Trusting the SEAL (Saving the SEALs Series Book 3) (10 page)

“Tomorrow should be interesting,” she said.

“Yeah.” He exhaled, frowning, then took a swig of his beer. “You realize your dad might never forgive you for selling his books, right? I thought winning his approval was the most important thing to you, after your foundation.”

Toni stared past him out into the night. “Considering all the things you guys have accused him of, I guess it shouldn’t matter anymore.” She sniffled and gave a sad little snort. “My whole life I’ve lived in the background of his life and been the good, obedient daughter.” The hint of resolute sadness in her voice broke his heart. “At least now, he’ll have to acknowledge me, for better or worse.”

“Yeah.” He smiled. “Especially since you leaked the auction to Huff Po. Pretty ballsy move, partner.”

“You liked that, huh? Man, he’s going to be so pissed.” She laughed, the sound washing over him like a caress as she clinked her ale bottle with his. “Going to his competition to break the news will give me some extra zing where Dad’s concerned. Plus, thanks to their blog post, the monetary donations to Williams Wishes have tripled just in the last hour
and
I got a text from Sheik Saaed asking if he can add a few more friends to the bid list for the special items.” She feigned polishing her fingernails on her white PJ tank top. “I still got some moves.”

“Yes, you do.” Spence looked over at her, waggling his brows suggestively. “And I have to say I won’t mind seeing his nuts roasting over an open fire for a while after he printed all those lies about me in his tabloid rag.”

“Cold-As-Ice SEAL Guilty of Murder?”
Toni chuckled then looked down at her lap “Yeah, I saw that headline. Not exactly a stellar moment in journalism.” She scooted around on the seat, fidgeting slightly. “Hey, listen. About what happened at the oasis. I just want you to know I don’t usually, you know, do things like that with my bodyguards.”

“Glad to hear it,” he said, his tone droll.

“I’m serious. With my crazy schedule and lifestyle, I don’t get the chance to date much. And when I do, I’m always leery the guys are only there because of my fortune and my family name, not who I really am. It’s tough for me to open up and trust someone enough to… well, you know.”

“What happened out there between us was nice. More than nice. Awesome.” He shrugged, feeling a weird need to reassure her that it had meant something to him too, had meant more to him than he wanted to admit, actually. “Where women are concerned, I don’t usually—” He lowered his head and shrugged. “Let’s just say there’s a grain of truth to that ‘cold-as-ice’ thing.”

She gave him a dubious look and he snorted. “Not because there isn’t opportunity, but because we never know where our next mission will take us. Hard to put down roots and create something lasting.”

“Well, aren’t you just full of contradictions, Mr. Spencer Nixon?”

“I do what I can.”

They remained silent for a while, just enjoying the evening and quiet.

“What are you most nervous about tomorrow?” he asked after taking his last swallow of beer.

“I just really want to get this presentation right and impress Sheik Saaed enough to gain his support. It will literally keep my foundation going.” She leaned a shoulder against the wall. “What about you? Do SEALs even get nervous about stuff?”

He chuckled. “Hells yeah, we get nervous. Like will I look hot enough in my camo to attract the ladies and is there enough beer and condoms to last all night long?”

Toni laughed. “I’m serious.”

“So am I.” Spencer grinned, enjoying her company. “But honestly, I just want things to go smoothly, with no gunfire or violence, if at all possible. And I’d really like it all to work out for you too. I mean, since you’ve worked so hard and all, it would be good.”

“Yeah. It would be good,” she said, finally facing him once more. “But you’ve taught me something Spencer Nixon.”

“I have?”

“Yep. That sometimes you have to set aside what’s best for you in favor of what’s best for others.”

“Huh?” He scrunched his nose. “You lost me.”

“That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing tomorrow. I still want my father’s love, maybe I always will, no matter what sins he’s committed. But I want to catch the bad guys more.”

“I taught you that? Really?” He blinked at her. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For listening to me, for giving Kyle and Nick and the rest of my team the benefit of the doubt. For tomorrow.”

“Don’t count your chickens yet, cowboy.” She winked at him, then drank the rest of her ale in one, long swallow. “Things could still go horribly wrong in that ballroom, even with four SEALs on patrol.”

“True. But no matter what happens, we’ve got your back.” He narrowed his gaze. “Earning Kyle’s confidence isn’t easy, but once you have it, he’s loyal to a fault. Besides, between him and Gage and Scotty and me, we won’t let things get out of hand.”

