Sealed With Courage, page 19
“He won’t unless I give him the command.” Mason smiled. “And I would only do that for bad guys.”
The nurse smiled, thinking he was joking. He wasn’t.
The doctor examined Lucas and deemed him somewhat malnourished but otherwise fine. They took blood for testing, which may show some remnants of the drugs he’d been given. Before they could leave, though, the social worker came in. Mason smiled as Aubrey laid out her case for taking Lucas in on an emergency basis.
“I need to talk this over with CPS,” the woman said. She glanced at Lucas and said loudly as if he were hard of hearing rather than completely deaf, “Lucas, do you want to stay with Ms. Clark?”
Lucas turned to look at Aubrey who signed and said, “She wants to know if you are willing to stay with me for a few days.”
Yes. Lucas nodded in emphasis.
“I’ll be right back.” The social worker disappeared.
“Does that happen often?” Mason asked, signing for Lucas’s benefit. “People talking loudly as if that will help the deaf hear them?”
“Yes.” Aubrey shrugged and turned to include Lucas in the conversation. “It would help more if they would just speak slower so that deaf people could read their lips easier, right, Lucas?”
The boy nodded. I’m hungry.
“We’ll get you something to eat when we’re able to leave,” Aubrey promised.
The social worker asked Aubrey to come talk to the CPS caseworker. Lucas looked up at the two men warily, then settled his gaze on Mason. I don’t want to live with strangers.
“Aubrey will do everything she can to make sure you’re able to stay with her.” Mason paused, then added, “And Bravo and I will stick around too, just to make sure you’re both safe.”
Good. Lucas looked relieved. I don’t want more bad devils to come after me.
“They won’t,” Mason assured him. “I won’t let them. And neither will Bravo.”
Lucas nodded. He reached out for Bravo, who had stayed right next to his bed. A few minutes later, Aubrey returned. She smiled at Lucas. “I have permission to take you to my home for the next few weeks. Are you ready to go?”
Yes, with Mason and Bravo too. Lucas sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed.
Aubrey shot him a quick glance but didn’t argue. Russo stepped forward. “I’ll need to talk to Lucas again, and to both of you, too, but that can wait until tomorrow.”
“Thanks.” Mason shook the detective’s hand. “Appreciate that.”
Russo shook his head. “I’m the one who should be thanking you. We wouldn’t have cracked this case without your help, Gray.” The cop looked at Lucas. “Take good care of that kid.”
“That’s the plan.” Mason hesitated, then asked, “I almost forgot, we left the SUV somewhere near the warehouse.”
“At Schroeder’s,” Aubrey added.
“I’ll drop you off there,” Russo agreed.
After they picked up their rental, with Lucas and Bravo tucked in the back seat like bosom buddies, Mason drove to the closest fast-food restaurant. Once they had their meals, Mason drove to Aubrey’s home.
He felt Aubrey’s curious gaze on him but did his best to ignore it. He brought in the bag of dog food he’d purchased what felt like hours earlier, carrying it into the kitchen.
“You don’t really have to stay,” Aubrey said as Lucas sat down to eat.
“I promised Lucas I would.” He turned to face her. “But that’s not the real reason I’m staying.”
“It’s not?”
“No.” Mason took a step closer, capturing her hand in his. “I want to be here, Aubrey. For you and for Lucas. And also for me.”
She opened her mouth to ask a question, closed it, then frowned. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“I’ve fallen in love with you.” He spoke the words and signed them at the same time. “I understand you may need time, but I want you to know I’m in this for the long haul.”
Aubrey blushed, darted a glance at Lucas who was watching them intently, and then back at him. “This won’t be easy,” she warned. “I promised to take Lucas to family counseling.”
“The only easy day was yesterday, remember?” He smiled and nodded. “Glad to hear about the counseling. I’ll come with you. And you should know by now, SEALs are tough.” He took another step closer and drew her into his arms. He stopped signing now, whispering, “You should know I don’t scare easily.”
