by Lane, Terri
“Yeah, good for me, Tasha replied, wrinkling her nose at the thought of her affair with the billionaire she now despised. He had definitely not taken it well when she’d turned down his marriage proposal, bought out their existing partnership contract, and cut all ties with him. Fortunately the bald man, Anderson, and his team were making sure Bret wouldn’t retaliate or hurt her in any way.
“I can’t believe you have all this money now,” Alex whispered with an excited grin. “And that you’ve got a parent again! Your real dad!”
“Crazy, huh?” Tasha said. “I have yet to meet him, though. But Anderson assured me it will be real soon now.”
“So you and this Anderson guy are now buddies?”
Tasha laughed. “Yes.” But then her face turned serious again. Her best friend Alex recognized the nervous twitch in her nose and the anxious drumming of her fingers on the table.
“You’re driving me crazy with that drumming thing.” Alex hissed.
“Sorry,” Tasha said, stopping the habit at once. “I’m just nervous because any time now, Anderson would be calling to report to me about his findings.”
“Findings on what?” Alex probed.
Tasha looked her in the eye. “On what happened to Carter’s dad.”
“You asked him to investigate that?”
“Yeah, well, he’s capable of it so I used the opportunity.” Tasha leaned forward. “Alex, I need to know. I still have feelings for Carter, alright? And if I’m going to give us a second chance, I have to know the whole truth about what had transpired and driven him away. I think it’s got something to do with his dad going to prison.”
Suddenly, her phone rang. Tasha almost jumped. She picked it up, listening intently. “Yes… uh-huh…” she was murmuring. Then she got very quiet. Afterward, a tear rolled down her cheek.
Alex reached out to squeeze her hand and mouth I’m just here.
When Tasha finally put the phone down, she looked to be in shock. Then all of a sudden, she broke down, crying softly, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.
On Sunday morning, Tasha sat by the lake, admiring the beautiful scenery and waiting for Carter to show up.
“It’s you,” a deep male voice suddenly said from behind her.
Tasha turned around to meet his gaze. “You came.”
“I thought this was going to be another boring couch potato Sunday, but I was shocked to find a bald guy on my doorstep asking me to come with him in his brand-new Mercedes Benz.”
Tasha laughed. “Sounds gay to me. Why’d you go with him?”
Carter shrugged. “I was curious.” He raised both hands to stroke her cheeks. His voice dropped to a whisper. “I’m glad I took the risk.”
“I’m glad too,” Tasha told him truthfully, smiling widely.
“Who would’ve thought you’d be up to something like this…” Carter said. “That man looked like a thug dressed in a suit.”
“He was in a suit?!” Tasha said in surprise, laughing again. “Oh, Anderson is a really sweet guy within.”
“So who’s this Anderson and why did you have me kidnapped and shipped here?”
Tasha motioned to the boat waiting at the shore. “I didn’t want to have another boring Sunday either. I figured we could resume our boating sessions.”
“I see.”
Tasha stepped closer and placed her arms around his neck. He looked taken aback, but he smiled. “I smell something fishy…” he said.
“I know about your dad, Carter.”
Carter was silenced. Tasha waited for him to say something. And after a while, he took a deep breath and asked, “About why he went to prison?”
Tasha nodded quietly as she gazed into his eyes and tried to understand him. Her heart went out to him. “Why didn’t you tell me he was dealing drugs and that your family had been threatened by this anonymous mafia guy?”
“You know the answer, Tash,” Carter replied. “I would never, ever let you get involved in something like that. When I realized my life had been turned around into this insane mess, I knew I had to get as far away as possible from you.” He paused, his eyes taking on a distant look as he recalled the painful moments and the most difficult decision he’d had to do.
“You could have talked to me at least.”
“You would have tried to follow me or look for me, Tasha. I know you.”
Tasha nodded in understanding. She wanted to argue, but she’d thought about it a lot before this day and she knew that if it were her in his place, she would have done the same thing.
“Have you visited him, Carter? Are you on good terms?”
“He has repented and is trying to change,” Carter answered in a sad tone of voice. “After Mom took her own life because of him, he finally awakened. I blamed him for a long time. I was filled with so much hatred… But we’re healing… Slowly getting there…”
“That’s good, Carter,” Tasha said. “I guess we both have new beginnings with our dads to look forward to, huh?
Carter’s eyes lit up. “Oh, yeah… Alex mentioned something about that. Have you met him yet?”
“Not yet, but he’s flying over next week.”
“That’s fantastic!” Carter said. “I’m happy for you, Tasha.”
“Thank you,” Tasha answered. “I’m nervous and excited at the same time. I can’t believe it! I still have a living parent who’s been watching out for me all these years. My biological dad.” She shook her head in disbelief.
Carter smiled and pulled her closer, hugging her tightly. “It seems like the perfect time for new beginnings, don’t you think?”
Tasha met his eyes shyly, but did not say anything.
Carter continued. “Tasha, after everything my dad has done… I blamed him for ruining our family and even destroying my life… But somehow, I’ve finally forgiven him just like you’ve forgiven me.” He whispered in her ear. “Do you think it’s too late to start again and maybe have a brighter future?”
