“Don’t worry Pixie, I made a mental note to remind you,” he breathed into my mouth, then kissed me like he needed me to live.
Which was fitting because that was exactly how I felt about him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
GABRIEL
The compound was still as I walked quietly out of my room, shutting the door without a sound and leaving Devon to sleep. We’d made love three times before my dick begged me for a break. Each time it took me longer to climax which just gave me more time inside Devon.
In between making love, I held her to me, not letting her go and listened to her tales of life at home. It took some time, due to her off the subject rambling, but she managed to tell me of her decision to give her brothers part of the money she’d received after the accident. Personally, I wanted those three pricks to get nothing, but Devon was too sweet; she said they lost something that day too. Not only did they lose a mother but their teen years and in a way, a dad. Her father and I were definitely going to be sitting down sometime in the near future and chatting about how he was going to be treating his daughter from now on. Devon wanted him in her life; she wasn’t sure how or when or in what capacity, but she wasn’t kicking him out completely. He would be told though in no uncertain terms how I wanted it to go; no more neglect and no more blame.
With the smell of my girl all over me, and the feel of the desert replaced with her touch, I made my way to the war room.
I never said anything when I entered the sanctuary for the men of the Wounded Souls, and I wasn’t surprised when I saw all of the original members of Team Five as well as the new, seated at the table waiting for me.
This was our ritual after a bad deployment— not all of them, just the ones when shit went sideways, and we lost a comrade. A commando never spoke about a mission, not with each other and not with outsiders unless the mission took a brother-in-arms. We honoured their memory in the one way we knew.
Sitting down beside my father in the seat where the VP of the club would normally sit, I folded my hands on the scarred sacred table my father and Deck commissioned so many years ago. Taking a deep breath, I began to speak.
“I knew the minute our feet left the Chinook we were in trouble. The local force didn’t show at the drop-off time. We were familiar with the area, having been there three times already but never at night.”
“The IRR went ahead, using night vision and detectors to scan for IEDs. We were expecting them, considering the compound in question was also an IED making factory. When they didn’t find any, I honestly thought this was going to be easier than first thought. I was fucking wrong.” I shook my head once, looking over at Bastian, his face stoic not showing any emotion as I told our fathers and uncles of one of the worst firefights we had incurred in our military career.
“The first shot came from our left flank, no one saw it coming. Four mortar bombs went off in quick succession, injuring a sergeant from the IRR. Bastian and I moved him to cover under a tree, and covered him in foliage to keep him undetected.”
“We had contact coming from all fronts, insurgents firing everything from AK47s to rocket launchers. The money they get from selling opium is feeding their weaponry stores; it is getting worse. More money means more drugs means more firepower.” The war was more than just the injustice of the Taliban infiltrating the villages and taking over. The battle was now swiftly becoming a war on drugs.
“It wasn’t long before we were engaged in a significant firefight, close-range contact, but the insurgents knew we were coming. The radio transmission earlier in the day relayed intel that the Chinook was doing a hash and trash mission only. They are all aware of the drop of supply flights and normally leave them be. Chuckie, our local, sold us out and told our main target of our plans. We got railroaded before we even got in the air at the base.”
Looking at my father, I saw the tick in his jaw. He understood what I was relaying, I could see it in his mind as if he had been there with me.
“Things have changed since your day dad, we are forced to go out on mixed patrols now. All rotations are accompanied by local cops, ill-trained except for what we try to teach them. The majority hate the Taliban, want them out, but some want money more. We live with an enemy within the safety of the FOB, and it is a risk to our lives every day to trust them.”
Dad nodded but said nothing. With all these talks he rarely said anything. He sat, listened and remembered his own tormented time in that god forsaken place.
“Grill, Deke and Cole took a building to the right, the SEALS and a few of the SASR guys went in too. Bastian, Rafe, Kodah and myself along with WO1 Orton and the IRRs went to the left. We had good intel that the master leader was there in one of the cache rooms. I took the lead, my gun set to single shot. We took out approximately eighteen enemy fighters, some not much older than seventeen.”
“The fucking place was like a maze of rooms, women and children littered each room like a deliberate ploy to stop us from firing. Orton didn’t see the woman behind the door holding an explosive device until it was too late. I raised my weapon and fired several times, hitting her and three insurgents sitting at a table making crude IEDs. There were bags and bags of opiates all around the room. A sight I won’t likely forget.”
“One insurgent came out of a hidden door, I recognised him as a jackpot from the hit list. The number two guy the coalition have been after— we got him, we overpowered him and took him into custody.”
Lowering my head to my hands I stopped. No more did I want to talk.
Cole took over after that. Telling his equally harrowing story of teens with guns, women pretending to be scared and all the while holding bombs with the intention of not only killing us but her children as well, in the name of sacrifice. Killing a woman or worse a child wasn’t something you learned to deal with during selection training. Each individual soldier dealt with it in their own way. Some learnt quick … and some didn’t.
