Page 79 of Hero's Heart

As if on cue, both women grabbed drinks from the bar to deliver to customers. Sloane said something that made Joy throw her head back in laughter, the sound carrying across thebusy pub. Sloane stopped at one table, effortlessly charming the group of locals.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Callum murmured, a smile tugging at his lips. It warmed something deep inside him to see Sloane settling in, making friends. “Hell if she isn’t dazzling everybody.”

Bear grinned. “Small-town life, my friend. Half the people in here tonight are just here to meet her.”

Callum nodded, a mix of pride and protectiveness swelling in his chest. “As long as they’re welcoming,” he said, his tone carrying a hint of warning.

“Oh, they are,” Bear assured him. “You know how folks are around here. Nosy as hell, but hearts of gold.”

Joy rushed back over to whisper something to Sloane, and the two of them headed back toward the kitchen. Callum’s eyes narrowed as he caught Bear’s gaze lingering on the women.

A sudden, irrational surge of jealousy coursed through him, his fingers tightening around his pint glass again. He swallowed hard, trying to quash the unwelcome feeling.

“See something you like?” Callum asked, his voice gruffer than he intended.

Bear turned, brow furrowed. “What?”

Callum shook his head, feeling foolish. “Nothing. Just… Never mind.”

He took a long pull from his beer, mind racing. Sloane was young, vibrant. She deserved someone like Bear: hardworking, honorable, closer to her age. The thought twisted in Callum’s gut, but he knew it was true. He had no right to feel possessive.

But then he noticed Bear’s gaze hadn’t left the women. More specifically, it hadn’t leftJoy. There was a softness in Bear’s eyes that Callum recognized all too well.

He didn’t have anything to be jealous about after all. A smirk tugged at his lips. “So, you and Joy, huh?”

Bear’s head snapped around, a telltale flush creeping up his neck. “What? No, I don’t… We’re not…”

“Uh-huh,” Callum chuckled, relief mingling with amusement, but it died on his lips as his phone chimed. A text from Dustin.

“Son of a bitch.” Bastard had some nerve after what he’d pulled.

“What?” Bear asked. “Work?”

“No. Dustin Reynolds.”

“He’s texting you? What, does he have another mission to send us on where we don’t have all the info and almost get killed? Dude has a lot of fucking balls.”

“Tell me about it.”

Have you heard from Sloane Miller?

Callum was tempted to ignore the man but knew he would just keep trying to contact him. He’d already ignored one text from him a few days ago.

Why would I have heard from her?

Family doesn’t know where she is. They’re worried.

Callum looked over at Bear. “He wants to know if we know where Sloane is.”

The other man rolled his eyes. “You’re not going to tell him, right?”

“Fuck no.”

After how her family handled Moldova, I wouldn’t be surprised if Sloane doesn’t want to have anything to do with them.

Just answer the question, Webb. Do you know where she is?

No.

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