“How long have you guys worked together?”

“Ugh. Seems like forever.” He squinted one eye shut as he calculated the time in his head. “Wow. Five years already. God, it’s been so long we don’t even have to talk anymore in tight situations. We can give each other hand signals or a look.”

“Five years is a long time.”

“Yep. Four tours in the Middle East.” He grinned. “One time, in Kandahar, Nick was completely blotto in the officer’s club and Kyle got him to stand up in front of a whole platoon and wail four choruses of I Will Survive, hopping around on stage like a chicken having a seizure. Man, oh man.” Spencer’s sides hurt from his laughter and once he managed to glance over at Toni, he saw she was cracking up too. “Those guys are my family now. They’re goofy as hell sometimes, but I love ‘em.”

“Nice.” She met his gaze, her eyes huge and luminous in pale shadows. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For everything.” She leaned over and kissed him, soft and sweet, on the lips, but pulled back before he could take things further.

“My pleasure.” His body tightened at the memory of her beneath him, wrapped around him, so hot and wet and tight. The moment hung heavy between them, full of promise and passion. His gaze dropped to her full, pink lips before returning to her eyes. "You ready to sleep?”

“Yeah, I suppose. We’ve got to be up super early tomorrow.” Toni stroked her fingers gently over his jaw, her coy smile more seductive than gold. “Maybe we could take a raincheck? You know, after this is all finished and we’re back home again and life gets back to normal?” She gave a small shrug. “Well, as normal as can be for people like us?”

“Definitely.” Spencer gave her a crooked grin then watched as she walked away, appreciating the lush curve of her hips in those silly pink PJ bottoms. “Most definitely another time.”

“
U
p next
,” the professional auctioneer said, “the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Lot 179—a complete set of first edition works by Ernest Hemmingway, signed by the author. These novels were painstaking collected by esteemed businessman and publishing titan, Coran Williams. His daughter, Toni, has graciously donated them to the auction tonight, with all proceeds benefiting the literacy programs instituted through her marvelous charity, Williams Wishes. Bidding will start at five-hundred-thousand American dollars. All right, we have our first bidder. Do we have five-hundred twenty-five-thousand?”

Toni swallowed hard then turned away from the assembled bidders below, checking her phone yet again to see if he’d responded to the texts she’d sent, but nope. Nothing. Yes, of course, she understood it would take more than a few texts from her to get Coran Williams to respond, but she’d hoped adding his precious books to the mix would add additional incentive for him. She hadn’t been lying when she’d told Spencer that her father loved those books more than he did her. And, if her guess was right, he’d go to any lengths to keep them.

She glanced over to the side of the stage and spotted Spencer and Kyle near the back wall of the ballroom. Spencer caught her eye and gave her a small smile and quick nod of assurance, but that didn’t squelch the dread boring into her chest.

“And we’re up to one million dollars!” the auctioneer said, giddy elation evident in his crisp British voice. Sheik Saaed had hired the most prestigious auction house in the world to handle this part of the gala. He’d graciously donated several rare Etruscan artifacts to help raise funds as well. “Do we have a bid of one-point-two million?”

As the heated bidding war continued, she made her way to the stairs that led down to the ballroom floor then joined Spencer and Kyle. “Any sign of my father yet?”

“Not yet,” Spencer reached between them as they stood side by side and twined their fingers together, all the while keeping the gesture out of his team leader’s site. He’d never said anything specifically, but Toni supposed him getting emotionally involved with someone he was guarding was against the rules for him too.

“You doing okay?” he whispered, leaning a tad closer to her.

“Yes, I’m fine.” She gave him a hesitant smile. “I’d be better though if this auction was over. Selling off my father’s most prized possessions won’t sit well with him.”

“We’ve got you covered,” Kyle said, his tone as rigid as his posture. Given what Spencer had told her about what the poor man had been through these past couple of months—the death of his brother, finding his sister-in-law Natalie only to lose her again, struggling to keep his team together under such horrific circumstances and scrutiny—Toni couldn’t really blame the guy for being guarded.

Kyle’s attention snapped to the ballroom’s grand auction and his expression grew even colder. “Target sighted, eleven o’clock.”

“Five million dollars. Final bid.” a familiar voice called from just inside the enormous glided doors and Toni’s heart faltered. The crowds parted to reveal Coran Williams, dressed not in a tux, but in his usual dressed-down attires of an oxford shirt, freshly ironed jeans, and brown leather loafers. “Those books belong to me and I intend to keep them.”

