Page 13 of Forgiving His Past (Eagle’s Nest Securities #5)

His fingers inadvertently twitched at his sides with the urge to feel the thick strands of long, black silk.

The woman was truly a vision. Exotic, intriguing, and sexy as hell. And though in his gut, he was leaning toward her being as innocent as she claimed, the question still remained as to whether she was really a killer.

“How’s the head?” Lucky asked from where he stood at Van’s side. With his back resting against the back deck’s wooden railing, he took a sip from the bottle of beer in his hand.

“It’s fine,” Van answered for what felt like the millionth time, his focus remaining locked on the mysterious woman inside with the others.

He knew Lucky and the others were worried about his well-being, but aside from the cut on his scalp and a headache—which was finally beginning to subside—he really was okay.

“Hayes said you and Kam had a pretty good chat just before the jet’s…less-than-stellar landing.”

“We did.”

“So…” The team’s tech genius prodded, motioning toward the woman they were watching from this side of the deck’s French doors. “What did you talk about? ”

“I asked her about Akimi,” Van told his teammate what Kam had said about receiving a phone call from a stranger with instructions to meet.

“And?” Lucky took another sip and swallowed.

“She said she got there minutes before he took his last breath.”

“Akimi give her anything useful before he died?”

“His name.” Van abandoned the woman he’d been obsessively watching to turn and look at his friend. “She also said Akimi told her the person behind everything was an American.”

Lucky’s crystal blue eyes widened with surprise. “Seriously?”

He gave a slow nod to avoid aggravating his aching head. “Someone with powerful political ties.”

“You believe her?”

“I don’t know yet.”

Yes, you do. The truth was right there, staring back at you through her gorgeous eyes.

Van ignored his inner voice and slid his gaze back to the woman in question. Almost instantly, she turned her head his way.

His heart kicked hard when their eyes locked through one of the door’s small squares of glass. And for a moment, they both just stood there and stared.

“Uh…Van?”

He blinked before turning Lucky’s way. The expectant expression on the other man’s Hollywood handsome face made him realize he’d apparently missed something his teammate had said.

“Sorry, what?”

Lucky’s dark brows dipped together in the center. “You sure you’re okay? Maybe you should call it a night and get some rest.”

“Can’t.” Van pushed himself away from the railing behind him and started for the door. “Not until we figure out our next steps.”

He was halfway there when Logan opened the door and stepped outside. Archer and Chase joined them a few seconds later.

Logan waited until they were all gathered together, standing in a small circle in the middle of the deck. “So, I just got off of the phone with Webb,” he announced.

“Let me guess.” Chase spoke up next. “He dropped whatever he was doing, and he’s on his way here.”

“Actually, no.” Logan gave a quick shake of his head. “He wants to, believe me. But whatever he’s got going on is keeping him away for at least another couple of days. Possibly more.”

“What about Kam?” Lucky asked their former team leader. “We never did decide where to stash her until Webb and his guys can take her off our hands.”

“She’ll have to stay with one of us for the time being.” Logan glanced around at the group. “Anyone want to volunteer for the job?”

“Gee, let me think…” Lucky pretended to consider the question. “Watch over a woman accused of killing Hunt and Farzad Akimi, as well as putting a knife to our friend’s throat? Yeah, I think I’ll pass.”

“He’s right.” Chase nodded. “For all we know, those bombs were meant for her and not us.”

Van’s gaze immediately went to the door in search of the woman who continued to steal his focus. His gut tightened with dread at the thought that either of those incidents could have easily ended with her death.

Not that he cared. Not about her. Because…he didn’t.

Yeah? Then why were you trying so damn hard to get to her when the jet first started to fall? And why did you tell her to stay in her seat instead of letting her unbuckle her seatbelt so she could try to help you ?

“No.” He rebuked the possible scenario Chase had just described. “The hotel, maybe, but the jet…” His head slid from side to side. “No way anyone could have known she’d be with us when we flew back to the States.”

“ We didn’t even know for sure she’d be with us.” Archer backed him up.

“Could’ve been her,” Lucky mused, though the man’s face didn’t appear as though he believed that was true. “She did admit to watching you in the coffee shop for several days. If we go by Webb’s intel, it’s possible Kam had someone else plant the bomb.”

