Page 99 of Dangerous Mission
What if Aria lost her brother?
“What’s wrong, Scout?”
I turn around to find Aria staring at me with wide eyes, her fingers clutched to the bottom of her throat.
“There’s been a diving accident. We need to go.”
She takes a step back, makes a strangled sound and sprints out of the door toward the truck.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Every muscle in my body is shaking.Please let Griff be safe.
I can’t be alone. He’s my only family.
He’s too young. He’s too vital.
Lies.I know anyone can go.
An accident. An illness. A force of nature. But I can’t imagine life without my over protective brother.
I still don’t have my phone, so I try his number again on Scout’s.
“God. I’m scared to death.” I close my eyes. “Why can’t these stupid phones work?”
As he drives, Scout passes me a satellite phone. “Try this phone. His number is in the call log.”
Tears blur my vision as I try to operate a phone I’ve never used before.
Scout sees my distress. He rests a hand on mine, “Here, sweetheart, let me.”
“You’re driving.” Sniffling, I try to push his hand away. “I’ll figure it out.”
The truck lurches abruptly as he brakes hard, coming to a stop in the middle of the road.
When he pulls the phone from my hand, he leans over and brushes a fast kiss against my cheek. “Try to breathe, babe. I know you’re worried. But don’t let your mind get the best of you.”
I dissolve into wracking sobs. He holds my hand as he tries to call. It must go to Griff’s voicemail because he leaves a curt message with the time.
When he starts to drive again, he keeps my hand wrapped in his warm, tight grip. He tries to comfort me. “I don’t think Griff would dive. It’s just not like him.”
I nod, and wipe angrily at the tears streaming down my cheek. “He’s too smart for that. But if Keith didn’t come out…”
“Why would that asshole dive by himself?” Scout grunts. “That’s the first rule of diving.”
I sigh as I press my hand to my stomach where my insides are twisted painfully from worry. “He’s a loose cannon. He likes attention.”
Scout drops the truck in drive and looks at the road ahead, but continues to hold my hand. “How long did you work with that company?”
Too long.
It takes effort to get my mouth to work because it’s pinched to keep my crying to a minimum. “About eight months. It was a mistake. But I didn’t know if I could work with Griff when he got out of the army.”
“So diving runs in thefamily?”
“My dad owned a dive business. He was an instructor and we both grew up in the water.”
“But your brother didn’t want to become a SEAL?”