“What do you want, Malachy?”
“Oh, are you a stewardess now? I’d like a beer, if you please.”
Undaunted, Aidan reached into the small metal refrigerator and pulled out a Guinness. She held it out to him, but quickly pulled it back when he reached for it.
“Mac soith!” Malachy swore.
“More like a daughter of a bastard,” Aidan said with a cocky grin.
“What’s your game, Aidan? Perhaps we have more in common than you think,” Malachy said, rubbing his stomach.
“How many?” Aidan probed.
“Three bags, premium coke.”
“What are you, sixteen again? That’s kid stuff,” Aidan chastised.
He raised his eyebrows and cocked his upper lip. “Maybe, if that were all of it.”
“What else have you got?” Aidan asked.
“Connections,” he answered. “I can hook you up with an international gang that very few know about. If you get selected, you’ll be rich.”
“If that’s so, then why are your riding in coach?” Roxanna asked as she walked into the small room. She had been listening to the conversation from behind the curtain in first class.
“Who the fuck are you?” Malachy demanded.
“Air Marshal Roxana Jones, and you’re under arrest for terrorism,” she replied, pulling out her cuffs from her back pocket.
“Are you daft, girl? I’m not a terrorist.”
“We know you’re with Rebels without Borders,” Aidan said, setting the beer bottle on the counter behind her.
Beads of sweat broke out across Malachy’s forehead. He thought he could get away with just smuggling drugs, but now that they knew he was with the Rebels, his life was forfeit. The Rebels would kill him in prison, if he even made it that far. Gangs like that don’t tell you what to expect when you sign up with them. You learn it the hard way when your buddy begs for his life just before the boss puts a bullet through his head.
“You got it wrong, girl. I’m not with the Rebels. They wouldn’t have the likes of me.”
“Bullshit,” Aidan proclaimed. “Why do you think we played you so easily? I never did like you, Malachy. You’re weak and gullible, and will do anything for money.”
He clenched his jaw and balled his hands into fists at his side. “I didn’t kill your stupid kitten for money, and I took pleasure in it.”
Aidan’s mouth dropped open and angry tears stung her eyes, infuriating her further.
When she was in the gang in Chicago, a lonely, young Aidan rescued a kitten from a tree. She adopted the little stray and named her Ginnie, the Ring Tail Terror. Ginnie had a lot of energy in her that made Aidan laugh, and a lot of love that made Aidan feel needed. It broke her heart when she found the kitten dead. As the memories came flooding back, Aidan realized that it had been Malachy who told her that a rival gang had killed the cat.
“You son of a bitch!” Aidan reared back and slammed her fist into Malachy’s jaw before he could block it. He staggered back against the counter, sending paper cups and utensils everywhere as he struggled to remain upright. When he turned around, he had a small paring knife in his hand.
“Aidan!” Vicky heard Aidan yelling and quickly unfastened her seat belt and got up.
Malachy jabbed the knife at Aidan, cutting her on the forearm. He stabbed at Roxanna, who jumped back, grabbing for her gun. Before she could pull it from the holster, he head butted her in the stomach, sending her flying out of the galley and into Vicky’s arms. He had knocked the air out of Roxanna’s lungs and she was gasping for breath, blocking Vicky’s way to Aidan. Vicky took Roxanna’s gun from her hand.
Malachy had turned his attention back to Aidan, who was holding the bleeding wound with her hand. She grabbed a plastic tray from the counter and used it as a shield, batting the knife away each time Malachy stabbed at her.
“Give it up, Malachy, there’s nowhere to go,” she coerced.
“I’m not going back to prison,” he argued.
“You’ve only got two options here,” Aidan said as she circled around him. “Either I beat the shit out of you, which I would take pleasure in, or you go to prison. Your choice.”
“Go fuck yourself.”
“Maybe later,” Aidan quipped and took a step toward him.
He lifted the knife over his head to strike, and she spun around delivering a perfect roundhouse kick into his exposed midsection. The force pushed him out of the galley and into the aisle opposite of where Roxanna and Vicky were. Vicky braced the pistol with both of her hands and pointed it at Malachy.
“Freeze, dirt bag,” she screamed.
