The Naughty Nine: Where Danger and Passion Collide

by Nina Bruhns

  Eric remained silent but crossed his arms.

  “Anyway, I just wanted to help her. I thought I was doing the right thing at the time, but I do regret my decision now.”

  Bud jumped in, the growl in his voice practically rattling the walls. “You damn well should regret that decision; it was a fucking stupid thing to do. If I had my way, you would be bounced right off this ship and out of the Navy right this second.”

  Eric held up his hand to Bud. “Let’s all calm down here.” Looking over, he could not help but notice Joe’s calm demeanor. It was a character trait Eric coveted.

  Joe stopped making notes on the corner of a manila file folder and looked up. “Did Gail Carruthers at any time indicate to you any of the details of this incident?”

  Jennifer cringed. Her pallor turned ashen as she squeezed her puffy red eyes shut. She stuttered. “A-actually.” Her eyes flitted to the captain and then over to Joe, sitting across from him. Scrunching her eyes closed, she swallowed before continuing. “It was Saturday night in our bunkroom. Gail, well...” She paused with a nervous glance at each of the three men. Her face began to color a light pink. “She was really pissed off with you, sir. She said she wanted to knock you off your high horse.”

  All three men glanced at each other. “Go on. What else did she say?” Eric harnessed his budding anger with all the control he could muster.

  “She said she had a plan to get back at you. I frankly wasn’t interested and left right after Mary-Jo, I mean, Petty Officer Johnson.”

  Joe twirled a pen in his fingers. “A ‘plan’? Petty Officer, just who exactly was there?”

  She hesitated.

  “Petty Officer, I must remind you that you are in serious trouble, and I doubt very much you would want filing a false report, among other charges, added to it. For a young thing like you, you could be looking at confinement, and I somehow think you might be smarter than that. As it stands right now, we are prepared to be lenient, depending on how helpful and cooperative you are.”

  The red-rimmed eyes seemed to grow bigger with the realization that she might be able to alleviate some of the trouble she was in, but then she pulled back, as if thinking of the ethics of tattling on her fellow crew members. “I don’t want to say, sir.”

  She looked down, and Joe slid a piece of paper across the table, along with a pen. “Don’t say their names. Just write them down, and while you’re writing them, think about passing them to me. For now, it will stay between you and me.”

  She glanced at Joe sharply and then took the pen, pushing it to the paper and then stopping.

  Just watching her, Eric wondered if she really would walk out without writing their names down. Then, all of a sudden, she started scribbling names, one under the other. Then she folded the paper over and slipped it across the table to Joe. “I’m not a snitch, sir.” She licked her lips again. “At the time, I believed Gail when she came to me for help to get her report filed.”

  Eric leaned forward, deliberately showing her no compassion. “Did it ever occur to you that the report might be false? I mean, for Christ’s sake, have I ever acted inappropriately with you or any other female members of the crew?”

  Her face colored a deep mottled red as she sheepishly shook her head. “No, sir, you haven’t. Not in that way.”

  Shaking his head in disgust, he turned to Joe, allowing him to assume control of the meeting.

  “Petty Officer Jennifer Hampton, what you did may have been done with the best of intentions. Your actions, however, showed a total neglect of Navy rules and regulations. Gail Carruthers was required to report to her commanding officer. There are procedures to follow when filing a report. I would also like to point out that dozens of servicewomen in the Persian Gulf are saying they were sexually assaulted, and they are all investigated. A few have turned out to be unfounded. Do you have any idea what happens to a man’s career, even if charges are unfounded?” Joe asked.

  Numb, with tears in her eyes, she shook her head.

  “The damage is done the moment the accusation is made, and it is damn hard, if not impossible, for a good man to rebuild the dignity and respect he has commanded over the years.” Sucking in a breath, Joe expanded his chest, maintaining a steady calm in his voice. “I’m recommending an investigation into your conduct. Until further notice, you are relieved of your duties and you’ll be confined to your quarters. Dismissed.”

