Page 23 of Protecting Clove (Loved by the SEAL #5)

B ud wasn’t happy that Monday morning rolled around and he wouldn’t be able to stay up late making love to Clove.

It was love, too. They’d gone past the sex part and into something deeper.

She was sexy and turned him on, but it was more than just that.

He felt things for her that he’d never experienced before.

He walked into the room where they were being briefed on the target they’d been tracking. After the shit show of their last mission, they’d lost track of the guy, but now he’d shown his face, and they could track him again.

They would be heading out again, maybe. A different set of teams could be sent out, but it could be them.

They would find out when the orders were given.

None of the guys looked pleased about the high-value target still being alive.

They wanted to capture the jerk and take him down. They would have to be patient.

They finished their meeting, and Rider told them before they left the room that they were headed out for a run. He needed the exercise and time to clear his head.

Kevlar’s team decided to go for a run with them.

As they were getting ready, Sharp’s team decided to join them along with Wild’s team, then a few more guys join them.

They were an impressive group running along the beach.

Being a part of this group made him feel pride at what he’d accomplished.

Becoming a SEAL was one of the best things he’d ever done.

He loved these guys and knew they had his back.

After the run, he showered and then dressed before sitting down to clean his equipment. Trip and Rider finished their showers and sat next to him to clean their stuff. They chatted about nothing important as they made sure their things were in good shape.

They had about thirty minutes before quitting time, and he was looking forward to seeing Clove.

They wouldn’t be able to squeeze sex in tonight since he would have to be in bed early.

Neo was a part of their lives, and he wouldn’t give that up for more alone time with Clove.

Waiting until the weekend gave him something to look forward to.

He finished cleaning his firearms and was putting the last one away when his phone rang. He saw Clove’s name and answered.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“She’s gone.”

The tone of her voice, along with the urgency, made goosebumps erupt on his shoulders. “Who?”

“Neo. I was shopping, and someone attacked me and grabbed Neo.”

“Fuck. I have your location. I’m calling Thario and then going after Neo. I’ll bring her home.”

He ended the call to concerned looks on his team’s faces. They hadn’t heard enough to know this was the worst nightmare he could think of. His stomach clenched, and he wanted to throw up. They had to find Neo.

Keith couldn’t believe his luck. He’d found the brat with her mother. He knew she had to be close to this area. Staying the course and looking for her in places like grocery stores and fast food joints had paid off.

The kid was scrawny. She was smaller than he’d thought she would be. He wondered what someone would pay for a little kid like this. She would probably fetch him a pretty penny.

“You are going to be in trouble,” the kid said from the backseat.

He glanced in the mirror, shooting her a smile. “I’m your dad and I can do whatever I want.”

“No.”

“I am your dad. Didn’t that bitch tell you who I was?” He turned in his seat and a car horn blasted. He spun back around to face the front and correct the wheel. He didn’t want to get in a wreck, not when he had to get Neo someplace safe.

“You’re not a nice person, are you?”

He met her gaze in the mirror. “You’re a smart mouth little shit, aren’t you?”

“Obviously I’m smarter than you.”

He wished he had time to beat some sense into the kid. What had Clove been doing for discipline? Obviously not enough.

Maybe before he handed her over, he would teach her a lesson about manners. Most kids learned to shut their mouths or pay. Whoever bought the brat would have to teach her how to behave. It didn’t really bother him what happened to her, as long as he got money.

Clove would get over it. She could just make another one. Maybe he could accomplish that task while he was here. Knocking her up the first time had been easy so this time would be easy, too.

Bud’s head buzzed as he stared at his friends. He was totally fucked if they didn’t find Neo. The girl had become much more than just a neighbor, he loved her as if she were his own child.

“What happened?” Rider asked.

“Someone grabbed Neo. They attacked Clove and took her daughter.”

“Fuck,” Trip cursed.

“Thario put tracking into Neo’s shoes. I need to call him and figure out where she is.”

Trip pulled out his phone and called Thario. “Here. Use my phone to talk to him, and we’ll get the tracking on your phone.”

