Finding Carly (SEAL Team Hawaii #5)(4)

Slate was right. He knew Baker was already looking into the situation with Luke. The retired SEAL was a damn good person to have at his back.

“I will,” he said.

After collecting his duffle bag, he said goodbye to his teammates and headed for his black Volkswagen Jetta in the parking lot. It was a reliable car, but not one that would stick out on the streets or at his apartment complex. Jag liked to fly under the radar, didn’t like to be noticed if he could help it. It was a handy skill to have as a SEAL…though he’d actually learned to dislike attention from a young age.

Jag sat in his car for a moment, trying to decide what to do. He knew it was way too late to be going over to Carly’s apartment right now, but he wanted to. Needed to see her.

He reached for his phone and typed out a text before he thought better of it.



Jag: I just got back. You up?



Of course Carly wasn’t up. It was three-thirty in the fucking morning. She was asleep, as were most of the other residents of the island. It was stupid to think—

Jag blinked in surprise when three dots flashed at the bottom of the text message box. She was up and typing a reply. His heart started beating a bit faster. He was exhausted, as he always was after a mission, but at the moment, he felt as if he could easily stay up another three days without any problem whatsoever.



Carly: I’m up. I’m glad you’re back safe.



Jag wanted to ask why she was awake, but he had a feeling he knew the answer. He was aware that Carly didn’t sleep well. She’d told him once that ever since Kenna had been taken hostage by Shawn Keyes, she could only sleep a few hours a night, too worried that Luke would break into her apartment and finish what his dad started.



Jag: Can I come over?

Carly: Yes.



One word. Jag felt as if it was a sign of his life changing, hopefully for the better.

He’d been to Carly’s apartment many times over the last few months, but this felt different somehow. Maybe it was because he’d already decided to do whatever it took to make Carly feel safe again, to help her get her life back. Maybe it was because he’d just gotten off a gnarly mission. Maybe because he was going on seventy-two hours without sleep. Whatever the reason, he felt just as amped up as he would in the middle of a firefight. He couldn’t start his car fast enough.

He’d never felt this way about a woman before. After—

No. He wasn’t going there.

Women weren’t really a part of his life. Never had been, by his own choice. He’d never gone through the phase that a lot of young SEALs had, where they were happy to fuck anyone who showed the least bit interest. He’d never even had a girlfriend. Never wanted one.

Jag hated thinking about his past, but for once in his life, he mourned not having more experience when it came to women. He wanted to say and do all the right things with Carly, but didn’t know what those things were. He was going to have to wing it—and pray he didn’t make her life more miserable than it already was.

Taking a deep breath, Jag did his best to calm himself down. He’d just follow Carly’s lead. She’d taken the first step by asking for him to go to the police station with her, he’d see where things went after that.

Twenty minutes later, Jag pulled into the parking lot of Carly’s apartment complex. It wasn’t in a bad part of Honolulu, but it wasn’t exactly luxury either. The building was three stories high, and Carly was on the top floor, for which he was glad. There was no security and the resident doors were all outward-facing, which meant anyone could walk up to her door without any problem whatsoever.

It wasn’t ideal in Carly’s situation. Luke could sit right here in the parking lot and watch for her to leave and grab her. It was no wonder she didn’t leave the safety of her apartment. And moving wasn’t exactly a viable solution, as she currently wasn’t working and Jag knew her funds were low.

Everything about Carly’s situation grated on his nerves, and he was extremely thankful she was ready to make a change. He’d made the decision before his latest deployment to shake things up. To try to encourage Carly to start living again. The relief he felt at getting her text was immense.

Turning off the engine and reaching for his phone, Jag sent a quick text as he always did when he arrived to see her.



Jag: I’m here. I’ll be at your door in less than a minute.



He didn’t wait for her to respond. He headed up the stairs in the center of the complex. He took them two at a time before striding down the concrete walkway to her door. Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand to knock. But it opened before he could make contact with the wood.

His first glimpse of Carly made Jag’s heart hurt. She looked like hell. Her hair was limp and greasy around her face, as if it had been several days since she’d showered. She had dark circles under her eyes and wore an oversized T-shirt and a pair of extra-large sweatpants that swam on her petite frame.

But it was the combination of relief and desperation in her eyes that affected him the most.

Jag took a step forward, and she backed up. He shut and locked the door behind him, all three deadbolts that he’d put on for her not too long ago to help her feel safer, then he gathered Carly into his arms without saying a word.





CHAPTER TWO