Page 105 of Under Pressure

Blue looked at her dad, and getting the go-ahead in the form of a smile and a nod, she turned to Stroup. “We’re staying here.”

“You sure you want to risk it?” Stroup asked and pointed toward the door. “Your ex and his friends have seen you; they know where you are.”

The SEALs moved again, their large statures seeming more and more imposing as the minutes ticked by.

“We’ll take care of that,” Don said.

“And we’ll take our chances,” Dad added.

Stroup jerked his chin once and spun on his heel. With his departure, the team disbursed.

“You know what would have been cool?” Gray chatted to Knox. “A smoke bomb. We should get one of those . . .”

Turning in Sean’s grasp, Blue hugged him tight about his middle. She breathed in his glorious laundry and saltwater scent. Running her hands up his arms, she promised herself that she would hear every story, every moment of the time they were apart. Then she’d kiss every scar and then kiss his lips until they both passed out with exhaustion. She was finally home. Hekissed her ear, making her shiver, and whispered, “Now what’s this about Diamond Cove’s Ferris wheel?”

* * *

“Okay, when you said Ferris wheel,” Sean said, parking his car in the lot by Beach Park, “you actually meant Ferris wheel.”

Blue nodded. It’d hit her when she was telling her story to Stroup. On the way out, Dominic had said he was going to see Ian. They always met Ian at the amusement park at six p.m. However, she doubted Dom would be sticking around another twelve hours—so six a.m. it was. Or at least she hoped.

“You think he’ll be here?” Dad asked, sliding forward in the backseat of Sean’s Jeep to get a better look at the Ferris Wheel.

Beach Park was a disaster. Palms, brush, trash, and other debris littered the ground, but the trees were intact and not uprooted, and the storm was over. It would take the town a week or two to clean up the damage, but all in all, they’d been really lucky.

Blue nodded. “He came down here for a reason, Dad. I don’t think it was just to taunt Jonah and leave.”

“There’s only one way to find out,” Sean said, shutting off the Jeep. He got out and walked slowly around to Blue’s door, giving her a moment alone with Dad. How he knew to do that, even after all this time, was a mystery. One she would be thrilled to spend her life discovering.

“He wants to see us,” Blue said. “I’m sure of it.”

Dad stared at his hands clasped in his lap. “You go ahead. I’ll wait here.”

“Dad?”

Dad cleared his throat. “If he shows, I’ll get out.”

In all of Blue’s life, she’d never once thought of her dad as afraid. He’d always seemed so imposing, so larger than life. To see him sinking in on himself in fear was completely foreign to her. She decided not to push.

“If that’s what you want,” she said.

“It’s the right thing,” he said.

She reached back and grabbed his hand. “I love you, Dad.”

A small smile touched his lips. “I love you.”

Sean opened her door for her, and she stepped out, her hand finding his without looking for it. Her heart started to sink as they got closer and closer, seeing nothing, until, Dom stepped out from behind the platform of the ride, and under a street light.

Her heart picked up speed, and before she knew it, so did her legs. She ran to him, throwing her arms around his middle, and squeezed him for all she was worth. Seconds later, a deep chuckle found her ears, as Dom patted her on the back. Despite the smoking, she could only smell mint on him, just as when they were kids.

“Good to see you too, little sis,” Dom said, employing the nickname he’d started using on her the moment he’d gotten an inch taller than her.

“You’re alive!”

Dom pushed her back by her shoulders and smiled down at her. He was so handsome. So handsome. Just like their dad had been at this age, but with Mom’s sharp features. “So are you.” He kneaded her shoulders as if assuring himself that she was real.

“What are you doing here?” Blue asked, her hands shaking where she held tight to his suit coat. In her peripheral vision, she caught sight of Sean sitting on the steps leading up to the Ferris Wheel. Close, but not too close to give her some privacy.

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