“Thanks.” Pain filled Bud. He couldn’t imagine what Neo was going through.

The girl was smart, but she was a tiny child with no ability to fight back.

He knew the person who took her was her father, but that didn’t guarantee her safety.

The jerk could still kill or abuse her. That was something he couldn’t think about without wanting to destroy something.

“Hey, Bud, we’ll get her back,” Q said.

“Thanks.”

“We’re working with Thario now,” Trip said. “I have the application up tracking her. We’re leaving now. Thario shared the map with the police, and they are going to meet us there.”

Tears gathered in Bud’s eyes, and he angrily swept them away. His buddies were great. They were taking care of stuff he couldn’t handle because the fear he felt for Neo was too great.

He cleared his throat and pushed the pain away. “I’m good. Let’s go.”

Thinking about little Neo, scared and hurt, wasn’t helping him. He had to focus on something else. He would kill the bastard once he found him. No one would ever get away with abusing his family.

The drive to the location took about thirty minutes because of a crash blocking a lane of traffic. When they arrived at the location, they were initially stopped by the police, but Clove was already there, demanding the police let them in.

He saw Neo, and the dam he’d been propping up to hold back his emotions broke. He pulled her into his arms and held her, and he leaned his forehead against Clove’s head. Neo was safe, and so was Clove. Neither of them looked injured.

It took him a minute for the buzzing in his ears to stop. “Are you okay?” he asked Neo.

“I’m fine. He dumped me here once he heard the sirens. He got away. I tried to make him stay, but he pushed me down and ran off.”

He kissed Neo’s cheek, then kissed Clove, not caring that anyone else saw. His family was safe for now. He wanted to find the asshole and make sure he could never terrorize them again.

It took another thirty minutes for Clove and Neo to be released.

He took them home, thankful it had turned out so well.

The area where she’d been shopping was on the other side of town from their place and closer to the culinary school.

So far, it didn’t seem like he knew where Clove lived.

The police said they would be increasing their presence in their neighborhood, which might just keep Bud away if he found them.

Once home, he changed clothes and then was at Clove’s door. It was good to hear her turning off the alarm before she let him in. They were all shaken up, which meant they were quiet. Even Neo had little to say.

It took them eating dinner and him reading her a book for her to start asking questions. The first was a doozy.

“That man said he was my father, but why did he try to hurt Mommy?”

Clove was in the bathroom, and he wanted to wait to answer to make sure what he said matched what Clove was thinking, but the seconds were ticking by, and Neo raised her eyebrows like she wanted him to answer now.

“Sometimes people aren’t good or even nice.”

“That’s why you have a job.”

She was very perceptive. He hadn’t said anything about him taking down bad guys in front of her. Maybe Clove had said something.

He nodded. “Yes.”

“But that’s overseas. Why would someone be mean here?”

“Meanness doesn’t need a reason. Some people just are not good people. It’s why we have locks on the door.”

“It’s why you’re sleeping on our couch. Mommy knew that man was close, and she asked you to stay here?”

“Yes. We both want you to be safe. I’m sorry he was able to find you.”

“You had nothing to do with it.”

He nodded. “No, I didn’t. Still, I hope you never have to experience anything like that again.”

Clove stepped out of her room, her eyes red like she’d been crying. “Hey, what are you two doing?”

“Reading,” Neo said before he could answer. “I’m tired. I’m going up to shower.”

Clove nodded. “Okay.”

He moved to Clove and pulled her into a hug as Neo headed up. “I’m not leaving. I brought over clothes to change into.”

“I’ll be down in a bit. She might want you to read the story tonight. She says your voice is calming and likes falling asleep to it.”

He nodded. “I’ll come up once she’s done with the shower.”

“Sure.”

He didn’t like the lost look in Clove’s eyes, but it was understandable. She had gone through hell when Neo had been taken. While she was upstairs, he set his alarm on his phone and moved his clothes into Clove’s room. He wasn’t going to leave her side tonight.