Live By The Team (Team Fear Book 1) (21 page)

Debi’s bawdy laugh warmed the yellow kitchen. “Honey, I’ve heard the word. I’m no shrinking violet. Or should I say no shrinking rose.”

The red climbed Rose’s throat. He took a seat at the kitchen island, but the bar-height chair was chosen for style not comfort or durability. The metal legs groaned as Rose took a load off his feet. While they waited for the coffee to brew, Ryder and Rose pieced together the assault, filling in details. “Ry, that bastard was well trained. No night vision goggles, yet he found me in the pitch black of the screened porch out back. And as old as that damn screen door was, I should have heard the fucker open it. Didn’t hear a damn thing before he grabbed me from behind.” He glanced sideways at Debi who stared at the dripping coffee pot. “It sucks to admit, but if he’d have had a knife, he’d have slit my throat before I could blink.”

“
They were trained. Hand signals, stealth, they planned a coordinated attack. Had comms, which we damn sure better get if we’re going to beat them.” Ryder knocked his knuckles against the kitchen counter in time to his thoughts. “I had the drop on the man out front. He went as still as tree stump and I had him from behind. Easy target. Outside of our team, I don’t know a soul who could have heard the approach.”

“
You think this was Smythe?”

Chills raced across Ryder’s overheated skin. “Until we know different, we assume everything connects to Smythe and his little housing scam. He sent some of the meth crew to handle Lauren when he thought she was alone. Idiots with a bad plan and poor execution. This time, he paid better money for better assholes.”

“
A whole helluva lot better assholes. They would have gotten in this house in absolute stealth if we hadn’t been out front.”

Debi’s hands shook as she poured three cups of coffee. “I had my gun.”

Rose shook his head, and the look on his face said a lecture was inbound. “Sweetheart, you didn’t have a clue they were here until I came roaring around the front.
After
stopping the guy in back from breaking and entering.”

Debi reached to hand Ryder a coffee and dropped it, shattering the cup. Hot brew went flying. Her bare feet jumped back. “Crap, that’s hot.”

“
Hold on.” Rose escorted her to an open barstool at the island like she was the queen of England. “We should be serving you.”

Ryder shook his head. The big man had lost his mind. Before he could say as much, Rose asked where the broom was, and started sweeping up the mess, then wiped it down with sanitary wipes. “Who are you and what have you done with my teammate?”

Rose flipped him off behind the broom so Debi couldn’t see.

All-righty then. Ryder turned his attention to Debi. “What happened to Lauren? She’s sleeping like the dead.”

A shaky hand shoved hair off Debi’s face. “A little too much tequila.”

“
You know she can’t handle tequila. You’re evil.”

Debi’s mouth tipped into a smile. “An evil genius. She needed to get wasted. She needed to turn off that mighty brain of hers and—” Debi tightened her lips closed.

“
You can finish that sentence anytime.”

Debi shook her head. “And get some sleep. She didn’t want you to see her like this.”

Lauren was beautiful, any day of the week, in any condition.

Rose brought Debi a cup of coffee. “I added a shot of Irish crème.”

“
You’re handy to have around, Rosie. First you scare off intruders and now you’re ready with a shot of liquor to soothe the weak woman’s nerves.”

“
Didn’t say you were weak, but this has to be outside the norm for you?”

“
Normal is relative.” Debi took a sip, then another. “That’s good. Sorry. I’m being a bitch, and big enough to admit it. Hit a sore spot. The last time a man offered to help me, he shoved a knife in my back.”

“
That explains the gun.”

“
He brings a knife and you bring a gun. Isn’t that the way the game is played?’ Debi took another sip and smiled, transforming her pinched features. “Being tackled by a six-and-a-half foot bear is definitely outside the norm.”

Rose shuffled his big feet as if he didn’t know if he should sit or stand. “Seemed the thing to do.”

Debi winked. “Who said I didn’t like it?”

Pheromones were swimming over their heads like gnats. Ryder brushed it off as they settled back to work. He helped himself to a cup of black coffee before leaning against the counter. “Smythe has upped his game. We have to assume he’ll come back harder. The one thing I’m certain of is that he won’t back off. He’s making good money and until now, he’s gotten away with it. He has to feel untouchable.”

“
Agreed, but—” Rose took a sip of his coffee. “That man got the drop on me. He wasn’t some lowlife you can hire for gram of meth. We do this, we need proper equipment.”

“
Add it to the list.” Ryder took a sip of the strongest coffee he’d ever tasted. He swallowed, burning his tonsils on the way down. “Shit, that’s strong.”

“
My hands were shaking. I may have added too much.”

“
You think?”

“
The Irish crème helps.” Debi took another long swallow. “Thanks for that,” she said to Rose. “Do you really think this is the Smythe guy?”

“
Unless you were expecting late night company?”

Debi peered deep into her coffee. “I’m just saying, this is a load of bullshit over missing mortgage payments.”

“
It’s more than that.” Ryder and Rose shared a look. How much could or should they tell her?

“
They know where she lives, Ry. She deserves to know.”

Drinking bad coffee and keeping an eye on the windows and doors, Ryder filled Debi in on all they knew about Smythe’s operation. He left out anything related to Team Fear.

“
I told Lauren the prick got off too easy.” Debi got up and rinsed her coffee cup. “Even the shot of Irish crème won’t help me sleep tonight.” She glanced at the clock. “Or this morning. Anything else you want to tell me?”