“Oh, Mason. Are you sure about this? It’s a lot to ask . . .”
His answer was to kiss her.
Thankfully, she didn’t resist but melted against him, returning his embrace. He would have held her in his arms for the rest of the day and throughout the night except Lucas clapped and laughed.
Mason reluctantly lifted his head and glanced at Lucas. “I can see he’s going to be a handful.”
Aubrey chuckled. “Oh, you have no idea. And there’s still plenty of time for you to back out if it turns out to be too much.”
He sighed. “SEALs don’t back down.”
She stared up at him. “Mason, you are the strongest, sweetest, most exasperating man I’ve ever met. And you should know I’ve fallen in love with you too. But this is a really big commitment . . .”
“Say that again,” he interrupted.
“Say, what?”
He touched her cheek. “That you love me.”
She lifted her hands and signed, I love you.
He grinned, swept her into his arms, and swung her around the small kitchen. Bravo looked up at them, then lowered his head. Mason felt certain the dog already understood this was his new family.
Animals were often smarter than people.
“Silly man,” Aubrey chided. “Put me down. Our food is getting cold.”
“As if I care about that,” he teased, but he set her on her feet. He kissed her again, then drew her to the table. Looking directly at Lucas, he signed, “I love Aubrey with my whole heart. Someday soon, I’m going to convince her to marry me.”
“Marry you?” Aubrey echoed.
“Yeah. But don’t worry, I’ll ask you properly when you’re ready.”
“Ready?” She echoed again. The expression on her face would have been comical if not for the uncertain look in Lucas’s eyes as he tried to understand his role in all of this. Mason realized the boy felt left out, which hadn’t been his intention at all.
Aubrey instantly understood and reached out to touch Lucas’s hand. “You will always have a home with us. I know you miss your mom, but I hope you will become a part of our family.” She touched Mason’s arm and Bravo too. Then she signed, “I love you,” as she rested her hand over Lucas’s heart.
The boy didn’t look convinced.
Mason nodded and leaned forward. “We have been searching for you since Wednesday, and we weren’t going to stop until we’d found you.”
Lucas’s dark eyes filled with tears and suddenly he threw himself into Aubrey’s arms, his slender shoulders shaking with guttural sobs. Mason knew Aubrey was right about this being a long process, but he didn’t mind. In fact, he was even more determined to make it work.
Mason wrapped his arms around both Aubrey and Lucas, a knot of emotion lodged in his throat.
After twenty-two years as a single guy, trying to find his place in the civilian world, he’d finally found it. Thanks to God’s grace and guidance, he’d found exactly what he didn’t even know he was looking for.
His family.
Epilogue
Three weeks later . . .
Aubrey finished the dishes, feeling nervous as she dried her hands on a towel. Today the social worker from CPS would come for her final visit. Because of Lucas’s special need for sign language, she’d already been approved as his temporary foster parent.
The outcome of today’s meeting would decide the future.
She’d made her intent of adopting Lucas clear from the beginning. As expected, Lucas experienced good days and bad days. The twice-weekly counseling had helped, and to her surprise, Mason was a stabilizing force in those sessions.
Sometimes she wondered how he could be so—patient.
“Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine.” Mason had adopted her practice of speaking and signing at the same time. It was so instinctive now that they both did it even when Lucas wasn’t around.
She can’t make me leave. Lucas’s expression was stubborn. He’d gained some weight over the past three weeks and had gotten better at sign language and lipreading.
Best of all, he seemed happy with them.
It was a little odd to have Mason staying with them at her small house. Every time she’d tried to convince him to go back home, he’d resisted. And if she were honest, she’d admit having his help had gotten her and Lucas through this.
And if she had to force herself to let him go after they’d kissed good night, she figured that was her problem.
“Behave and you won’t have to go anywhere,” Mason pointed out.
Lucas scowled. The doorbell rang, so she hurried over to answer it.