  Standing and saluting, Jennifer, with her shoulders sunk forward, left. Joe unfolded the paper Jennifer had slid back to him, and he frowned as he read the names.

  “Joe, who are they?” Eric asked, but a wary glance from Joe had Eric pausing.

  Joe cleared his throat. “Three names on here. I’ll talk to them first, and I’ll get back to you, Captain. Also, the JAG investigator will be here tonight. I’ll be working with him on the investigation.” Joe’s eyes were focused on something on the table in front of Eric.

  He let his eyes follow Joe’s gaze… to his hands, clenched into fists on the table before him. He unclasped them and lay them flat on the table, feeling the cool wood on his palms. Once the investigator arrived, the charges would be an in-his-face reminder of how bad and serious this was. Worse, suspension of duties was creeping up faster than he liked. There was so much to this, including the tainted mark on his career, even if they were able to prove the falseness of the charges against him.

  Clearing his throat, Bud pursed his lips as his face softened in sympathy. “Captain, I’m truly sorry for my petty officer’s actions. Please accept my sincerest apologies. I feel like I dropped the ball.”

  “Bud, it’s not your fault. What’s done is done. I just want to see this thing resolved. I have a ship to run. I don’t have time to challenge a schoolyard bully who can’t fight clean.”

  Bud stood awkwardly. “You have my full support. Anything I can do to help, please, Captain, let me know.”

  “Thanks, Bud.”

  He watched as Bud left, slamming the door behind himself. Everything about the man was large and loud.

  He didn’t like any of this, because any investigation would probe into his deeply private life, where no one had a right to go. It would be made public. Everyone would know his secrets, what a lowlife scum he’d been growing up. And Abby—his heart ached just thinking of her. He had promised to protect her, and she looked at him now with such softness and caring that it had his heart jackhammering all over the place. When this investigation started and when she found out everything dirty and ugly about him, she wouldn’t look at him that way again. He’d didn’t think he could survive when her look of love and trust quickly turned into hate and disgust. That was enough to make him feel physically ill. Eric sighed aloud, realizing his fists were once again clenched in front of him.

  “What is it?” Joe asked.

  “Abby. There’s no way to keep this from her.”

  Joe nodded. “Did you get a chance to talk to her yesterday? You know, about her nightmare?”

  Eric felt his mood softening. “Yeah, I did.” He plucked a paper clip from the folder on the table and turned it over and over. “I’m a little worried. What she’s been through is nothing short of incredible. You know, not just surviving each day, but how she escaped. I’m no shrink, but I think she’s handling it pretty damn good. She’s definitely one strong young lady.”

  “You know, Eric, it makes my blood run cold, trying to imagine what she’s been through.” Joe shook his head and firmed his lips in a fine white line. “We know what happens out here. Trafficking of women is such a low priority. Governments would rather fight a war.”

  Eric didn’t know what to say in response to that, because he’d never thought of it that way.

  Joe sighed. “So what has the doc said about her? How’s she doing?”

  Eric stretched up his arms, trying to work out the kinks. “He wants her to have a week of peace and quiet. He feels it’s imperative she get through to the end of the week. After that, if she delivers the baby…”r />
  Joe was normally calm in the most stressful of circumstances, but this time he tensed as he sat up straight. “Eric, you’re not planning on having her stay here to have the baby, are you?”

  “I haven’t planned that far, but in order for her to go to the base in Bahrain, I’d have to be guaranteed of her safety.”

  “Are you still worried the CIA will grab her or Seyed will get her?”

  “Aren’t you?”

  “Eric, she can’t stay here forever.”

  Eric pushed away from the table. “Come on. Let’s get on with things. I’ve got a ship to run, and don’t you have some women to interview?” Eric held the door open and waited while Joe picked up his file and followed. “You’re right, though. I need to be prepared for this JAG guy when he shows up tonight.”

  Eric left feeling guilty for not answering Joe’s last question. It was the real reason he had no idea what he was going to do.

