Chapter 15 Flash leaped out of his SUV and nodded at Dude. They took the stairs up to the fourth floor of Kelli's apartment two at a time. There was no one around. The place was deserted, but that didn't mean whoever had broken into Kelli's apartment wasn't still in there. Acting as if they'd worked together all their lives-once a SEAL, always a SEAL-Dude went to one side of the door and Flash took the other. It was obvious the door had been tampered with. There were what looked like pry marks on the doorjamb and the door wasn't closed all the way. Flash held his pistol at the ready, as did Duke, and his fellow SEAL's narrowed eyes and pressed lips indicated he was just as prepared to act, no matter what they might find inside. Dude nodded at the door, then at Flash. He held up three fingers. Flash returned his nod and stepped back a bit, giving the other man room to work. Dude squared himself with the door, counted down on his fingers-three, two, one-then lifted his leg and kicked the door as hard as he could. It flew open, slamming into the wall in the small foyer of Kelli's apartment. Strangely, the smell of bacon was the first thing Flash noticed as he quickly swung into the apartment, weapon at the ready. He and Dude moved forward, scanning the living area and kitchen. It was empty. Ignoring the absolute destruction, Flash moved down the hall. Checking the bathroom and finding it empty, they continued to the master bedroom. The sheets and blankets had been pulled off the bed, the tables on either side kicked over and smashed. Knickknacks and books were strewn everywhere. Pictures that had clearly once been on the wall were now on the floor, stomped on, leaving broken glass behind. The bookcase had also been knocked over. Whoever had done this was...angry. This wasn't a random break-in, Flash would bet his life on it. Dude moved to check the closet, and when Flash reached him, he saw that it had suffered the same kind of destruction as the rest of the apartment. The rods had been ripped down and clothes were strewn all over the sizable room. Flash shook his head at the needless destruction. It didn't seem to him that whoever had done this was looking for anything valuable. He'd just broken stuff and destroyed Kelli's belongings because he could. It made the situation more dangerous in Flash's eyes. If the intruder had no intention of stealing anything...what was his intention? "Where is she?" Dude asked. Flash had no idea where Kelli had hidden herself. Granted, he and Dude hadn't done an extensive search, but he hadn't seen any place where she might have squirreled herself away. "Check the bathroom again?" he suggested. When they did and still found no sign of Kelli, Flash's adrenaline spiked even higher. And it was already pretty damn high. Where was she? Had she left? Had whoever done this found her? Had the intruder taken her down via the elevator while he and Dude were running up the stairs? No...he was sure that hadn't happened. He hadn't hung up with her until he'd pulled into the parking lot. And he hadn't seen anyone lurking around, hadn't seen Kelli being forced into a vehicle or carried over someone's shoulder. She was here somewhere. She simply had to be. Then he remembered what he'd told her. That he'd give her the all-clear code word. He'd totally forgotten in the heat of the moment. "Fred!" he called out loudly. "What the hell?" Dude asked, giving him a look. "Fred!" Flash yelled again, walking into the bedroom. Then he heard it. A rustling coming from the closet. "We checked the closet, right?" he asked Dude, even as he was striding toward it. What he saw made his legs go weak. The large mound of clothing in the corner was moving slightly. "Help me!" he exclaimed, dropping to his knees and frantically clearing the space of the clothes. Dude was at his side in a heartbeat, pulling parts of a rack, pants and shirts, and even shoes off of the massive pile. Under it was a suitcase. "Kelli?" Flash asked in disbelief, even as tiny fingers appeared in the opening between the top and bottom of the case. Next he saw an eyeball, and finally Kelli's body as the top of the suitcase flew open to reveal her hiding space. "Holy shit!" Dude exclaimed. Flash was already reaching for the woman who'd crawled under his skin and refused to leave. She threw herself up and out of the suitcase, and he ended up on his ass on the closet floor with a shaking, freaked-out woman in his arms. "You came," she whispered into his neck. "Of course I did," he soothed. His own heart was beating out of control. It was just settling in that he could've lost her. That whoever had broken in could've seriously hurt her. Assaulted her in a way that she might never have recovered from. Or even killed her, if the destruction the intruder had caused was any