by Joy Jenkins
Clarity hit Link and he gave a self-loathing chuckle. "Of course. I’m the thing that breaks my dad's image of upstanding and wholesome. Put Mason and me together and you expose my…our father.” He hunched his shoulders.
"I could just punch him," Carter said, low and menacing, her fingers forming fists as she took in Link’s sadness.
Link raised his head. Her pure outrage on his defense made him smile, a smile full of amusement and sorrow. "Then I would have a black-eyed father and you would be arrested. It's probably not the best plan of action."
"But you deserve better," she said, her tone heavy with conviction.
He shrugged. "And so do you. And so does Donovan for that matter but that doesn't change facts."
"Yes," Carter said, sadly, "but it also doesn't mean I don't wish better for you."
"You mean that, don't you?”
"If I didn't mean it, I wouldn't have said it."
After a moment's pause, Link spoke. "What were their plans then?"
“It’s like you said, they wanted both you and Mason together so they could use you to expose the President for being adulterous."
"Would simply exposing the President be worth it for them if they were caught?" Link asked.
“I don’t think they had plans of being caught. Remember the false alarm lockdown? My tracker going offline? It was all purposeful, testing the school’s security. They probably initially planned to take Mason and you here but when that wasn’t an option, they devised the field trip. A museum where only our class would be and multiple exits where they could escape with you.”
Link stared at her for a long moment but didn't see her, absorbing the information. She could see he felt the weight of the scenarios that didn't end up with him sitting on the library floor. Carter and Donovan remained silent. They watched as he processed everything.
Eventually, Link looked between them. A thought tugged at the corner of his mouth. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Thanks for making sure that didn't happen.”
Donovan nodded and Carter sent him a warm grin.
"Really, I should be thanking you," she said. Both boys regarded her curiously. "It gave me an excuse to slap Mason, something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”
Link burst out laughing, the gesture releasing his burdened thoughts.
“Well, it's a good thing you're fast on your feet," Donovan said. “Or the whole situation could have had a different ending."
“So what you're saying,” Carter teased, “is that you would have failed without me as backup?"
Donovan tried to glare at her but taunting grin didn’t let him manage it and he softened. Link rested his chin in his hand.
"Are Amy and I this annoying?" he asked.
"Yes," both Carter and Donovan said.
Link shrugged, unconcerned. "Alright. Then I won't complain." A thought struck him. "Wait, earlier you said that your dad told you all of this because he crushed your heart. What did you mean?”
An ache returned to Carter’s heart and she couldn’t hold onto her smile. Donovan held her gaze, caring and understanding pouring through it. She found solace in his eyes.
"He signed back up for two more years with the secret service," she said. "He will be finishing out his protection detail by your father's side."
"Carter, I'm sorry," Link said.
"Yeah, well, that's life, right?" She smiled, dispersing the cloud that had formed over them. "At least it makes my choice of college clear."
"How come?"
"Well, I want to be as close to him as I can be in case anything happens. So Georgetown it is."
Donovan's quiet smile betrayed his feelings on the matter. Link perked up, excited.
"You'll be with us!"
Carter felt her heart lighten at the thought. "Yup, it looks like you're stuck with me."
"That doesn't sound too bad," Donovan said.
"Not at all," Link said. “Because clearly, it takes two of you to keep me out of trouble."
Carter laughed, the sound affectionate as it drifted away into the library's silence.
"That's true. I can be your second bodyguard," she said, winking at Link. "It will be my secret service.”
Epilogue
Early evening sunlight poured over the street, encasing Carter and Donovan in warmth. The day was cloudless and summer filled every mind. Buildings of staggered heights lined the sidewalk, casting shadows down on the couple. They moved as if in a separate world, not seeing the things around them.
"I don't understand," Carter said, "why holding a guy's hand has such a strong effect on girls?"
Donovan looked at her, his eyebrows raised, his lips curling into a smirk. The bruises along his jaw had shifted to a yellow, brown color.
"Are you saying that this has no effect on you?" he asked.
He brushed his fingers along the inside of her palm before lacing his fingers between hers. Carter felt her heart lurch and her nerves begin to hum. Despite this, she kept her face blank, fighting against the rush of heat climbing into her cheeks.
"None whatsoever," she said, her voice controlled.
Donovan leaned close to her ear. "You forget, you can't lie to me."
His voice was low and touched with a teasing note. When he pulled away, Carter scowled but didn't let go of his hand. A smile slowly overtook his face, the sight enticing one from her.
"You know, if you want to hold my hand," he said. "You can. It is your right, with me being your boyfriend."
"A label that is still in question by my father, though he did give it to you."
"I plan on making it more permanent."
"We'll see if that's possible."
In response, Donovan squeezed her hand. The feel of his fingers locked in hers felt new and familiar all at once. It was a feeling she didn't plan on losing.
They were passing a dark alley when she spoke again. "How's Link doing with being alone to -"
A pair of rough hands grabbed Carter and yanked her from Donovan's hold. She let out a cry of surprise. But a hand clamped down over her mouth and nose, cutting her off. The other hand closed around her in a vise-like grip, carrying her back into the alleyway.
