I turn back to my computer monitors, where Stormy’s before-and-after images are displayed next to each other.
“Yeah. I ran into something interesting today, though.” I open the files. “As I was pulling reports from the Seattle Police Department, someone hacked in and started deleting them.”
“Holy fuck,” Poseidon blurts out. “Did you tell Cronus? Who’s this pretty little creature?” He points to Maisy.
I snap my fingers when it hits me.
“Fuck, I figured it out. No wonder I can’t find anything on her when I run facial rec. She’s the one being protected by the hacker. It’s not Stormy.” The pang of jealousy I felt knowing another hacker had his eyes on my girl is gone as the realization hits me. “She’s the key.” I tap a pen against the screen.
“So who is she?” Poseidon asks again. “Little young for me.”
“Dude, you’d take any woman with a pulse. I saw Bambi eye fucking you again.” Aries barks out a laugh.
“Not touching that one with a ten-foot pole. I don’t know if I’m ready for an old lady or not.” Poseidon lifts his hands and shakes them while his head moves back and forth.
“It will happen. Took just one look for me to know Wrenn was mine. That was it, like a smack in the back of the head. One of those Gibbs smacks that Cronus has down pat.”
We all chuckle, and I can’t stop the words from slipping out. “Same when I saw Stormy.”
“Whoa, dude. So you going to claim her?” Aries asks as they both turn to look at me.
“I’m willing to wait until she’s ready. She’s been through a lot, and I don’t want to come on too strong.” I fill them in on what I discovered earlier and what I’m starting to suspect. “I think our target was the man who bought Stormy. She was found the same night his boat exploded. I don’t know how she survived.”
“Dang, that might change why we’re here. Cronus said you and Hermes can head back to the North Pole. I don’t get why you’d want to freeze your balls off.” They both laugh at Poseidon’s joke. I just shake my head and start shutting down my system after saving everything.
“So, when is Wrenn due?” I ask, not caring that Cronus might stop what I have planned. I won’t let him. I have time to head home, take a break, and enjoy a bit of summer before it’s over.
“February.”
“Congratulations. I don’t think I ever want to have kids. I’m not sure what Stormy will want when we get her back.”
“Keep saying that to yourself.” Aries laughs.
“I don’t either.” Poseidon nods.
“Both of you probably just jinxed yourselves. Come on, let’s get out of here. Next time you bring Hermes here, make sure he gets some. He’s a bear.” Aries thumps me on the back as I grab my bags.
I’m not former military like most of the guys on my team, but I’m as big or bigger than them and can fight just as well. They all made sure I could hold my own. Cronus said I couldn’t be a pretty-boy hacker. I had to be tough enough to save myself.
By the time we land, it’s almost one in the morning, and the sky is still bright. It’s hard to believe how light it is this late at night, but I love it. Hermes drops me off at the clubhouse before heading to the roadhouse across the street, which will stay open for a bit longer. I make my way through the people still hanging out and head for my room. I’m exhausted and just want a shower and to relax.
My room is a double in the far back corner. We don’t have a huge clubhouse, but it fits our current members. Members like Reaper, my brother and VP, don’t have a suite here. Reaper’s wife has one across the street at the DHMC clubhouse. He said he wouldn’t sleep without her, and she said if she wasn’t at the house, she was in her bed there. I didn’t argue because he’d be here in a heartbeat if I needed him.
I press my palm to the door and step inside. Flipping a couple of switches, I set the lights to dim and walk over to my computer. I hit the master switch to turn on the hub for my uninterrupted power supply, then flick on my tower. My screens light up and the screensaver is Stormy. Something settles in my chest just seeing her. I can’t wait to see her in person again. To hold her. Maybe kiss her.
After a warm shower, I climb into bed, staring at her beautiful face on my screens. I wonder if her voice is back to normal or still carries that husky edge she had in the hospital. Maisy must have been the one who dragged her from the water and placed her in the park to hide where she truly was. It makes me think Maisy is there to help Stormy, not hurt her.
Chapter Six
Stormy
Feeling better than I have in a year, I hug Tink goodbye. Shadow nods at me, and I return the gesture. Without these women, I wouldn’t have had the time to truly heal. I saw a counselor during my time here, who helped me with my trauma. My body has almost completely healed. I no longer resemble the old Stormy. I’m a new woman.
My body is toned muscle, and I can fight damn good while handling several weapons. I worked out until I was stronger than ever before. I have a new style too. No more deep purple hair. Now it’s long medium-blond dreadlocks that fall to mid-back. I have bangs cut blunt that I pull to the side. My black-rimmed cat eyeglasses have small skulls and crossbones at the top. I added a few tattoos on the skin that isn’t scarred and a Medusa piercing. I even got my nose re-pierced, and I’m happy with how I look.
I’m ready for the next adventure. I’ve been in Montana for more than four months. I grew and learned during my time here. But the best thing to come out of Montana is Gurgi. He is always by my side. He helps me through nightmares, and when I have panic attacks, he lies with me and eases them. After some digging, we learned the neighbor was actually his owner and had grown tired of feeding him. He’s massive and eats a lot. They let him loose in the wild, expecting someone would kill him. Instead, he found his way into my cabin and has been with me since.
Maisy stayed up in British Columbia with her family until a couple of weeks ago because I was doing okay without her. She was also getting everything set up for our next adventure. She was supposed to leave me, and we were going to separate, but I think that she needs me to make sure she’s okay. She isn’t an official member of the DHMC, but she helps on her own to search for women and save them.