by Aliyah Burke
Each power forward dragged her breasts across the surface of the table. Her shoulders moved dishes that hadn't been removed yet, her hands curved, fingers digging into the smooth wood. She rolled against his touch when he grabbed her hips with his hands, his calluses increasing her gratification. Her eyes didn't want to stay open no matter how hard she tried.
"Fuck,” Liam growled from behind her. “You are so damn tight around me."
"Harder, Liam,” she begged. She needed this.
And he complied. Harder. Faster and deeper he thrust into her. Tighter and tighter her pussy held him as he continued. Still, she wanted more and pushed back against him. His grip intensified, holding her immobile before going even faster with each stroke. Spirals of fire and lightning flowed throughout her as she crested the peak.
"Shit!” Caden screamed as she clamped down like a vice on his shaft.
A low roar from Liam echoed her yell and seconds later she came again as she felt him unload deep within her, his sperm coating her womb. Aftershocks poured through her body as his warm one lowered over her, his rapidly beating heart pounded against her back. For a few moments they remained like that, until he pulled out of her and she left to get cleaned up before they got their clothes back to semi-organized.
A bit shy, Caden snuck a glance at Liam. He seemed to know she was watching and turned to her. A tender smile tipped up the corner of his mouth and he reached out and stroked her cheek.
He's the kind of guy one could really fall for. Shame filled her. She shouldn't be feeling this way. Hell, I shouldn't be doing what I did with him, much less in the house I shared with my husband. Not to mention he's a marine and I swore no more military men. Caden dropped her gaze.
"Caden?” he asked as he lowered his hand.
"I ... I ... this ... I...” Caden headed for the living room.
Liam followed.
Her heart felt tight and the loving feeling she'd gotten from making love to Liam just a moment ago faded. Breaths came short and fast as she paced across the thick rug.
"What's going on, Caden?"
"This was a mistake."
"What was?"
"You. Me. This. Us.” She waved a hand around.
"No, Caden. This isn't a mistake. What we have is something special.” Liam reached for her.
Caden jerked away, noting the pain that flashed through his gaze. “I'm a married woman,” she gasped.
"No, you're not. You're a widow."
"I know that, but I can still see him, and ... I don't want betray the love we had for one another."
A muscle clenched in his jaw, but instead of stepping away, Liam moved closer. “Caden, you still see him because you are suffering from post bereavement hallucination. I've seen it before in soldiers who've lost buddies in combat."
Anger flashed through her.
"How dare you?” she seethed. “How dare you tell me you know what I'm going through?” Grinding her back teeth, she shook her head. “Get out.” Liam raised his hand and reached for her. “Get out!"
"You aren't the only one who's lost people before, Caden,” he bit off. It was obvious he was trying to control his temper.
"What the hell do you know?"
"What do I know?” he yelled back. “What do I know?” Liam stepped back and shoved his hands over his shorn head. “I know what it's like to lose a loved one. I've lost fellow Marines in battle, held them in my arms as they died, my brothers, my friends. Had their blood soaking my clothes, staining my skin.” He paused and swallowed, stepping back from her.
Caden could hear the raw pain in his voice. It ripped up from his soul and spilled out over her. Another wave of shame filled her, but this time it was for her actions to him. Not because of what she did with him.
"I have gone through post bereavement hallucinations; there are still members from my unit that I see. There is no shame in it, but you can't let it keep you from living your life.” He licked his lips.
Tears pricked the backs of her eyes but before she could reach for him, his phone rang. He flipped it open and walked off to talk to the person on the other end. There was a somber expression on his face when he returned to her side. I know that look. I remember seeing it on Dionte's face.
"I have to go, my unit is being deployed early, we're going back to the Middle East. I can't begin to tell you how much you've come to mean to me, Caden. I can argue with you about me being in the Corps and how you should give us a chance, but, I can't fight a ghost you aren't willing to let go of.” He leaned in close and pressed a kiss to her lips, a light, tender kiss. “Goodbye, Caden. Take care of yourself.” Liam looked at her for a moment, emotion overflowing in his stare and he whispered, “Taim i'ngra leat."
