Page 32 of SEAL's Paradise
“Hard to say for sure.I’ve seen tiger boy in Coconuts before, but he’s usually drinking with friends.The Navy regularly does drug tests, so he’d be taking his chances if those are all meant for him.”
Riley looked at the packets spread across the table as Sawyer took a seat beside her.“He’s going to be pissed when the messenger doesn’t show up tonight.”She tapped a few buttons on her laptop, pulling up her tracking software.“I’ve got this on my phone as well.Unless he left his jacket, he’s still at Coconuts.”
“No doubt still waiting for the delivery.”Sawyer shook his head.“How’d you get involved in this anyway?Not this particular case, but all of it?You have your contact at DOD and no doubt countless others.I get it.My team and I know people all over the world thanks to the Navy.But you and your sister just randomly started taking jobs after you separated from the government?”
Riley eyed him, feeling slightly wary.“Yes and no.We do both have contacts everywhere, but taking cases like this started when Radley was being stalked and harassed.We didn’t originally separate from the government intending to branch out on our own.”
“What happened?”His deep voice was low but also gentle, the concern in his eyes making her heart swell.Riley knew she could trust him.Yes, she had background information on Sawyer from her initial investigation—when she’d thought he was the traitor—but it was more than that.Riley had always had a good read on people.It served her well in her line of work.In life.
And as for the man sitting beside her?
Riley knew he’d never harm her.In fact, as much as Sawyer Cole Collins tried to play the major flirt and womanizer, the goof-off of the team, deep down, he was a good man.Solid.Steady.The type of person you’d want on your side—as your teammate, as your partner on a job like this one.Maybe even as your boyfriend.Your husband.Ironic given his reputation as a ladies’ man.With the way things were suddenly progressing on her investigation, she and Sawyer might not even need to actually go through with the sham marriage.
She’d be free to leave as soon as she wanted, not even needing to untangle the tethers that would tie them together.
It was ironic that after all her weeks of narrowing down suspects at Coconuts, she’d finally gotten a major lead mere days after telling Sawyer who she really was.
She eyed Sawyer again, feeling more confident in her decision to tell him some of her story.
“I told you a man hurt Radley.It was someone she trusted, and when she accused this particular man of the crime—of assaulting her when she was helpless and impaired—he retaliated.He threatened her and fed lies about her to our colleagues.Made up excuses.Said she’d wanted it, too.
Radley wouldn’t back down, so he leaked her name.It was the ultimate betrayal.She was using an alias, but he leaked her photo as well.She had to leave the country and ended up resigning when the Feds took his side over hers.Her career was over, and we lost trust in the agency we’d thought would protect us.”
“He’s powerful,” Sawyer assessed.“A colossal dick, but a powerful man nonetheless.”
“He was.He’s in jail now,” Riley said darkly.
Sawyer’s eyes slanted to hers, his fists clenching.“He’s the reason you originally came to Oahu.”His voice was deeper now, laced with anger.He might not know her sister, but Riley appreciated that he was angry on her behalf.
“I needed something to do while I was tracking him,” Riley explained, “so I took the job at Coconuts.Turns out he was a frequent bar-goer, too.It also gave me some extra income to stay here in Honolulu.No one was paying me for that job,” she added.
“You’re a good sister.”
“I’d never let anyone hurt her and get away with it,” Riley said fiercely.
“How’d you catch him?”
“He knew who I was, of course, so I had to play up the waitressing disguise and keep out of sight.It was tricky.But I overheard him bragging to some other guys about Radley—seriously, the guy was a drunk asshole who ran his mouth.I secretly recorded him.Sent it anonymously to the police and my old agency.”
“What was he doing here in Honolulu?”Sawyer asked.
“He was on extended vacation.Claimed he needed some R&R after returning from TDY to the Middle East.I tracked him to the islands.No doubt the higher-ups were hoping all the commotion would die down with him out of the way for a while.Out of sight and out of mind, right?”she asked sarcastically.“It gave me the time I needed.I followed him home.Confronted him.And when he tried to assault me the way he did Radley—I slashed him across the throat.The bastard’s lucky I called 911.I should’ve let him bleed out.”
“Shit,” Sawyer said, his face filled with rage.“He tried to assault you, too?”
“Shoved me into the bushes and then down onto the dirt.Sand.Whatever.He was going to rape me, just like he did my sister, but I was prepared and ready to fight back if I had to.I expected his disgusting behavior, whereas he’d drugged Radley.She was incapacitated and utterly helpless.”
Riley looked at his clenched fists.Sawyer looked like he wanted to beat the shit out of the guy.She put her hand atop one of his, gently squeezing.“Anyway.He’s in jail now.I’m sure word spread that he attacked me, too.They probably suspect I’m the one who recorded him.I heard from a contact at DOD—”
“And the rest is history,” Sawyer quipped.
Riley glanced at her laptop screen, looking at the tracking software once more.“The asshole from the bar is still there.”
Sawyer looked at his watch.“Not for long.You’ll be closing soon.”
“Yeah.We should go check out this address.”
Sawyer’s phone buzzed, and Riley watched as he glanced at the screen, swearing.“So, uh, I may have forgotten to mention something else that happened tonight.”
