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CHAPTER THREE

Preacher stepped away from the vehicle and waited for Kevlar and Smiley. They huddled against the brick wall of the building near where Maggie had parked.

“I believe her,” Kevlar said without preamble.

“Me too,” Preacher agreed.

The two men looked at Smiley. He was the skeptic of the team. The guy who always came up with the worst-case scenarios.

To Preacher’s surprise, he nodded and said, “She’s not lying.”

“So what do we do?” he asked.

“I’m going to send a message to Adina’s commander, just to verify her story, but in the meantime, I’m thinking she’s not going to get far with that piece-of-shit vehicle,” Kevlar said.

Preacher looked over at the car in question and frowned when he saw Maggie slumped over the wheel. He felt a pang of guilt for the way they had tricked her. Despite how bad it looked, she didn’t seem to have nefarious intentions in using Adina’s name and Uber license.

There was also something about the woman that made him want to hug her close and reassure her that everything would be all right.

Which was crazy. But that didn’t change how he felt.

“I’ll follow her home to make sure she gets there okay,” he blurted.

Both Kevlar and Smiley studied him intensely.

Finally, Kevlar said, “It might not be smart to get involved with a felon.”

Irritation swam through Preacher’s veins. “I didn’t say I was getting involved with her. And I’m just making sure she gets home all right, not planning on parading her through the naval base, shouting her criminal history to everyone I pass,” he said tightly.

To his surprise, Smiley chuckled. “I’d pay to see that,” he said under his breath.

“Right, sorry,” Kevlar said without hesitation.

“Besides…can you really see that woman as a drug dealer? We pressed her just a little and she caved. If she’s dealing drugs, I’m secretly a math genius who’s on the verge of solving the world’s most difficult equation,” Preacher said sarcastically.

“Is there such a thing?” Smiley asked.

“No clue. Probably.”

“Can we stick to the topic at hand?” Kevlar asked .

“We are,” Smiley told him without missing a beat. “Math. Preacher brought it up.”

He shared an amused grin with his teammate. “Beyond my math ability, or lack thereof…are we gonna do something about her situation?”

Kevlar took a moment to think about his answer before sighing. “Remi really liked her. I’m not sure it’s in her best interest to keep doing what she’s doing though. If her probation officer gets wind that she’s impersonating Adina and using her license to work, that could be bad for her.”

Preacher nodded. “We know a lot of people. I’m guessing we can get her some help. Maybe find her a job.”

“You think she’ll accept our help?” Smiley asked.

Preacher turned to look back at Maggie. She looked so dejected. As if she was just waiting for something bad to happen. He met his teammate’s gaze. “Yeah, I think she will. She’s pretty much at rock bottom. She needs proof that not everyone is out to get her.”

“After I verify with Adina that she’s allowing Maggie to live in her apartment, I’ll give Wolf a call.”

“I’ll do it,” Preacher told his friend.

“All right. You want to see if the car’ll start? If it does, just go with her, in case anything else happens to the vehicle on her way home. We’ll head back to the base, and I’ll bring your vehicle to you. Just text me the address of the apartment complex where she’s staying,” Kevlar told him.

“Thanks. I appreciate it.” What he really appreciated was his friends not telling him that he was stupid for involving himself in Maggie’s life. Yes, Kevlar warned him that it might not be a good idea, but he would’ve blatantly told him he was being a bonehead if he really thought Preacher was making a mistake.

But Preacher had a gut feeling that she needed someone in her corner. The story of her arrest for drug smuggling sounded almost too over the top to be true, but he wasn’t an idiot; he was well aware that plenty of people were put in prison for things they didn’t do or on trumped-up charges.

Smiley clapped him on the shoulder and Kevlar gave him a chin lift, then they turned without another word and headed back toward the base and their vehicles. Preacher headed to the Accord and got in. He held out the keys. “Let’s see if she’ll start, shall we?”

Maggie sniffed and didn’t hide the fact that she’d been crying. Preacher’s heart lurched in his chest. He hated that she’d been crying but didn’t comment on it.

She wiped her cheeks with her shoulders and reached for the keyring. She stuck the key in the ignition and for a second, he didn’t think the engine was going to turn over, but it finally did…with what he imagined was a long groan from the overworked car.

“So?” Maggie asked, turning to look at him. “What now? Are you going to turn me in?”

“No.”

She looked surprised. “No?”

“Nope,” Preacher confirmed. “Right now, I’m going to escort you home. My friends will bring my car to your place.”

Maggie stiffened and she sat up straighter. “If you think you can fuck my life up even more than it is already because I’m at a disadvantage here, you’re wrong. I can and will defend myself, and I might go back to prison for assault but I’m not going to let you touch me.”

Preacher was genuinely horrified that she thought he might blackmail her or otherwise hurt her. He leaned back against the door, away from her, and shook his head. “I just want to make sure you get home all right. That’s all. I swear.”

