Claimed by the Sailor (Black Ops Book 5), page 1
CLAIMED BY THE SAILOR
FIONA DAVENPORT
Copyright © 2023 by Fiona Davenport
Cover designed by Elle Christensen
Edited by Editing4Indies
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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CONTENTS
Claimed by the Sailor
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Epilogue
Epilogue
About the Author
CLAIMED BY THE SAILOR
Silas Atwood met Phoebe Baker while she was in the middle of family drama, but that didn’t stop him from recognizing they were meant to be together. The Navy SEAL planned to seek her out the next day, but a mission made that impossible.
When the hot sailor who helped her brother showed up on her doorstep a month later, Phoebe wasn’t sure what to think. His timing turned out to be impeccable because she found herself in trouble again. And this time, Silas wasn’t going to let anything or anyone stop him from claiming Phoebe.
PROLOGUE
SILAS
I spotted Command Master Chief Arrow Hamlin, one of my commanding officers, as I turned into a lot in front of a small apartment building. He stood by his big black SUV with a petite blonde looking up at him as though he’d hung the moon. Not that his sappy expression was any less pathetic. Okay, that might have been an exaggeration, but damn, the guys I worked with were dropping like flies. Although, if I was being honest, I couldn’t blame them. They’d fallen for some awesome women, and part of me was a little jealous.
Pulling into the spot closest to Arrow and his woman, I parked and climbed out of the little car. It had broken down recently, which was how Arrow met Sage—because he pulled over to help her. The tires had been balder than Mr. Clean, so he asked me to replace them and return the car to Sage’s apartment.
Once I was on my feet, I tossed the keys to Arrow. “Replaced all four tires, sir.”
“Thanks, Silas.” He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and tugged some bills out to hand them over to me. “Let me know if this doesn’t cover it.”
Sage reached for the zipper on her purse. “I should be the one to pay.”
Arrow’s fingers wrapped around her wrist, stopping her as he muttered, “Didn’t I prove to you last night that you’re my woman?”
“You did,” she admitted softly, looking down at the ground as her face bloomed with pink. I couldn’t help snickering, which made her blush even more and earned me a dirty look from Arrow. I just grinned in return.
He turned back to Sage and continued, “Which means I get to take care of anything that has to do with your safety, including those damn tires that should’ve been replaced months ago.”
“I wouldn’t bother arguing with him, ma’am. He can be a stubborn motherfucker,” I warned.
Before anything else was said, Sage’s attention jumped to a small red car driving into the parking lot. A pretty redhead—who I assumed was Sage’s roommate, Phoebe—pulled up to Arrow’s SUV. The door opened, and a dirty, haggard-looking young man climbed out to wait for her.
Paul was Phoebe’s brother. An addict who’d nearly gotten Sage killed by the dealer he owed ten grand. The guy had mistaken Sage for Phoebe and didn’t give a shit when he realized she wasn’t. Arrow had to put the motherfucker in the ground to get him to stay away from his woman.
Since Phoebe was her best friend, and Arrow would do anything to keep Sage happy, he was paying for Paul to go into rehab. A very specific rehab run by Jacob, a friend of Arrow’s. It was incredibly strict, and Paul would have to work his ass off to get better, but if he did, he’d leave a changed man. After his little reunion with Phoebe, I was going to drive him up there myself and check him in.
Phoebe shut off her car, then jumped out of her vehicle and threw herself into her brother’s arms. “Thank goodness you’re okay. I was so worried about you.”
Holy shit.
I was wrong. Phoebe wasn’t pretty, she was fucking drop-dead gorgeous. She had stunning, clear blue eyes rimmed with dark lashes and plush lips painted red—conjuring up all manner of dirty thoughts. Even the smattering of freckles across her cheeks were cute.
She was perhaps six inches shorter than my six-foot frame, but she wasn’t a tiny little thing like Sage. Phoebe was more of an average build, but she had curves that made my mouth water.
And that hair. Fuck. The copper locks were up in a messy bun on top of her head, but they were clearly thick and long. Her hair would be amazing when it fell all around her while she was naked, playing peekaboo with her big tits. I knew without a doubt that I would eventually know what those silky-looking locks felt like wrapped around my hand while I fucked her from behind.
I was drawn back to the present when Paul sobbed against Phoebe’s shoulder. “I’m so damn sorry, sis. I never meant for you to be dragged into my mess. When I think about what could’ve happened to you…”
“I’m okay. They didn’t get anywhere near me.” She reassured him as she patted his back before stepping away. “Sage is the one you owe the apology to since she was here when they came looking for me.”
Paul turned toward them, his gaze darting toward Arrow before he looked at Sage. “You will never know how much I regret that you got hurt because of the shit I pulled. I am so sorry, Sage.”