Donovan rushed after her but another muscular man appeared. He caught Donovan by the shoulder, hauling him back. Carter struggled against her attacker but the man was three times her size and she dangled from his hold. Still, she tried to kick at his legs and butt his face with her head. All of her efforts had little effect as the oxygen drained out of her.
Her lungs screamed for air and she could only watch as Donovan efficiently rendered his opponent unconscious. Before the man hit the ground, he raced for her. The world was going blurry and she felt her thoughts unraveling. The hand over her face disappeared. Carter gasped, sucking in air. She leaned her head forward and Donovan took the opportunity to land a blow to her captor. The man released her. She went stumbling to the ground, fighting to get air into her lungs.
Her mind was slow to clear, her lungs working furiously. A second later, Donovan knelt by her side. He took her arm and lifted her to her feet. His face was tight with concern but his eyes blazed with adrenaline.
"Can you walk?" he asked, urgently.
Behind him, the man lay unconscious. Carter didn't glance at the prone figure. She nodded, the world still hazy.
"Good," he said. "We have to move."
They hurried to the mouth of the alley, Carter leaning on Donovan for support. As they hit the sidewalk, he kept her positioned away from the street, his body blocking hers from view.
They had barely gone a few steps before a gun fired.
The window of the bakery next to them exploded in a shower of glass. Chaos erupted, leaving Carter's ears ringing, the world muffled. The window shards rained over them and she raised her arms, blocking her face.
Everything was a storm of confusion as she fought to regain clarity. Another shot cut through the air, landing in a second window above them. Donovan flipped over a deserted tab
le on the sidewalk and they both ducked behind it.
He shielded her body with his own, his arms wrapped tightly around her.
More gunfire pelted the sidewalk and beat against the wooden table. Carter's mind crystallized as adrenaline spiked her system, the fuzzy thoughts of a second ago burned away. In its place was a sharp focus. Donovan leaned close to her, his lips hovering over her ear.
"We need to make a run for the bakery and take cover on the other side of the counter."
Carter twisted her head so she could see him. His blue eyes were serious, his lips a determined line.
"I'll follow you," he said.
She felt her heart race and her body buzz. Even in the intensity of the moment, she was overly aware of him. The feel of his chest pressed against her back, and his arms securing her.
"On the count of three," he said.
Carter nodded, shifting her stance.
"One."
Blood pounded in her ears.
"Two."
Another volley of gunfire ricocheted off the sidewalk and brick buildings.
"Three!"
Carter sprinted forward, Donovan hot on her heels. She leapt through the shattered window. Clearing the length of the shop in a few steps, she vaulted over the counter and landed hard on the floor. Donovan slid over the top and dropped down beside her.
She looked at him, her breathing fast and energized. Donovan met her gaze, his eyes bright like burning candle flames.
A smile spread across her face. He was quick to return it.
She laughed, peering over the top of the counter and then back at him.
"Well," she said, "Captain has had a good many opportunities to hit you with a bean bag bullet and hasn't. I say this is a good sign."
"Good," Donovan said, "because I wanted to take you out tonight."
Carter couldn't stop the happiness she felt with that statement. "Then let's get me through this with no injuries and you only mildly wounded."
"I'll take mildly wounded for a date with you."
They smiled as another round of bullets pinged off the counter and tile floor. Carter twisted to peak over the counter. From the low view, there wasn't much to see.
"What's our next move?" she asked.
Donovan pointed to himself. "You mean my next move. Technically, you weren't even supposed to struggle against Curtis."
Carter frowned. "You try playing the helpless damsel after years of training and see how easy it is to do nothing." A thought struck her. "You didn't hurt Curtis too badly, did you?"
Donovan shook his head. "He might have a headache tomorrow and a bruise or two but he'll be fine. Now, come on. Let's move. And no attacking the men. That's my job today."
As Carter rolled her eyes, Donovan chuckled. He rose to a crouch and took her hand as he passed by. She suppressed a smile at the feel of his hand in hers.
Pulling a gun from the back of his jeans, Donovan raised it. They crept along the counter and ducked into the empty back room. Dust layered the floor. They left footprints as they made their way to the back door. Donovan released Carter's hand and reached for the handle. With a backward look at her and a nod in response, he eased it open.
He edged his gun out, checking the alley. Satisfied it was clear, he pushed the door all the way open, swinging his gun around to check the other end. Before Carter stepped out, he scanned the rooftops.
"Let's move," he said
She followed his lead as he moved down the alley. Every few feet, she glanced back.
"I still think I should have taken the gun from Anderson," she said. "He was unconscious and I feel completely helpless."
Donovan smiled but didn't look back, his focus on the opening. "That's not what this is about. Today is about me proving, again, to your father that I can protect you."
"I can protect myself."
"I know that."
Carter swallowed her next comment when a man appeared at the entrance. Donovan fired twice. Two red paintballs exploded on the man's chest. Smirking, the man stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall. Carter looked back but saw no sign of danger from that end. They slid along the wall until they reached the corner.
"The car is only a block away but this is the end of our cover," Donovan said. "You ready?"
"Give me a gun and I will be."
