Page 41 of SEAL's Harmony
Josh: You could say that, since it’s WWIII on our block now.
Ry: Did you see what’s going on in Marikistan?
Josh: Yeah. Lots of fucked up stuff going on. I feel a trip coming up.
Ry: Yeah, me too. See you in the morning. Let me know if you hear anything before then.
Josh: Later.
There would be progress soon. He was sure of it. Especially since Chrissy was looking into the two suspects. If there was something to be found, she’d uncover it—it was her superpower.
The situation needed to be resolved soon. Ry didn’t want this threat hanging over Harmony’s head any longer than it had to. Hopefully, Detective Nelson would resolve the threat by arresting Harry. Except Ry’s gut told him it was the father, even if he had nothing to prove it. It wouldn’t be the first time his hunch had been correct.
The hairs on the back of Ry’s neck twitched. Turning off the living room light, he peered around the edge of the vertical blinds covering the sliding glass doors. He couldn’t be sure, but he thought he saw someone standing near the bushes at the edge of the property. It could be someone walking their dog, though it was after midnight. He wanted to go check it out, but he also didn’t want to leave Harmony alone, even with Whiskey as protection. Then he checked again, but no one was out there now.
The lighting sucked on that part of the grounds, so Ry figured he’d check the area when he took Whiskey for a walk in the morning. Maybe he’d get lucky and find something pointing to one of the tangos.
It was late, and Ry was beat. He struggled to stay awake while watching an episode ofJack Ryan. After he’d nodded again, he gave in to the exhaustion and cleared away the beer bottles and popcorn remnants.
He stopped to check on Harmony and saw that Whiskey had moved to the bottom of the bed, but she was in the same place. A sliver of moonlight came through the curtains and made her blonde hair looked like spun gold on her pillow. With her face relaxed in sleep, she looked so young. From the information she’d given to Detective Nelson, he knew she was twenty-eight. But in the moonlight, she could easily have passed for seventeen. Fighting the temptation to give her a kiss on her forehead, he went to his room and closed the door.
What he would have given to have her in his bed. He’d happily stay awake to make her come until she was boneless and happy next to him. But it wasn’t the night for that. She’d wanted more, but he felt her indecision, too. When he’d first kissed her and she slid her tongue along his, he thought she might be a virgin, but when the kiss escalated, he wasn’t sure. Either way, he’d coddle her. She deserved to be treated like a princess after the way the men in her life had treated her. There was no need to rush things.
13
It was almost quitting time, and Harmony couldn’t wait for Ry to arrive. Sitting in her fishbowl of an office, she was restless and bored, even though she’d met with a few new clients. It had been too quiet for the last few days, with no sign of Harry or her father. Every day was the same—paperwork, the occasional client, and waiting for the day to end. She’d made enough paperclip chains to decorate a Christmas tree. Still, she’d take boring over being scared to death any day of the week. It made her consider what Ry mentioned about finding a job she’d enjoy.
Since Detective Nelson had yet to locate Harry, Ry talked Harmony into staying with him until they could be sure she’d be safe. She loved spending time with Ry, and as her personal Uber driver, she held off getting the rental car and saved a bunch of money. Unfortunately, Harmony couldn’t stay with Ry forever, but she’d relish every moment they spent together.
After he dropped her at the bank every morning, he’d head to base and pick her up again around five. They’d pick up dinner on their way home. Harmony loved it, until she remembered it wouldn’t last forever, but she’d enjoy it while it lasted.
When they finished eating, they’d walk Whiskey. Then they’d pick out a movie, but they rarely made it past the opening credits before Ry would lift her into his lap and kiss her senseless. She’d lose herself in him and nothing mattered except Ry—his kisses, his firm muscles rubbing against her hard nipples, and the softness of his chestnut brown hair as she tugged him closer.
“Harmony, may I have a word with you in my office?” Wendy Mercer, the branch manager, requested, then turned around and left.
Startled, she looked up from the paperwork she’d been rearranging on her desk. “Of course, I’ll be right there.” It seemed odd to Harmony. Why would Wendy want her to come to her office when she could have come in and sat down? But then Wendy Mercer did everything she could do to get ahead. From what Harmony had witnessed in just the few months she’d worked there, she didn’t care who she hurt while she stepped on them on her way up the ladder.
Harmony tucked her cell phone into her dress pocket and went next door to her boss’s office. Wendy had a phone to her ear when Harmony knocked on the open door. She waved her in and pointed to the chair opposite hers.
It made her feel awkward to wait while others were on the phone, like she was eavesdropping. She took her phone out and flipped through her apps while she waited. She’d only downloaded a few after she got the phone. It took some getting used to. Being a grown-up out in the real world wasn’t anything like living in Norwalk. Or maybe it was only her father who’d made it so different.
If she had her way, she’d never see William Taylor again, but she could count on one hand the number of times a wish had come true.
“Sorry about that,” Wendy said after she disconnected the call. Then she opened a drawer in her desk and removed a file and put it down on her desk.
Harmony read her name on the file, and a sinking feeling slithered down her spine like a snake. Focusing on keeping her hands clasped in her lap instead of wringing them, she concentrated on remaining calm. She was dying to ask what was going on, but she kept quiet and waited.
“Harmony, I called you in here to let you know I’m adding a written warning to your employee file.”
“Wait, a warning? For what?” Harmony’s head pounded and her stomach churned. Searching her mind, she couldn’t think of a thing she’d done wrong. She prided herself on being an excellent employee, following the rules, even if she didn’t like them. Like with what they did to Harry and Barb. Or maybe that was it. They’d defaulted on their loan. She’d suggested they apply, so maybe it was that? But wouldn’t the underwriters have the ultimate blame?
“There should be two, but since you didn’t technically do anything wrong with the Ericson account, you’re off the hook for that one.”
What could she have done wrong? Harmony had only been at the bank for a few months. She kept to herself, did her job, and went home.
Wendy shuffled the papers in front of her, a delaying tactic Harmony recognized. “Your warning is for fraternization at work. You should know better, and if it happens again, you’ll be terminated.”
“I don’t understand. When and who did I fraternize with?”
