Taming His Brat

by Piper Stone

  “When I moved to St. Louis, I thought I had the world by the tail. I was ready to experience life. The first job I had, I loved. I really did. I’d found a little apartment, even saving enough to buy a television after only a few weeks.”

  “Wait a minute, didn’t your parents help?”

  “Hmm... Well, I wasn’t exactly on Daddy’s good girl list by that point. I’d been through thousands of dollars. He was providing some tough love. I guess I knew in the back of my mind I could crawl back home, which is why I wanted so stay so badly to prove him wrong.”

  Rex snorted. “Your dad can be a formidable man, but so can his daughter.”

  “Very funny. I was so pissed at him. I expected the world and was forced to actually work for a living, but I was learning so much and living my life, my way. I had a plan to be a junior executive in New York City by the time I was thirty. At forty? Well...” Cooper laughed until her eyes clouded over. “Everything was going exactly as I’d planned out, at least until the owner came onto me.”

  “Oh, shit. I’m sorry. Men can be pigs.”

  She shook her head, darting a single glance in his direction. “Yeah, I looked up to him and honestly, looking back, I might have given him mixed signals. Our office had a holiday party and as usual, I was eager to help in any way. I was the one staying to help clean up, as usual. The other girls used to say I was sucking up and I ignored them. The party was no different, I guess. We’d both had a little to drink and one thing led to another. He made a pass at me. That wasn’t so bad. I mean, I thought he was cute and given the right circumstances, I might have gone out on a date with him, even though he was my boss.” She toyed with the glass, running her finger around the rim in circle after circle.

  “What happened?”

  “Let’s just say he got a little aggressive. Too aggressive. He just didn’t want to take no for an answer. I finally managed to push him off. I just grabbed my purse and ran out of the office in the middle of a rainy night. By that point, it was after one in the morning. The area of town was busy in the day, but at night it was almost empty. I’d taken a cab and if I’d called from the office, I could have gotten one, but of course I was hardheaded, deciding I could walk the ten blocks to avoid seeing him. Stupid move. Stupid girl. Stupid everything.”

  Rex leaned closer, sliding his arm across the table. The story dug at his insides, the super macho part of him ready to jump on a plane and hunt the man down. “What happened after that? Did he come and find you?”

  “I was lucky in that he did. If he hadn’t then...”

  “Then what?” Rex shook his head several times. “What, Cooper?”

  “I was, um... I was attacked. Two men came out of the shadows and I...” Tears slid down her face and she wiped at them furiously before reaching again for her glass, struggling to pull the crystal to her lips. “They grabbed me and...”

  This time, he took her other hand, clasping their fingers together. Mother fucker! “Take your time.”

  “It’s okay. I mean, they yanked me into the alley and I’ll never forget when one of them told me to take off my dress. The way he said the words, like he owned me, was just so disgusting. Sometimes I think about them over and over again. Anyway, I managed to kick one of the assholes in the nuts and let off a bloodcurdling scream. That’s when my boss swung into action to save the day.” Her laugh was bitter.

  “What happened to the two assholes?” Rex asked softly.

  “The three of them scuffled, but they were finally able to get away from Jerry, my boss. The police never found them. It was so dark that I couldn’t give a very good description and Jerry was more concerned about my welfare than to run after them. Jerry even apologized to me, profusely and several times. He went with me to the police station and got me back home safe and sound.”

  Pulling her hand to his mouth, he brushed his lips back and forth across her knuckles. “Baby. Oh, baby.”

  “I believed I was just fine. I went to work on that following Monday like nothing had occurred. I thought I would have no problem working with Jerry too. On Wednesday, I had a panic attack. After that, the nightmares started. I was a mess for a couple weeks, never leaving the apartment. I finally came to the realization that I couldn’t go back to the job. There were too many reminders.”

  “Jerry should have been arrested.”

  “Maybe, but not something I could face even though I’m still embarrassed. So, I tell everyone I was fired because it’s easier to discuss. Jerry really did everything he could to atone for what he’d done, but I had to get away and start fresh.”

  “And I triggered your memories. Shit.” He lowered his head, squeezing her hand.

  “You couldn’t have known. Angie kept telling me I should talk to you, but I wanted to leave that part of me behind, believing I could handle the past.” Groaning, she nibbled on her bottom lip.

  “Is that why you came home? To heal?”

  Cooper shook her head. “Yes and no, I guess. I really was fired from my second job. After what happened, my behavior changed. I didn’t realize it until long after I’d been fired and couldn’t find another job. I was lashing out at the world. The shrink I saw for a short period of time warned me that might happen. Of course, I laughed in her face and called her an idiot a few seconds before I walked out the door.”

  Rex snorted. “That sounds like you.”

  “Less than a month after that I was fired. Two weeks after that I came here. I’m not entirely certain why either. I guess it felt like the right thing to do.”

  Tension eased between them as Rex thought about his own methods of dealing with his particular horror.

  “I’m not good for you. My anger is something I can’t control all the time.” He choked out the words, terrified that she’d run away from him.