“Sold!” the auctioneer said, the decisive smack of his gavel on the podium echoing through the now quiet room.

Should I go to him? Stay here? Flee the place entirely?

As if sensing her thoughts, Coran Williams zeroed in on his daughter like a beacon, his dark eyes narrowed with anger.

Spencer squeezed Toni’s hand tighter. “Easy, partner. I’m right here with you. I won’t let him hurt you ever again.”

She glanced sideways, took in her bodyguard’s hard stance, the tight line of his clenched jaw, the way his free hand hovered over his holstered weapon. There might’ve been no love lost between her and her father, but that didn’t mean she wanted the man dead either.

“Let me talk to him first.” Toni pulled free from his grip.

“We’re beyond talking,” Spencer growled. “Either he comes with us now, or that’s it.”

“Stand down, Lieutenant!” Kyle hissed as Coran headed their way. “That’s a direct order.”

As Coran approached, Gage and Scotty circled in behind her father, essentially boxing him in.

Toni took a deep breath and did her best to relax. There was no going back now. “Hello, father.”

Coran stopped about a foot away, still assessing her with an angry gaze. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Hosting a fundraiser for my foundation.” Her attempt to be flippant sounded strained, even to her own ears. “And you?”

“Those books belong to me. You have no right to auction them off.”

“Maybe if you cared more about your family rather than some musty old books, none of us would be standing here,” Spencer snarled, staring daggers at her father. “But I guess you don’t care about anyone but yourself, do you Williams?”

“If you could dial down the testosterone, that would be marvelous.” Shoulders squared, Toni moved to her father’s side, more to protect him than herself. The stares of Spencer and the rest of his team burned holes through her, but she stood firm. “I’m sorry about the books, Dad, but I needed to see you and you never answered any of my calls or messages. I thought this would be the best way to flush you out.”

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Coran bit out the words, his voice sharp as a razor. “And what the hell are you doing with these criminals? They’re blacklisted, for Christ’s sake, Toni.”

Kyle stepped forward and took her father’s arm. “Much as I’d like to end you right now, I’m taking you into custody instead.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Coran struggled as Kyle slapped a pair of handcuffs on him. “You can’t arrest me. You don’t have that kind of authority.”

“Like hell I don’t.” He pulled a sheaf of papers from his suit jacket pocket and held them before Coran’s face. “This gives me all the authority I need.”

“Commander Brighton? Terrorist activity?” Coran pulled against his restraints as a small crowd of nosy onlookers formed around their group. Gage and Scotty moved closer, each clapping a hand on her father’s shoulders while Spencer remained by Toni’s side. “I’m not a goddamned terrorist. And I will have that lying bastard stripped of his command for this!”

Kyle continued to secure her father as if he wasn’t throwing a massive tantrum in the middle of the world’s most expensive hotel. “As for you being a terrorist, the hidden files we discovered on your donated e-readers say differently. Our FBI hacker found all sorts of top-secret codes and coordinates. Not to mention the messages to Arrieta and his rebels.”

Toni took a deep breath and faced her father. “Dad, is what they’re saying true?”

“Believe me, it’s all true.” Kyle leaned forward, getting nose-to-nose with Coran. “What the hell did you think you were going to accomplish? Start another world war, Mr. Williams? Or should I call you SHEEPSKIN?”

Her father visibly blanched and Toni’s heart sank. It was true. It was all true. Her knees threatened to buckle and thank God Spencer slipped his arm around her waist to steady her or she would’ve crumpled to the ground in a heap.

“I want my attorney,” her father yelled.

Scotty jerked Coran’s arm hard, causing the older man to wince. “You’re a real traitor, aren’t you?”

“No. I’d never betray my country. Never. I was trying to help. We must win the war on terror, no matter the cost.” He looked to Toni, his gaze pleading. “Call my attorney, please, Toni. Tell him what’s happened.”

“By creating more terror?” Toni’s dazed mind was still stuck on the vicious attack on the village school and all those young lives lost, lives she’d wanted to enrich and help with her foundation. “I was trying to do some good in the world, Dad. Why would you twist that? Why?”

“You don’t understand. In the pursuit of the good, sometimes bad things are required.”

“Get him out of here,” Kyle ordered.

Gage and Scotty started to lead Coran away while Kyle murmured his thanks to her then pulled his phone from his pocket and followed his men and their quarry out of the ballroom.

