Derek
This mission was supposedto be cake. That’s what I told myself as I boarded the little boat waiting for us. Jace looked back at me with worry in his eyes but I brushed it off. I didn’t need him worrying about me. Sweat rolled down my back and I cracked my neck. We were on a search and seizure mission. For this particular one, we were required to wear full-body armor. Jace was the only one that knew what was on that boat and I didn’t mind one bit. The ignorance of some of the missions helped me keep going or maybe it kept me alive. If I had known every little detail as a newbie, I would have run to the battlefield. I would have happily given myself to death.
That was another time. Another painful existence that I tried to forget with every mission.
I boarded the ridged inflatable boat and hunkered down beside Ian. He was always too cocky for his own good and I tried my hardest to stay away from him but on missions, it was different. I knew that no one had my back like him, except maybe Jace. Damaged souls could sniff out other damaged souls rather easily. Behind his cocky attitude and big smile, there was pain lurking. We had never spoken about it, but I could always feel it and I knew he could probably sense mine too. It was unsettling, but on missions, it helped keep me alive.
There were many different ways you could get on a boat and search it. But for this one, we needed stealth on our side. We were quick up the side of it and stayed to the shadows to get to the captain. Jace got to him before anyone else, which didn’t surprise me. He was the overachiever. Darren was right behind him. Darren was another one I had to stay away from. He could also see into people's souls and the last thing I wanted him to see was my black one.
We were searching for weapons and the humidity under the deck of the ship was intense. It took the breath from me as we descended the metal stairs. Eric, Ian, and I searched each room below and every corner. There were no weapons or crates. If it hadn’t been for Ian stubbing his toe on a loose floorboard, we would have never found the stash. Ballistic missiles, drones, and KL-7.62 rifles were waiting for us in a massive hidden compartment. My heart sank as shots rang out around us. I pressed myself against the wall and took a deep breath. The wrong shot would kill all of us and as ready as I was for death, I wasn’t ready to see my buddies there. Jace had two kids now and Eric had twins on the way. I wouldn’t let anything happen to them.
I did the one thing that Ian and Eric weren’t prepared for. It was the one reason they hated being around me on missions. I was always the wildcard and I didn’t care about my life. I dove into the compartment with my gun blazing. I threw myself behind a crate. The area was hardly tall enough for me to stand in. I scooted along the wall and waited for the other guy to make a sound. Nothing. I pressed my head against the wall and held my breath. I went to stand and saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I dove down, but I wasn’t fast enough. The impact of his bullet to my chest stunned me but nothing was going to stop me. I was numb to it. I pulled my trigger and put a bullet between his eyes. My vision swam and my heart hammered against my chest. The back of my head hit the floor and I closed my eyes. My chest throbbed where my Kevlar had taken the bullet. I either had a nasty bruise or a broken rib. It didn’t matter, my men were safe.
“All clear,” I coughed out.
Eric and Ian jumped down as shouts and the clomping of boots rang out above us. I could barely make out Darren shouting orders. My ears were ringing but I managed to sit up. Ian looked into my eyes and turned me around to make sure there was only one bullet in my vest. I was sure I had only been hit that one time. That was the curse and the blessing of being numb. Sometimes I didn’t feel it when I got shot or when my body had almost been engulfed in flames.
* * *
I leaned back and watched as everyone celebrated with beers. I was still beating myself up for the shit show I had caused back at home. I managed to walk away from that ship with two broken ribs and a nasty bruise thanks to that Taliban goat lover.
Jace’s words were still ringing in my ears as I settled in for bed for the night. “Do you know how wrecked Everly would be if something happened to her Uncle Derek?”
It was the first time he had used that line on me. I wondered how long he had been holding onto it. Although, he was right and I hadn’t thought about it that way. I closed my eyes and grimaced. What a life.
Chapter Eight
Aiyanna
It had beenfour months when the wives walked through bar doors one Saturday evening. There were three of them. They looked tired but ready for a night out. All except one that had a massive pregnant belly and swollen ankles. The little blonde one approached the bar and smiled brightly at me. “Margarita on the rocks please, sugar on the rim.”
I nodded as Mikey started on that. I would mess it up to the high heavens. Thank goodness the rest of the ladies got water and beer. I could handle that. I popped the top and brought the drinks to the usual table their men sat at. The margarita girl shot me a grin and ordered shots.
It was that kind of night.
“Celebrating?” My voice sounded hopeful. I was a tad curious about the men. Especially the broody grumpy one. Without him coming in, my plant was flourishing again.
She blushed. “Sort of. Our husbands will be back soon and when they have missions, it’s always stressful. This past one was rather dangerous and they didn’t leave without bullets in their armor.”
I swallowed but kept a pep in my step. I couldn’t falter. I hardly knew the men. “Shots on me then!” The two ladies drinking whooped and hollered while preggers looked annoyed. My lips thinned out in a line as I thought of what I could do for her. Water wasn’t fun. “And onion rings?”
Preggers smiled and held up her water glass in a toast. It was the least I could do. Being a military wife wasn’t a walk in the park. I had owned this bar long enough to know that. Being this close to a base, I saw all kinds of drama and love.
A bar would show you all walks of life and it showed me many ways to be thankful for my own. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror over the bar and frowned. Tonight I wore a purple wig that was down to my butt and purple contacts. I looked like a mermaid, but under the makeup there were dark circles and stress acne.
My phone buzzed. Anxiety took hold of me.
Come home, Aiyanna.
I had blocked every single number. But they just kept pinging through. I turned my phone face down and took a shaky breath. Vince watched me from the shadows and I tried my hardest to look the part tonight. I was even wearing a silver sequin dress and heels. I looked the part, but I couldn’t act it. The smell of alcohol didn’t help with my increasing nerves either. I shut my phone off and delivered the steaming onion rings to the table. Preggers didn’t wait for the others as she dug in and moaned. She rubbed her belly with each bite. I couldn’t help but smile. I hoped I made their night a little better, better than mine anyway.
We were fully staffed and I didn’t know why I insisted on working tonight but I was glad I did. Staying in the apartment too much was starting to make me crazy, add the texts from my brothers and father… I was going nuts. I didn’t know how they had found me after all these years but I had to change my number before they got ballsy and came here. I couldn’t risk the life I had built for myself. I couldn’t face them after everything that had happened.
The phone rang on the wall and Vince grabbed it as I shuffled a few more beers to another table across the room. They were college students visiting some friends in the area, ready for school to start back up. One of them had dreads and dark skin, he looked familiar but I couldn’t place him. He smiled at me and bit the inside of his lip.
“There’s something about you,” He started. “That is different.”
I held back a snort. “Could it be the purple hair?” I flicked my wig over my shoulder dramatically.