  She eased out of her chair, sitting down on his lap and wrapping her arm around his neck. “Please don’t say that. You are good for me. You have no idea how out of control I’ve felt these past few months. Everything in my life imploded. In just a few days, you’ve helped me focus again, feel like I can take on new challenges and enjoy life. That’s something no one else has been able to do for me. I need discipline in my life. I need structure. And most important, I need you. Y. O. U. Do you hear me, I mean, sir?”

  Her laugh was like sweet music to his ears. “I need you too, but I don’t know if either one of us is ready for this.”

  “This?” she asked in a pensive tone.

  “A relationship. Domestic discipline. All of it.” He was a complete failure.

  “Well, maybe not, but I’d like to try. Unless you don’t want me.”

  “I want you in the worst way, you have no idea.”

  “Then just talk to me. If we’re going to grow together, we have to be very honest with each other. You’re the only person I’ve told about two horrific secrets in my life. Angie knows I crave discipline and I confided in her about the attack, but I gave her no details. I couldn’t. Besides, if I know what you’re dealing with, that will help both of us. I mean, if you trust me enough.”

  He kissed her cheek. “Baby, I trust you with my life. What I lived through is a caustic story.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  At that moment, she had the courage of a lion, something he certainly couldn’t say about himself. “My unit was on a mission to track and kill a group of assassins who were raiding the countryside, murdering Marines specifically. After several months of trying to find them, Intel finally came up with a location, and trust me, every man and woman in our unit was ready to hunt them down. We were quickly dispatched to do just that. I was the lead Marine, more than eager to snag some enemy butt.”

  Cooper brushed hair out of his eyes. “And?”

  “We barreled in, waiting until the other units pulled into position. I was full of adrenaline, my entire system on overdrive. I saw movement and had a gut feeling these assholes were trying to leave, having gotten wind of our mission. I knew this was our one chanc
e to get the bastards. If they realized we were on their tail, they would have gone into hiding. I wasn’t going to let that happen. The other units couldn’t have made it there in time. I was in charge and gave the orders to go. The majority of the soldiers were all with me, but we went straight into an ambush. The bastards were waiting for us, primed and ready. We were sitting ducks. Hell, all the units would have been. Instead, they were able to regroup and surround them.”

  “Jesus. That’s horrible, but you did what you had to do. You saved dozens of lives. Right?”

  He closed his eyes, visions of his best friend refusing to leave his mind. “That’s what I was told. That’s why I received the Purple Heart. That’s why I can’t sleep well at night.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Three of my men were seriously hurt, one losing his leg. One of the men was my best friend and I killed him. He didn’t deserve what happened. He died on my watch because of my arrogance.” The words were stilted, the horror just as fresh. Every blasting sound and every scream from the enemy something he would never forget.

  Twisting her body, she cupped his face. “I don’t know anything about the military other than what I read and watch on television, but that’s what happens in a war. I’m not making light of your friend’s death, but you can’t blame yourself.”

  “That’s what I’ve heard, but I do. If I’d pulled back and waited, maybe we’d all be alive.”

  “And maybe every soldier on the mission that day would be dead, including you,” she insisted.

  “Maybe. That doesn’t change what happened.”

  Cooper sighed. “Then why do you want to speak to this master sergeant?”

  He exhaled. “I don’t know. Denton thinks he might be able to tell me if there’s a chance Trent is still alive.”

  “Wait a minute. You mean you don’t know for certain if he died on that mission?” Cooper pressed her hand against his chest, her eyes opening wide. “Rex, you have to find out. You need to know. If he’s still alive, then you can rest and live your life and... And be whole again.”

  “I wish it was that simple. What I had to do over there I will never forget.”

  “No, you won’t, but that doesn’t mean you have to blame yourself for protecting your men, your unit, your country, and your own life.”

  He had no method of explaining the horrors in any adequate fashion. He’d been trained for combat, but no one could ever be trained to handle tragedy. “That’s why I came back here. I needed time. Alone. I’m no good for anyone. I think I’ve proven that.” The one word seemed to hang between them.

  “Alone. I do understand. There’s no place like home.” Cooper looked away. “I know, the pot calling the kettle black. Right?”

  “Something like that.”

  “But you’re going to at least talk to this master sergeant person?”

  “I will.”

  “Promise?”

  He squeezed her hand. What if he found out the truth and Trent was gone? Could he handle the news any better than he had been? He knew the answer. Not a snowball’s chance in the fires of hell. “Yep, if you promise not to keep anything from me again.”

  “Ugh, you drive a hard bargain.”

  “If you do, that’s going to garner yourself a round of discipline.”

  “I’m already wincing from this past one.”

  “As you should,” he said, finally able to grin. “Are you certain you want to continue with this, us and discipline I mean?”

  She eased into a standing position. “Well, you know I’m a brat, so...”

  “I’m serious, Cooper. I’ll understand if you don’t want to.”

  “I am being serious. I didn’t realize what I was missing until you came back into my life. I know I don’t understand everything about domestic discipline, including what’s expected of me, but I know in my heart that this is exactly what I need.”

  “I don’t know, my sweet brat. I’m starting to think I just need to be alone.”

  He couldn’t help but feel a distance that hadn’t been there before, as if opening up about secrets had been too much for them to endure so quickly.