Sitting there in silence, the familial bond of brotherhood and camaraderie washed over me. I could never give this up, cut ties with either team. They were in my blood and made me the man I was today.
“Will this be your last tour of duty?” Creed asked, looking at his son first then at Bastian and me. The club’s former road captain and former army sniper had a knack of getting inside my head, his uncanny ability almost to read my mind no longer shocked me.
“No Creed,” I said shaking my head, looking at Bastian and Cole as they confirmed with a nod that they felt the same.
“It wouldn’t feel right walking away now. We didn’t ask for this war, but then neither did the people of Afghanistan. The insurgents are evil, and they have no place there. We would be doing the country a great disservice leaving now,” I answered, meaning every word.
“You wouldn’t have walked away had you had the choice either dad,” Cole said quietly to his father. The two looked almost identical, in both looks and personality. Zander and Dane, too, all of them the same dark hair, black eyes, and all broody bastards.
We all knew the reason behind Team Five leaving the army and starting the club, I couldn’t fault them for their decision or any made after that. This was a different time, the same war but different. I couldn’t walk away and live with myself. Not until I had exhausted every tool available to me to find a way for peace.
We talked for another hour, everyone had their turn, even dad shared some deep secrets. Deck, Mannix and Steel- all of them let us hear the struggle they faced over thirty years ago. The stories were similar, but I believed we were heading in the right direction to finally hand the country back to the rightful owners.
One by one, fathers, sons, uncles and mates filed out of the room, my dad and I the last to leave.
“You look into Devon’s oncologist?” I asked him, not needing to explain my question any further than that.
Dad nodded, his hand on my shoulder.
“Ford pulled his file and Devon’s. He is one of the top in his field. Devon is most certa
inly cancer free mate. No need to worry,” dad assured me and I sighed in relief.
Devon is the love of my life, to lose her would literally kill me. She had been through enough, suffered more than a person should.
It was time for all her dreams to come true, starting with a shave, then I had a bigger surprise for her.
“Don’t bother disturbing me for at least twenty-four hours old man,” I said, slapping him on the back then heading down the hall to where Devon was warm and safe.
“Back at ya son,” dad called out to me, making me stop and turn to look at him with wide disgusted eyes.
“That is fucking so wrong,” I muttered.
“Get over it boy, your mother still makes me—”
I strode off without waiting to hear what she made him do or feel or anything else I had no business knowing.
His laughter followed me until I reached my door and quickly entered, shutting him and his not funny jokes out.
In the darkness, I made out the sleeping form of my Pixie. Moving to the bed with practiced, silent steps and I crouched down in front of her. Her face was peaceful, a small contented smile graced her perfect lips, her eyelids still– no nightmares behind them. Under her chin was my shirt, clutched in her hands.
Reaching out, I brushed a stray wisp of hair behind her ear.
“I love you, always will until the day I die,” I whispered to her.
“Hmmm, you aren’t allowed to die Gabriel, I forbid it,” she mumbled sleepily, her face rubbing against the inside of my hand.
Leaning in, I placed a sweet kiss to her lips.
“Yes, ma’am,” I chuckled, then stood up and made my way to the bathroom.
I had a beard to shave off.
EPILOGUE
GABRIEL
“Where are we going?” Devon whined for the third time since I told her to pack a bag and get her arse ready and on my bike.
“I swear to god Pixie; I will tie your sexy arse to my bike and gag you if you don’t shut up and get on the bike already,” I muttered. I wasn’t losing my patience, that was never going to be possible with Devon. She was a constant source of amusement with her funny rambling, but her time-wasting was messing with my plans.
The night before, while recuperating after round two of making love to her, I came up with the idea of taking her on a trip to Dreamworld in Queensland, and making a stop at the Holsworthy base to show her around. One day, I was going to give up my command of Team FIVE, and while retirement from the army was not in my plans, being a Special Forces Instructor was definitely on my radar.
If Devon liked the base and Sydney then I would start my planning, along with another plan I had in mind. Fingering the box in my pocket, I made sure it was still safe. Proposing to Devon was first and foremost in my plans while we are away, if she would hurry up and get the hell on the bike so we could leave.
“Gabriel Booth, don’t you make me hurt you. Tell me where we are going and I will get on the bike. I haven’t been on the back of your bike in forever it seems like. I mean I could have gone with Doc a few times while you were away and you would have been none the wiser. But, then I thought, nope Ninja Man would probably get all twitchy and use his superpowers and I would get busted—”
“Devon! Get. On. THE. BIKE,” I growled, pinching the bridge of my nose and hiding my smile.
This woman owned my arse.
“Fine, fine. Have your secrets, just expect to listen to me jabbering in your ear all the way,” she huffed, finally taking my hand and throwing one sexy leg over the back and getting on. I moaned as she shuffled herself this way and that, back and forward until she was happy with her position.