Phoebe had been so focused on her brother that she hadn’t noticed the small bandage and bruise on Sage’s cheek until that moment, and she cried out, “You got hurt?”
“Only a little,” Sage reassured her with a soft smile. “I’m fine now.”
Phoebe’s shoulders slumped. “I hate that you were hurt at all.”
I glanced at my watch and calculated how long it would take to get to the rehab center before they closed. We needed to hit the road.
“Sorry to break this up.” I jerked my chin toward the SUV. “But it’s time for us to go.”
“Where are you taking him?” Phoebe cried, clutching her brother’s arm as he tried to climb into the passenger seat of the SUV.
“He’s agreed to go back into rehab.” Arrow explained how strict the place was and hope filled Phoebe’s eyes.
She turned to me, her lashes fluttering, and ensnared me in her beautiful blue orbs for a second. “Thank you for helping my brother.”
“My pleasure,” I murmured, my voice thick with desire. There was also a promise in those two words. A promise that she’d see me again, and then the pleasure would be all hers.
Phoebe’s cheeks filled with a pink blush, letting me know she wasn’t immune to the crackling electricity between us. I winked at her, and she ducked her head as her brother and I climbed into the SUV.
As we drove away, I glanced in the rearview mirror to see her still watching the vehicle. I knew I wanted her, but right then, I realized I’d bit the dust along with my teammates.
Phoebe was mine.
It was well after dark when I returned home, and for the first time since I moved into my condo, I felt how empty it was with just me there. I’d only moved off base six months ago, but I was certainly glad I made the change since I intended to have Phoebe permanently moved in with me as quickly as possible.
I lay in bed for a long time, making plans for the next day. Grabbing Phoebe after work and kidnapping her didn’t seem like the smartest idea…no matter how appealing it sounded.
Dinner was a safer bet. I’d take her out, and we could get to know each other. I wouldn’t push her, but I could still hope that we’d end up back at my place, burning up the sheets.
Eventually, I fell asleep, but my night was restless because I kept waking up hot and bothered by dreams about Phoebe.
The sun was barely cresting the horizon when I gave up and padded into my bathroom to take an arctic shower.
My cell was ringing when I stepped out, and I wrapped a towel around my waist before hurrying out to the bedroom.
When I saw who was calling, I sighed. A mission.
For the first time since becoming a SEAL, I found myself wishing I didn’t have to go.
After receiving my orders, I called a friend who put me in touch with Jonah Carrington, who owned one of the best security companies in the world. He agreed to have eyes—female eyes—on my girl while I was gone. To protect her, of course. And to make sure no other males got anywhere near my Phoebe.
1
PHOEBE
Staring up at the brick building in front of me, I started to have second thoughts about coming here. It had been almost a full month since I’d last seen my brother, but I was still so angry with him over the trouble he had brought to my door because of his addiction. Paul had hurt me so many times before, but the pain had always been emotional—never physical. And none of my friends had suffered because of anything he’d done until his latest mess, getting in so deep with a drug dealer that he’d come looking for me and found Sage, my best friend, instead.
She had also been my roommate until she moved in with her new husband. As happy as I was for her, having her move out had sucked. I tried to look on the bright side, though. At least something good had come out of her being accosted by a drug dealer since she met Arrow when she fled our apartment.
Heaving a deep sigh, I grabbed my phone to call Sage. I had told her where I was going this morning, so I wasn’t surprised when she picked up on the first ring. “How is Paul?”
“I haven’t seen him yet. I’m still sitting in my car, wondering if I made the right decision coming here today.” Pinching the bridge of my nose between my index finger and thumb, I heaved a deep sigh. “I’m not sure I’m ready to face him when I haven’t forgiven him for what happened to you.”
“Stop worrying about me and focus on what you need to do for yourself.”
This wasn’t the first time Sage had encouraged me to get over what had happened to her because of my Paul’s actions. She had somehow moved past everything when I hadn’t been able to do the same. Probably because she had Arrow’s support through it all while I only had my parents—whose loyalties were divided between my brother and me.
They’d already been up to visit him and had urged me to do the same. I knew they meant well, but I wished they could see my perspective a little more. “I’m not sure what I need, except for Paul to get his crap together so he isn’t pulling our family apart anymore.”
Sage’s tone was gentle as she said, “Arrow checked in with his friend when we got back from our honeymoon to see how Paul is doing. From what he told me, it sounded as though he’s making good progress.”
“Yeah, when he called to ask me to come up, he sounded better than he has in a really long time.” I let out another sigh. “But I’ve been here before, hoping for the best when he’s in rehab and then being disappointed when his sobriety doesn’t stick. I’m not sure I have it in me to do it all over again.”
“You need to give yourself more credit, Phoebe,” she chided. “You’re a lot stronger than you realize.”
Her encouragement was exactly what I needed to push through my fear. “You’re right. I can do this.”