  Saved: Chapter Nineteen

  Eric didn’t linger in the wardroom after Joe left. Lately, he’d been doing a lot of soul searching, which was something he had never done. He’d heard others speak of how’d they sit up all night under the stars or with a cup of coffee right at dawn, watching the sun make its way over the horizon as the birds chirped and the sounds of morning came alive around them, and they listened and were still. But Eric had always brushed that off as a waste of time, choosing instead to throw himself into whatever he did with both hands: doing, not thinking things to death.

  Now, at the oddest times, he’d find himself just watching something and wondering if he could have made better choices. What should he do to make things better for him, but first for Abby? If she was happy and safe, he’d be happy, too. He just knew it.

  Eric paced the width of the bridge, clasping his hands behind his back, studying the open sea but not seeing one thing. Even with the radio static, the voices of the crew, the buzz and hum of activity, everything reminded him of Abby.

  “Captain, did you hear me?” Deputy Intelligence Chief Monroe called out from the other side of the bridge.

  When Eric glanced over, he didn’t miss the way the crew were watching him, and there was that odd look, or frown, or worried expression, as if each wondered if maybe he was a ticking time bomb who’d snap on any one of them.

  “Sorry, Chief, can you repeat that?”

  “Sir, a British destroyer was spotted miles offshore, navigating toward a naval gunfire support position.”

  “Did you notify the Vincent?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Okay, update me when you find out what they’re doing there.” Eric didn’t wait around. He was starting to feel damn awkward on his ship, a ship that was the only home he had ever known, and he didn’t like that feeling at all. He didn’t have a clue where he was going, which was unlike him, but he walked and kept going, crew members jumping off to the side in the passageway as he hurried past.

  He went the one place where his heart ached a little less, to see Abby. When he popped open the door, she was leaning against a mound of pillows on her bed, reading a book. Her eyes immediately darted to him, and she dropped the book in her lap. His heart zinged right to her, and he didn’t know how he made his feet move, because just standing there watching her had turned his feet to lead. Then he was beside her, looking down on her and the bruises on her face that were beginning to fade.

  “How are you feeling?”

  A slight blush colored her rounded cheeks as she looked up and put a protective hand over her swollen belly. “We’re fine.” Then she licked her lips as if gathering courage to say something, and his heart flipped again. “I asked the doctor if I could get up and told him you’d show me around the ship. He said I could as long as I take it easy, but that’s if you’re still able to show me around?”

  Eric crossed his arms, and her eyes immediately skimmed over the eagle tattoo on his tight bicep. Many women had said he had the arms and abs of a fighter, and he was proud of the shape he was in. The eagle was his symbol, one he’d never commented on, but the tattoo had been the first thing he did for himself after he enlisted.

  “That is beautiful.” She gestured to it. “I’ve always loved eagles, loved their call. Do you know when they choose a mate, it’s for life?” She said it and then lowered her gaze as if worried she was saying too much.

  Eric sat on the bed, the springs squeaking. He pushed up his sleeve. Abby didn’t move away, but she did tuck her hair nervously behind her ears.

  “I had this done in Thailand, my first deployment when I was still a kid. This eagle feels so much like my totem.”

  Her eyes flew up to his, and she smiled and nodded. “I knew that when I saw it. It suits you.”

  Eric didn’t know how he could keep his hand from her, from touching her, because all he wanted to do was run his hands through her thick blond hair, to run his fingers over her jaw line. What he did instead was move away and try to kick start his brain before he went any further down this road, because everything right now made it impossible.

  “Let me call the doc and find out if he really said it would be okay to take you,” Eric said.

  She flung her feet over the edge and winced when her bare feet hit the cold floor. Eric grabbed the phone and called admin, because he knew this was when Larry would be filing all his reports.

  “Larry, it’s the captain.”

  “Yes, Captain?”

  “I’m with Abby in sickbay. She says you’ve given the okay for me to take her around the ship. I want to make sure we’re not getting our wires crossed.”

