Page 41 of Devlin (Lighthouse Security Investigations Montana #4)

Mia woke and instantly knew everything was different. The early dawn cast soft streaks of light through the edges of the curtain, just as it had every morning since she arrived in Uganda. The distant sounds of people stirring, voices carrying through the morning air, were familiar.

But the solid, warm presence of a very large man curled around her, his naked body wrapped around hers in a protective embrace—that was new. Different. Yet not unfamiliar.

Memories from long ago flickered through her mind, weaving seamlessly into the present.

The mosquito net was still bunched on the side beside the wall.

She grinned… she was surprised it hadn’t gotten yanked down during the night.

Her bed was small, but somehow, they’d made it work.

As though the dam had broken, they’d made love, then fucked hard.

They discovered each other’s bodies, noting the changes and remembering what neither had forgotten.

And when they fell asleep, his large body had curled around her as their legs tangled.

It was more than being protected. It was more than having great sex. It was like coming home.

She stretched in a slow, languid motion and felt a deep ache in long untouched places. A smile curved her lips. Oh yeah. They had definitely made the small space work.

She hadn’t made love in almost ten years. There had been lovers for both of them, but she had always known, even with Robert, that it wasn’t forever. Devlin had admitted as much himself—no relationship of his had lasted beyond a weekend.

Turning carefully, she twisted in the bed without waking him, shifting so she could face him.

His features were both familiar and changed—the lines at the corners of his eyes and a few strands of gray mixed in with his black hair.

She stared at the lighthouse tattoo inked onto his skin before gazing at the scar on his chest. Strange…

if it hadn’t been for that scar, or rather the bullet that caused it, he wouldn’t have left the service when he did.

And he might not have been available when Logan wanted him to join his security company. And he wouldn’t have reunited with her…

Stop! If her mind continued down this path, she would go crazy. Life happens, and we take it as it comes. Make the most of the good and deal with the bad.

She smiled as she stared. He was sleeping peacefully while her mind raced in all directions. Her gaze continued to roam over him. He was neither the same nor completely different. And she loved him.

She was risking her heart, trusting him not to break it again. But wasn’t that what love was? A chance. A step into the unknown. Trust and peace and want and desire and need all rolled into one.

His eyes blinked open, hazy with sleep, just as his arms tightened around her. A slow smile spread across his face. “Morning, babe,” he rumbled, his voice rough with sleep.

She felt the vibration of it in his chest, straight through to hers. “Good morning.”

As his gaze focused on her, she caught the flicker of uncertainty that passed through his expression. “Do you have any regrets, my Mia?”

She lifted a hand, trailing her fingers through his beard, and slowly shook her head. “No regrets.”

Relief filled his face, the tension easing from his body.

“What about you, big guy?” she murmured.

He answered with a kiss, deep and consuming as his tongue swept over hers, drawing her back into the heat of the night before. She melted against him, sighing into his mouth.

When he finally pulled back, he grinned. “Does that seem like I have any regrets?”

She laughed softly, still stroking his cheek.

“What’s on your agenda for the day?”

“Well, since I don’t get paid to stay in bed with you… though I’d gladly make that my new career?—”

“Hell yeah,” he said, swatting her ass playfully.

She rolled her eyes, chuckling. “Anyway, just another day at the office. Watching trucks, taking in food, giving out food, and hoping there’s enough to go around by the end of the day. What about you?”

He held her gaze, peering deeply. “First thing on my list—I’m going to talk to Robert.”

She frowned, pushing up on her elbow. “About what?”

“I’m doing a little digging. Getting a feel for people.”

Her brows furrowed. “Surely you don’t think Robert has anything to do with the smuggling.” He didn’t answer right away, and her stomach twisted. “There’s no way.”

“I don’t trust anybody,” he said simply. “Plus, I want to make sure he knows you and I are together.”

She gasped, pushing against his shoulder to get a better look at him. “That’s not your place?—”

“Are you and he together right now?” he asked calmly.

“No! You know that. We dated years ago and just happened to end up here together. We haven’t been anything more than friends for the past three years.”

“Then it’s not a problem. If you were recently breaking up with him, I’d let you handle it, though I’d be right there with you. But as it is, I don’t trust him.”

“Devlin—”

“Mia, honey, I don’t think I’m a Neanderthal. But there are some things men just understand from other men. This is one of them. Do you trust me?”

“Of course, I trust you, but it’s just?—”

“No. Simple answer. Do you trust me?”

She swallowed, taking a deep breath before slowly nodding. “Yes. I do.”

“That’s all I need to know, sweetheart.”

She held his gaze, searching his expression without speaking for a long moment. Emotions crashed inside her, threatening to steal the newfound joy she’d experienced. Finally, she lifted a brow, giving a pointed look. “Do you understand what it means when I say I trust you ?”

Now it was his turn to hesitate, his eyes locked on hers. Slowly, he nodded. “Yes. You trusted me once before, and I broke that trust. I’m not that man anymore. No matter what, I promise I will never break your trust again.”

Seeing only sincerity in his eyes, she nodded slowly. Her lips curved, but before she could fully smile, his mouth was on hers again, claiming, devouring, reminding her that this was real. They had been given a second chance. And she wasn’t going to waste a single moment.

The warehouse was alive with motion. Large semitrucks rumbled in and out, their air brakes hissing as drivers maneuvered them into position.

Smaller delivery trucks weaved through the organized commotion, picking up their designated shipments.

Stacks of food crates lined the loading docks, workers moving like clockwork to keep everything flowing smoothly.

The organized chaos of loading and unloading, the hum of engines, the clang of crates, and the chatter of workers created a steady cacophony that Mia usually found invigorating.

Today, she focused on the conversation she had shared with Devlin—the idea of returning to the States and accepting a new job.