Tasha pulled away gently and looked into his eyes. “Are you referring to him and you or to us?”
“Both.”
“It’s not too late, Carter,” Tasha answered softly. “For both.”
Carter bent forward and kissed her on the lips. The kiss was sweet, reminiscent of good times and yet symbolic of greater moments to come.
They kissed passionately, their arms wrapped around each other, ready to explore the possibilities of the future. This time, Tasha could feel the openness and genuine connection.
“I love you, Tasha,” he murmured. “I never stopped loving you all these years.”
“Thank you for everything, Carter. I love you too. And to be honest, I don’t think I ever stopped loving you too.”
They shared another sweet kiss, relaxing in each other’s embrace and knowing there was a lovely future ahead for them.
No pretensions, no secrets. It felt amazingly liberating. And as they shared stories while gliding on the lake, surrounded by the natural exquisiteness of the place, she knew it was the start of something true and beautiful.
“I’ve a gift for you, Carter,” Tasha blurted out.
He gave her a surprised look. “For what?”
“Well, consider it a thank you gift for all the kindness and sincerity you’ve shown me since we saw each other again. And you’re not allowed to say no.”
“But…”
“No buts,” Tasha interrupted.
He threw his hands in the air. “Alright,” he said, chuckling. His eyes twinkled as he gazed at her lovingly.
She took two folded papers from her pocket and handed them to him. His eyes bulged when he read what was written on the e-tickets.
“Two tickets to Paris?! Are you out of your mind?” Carter exclaimed. “I can’t accept this. I mean, you shouldn’t splurge your savings just for…”
“Ssshhh,” Tasha said, placing a finger on his lips to silence him. “Don’t worry. You’re not the only billionaire now.”
He gave her a puzzled loo
k.
“It’s a long story,” Tasha said with a smile. “So, how about next weekend?”
Carter grinned. “It’s a date.”
THE END
= Bonus Book 8 of 9 =
A SEAL’s Mate
Jack’s hand shot out, looking to get a grip on anything. It was pitch black, but he still willed his eyes to focus on something to get an idea of where everything was around him. It helped. His hands found a pipe and he tugged at it to test its stability before swinging onto it and using it to launch himself back onto the balcony above it.
His heart was hammering in his chest, but he loved the thrill of it. The odds were stacked against him. He was alone in the dark, no weapon, and virtually no escape, unless he counted the one way he entered which was being infiltrated as he stood calculating what his next move was going to be.
Feeling around, Jack located a broom and shrugged to himself. At the very least, it should be fun, he thought to himself. A grin spread across his face as he heard two pairs of boots drop to the ground below him. He stayed pressed against the wall, his hand clenching and unclenching around the broom handle.
With nothing else to go by, he listened for the slightest movement. He could discern which man was which by the way they moved. One was sure of himself, the other, full of hesitation, possibly apprehension. That one would not last long, no matter how well armed he was. It was that one that had climbed up the staircase and was now walking towards Jack.
Quietly, ever so softly, he inched forward. Jack knew he was focused more on his feet than he was on locating Jack. So it was no surprise, at least to Jack, that the man was knocked out thanks to Jack’s swift skills. One more to go, but the other man wasn’t moving. His footsteps stopped a while ago, as if he was waiting for Jack to emerge on his own.
That could be arranged, Jack thought, impatiently. His reached out with his senses and extended them by using his werebear abilities. His hearing became sharper, his eyes more acute in the dark, the blood pumped through his muscles granting him added strength. He would have the element of surprise.
Then he heard it. The faintest rustle of fabric brushing against itself. He was walking, but with extreme caution. Suddenly, a light was thrown on and Jack blinked before leaping into action. With a snarl, he launched himself towards the second pursuer. To his surprise, the man didn’t become hesitate as he’d expected and began to fight back once he recovered from his shock.
A thrill raced through Jack at the prospect of a good fight. He lived for these moments of thrill that were too far apart. Together they rolled on the floor and although Jack was under the man at one point, he managed to butt his head into the man’s arm, successfully knocking the gun out of his hand and off the balcony.
Grunting, the man tried to pin him to the ground. Jack eased back, allowing him to feel like he had gained advantage over him. Once he sensed the man had grown confident in his hold, he rolled, throwing the man under him. He smirked as he secured him to a pipe that ran along the wall beside them.
“Sorry, mate,” he said. The man began to speak to him in rapid Russian.
“You sound upset,” Jack said chuckling. “Maybe we can get you a translator when we’re at a secure location.” He rose to get away from the man while he contacted his team to come retrieve the men he’d overpowered. He searched the motionless man on the ground for weapons and slipped one gun into the waistband of his pants before searching the still-angry Russian whose protests had grown louder, as if the volume would make Jack understand his frustration. Hearing the distant sound of military vehicles approaching, he turned and saluted the men before leaving the same way he came in.
Long after the tedious cycle of paperwork was over, Jack collapsed in the shoddy hotel room and kicked his boots off. Today was a good day. He loved working with his team, and he loved a good challenge. Whenever he had the opportunity to do both, he felt completely satisfied. Although he enjoyed it, he felt his age today. He wanted nothing more than to relax for a few days before returning home and then onto his next mission.