  He watched her from the corner of his eye. A light pink tinged her cheeks as she smoothed her hand over the borrowed blue shirt and pants. She was a vision of loveliness, with the sleeves of the large shirt rolled up, and the shirttails bunched about her on the mattress when she sat back down. He stifled a grin as she bent her leg up around her tummy to put on the borrowed sneakers that sat on the bed beside her. He didn’t know where she’d gotten them, but they were better for walking than the thongs she’d worn the other day.

  “As long as she doesn’t try to run a marathon, she’s good. Just a nice, comfortable walk. Don’t do lots of standing around, though,” Larry said.

  “Thanks, Doc,” Eric said before hanging up. “Well, good news and bad, Abby. Doc said an easy walk without lots of standing, so I won’t show you the whole ship.”

  “It’ll be nice to just get past these four walls. I miss the fresh air. Could we go outside? I’d really like that.”

  How could he deny her that? Eric himself loved this life for the openness of the sea, and whenever he was able, he found his way on deck. “Okay, let’s go,” he said. With a secure hold on the back of her elbow, he helped her stand and escorted her to the door, holding it open and then guiding her out.

  “Thank you” was all she said as she gazed up at him with a joyful look that lit up her entire face.

  Eric was in charge, and he led her down the passageway and then through the hatch that opened out onto the deck. “Watch your step, Abby. Hang on to me.”

  The first few steps on deck, he felt her hesitation as they stopped. It was through her eyes that he remembered his first time on deck: the powerful sense of awe that had pumped through his blood and left him lightheaded, feeling the power beneath his feet, the steel of the ship that was larger than anything he’d ever expected, with miles and miles of bright blue ocean in the backdrop. He still got chills, and he realized, watching her watching all of this with her mouth gaping in awe, that he’d forgotten to say thank you.

  It wasn’t until he noticed movement beside him that he realized there were others on deck. Sailors jumped to attention, and one of them seemed to stumble over his own feet when he saw Abby. Of course, just the sight of her had many of them sprouting peacock feathers, eager to get her attention. What Eric did though was shoot them a warning glare, each of them, except Jamieson, who seemed to be ignoring him.

  “Good to see you again, ma’am.…�
�� Jamieson said.

  “You got nothing to do, Jamieson? Find the XO and get him to assign you some work,” Eric said, cutting the young crewman off before he could prattle on.

  “Yes, sir,” he said and hurried off through the hatch.

  “Watch your feet, and don’t trip.”

  Abby’s foot caught on the armor plate around the hatch. It happened so fast that one minute, she was stumbling, and the next, he was lifting her in his arms. Her own arms flew up and wrapped around his neck. My God, having her arms so intimately around him, holding on, had his heart thumping. His thin rein was about ready to snap, and he wanted to start stamping his mark like a caveman, proclaiming “This is my woman” to everyone, including Abby. She was really testing him. What he really wanted to do was tuck her in bed with him, lock the door, and not let anyone in. But he couldn’t, and as much as he hated doing it, he set her down. His body mourned the loss of all her curves against him. Reluctantly, he dropped his arms from around her and pumped his hands, which now felt so empty.

  “You need to be more careful and watch where you step,” he snapped.

  “I’m sorry, I just… well, I have a hard time seeing over the baby. I haven’t been able to see my feet for a while.” The wind was whipping her hair in her face, across a wan smile, and she looked up at him. “Please don’t be angry with me.”

  Angry, she thought he was angry. If she only knew. “Abby, I’m not mad at you. I just want you to be safe.”

  She looked so serious, and he was stunned when her finger reached up and touched just below his eye. “You have a scar there. What happened?”

  He didn’t want her to take her hand away. He wanted her to put her hands everywhere, all over him. “Fighting a drunk.”

  She ran her finger over the scar. “I feel so safe with you. How do you do that?”

  “I want you to feel safe. That’s why I brought you out here. As long as you’re here, with me, you’re safe.”