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“Probably not the floorboards, but someone seems to think that stash of Vexarin’s still here.” Foster turned and brushed his thumb across her jaw. “Sorry about this morning.”
“I’ve had worse wake-up calls.”
“Knowing Zain, he’ll insist on monitoring the security tonight if you’ll give me another chance.”
She smiled, and it hit him just as hard as earlier. “I think that can be arranged.” She arched a brow. “They will be a few walls away, right?”
“More than a few. Promise.”
“Deal. Now, do we have five minutes to make-out before Kash and Zain get back or…”
Foster snagged her around the waist and tugged her in close. “I’m betting on ten, so, take a breath. I’m using every single one.”
Chapter Thirteen
Mackenzie sat in Foster’s truck as he drove toward town, fatigue weighing heavy on her mind. They’d spent the day searching the areas of Foster’s home that hadn’t been renovated but had come up empty. While they still had a few more rooms to go, each unsuccessful search had been like a punch to the gut. A reminder that Josh and Foster’s parents had been killed for a stash of drugs that might not even be there.
That maybe none of this would end in justice.
Foster tapped her thigh, tilting his head when she glanced over at him. “You’re unusually quiet.”
She laughed. “Is that your polite way of saying I talk too much?”
“It’s my polite way of asking if you’re okay without you getting defensive about it.”
She shrugged, pausing to look out the window. Thick gray clouds raced across the sky—the promise of more rain heavy in the air. “I think we both know that I’m not, but that’s been true since Josh was killed. Dawson didn’t really tell me anything new, he just connected your dots with mine. Which means, I should be asking how you are because you’re the one who just learned your parents’ death wasn’t accidental. That’s got to be a hard pill to swallow.”
Foster’s left eye twitched as he focused on the road. “Just something else I missed that could have been prevented.”
She frowned, shifting over until she was as close as possible. “Foster. There’s no way you could have known any of this was going to happen. Which suggests that whatever else you think you should have spotted and stopped was probably beyond your scope, too. And I have a pretty good idea it involved your last mission. Why Sean died.”
She held up her hand when he slid his gaze her way. “I don’t expect you to talk about it. Classified or not, I know firsthand some demons are better left buried. Though, if you ever want to. I’m here.”
Foster stared straight ahead as a heavy silence fell over the cab for several minutes before he sighed and rolled his right shoulder. “I haven’t mentioned it because it’s eerily similar to what happened to Josh. A rescue mission that was more of a setup. Rogue agents who opened fire inside the helicopter. Same end result. Only Sean died because he shielded me. Thought I was the only one who could get everyone else back in one piece.”
He grunted then pounded his left hand on the steering wheel. “And all because I missed how edgy those bastards were getting. The increased tension. Not to mention flying in weather I had no right chancing.” He gave her a quick side-eye. “So yeah, sweetheart, I should have realized the increased stress in my dad’s voice meant something was off. That I needed to ask questions instead of just believing he was tired. That they simply missed me and wanted a chance to visit.”
Mackenzie inhaled. She hadn’t thought he’d actually talk about the mission. Though, it explained a lot. She studied him for a few moments before softly placing her hand on his shoulder. “Nothing I say is going to sway your line of thinking with respect to your parents. Though, from everything my dad’s told me about them, and your dad in particular, he didn’t strike me as the kind of man to dance around a subject. I think if he really thought there was something nefarious happening, he would have told you, if for no other reason than to get your opinion. As for Sean… Did he shield you before or after you were hit?”
Foster frowned.
Mac smoothed her hands over the marks she’d noticed on his skin last night. “Those scars on your shoulder and back from all those plates and screws you had implanted. They can’t be more than a few months old.”
“You noticed them, huh?”
“We were naked last night, and you definitely had my full attention. Which suggests you’re only telling me the part of the story where you feel you failed.”
She eased back, giving him some space. Though, based on how he was staring at her — eyes narrowed, and chest heaving — he didn’t seem as if he wanted any space. “Which I also get because Josh outright told me he thought the new recruits were too twitchy for ex-special forces. To which I told him he was reading too much into it. That adjusting to civilian life took time, and they just needed to acclimate. Pretty sure that makes me responsible, too.”
Foster drove for a bit before blowing out a rough breath. “Are you always going to use logic against me? Because if that’s the case, I’ll have to change my strategy.”
“Only when it’s really important.”
“Why do I get the feeling every discussion will be important?”
“Because you’re paranoid.” She smiled at him then eased back over. “I am sorry about your folks. I was overseas on a TACLET mission when my mom died of cancer. Still haven’t really forgiven myself for missing those last few months.”
Foster shook his head. “We’re quite the pair.” He nodded at a nondescript building not too far from the hanger. “That should be Bodie’s place. Here’s hoping he didn’t ask us to stop by because it’s actually some kind of intervention your dad arranged.”