“Here we go.” He said to himself, putting his hands on either edge of the hatch. Shutting his eyes, he pushed off. He spread his arms and legs, presenting his chest to the ground and arched his head and back upward, as the rest of his fellow troops began to jump from the massive airplane. His heart beat faster and faster, as he plummeted to the ground, the wind against his face growing stronger by the second. By now, he could visualize his landing spot: A large, wide patch of land, a few yards away from a narrow road that led to the village.
Upon landing, Jake punched his hands into the parachute cloth that had been wrapped around him and got free of it. He jumped up and looked around him, watching as his troops landed, one by one. Seconds later, the twelve men and women were safely on the ground. Gripping the handle of his rifle tighter, he started forward. Straight away, he pointed it up ahead, at a mangled car that littered the road.
“Careful.” He spoke through his headset. “I don’t like th…”
Jake didn’t have time to finish his sentence. A powerful, explosive blast lit up the night, sending the car in question more than twenty feet up in the air. He and his troops were blown backwards. Jake landed flat and hard on his back, his large, heavy body kicking up dust. His ears buzzed, as he leaned against his shoulders. Opening his eyes to slits, he saw a powerful weapon being placed on the ledge of a window, in the building closest to them and to the left.
“Take cover!” He yelled, his stomach chilling with fear as he lunged toward the burning car. This time, he landed flat on the ground, with his head to his right side, as the crackling sound of bullets tore through the night. He brought his right leg up near the side of his torso and moved his left arm up above his head, bending it. Jake quickly crawled towards the car, placing his weight on his bent arm and leg, as adrenaline rushed through his veins. Reaching it, he rolled over onto his back, placed his hands on the ground and sat up, as bullets struck the car. Two of his men were hurtling towards him, with light antitank weapons in their grasps.
“Rivers, Sanchez, take that fifty-caliber out now!” Jake ordered, as they dropped to their knees beside him. The two men pulled their weapons from their arms, looking over the car. They put the tubes on their shoulders and pointed them at the building, pressing their eyes to the optics, amid a hail of fire. Rivers and Sanchez squeezed their triggers, almost at the same time. Two, loud, banging noises ripped through the atmosphere, as the rockets left the tubes. The consecutive explosions rocked the ground, as two, massive fireballs ignited, shattering every window of the building. Thousands upon thousands of shards of glass, along with small chunks of concrete landed all around them.
“Son of a bitch…” Jake gasped, his chest rising up and down. “Someone knew we were coming.”
“Medic: I need a Medic!” Corporal Brand yelled. The shouting voice drew Jake’s attention. He jumped up and rushed towards him, staring down at one of his troops. The few seconds it took him to get to them felt like an eternity. His heart sank, as he discovered the identity of the fallen marine: it was Allison. She was lying on her back: her eyes closed; her hair all over her face; a pool of blood slowly spreading across her chest. Jake fell to his knees beside her, his eyes dark with shock. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her up.
“Allie! Come on, baby, talk to me.” He spoke too fast, his voice riddled with tension and fear. Dr. Jensen checked for a pulse over her carotid artery. Then, he put his hand on her chest. Clenching his jaw, he dragged his gaze up to meet Jake’s. He didn’t have to speak. The sullen look in his eyes confirmed Jake’s worst fears.
“No…” A whisper of despair fled his lips, as he placed her head on his lap. Removing his right hand from her shoulder, he pushed her hair back from her face, his lips quivering as tears welled up in his eyes. “Wake up, baby. Don’t leave me now…” he went on, caressing her cheek.
“I’m really sorry,” Dr. Jensen said in a low and calm voice. “I know you were close.”
Jake tilted his head further down, staring at her lifeless face, as two tears spilled from his eyes. Allison Barnes, the woman he was about to propose to, the love of his life, was dead in his arms. Feeling the unbearable pain ripping through him, he looked up into the sky, screaming at the top of his lungs:
“Noooooooooooooooo!”
