The Marine (Black Hawke Security #3)

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

AIDAN

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I pace the room holding Briar’s phone in my hands and think.

And think.

And think.

Where could she be?

Driving around in circles in Los Angeles is a bad strategy so I’ve had my team go to her house and report in from Savannah’s property.

She’s not there.

She’s not anywhere. I feel like I’ve lost a damn limb, which doesn’t make sense given we have spent ten years apart.

“Here, I’ve got it,” Savannah says, lifting her phone into the air.

Ryder is looking less and less impressed with how his wedding day is turning out, and I don’t blame him.

I’m furious.

Why the hell did she run?

Where the fuck are you, Briar?

“Ring them.” I instruct, meaning Trina and Alice. It’s likely she went to one of their houses.

We listen as Savannah calls Trina and updates her on what’s happened. They have a discussion about where she might have gone.

“I’m surprised she left without telling you. That’s not like Briar,” Trina says, and I can hear the worry in her voice. “Did Kael show up?”

“Yes.” Savannah glances at me and I shake my head. The news will break soon, but we don’t have time to go over that with her now.

It’s not a priority.

“Where could she have gone?” I ask.

“Did they go back to his house? If they did—”

“No. He’s...not with her,” I say briefly. Again, not important right now.

“Actually, that’s a good thing,” she replies.

I’m not surprised by her response. It’s highly likely her friends know about what has gone on in their marriage, especially as she is separated from him—now by a set of prison bars. Plus the way Trina showed up last Sunday at the coffee shop as her getaway driver hints strongly that she’s fully informed.

Which is why I can’t help but ask my next question. “Is she planning to divorce him?”

I hold my breath.

I need to know the truth.

“Yes. This was meant to be their final date. Then she was going to order her attorney to demand the divorce.”

I let out my breath.

Does it change anything?

“Wow. I had no idea all of this was going on.” Savannah looks at me, then Ryder.

“She didn’t want to upset or worry you.” Trina shares.

“I didn’t know either.” Cassy leans into Josh and he wraps his arm around her.

“She’s very private.” I tell them and eyes come flying at me. They’re still wrapping their head around the fact I’ve known her since she was eighteen. But then again, not since then.

Do I really know her?

She lied about divorcing her husband. I know why. At least I think I do. Briar doesn’t believe this can work between us. And it’s for one reason.

Her mother.

The one person I least want to speak to, but after crossing the girls off my list of places Briar went to, it looks like I will need to.

“She is.” Trina agrees. “I’ve just messaged Alice, and she hasn’t seen or heard from her either. Honestly, she’ll probably come here. It’s what she usually does.”

It's possible.

Marshall walks in with his jacket off and holster on show over his white shirt. “I’ll head over to Trina’s and wait. You keep doing what you need, boss.”

I glance at Josh, and he nods in agreement.

“What? Who is that? If it’s that toy soldier, then no. You are not coming to my house.” Trina snaps through the phone, her sass returning.

Despite the situation, I can’t help but laugh.

“Toy soldier? I’m a decorated Green Beret.” Marshall frowns at the phone. “Toy fucking soldier. I’ll show you what a toy goddamn soldier can do.”

“Sorry, nobody is at home. Please leave a message.” Trina hangs up.

Josh starts laughing so hard he almost falls over.

Marshall looks at us all blankly.

“I’m goddamn Special Forces. Fucking toy soldier...” He mumbles and storms out.

He’s heading her way. I don’t have to ask. It would take a tornado or ten to stop that man from doing his job.

Not sure that Trina isn’t a tornado once she gets wound up, but we will soon see.

“We should probably send someone else.” Ryder frowns.

“Nah. She likes him. Let cupid do his thing.” Cassy grins.

“Cupid or Satan?” Josh is still bent over laughing.

I work with idiots.

“Keep me in the loop at this end—not about Marshall’s love life—as I have one other place I think she might be.” I tell them, grabbing my jacket off the table and walking to the door.

It’s time to go face Briar’s mother.

For the first time in ten years.

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B RIAR’S CAR IS at my house, so I don’t expect to see it in her mother’s driveway.

It’s not.

She can’t get into my property to get it.

I park my car on the side of the road and memories come flooding back.

Good ones and bad ones.

I remember pulling up outside and watching teenage Briar come running out and leaping into my car. Now I know she wasn’t just a normal teenage girl wanting to escape her parents.

She didn’t want her father to see me or me to meet him.

I remember watching her walk to the door and the light switching on. Then driving away thinking she was heading to bed to dream of me.

I clench my teeth.

Who knows the nightmare she was walking into?

Or the pain being with me caused her over those months.

I curse as my wrist rests on the steering wheel and gaze out across the familiar and yet unfamiliar neighborhood. I would do drive-bys even after I decided to walk away from her, hoping to spot Briar for just a second.

I never did.

Once I joined the Marine Corps, I stopped. I moved on with my life and started seeing another woman. But I know now that I had never completely let her go.

Briar Sutton has always owned my heart.

She might not be mine.

But I am hers.

The day is coming to an end; the light fading, so I climb out of the car, straighten my black Armani pants, and slide the gun in the back of my waistband.

Habit.

Mrs. Sutton clearly isn’t going to hurt me. Although she might try. She’s an insane bitch.

Clearly I’m not a fan.

She took almost everything from me. The only thing that mattered. Briar. And she is still keeping her from me.

This conversation is ten fucking years overdue.

I walk up to the front door and draw in a breath, stealing myself. Then knock.

When she opens the door, she gasps. “You!”

“I’m here for Briar.” I growl.