Malachy couldn’t freeze because he couldn’t breathe. Then he began to foam at the mouth.
Aidan jumped on him, turning him face down and wrapping his arm around his back. “Cuffs!” she yelled, and when Roxanna didn’t respond, Aidan looked at the flight attendant. “Get me some nylon zip ties, quick!” As the attendant rushed into the galley, Aidan called to Roxanna. “Are you okay?”
“Getting there,” Roxanna gasped, waving her hand in the air.
“Here’s the ties you wanted,” the attendant said, holding them out for Aidan.
“Great, thanks,” Aidan said, taking the ties and handcuffing Malachy. She looked up at Vicky and smiled. “Freeze, dirt bag?’
“It was the first thing that popped into my head,” Vicky explained, lowering the pistol.
The attendant picked up the microphone from the wall in the galley and flipped a switch. “Ladies and gentleman, everything is under control. Please return to your seats, thank you.”
“Aidan, I think that he’s going to vomit,” Vicky said, handing the pistol to her wife and grabbing a blanket from a passenger’s lap. “Somebody get me a wet washcloth.”
The attendant rushed back into the galley as Roxanna joined Aidan and Vicky. Malachy didn’t throw up, but he was pale and sweating profusely.
“Probably one of the bags tore open when I kicked him. I didn’t consider that at that moment.”
Vicky leaned close and whispered, “Can we move him? If a bag did tear, it could cause some violent reactions in him.”
“Let’s move him down to the luggage compartment,” Roxanna suggested. She waved over a steward, and together the four of them carried Malachy into the galley and down the stairs to the cargo bay.
Using another nylon zip tie, Roxanna secured his foot to the metal frame of the rack that was bolted to the floor. He laid in a fetal position on the floor.
“It doesn’t look like he’s overdosing?” Roxanna observed.
“It takes a while for the drug to be absorbed into his blood stream, if he did indeed tear one open,” Aidan explained. “I don’t think it’s fatal, but you will probably have a stoned terrorist on your hands for the rest of the flight.”
“Oh, that should be fun,” Roxanna joked.
Something caught Vicky’s eye and she looked closer at Aidan. “Aidan, you’re bleeding!” she exclaimed.
“I’m okay, Vic.”
“Oh, God. Let me look at that wound,” Vicky commanded, but instead of complying, Aidan pulled her into an embrace.
“I promise, I’m okay, kid. Are you all right?”
The warmth and strength of her wife’s body, calmed Vicky’s belated anxiety. “I am now,” she said, pulling Aidan’s head down for a kiss. One that started with trembling, frightened lips, and then softened into a reassuring, comforting, calming, life can go on now, kiss.
“I love you, baby,” Aidan said softly.
“And I love you, sweetheart.”
Chapter Three
“It was a pleasure working with you, Aidan,” Roxanna said, extending her hand.
“And with you, Roxanna” Aidan replied.
Standing on the tarmac at the Trenton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, Aidan and Vicky were the last passengers off of the plane. DHS did not want to transport the terrorist through the airport, so they met the plane at the end of the strip as soon as i
t touched down. After landing, it had taken two hours for Aidan’s boss, Tom Bradshah, director of the local Homeland Security office, to debrief Aidan, Vicky and Roxanna. Vicky was included more as a courtesy because she refused to leave Aidan’s side. She used Aidan’s superficial wound as an excuse to be there, nursing to her. The other crew members and passengers were interviewed by DHS agents and released.
“Roxanna, this is going to sound strange unless you know me well, but if you ever need medical care, come see me.” Vicky handed her business card to Roxanna. “We provide the best healthcare in the world.”
Roxanna nodded and read the card. “Victoria Montgomery-Cassidy, CEO, St. Frances Healthcare System. Impressive, thanks.”
“Even if you’re not sick, come see us,” Vicky added.
“I might do that,” Roxanna said. “I get the feeling that it’s never dull around you two.”
“An understatement to be sure,” Vicky joked.
“If you ever get tired of flying the friendly skies, I’ve got a spot for you on my team at the DHS,” Aidan offered.
“Tempting, but no thank you. As an air marshal, I’m the lead agent and people listen to me.”
“True, I’d be your boss and we’d probably butt heads a lot, but it would never be dull.”