In his arms, thoughts of working closer to him felt right. Now, she wondered if she was jumping too soon. She didn’t want to doubt him or their second chance, but they had only reunited less than a week ago.

Mia wiped the back of her hand across her forehead, pushing a few strands of hair away from her face. The heat of the morning sun mixed with the physical labor, leaving her damp with sweat.

She frowned, narrowing her eyes at the semi being unloaded in front of her.

Something didn’t look right. She took a few steps closer, her head tilting slightly.

The inside of the container wasn’t as deep as the exterior length suggested.

A subtle difference, but from the angle she was looking, it was enough to catch her attention.

Just like before when she’d noticed a difference.

“Huh, that’s weird.” She squinted, taking a step back, then forward again, as if a different angle would make sense of what she was seeing.

“You finally hitting that age where your eyes are playing tricks on you? Should I start calling you Grandma Mia?”

She took a deep breath and turned just in time to see Charlie riding by on his bicycle, his wiry frame hunched over the handlebars. He lifted both hands in the air as he continued to pedal, remaining upright as he dodged trucks.

“You're gonna get killed on that thing one day,” Mia called out, concern knitting her brow.

Charlie slowed his pace, grinning as he balanced precariously on the pedals. “Nah, I’m too talented!”

Mia laughed, shaking her head. “Are you heading to work or just showing off your two-wheeled deathtrap?”

“Bit of both.” Charlie shrugged, kicking a foot to the ground to steady himself. “You staying out of trouble?”

Mia huffed, glancing around at the whirlwind of activity. “I don't have time for trouble.”

Charlie chuckled, but his gaze shifted over Mia’s shoulder. “What had your attention?”

“The inside of the truck doesn’t look as deep as the outside.”

Charlie looked over her shoulder and scoffed. “Optical illusion, kiddo! Either that or you do have granny eyes!”

Mia shot him a dry look. “So what am I? A kiddo or a granny?”

“A real beauty!”

She rolled her eyes and waved as Charlie gave a mock salute and pedaled off, disappearing into the mayhem of the warehouse yard. Mia turned back toward the semi, her unease lingering, but there was no time to dwell on it. Work needed to be done.

Thirty minutes later, Mia was in the middle of helping sort another shipment when Enock drove up in a security Jeep. As usual, he offered his ready smile, but it was tinged with concern. “Mia,” he called, drawing her attention away from the crates she was inventorying.

She wiped her hands on her cargo pants and looked up. “What’s up?”

“One of the food trucks stalled out on the back road. Driver radioed in. I’m gonna head over, but he said he might need you, too, in case some of the food needs to be transferred to another truck before it spoils.”

Mia frowned. “What happened?”

Enock shrugged. “Didn’t say. Just that he took the backroad toward the village. Figured I’d check it out.”

Mia hesitated only a moment before nodding. “Alright, let’s go.” She turned and waved to Farid, pointing at Enock. Farid hurried over. “I’m going with Enock. He said one of our trucks has broken down. I’ll check the food.”

“Let me know if you need assistance,” Farid said before turning his attention back to the inventory. “If so, I’ll get another truck to you.”

Thanking Farid, she followed Enock and climbed into his Jeep.

Dust kicked up behind them as they left the busy lot and turned onto the narrow, winding backroad.

The deeper they went, the quieter everything became.

The sounds of the warehouse faded, replaced by the rustling of trees and the occasional chirp of unseen birds.

Mia felt the tightness in her shoulders relax.

But as they continued down a different lane, Mia adjusted her seat belt, unease settling in her gut. “Why’d the driver take this way? It’s not close to the village.”

Enock kept his eyes on the road as he shook his head. “I don’t know. New guy? Maybe didn’t know the main route was faster? Got lost?”

Mia exhaled, rolling her shoulders. Something didn’t sit right.

She glanced at Enock, but his expression remained unreadable.

They rounded a bend, and up ahead, a truck sat idle on the gravel shoulder.

She breathed a sigh of relief at the sight.

Then she realized no other trucks were around.

“Shouldn’t someone from maintenance be here already? ”

Enock slowed to a stop, shifting into park, not answering her question. Mia opened her door, stepping onto the uneven ground. The back of the semi was already open, its dark interior filled with crates before her.

“I’ll check it out,” she said, moving toward the truck. “If the temperature is too high, we’ll need to move fast to get the food onto another truck.”

Enock nodded. “I’ll talk to the driver.”

“Call Farid for another truck to come, just in case. And call to remind maintenance we need them.”

Mia stepped up to the back of the semi, her boots echoing against the metal ramp as she climbed inside. The air was thick, carrying the scent of produce and packaged goods. She swept her gaze over the cargo, checking for signs of temperature issues.

Then she heard a voice that sounded like Charlie. “No. There’s got to be another way!”

Mia froze, her pulse spiking. The voice came from outside, somewhere close. It was definitely his Australian accent. She turned sharply, not understanding what was happening.

Before she could react, something hard struck the side of her head. Pain exploded behind her eyes as she stumbled, the world tilting. Hands grabbed her. A rough, scratchy bag was yanked over her head, plunging her into darkness.

Panic surged. She fought, kicking out, twisting her body, but whoever held her was strong. Arms pinned her own, jerking them behind her back. A rope cinched around her wrists, cutting into her skin.

Charlie’s voice was muffled now, but she could still hear him desperately arguing. “You don’t have to do this!”

Mia sucked in a breath, trying to center herself. She wasn’t going down without a fight.

But as the world around her shifted—footsteps, the sound of the truck door slamming, the vibration of an engine coming to life—realization hit her.

This was a setup, and she was right in the middle of it…

along with Enock and Charlie and God knows who else.

As the truck lurched forward, she lost her balance and fell.

This time as her head hit the side of the truck, she crumpled to the floor unconscious.