indication of his rage. He didn't know how long they'd sat on the floor of the closet, just holding each other, but eventually Dude walked back in-when he'd left, Flash had no idea-and said, "The police are on their way. And I called Kevlar. I know it's two-thirty in the morning, but your team would kick my ass, and yours, if they weren't informed as soon as possible about what happened here." He wasn't wrong. If the tables were turned and he found out something had happened to any of his teammates or their women, and he hadn't been called, he'd be furious...and a little hurt. "Thank you," Flash said a little belatedly. "At the risk of sounding like Tex, don't fucking thank me," Dude complained. Flash found himself smiling at that. Tex was notorious for being cranky when someone tried to thank him for anything. It was part of his charm. "Right. Can you please help me up then?" Flash asked. He had no intention of letting go of Kelli anytime soon. Dude nodded, taking Flash by the upper arms. He hauled him upright while he was holding Kelli as if he was picking up nothing heavier than a piece of paper. "Good?" he asked gruffly. "Good." He cradled Kelli in his arms and carried her through her bedroom. Dude walked in front of him and cleared a space on the couch. Flash sat with her on his lap. Throughout it all, Kelli didn't protest, didn't say much of anything, and it was worrying him. "Kelli?" he promoted. She finally lifted her head and met his gaze. "You came," she repeated. "I'll always come if I'm able to," he said. Flash wanted to tell her that he'd always come for her without question, but the truth was, there were times he'd be physically unable to be by her side. But she needed to know that even if he couldn't be there, his friends would. Like Dude. As if she could read his mind, Kelli looked over at Dude. "I appreciate you getting out of bed in the middle of the night and coming too." Dude nodded. "As if I'd ever say no." Then Kelli's gaze shifted, and Flash knew the exact moment the destruction of her things sank in. "We'll get it all cleaned up," he told her quickly. She took in her apartment, her head swiveling from side to side. "I heard him out here, the crashes and stuff. I didn't know exactly what he was doing." "How did you know he wouldn't find you in that suitcase?" Dude asked, as the sound of sirens began to pierce the quiet night. "I didn't," she said with a small shrug, looking up at him. "I was awake, reading, when I heard my door open. The hinges creak. I got out of bed and realized it was too late to get to the bathroom, or anywhere really. He'd see me as soon as I left the bedroom. I made my bed, hoping he'd think I wasn't home, then went into the closet. I was going to hide behind the clothes. Thank goodness I didn't, since he pulled down the rods. Then I saw my suitcase. I usually stow it in the closet in the hall, but I'd been too lazy this week to do that yet. I climbed in...almost couldn't believe I fit...then zipped it as much as I could before he reached the bedroom and held my breath, hoping he wouldn't think to look there." "And it was a guy? You heard him?" Flash asked. "It was a guy," she confirmed. "He swore a lot. And..." She paused, lifting her head to sniff the air. "I thought I smelled bacon. I guess he made it before he left?" Flash was gobsmacked. He'd smelled it as well, but he just assumed it was the lingering scent from a late-night snack Kelli had made or something. "Why? Why would he do that?" She shrugged. "I have no idea." "Sorry, I wasn't really asking you for an answer. Was just expressing my shock." "You need to be sure to tell the detectives. Maybe he left some fingerprints on the fridge or packaging." Kelli nodded, and Flash noted the look of shock settling on her face. She wasn't hurt, but mentally, she was dealing with a lot coming at her in a short period of time. The break-in, the destruction of her things, the thought that whoever had broken in was still out there. "After we talk to the cops, I'm taking you home." She looked up at him in confusion. "Home?" "My home." The relief that flashed across her face was reinforcement that he'd made the right decision. "Okay," she said softly. At that moment, two police officers appeared in the doorway, their weapons drawn and pointed at the three of them. "Hands up!" one yelled. Kelli immediately turned her head into Flash's neck once more, even as she obediently thrust both hands up where they could be seen. Realizing his weapon was still on the floor of Kelli's closet-where he'd put it when he saw that pile of clothing move-Flash lifted his own hands into the air. It didn't take long for the cops to be reassured that they were no threat. It took longer for Kelli to tell them the story of what happened. It took even longer to retell