Page 21

Chapter Nine

Foster snapped his head around, staring at the man standing in the doorway.

He was large, maybe an inch or two shorter than Foster but what Foster guessed was easily the same weight.

And the man carried himself in a way that clearly broadcast he could handle himself without being overt about it.

Add in short hair and a scruff, with black boots, black cargo pants and a black hoodie and vest, and the guy screamed ex-military.

He nodded at Foster. “Even if Atticus hadn’t described you, it’s obvious you’re Foster Beckett. You’re the spitting image of your dad.” He extended his hand. “I’m Bodie Page.”

Foster took the few steps separating them then grabbed the man’s hand. “You’re the ex-ranger, right?”

“Ten years until an IED put enough shrapnel in my right leg I can set off the metal detectors from twenty feet away. I eventually got the mobility back but…” He shrugged. “I’m sorry about your parents. They were good people.”

“Thanks, and yeah, they were. Why didn’t you come by the house and let me know you’d been providing security on the place?”

Bodie coughed. “John didn’t tell you?”

“Not a word.”

Bodie shook his head. “That’s odd because he swore he was going to call you — talk it all through. Though, that was right before the accident so maybe he hadn’t gotten the chance. But I assumed you knew and you’d stop by my office if you had any questions. When you didn’t…”

Bodie shoved his hands in his pockets, finally looking at Mac and Kash. “Where are my manners? You must be Mackenzie. Your dad talks about you non-stop. And you’re either Kash, Zain or Chase.”

Kash gave Nyx a scratch, still eyeing the guy. “Kash. The guy on my left is Chase and Zain’s in the other bed. So, Atticus called you?”

Bodie smiled as he motioned toward Mac. “As soon as Mackenzie kicked him out of the exam room to attend to that emergency, he gave me a ring. Thought you might need some extra security, though he didn’t elaborate.”

Mac snorted. “Only my father would assume none of this was purely an accident.”

“Based on what I heard when I walked in, neither do you.”

Foster sized the man up. He’d missed being played once before and he was not going to make the same mistake twice and trust someone simply because they’d been a soldier. “What we said?”

Bodie held up his palms. “I only caught the last part about keeping an eye on Greer. But you wouldn’t be worried about her safety unless you thought those accidents had been manufactured, and she was still at risk.”

Foster glanced at Kash, and he knew his buddy was thinking the same thing. That this could be Stein and Adams all over again.

Bodie alternated his gaze between them, finally blowing out a rough breath.

“I get it. You guys are coming off a rescue, your adrenaline’s high, your friends are hurt, and here I am, barging in, just offering to help right out of the blue.

But you don’t know me, and you certainly have no reason to trust me.

So, call Atticus. I ran a few JSOC missions under his command before getting medically discharged and I’ve told him he can be as candid as he likes.

And, if I check out to your satisfaction, I’m hoping you’ll let me at least watch Greer for you.

She’s my friend, too, and with half your team injured, it looks like you could use some backup. ”

Mac jumped when her phone went off a second later, the noise overshadowing the constant beeping in the background.

She grabbed her cell, shaking her head as she stared at the screen.

“I swear, it’s like simply mentioning his name out loud conjures him in one form or another.

” She swiped the screen, motioning that she’d take it in the hallway. “Dad…”

Foster inhaled, curbing his urge to follow her out. Have her six despite the fact she was only a few feet away, her left side still visible through the doorway.

Bodie chuckled.

Foster focused on him, again. “Something funny?”

“Nope.”

Foster ignored the way the guy stood there, grinning, as Mac talked to Atticus, too softly for Foster to make out any of the words. Another male voice joined in a few minutes later, but just when Foster was about to bolt to the door, Mackenzie strolled back into the room.

Bodie turned to face her. “Well?”

“First, that was the doctor. Greer’s in recovery.

They managed to stop the bleeding and put in a chest tube.

She’ll be in the ICU until they’re confident her lungs are clear and she’s not going to pop any of those bleeders back open.

But he said she should make a full recovery and be back busting balls in a few weeks. ”

Foster nodded when Kash slapped him on the back. “Thank god. And your dad?”

Mac held up her phone. “As usual, he said he was too damn busy to hold our hands through this and that all you need to know about Bodie is he was involved in Black Canary.”

Foster coughed then scrubbed his hand across his face. “That was your Ranger unit?”

Bodie sighed. “Which means it was your team who pulled us out.”