Toni just watched them go, still too gob smacked to really process what was happening. People milled about now that the auction was over, whispering and gossiping about what they’d just witnessed.

“Hey, you okay?” Spencer rubbed her chilled arms briskly. The action seemed to help.

She shrugged off his touch and glared, taking out all of her pent-up fears and frustrations on him. “I’m fine. You’re free to go.”

“Excuse me?” he frowned.

“This was a business deal. You got what you wanted and I got what I wanted. We used each other as a means to an end, right? Don’t feel like you have to stick around and babysit me any longer. I’m sure you’d rather get back to your team and your mission.”

“Toni. C’mon.” The concern in his eyes slowly morphed into anger. “I was always upfront with you.”

“Right. After you lied to get the job and snooped around in my personal things.” She crossed her arms and tapped the toe of her designer pump against the plush carpet. The last thing she wanted to do was take out her pent-up frustrations on him, but she’d reached her breaking point and he was an easy mark. “You only came clean with me because you’d gotten caught. Isn’t that right? Otherwise, you would’ve been fine just using me for what you could get out of me, then tossing me aside.”

“Jesus.” He raked a hand through his hair, stalked a few paces away, then returned. “We’ve been over this before, Toni. We both agreed on the plan. I told you why I did what I did and you seemed okay with it. What’s your problem now, huh?”

“You. You’re my problem.”

“Yeah? Well, you sure as hell didn’t seem to have a problem with me that day in the oasis, did you?”

A red haze descended in her mind. How dare he throw that in her face? That day with him had been special. It had meant something to her and she’d thought it had meant something to him too. She turned on her heel and started back toward the stage. “I’m done.”

Spencer dogged her heels up the stairs. “You can’t just decide this is over, just like that.”

“Like hell I can’t.” Toni gathered up her supplies and thanked the auctioneer for his services, then headed out of the ballroom. The fact Spencer stuck to her side like glue just made her want to punch something. Mainly him. She needed space to sort through all her conflicting emotions. And she couldn’t do any of that with him breathing down her neck. Literally. She stopped abruptly and turned around fast. Spencer barely avoided barreling right over the top of her. “Stop it. Just stop. I can’t be around you right now, okay? Just go away.”

“Where the hell am I supposed to go? I’m your bodyguard.”

“I told you, the job is done. Besides, I saw the way you couldn’t wait to get violent in there, Spencer.” Her gaze dropped pointedly from his eyes to his weapon then returned. “You’re a man of war. I will always be on the side of peace. I don’t think this is going to work out between us. Consider your employment contract with me terminated, Spencer Nixon. Goodbye.”

She took one last look at his incredulous expression then forced herself to walk away. It hurt. Way worse than anything else had that day, even seeing her father hauled out of the hotel in handcuffs. But it was necessary. Necessary to her peace of mind, and her well-being, and mostly her bruised and battered heart to put some distance between them and get him to stay away. She couldn’t be with the person responsible for arresting her father—no matter that said father was responsible for destroying the integrity of what she thought she was try to accomplish by distributing those e-readers. She just couldn’t do it.

The steady click-clack of her heels on the marble floor didn’t drown out the sound of his voice as he called from behind her. “You know what? That’s fine. I’ll pack up and get out of here ASAP.”

“Good. Fabulous.” Tears stung Toni’s eyes as she weaved through the crowded lobby and headed for her suite. She wouldn’t turn around, couldn’t turn around. If she did, she’d run right back into Spencer’s arms and turn traitor on her on family and lose any chance of reconciling with her father in this lifetime and perhaps the next as well. Never mind her family didn’t seem to share the same sense of loyalty to her. It was the principle of the thing. And right now, her principles were all she had left.

So instead, she went back to the suite alone and locked herself in her room, had a nice hot bath then pulled on her PJs and snuggled down in bed, turning on the TV to dampen the sound of him packing in the other room and her own quiet sobs.

* * *

S
pencer grumbled
to himself as he shoved clothes into his duffle without bothering to fold them. Screw it. It had been a mistake to get involved with Toni. Worse, he’d known how wrong it was and he’d gone ahead and done it anyway.

Shit. Just shit.

He stalked into his bathroom and swiped all of his toiletries into his bag with one arm, not caring where they landed, then jammed his toothbrush into the side pocket. As he came back out into his bedroom, the muffled sounds of canned laughter from a TV filtered from the room across the hall. Toni’s room. She was in there, and the thought nearly had him storming over to pound on the door and demand she let him in and talk through this Grand Canyon of a divide between them.