“But who?” Chase asked, looking around as he waited for an answer. When none was given, he continued by making another fair point. “We keep hearing about these so-called ‘men’ she has working for her, but she was alone in the coffee shop. Alone in the alley. No one burst into our hotel room, or?—”

“No, they just shot an RPG through our window.” Lucky rolled his eyes.

Chase shot the guy a look. “That could have been a coincidence. Or she could have been their real target.”

“It’s possible the attack on the hotel was about taking her out.” Archer rejoined the debate. “But there’s still no way anyone would have known she’d be with us on the jet.”

“One person knew.”

All eyes turned to Van, who stared back at Logan with a wrinkled brow.

“Who?” The man frowned, appearing generously confused.

“Who do you think?”

It took a few seconds for Logan’s understanding to finally sink in. When it did, he immediately started shaking his head.

“No.” A stern bark. “No way.”

“He’s the only person, aside from our client’s pilot, who knew where we would be and why. ”

“Wait, who?” Chase’s gaze bounced between them.

Rather than answer the other man’s question, Logan raised an angry palm Van’s way. “Just stop, okay? This line of thinking is a waste of time, and?—”

“Who?” Chase asked again.

But like Logan, Van ignored the question to finish making his point.

“Akimi told Kam that the guy who tried taking us all out three years ago was an American,” Van growled. “One in a position of great political power, remember?”

“Guys!” Chase’s voice rose to a level that made it impossible to ignore. Blowing out a breath, the frustrated man stared them down before enunciating his next words with exaggerated clarity. “Who. The hell. Are you talking about?”

Logan glanced over at Chase before bringing his pointed stare back to Van’s. With a slow, almost indiscernible shake of his head, he silently told Van to keep his mouth shut.

Sorry, brother. No can do.

“Webb,” Van revealed what the other man clearly wanted kept under wraps.

Several under-the-breath curses sounded around him as the others processed what they’d just heard.

“Wait, seriously?” Lucky’s gaze shifted back and forth between Van and Logan. “You really think SECNAV is involved in this mess?”

“No.” Logan vehemently denied the outlandish claim. “That’s not what we’re saying.”

“ I’m saying it,” Van countered.

But even Archer wasn’t convinced.

“Come on, Van.” The man’s expression turned incredulous. “We all know you aren’t Webb’s number one fan, but what you’re accusing him of…” He raked a hand through his thick waves of dark brown hair. “You’re talking treason , man.”

Worse than that. I’m talking about murder.

But either way …

“This has nothing to do with my personal feelings.” He needed to make that point crystal clear. “This is about uncovering the truth. About Hunt’s death…our careers…” He paused. “If I suspected anyone other than Webb, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.”

“But Webb is the one you suspect, despite the fact that you have zero evidence to support your wild accusation.”

Van’s shoulders rose and fell with a sigh. He fully understood Logan’s gut reaction to defend the powerful man. It was the same reason the guy wore blinders where SECNAV was concerned.

“Webb served with your dad,” Van stated what they already knew. “From what you’ve told us before, the two were pretty tight.”

“Mike didn’t just serve with my dad, Van.

” Logan referred to the powerful man by his shortened first name.

“They were best friends. And after my dad was killed in action, Webb was the one who was there for me and my mom. He helped plan the funeral. Spent time with me to give her a break. The guy even mowed our lawn for fuck’s sake. ”

“I get that, Logan.” He did his best to calm the man’s rapidly rising anger. “But you can’t let your?—”

“And that doesn’t even cover the countless times he helped our team back when we were still DEVGRU.

” His teammate kept on as if Van hadn’t said a word.

“I know you never cared for Webb’s style of leadership, but to stand here and accuse him of being the traitor and a cold-blooded killer when the real threat could very well be standing in that kitchen right this damn second… ”

Logan let his words trail as he ran a hand over his scruff-covered jaw. The man was flat-out refusing to entertain even the possibility that Webb was anything but squeaky clean.

It was understandable, given the guy’s history with Logan’s family. But as far as Van was concerned…

“I’m not saying he’s our guy, Hayes. Or that I think Kam’s as innocent as she claims. I’m just pointing out that we need to look at this thing from every possible angle. And the fact is, all of the intel we’ve been given so far has come directly from Webb.”

“Because that’s the intel that was given to him by his asset and other contacts.”