Roxanna laughed. Usually, she dealt with arguments between passengers, drunks and smokers in the lavatories, not suicidal drug mules. It was exhilarating, and she wanted more of that kind of action, but... Aidan was as strong-willed as she was, and it just wouldn’t work out.
“Think about it, will you?” Aidan asked. “You can always transfer, or go back to the friendly skies. No harm, no foul.”
“Okay, I’ll think about it,” Roxanna said, smiling.
Aidan nodded and shook hands with the Air Marshal again, and then helped Vicky onto the shuttle bus.
***
After an exhausting, stressful, long flight home, the first thing Vicky wanted to do was stop by the hospital and check on things. If Aidan was forced to find one fault in Vicky, it would be that she worried too much about that hospital. And even then, Aidan found it more endearing than a fault.
“Vicky!” Yvonne jumped up from her desk when she saw her boss walk into the administration offices. “You’re back early. How was the honeymoon?”
“Everything I dreamed of and more,” Vicky replied before she hugged Yvonne.
“And a few things she didn’t dream of,” Aidan added sarcastically.
Yvonne hugged her next, and although Aidan wasn’t much of a hugger, she would allow people she trusted to breech her personal space. She could count on one hand those she trusted enough to hug.
Aidan held up a hand as if she were shielding her eyes. “Yvonne, that rock on your finger is blinding me.”
“Oh! The ring. Let me see it,” Vicky squealed, grabbing Yvonne’s hand and examining the ring. “It’s gorgeous! Tell me all about it.”
“Plenty of time for that later,” Yvonne stated, not wanting to bring up the fight between Jerry and his mother. “But first, I’m sure you’d like a report on what’s been going on here, so on your desk is a folder that has printouts of the latest patient counts, construction updates, physicians hired, and budget performance.”
“It’s scary how well you know her, Yvonne,” Aidan joked.
“Oh, I’ve got some reports for you also, Aidan,” Yvonne said, handing her a stack of sports results printouts.
Aidan and Vicky looked at each other and Aidan burst out laughing. “It’s scary how well you know me, too, Yvonne.”
“You are much harder to learn, Aidan, but I know from Jerry what a sports fan you are.” Yvonne picked up a stack of mail from the desk and handed them to Vicky. “Not to change the subject, but here’s your private mail, and Twister is waiting for you at home.”
“I thought you left Twister with Jerry?” Aidan asked, looking at Vicky.
“She did,” Yvonne answered. “But Jerry’s new dog didn’t care for the kitten too much, so I took her back to your place. I checked on her to make sure she had plenty to eat and drink, and didn’t get lonely.”
Jerry Williams, a DHS agent under Aidan’s command, was also Aidan’s best friend. They met in Iraq when Aidan saved his life, but became friends when he answered Vicky’s call to help Aidan retrieve her memories. They’d had each other’s back ever since.
“Oh, Yvonne. You are too good to me,” Vicky said. “I’d like to have you and Jerry over for dinner next week to celebrate your engagement.”
“That sounds like fun. Oh, except…” Yvonne tapered off when she remembered Jerry’s mother was in town. “Jerry’s mother is visiting. For how long I don’t know.”
“Of course, bring her along. We’d love to meet her,” Vicky said.
“I think I worded that wrong. My soon to be monster-in-law from hell is in town.”
“Ut-oh,” Aidan grinned. “Now I really want to meet her.”
“All right, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Yvonne teased. “I’ll tell Dakota that you’re here,” she said as she turned to walk down the hall to the hospital administrator’s office.
“No, wait,” Vicky said. “No need to bother her right now. We’re not back for another five days, and I’m anxious to get home and unpack before jet lag hits us.”
“Yeah, and I’d like to be in bed when it does,” Aidan added.
“Is that the only reason,” Vicky asked with a smile in her eyes.
***
Between bouts of fatigue and several much needed naps, Aidan and Vicky readjusted their internal clocks to Central Standard Time. Vicky had shipped several boxes home from Ireland and Yvonne had stacked them on the kitchen table. The next day, after a good night’s sleep, Vicky began unpacking everything. She felt a twinge of excitement each time she pulled a souvenir from its box and lined them up according to who the souvenir was for. She added one more item to Yvonne’s presents, as a gift from Twister, for taking care of her.
