Lifting the hoodie over my head, I snuggle deeper into the fabric, trying to make it feel like Ryan’s body is wrapped around mine. As my heart thumps loudly and painfully in my chest, I weep into the blanket, until my lids can’t handle the pain anymore, and my eyes close of their own accord, forcing me to fall into a fitted sleep.
Ryan
“Fuck!” I fling the useless device across the vehicle. “Fucking piece of shit won’t turn on.”
“Well, it’s been through hell,” Sergio points out. “Literally.”
I give him a pointed look, but can’t argue. What we just went through over the past week is probably the definition of hell. If not, I imagine it’s damn close. The ambush, which thankfully ended with the Afghani terrorists all dead—some by their own hands and some by ours—also ended with two of our men dead. I didn’t know any of them well, since they weren’t part of my squad, but it still hits each one of us hard as hell. We took a bad fucking loss that day. Once everything was under control, we spent days getting everything sorted. I knew my family would be freaking out, but I had no way of communicating with them. And even if I could’ve, I wouldn’t have been allowed to. Because of the attack, we were under strict black out orders until we were back on U.S. soil.
“Can I borrow yours?”
“Yeah.” He hands me his phone.
I go to type Micaela’s number, but I realize I don’t fucking know it by heart. Luckily, I know Marco’s. He answers on the first ring. “Hello?”
“Hey, it’s Ryan.”
There’s a long pause and then a deep sigh. “Thank fuck. You okay?”
“Yeah, just running a few days late,” I joke, trying to make light of the situation. I can’t go into details over the phone.
“Not funny,” he snaps. “We’ve been worried sick. We thought…” He sighs. “Your mom said…”
“My mom?” How the hell does she know anything?
“Yeah, I guess someone told someone and that person told her. She showed up freaking out. Nothing was confirmed, but there was speculation.”
Jesus, fuck. Micaela must be going out of her fucking mind. I’m not just running late…I’m missing.
“I’m okay,” I choke out. “I need to get a hold of Micaela, but my phone is fucked. Do you have her number?”
“Yeah.” He rattles off her number.
“Can you tell my parents I’m okay? I didn’t realize something was said to my mom. I’m leaving the airport now. I have to stop at the base, but then I’ll be on my way to you.”
“She’s at your house…Umm…the house you bought her.”
“She’s living there?” My heart swells at the thought. She never told me that.
“It’s supposed to be a surprise. I’m sure she’ll tell you once you get a hold of her, but just in case she’s too distraught, that’s where she is.”
“Thanks.”
We hang up and I dial Micaela’s number. It rings several times before going to voicemail. Maybe she’s not answering because she doesn’t recognize the number.
“Hey, baby, it’s Ryan. I didn’t want to leave a voicemail, but I just want you to know I’m okay. I’m calling from a buddy of mine’s phone. Mine isn’t working. I’m on my way to you, but I won’t have any way of talking until I get a new phone. I love you.”
I hang up and hand Sergio back his phone. “Thanks. If she calls back, can you let her know I’ll see her soon?”
Sergio nods.
As soon as we get back to the base, since all the paperwork was already done, I say bye to my men and head out. I’ll deal with everything else tomorrow. Today, I need to get home to Micaela and RJ.
Not having a phone is killing me, and the fact that Micaela didn’t call Sergio’s phone back has me feeling sick inside. She doesn’t know I’m okay…
I pull up to the house I bought and see her SUV in the driveway. Leaving my shit in the vehicle, I slam the truck door and run up to the house, using my key to get in. The first thing I notice when I step inside is that it’s furnished. It’s still kind of bare, but there are all of the necessities. My eyes go to the photos on the wall behind the couch—of us and our families. They’re all candid, but the way they’re printed makes them look professional.
A phone ringing from somewhere in the house has me reluctantly tearing my eyes from the photos. I locate the phone on the end table and see Marco’s name on the caller ID.
“Hello.”
“Hey, you’re with her?” he asks, sounding concerned.
“I’m with her phone. I just got here, but it doesn’t look like anyone is here.”
“RJ is with us,” Marco says. “Micaela…” He clears his throat. “She wasn’t doing real well, so Bella convinced her to let us take him so she could have a little break.”
Damn it, I hate what she’s been going through, and more so, that I’m the one to put her through it. This is exactly what she feared would happen.
“Maybe she went for a walk,” he suggests.
“I’m going to check the rooms for her now and then I’ll go from there.”
We hang up and I go in search of Micaela. I find her in the master bedroom. My furniture from my parents’ place fills the once empty space. She’s lying on one side of the bed, cuddled into my blankets, and I immediately recognize my hoodie on her. Her face is scrunched up in what looks like pain, and I imagine she finally fell asleep thinking the worst.
I take a second to watch her sleep, then using her phone camera, snap a picture. She’s so fucking beautiful with her curly hair splayed out across my pillow. Her heart-shaped lips are puckered, and her brows are furrowed like she fell asleep against her own will.
Needing to touch her, I undress out of my OCPs, then change my boxers for a fresh pair. I should probably shower, but I can’t wait that long to have her in my arms.
Edging across the bed, I align our bodies so her back is to my front. I nuzzle my face into her hair, inhaling deeply and drawing in her scent, rememorizing her smell: vanilla. It’s a little different than before I left. She must’ve switched shampoos. I gently lift her head, pushing my arm under her and wrapping my other arm around her torso. I should probably wake her up, but she’s sleeping so peacefully and her dad said she’s been having a rough time. So instead, I snuggle into her back and close my eyes, finally feeling my heart calm for the first time in four months. My body and mind feel centered. Right here, with this woman, I finally feel at home.
Micaela
Taking a deep breath, I crack my eyes open, feeling refreshed. I’m not sure how long I slept for, but my eyes no longer feel like they weigh a hundred pounds and my body doesn’t feel as sore. My head is no longer fuzzy. I feel rested. I listen for RJ but quickly remember my mom took him—because I was exhausted. Because Ryan is missing. Now that I’ve had a break, I should go get RJ and bring him home. I feel around for my cell phone, but instead my hand comes across a hard… body?