“So Webb says.”

Fire raged behind Logan’s hazel stare. “He didn’t do this, Van.”

“I hope that’s true.”

He honestly did. For all their sakes, but mostly Logan’s. The guy had kept Webb on an impossible pedestal for so long, Van knew it would devastate the former SEAL to discover his hero was no hero at all.

The two men became engaged in a battle of the wills, their gazes locked with one another’s as they both refused to be the first to look away. But then…

“Uh, guys?” Chase began to play the part of team mediator. “Listen, it’s been a long day for us all. And Webb’s already said he won’t be able to get into Seattle for at least a couple more. What do you say we table this conversation until tomorrow…after we’ve all had a good night’s sleep?”

Logan held Van’s gaze a moment longer before he turned his head and looked over at Chase. “You’re right. We all need sleep.”

“Sounds good to me, but…” Lucky tilted his head toward the house where the women were still talking inside. “What are we going to do about her?”

Van thought about his teammates and how they were all now happily married. Logan and Nat had a little boy to think of, and Scottie and Chase were expecting their first.

Each of his teammates had found their soulmates. They had families they’d do anything to protect.

If Kam really was their biggest threat—and deep down, he didn’t believe that to be the case—they needed to take her someplace where they could easily keep a close eye on her. And if she wasn’t the one behind the attempts on his and his teammates’ lives…

I need to keep her safe.

Before he could talk himself out of it, Van heard himself offering a blurted, “She can stay with me.”

Four sets of shocked expressions turned his way.

“I’m sorry.” Lucky chuckled, barely getting those first words out. “I must be more sleep deprived than I thought, because I could have sworn you just volunteered to take our target home with you. To stay. Overnight.”

With a roll of his eyes, Van told his smartass friend, “Don’t be a dick.

I only volunteered because you all have families to keep safe, and I don’t.

” Not anymore. “And regardless of whether she’s the threat or a target like the rest of us, either way, it’s safer for all of you if Kam stays with me. ”

Logan’s gaze swung back to his, the anger that had been there replaced with a look of appreciation. “He’s right.” A quick nod. “Nat and I have Garrison to think about now. And with Scottie being pregnant…”

They all looked to Chase, who appeared as grateful for the reprieve as Logan.

“So it’s settled.” Van sidestepped the small group of men and started for the door.

“Hold up.” Lucky rushed to catch up to him, putting a hand on Van’s bicep as a way of making him stop. “No offense, but I’ve been to your place. Where the heck is she going to sleep?”

It was true his home was far from big, but as a single guy living alone, it offered everything he needed. In regard to Kam and where she would sleep…

“I’ve got it covered.” He opened the door, stepping back inside the house. A blast of cool air from the AC slapped his skin before the toe of his boot had fully crossed the threshold.

Almost immediately, the conversation that had been taking place ceased to exist, and the five women standing a few feet away all turned and looked in his direction.

“We’re leaving,” he told Kam briskly, more than ready to be done with this day.

Her long, dark lashes fluttered with a few quick blinks as she stuttered out a soft, “O-Okay.”

“I’ll go get your dress and boots.” Cassie rounded the group of women and started to leave the room.

“Oh, and I also put a few other things in a bag for you to take. It’s nothing fancy, but I thought you might need a few extra changes of clothes and some other necessities. Just for the next few days.”

Kam’s smile was radiant as she glanced Cassie’s way, appreciation glowing behind her gorgeous eyes. “Thank you so much, Cassie,” she offered Archer’s wife softly. “And…if you don’t mind…you can just dispose of the dress. I…” She gave Van a quick glance. “I don’t think I’ll be wearing it again.”

No, he didn’t suppose she would, given that it had been stained with his blood.

As Cassie left the room to collect Kam’s things, the rest of the team and their women participated in a round of goodbye hugs.

Van wasn’t a hugger, so he kept to the side. After extending her own parting words of thanks to everyone there, she looked over at him with a guarded expression before inching her way closer to where he stood.

“Where will I be staying tonight?” She looked up at him and waited. “I’m assuming another hotel?”

“Hotels are a security nightmare,” he stated bluntly, not bothering to elaborate on the specifics as to why that statement was true. Hoping it wasn’t a mistake of massive proportions, Van glanced down into her eyes and said, “You’re going to be staying with me.”