2
Present Day
Following the tragic death of his beloved Allison, Jake tried to find out if their mission had been compromised. A car getting blown up in the middle of the night was very odd to say the least. Whoever had attacked them had done so using the light from the powerful blast to pinpoint their exact locations. For months, he kept asking his superiors about it and contacted a few friends he still had in Baghdad, in case they had heard something. Despite his persistent phone calls and the numerous questions he posed to his superiors, however, he came up with nothing. His superiors said that Allison was merely another victim of war; similarly, the Iraqis were not of much help, either.
Regardless of the outcome, however, in his heart, Jake knew that he could no longer be a marine. He wasn’t afraid of death; it was a part of the job. After all, he had been through similar situations a number of times in the past. What had really devastated him was the fact that he had failed to protect Allison. Jake had lost his self-confidence. Unable to believe in himself, he thought he was incapable of leading his troops anymore. However, even if he hadn’t, his superiors’ behavior towards him had disgusted him. None of them seemed willing to provide a helping hand and Jake couldn’t shake the feeling that they were hiding something from him. With his entire belief system crashing down around him, he felt like he had no other choice but to resign.
Moreover, upon his return to Boston, he discovered that he could not stay there, either. Jake and Allison had known each other since the tender age of twelve. They had been together since high school. Living in the same place would bring back all of those special memories, which would only add to his misery, and not allow him to put the past behind him. Two days were enough to convince him that he had to leave the city, and go someplace where nothing and no one would remind him of the life he used to have with her. Therefore, Jake made the biggest decision in his life: to go and live in the mountains. More specifically, to live in the small town of Adams, up on Mount Greylock, two hours away from his birthplace.
Noticing the almost complete absence of any bars in the area, Jake took full advantage of the situation. He opened a large, spacious bar and he did what his heart told him: he named it after Allison. In spite of the locals’ objections, he allowed access to everybody, including “The Golden Saviors”, a local motorcycle club. Jake couldn’t afford to choose customers. As loud as they were, a fifteen-large group of bikers was most welcome. Just days after the opening, he learned that he and Clay Marshall, the club president had something in common: The middle-aged man used to be a marine as well. He had served in the Gulf war. Not long after, the two of them became friends, sharing stories from their days of service.
“Allison’s” bar became popular within weeks. The locals liked Jake and the music he played fit everyone’s taste. However, it wasn’t the music that drew the single women of Adams town to the bar like a moth to a flame. Jake was a 30-year old, 6’2”, very handsome man indeed; athletic, soft-spoken and more importantly, single. Most of them visited his bar and tried to flirt with him, but Jake didn’t reciprocate their flirting signals. Swamped with work and still mourning Allison’s loss, he had no time for a relationship. Nevertheless, one of them remained persistent: Deputy Sheriff Holly Hutchinson. More often than not, the 27-year old, beautiful brunette would sit at the bar and try to find out more about him. One particularly cold, mid-February night was no different.
“Okay…” She started, easing her glass down on the counter. “You really have to do something about that thing on your face.”
“Don’t make a big deal out of it, Holly.” Jake said with a bit of annoyance is his baritone. “Everyone else in this town has a beard. Why shouldn’t I
grow one?”
“Exactly,” Holly exclaimed. “What are you trying to do, blend in?”
“What if I am?” He smirked, pouring vodka into a glass.
“I just think you’d look a lot better without it.” She spoke her mind, her voice much softer as she swirled the straw in her glass. “It makes you look older.”
“I needed a change.” Jake declared. “Not to mention shaving bores me to death.”
“You can try all you want, city boy.” Holly’s voice was dripping with sarcasm. “You’ll never become a mountain man.”
“Is that a fact?” He put a little force in his voice, folding his arms across his chest.
“Yes.” She said with a nod, picking up her glass. “Frankly? I like that. It means you’ll always be the refined gentleman you are right now. Tall, handsome…”
“You’re doing it again,” Jake interrupted, in a stiff tone, “and I’m a little too tired to have the same old conversation.”
