“We’ve seen deaths for a hell of a lot less.”
“Get me a surveillance system. Make it two. One for her cabin and one for mine. Do we have enough manpower you can monitor as well?”
“Shouldn’t be a problem, connectivity might be. You’re pretty off grid there. Not always stable depending on the satellites.”
“Do what you can. Bill me.”
He snorts. “Steel just walked in. He wants a word.”
“You okay? Last mission was tough,” my CO asks.
“Seriously? That’s what you wanted to know?”
“You scared me. I thought I heard a please in there somewhere. Not your typical speech pattern. Wanted to make sure you were the real Silo.”
“Fuck off.”
He chuckles. “Aha, there’s my man. The girl doing okay?”
“Yeah. Scared, but I got her. I’ll teach her a few things. I’d like to hang around here for a while till we know what’s going on. Can I take some leave?”
“You’re on the clock, asshole. This is what we do.”
“Thanks. Hey, Amélie got any dogs ready?”
“Maybe, I’ll check. One or two?”
“Have I-Tee show her the satellite image of the cabins, and I’ll take what she thinks.”
“Roger. Stay frosty.”
The line goes dead and I inhale a couple deep breaths and just listen. Nothing out of the ordinary. But something feels off.
I text I-Tee.
Add in a couple drones for camera sweep.
He sends me a thumbs up.
Nothing is out of place in Twila’s cabin, but I don’t like it. I don’t have my TSCM kit to check for electronics. I also don’t want to get too deep into it and let someone know what I suspect. Tomorrow we’ll go to Love Beach and get my tools.
For now, I feel confident she’s safe at my cabin. Setting a couple hair traps, I head back to Norah.
Entering without a sound, I see she’s asleep on her side. Thank god. It’s going to be hard enough lying next to her, feeling her heat, inhaling the scent of her shampoo, hearing her breath.
She’s so beautiful. And way too young and innocent for this jaded, old man. I just turned forty-one. She’s got to be early twenties.
I’ll take care of her. Get her out of this mess and have her set up for a future. Then I’ll slip away. I’ll find another cabin somewhere because I won’t be able to bear seeing her with someone else. And if they don’t treat her right and take care of her, I’ll end them. She deserves the world for the shit she’s already been through.
I can’t keep my eyes off her. I’m barely keeping my want in check. Running a hand over my face, I try to get a grip. Never have I felt this kind of pull to a woman.
Oh, I like women, but I’d rather pay for my release than let someone think our together time meant something. I saw the way my mother struggled wanting love and commitment from a man who couldn’t care for anyone but himself.
I will never risk putting a woman through that. The only thing I’ve ever feared is that I’m like him. When I was young, people would say how much I resembled the old man. I ended up being taller and broader, but there is a visual similarity.
I have an anger in me. A rage when I see abuse, cruelty, the deliberate actions of people keeping others under their thumb. The military helped me learn to control and focus my wrath in the right direction. Working with HARDCORE Security has given me hope, and redemption for not being enough for my mother.
Norah is mine now to protect and watch over. I’m not worthy of her, but I will protect her with my life so she can have the one she deserves.
