Live By The Team (Team Fear Book 1) (5 page)

Lauren’s brows shot up, creating wrinkles in her forehead. Her voice lifted an octave, a sure sign of her temper. “You think this was my idea? Honey, the bank didn’t give me a choice.”

The words sucker punched him, stealing his rage. “What are you talking about?”

“
I’m a student. I don’t have the money to pay a mortgage. I tried to keep up, but I lost a huge chunk of financial aid when we married. I couldn’t keep the house and finish the program. The man I
thought
I married knew that.”

Ryder ran a hand over the back of his neck. There were too many landmines in her angry rant, but before he tripped his way through the field, he needed to make one thing crystal clear. “I wasn’t running from you.”

Lauren twisted the key and the truck coughed to life. She quickly shifted the floor-mounted gearshift into neutral. “Whatever, Ryder. Get out of the truck. It’s late, I’m cold, and we’re not solving anything tonight.”

“
We are not finished.” He needed her to know. He supported her dreams. Fact was, he was in awe of her drive and intelligence, and had been from day one.

Her grip tightened on the steering wheel. “Get. Out.”

Ryder couldn’t leave like this. She was hurt. Her tears back in the bar had wrecked him. He couldn’t let her leave thinking he’d been cold and callous. “Make me.”

She slumped over the steering wheel to rest her forehead on the top rim. With her face hidden behind her arms, her shoulders shook. A knot formed in his gut. He hadn’t meant to make her cry, although he’d probably done that and more by leaving. He reached out, but stopped when hysterical laughter filled the cab. “Make you? God, Ryder, what are you, twelve?”

The hand reaching for her stopped. “No?”

The answer sent her into another spasm of laughter. She lifted her head and light from the dash reflected in her watery eyes. “You’re not sure?”

The swift change in her mood made him pause. “Have you been drinking?”

She rolled her eyes before running a finger under her lashes to wipe away tears. Laughter and tears? “No, of course I haven’t been drinking. Have you?”

“
Of course not.” He’d given up anything and everything that altered his mood, his focus, or his control. Although he’d kept Lauren, and she did all three. “Baby, no way would I leave you high and dry. I paid the mortgage every month.”

Her shoulder blades slapped the cold seat as she leaned back. “No you didn’t.”

“
Did. Why do you say the bank’s making you sell?”

“
Because they are. They did. I signed the paperwork last week.”

A warning shot through him. Something hinky was about to shake down. “Baby, I used bill pay direct from my account. I have the receipts. I paid every month.”

“
But, Ry—”

A sharp rap pounded against the window. Lauren jumped and Ryder reached for the gun he had holstered under his leather jacket. Lauren’s best friend Debi waved a light into the cab of the truck. “Everything okay?” Debi continued to flicker the flashlight at them.

Ryder settled the gun back in its holster.

Lauren cranked the window down. “Yeah, just...” She shrugged her shoulders.

Debi shot the light straight in Ryder’s face.

“
Do you mind?” he asked, blocking the glare.

“
I don’t mind at all,” she deadpanned. “Lauren, why don’t you ride home with me? I’ll bring you back before classes in the morning.”

“
I’m not going to hurt my wife,” he growled.

“
You already did, buddy.”

“
Stop it.” Lauren grabbed the flashlight and forced the torch downward. “I’m fine. Debi, go home. I’ll be along shortly.”

“
Fine.” She shone the light on Ryder again. “Anything happens to her, and I’m coming for you, soldier boy.”

Lauren cranked her window up while Debi disappeared around the corner of the building. “I’m not joking, Ryder. Time for you to go. I’ve got an early class and if I’m late, Professor Crawford will have me grading papers until I’m ninety.”

“
I can talk to him.”

“
Not everything gets better with threats and intimidation.” She groaned. They’d had this conversation before. “The academic world doesn’t work like the Army. I can handle Dr. Crawford on my own, thank you very much, same as I’ve always done.” She glanced around the empty parking lot. “Where’s your car?”

“
Sold it.”

“
How did you get here?”

“
My bike’s out front.”

“
As in a motorcycle?” She shook her head, and her shoulders slumped in weary defeat. “Jesus, Ry, maybe you are twelve. Are you having a midlife crisis or something?”

“
I’m not that old. Or young.” Whatever she was accusing him of had nothing to do with the shit hanging over his head. “We need to talk about the house.”

“
Not tonight.” She reached over him, her body brushing his as she pulled the handle to pop the passenger door open. “It’s late.”

The exhaustion clinging to her effectively paused the conversation. He wanted to finish, but she’d obviously had a long day. “I’ll follow you home.”

“
We can’t go home, Ryder. They’ve changed the locks.”

Fuck, but he’d messed up and good. He hadn’t expected life to spiral out of control, and as much as he wanted to work it out right now—at least the banking issues—Lauren needed sleep. “Where are you staying?”

“
With Debi.” She swallowed a quick breath. “And before you say anything, you are not, under any circumstances, staying.”

“
If you say so.” For tonight he’d keep watch over her from outside. Maybe Debi had a dog house he could sleep in. “I’ll follow, make sure you get there safe.”

The gaze leveled at him was unyielding. “I’ve made it home safe and sound without you to babysit. It’s a little late for fake acts of chivalry.”