Jack warmed up a frozen meal and ate it without tasting it. He was too tired to put effort into anything and knew once he fell asleep, he would be out for a whole day. Just as he was about to get into bed, he got a call. He glanced at the number, expecting it to be one of the higher ranking officers but it wasn’t. He didn’t recognize the number. It was, however, from Washington D.C., where he lived when he wasn’t out chasing his demons. He frowned as it continued to ring. Finally, he answered it on the fourth ring.
“Jack.” He said tersely. There was silence on the other line, but he could detect faint breathing on the other end. “Hello?” he pressed.
“Jack,” a voice croaked. “It’s Walter.”
A flood of memories hit Jack with those words. He sat up straighter, his exhaustion had suddenly vanished. “Walter,” he said in alarm. Why did he sound so frail? He hadn’t seen Walter in ten years, but the man was the picture of health the last time he’d seen him. He was robust and in charge his entire life. It was hard for Jack to picture him any other way. The last he’d heard, Walter had retired a couple of years back, but he didn’t know why. He assumed it was to spend more time with his family.
“Jack, I don’t have much time,” Walter said clearing his throat again. “I need you to come here. There’re things I need to tell you, I can’t do it over the phone,” his voice cracked at the end and he began coughing.
Jack didn’t say anything. He knew what it was regarding, but he didn’t think Walter would ever bring it up again, there was no reason to do so. But if there was one thing Jack didn’t do, it was to deny a dying man his last wishes. “I’ll be there,” he said firmly. He listened as Walter handed the phone to a nurse who gave him an address for the hospital. He jotted it down and began to pack immediately. Given his history and all that he owed Walter, there was no time to waste.
***
Nearly twenty-four hours had passed since Jack had spoken to Walter and he feared that he would expire before he reached him. He’d never seen the man get so much as a runny nose before. So to hear him sound so ill shook him up and he slept only in intervals on his flight back. He’d thought of Walter as his mentor for many years. He’d provided Jack with the stability and structure he’d so badly craved in his youth. He was grateful for all the lessons he’d learned under the man and knew he could never repay him for it.
Growing up, Jack recalled the first orphanage he was in before it closed and he was separated from the only other people he knew. From there, he bounced between the new orphanage to different foster care homes where he never fit in. It was a relief to become a legal adult, and he soon made good on his promise to himself to leave and never look back. Luckily, Walter had taken him under his wing soon after he’d joined the SEAL, probably sensing the restlessness that he had in himself that yearned for acceptance and love.
As if being an orphan was not enough, Jack had an added layer of being a shapeshifter. Once he’d discovered it about himself, he was already old enough to know that it wasn’t something that he could tell anyone else. He spent the better part of his childhood feeling rejected and tried in vain to suppress his urges to transform. But it was useless. It was as much a part of him as it was his personality. It wasn’t something he could change, but he knew he had no choice but to keep it under wraps.
Jack reached over the seat to pay the driver as it pulled up to the hospital. With long, purposeful strides, he followed the signs to locate the correct wing and floor where Walter was. Each step he took gave way to a greater sense of dread. This was it. Walter wasn’t going to pull through.
When he reached his room, he stared for a long time at the name that was slipped in under the room number. His palm touched the door and he hesitated before giving it a quick rap and entering. He looked at the man under the pile of covers and almost retreated thinking he had the wrong room, the wrong Walter. But no, it was him.
Walter’s eyes were closed, and his b
reathing was labored. He looked frail and small under the covers. Jack walked quietly over to the bedside and took his right hand in his grip as if to shake it. He saw Walter’s eyes moving under their lids before they fluttered open. He wondered if Walter even recognized him. His eyes were clouded and moist. He squinted a few times and his eyebrows rose in recognition.
“Jack,” he said, a faint smile had the corners of his mouth lifting up and his eyes crinkling. “You made it.”
Jack squeezed his hand and swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. The machines beeped around them loudly, one after another, reminding them about the limited time that Walter had.
“Walter,” he said with false cheer. “I thought you forgot about me as soon as you retired.”
Walter gripped his hand with surprising strength, “I never forgot about you, son,” he said. His tone made Jack believe him. He withdrew his hand and focused on pulling up a chair next to the older man while he tried to contain the emotions that were threatening to spill over.
“So, how’s the family?” Jack couldn’t bring himself to address the current state that Walter was in. It was too difficult to even look at let alone discuss.
“She’s good,” Walter chuckled. He gave Jack a glance, “You remember our deal?”
Jack stared at him for a moment before his words sank in. He couldn’t possibly be serious. Years ago, Jack had saved Walter on one of his first missions with him. Walter had spent years mentoring and coaching Jack until he finally had his chance to repay him. Being young and brash, Jack had frequently shapeshifted on missions without care. But once he got caught and before it could become anything more than it was, Walter had it squashed, the records sealed.
Life went on as usual but Jack felt indebted to him ever since then. Walter refused to let him repay his debt but when Jack had persisted, he finally came up with a solution in typical Walter fashion.