the story once the detectives arrived. Then when NCIS showed up, she had to recount the evening all over again. By that time, Kevlar had arrived with the rest of his team and the sun was peeking over the horizon. Kelli had literally been up all night, and Flash could tell she was on her last leg. He needed to get her someplace safe where she could sleep. Dude had been the one to tell Kevlar and the others what happened, so Kelli didn't have to tell it a fourth time. It wasn't until she was talking to her apartment manager that Kevlar approached Flash...and reminded him of something that hit him hard. "Brant Williams is still in the wind. And he took both your IDs in Jamaica, which have your addresses. Could this have been him?" Flash's first inclination was to say no. No way. But he stopped himself. Why couldn't it be him? The man had to be pissed that his kidnapping plan was foiled. Not only that, but the bus he'd probably paid a good amount of money to modify and bury was no longer viable for future kidnapping plots. He'd had to leave the country to escape the long arm of the law and was now a wanted fugitive. So why wouldn't he come after Kelli in the States? Or Flash, for that matter? "Fuck," he said belatedly. It wouldn't be safe to bring Kelli back to his apartment. Not if this was Williams...not when the man knew where he lived. "Here. Stay at my place," Smiley said, holding out a set of keys to Flash. "He doesn't know where I live, and I can stay at your place. Sit in wait. If he does dare show his face, he'll regret it." It was a very generous offer but Flash hesitated, reluctant to put Smiley in danger, even if he knew his friend could handle himself. Plus...he really wanted to get his hands on Williams. "Take them," Kevlar prodded. "It's a good solution. Since the rest of us have our women to look after, it makes sense." Because Kelli's safety was more important than his own pride-and his desire to take Brant Williams down himself-Flash took the keys. "Thank you," he told Smiley. "Be careful." "It's not me who should be careful," Smiley said with a pissed-off glint in his eye. "And don't thank me yet," his friend said. "You haven't seen the place. In fact, it kind of looks a little like this." Smiley gestured to the mess around them with his head. Flash groaned as his teammates chuckled. He saw Kelli heading toward him and immediately turned his back on his friends to meet her halfway. "I feel bad that the police are asking the manager so many questions," she said, when Flash took her hands in his. "Don't. He has a key to your place, it's normal for them to question him." "Still." Flash didn't feel bad in the least. In fact, he was pretty sure Preacher and MacGyver were making plans to talk to the man themselves after the cops left. "You ready to head out?" he asked. Kelli looked around her apartment. There were still crime techs coming and going. "Remi, Wren, and Addison are coming over in a bit to start going through your things...separating out what can be salvaged from what will have to be thrown away. Wolf and Mozart are going to replace your locks, probably with something that will take four keys and a fingerprint scan to open. Josie and Maggie will talk to Julie about replacing any clothing that was damaged, and they'll wash the rest so everything's fresh and clean." "Oh. They don't have to do that," Kelli said. "Of course they don't. They want to." "I just..." Her eyes filled with tears. Yeah, she was definitely at the end of her rope. "Come here," Flash said, pulling her into him and holding her tight. "I don't know what to say. To do." "You don't have to say or do anything. What you need is some sleep. Things will look brighter when you wake up." He felt her take a deep breath. "Are we still going to your place?" This was the part he didn't really want to tell her...but he wouldn't keep secrets from this woman. "Change of plans. We're going to stay at Smiley's apartment for a while." She frowned up at him. "Why?" "We don't know who broke in. But Williams hasn't been found yet." "And he knows where we both live," Kelli finished for him. Flash should've known he wouldn't have to explain. His woman was smart. "Exactly." She sighed. "All right. But I hate feeling as if we're kicking Smiley out of his apartment." "We aren't. He's more than happy to stay at my place. In fact, he hopes Williams is behind this and dares to come to my apartment." "I don't want him getting hurt," Kelli said softly. "No way in hell is anyone getting the drop on Smiley. He's been a mean son-of-a-bitch lately, ever since Bree Haynes disappeared like a puff of smoke again." "That's the woman he found in Vegas, right?" "Right. And she's the one who saved Ellory and Yana from the man who'd sold them for their organs." Kelli frowned. "Is there