Caden stood there as he spun around and was heading out the door in moments. As the echo of the door latching reverberated through her house, the first tear sneaked out. She sank to the floor, the rug supporting her collapsed body. Her heart felt like it was breaking. A man who'd made her feel things on par with and even more deeply than her husband had, wanted to be with her and all she could do was push him away.
"Liam,” she muttered as she covered her face with her hands. She wanted to understand the foreign words he'd said.
After a bit, she rose and headed for her bathroom where she indulged in a long, hot soak. Caden didn't do much of anything until lunch when she made herself something to eat. Her plate beside her on the couch, she held in one hand her wedding photo. She stared at it, not really seeing what was before her, her thumb touching Dionte's face.
There wasn't much to do for the rest of the day, she cleaned and spent some time going over files, but mostly she fought a war with herself over what to do about Liam. There were hundreds of reasons she could give herself not to be with him. Do I really want to be alone for the rest of my life?
"Of course I don't.” She sat down on the step and groaned. “Would it make a difference if he wasn't military?"
Caden leaned against the railing of the staircase and closed her eyes. Light sounds of how it had been with Dionte filled her ears. The laughter, the joy, but it was fading. It was no longer as clear as it once was and no matter how hard she tried to turn up the volume, it didn't happen.
She realized what Liam had told her was true. The closer she became with the Marine the less she needed the reassurance from her dead husband. Liam was her future.
Liam. The man who had left and she hadn't told him how she felt. Fear began to creep into her skin at the thought of losing him before she even had him. What would she have to remind herself of him? Her hand dropped to cover her womb. What if?
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Chapter Six
Afghanistan
Liam drank some water and wiped his forearm across his head, wiping away the sweat which had gathered. Not sure why I keep doing that. It ain't like I'm going to stop sweating any time soon. With a sigh he pushed up from the cot he was sitting on and moved to the open flap.
"Hey Gunny, come play some basketball,” a voice snared his attention from the canteen in his hand.
Looking to his right, he saw five guys standing there, waving him over. Heading toward them he fought a smile. They were great marines.
"Unless,” one teased, “you're too old."
One half of his mouth quirked up. “Not too old to teach you something,” he retorted. Setting down his water, he whipped off his shirt and gestured for the ball. “Let's do this."
Soon they were running around the makeshift court shooting hoops. The looming threat of death was pushed back as they played. Later that afternoon as they suited up for their assignment, those same faces, which had been smiling and lighthearted, were somber and all businesslike. They had no desire to head for this well known area of insurgents, but he had no say when their orders came down. His unit was to escort a reporter to a small village to allow them an interview with the locals.
They were to act as babysitters. He wasn't pleased. Risking his life and those of his men was one thing,
but to indulge the whim of a reporter ... that made him less than pleased.
"Mount up,” he hollered and stood on the step of his Humvee. Quickly and quietly his men did as he'd commanded. “Move out,” he said to the driver while he swung in and pulled the door shut.
The silence in the vehicle while they headed toward their destination was almost overwhelming, but he was used to it. Apparently the reporter wasn't. She and her camera man did their best to engage his men in conversation. It didn't work.
"Gunnery Sergeant Quinn?"
He looked over his shoulder at her. “Ma'am?"
"Why is everyone so quiet?"
"This isn't a day at the park, ma'am.” He faced forward again.
"Are you married?” she hollered up to him.
Rolling his eyes, he looked back again. “No ma'am, I'm not."
The image of Caden Bradshaw came to mind and he almost smiled. He didn't, for he had no wish to lead this woman on. She was an attractive woman, but Rachel Hoss wasn't the one for him.
"You don't like me much do you, Quinn?” she asked.
He pulled his sunglasses down and stared into her baby blues. “Don't know you well enough to make that judgment, ma'am.” With one finger he pushed them back up to settle where they belonged and turned back to face the front. The remainder of the ride was done in silence.
