Forged in Steele (KGI #7)(43)

Steele ignored the question, not that it would come as any surprise. He was more glad than ever that he’d never been open with anyone at KGI. He had no desire to get into what was eating at him. Instead he focused on the rest of the occupants of the room.

Nathan and Joe were still training with their team, so all members of it were present and accounted for. Over the last several months, they’d spent most of their time on the training facilities onsite and had bunked in the building built for team housing. Steele had overheard Skylar and Edge talking about their plans to move their permanent residences closer so they’d never be very far from the compound.

So far things were looking very good with the new team. Steele had to give them credit. They were sharp and eager to learn and they didn’t have huge egos, which was a big positive when it came to training. There was nothing more annoying than having some know-it-all rookie convinced he already knew everything there was to know. Those were the kind you couldn’t teach shit to because they were already convinced they had it all down.

Steele liked the newest recruits, which was saying a lot since he didn’t tend to like anyone. Except his own team and the Kellys. They had his loyalty and his regard. That was in stone. But Skylar and Edge were fast earning his hard-won respect. Skylar was a crack shot. P.J. had even taken the time to work with her and P.J. had been impressed, which again was saying a lot since P.J. wasn’t easily impressed by anyone. But Skylar wasn’t a one-trick pony. In addition to her sharpshooting skills, she was lethal in hand-to-hand combat and with a knife. She’d surprised the hell out of all of them when she’d gotten the upper hand in training exercises with Garrett. The much larger man had landed on his back more than once. Felled by a woman half his size. Everyone was still giving him shit over that.

Edge was quiet and reserved and had a sharp eye for detail. Steele appreciated those qualities in anyone. He wasn’t loud, didn’t need to be heard on every matter and he paid attention. He was a mountain of a guy, easily the biggest guy in KGI. Garrett had always been the biggest guy, but Edge made him look small.

Dolphin moved up next to Steele. “What’s going on?” he asked in a low voice.

Steele broke his study of the other team and turned to Dolphin, noticing that P.J., Cole, Baker and Renshaw had all moved closer to hear.

“Hell if I know,” Steele returned. “It must not be good, with the way Sam and Garrett are looking.”

P.J. frowned but didn’t offer comment. Steele’s entire team was studying the room as if searching for some clue.

Most everyone was present and accounted for. Except Rio’s team, and he didn’t think it had anything to do with Rio or his team. They weren’t currently involved in a mission, having drawn one right before Steele and his team had been called up to take the kidnapping case.

Ethan wasn’t here, but that was to be expected. He’d taken leave since the twins were born and was spending his time at home with Rachel and their sons. Which was exactly where he needed to be. Ethan might have made mistakes earlier in his marriage to Rachel, but he was more than making up for those now. It didn’t escape Steele how happy the couple was now, and with the birth of the newest Kelly family members it was generally a festive time in the family and within the organization that extended beyond just the Kelly family.

It might be a little mushy, but Steele did consider himself a part of the family that was KGI. There was nothing sappy about it. They were loyal and they had each other’s backs. Always. Loyalty was everything to Steele. It was an essential part of his makeup. It was instilled in every team member’s training. And P.J. had experienced firsthand just how deep that loyalty ran when she’d tried to go off on her own. He didn’t think she’d ever pull a stunt like that again. And that suited him fine. He might have been a loner in all other aspects of his life, but when it came to his team, they were a solid, unbreakable unit.

So other than Rio and his team, everyone else was accounted for, which meant whatever was going down likely meant another mission he couldn’t say no to. Damn it. The one time he actually wanted the time off to spend on personal interests and he couldn’t catch a break.

Sam got off the phone and murmured quietly to Garrett, whose scowl only got bigger. Then Garrett swore forcefully, something that would get him into trouble with his wife, Sarah, if she was within hearing distance. The big man had tried his best to curb his tongue and the swearing he was infamous for. But when he was away from Sarah, the expletives still flew.

Sam walked over to where the others stood with Steele, his tone grave. “Okay, listen up. Maren is missing.”

The words were like a fist to Steele’s gut. He never imagined that whatever had Sam on edge involved Maren. His blood ran cold and fear, an unfamiliar emotion, gripped him by the balls.

“What the f**k?” Steele demanded.

Nathan and Joe and their team reacted with surprise at Steele’s explosive reaction. They closed in, falling in on Sam’s right side and across from Steele and his team.

“I was just there,” Steele continued before Sam could respond. “That’s where I was when you called me up on this mission. Everything was fine. You’re telling me she’s gone missing since then?”

Sam’s brow furrowed. “You saw her when?”

Ignoring the inquisitive looks from everyone in the room, Steele focused on Sam. “I was there when you called me up. It’s why it took me twelve hours to get here. That was, what, a week ago?”