Page 2 of Protection for Asher (Safeguarded By The SEAL #4)

Christopher “Squat” Drake eyed the phone, unhappy to see his uncle’s name pop up on the display. He had to answer. Otherwise, he would hear about it from his parents for at least the next six months. The last thing he needed was guilt piled on to his already hectic life.

He punched the button to answer, glad his uncle wasn’t insisting on doing a video call. “Hello, Uncle Bill.”

“Christopher, it’s good to hear your voice.”

He couldn’t lie. It wasn’t good to hear from Bill.

The man had terrorized him when he’d been younger.

Shortness had no place in his family, and Bill had made sure to let Christopher know he had no place because he was short.

There were other things, but the crux of Bill terrorizing him had been because of his height.

Neither the Navy nor the SEALs he worked with cared how short he was.

All they cared about was how good he was at his job.

He had no issues keeping up with the taller guys.

Plus he could get into spots they couldn’t.

Every team he’d been a part of saw him as an asset, not a detriment.

He’d figured out how to access the obstacles course and make it his bitch.

He dominated in physical activity, and he kicked ass at swimming.

He was an all around fierce operator who got the job done.

“What do you need?” He tried to sound pleasant, but there was a little too much anger in his voice.

Bill was silent for a moment but didn’t hang up. “You always were a little shit. Should have pushed you in that well when you were younger.”

The open shaft had been on their land and should have been capped long before he’d been born.

They’d capped it after they saw some documentary about some kid who fell down a well.

He remembered Bill joking about shoving him in before they capped it.

It hadn’t been funny then and it wasn’t funny now.

Squat abandoned all pretenses of being kind. “What do you want?”

“Danny, your cousin, was at a party last week. Said he saw your ex, Asher, that little cu?—”

“Don’t finish that thought. What was Asher up to?”

Bill let go of a loud huff. “The bitch was causing problems, so a couple of guys gave it right back. I don’t care for you at all.

I think you’re a piece of shit. Still don’t know why the Navy hasn’t sent you packing since you’re worthless, but I don’t think it’s right for women to end up in a situation like Asher is in now. ”

Worry for Asher overrode any anger he had toward Bill. “What situation is that?”

“Danny said they put her in the back of their car. Said they were going to sell her to a market they know about.”

Anger filled Squat. He knew the human trafficking markets existed because they’d shut down a few on missions.

He didn't have enough information about Asher and where she was.

Plus, Bill tended to lie. If he lived closer, he would jump at the chance to investigate, but he had no way of verifying what Bill was saying.

Plus, Bill had a habit of making wild accusations and then asking for money.

Maybe Asher had been taken, but she could be at home safe and sound.

“What do you want for this information?”

Bill gasped. “Is that any way to treat me? You are a little shit. I care about people. I’m not asking for anything for myself, but if you want the place where they are taking her, you should send me a thousand dollars.”

Squat threw up his hands. He knew that’s what this was about.

Who knew if Asher had even been taken? It had been years since he’d heard from her.

They’d been hot and heavy before he joined up.

They would have gotten married, but she didn’t want to be tied down.

He hadn’t blamed her, and they parted as friends.

Hearing that she was being sold to a human trafficking market pissed him off, but Bill asking for money pissed him off just as much.

He thought about hanging up, but he couldn’t leave Asher swinging in the wind if he had a chance to save her.

Squat sat at his computer and sent a message to Thario, asking if he could open a messenger call with him so he could listen to the phone call with his uncle.

“You still there?” Bill asked.

“Yeah,” Squat responded as he put his uncle on speakerphone after answering the messenger call from Thario. “Where is she?”

“That’s not how this works,” Bill grumbled. “I need that money.”

“I can’t trust you, Uncle Bill. I need to know where Asher is before I send you a thousand dollars. If the information you give me is good, I’ll get you the money.”

Again, Bill gasped like he wasn’t the one who lied all the time. “How dare you question my integrity?”

Squat was surprised that Bill knew the word integrity and how to use it in a sentence. “You’ve burned me before. I need good information if you want me to send you money.”

“Fine. I’ll send you an email with everything I know. Get me my money, or you’ll regret it.”

“Sure, Bill.”

Squat saw the email pop up and ended the call with his uncle. “I hung up on him and forwarded the email to you. Thario, what can you come up with?”

“Um, just a…” The sound of keys clicking on the other end of the line was a small relief. Thario was a master at the computer. “I see that an Asher Haller was reported missing a few days ago but it looks like law enforcement isn’t taking it seriously.”

His stomach squeezed at Thario’s words. “That’s her. Shit, what is law enforcement saying about it?”

“Called her a run away. I’ll look into the area and see if there are any trafficking markets. I’ll send you a note with what I come up with.”

“Want me to come over to help?”

“Sure. Let yourself in.”

“Got it. And Thario, thank you.”

“Anytime, Squat. I live for things like this.”

Squat ended the call. He hated using Thario. The guy was amazing, but he also was just a guy who had been through hell. He needed to spend more time with Thario other than just when they had emergencies.

Squat grabbed his phone and wallet before shoving his feet into his shoes. He hated that he doubted what Bill had said, but he hated the idea of Asher being traded in the sex markets even more. She wouldn’t last long, and that wasn’t the kind of death anyone should suffer.