When they arrived at the village, he turned around again and said, “You'll wait here until we've secured the area."
Liam climbed out and issued the orders over the radio to the other vehicles. Soon they had spread out and secured the area. Standing by the back door, he opened it, his M-16 against his right shoulder. “Here you go."
She moved past him with a sweet smell of perfume as she adjusted her helmet. “Let's get this show on the road,” she quipped and headed toward a group of women who'd stopped to watch them.
"I can hardly wait,” he mumbled. He followed her and wished he was anywhere other than where he was.
Liam paid little attention to her interview, choosing instead to do his job and keep the area secure. When she needed to use the facilities, he secured it before and stood outside while she was in there. He wasn't sure what alerted him, but suddenly it was there; the feeling of impending doom, snaking up his spine. His mother told him he got that from his father's side. It was near impossible to sneak up on a Powhatan and he never ignored the feeling. A whistle filled the air.
"Incoming!” he yelled and ran for the reporter. Liam tackled her with a grunt and bore her to the ground as the earth shook with the explosion. One of their vehicles was incinerated. His body took the impact of the flying debris. With a single move he got to his feet and hauled her shaking body up after him.
"Move!” he thundered as he shoved her toward some form of shelter. “Keep your head down."
Through the smoke and settling dust he saw her cameraman still filming. Another whistle reached him and he ducked as another RPG took out their last mode of transportation.
"Get us some wheels, Sweets,” he hollered to the man on his left. “Go with him, Doc."
"You got it, Gunny,” the men said and began a careful search.
Liam didn't think they'd find anything; this was a pretty remote village. How the hell did they get such an exact location on the vehicles? “Let's go,” he said and slowly began inching to where the cameraman huddled with another marine.
"Keep filming,” Rachel ordered as they arrived near them.
Glancing at the corporal beside him, Liam touched his shoulder. “Keep sharp, Marine."
"No ride, Gunny,” Sweets told him when they came back into sight.
"Call for one. Get us the hell out of here.” Liam frowned; a form from behind a loose shutter grabbed his attention. “Take cover!” he shouted as the man raised a weapon and began firing upon them.
He lifted his M-16 and returned fire. Insurgents seemed to materialize out of nowhere. The air was filled with the sounds of automatic gunfire and the screams of dying people. Traps like this were disastrous in any circumstances, but to have two civilians with them under their protection made it worse.
Corporal Jenkins was leading them and he was covering their rear.
"Run for that building there. It has the thickest walls and we can hole up there until we get out of here."
"What about you, Gunny?"
"I'll be right behind you, Jenkins. Keep our guests safe.” He glared at the scared faces of the news crew. “You do what he says when he says. Keep your heads down.” When they both nodded, he checked his ammo and glanced to Jenkins. “Go."
They stood at the same time, Liam not moving, but firing to give them a chance to get to cover. Out of the corner of his eye he could see more of his men, working together as they eliminated the threat.
Liam was pissed by the time he made it into the building. “Watch the door,” he ordered as he stomped over to the two people who made it so they were in this situation. “Who made a call?"
Rachel blanched. Liam held out his hand. She scooted back a bit from him.
"You have five seconds to give me the damn thing or I'll find it on you."
"Hey!” her cameraman said. “I will not let you threaten her—"
Liam pulled his sidearm and pointed it at him. “Sit.” Turning his gaze back to the blonde reporter he held out his other hand. “The phone. You're the reason we're in this. You made a call and they've locked onto our position. Give me the damn phone!"
Her hand shook as she reached inside her pocket and pulled it out. Liam took it, dropped it, and smashed it under the heel of his combat boot. Then he holstered his sidearm. “I've had enough time to form an opinion, now, Ms. Hoss. I don't like you."
"I didn't ... I...” she stuttered.
"You didn't think, Ms. Hoss. Your kind never does. We shouldn't even be here, but because you got down on your knees for some Washington bureaucrat my men and I have to put our lives on the line for your whims."
