“Oh Mellie, I’m so sorry.” I don’t know her, not really, but there’s something there. And it’s enough to pull me out of my chair and hug her.
She’s still sniffling when she pulls back. “No, none of this is on you. It was my choice to look for you. To get closure. But after someone took the girls last week, it became something else. It was like a sign from God when I saw the press release. After I knew the company was based in Norfolk it wasn’t hard to track you down.”
“Right. So why not go there, why come to my house? Hell, how did you even find out I lived here we only moved in yesterday.”
“Really? Wow, it really is divine intervention. I told you I like to research. Once I had Tony’s full name, I searched the tax records and found the sale with both of you listed. I needed to talk to you first, and I wasn’t sure how you’d react.”
“Are you sure you’re not wasting your talent writing romance novels? Not that I’m knocking them. I’m addicted to them.”
Mellie smiles, probably the first real one I’ve seen from her. “No way. I love what I do. It’s my escape. I have a hard time opening up to anyone, especially men, but my books always have the perfect man, even if he ends up little morally gray.”
“True. I’m lucky, I found myself a hero who’s doesn’t have a morally gray bone in his body. And he would help us. Wait, let me reword that. He’d take over and tell us we had to stay safe on the sidelines. That’s who Tony is, and his teammates aren’t any better. A bunch of former SEALs aka protective alpha males.”
“They sound perfect for this. But you said would help us. Is there a reason he won’t?”
“Unfortunately, there is. The Knights is still small. They’re still recruiting and for now it’s just the five of them and they got a big break on a trafficking ring they’ve been tracking for the last six months. They’re not even in state right now.”
“Son of a motherless goat. Is there any way they can come back and help? Those little girls need them.” Mellie sat backdown in the chair and rested her elbows on the island and rubbed her forehead.
“I don’t think so. He doesn’t tell me everything because I’m still active duty, but I think they were trying to rescue a couple of containers of women coming in through the port in Baltimore.”
“Well, horse feathers. Here I though now that I’d found you this would be a done deal. I tried going to the locals but the Woolridge Police are as worthless as tits on a bull.”
This is a million times worse than the women in the nail salon. Two little children, stolen from their home, and being abused. No, I couldn’t walk away from this any more than Tony could if he were here. He wouldn’t be happy, but there was no way I hell I could sit here and do nothing. So much of my hatred of surprises and being controlled makes sense now. But that was something I was going to have to unpack later. For now, we’ll have to come up with a plan.
“Do you know how to use a gun, Mellie?” Her head lifted from her hands, and she blinked at me. Her crystal-blue eyes narrowing.
“Did you seriously just ask a southern girl if she knows how to fire a gun? Bless your heart, of course I do. Daddy taught me as soon as I was old enough. I have a license to carry, too. I just don’t when I go out of state, too much trouble.”
“Sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess I’ve been out of the south for too long.”
“Where did you end up settling down? I’m guessing not in the south from what you just said.”
“Actually, we moved to Magnolia. My parents ended up getting divorced, and they passed me back and forth every week. Neither of them wanted me, I guess it was too painful to look at me after what happened. I never understood it though. I tried so hard to make them love me. Straight A’s in school, honor roll,valedictorian of my high school and full ride to college, but it was never enough.”
“Shut your pie hole. God bless ‘em. I don’t get what is wrong with people. And yet here you are.”
“Yeah, here I am. Although until a year ago I thought I’d be alone for the rest of my life. I never connected with men. Never could open up to anyone. And being in the Navy meant I was mostly around them. I’ve been stationed here for a little over a year, that’s when everything changed for me.”
“Well, I’m so happy to hear that. Now, tell me why you wanted to know if I could use a gun?”
“Because we’re going to go rescue those girls.”
CHAPTER 6
TONY
Mike pulls our customized black Escalade into the employee area of the Port of Baltimore. Pat O’Shea is driving Adam Stone and Evan Marshall, our other team members, in a second matching vehicle, and pulls up next to us in the parking lot in a matching vehicle. I’m not expecting trouble today, but you can never be too careful. The SUVs have reinforced steel bodies and bulletproof windows. My team’s safety is paramount. I’ll never take their lives for granted. These men are my brothers in every sense of the word. Our relationship is thicker than blood, formed on the battlefield. It’s built on absolute trust, and the knowledge that no matter what, we’ll have each other's six.
When I thought about retiring from the navy, it never entered my mind that I’d start a company with these guys, but it should have, and I have Providence to thank for that. Her coming to me for help with the trafficking ring she uncovered in the nail salon in Norfolk set everything in motion. After that, it was just a matter of logistics. But isn’t it always?
Mike rolled his window down, and Evan, riding shotgun with Pat, did the same.
“Parking here, Boss?” he asked. His Boston accent made it sound more like paaking.
I leaned forward to see beyond Mike and nodded. “Yeah, let’s go see what we can find out from the harbor master. We need to verify our intel about the Nexus is good. If that cargo ship isn’t docking on schedule, we’ll have to reconsider our next steps. This can’t be half-assed, we need to free the women and take out the ring. But that means finding the head of the snake.”
“Makes sense. Hopefully this one will have more of an impact on the Stepanov Bratva,” Mike says.
