SEALs of Honor: Dane by Dale Mayer Page B

witness, maybe a victim to be looked after. And was that because they were concerned for her so she didn’t end up in the enemies hands or so she was available to hand the information over to her government?
    Still it was tough to consider them as friends when she didn’t know them. Yet…inside she knew them. Honorable and caring at the most surprising of moments. From several of them, she’d definitely seen a male speculation. But from others there was a complete lack of interest. She’d noticed it in Mason the most. As if he was the most settled. And Hawk but she’d not been around him much. She glanced over at Swede. The big man had to be uncomfortable as he took up a large portion of the hotel room floor sleeping.
    Shadow, on the other hand, was hunched over the computer so intent on what he was doing, she couldn’t imagine he’d even recognize where he was.
    He was well named.
    Blending into his surroundings, so focused on being where he was at the moment, he was taken for granted.
    Odd in a way.
    She reached for a piece of sausage, only to have the same piece snatched out from under her fingers by Dane.
    She gave him a mocking glare. “That was my piece.”
    “Too late. Around here, if you’re slow you lose out.”
    Swede came off the floor in a smoothly coiled motion. “Did you say food? You’ve been eating and didn’t tell anyone,” he accused, walking over to observe his culinary choices.
    Dane smirked. “Damn right. I wanted some myself. Not lose it all to you.”
    Swede brought over another plate full of food and sat down on the side of the bed. Between the three of them, she realized she felt safe. Happy. Content.
    Then she spied Masters’ cage. “Oh my God, I forgot about the poor cat.”
    Dane snorted. “No one was allowed to forget about the cat.” He pointed at Shadow, and she saw what she’d missed the first time. Masters was sprawled across Shadow’s legs. Sleeping.
    “Wow, it didn’t take him long to settle in.”
    “That’s because Shadow is half animal,” Swede said with a straight face.
    Shadow snorted. “Not likely. I’m all animal.”
    The others grinned.
    “And yet no one offered you any of our lunch.” She lifted her plate in Shadow’s direction. “Please, come. I have lots.”
    His head shifted and he slashed his glance at her and the pieces of sausage and cheese still on her plate.
    He grinned. “You aren’t bigger than a cream puff. You’d better finish that so you can grow. Me, on the other hand, will go over and clean up the last of the food as soon as I set this search up.” He pounded the keys several more times. “There.”
    He got up, carrying Masters who didn’t say a word. He just watched as he was carried over and laid down on the bed close to Marielle, then scratched by all hands close enough.
    “What search?” she asked when on one else did.
    “I’m tracking the money the men were paid for kidnapping you.”
    Just as Shadow reached for food, there was a subtle knock on the door.
    Everyone froze.
    Then it was like an elastic had been sprung and they all moved. She’d never seen anyone move so fast. Or so quietly.
    Mason slipped to the door and opened it a crack. Dane stood in front of her, blocking anyone at the door from seeing her. Shadow was at the window, peering out. Swede, well he had a gun half hidden behind his back.
    It was that gun that brought it all home for her. Someone had tried to kidnap her, and if that hadn’t worked, they would have cheerfully killed her.
    Since waking, that had a distant feel to it. As if it were all happening to someone else. Only it was here in her life.
    She waited, her breath caught in her throat. Mason slid outside to speak with the person and the others relaxed slightly. She reached up and slipped her hand over Dane’s massive arm. When he turned to look down at her, she whispered, “Has anyone checked on my mother? On my lab?”
    “Your lab?” Shadow asked. “Where is your lab and what do you have