Page 31 of SEAL's Providence
“Don’t start. Aren’t you busy enough between the store, a teenager, and a pregnant wife? You don’t need to be sticking your ass into my love life.”
Bob laughed. “Yeah, yeah. You just don’t want me pulling out your baby pictures if you bring her.”
“That would be true. I’d have to kill you. New baby on the way or not.”
“I’d like to see you try. Anyway, I’ll let you go. I’m happy for you, Tony. Don’t scare her away.”
“I’ll do my best. Give Chelle and Louie my love. You take care. If you need me, I’m just a call away.”
“I know. Same goes for you. Bye.”
Tony didn’t remember when Bob had sounded so happy. Maybe when Louie was born. Poor kid was named after their grandfather. No wonder he had an old soul and wanted to take care of the baby. Tony sure as fuck wouldn’t have wanted to be saddled with an infant at fifteen.
When Tony finally got back to his office, Rick Kerns, their CIA liaison, was waiting in the reception area. Rick wasn’t a bad guy, even though he was an alphabet man. Trusting him was something else. Depending on his orders, it could go either way. They’d had quite a few run-ins in the past when the CIA operative endangered his teams. The Marikistan mission was supposed to be an evacuation only. If Kern was involved, something else had to be going on.
“Hey, Rick. I hope you weren’t waiting long.”
“Nope, it’s all good.”
“Good. Come on in.” Tony unlocked his door and gestured for Rick to head in. “Yeoman, hold my calls.”
“Yes, sir.”
Tony closed his door and sat behind his desk. “What’s up? I know you wouldn’t have come all the way over here unless it was important.”
“You’re right and you won’t like it. The team needs to spin up and head out by zero four thirty. The rebels grabbed the ambassador’s executive secretary on her way home from work. Our mission just escalated from assisting with the evacuation to rescue.”
“Fuck. It’s never easy, is it? I swear the team has spent more time in Marikistan than most of their citizens. Do you have the updated package? The team will be ready. Are you tagging along this time?”
Kern opened his case and handed Tony a folder marked Top Secret. Just another day at the office. “Here you go. Let me know if they have questions. And yup, I’ll be tagging along.”
“Just don’t fuck things up. Where you go, trouble follows,” Tony said.
Kern rested his hand on the doorknob. “I think that goes for everyone on your team, too. Just have them on the bird at zero four thirty.”
Tony nodded. After Kern left, he read through the folder. What a clusterfuck. Their mission took a turn for the worse. And they had less time to prepare since they were leaving in the morning. Itwasn’t the first time and wouldn’t be the last. As operators, they knew to expect it.
He got Quinn on the phone and set up a briefing. He knew they’d be bitching, but the thrill of the mission would settle them down. Sometimes he missed that. At least there was a silver lining to the shit show—he’d be able to keep the team in the dark about Providence’s plan. They’d raise holy hell when they found out, but it should be over and done by the time they returned.
Tony grinned when he saw Providence waiting on the sidewalk in front of her townhouse. She’d changed out of her uniform and into solid black clothing. She looked like she was ready for a heist.
He pulled into the first open spot and jumped out to meet her at his passenger side door.
“Nice look for a cat burglar,” he commented as he held open her door.
“I wanted to blend in.” She shrugged.
Tony hid his smile. If they were going to break in, maybe, but he had no intention of letting her leave the car. Tonight was about verifying the location of the women, and that’s it.
“You would if we were getting out of the car. But we’re not. It’s a check and verify mission only.”
“What do you mean we’re not getting out of the car? There’s no fucking way we’re driving over there and sitting on our asses while those women are suffering inside. We need to check it out and see if there is an easy way to rescue them, for fuck’s sake. I was hoping we’d get them out tonight since it’s the two of us.”
Ah. He was wondering how she’d avoided a potty mouth after so many years on a ship. Since he’d met her, he’d been waiting for her to start swearing like a sailor, literally. “I’m sorry. But we’re not getting out. We don’t know what we’d be walking into without more recon, plus I’m not carrying. And I’m not risking you.”
“But it’s not about me. It’s about those women.” Providence’s voice vibrated with anger.
“Whoa. I didn’t say we would never do it. Just not tonight. Baby steps, sweetheart. This is the safest option for everyone. You’re going to have to trust me on this. I’ve been part of more rescue missions than you can imagine.” He reached for her hand where it rested on the center console, but she pulled it away. “Are you willing to take a chance and trust me?”