He chuckled but made no response. "Okay, stay with me."
"I don't plan on leaving." The words slipped out before Carter had time to realize what she had said. Donovan halted.
"We have to go," she said, trying to erase the words.
A touch of a smile tugged at his lips as he sharpened his focus once more. "Alright."
He checked that the street was clear and hurried out, Carter close behind. A storm of gunshots rang out the second they hit the pavement. Donovan pulled Carter to cover against a rusty car. She huddled close to the ground, Donovan's hand keeping her as small as possible.
"This is stupid, I want a gun," she said.
Donovan made no reply, his focus elsewhere. He spun around and aimed three shots at a second-story window. Two of the three met its target and the gunfire ceased. "Move!"
Carter was already rising as he took hold of her arm to help her up. They sprinted for the next street, ducking around a car and sliding into a kneeling stance. The upper torso of a man popped up from a roof across the way. Donovan took him down with a quick hit to the chest.
"We need to make it to the car soon," he said, "because I only have one bullet left. After that, it's just me between you and bullets. And I don't feel like getting hit with a bean bag round."
"I heard those hurt worse than a real bullet."
"You see why I want to avoid it then." He nodded to the street. "Come on. Almost there."
Giving the lane one final check, he took the lead. They hurried down the sidewalk, Donovan scanning the rooftops as they went. They stopped at the corner, the Mercedes in sight, parked across the way. Donovan whipped his head out and back in. When nothing happened, he peered out again, examining the sidewalk. Carter could see the determination radiating from him, his body tense with energy.
When he stepped out, she followed, keeping close. He swiveled one way and the next, his mind alert for a trap. The street remained quiet.
Just as they reached the car, sunlight glinted off something metal protruding from a window. Before the shooter could fire, Donovan aimed and squeezed the trigger. His final shot took out a man that materialized from the shadows. The sequence was over in less than a second.
Carter couldn't help but smile, admiring the speed and certainty in which he had moved. Though empty, he swung the gun around, searching for last minute attacks.
None came.
A moment later her father walked out of a building. The men who had been shot stood and gathered together. Her father's face was serious as he looked at Donovan, who straightened under his gaze.
"Good," he said. "But you are out of bullets, so it would only take a single shot to end you at this point."
Donovan gave a curt nod. "Yes, that is if I were still standing here. By this time I planned to be a mile away in the car."
Her father frowned. "Life doesn't go as you plan. Remember that."
"I will, sir."
Joining the group, Curtis clapped a hand on Carter's father's shoulder. "Steve, lighten up. You've put him through three different scenarios and he's proven he can protect Carter in each one. I say it's time you trust him."
Carter smiled at Curtis and he sent her a grin. She focused on her father, who still wore a convincing frown. "Well, Captain?"
After a long minute, the frown broke.
◆◆◆
Carter stood in front of her closet, her freshly blow-dried hair falling over her shoulders. She stared at the dark assortment of clothes, her hands hidden away in the pockets of her sweats. The apartment lay quiet, the question on Carter's mind the loudest thing.
"I really have no variety," she said.
&nb
sp; "Your closet could stand to expand, yes."
Carter waved a frustrated hand at the ensemble. "I think I have five shirts that are all the same. Even the same color."
Maggie restrained her laughter. "I think you're right."
Leaning her head back, Carter groaned. "This is stupid and I know it, yet somehow I care what I wear tonight. And what Donovan thinks."
Maggie placed a consoling hand on her shoulder, bringing Carter's attention to her. "Hon, it's not going to matter what you wear. He will be happy just to be taking you out."
"You say that like I could go in my sweats."
Maggie's laughter burst out, wiping away Carter's annoyance for the moment.
"How about this," she said, "you'll wear what you usually do and tomorrow I'll take you shopping."
Carter grimaced. "Even the word 'shopping' makes me want to shoot something."
"It's that or wear the same thing every time you go out with Donovan."
Carter's eyes narrowed on the closet, her mouth a thin line. "Is the sweats option off the table?"
"Yes, I can't let you leave the house on your first date in your father's old training t-shirt and ratty sweatpants."
Frustrated, Carter palmed her eyes. "Is it always this annoying being a girl?"
Maggie shrugged and moved to the closet. "It feels annoying because everything is new but you'll get used to it." She pulled out a simple dark green shirt and a pair of jeans.
Carter took the items and shook her head. "I hope it gets easier or I'll break a hole in my punching bag."
Maggie chuckled and picked up Carter's discarded towel. As Carter was about to change, they heard a knock on the front door. They froze, listening as her father crossed the living room. A deep, familiar masculine voice drifted through the apartment. Carter couldn't help the smile that appeared. Maggie shot her a cheeky grin. In response, Carter scowled.
"Don't worry, girly," Maggie said. "Your secret is safe with me." She waved her hands at Carter. "Hurry up and get dressed, I don't want Steve torturing him for too long."
Carter quickly changed, straining to hear anything beyond her door. Before leaving, she allowed herself a quick glance in the mirror. Even as she scrutinized herself, there was a brightness in her eyes she couldn't avoid noticing. A grin pulled at the edge of her mouth.
