Montana SEAL (Brotherhood Protectors #1)(7)

“And that is?”

“To him, it sure the hell isn’t blowing shit up. No, he thinks I should be a rancher.”

“And if the MRB boots your ass out of the military, is that what you’ll do?”

Hank shook his head. “I couldn’t go back to work on my father’s ranch. He and I butt heads too much.”

“What about working on another ranch?”

“I don’t know. I like what we do as SEALs—taking out the bad guys and rescuing the good ones.”

“Isn’t that what you do as a rancher?” Swede asked. “You take down the wolves that would feed off the innocent cattle.”

“It’s different.” Hank scrubbed a hand through his hair.

“If you like protecting the innocent, how about security work?”

“No way. I can’t be a mall cop.” Hank shoved a hand through his hair. “I’d shoot myself first.”

Swede laughed. “No, not that kind of security. I mean, more like personal protective services, like a bodyguard. You could hire out to protect a high-powered CEO or politician.”

“Now that you mentioned it, I kind of like the idea of doing something in Montana.”

Swede raised his mummy hand. “Hell, isn’t Montana filled with rich guys and celebrities? Don’t they need bodyguards?”

“I guess.” Hank hadn’t considered protective services as a potential civilian occupation. All he’d ever done was ranching and the SEALs. But the idea held merit.

“All I’m saying is you should think about it.” Swede settled back against the pillow, pinching the bridge of his nose. “If you end up medically discharged, you have to do something. I hear the Crazy Mountains where you’re from are pretty spectacular. I hope to go there some day.”

“You should. There’s no place on earth quite like it.” Hank’s cell phone vibrated in his pants pocket. He pushed to his feet, trying not to wince as pain shot up his leg. He reached into his back pocket for the device. The caller ID indicated the call was from his sister Allie. He tipped his head toward Swede. “It’s my sister. Mind if I take it?”

“Go ahead. Tell her I said hello, and ask her when she’s going to marry me.” Swede grimaced and closed his eyes.

Hank turned and walked into the hallway, jabbing the key to receive the call. “Hey, Allie Cat.”

“Hank, we need you at home,” she said without the back and forth banter they usually shared as a form of greeting. “Dad’s been shot.”



* * *



The day after the shooting, Sadie made the hour-long drive to Bozeman to check on Lloyd Patterson. She found his twenty-six-year old daughter pacing the hallway outside his room.

“How’s your father today, Allie?” Sadie asked.

Allie wrinkled her nose. “He’s cranky and ready to be out of the hospital. But he’s alive, thanks to you.” She hugged Sadie. “I know he’s an old grump, but he’s my old grump of a dad.”

Sadie chuckled. “I know what you mean. I’d give anything to have my parents around.” Her heart pinched painfully every time she thought of her parents and their untimely deaths due to an auto accident on their way to Helena for their anniversary dinner. Sadie missed them terribly.

“I’d like to think he’s cranky because he’s getting better.” Allie sighed. “But he’s cranky all the time. Seems he’s been double angry since Hank left eleven years ago.”

“Really? You’d think he’d be over it after all this time.”

“He never forgave Hank for leaving.” Allie puffed out her chest and dipped her chin, lowering her voice. “The ranch is his heritage. He has an obligation to preserve it for his children and his children’s children.”

Her imitation of her father’s gruff voice made Sadie laugh out loud. “He’s got a point. I don’t know what I would have done if my brother hadn’t wanted to stick around and run the ranch our parents left us. I haven’t been around enough to do it myself.”

Allie’s lips spread into a wide grin. “No, you haven’t. But you have been busy making a big name for yourself in the movie industry. Congratulations on the Oscar nomination.”

Sadie shrugged. “I didn’t win.”

“But you were nominated. I’d be turning cartwheels at the honor.” Allie hugged her. “And I can say I knew you when you were a country bumpkin in the Crazy Mountains of Montana.”

“I’m still a country bumpkin. Don’t let the fancy clothes fool you.” Not that she’d worn a single designer outfit since she’d left LA. In Eagle Rock, she didn’t have to dress up to go to the grocery store. She’d managed to slip out of California on a private jet and land in Montana without the paparazzi getting wind of her movement. That in itself was just short of a miracle.

Sadie tipped her head toward the closed door. “Will he mind if I pop in to say hello?”

Allie waved her by. “Please. I could use the break from his constant complaining about the food and stump water they call coffee around here.” Her lips twisted. “His words, not mine. I gotta warn you, though. He’s madder than a hornet. The doc thinks he needs surgery on his shoulder. He’s waiting for the orthopedic surgeon’s opinion before he releases Dad.”