, he had the hood over his head and low over his face.
Whipping back around, he kept running until he disappeared into the darkness. The urge to give chase was superseded by the need to protect Danae and the baby. Johann must’ve felt the same, because he stayed with us.
Arriving at the truck, I took out a small flashlight I always carried with me.
I flashed it along the side and down to the pavement.
Frustration filled me. I didn’t see anything obvious, but it might not be.
What if he planted a bomb or did something to it?
I was careful on missions, but there was always a chance I had messed up and an enemy had tracked me back to my home.
All of us who worked for the Patriots had that worry.
Taking out my phone, I placed a call. Two rings and it was answered.
“This is Heath Rugger—ID seven, four, two, zero, bravo, indigo. I need a team—possible sabotage of my personal vehicle. I'm with my pregnant girlfriend and a friend. A male ran from us. He was hiding next to my truck.”
“We’ll dispatch a team ASAP. Get yourself to somewhere safe. What is the address?” a man’s voice calmly responded.
I recited it to him. He assured me someone would be there speedily. When I hung up, the question came. It was Johann who asked.
“Who did you call? That wasn’t the cops.”
“No, it wasn’t the cops. It was a team at headquarters.
They’re employed to be our version of 911.
The bosses don’t want our work ever to impact our personal lives.
And they take the general safety of their operatives seriously.
We should go back inside and wait. I don’t want us near the truck until it has been checked over. ”
There were no arguments. Johann and I remained alert as we took Danae back inside. There could be more than one person out there. Or the guy who ran could backtrack. We told the staff inside that we were waiting for a friend. I cradled her close against me. I could feel her body shaking a little.
“Baby, we’ll be fine. It’s just a precaution. The guy was probably trying to break in to see what he could steal, and we scared him away. I highly doubt anything was done to the truck, but I have to be sure. I don’t want anything to endanger you and our daughter,” I told her.
“I don’t have a problem with you being cautious, Heath.
But we’re not the only ones who are important.
I don’t want you or Johann to be harmed.
It’s weird. You two both sensed something wasn’t right at the same time.
It wasn’t until you did that I felt a bit uneasy.
I don’t know if that was my warning system or just a reaction to you two.
If we’d been in a medical setting, I’d sense shit before it goes bad. ”
I let her talk. It seemed to make her relax.
Johann chimed in here and there. We kept our gazes out the window, watching for reinforcements.
People entered and exited. I prayed none of them were parked next to us.
But I couldn't tell anyone that there might be a bomb out there. They’d have the police here in minutes.
That was a headache we didn’t need. And I was most likely overreacting.
Ten minutes after I placed the call, my phone vibrated.
Checking it, I saw a message. It was from a secure number I knew was a headquarters’ number. It read, ETA 2 minutes.
“They’ll be here in two minutes,” I softly told them.
“Good,” Johann said. He was busy scanning the parking lot.
“Danae, when they get here, I want you to stay inside with Johann. I’ll need to be out there to talk to them and see what they find.”
Her hold on my hand tightened. Worry clouded her face. “Heath, please, can’t they handle it?”
“Danae, I need to be with them. I’ll be careful.
I’m not doing anything that’ll take me away from you and the baby.
If they tell me to leave, I’ll do it. But I can’t concentrate on my safety if I have to worry about you and Johann.
No one is going to come in here and cause a scene.
Stay where there are people. I’ll be back as soon as I can. ”
I placed a reassuring, I hope, kiss on her mouth.
As I did, I saw a vehicle pulling into the parking lot.
It was a large black SUV with blacked-out windows.
It had no name, but I knew it was one of ours.
They’d know what my vehicle looked like and what the license plate was.
All that information was in the secure personnel files at headquarters.
“They’re here. Be back soon.” I glanced at Johann. “I’m leaving my life with you.”
“I’ll protect them with my life,” he vowed.