“Talk about a small world.” He gave Bodie a clap on the shoulder.

“We’d love some backup until Greer’s ready to be discharged.

After that, I have a feeling Chase will insist on her staying with us until this is all sorted out.

And before you ask, we don’t really know what this is, yet. But we’re damn sure gonna find out.”

“I won’t let anything happen to her. You’ve got my word on that.” He turned then stopped at the doorway. “Give me a shout if you need anything else. I’ve got a pretty decent setup. And I’ve got Mac’s number. I’ll send updates. Until then, I’ll be parked outside of recovery then in the ICU.”

Mac cozied up to Foster, bumping his hip with hers. “I assume that whatever happened on that mission means we can trust him?”

Foster sighed. He couldn’t say too much but he could put any doubts at rest. “That’s when he got that injury he mentioned. He went back when two of his teammates got pinned down. Damn near died, but he got them clear. Men like that can’t be bought.”

She simply smiled, leaning against him a bit as the room fell into an odd silence.

Kash broke it first as he gave them both a shove. “Go home.”

“No way.” Foster widened his stance. “We’ll spell each other off.”

“Is that before or after you both pass out from exhaustion?” Kash scoffed when Mac went to interrupt him.

“You’re both still blue and you both took blows to the head.

I’m fine. I didn’t end up trapped in a Bronco or swimming in a river.

And I’ve got Nyx with me if I need to close my eyes for a moment.

Nothing gets past her. So, go. Call Keaton, and I’ll expect coffee in the morning. ”

Foster glanced at Mac and damn, she did look cold. “You’ll call if there’s even a hint of trouble, right?”

“Scout’s honor.”

“You’re such an ass.” He grabbed Kash’s hand as he gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Call if you need us back here.”

Kash shooed them out then plopped down on a chair between Chase and Zain’s bed, Nyx circling twice before lying at his feet.

Foster took one last look around the room, searching the shadows, just in case, before palming Mac’s back, again, and walking with her down the hallway.

They didn’t talk, just continued along in a comfortable silence until they jumped in his truck then headed toward home.

She kicked her seat back a bit, twisting toward him. Staring with what he could only describe as a dreamy smile lighting up her face.

He waited a bit then shook his head. “I’m starting to think that doctor was way off, and you need to be under observation for a while.”

She laughed, the easy sound skittering along his nerves until he swore the truck must be overheating. “Why’s that?”

“Because of the way you’re looking at me. Either you’re having an aneurism, or you took some of Zain’s meds when I wasn’t watching.”

“You think I’m high because I’m smiling?”

“Smiling while looking at me.” He shrugged. “Usually, women scream and throw things.”

She laughed again, and it had the same effect only far more intense. As if she’d lit every inch of him on fire. “Guess I’m not like other women.”

“Amen, to that, sweetheart.” He groaned when the endearment slipped free, again. He’d never been one to use pet names, but the word just formed on his tongue regardless of whether he was thinking it or not.

Mackenzie leaned in, getting dangerously close. “Call me crazy, but I kinda like the way you say that.”

“Amen?”

“You’re so not what I expected.” She drew her finger along his arm. “And I meant sweetheart. It’s…” She inhaled. “Jesus. Foster. Pull over!”

He tensed, checking the mirrors then angling onto the shoulder. His headlights cut a path through the darkness, outlining the edge of a ravine as the limbs of the bare trees snapped in the wind. His wipers swooshed across the windshield, giving him fleeting views of the foggy landscape.

“What the… Are you okay? Do you need to go back to the hospital? Should I call?—”

She cut him off with that finger over his lips. “Kill the lights.”

He frowned but turned them off. “You’re scaring me.”

She shook her head, leaning in even closer. “There’s someone on the edge of that ravine. I saw their silhouette when you came around that bend.”

He scanned the tree line, frowning. “Are you sure? I don’t see anything.”

“They darted down toward the river as soon as your headlights hit them.”

“Do you think they need help?”

“I think it might be our guy because this is where Greer’s Bronco went off the road.” She looked Foster dead in the eyes. “And he was wearing night vision goggles.”

Mac stared at Foster, noting how his lips pinched tight as he focused on the patch of land they’d left only hours earlier. Where he’d nearly lost his best friend. His eyes narrowed as he pushed out a few rough breaths. A hint of blush colored his cheeks before he simply flipped a switch.