Ryder scratched his temple, considering the problem. It was bad enough to have Lauren involved. They didn’t need another civilian at risk. “Watch your back. Maybe take a few days off work.”

“
You think they’d hurt me?”

“
I think they would have done something very unpleasant to you and Lauren if they’d gotten in this house, and they’d go through you to get to her, so yes, I think they’d hurt you.”

“
You have somewhere to go for a few days until this blows over?” Rose asked.

Debi leaned back against the sink. “This is my home. I’m not leaving.”

“
That attitude led to the Alamo.” Rose stepped closer to the petite woman.

“
And here I thought you were the sweet one,” Debi said. “This ranch is all I have left. You don’t want to hang around, Rosie, there’s the door.”

The words mirrored what Rose had told Ryder outside in the truck. The smirk on Ryder’s face would earn him a face punch if Rose saw it, so Ryder rubbed a hand over his mouth to keep it shut.

Rose’s big shoulder’s hunched, and he took a step back. “I’ll take first watch.”

“
You do that.” Ryder bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. “Rosie.”

“
I’m not going to live that down, am I?” Rose paused for an answer with a hand on the front doorknob.

“
Not as long as I’m drawing breath, but my expiration date is coming due.”

“
We can only hope.”

As long as he had time left, he was spending it right. Lauren’s sweet body called him from the other room. “I’ll catch a few hours.”

“
Hold up.” Rose’s beefy hand grabbed Ryder’s arm before he could retreat. “I’m calling it, Ry. We need backup.”

The night had blown any plans of keeping the team out of it. The two men they faced were well trained and well equipped, not some gangbangers playing at war. Ryder wanted to give the team a little peace before hell rained down, but he didn’t have the luxury. He felt the failure to the pit of his black soul. “Fuck.” He dug his hands through his hair in frustration. The last thing he wanted was pull the team into his mess, but Smythe had raised the stakes. “Make some calls. See if we have anyone on this side of the Mississippi willing to...”

Debi frowned. “Willing to what?”

Willing to put their asses on the line for an old army buddy. He glanced at Rose. “At the very least, see if Craft can hook us up with better communication devices, maybe help set up electronic surveillance.”

Rose rubbed his hands together. “Rock and roll, baby. We’re getting the band back together.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“
Dumbass,” Ryder muttered, but as he walked down the hall, a smile eased the burden he’d carried like a sixty-pound pack on his shoulders. For six months, he had been putting out fires and watching their lives fall apart. Every single teammate was angry and paranoid and withdrawn. It was time to share the burden.

They should all think twice about getting involved. The number one priority was to stay off the radar, because Captain Johnson—or his superiors—would eliminate the threat if they continued to kill themselves in ways guaranteed to draw media attention. They were walking a very thin line, but Rose was right. They worked better as a team, and once they figured out the deal with Smythe, they could concentrate their efforts on the bigger problem. The contracts they’d signed when they joined Team Fear had so many pages of small print, there was probably an addendum that covered the eventuality that they became a risk to themselves and others.

So getting the band back together had landmines as large as the ones that had sent them out of the Army in the first place, but staying apart hadn’t worked out well for any of them. It was harder to put out the fires alone.

A problem for another day. Ryder closed the door behind him. The window on the south side was a security concern. The easy entrance on the backside of the house included no visibility from the highway. If Ryder wanted in the house, the bedroom window was the stealthiest route, so he had to figure the baddies from earlier would think the same, but he’d put his life in Rose’s hands more than once, and he had to trust him now. He checked the lock, pulled the blinds closed and called it good. Live by the team meant you trusted your teammates with your life.

He stripped off his clothes and helped Lauren out of hers. She mumbled and turned into him as he slid next to her, his feet dangling off the end of the small bed. He pulled the blanket to cover her bare shoulders. Damn, but he wanted her. Always would, but bringing the team to help could put her in the bulls eye of something far deadlier than Smythe’s games. They were damned either way, but he’d brought both problems to her door. He’d fix both or die trying.

Lauren turned again and settled her bare ass against Ryder’s crotch. His IQ dropped. He took a deep breath and wrapped an arm over her midriff. For what was left of the night, they had Rose keeping watch and Smythe’s men had been routed. He’d celebrate with sleep and deal with the rest after sunrise.

The sun burned through the pretty pink curtains, casting judgment with its harsh morning rays. Lauren squinted against a stabbing headache, not ready to face the day alone. There was a reason tequila was not her friend. The clatter of dishes in the other room, remnants of last night’s debauchery, reminded her of the promise she’d made to herself. She controlled her destiny. Period.

Lauren cupped a hand over her eyes to block the sun. She’d dreamed of Ryder, could have sworn she slept in his arms, surrounded by his warm body and smoky scent. The sensory memory lingered on the pink and blue bedding, leather and smoke and mystery. Lauren punched the empty pillow beside her before sitting up to face reality. She slipped from the bed and plodded into the guest bath, moving at the speed of a geriatric patient.

Peeling wallpaper covered the room, faded like bones in the desert sun. Lauren avoided the mirror and climbed into the white tiled tub. The shower beat over her wrecked body like a miracle, washing away grime and tequila and a hangover from hell. Not to mention body aches from the accident. Lauren groaned into the spray. Where was Rose with his Vitamin M when she really needed him? Oh yeah, she’d banned Ryder and Rose until noon.