  “I think I’ll pour us another drink.” Cooper moved away quickly, grabbing both still half full glasses.

  An overwhelming sadness came over him. He pulled the card into his hand, studying the block letters, the simple phone number before crushing it into his hand and tossing into the trashcan. Cooper was right about one thing. It was time to rejoin the living.

  At least for the time being.

  Chapter Eleven

  “What exactly did he say to you again?” Angie asked as she stood back from the whiteboard, studying what she’d written.

  “That he wants to be alone,” Cooper muttered as she jotted down another phone number on her growing list. They’d worked all morning on putting together ideas, ready to begin Operation Whitehorse Ranch. They’d taken over the office at Angie’s house, turning it into a makeshift operations center, complete with computers, color printers, and an old fax machine just in case. The various work assignments were overwhelming, meaning they needed help. She was antsy, unsure of even how to begin the daunting task, but she was going to get this done. Period. Yep. She was doing this, no matter if Rex didn’t want her any longer.

  Angie glanced in her friend’s direction. “Let me get this straight. Rex told you that he no longer wanted to date you and that he wanted to be completely alone.”

  Shrugging, she grabbed her cellphone. “Not in so many words, but he did mention being alone.”

  “So, you’re just assuming he doesn’t want to see you,” Angie chortled.

  “I know him very well, thank you very much.”

  “Uh-huh. You haven’t been batting well as of late, my friend.”

  Cooper didn’t need a lecture from her bestie. She’d done enough of that from the moment that Rex had dropped her off very early in the morning. They’d barely talked the remainder of the night, finally falling asleep without a kinky round of sex. That told her enough right there. He’d heard her story and wanted nothing to do with her. Fine with her. “Just drop it. We have work to do. You took the day off, remember?”

  “Yeah, my ass is going to remember since I didn’t tell Mike why I was taking the day off.” She grabbed another marker, making a few squiggly lines.

  She snickered and decided on the first phone call. Getting the house and surrounding buildings was the first order of business. Coordinating how she was going to get it done would take a miracle.

  “Did you tell Rex about the attack?” Angie asked. “I bet you didn’t.”

  “Oh, yes, I did. That’s why he doesn’t want to see me.”

  Turning, she walked toward the desk, glaring down at Cooper. “That can’t be true.”

  “It is true. I feel it in my heart. He only talked about being alone after I told him. What else can I think?”

  “Honey, I don’t know. Rex isn’t like that.”

  Cooper glared at her. “You didn’t see him. You have no idea what happened to him in Afghanistan, what he had to go through. He’s broken. I’m worthless. We aren’t a match made in heaven.”

  “Shut the fuck up! I don’t ever want to hear you say that again. My God, I know you were attacked by two criminals off the street and that’s terrible, but you’re alive. You’re healthy. You’re beautiful. And you can be with the man you love, and don’t you dare tell me you don’t love him because it’s written all over your face.” Angie huffed and wagged her finger, anger furrowing her face. “You have everything so stop. Fucking. Whining. Put on your big girl panties and move on with life. People have nothing like you do. Nothing. They have to work for everything. You have rich parents. You have a bright red sports car. And you have an attitude like I’ve never seen.”

  She’d never had anyone in her life talk to her this way, not even Rex. The words hurt at first, stinging in such a manner that she wanted to cry. But she couldn’t. Instead, she burst into laughter.
“You are right.”

  “I’m always right!” Angie lifted a single eyebrow as she glared at Cooper then softened. “Maybe that was a little harsh.”

  “That was terribly harsh, but it was exactly what I needed to hear. I can’t lean on anyone or what happened. I am ready to move on.” Cooper felt more energized than she had in days, ready to take on the world.

  “That’s my girl!” She folded her arms, wincing before she spoke again. “Well, maybe you won’t have any difficulty staying away from him while we work on our project.”

  Cooper exhaled, sadness wrapping itself around her heart. “I guess.”

  “He’ll come around. You watch.”

  “I can’t think about that right now. I have to just keep moving ahead. This is going to be so difficult. God. I hope I know what I’m doing.”

  “You and me, girl.” Angie cocked her head. “So, you do love him. Admit it.”

  “I did from the moment he kissed me.” Just saying the words made her shiver all over, her nipples hardening until they scraped against the thin lace of her bra. Shuddering, she pressed her hand over her lips, remembering the last kiss, the last spanking, and the last incredible hard fuck.

  “Wow. Just seeing your reaction is like watching a porn movie.”

  “Shut up!” Cooper groaned. “But he is damn good at everything he does.”

  “Then I strongly suggest that you don’t dare let him get away.”

  Cooper tried to smile, but the nagging in her heart told her they would have difficulty overcoming the obstacles, no matter their intense and passionate connection. Her mind was muddled, worry crowding into every free brain cell. “Maybe. Now, get to work. It’s overwhelming.”

  “A piece at a time. I told you I already made some calls and I know some of the best contractors in the business who owe me a favor or two. Besides, there’s going to be a huge grand opening celebration, catered of course. I have the caterer and the band, even got the asshole from the party rental place to donate a tent.”