“Ms. Chapman, please come in.” Aubrey greeted the social worker. The department of Child Protective Services had found a social worker fluent in sign language, which was a blessing.
“Hello, Aubrey.” Ms. Chapman turned to Lucas. “How are things going for you?”
Great. I like it here, and I don’t want to leave. Lucas wasted no time in getting straight to the point.
“I’m glad to hear that.” Ms. Chapman glanced at Mason, then at Aubrey. “The family counselor has been very impressed with Lucas’s progress.”
“You mean with our progress,” Mason stressed. “We’re doing our best to provide a stable home for Lucas.”
“I can see that.” Ms. Chapman didn’t seem to notice how much cleaning Aubrey had done in preparation for today. “And really, all that matters is that Lucas is safe and happy.”
I am, Lucas signed with emphasis. Does this mean I can stay?
“Yes, I see no reason to move you to a new home.” Ms. Chapman smiled and glanced at Aubrey. “We will still do the occasional unannounced home visit, but I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
“I have a question,” Mason interjected. “Would changing our address cause a problem for Lucas?”
Aubrey frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“My house is bigger,” Mason pointed out. “It’s just a question.”
“Your address can change as long as Lucas has a bedroom of his own. The actual location itself shouldn’t be a problem,” Ms. Chapman assured him.
Aubrey winced because she knew Mason had been sleeping on the sofa for three weeks without complaint. No wonder he’d asked about a change in address. Although it irked her that he hadn’t run the idea of moving past her.
The more she thought about it, the madder she became. It wasn’t fair to spring that on her in the middle of an important meeting about Lucas’s fate. About her future! She answered the next few questions from Ms. Chapman, then escorted the social worker to the door.
After the woman was gone, she swung to face Mason. “When were you going to talk to me about moving? I’m not interested in relocating, I like being close to the Stanley School for the Deaf.”
Mason smiled, came over, and dropped to one knee. She blinked as he held out a diamond engagement ring. “Aubrey, I love you. Will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
She noticed Lucas was watching their interaction with rapt attention. The ring was beautiful, but that really wasn’t the point. “You can’t propose while we’re having an argument.”
“I love you,” he repeated. “Will you please marry me? There’s no reason to argue, where we live isn’t important as long as we’re together. We can buy a new house in this area if that makes you happy. But I think we need a bigger house, and you have to admit, having a pool would be great for Lucas.”
Her anger dissipated. He wasn’t just trying to distract her. Maybe he had been his usual bossy self, but he was sincerely proposing. How could she resist? “Oh, Mason. I love you too. I’d be honored to become your wife.”
“That’s all that matters.” Mason slipped the ring on the third finger of her left hand, then stood and drew her into his arms. He kissed her as if he might never stop.
And maybe wouldn’t have if not for Lucas’s snickering.
“Nothing like having a built-in chaperone,” she whispered in Mason’s right ear.
“Marry me soon, will you?” Mason whispered back. “Please?”
“Deal.” She kissed him again, reveling in the strength of his arms, the warmth of his chest, and the love that they shared.
This was God’s plan for them. And she couldn’t be happier.
* * *
I hope you enjoyed Aubrey and Mason’s story in Sealed with Courage. Are you ready for Sealed with Honor? If you’d like to read Kaleb and Charlotte’s story, click here!
Dear Reader
Welcome to my new Called to Protect series! All my heroes are former Navy SEALs who find adventure and danger even living as civilians, and they find love. I hope you enjoyed Sealed with Courage and decide to give Kaleb’s story a try. Sealed with Honor will be available soon. My goal is to have all six of these stories finished before the end of the year.
If you liked this book, please consider leaving a review. Reviews are critical for authors, and I would really appreciate your time. Thank you!
