Page 20 of A Soldier's Temptation
“That’s true. If I tell you, you have to promise me one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“That you won’t go apeshit and be a Neanderthal man.”
“Without knowing what you’re going to tell me it’s hard to make that promise. I’m a SEAL my first instinct is to protect. Can I promise to try my best?”
“I guess that’ll have to do. But if you go crazy I’ll sic Mr. Darcy on you. Trust me, he can be ferocious when he needs to be. Right, Mr. Darcy?”
On cue, the fluffy furball woofed making them laugh.
“You really adopted a great dog. I’m glad you found each other.”
“Me too. I can’t believe he’s only been with me for a month.”
“That means it’s a good thing. My mom always said that if time flew by you were happy, it only drags when you’re miserable.”
“I’ve never heard that before, but it makes a lot of sense. Does your mom live close?”
“Nope, she lives in Virginia with my sister.”
“You have a sister? I really don’t know you at all.”
“I told you that you can ask me anything.”
By then they’d gotten back to their building. John pressed the numbers into the keypad and opened the door. “Do you want to go to my apartment or yours?”
She gave him a questioning look.
“Dessert, remember? And you promised you’d tell me what’s going on with you.”
“You really don’t forget anything, do you?”
“Not much,” he answered with a huge grin. She was pretending to be exasperated, but she couldn’t hold back her smile.
“Mine will be easier, and Mr. Darcy can have his real dinner and some water.”
They didn’t have long to wait for the elevator and soon they were on their floor. Her apartment was closer, and her door was visible from the elevator.
“Shit. Get behind me and hold on to Mr. Darcy.”
“Why, what’s…”
“Shhh. Your door is wide open. I need you to stay out of sight and call nine-one-one. Mr. Darcy, stay and watch our girl.”
“Okay.”
He hated hearing the quiver in her voice, but it couldn’t be helped. She wasn’t alone, and he had no intention of letting anything happen to her. Of course, it was one of the few times he wasn’t carrying. It was stupid on his part. Especially since he knew she was in danger.
Double-checking to make sure she was protected and listened to him about calling the police, he approached the door. The door jamb had a long crack and the knob was smashed. Whoever wanted to get in hadn’t been kidding. Standing out of range of a gun, he pushed the door open with his foot. Silence. Opening the door wider, he waited again. When nothing happened, he peered around the smashed door frame then stepped inside.
Holy fuck. It looked nothing like the apartment he’d been in earlier that day. Every piece of furniture in the living room had been upended and the fabric shredded. The books pulled from their shelves and the cabinets in the kitchen hung open with dishes strewn across the floor.
They’d been searching for something and he wondered if they’d found it. He was glad they’d done this when she wasn’t home. The thought of her being there when they broke through the door made his blood boil. God help them if they hurt a hair on her head. Maybe they were smart enough not to want an assault charge or worse on their heads.
Going from room to room he checked for intruders, but they were long gone leaving the apartment destroyed. It looked like a bomb had gone off. The sons-of-bitches would pay for this when he caught them, and he would catch them.
He wished there was a way to keep Ariana from seeing the devastation. Or at least a way to soften the blow. All he could do is promise that he’d get these guys so she could feel safe again. As soon as he got her settled either in the safe house or his apartment—he was opting for the second choice—he had a few phone calls of his own to make.