Rachel got to her feet and snapped. “I am here on my own merits. You have no right to say such things."
She stuck her finger at his chest. Liam caught it in his hand before it made contact and lowered his face to hers.
He tightened his grip on her as he snarled, “Don't ever assume you can touch me. I don't give a damn what your merits are. Every life that's lost from here on out is on you. Trust me when I tell you this, if it comes to saving your ass or one of my men, there's no contest.” Liam dropped her hand like it was a plague and stepped away.
"You do know the camera is still running, right?” her icy voice reached him.
Without turning he said, “Good. Then the whole world will know you broke protocol and placed a call, allowing the insurgents to get a fix on our location and put us in this particular pile of shit. Now, sit down and zip it. I will gag you if need be."
Liam listened to the sounds of gunfire outside. “Babysit them, Jenkins. If they give you any trouble, tie ‘em up, just make sure they can run."
He moved to the door, crouched down, and removed his sunglasses, since evening had arrived. Liam could see the movements of the men who were firing at them. It was like they just wanted to keep them pinned down while something bigger arrived for it was sporadic gunfire.
"How's it coming with our extraction, Sweets?” he questioned.
"Slow, Gunny. But they're coming. They want us to dig in and wait."
"It's a trap, and we're the bait,” he said. “Make sure they know that."
"Aye, aye, Gunny."
Liam didn't like this at all. He had the feeling of being a sitting duck.
"Gunny!” Corporal Stewart's voice called to him.
"Whaddaya got, Stu?” he asked going to the back wall.
"A way out.” He pointed to a small hole in the corner. “I can go check it out and see if it's safe."
"Do that, take Walls. Be quick and watch your surroundings."
"Back before you know it, Gunny. Walls, let's go."
Liam watched as they slithered away
into the dark hole. Spinning around, he said, “Let's get ready to go."
"What's going on?” Rachel queried.
"Sit tight, Ms. Hoss. I don't have time to deal with you right now.” He walked back to the door and kept an eye out.
Soon they were all crawling on their bellies through the winding tunnel. It was tight, uncomfortable, but all in all it went pretty well. They surfaced in the desert and fanned out before hiding their charges by a large rock.
Couching down before them, Liam stared at them both. “Not a single sound out of either of you.” Rachel glared at him, but he brushed it off. Her issues with him were not high on his list of concerns.
"Vehicles approaching, Gunny,” a terse whisper reached him.
"Stay low.” He moved to Sweets’ side and stared. “It's ours, radio them and tell them where we are.” Clapping him on the shoulder he returned to where he used to be.
"Message received, Gunny,” Sweets’ voice said.
Sweets’ words had barely faded when shots began to ring out again. Liam and his men began returning fire from their positions. Closer and closer their troops came. The front Humvee squealed to a stop and Liam grabbed the cameraman and shoved him toward the running vehicle.
A feminine scream pulled his head around. Rachel was cowering as the rock behind her flew off in chunks. “Don't leave me!” Her blue eyes were wide and filled with fear.
"Shit,” he muttered. “Move!” he yelled. “Stay low and come to me."
Returning fire, Liam rushed back to her side. Blood ran down the side of her face from her temple. There was no longer any trace of the cocky reporter from earlier. This must be one of her first assignments and it got this dangerous.
"Gunny! RPG incoming!"
Liam looked up from the hysterical woman and saw the inbound artillery. With a groan he dropped his weapon, reached down, and grabbed Rachel. One hand pushed her face first toward the ground before slipping under the waistband of her pants his other grabbed under the collar of her flak jacket. With all of his strength he heaved her toward the waiting Humvee and his Marines.
Scooping up his gun, Liam knew he would be too late. He scrambled away just as the shell hit the rock before him. Throwing up his arm to protect his face he swore as rock shards flew like daggers at him. The heat and force from the blast knocked him back. Liam hit the ground hard and the world around him went black.