Ryder rubbed his chest. As barbs went, that one struck deep. He’d had reason to leave. Mad Dog’s situation was the tip of the spear. In his head, Ryder could still hear the soldier.
They’re my life
. Fear, actual fear had tightened Madigan’s voice as he spoke, looking at his bloody hands in denial. No way had Madigan wanted to kill his wife and kid, but they were dead all the same. “Your safety is my priority.”

“
Whatever.” Lauren turned up the volume on the radio, shutting out any reply he might give.

He stepped out of the truck. “Lock it.”

She didn’t respond, but cranked the gearshift into reverse. The gears groaned. The pickup had been her grandfather’s ranch truck and had been ancient when the old man gave it to her. It was a rusted hunk of metal, and no one had been around to keep it maintained. He’d look at it tomorrow whether she liked it or not.

Lauren didn’t wait for his commentary. She was out of the parking lot and down the street before he made it to his bike. He pulled on the helmet to follow. Good thing he knew the route, because she lost him but quick. They were on the main road out of town before he caught up to her. The rusty truck spit enough exhaust to follow a mile back.

Traffic on the state highway on the way to Debi’s was clear this late, but cold bit his face as he raced to keep up with Lauren. She had to be in a pissy mood to speed.

So was he. Something bad was going down with the team. He’d spent the last six months traveling the country, checking in with his teammates. He was afraid seeing him would trigger memories best left forgotten, so he had stayed on the sidelines, but it was a damn lonely existence as he witnessed friend after friend withdrawing from the world. They were breaking connections from friends, family, and community. Rightly so.

What had happened with Mad Dog was reason enough to stay away from Lauren. He’d planned to break it off with her, let her go for good, so he met her in a public place where he wouldn’t be tempted. The best thing for her was a clean break, one guaranteed to keep her safe from him and the mess following him, but the minute he was alone with her, he couldn’t keep his hands off her.

The cold and the roar of the bike provided the perspective he needed. Lauren was smart, sexy, and sarcastic. And passionate. She could talk for hours on the topics she was most passionate about, and at one time, her passion had been building a life and a home with him. The townhouse meant nothing, but the look in her eyes as she planned their home, their lives, he had wanted that vision more than he’d ever wanted the Army.

His thoughts not on the road, Ryder downshifted up the hill where the old truck struggled to maintain momentum. Leaving Lauren without a word had been a dick move that left her open and vulnerable. The bank issue was his to solve before he did the right thing. She’d argue about the bank, because that was her way. She had taken care of herself since middle school, and she didn’t accept help well. He’d wanted to make her a part of the team, to show her what it meant to belong to something outside of a dysfunctional family, but then he’d gotten the call from Mad Dog that had derailed his life.

As he crested the hill, Ryder cursed himself. Lauren deserved better.

The truck took off with a jolt as if she’d rammed the accelerator. The bike responded faster than the truck, keeping close to her tail, but as they descended, her speed jumped too fast. Out of control. He surveyed the road ahead. No traffic, but the bottom of the hill curved tight around one end of the lake.

The idea she might be so anxious to get away from him sent Ryder’s mood plummeting. He slowed to give her space, but she continued the high-speed race down the hill. She’d never been pigheaded. She certainly never courted danger. As he debated his next move, her emergency flashers started blinking. Ryder accelerated to maneuver around to the driver’s side.

The truck swerved across the yellow line. A second later her hand waved madly out the window. Ryder pulled up next to the truck, but he couldn’t hear a word she said as she gestured wildly. Her face was flushed and her eyes wide. “Brakes,” she screamed.

Panic he recognized. The curve at the bottom of the hill was coming fast. He didn’t have time to extract her. Any other options were too dangerous and they didn’t have time. He lifted his hand into a fist and pulled back like pulling back on the emergency brake. She nodded and reached down beside the seat.

Not too fast, baby
. If she pulled the lever straight back in one jerky movement, the truck would flip. He resented the calm, methodical thoughts flicking through his brain. His woman was in danger and his pulse and breathing remained steady. He wasn’t a heartless bastard, but his training kept him levelheaded.

Acrid smoke and screeching filled the night as the brakes burned hot. The truck slowed, but not fast enough. The curve loomed and if she hit the turn at her current speed, the truck was done for. It didn’t have airbags. It barely had functional seatbelts.

Come on, baby.

The clutch had snapped at the top of the hill. No brakes, and the curve approached at the speed of death. With a wish and a prayer, Lauren let adrenaline feed her strength. She yanked with everything she had. Each notch in the emergency brake jolted through her arm. Lauren gripped the steering wheel with one hand and the brake with the other. Both held her in the truck as the center of gravity shifted.

A second later, the truck tipped, paused while her heart triple-timed. Then the rusted hunk of metal twisted. She braced, expecting the impact on the driver’s side, but the truck flew ass over elbows across the highway.

The night spun, slow, so damned slow after careening down the hill. No moon, no stars, no light, just varying shades of black whipping past. The dark engulfed her, a violent twister of night sky and asphalt.

She closed her eyes against the spin. Metal twisted with an evil groan. Glass shattered, the higher pitch like a scream against the monster’s continual moan. Each impact slammed through Lauren, every ounce of flesh and bone shaken and stirred. Her teeth smacked together and her head slammed against the rear window.

The steering wheel hit next as her body rebounded from the first hit. The old metal wheel smacked her forehead and the world stopped spinning.