“We’re on the same team here,” Joseph added, that steel in his tone again.
Lewis looked like Zeke’s team was the last place he’d ever volunteer to be.
Sadly, Mia and Joseph were right. Zeke had to be the bigger man here. As Captain, he didn’t let personal bias affect a mission. “They’re both right,” Zeke admitted.
Mia lifted her hand from his skin and he felt … let down? What did that mean? He focused on the soldier in front of him. “We are on the same team,” Zeke said, giving Lewis a stare down. “You do your assignment and I’ll do mine.”
The veins in Lewis’s neck bulged. “It is impossible that Duke Burton would allow anAmerican,” he snarled the title that Zeke held dear, “to guard his daughter night and day.”
“Well, he did,” Zeke said. “Pout all you want about it, but make sure you don’t fail at your post. Or I will tear you apart.” He shouldn’t have added the last line, but he felt more comfortable and like himself at the moment than he had in hours. This he knew. Putting men who were trying to get glory without earning it in their place. This guy was an elite soldier. Zeke could easily read that, and he was relieved he wasn’t dealing with British grunts. But Lewis wasn’t in charge, no matter how much he wanted to be or how much he wanted Mia. That look he’d given her made Zeke’s blood boil.
Nobody said anything. Almost as if Joseph and Mia knew Lewis needed to be knocked down a peg or two.
Lewis tilted his chin and stalked off. Zeke watched until he disappeared around the back of Papa’s house. Then he gestured to Mia to walk in front, hefted his duffel, and followed her.
Joseph fell into step with him. Zeke checked for movement anywhere else in the valley, but he found his gaze strayed to the appealing fit of Mia’s coat—was her waist really that small?—and the way those snug boots outlined her calf muscles.
“The guy’s pompous, but he’s good,” Joseph said quietly.
“Oh?” He wasn’t really in the mood to hear anything good about Lewis, but he dealt with a lot of alphas. It was imperative to focus on the mission, not your own ego or anybody else’s.
They turned up the sidewalk to the admiral’s front door. It was still weird to be here without Admiral Davidson Delta’s commanding, inspiring, and somehow still friendly presence. He and Mia would really sleep in the admiral’s master suite? He wasn’t sure how to feel about intruding on Admiral Delta’s private space, but even more worrisome, how would he be alone with Mia?
“He was one of the most highly trained special ops in the Royal Navy before he opted out to take over the duke’s security team. I have no idea why William didn’t have him take the lead or be the one by Mia’s side.”
Zeke had already guessed the guy was special ops. It was curious that her dad hadn’t assigned Lewis to be the lead. They reached the porch and he watched Mia climb the steps. The woman knew how to … walk very well.
“The duke doesn’t trust his own head of security?” Zeke asked quietly. That didn’t fit. A powerful man like Mia’s father would fire help that didn’t live up to his expectations without thinking twice.
“That’s not it.” Mia turned around and glared at him.
“Oh?” He walked onto the porch and got closer to her than he should have. He didn’t want Lewis to overhear their exchange from wherever he was sulking, but he was very interested in Mia’s take on this. He’d gotten that impression that she and Lewis had dated or at least kissed. He hoped he was wrong, but he usually wasn’t.
“No.” Her gaze dated away from him and met Joseph’s. “Dad didn’t tell you?”
Joseph shook his head quickly. Zeke was getting a bad feeling in his gut. They not only had the Sneaky Stalker after Mia, but now the head of security, here doing patrol duty and obviously not willing to shelve his pride, had some nefarious secret? Or was it worse than that? Did Mia like the guy and that’s why her dad didn’t want Commander Lewis in charge? The duke knew the guy was too invested in his beautiful and accomplished daughter?
“What is it?” Zeke asked, leaning in for her answer. Dang, that lemon candy made his mouth water.Focus.
Mia let out a heavy breath and rolled her eyes. “Blaine and I dated. It wasn’t his choice to stop going out. In fact, he’s asked me,” she bit at her lip, “many times to give him another chance.”
Zeke straightened and his gut churned. It was almost as bad as he’d feared. They weren’t dating currently, but that stuffy, arrogant loser of a Brit had … dated, touched, probably kissed Mia. Okay, Commander Lewis was probably not a loser, but he was obviously a cocksure, pretentious jerk. Had he treated her poorly? His fists clenched. He was going to find the guy and “talk” to him about how a treat a lady. Not that Zeke had any experience with women or ladies, but he knew how to be respectful.
“You broke his heart?” Joseph guessed.
She flipped her short hair and gave Zeke an appealing and sassy look. “It’s not my fault they all go bonkers and fall for me.”
With that she whipped around, strutted to the front door, and pushed it open.
Zeke watched her go, blinking in surprise. Mia was the furthest thing from haughty or bratty, but obviously she knew how appealing she was. Men went “bonkers” for her? He hated thinking of other men falling for her.
He rushed to follow her. The house was secure, the other security guard down in the control room, but he wasn’t taking any chances.
Joseph chuckled from behind him. “Good luck, Cap.”
“Thanks, Joseph, but I don’t need luck,” Zeke ground out, catching up to her in the foyer. “I never fall for anyone.”
Joseph’s disbelieving laugh came from behind them, but he pulled the front door shut and left them alone.