She nodded, still coming to terms with Levon being back in her life again and what that meant for the future. It was a lot to deal with at the moment and she needed time to wrap her head around it all, especially with this other thing popping up tonight with the gang. So, instead of blurting out something she might regret later, she changed subjects to hopefully something safer. “So, this new job of yours. Tell me more about it. I remember you saying it was a security firm?”
“Yep.” He inhaled deeply, letting her go as he leaned back into the cushions again. She missed the heat of his touch immediately. “We’re called the Southern Soldiers of Fortune.”
“The Southern Soldiers of Fortune.” Olive repeated, unpacking the full name. “And you guys are all former SEALs?”
“Yeah. They recruit from all over,” he explained. “But the threshold to join is high. Insane, even.” He laughed quietly at whatever memories this claim stirred in him. “Only the best are offered positions.”
From anyone else, she might have considered that a boast. From Levon, it was only the cold hard facts. Given his well-honed physique and knowing his determination and heart, she had no doubt that Levon Asher would be the best at whatever he decided to pursue. “Well, I’m glad you’re here, then.” Olive wasn’t sure why she’d whispered that, or why she wished he’d touch her again. “And not just because of… you know.” She gestured down at the baby. “But I still don’t understand how we ended up with gangs in Harper’s Forge. I mean, I’ve noticed some odd things lately around town, but hardly anything that bad.”
He exhaled slowly, then took the cup from her hand and stood, grabbing his own from the table in front of them. “Best get us refills before we start that conversation. It’s going to be a long one.”
* * *
“So,” Levon said as he settled in beside her a short while later, handing her back a steaming mug of tea before sipping his own, his expression grim. “The Reapers. They started in DC and are now trying to branch out and establish their drug smuggling routes in the area. That’s where Harper’s Forge comes in. Small town, tiny police force, direct access to major highways and within a few hours of the coast. Perfect location for the newest link in their supply chain.” At her startled look, he shifted in his seat, frowning down at his tea. “As an added bonus, no one thinks things like that can happen in places like this, so no one suspects what’s really going on.”
“How did your company find out about it?” she asked, her tone full of interest.
If Levon had thought it through better, he probably wouldn’t have told her about all this in the first place. He remembered how, back when they were in school, Olive was always reading some mystery book or watching some true crime show on TV. She loved this stuff. Too much. His job here was to keep her safe, not get her involved in this mess any more than she already was. His gaze fell on her belly again and his heart tripped.
My baby. My kid.
It still hadn’t fully sunk in yet. He hadn’t lied before. He had always wanted kids of his own. Someday. But what was that old saying? Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans? Man, wasn’t that the truth?
Olive was still watching him with those big, pretty eyes of hers and he swallowed another gulp of tea before answering. In for a penny, in for a pound, he supposed. Besides, there was no harm in telling her a bit more about the situation, and how it was being handled by him and the other guys at Southern Soldiers of Fortune.
“Well, it started off with a tip one of the guys at SSoF received from the Arlington PD about a big shipment of fentanyl-laced cocaine coming in from Colombia. There’d been several Reaper-related shootings in the city over the past few months, so their involvement in it was almost a given, since they rule the Arlington territory with a tight fist. The cops up there wanted us to help them investigate some of the local dealers to figure out where those deadly drugs might be heading.”
“Couldn’t the police have investigated it themselves?” Olive asked.
“Sure—and they definitely are. I’m working in close collaboration with the local police force here. But for some parts of the investigation, especially when it branches out into small towns, it’s better to have someone involved who’s not known to be affiliated with the local force. The Reapers recruit a lot of local teens into their operations, and in a place this size, the locals will know the names and faces of all the cops. When two of my teammates, Noah and Clint, discovered the link to Harper’s Forge, I stepped in and requested to be the one sent down here to see what was up. Figured I had insider knowledge of the town that might help speed things along.”
“Wow.” Olive’s hands shook slightly as she set her cup aside, and Levon’s pulse stuttered. Shit. He’d not meant to upset her. “That’s scary to think those kinds of things might start happening here in our little town. I mean, God. Half the people in Harper’s Forge don’t even lock their doors at night. We have four police officers and two squad cars. If gangs come into this place, how are we even going to cope with that?” Her face had turned pale and Levon didn’t like where this was going at all. “What about my students? What about the high school?” Dots of bright crimson blossomed on her cheeks. “Just thinking about those jerks luring or bullying my kids into doing their dirty work for them…” She pushed to her feet, then swayed unsteadily, her leg bumping the table and sending her mug