anything we can do to help?" Lord, Flash adored this woman. She was in the middle of her own shitshow, and yet she was still thinking about others. "No. Bree's clearly in some kind of trouble, but she also knows a thing or two about staying under the radar. We're all hoping she musters up the courage to talk to one of us at some point." Kelli swayed in his arms, and Flash was officially done talking. He put an arm around her shoulders and physically turned her toward the door. They'd already gotten the okay to leave from the detectives, who had both their contact info and would get in touch when they had any information about the break-in or if they had more questions. Flash waved at his teammates, and they all gave him chin-lifts in return. Kevlar had promised he'd talk to their commander and let him know what was going on, and why Flash wouldn't be at work that day. The others were going to be helping the women get Kelli's belongings straightened out. There would probably be lots of food being delivered to Smiley's apartment by that afternoon, if he had to guess. Flash had never been as grateful for a group of friends as he was for his, right about now. Dude approached when they reached Flash's SUV. Kelli turned to him and, as if she'd known the man for years, gave him a long, heartfelt hug. "Thank you for coming when Flash called." "You need anything? You call. If Flash and his team are deployed, my friends and I are always available. No matter what. Understand?" "Yes, sir," Kelli sassed lightly, smiling up at him. But what she saw in his face made her amusement fade. "Never gets old," Dude said with a small chuckle, before turning her back toward Flash and giving her a gentle push into his arms. "Take care of her," he ordered, before spinning around and heading across the lot to his own car. "He's...intense," Kelli muttered. "You have no idea," Flash said. Everyone knew about Dude's sexual preferences. How he liked to be completely in charge in the bedroom. Sometimes his dominance leaked out in other aspects of his life...and it was obvious that, while Kelli didn't fully understand the vibes he was putting out, she was still affected by them. "Come on. I need to get you to a bed." Kelli smiled up at him. "I like the sound of that." Flash shook his head. He hadn't meant that the way it sounded, but now that he thought about it, the idea of holding her in his arms as they both slept was extremely appealing. As he drove them toward Smiley's apartment, Flash's mind turned to the question of who had broken into Kelli's apartment. Why? What did they want? Would they come back? Was it Williams? He had too many questions and not enough answers. But whoever it was had failed...because Kelli had held her composure. And if he tried again, he'd find Kelli was no longer alone. Flash vowed to stay by her side until the perp was found. And if it was Williams? The asshole who'd kidnapped them and buried them alive? He was a dead man. No one messed with what was his. And Kelli Colbert most definitely belonged to Flash. Brant Williams scowled as he watched the hubbub die down outside the bitch's apartment. How the fuck had he missed her? Where was she hiding? He'd scoured the apartment and assumed he must've missed her leaving at some point. But he hadn't. She'd been there the whole time! He'd fucked up another chance for a big payday. Yes, he was in the US mostly because he hated that the Navy guy and the bitch had escaped, and because he wanted to prove he was smarter than that asshole and all his friends. But it was expensive in the States. After just a few days, Brant realized the money was too important. He needed it. A lot of it. So he could move on with his life...in luxury, like he deserved. So tonight, he'd planned to take the woman and hold her for ransom, just as he'd intended back home. Then the Navy guy had come to the rescue. And in the last week, Brant had learned he wasn't just any Navy guy...he was a fucking SEAL. No wonder he'd been found so damn quickly. But Brant wasn't giving up. Not yet. He'd be patient. He knew where the SEAL lived. That was probably where he was taking the bitch right now. Eventually, he'd figure out a way to show both the bitch and the SEAL that in the end, he was the smarter man. He'd get his money one way or another. And he didn't care who he had to kill for that to happen. He needed a new plan-again-but he'd figure it out. And when he did...both the bitch and Wade fucking Gordon would die. The end goal was money, but almost as important...he wanted those two to pay for fucking up all his original plans. In a romance-themed observation show, several participants undergo a series of interactions and conflicts filled with love, misunderstandings, and power struggles. In the end, one couple rises to over...