I also adore hearing from my readers. Without you, I wouldn’t have any reason to write books. I can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LauraScottBooks, on Twitter at https://twitter.com/laurascottbooks, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/laurascottbooks, and through my website at https://www.laurascottbooks.com. You may want to consider signing up for my monthly newsletter too. Not only will you find out when my new books are available, but I also offer an exclusive novella to all subscribers. This book is not available for sale on any venue.
Until next time,
Laura Scott
PS: If you’re interested in taking a sneak peek of Sealed with Honor, I’ve included the first chapter here.
Sealed with Honor
Chapter One
Retired Navy SEAL Kaleb Tyson knelt in the shadows with his black pit bull–lab mix, Sierra at his side. The dog provided a sense of calm as he studied the building the slim dark-haired woman had entered.
The structure was plain and appeared abandoned, yet he knew it wasn’t. He’d followed Charlotte Cambridge, a big name for such a tiny woman, to this location twice now, and what little intel he’d gathered made him believe the place was a safe house for battered women and children.
A guy like him wouldn’t be welcome, and the last thing he wanted was to frighten any of residents who had a right to their safety and privacy. But after weeks of digging into the last phone call Ava Rampart had made before she’d disappeared, he finally had something solid to go on.
Ava, the younger sister of their SEAL teammate Jaydon, had been missing for just over a month. Jaydon hadn’t survived their last mission, but they’d brought his body home for a proper burial. The SEAL motto was no man left behind.
Dead or alive, they brought their teammates home.
Their team leader, Senior Chief Mason Gray, had taken the loss personally, but Kaleb knew they’d done their best. It wasn’t anyone’s fault that the op had gone sideways, especially since the rest of the team had barely escaped with their lives. And had sustained the injuries to prove it.
He idly rubbed his right knee, the one that had been reconstructed after that mission. A total knee replacement at forty years old didn’t bode well for his future. A bum knee and debilitating headaches and nightmares were his personal souvenirs from that op. Sierra helped keep him grounded, which was how he found himself casing out the safe house located in a low-income area of Los Angeles, California.
When Kaleb glimpsed a man approaching the building, all his senses went on alert. Staying in the shadows, he pulled his Sig Sauer from its holster. Sierra stayed at his side as he lightly ran along the edge of the building to approach the stranger from behind. His knee twinged, but he ignored it and focused on the perp in front of him. Like him, the guy was dressed in black from head to toe.
Unlike him, though, the guy wore an ugly expression on his face and seemed intent on causing trouble. Kaleb didn’t know for sure if the guy was armed, but he didn’t discount the possibility.
Sierra wasn’t a fully trained K9 yet, but thankfully, she didn’t bark much. He’d worked with her often enough over these past few months that she understood basic hand signal commands. Kaleb dropped to a crouch twenty feet behind the guy and gave her a quick hand signal. Sierra sat beside him.
Adjusting to life as a civilian hadn’t been easy. Unfortunately, he couldn’t just shoot the guy, so he waited and watched.
The moment he saw the guy aim a gun at the door, Kaleb jumped to his feet. “Hey! Stop!”
A loud shot echoed as the bullet entered the doorjamb. Then the guy spun and ran. Kaleb grimaced and took off after him, praying his knee would hold up. The guy had a head start, disappearing behind another building.
By the time Kaleb reached it, there was no sign of him. He scanned the area, feeling certain the guy wasn’t too far away. Then he thought about the safe house being breached and turned back.
The women and children would be vulnerable to another attack now that the doorjamb had been shattered. As he approached, he slowed when he saw the dark-haired woman standing in the doorway.
Even more surprising was the gun she held in her right hand.
The image of the tiny woman holding the gun almost made him want to smile. He didn’t. Instead, he holstered his own weapon and raised his hands. “Ms. Cambridge? My name is Kaleb Tyson, and I’m a friend of Ava Rampart’s brother. I saw the man who tried to break in and ran after him, but unfortunately, I lost him.”
Charlotte Cambridge stared at him, keeping her weapon aimed at the center of his chest. “I’ve called the police.”