I was happy. Why wouldn’t I be? The woman I was going to ask to marry me when the sun started to set tonight was finally on my bike. My plans were to have us somewhere in the mountains by the time that happened, stopping to see the sunset and get down on one knee. The diamond and sapphire ring I chose for her was unconventional as far as engagement rings went but, Devon was one of a kind and so should her ring be, too.
“I am taking you to the best place in the world baby. Now wrap those arms around me and hang on tight to your man.”
“Hmm, taking me to heaven are you Ninja?”
Immediately, I turned the key off and twisted my body to face her.
“No, baby, heaven isn’t somewhere you are going for a very fucking long time,” I told her firmly. Her past with cancer still scared the shit out of me. Ford showed me the medical reports, I saw for myself she was healthy. Like Devon, I too, had my own nightmares, and like hers they came and went. Mine consisted of Devon dying and leaving me alone in the world. Knowing her illness was gone and not looking like returning, helped keep them at bay though innocent comments like the one she just made did bubble them just below the surface.
Devon kissed my lips, lingering on mine. “I am fine baby. I’m not going anywhere without you,” she reassured me, knowing where my mind went.
“How about you go to paradise with me Pixie. Start there and see where our love takes us after that.”
Devon smiled against my lips.
“Giddy up,” she sassed me, checking the strap on her full-face helmet then winking at me before she dragged down the visor.
Laughing, I turned back around, turned the key back on and started my Harley, then pulled up my face scarf. Feeling like the luckiest man on earth, I kicked the bike into gear and slowly pulled out of the compound carpark.
This woman is going to marry me and we’re going to spend the rest of our lives, living, loving and making babies. I marvelled to myself, easing the bike through the large steel gates.
In my peripheral vision I caught my old man standing near the control panel probably doing a weekly maintenance check.
I lifted my chin at him, and received one in return along, with a knowing grin.
I did it dad, I found my reason.
THE END
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I must be honest with you. When I finished the Souls I really did think that was it.
I was happy with where I left them and didn’t see the need to go any further.
That was until I watched a documentary on the Australian commandos. It was then I knew I had to write the second generation of Team FIVE.
So, the Wounded Sons was conceived.
Gabriel spoke to me so much I begged him to give me a break at times. Then when he did and I had a week of nothing I thought, shit I am in trouble here. But Booth and Stella’s baby boy was just teasing me and he came back with a vengeance.
Bastian, Cole, Rafe, Grill, Deke and Kodah all have a story to tell and they will. One of these guys in particular will have one hell of a bomb to drop on the original Wounded Souls, but more about that later. First you need to meet and fall in love with Bastian.
Deck’s only son is a wildcard, he isn’t quite on board with authority figures unlike his old man.
I would like say a huge thank you to Robyn, my editor. Lady you are amazing! You truly care about not only me and my writing but you love my men nearly as much as I do. Nothing is too much trouble for you. I have a brain fart, (emails page 122) and you talk me off the ledge. Sometimes you tell Belinda, hahaha and sometimes it stays in the vault.
Thank you again Eric aka muscles, for gracing another cover. You really are built superbly.
Christy, my photographer and friend, thank you lady.
To my Pirate, you really do annoy the shit out of me. However, in saying that, I love you like a fat kid loves cake.
Shanneen, a weekend away soon is needed. Badly!
My betas; Amanda, Belinda and Sara. You read my gibberish, smack your heads at my swearing and slang. I can still make you laugh and cry and fall in love with my men.
My girls, even though you drag me to vegan markets, and stores that sell sustainably made wooden toys (Trina I still think Memphis would love a six-foot giraffe for Christmas), I love you all.
And to the person I leave for the end of ev
ery acknowledgment.
My bestie, the one person that keeps me laughing. Thank you Handsome, now toot sweet and get me a cuppa!
ALSO BY LEAH SHARELLE
WOUNDED SOULS SERIES
His Sweetness
His Honey
His Beauty
His Lady
His Angel
His Man
Her Prince
FIREMEN DO IT BETTER
Into the Fire
Out of the Flames
From the Inferno
A LOVE DUET
Love Hurts
Love Heals
CONNECT WITH LEAH SHARELLE
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leah Sharelle loves the idea of being in love. Since her early teens, when she first discovered Silhouette Desire novels, her life has been all about reading. She would find herself rewriting scenes if she wasn’t happy with them and then would hide them under her bed. That led her to writing love stories of her own. They all ended up under her bed and are still there— where she says they will stay.
Leah is a mum of three beautiful girls, living in Australia, and she has what most say is a weird sense of humour. She spends her free time doing movies, Sons of Anarchy, and Friends marathons. And reading. She doesn’t do angst. In fact, it drives her crazy. She loves Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain. There’s that weird humour.
Gabriel (The Wounded Sons Book 1) Page 20