Neither said anything for a tense moment. Then Maggie asked, “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you care? I’m nobody to you. A felon. A convicted drug dealer. Why in the world would you do anything to help me?”

“Because Remi likes you,” Preacher said simply.

Maggie frowned.

He tried to explain. “Remi is…she’s like a sister to me. She and Kevlar went through some shit, and she came out the other side the same sunny, happy person she was before. And believe me, that’s a freaking miracle. We’d all do anything to make sure she stays that way. And given how she talked about you to Kevlar, it was clear that you made an impression on her.”

When he paused, Maggie said, “I liked her too. She was…nice. I haven’t experienced much of that lately. ”

“I’m sure. Which is why I want to help you. Besides, my mama would frown at me in disappointment—and trust me, that’s the worst feeling ever, to disappoint your mom—if I didn’t step in and do what I can to help you out.”

“I wouldn’t know. I was adopted when I was an infant. And let’s just say things between me and my adoptive parents didn’t work out. I left home at eighteen and haven’t looked back.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m fine,” Maggie said.

“Right. So…would you be opposed if I called a couple of friends and inquired about finding you a job?”

Maggie stared at Preacher with big brown eyes. Her black hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and her face seemed a little pale to him. It was the disbelief that someone would be willing to help her that ate at him though. No one should be this surprised at the basic decency they were being shown by another human being.

“As long as it’s legal, no. And I’ll have to tell my probation officer, so it can’t be under the table,” she eventually said.

“Of course not,” Preacher said calmly. “You hungry? I’m starving. We had a long day of boring meetings, and I’d kill for Del Taco. If you swing by one on your way home, it’ll be my treat.”

“I’m not sleeping with you,” Maggie said stiffly. “And if you’re setting me up, if you’re some kind of serial killer, I won’t go down without a fight. I’ll get your DNA under my fingernails, scream my head off, and be the last person you ever murder.”

“I’m not a serial killer. Can’t deny that I’ve killed before, but they all deserved it,” Preacher said bluntly.

To his surprise, Maggie simply tilted her head and stared at him. He wished he knew what she was thinking.

“For the Navy,” she said after a beat. It wasn’t a question.

“For the Navy,” Preacher confirmed. “I’m a Navy SEAL.”

That got a reaction out of her. “You are?”

He couldn’t help but chuckle at her response. “It’s that surprising?”

“Well, yeah. You don’t look how I imagined a SEAL looking. You’re…” Her voice trailed off.

“I’m what?” Preacher asked, genuinely interested in hearing what she thought.

“You don’t seem to have the edge I guess I thought someone who does what you do would have.”

Preacher shrugged. “Honestly, it’s a weird job. We spend a lot of time researching and in meetings and briefings. If I had a dollar for every mile I’ve spent in the air flying to this or that country, I’d be a millionaire. Sometimes we jump out of perfectly good airplanes, hike for miles and miles, only to expend one bullet, then hike miles and miles back to our extrication point. I’ve seen some awful things, done things I’m not proud of, but done more things I’m extremely proud of.

“I don’t like the bureaucracy, but love the men on my team as if they’re my brothers, and I love serving my country. I dislike bullies, and I find the way the poor and women and children are treated around the world absolutely abhorrent. I support the rights of people to practice any kind of religion they want, but not oppression in the name of any religion. I love animals, kids, and my family. And I know that last part’s kind of a tangent, but I’m trying to reassure you that I’m not going to hurt you, Maggie. I just want to help.”

“Can I take a picture of your ID?” she asked after a brief moment.

In response, Preacher reached for his wallet. He pulled out his Navy ID card and held it out to her.

“Shawn Franklin,” she said with a small smile, right before she clicked a picture of the ID. She handed the ID back to him and said, “It’s such a…normal name.”

Preacher chuckled.

“Are you really a preacher?” she asked.

“No. Not even close,” he told her.

“So it’s the opposite? You have that nickname because you’re a manwhore or something?”

“No. Not even close,” he repeated.

Maggie frowned. “Then why?”

“Maybe someday I’ll tell you. I’m hungry. Can we please get going so I don’t waste into nothing here in your front seat?” This wasn’t the time or place to get into the reason behind his nickname. He could always tell her what he fell back on when others wanted to know how he got it…that he was the moral compass of his team. For some reason, he di dn’t want to lie to this woman. But he didn’t want to tell her that he was a freaking virgin either. So yeah, that was a conversation for another time and place, if it happened at all.

“Okay. Shawn? Can I call you that?”

The hair on the back of his neck stood up. Preacher was well aware that Remi, Wren, and Josie all called their men by their real names instead of their nicknames. He hadn’t thought much about it…but now, hearing his given name on Maggie’s lips made him yearn anew for what his teammates had with their women. “Yeah. You can call me Shawn.”

“I really will fight you with everything I have if you try anything.”

