Forged in Steele

CHAPTER 34

MAREN sat in the living room with Steele and the others and nibbled on her burger while the others wolfed theirs down. It tasted wonderful, but she was taking it slow and savoring each bite, hoping her stomach wouldn’t protest and the food would stay down.

She could see just how close Steele and his team were. Sure, she’d seen them plenty of times and could witness the bond they had, but she’d never been around them in a completely relaxed setting where there was no mission involved and no injuries for her to tend to.

They laughed and joked, the ease with which they communicated showing her more than words how tight-knit they were.

Everyone got a kick out of ribbing Steele over his impending fatherhood, and to Steele’s credit, he took it with good humor. Not once did his characteristic scowl cross his face, and each time there was a mention of his becoming a father, his gaze slid to Maren’s, warmth radiating from his eyes.

He seemed happy and content. More relaxed than she’d ever seen him around others. Even when he and his team had come to her clinic for treatment, he’d been distant and standoffish and spoken in clipped sentences, using only a few words to get his meaning across.

She wondered if his team saw just how different he was. What were they thinking? She knew from what Steele had told her the night before that he was standing down for a while. At least until their baby was born. She had mixed feelings on that. On one hand, she didn’t want to come between him and a job he was obviously passionate about. She never wanted that to be a strain on their relationship or for it to get to a point where he resented her because he was away from what he loved.

But on the other hand, she was deeply relieved that he wouldn’t be going on any missions until after the baby was born. It meant a lot to her that he was placing her and their child above everything else in his life. And if she were honest, it was a huge weight off not having to worry about him leaving at a moment’s notice and her not knowing if he’d make it back.

It was something she’d have to get used to if their relationship worked out long term. There was no way she’d ever ask or expect him to give up his leadership of his team and retire. But at least for now, she’d have him here and safe until after their child was born.

Thinking beyond that was just borrowing trouble. It was best to take it one day at a time and cross the bridge when or if they came to it.

A beep sounded and conversation came to an instant halt. Steele was suddenly alert and wary and his team had also transitioned from joking and talking to utter silence. Tense, poised, ready for action.

She looked around in bewilderment and saw that Steele was intently focused on a monitor situated in the corner of the living room—a monitor that had gone unnoticed by her until now.

It lit up and she realized it was a video feed of the front gate. But she froze when she recognized the man standing at the gate staring directly into the security camera.

“Hancock,” she whispered.

Fear gripped her. It was impossible to stanch the flood of panic that raced through her veins. She looked to Steele for reassurance, but he’d already risen and gone to the monitor, his features set in stone the moment he heard her whisper Hancock’s name.

He pushed a button and then spoke into the receiver. “What the hell are you doing here, Hancock?”

“Let me in, Steele. I have info you need and we’re wasting time having this conversation through security cameras. I’m alone. Came in on foot.”

Steele turned to his team and barked a quick order. “Check out the perimeter. See if any alarms have been triggered. But don’t rely on the video feeds. We’re not dealing with typical civilians here. If Titan is here, they’re going to be a hell of a lot more careful than the average hired heavy. I want a physical search done immediately. Report in immediately.”

No one answered. They all scrambled up and disappeared. Steele turned back to the monitor.

“Strip,” he ground out. “Only way you’re getting in is if I know what I’m dealing with.”

Maren’s view of the monitor was impeded, but Hancock must have obeyed Steele’s order because for a long moment Steele stood, his back rigid as he focused on the monitor.

After several minutes, Steele spoke again. “I’m opening the gate. You take it nice and slow up the drive. I’ll meet you on the porch.”

Steele turned and strode over to where Maren sat on the couch. He bent, planting his palms on either side of her, his face inches from hers.

“Listen to me,” he said. “I know you’re scared and I know you have no desire to see this guy. But I need to find out what the hell is going on and why he’s popped up here. I don’t want you to move from this spot. I’m calling in one of the guys to come stay with you and I’m leaving the others to keep watch and cover us. Okay?”

She nodded, trying to keep the betraying tremble from her lips. “Maybe he’s going to tell us he took Caldwell down finally.”

Steele didn’t look hopeful and when he spoke, it was clear to Maren that he was trying to ease her fears.

“Yeah, maybe. Guess we’ll find out. Sit tight.”