As she worked, the idea of having a dinner for Jerry and Yvonne grew into having a party for twenty or so people. She had bought so many souvenirs that it would just be easier to hand them out all at once. Then she realized how inconvenient it would be to have guests come into a gated community.
“Aidan, I know we agreed to wait until after the trial to buy a house, but I was thinking about having a homecoming party so I could hand out the souvenirs, and I know how important security is to you, so when…”
Aidan looked at her, a smile in her eyes. She had a feeling she already knew what Vicky wanted, but she’d let her explain in her own adorable way. “So when?”
“If we’re locked inside, like we are now in this apartment, it makes it so much harder for our friends to visit, so when we look for a new home, does it have to be gated also?”
“I hear what you’re saying, Vic. I really do. But it’s easy enough for them to be buzzed in, just takes an extra minute or two. And our friends understand after all that you’ve been through. They’re willing to take the extra step to protect you. Ask any of them.” Aidan as much as dared her to ask their friends so she’d feel better about it. But she added one more thing that reached Vicky’s heart. “Besides, when we have kids, there’s no way I’m not protecting them in every way possible.”
“Okay, that last one got me,” Vicky said, smiling. “I absolutely want you to protect our children in any way you see fit.”
“Then plan your party, baby, and I’ll take care of the rest,” Aidan said as she pulled a scarf out of the box and put it in a pile.
“No, honey, that silk scarf is for my mother. The other scarf is for Yvonne,” Vicky directed.
Aidan shook her head. “What’s the difference?”
“My mother is fond of violet and Yvonne is partial to green,” Vicky explained.
“How do you keep all that in your head?”
“A good CEO remembers the little things because it means a lot to their employees, and happy employees are productive employees.�
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Twister jumped up on the table and into an empty box. Aidan forgot what she was doing and began playing peek-a-boo with the kitten.
Vicky, still amazed at how much Twister had grown in the short time they were gone, watched them play, laughing at their antics, until her laughter turned into need.
“I want you, now,” Vicky demanded, and then walked toward the bedroom.
“Sorry, Twister,” Aidan said with a grin. “My woman wants me.” Just as she started toward her bedroom, Aidan’s cellphone rang. “Damn it!” She didn’t recognize the caller ID, but she answered it anyway. “Aidan Cassidy.”
“Ms. Cassidy, this is Jack Bennett with the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs. Is this a good time to talk?”
Aidan had walked into the bedroom and stood there, watching Vicky take off her underwear. Aidan had to shift her hips, desperately wanting to tell him to call back, but her military training wouldn’t let her. It was the VA after all, it had to be important. “Sure, go ahead,” she said with a gulp.
Vicky, now completely nude, sauntered over to Aidan like a belly dancer doing the Chasse step, and ran her fingers through Aidan’s hair.
“We hear that you’re a very prolific speaker and would like to invite you to speak at the Memorial Day Appreciation Picnic held at the State House this year. We’ll pay you the standard speakers’ fee of five thousand dollars of course.”
Vicky walked in front of Aidan and ran her hands down Aidan’s body, coming to a squat in front of her.
“What, uh, yeah sure. Happy to help,” Aidan replied, not really sure what he had said.
“Wonderful, thank you. I’ll send you the contract—”
“Uh, huh, sure…” Aidan clicked the end call button and tossed the phone on the chair.
“Who was that, honey?” Vicky asked.
“The ADVA. They need me to do something about something,” Aidan’s heart was racing and her loins were pulsating. Everything blurred, except for Vicky’s nude body swaying rhythmically around her. Aidan grabbed for her, but Vicky pushed her away. She unbutton Aidan’s shirt and purposefully bent over to lay it on the chair, shifting her hips enticingly. Watching her wife’s perfectly shaped hips flex seductively, Aidan’s control was gone. She came up behind her and cupped Vicky’s buttocks, squeezing them tightly. Then she ran her hands around to Vicky’s stomach and slid them up to her breasts, filling her hands with the soft, creamy flesh, smiling when they swelled at her touch.
I Won't Remember You (Aidan & Vicky Book 6) Page 3