“What’s the matter?” A cunning smile spread across her face, as she leaned forward: “Captain?” The single word that came out of her mouth had not come as a surprise. Jake had not kept his identity secret and, as a police officer, Holly could gain access to his record. “I’ve known that for a while now. Captain Jake Isaacs; United States Marine Corps.: graduated first in his class; served two tours in Iraq, one in Afghanistan; a highly decorated officer, who quit, back in 2014. I’m not going to ask why you quit. I just can’t help but wonder: what in the world is a man like you doing in this godforsaken town? What are you running from, Jake?”
Her question bothered him. The painful moment of Allison’s death flashed through his mind. Jake preferred to drop his gaze from her, squeezing his lips.
“Go home, Holly.” He murmured, grabbing a small towel. “It’s late; don’t you have to be at work tomorrow morning?”
“Actually, tomorrow’s my day off.” She remarked. “Okay, you don’t want to talk about it. I respect that. You said you were tired. Anything I can do to help?”
“Well…” Jake snorted. “You can jump over the counter and help me out with all these glasses.”
“What did you just say?” Her squeaky tone forced him to return his gaze to her face.
“I was kidding.” He sighed. “I mean…”
“That’s a great idea!” She said with a toothy grin on her face as her eyes sparkled with excitement. “I can work here on my days off!”
“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” He raised his hand to his chest. “I didn’t mean that. It was just a joke.”
“Come on.” Holly made her voice sound sweeter. “I’ve seen how busy you are. This place is packed all the time. Are you telling me you couldn’t use a hand in here?”
“I could.” Jake admitted, unable to deny to himself that she had a point. “It will be strictly professional, though. No more flirting, no more personal questions. Are we clear?”
“Yes, sir!” she shouted at him and saluted him, “When can I start?”
“I’d say ‘tonight’, but it’s pretty late already.” He remarked, glancing at the clock on the wall to the left. “When’s your next day off?”
“Friday,” her response was sharp.
“I’ll see you on Friday, then.” Jake smiled. “6pm. don’t be late. Go get some rest. Goodnight.”
3
Friday came and Jake was delighted that, for the first time ever, he would have someone to rely on at work. Fridays and Saturdays were the busiest days of the week. The locals would swarm “Allison’s” bar and wouldn’t leave until the early morning. He hardly had time to catch his breath. Still, he wasn’t convinced that Holly would stay true to her word. She had been flirting with him for months and would not give up, despite his continuous rejections. In his mind, this could well be just another way for her to get closer to him. Jake also had no idea whether she could handle all of the pressure. At some point, Holly could very well snap and quit. At any rate, he would have to wait until the night to find out.
In spite of his doubts, she did not fail him. She showed up fifteen minutes early and did not even try to start a conversation with him. Instead, she asked a few questions about work first and then did everything Jake told her to do. And, as the bar became more and more crowded, she seemed to be coping with pressure much better than he expected. Holly didn’t complain at all and actually seemed to be having fun at her new job, smiling at him and at the customers as well. Of course, a few of her acquaintances were somewhat surprised to see her pouring drinks and even went on to laugh at her, but she paid no attention to them whatsoever. By the end of the night, Jake was starting to admire the strength of her character and her tirelessness alike.
After the last customer had left, he excused himself and went to the terrace, in dire need of some fresh air.
“Well done, deputy.” He thought to himself, as the numerous town lights came into view. “It got crazy here tonight and, yet, you kept your mouth shut and kept on working. I’m impressed.”
A loud crack of thunder ripped through the night as he gazed out at the view. The night of Allison’s fatal injury began to replay in his mind, as a few raindrops landed on his face. Jake felt tears rising up in his eyes, as he found himself still asking if he would ever stop thinking about the few moments that had been haunting his mind all this time.
“Always the same question. Always the same answer. How can I forget? How can I stop thinking about you, Allie? I was there, baby. And I didn’t even get the chance to say ‘goodbye’…”
Two tears streamed down his cheeks, as the rain became stronger. Jake took a deep breath, sensing more and more raindrops on his head, as happy memories of his life with Allison flashed before his eyes.
“Graduation, military school, walks by the beach… Your hug, your kiss… God, I miss you so much, Allie. Where are you, honey? Where are…”
“Jake!” Holly’s feminine voice interrupted his thoughts. “What are you doing up here? Come back inside.”