Preacher nodded seriously. “Noted.”

She looked around and, seeing the coast was clear, pulled away from the curb. “There’s a Del Taco not too far from my apartment.”

“Sounds good. I’ll text Kevlar and let him know we’re stopping to grab dinner before heading to your place. Can I have your address, so he knows where to pick me up?”

Maggie nodded and gave him the info he needed to pass on to Kevlar.

The trip to Del Taco was uneventful, except for when he doubled what Maggie ordered so she’d have enough for leftovers. Hamburgers and fries weren’t the best heated up the next day, but he didn’t think she’d care. She tried to protest but he ignored her, enjoying how she didn’t hesitate to dig into the bag once they’d left the restaurant .

She pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex where she was staying and turned off the engine before looking at him. “I…are you really not going to turn me in? To Uber or my probation officer?”

“I’m not going to turn you in,” Preacher told her.

“I need this job. It’s the only way I’ve found to make any kind of money that isn’t working in fast food or something dangerous, like stripping or working at one of the all-night convenience stores. Not that a fast-food job isn’t good enough, it’s just…”

“I understand. I’m going to call some people tonight. If you’ll trust me, just a little, and not do any ride-share jobs tonight or tomorrow, I’ll get back to you and let you know what I’ve found. Can you do that?”

Maggie nodded. “Thank you. And for the record, if it doesn’t work out, I’m still appreciative that you tried.”

“Why wouldn’t it work out?” Preacher asked.

She shrugged. “When people find out that I’m a convicted drug dealer, any interest they had in hiring me seems to dry up.”

“That won’t be the case here,” he reassured her.

Maggie simply shrugged. “Even still, I appreciate the effort.”

Preacher was frustrated that she clearly didn’t believe him. But he supposed he couldn’t blame her. Not after what she’d been through. “I’m going to give you my number. If you need anything, and I mean anything, you call me. I’ll do what I can to help.”

She looked confused—which irritated Preacher all over again. Hadn’t anyone offered to help her in the recent past? Other than Adina? He supposed not, based on her reaction.

They exchanged numbers, and just seeing her name in his contacts made Preacher feel…he wasn’t sure what he felt. Content? Excited?

“Thanks again for dinner. Are you going to be okay waiting out here until your friend comes?” she asked.

Preacher couldn’t help it. He asked, “Seriously? The Navy sends me across some of the most dangerous borders in the world, and you want to know if I’ll be okay waiting in a well-lit parking lot for the ten minutes it’ll take my buddy to get here with my car?”

Maggie blushed, but she lifted her chin and said, “Yeah.”

He chuckled. “Then, yes, I’ll be fine.”

They both got out of the Accord, and Maggie clutched the bag of food in front of her almost defensively. “Well, thanks again. For everything. Dinner, not calling the cops. You know…not being a serial killer.”

This woman had made him smile more than he could remember doing in a long time. “You’re welcome. I’ll be in touch, Maggie. And for the record, not everyone is an asshole like your ex.”

“Thank goodness,” she said with a small snort. Then she gave him an awkward wave and headed for the door to the building. It wasn’t until she was safely inside the apartment complex that Preacher relaxed a fraction. He looked around. The area of town was fairly safe and the parking lot had a lot of lights. Both of which made him feel better.

Why he should care so much about a woman he’d just met, he wasn’t sure. But he couldn’t deny the feeling. His mind spun with ideas for who he would call to try to help Maggie get a job.

He was still thinking about his options when Kevlar pulled up. He got out and let Preacher get behind the wheel.

“All good?” he asked.

“All good,” Preacher confirmed.

“Still feel the same? That she didn’t do what she was accused of?”

“Even more so,” he admitted. He simply couldn’t see Maggie transporting drugs to sell. Maybe he was being na?ve, but he didn’t think so.

“Right. So…are we taking the car in to be looked at?”

Preacher smiled. That was one of the many reasons he respected his team leader. “Yup.”

Kevlar sighed. “You know after they hear Maggie’s story, Remi and the others are probably going to want to befriend her. Not sure I’m comfortable with that,” he said.

“Of course they are. Remi’s a good judge of character.”

“I know, but I’m still worried.”

“Good luck telling her you don’t want her contacting Maggie,” Preacher said with a small grin.

“Shit,” Kevlar said, blowing out a breath and running a hand through his hair. “You honestly don’t think she’s a danger?” he asked his teammate .

“No.”

“I’ll see if I can convince Remi to take things slow. Maybe start out by getting to know her by text or something. Give us a chance to check the situation out.”

Preacher grinned wider. He had a feeling Remi wasn’t going to want to “take things slow.”

It felt right to bring Maggie into their fold. If anyone needed a friend, it was that woman. She was prickly and untrusting, but he couldn’t blame her. He couldn’t imagine what two years behind bars had been like. But today, she’d crossed paths with the right people. He and his friends would make sure she’d be okay.