A light rapping on the passenger-side window nearly gives me a heart attack, and I jump in my seat in spite of myself.
I look over to find Cole peering into the car. He’s smiling, but it’s not enough to fully hide his concern.
Concern for me.
Great. What a way to start things out. I’m supposed to be here as a member of Cole’s new, elite security team, not someone who startles at small noises.
Forcing a small smile in return, I lower the window and lift my chin at him. In a carefully casual tone, I say, “Hey. I was just about to head in.”
He studies me for a moment, and his eyes darken with understanding. “It took me a minute, too. When I first got here. I know it doesn’t look like much…”
Then I see it.
The emotion he’s trying to hide.
Uncertainty. Worry. Hope.
In a flash of clarity, I know I’m not the only one struggling.
I should have known. But I was so wrapped up in my own tangle of feelings, I didn’t think. Of course, Cole is worried. This is a huge thing for him. He left his job in Texas. Invested all his money. Spent months trying to pull this together.
And he’s trusting me—our team—to have his six.
The Special Forces creed I learned when I joined the Green Berets comes back to me.
I will not fail those with whom I serve.
Maybe we’re not in the Army anymore, but we’re still a team. And whatever it takes, I will not fail them.
Determination chases away my hesitation.
“It looks great,” I reply. “I can’t wait to look around. Let me just park the car.”
His expression brightens. “Unlock the door. We’ll park in the garage and I’ll show you the secret passageway I had installed.”
“A secret passage?”
“Yeah.” Cole grins at me as I put the car in drive and continue down the driveway. “It’s great. I got the idea from an article I read about old bomb shelters. Not that I’m expecting a bomb to go off or anything, but still. I thought it would be good to have an additional egress from the house.”
Once I park my car, I get out and eyeball the shiny new Bilco doors in the corner of the garage. “So this is it?”
“It is.” Like a little kid showing off a new toy, Cole hurries over to them. With a flourish, he pulls the doors open. “They’re made from reinforced steel, fireproof and blast-resistant.”He gestures to the stairs leading down. “The passage leads to the basement. Why don’t we head in that way? Zane and Nora are putting together the last pieces of equipment in the gym. Then we can check out the shooting range. I’m sure you’ll want to spend some time in there later, figuring out what else we need.”
“So you decided to put it in after all?” We head down the short set of stairs and into a long, concrete hallway. LED lights are set along the ceiling at regular intervals, keeping the enclosed space from being too dark.
Cole nods. “I did. The closest range to here is ten miles away. We don’t want to have to drive out there every time we practice. And the basement has room, so it just made sense.”
“Nice.” A flutter of excitement moves through me. I haven’t been on the range in months, and I miss it. Having a space here to keep up my skills… Even if I’m not the fastest or strongest of the team, as a trained sniper, I can still pull my weight.
“I thought you’d like it.” He flicks a quick glance at me. “I didn’t order anything yet, so the room is basically a blankcanvas. Once you decide what it needs, let me know, and I’ll order it.”
As we come up to another door—a single one, this time—Cole opens it, explaining, “This is a safe room, essentially. So if there’s a breach, not that there will be, we can come in here. There’s another one upstairs, as well.”
I look around at the shelves of supplies, food and guns and ammunition all neatly organized on them. A small sink and toilet are tucked into a half-hidden nook in the corner. One wall is covered with screens, showing different vantage points of the property, and I spot Leo on one of them, his large body hunched over a desk as he types away on a computer.
“Leo’s upstairs in the computer room.” Cole nods at the screen. “He’s been working on the security system since he got here.” As we exit the small room, Cole continues, “He’s almost done. We have cameras and alarms all along the perimeter fence, plus the exterior of the building. There are another fifty or so inside, but we won’t monitor those as often.”
“Fifty?” My brows lift. “That seems like a lot for the inside.”