He couldn’t force another word out of his throat. By that time, Jake was so overwhelmed with emotion that he couldn’t even turn to her. Looking down at the concrete, he closed his eyes, trying to work up the courage to speak to her, to no avail. Just when he opened them, the most amazing thing happened: Holly’s high heels came into view, as she stepped in front of him.
“Earth to Jake,” she waved her hand in front of him, still smiling. “Are you there?” Jake rolled his gaze up to meet hers. Suddenly, her smile was wiped off her face. His eyes were reddened and more tears were running down his cheeks, as his body shook. “Oh, no…” Holly whispered. “What’s wrong? Was it something I said?”
“No.” Jake shook his head sideways. “It’s not you.”
“I’d like to meet her someday, you know,” she softly spoke as the wind blew through her hair, “that Allison girl. She must be very special to you.”
A bitter smile formed on his face, upon hearing her wish.
“You can’t.” He sniffled, wiping the tears from his face. “She’s dead: killed in action.”
“Oh, my God…” a sad whisper left her lips. “Is that why you…?”
“Quit?” He finished her sentence. “Yeah, I just couldn’t do it anymore.”
“I’m sorry. You…” She faltered, cupping his face in her hands. “You named this bar after her?” A simple nod served as her answer. “I’m so sorry, Jake.” One more, even lower, whisper left her lips. “You’ve been hurting and I kept asking you questions all the time.”
“It’s ok.” He heaved a long, heavy sigh. “You couldn’t have known.”
Holly ran her thumbs across his cheekbones; gazed deeply into his eyes. Then, she tilted her head up. Shivers went down his spine, as he felt her soft kiss on his cheek.
“If you ever need a friend…” She said, her voice thick with emotion, as she caressed his face. “You know where to find me.”
Jake chose to remain silent, as the night sky lit up with a bright flash of lightning. Holly dropped h
er arms and moved around him, as he ran both hands through his soaking wet hair. Another bolt tore through the sky, as his body trembled even more violently.
“No need to be sorry, Holly. You had no idea. “If I need a friend?” you say. I don’t know. What am I supposed to do, talk to you about her? You’re still a woman, darling. It’s just not right. Your hands felt so good on my face…”
Jake had not finished his thought, when he spotted her in the paved parking lot, heading towards her small, red Ford. He had no time to waste. He flipped around, sprinted across the terrace and ran down the stairs. His long strides brought him closer to the glass door of his bar in seconds. He pulled it open and hurtled towards her. Holly was about to enter her car, when he grabbed her by the wrist. Jake spun her around to face him, feeling his blood pumping through his veins.
“Holly?” He whispered her name, the vapor from his breath clouding his vision, his hand shaking as her gaze shot up to meet his. “I need more than just a friend.”
She gave him no answer. Instead, Holly raised her free hand to his face, looking up deeply into his eyes. Her gentle caress made his heart flutter. Jake held her closer, tilting his head down to meet her lips. He loosened his grip on her hand and wrapped both arms around her back, as their mouths joined in a long, passionate kiss. Holly put her other hand on his face, pressing herself into him as their kiss grew in intensity. Jakes’ left hand traveled up her back, as he took his right one off of her. It dove into her hair, as one more flash of lightning lit up the night sky. The feel of her drenched hair in his palm sent shivers of delight through him, as her hands crept around his neck. Jake recalled his own words about keeping their relationship “professional”, but he could not stop. Holly’s kiss soothed him; the warmth of her breath comforted him. He had not felt like this in a long time. His grip around her back became tighter as she stroked his skin. Jake laid a tender kiss on her chin and slowly leaned back, opening his eyes. The sight that greeted him amused him. Holly’s lips were still quivering and her eyes were still closed, as raindrops flowed down her forehead and her cheeks. A faint smile formed on his face; yet, he did not say anything. Leaning over her, he slid his hand down her hair and whispered in her ear:
Filthy Desires: A Romantic Suspense Collection Page 111