“Of course, you can. Now quit stalling and get in there.”
After we said our goodbyes, I tucked my phone into my purse and climbed out of my car. The next hour passed in a blur as Jacob, Arrow’s friend who ran the rehab, walked me through the progress Paul had made so far and explained that he was going to stay for another thirty days.
“He really agreed to that?” I asked, stunned since he’d always been ready to leave the minute his time was up whenever he’d gone to rehab before.
“He didn’t just agree, it was his idea.” Jacob reached over and squeezed my hand. “And I wouldn’t be surprised if he chooses to extend his stay with us to ninety days.”
My eyes widened and filled with tears. “Wow, you’re a miracle worker.”
He shook his head. “No matter how good our success rate is here, it’s ultimately up to our patients to do the truly hard work. Which your brother has been doing.”
“I am so relieved to hear that.” I flashed him a watery smile. “Thanks for alleviating my concerns. I think I’m ready to see Paul now.”
“Good.” He patted my hand. “Although your brother was nervous about your visit, I know how much he’s looking forward to seeing you and making amends.”
Paul had reached this stage in recovery before, but his apologies were always vague and halfhearted in the past. I was happy to discover that was no longer true when I walked into a small conference room and he jumped up from his seat to rush toward me. “I am so, so sorry, Phoebe. I know I’ve said it to you many times before, but knowing that Sage got hurt because of me—that you could’ve been hurt or died—finally knocked some sense into me. I hate that it took me falling so low to see the harm my actions have caused, but I promise you nothing like this will ever happen again.”
There was no missing the sincerity shining from his blue eyes, and I took note of how much better he looked. He’d put on some weight, his clothes were clean, and his skin had a healthy glow. “Do you mean you won’t do drugs again?”
“I’m sorry, sis. I wish I could make that promise, but I will always be an addict, just one in recovery.” Stepping away from me, he gestured toward one of the chairs, waiting for me to be seated before he dropped down next to me. “The struggle will be there for me each and every day for the rest of my life. Some days will be easier than others, but there might come a time when I fall. The only promise I can make to you is that I will do whatever it takes to stay clean. I’ll go to meetings, call my sponsor, ask for help whenever I need it because I never want to let the people who love me down like this again.”
“You really mean it,” I whispered, sniffling at the overwhelming sense of relief that rushed through my body.
“I do,” he confirmed with a nod, reaching out to take my hand in his. “I know you’ve already given me more chances than I deserve, but I’m hoping you have it in you to forgive me one more time for all of the pain I’ve caused you. For lying and putting you in danger. For Sage getting hurt because of my actions. And for not being the big brother you deserve.”
Only thirty minutes ago, I hadn’t thought it was possible, but I found myself not hesitating to say, “I forgive you.”
“Thank you.” A lone tear rolled down his cheek, and I leaned over to give him a hug.
His arms wrapped around me tightly, and I gave him a moment to pull himself together before I let go. “Thanks for working the steps like you’re supposed to. I’m proud of you, Paul.”
“You-–” He cleared his throat a couple of times. “You have no idea how much that means to me.”
I appreciated that he wasn’t trying to hide how my forgiveness impacted him. We chatted for a while before saying our goodbyes, and I felt so much better as we parted ways. It was hard to believe only a month had passed with how much he had changed. I felt on top of the world because I was filled with hope for my brother’s future for the first time in years.
As I walked through the lobby, a woman who appeared to be about my age jumped up from a bench to the side of the front doors and stared at me as I approached. I flashed her an awkward smile and murmured, “Hello,” intending to walk past, but she moved into my path.
“You’re Paul’s sister, right?”
I nodded. “Um, yes.”
“I thought so.” She grinned at me. “He mentioned in our group session that you were coming, and you look so much alike with your red hair and blue eyes.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty hard to miss that we’re siblings.”
“You’re so lucky to have him for a brother.” She looked behind me and let out a loud sigh. “I’m really going to miss seeing him every day.”
“Oh, are you discharging soon?” I asked.
“Very soon.” Her lips curved down in a pout. “Today, actually.”
Knowing how difficult the transition to home could be from the other times Paul had rehabbed, I understood why she might be anxious about leaving. “From what I’ve heard, Jacob runs a tight ship around here. I’m sure you wouldn’t be leaving if they didn’t think you were ready.”
“I know, but I was hoping Paul and I would be discharged at the same time since we were admitted on the same day.”
Her eyes gleamed as she said my brother’s name again, and I realized she might have a crush on him. Feeling awkward, I mumbled, “Maybe it’s for the best since neither of you is supposed to be in a relationship. The universe has a way of making sure things happen when they’re supposed to, so perhaps you’ll meet again in the future.”
And for the first time in longer than I could remember, I was actually looking forward to finding out what the future held for Paul.
