by Amy Kyle
Trent got up and went in the door. Saluting the Captain he said. “Sir, Senior Petty Officer Jonas reporting.”
The Captain saluted him back and told him to sit down. Looking down at his desk and the paperwork in front of him, he sighed. “I think you know why we are here, right?”
“Yes sir I know why.” Trent answered.
“Well what do you have to say?” The Captain asked.
“Honestly sir I would do it again. If it was her that was captured and she was in danger, I would go in an instant. I can’t count on another person to save her. I love her and I would die to protect her. I think this is the best attitude to have for any mission. If you know that you would die to protect the person you’re trying to save, how can you go wrong? You’re going to make sure everything is done just right. You’ll watch to make sure no mistakes are made. Sir you would go above and beyond your duty to get the mission completed successfully.” Trent said.
The Captain studied him and shook his head up and down as he processed what was said. “Son I know your right. I honestly do. It wasn’t me who put this policy in place though. If it was strictly up to me I would get rid of this and say go about your duty. But it isn’t me and more than just this office has been involved here. What I’m saying is we have two choices here. One you can retire now and earn your pension for 25 years of service. I’m sorry but they don’t add anything to the amount you would receive between 25 and 28 years. So you will be losing a bit of money in the long run. But our other choice is to court marital you, and I would rather not do that. If you retire you’ll get an honorable discharge that’s the other good thing about doing it that way.”
He took a deep breath. “I knew it would probably be something like this. But Sir I can’t lie and say that I wouldn’t do it again. Because anytime that it might come up again I would be right there with the rest of the platoon. I would make sure my wife came back safely.” Trent stated.
“What do you mean your wife?” The Captain asked honestly shocked.
“Well she’s not my wife yet. But she will be she accepted my proposal last night.”
“So it wasn’t just a passing fancy? Well let me see if I can do something. I might have an idea.” The Captain stated he looked deep in thought.
“Yes sir, what would you like me to do?” Trent asked.
“Could you wait outside for a bit?”
“I don’t have any other plans sir.” Trent walked out to sit down and wait. He wondered what the Captain was thinking of trying.
He wanted to call Kimberly to hear her voice. But he was too nervous and didn’t know what to say to her. Then he knew the perfect thing to do. He pulled out his phone and dialed her number.
On the second ring he heard her voice. He smiled she sounded lovely. “Hello sweetheart, I just wanted to call to tell you I love you.” Trent said to her.
He could hear her smile. “Trent, oh I love you too. So what happened?” She asked sounding anxious to know what was happening with him.”
“I don’t know the Captain sent me out of his office. He said he had an idea and was going to try something.” Trent told her.
“Well maybe this is a good sign? I’ll keep my fingers crossed.” She said.
“I thought you said this was too dangerous, you didn’t want me doing it anymore?” Trent asked her.
“I was serious when I told you last night. Well I guess I didn’t finish the thought, I hung before that.” She sighed. “It was never fair for me to ask that of you Trent. Yesterday I saw what you were like on a mission. I knew at that moment that you cared if you came home. You just didn’t know how to tell me. I should have figured that out a long time ago.” She said.
“How could you know if I never told you?” He asked, wanting to admit his part in the past wrong doings.
“You did tell me. When you were talking about your mother and how she was to you. If I had really listened I would have known why you held back with me. I mean you told me you loved me, but why you never wanted to do more. She made you scared to commit when you love someone. It hit me yesterday. I think I was more shocked at that realization then that you saying you loved me. Why I hadn’t seen that before is because I never saw you on a mission. I never listened to you when you told me you were safe. Seeing you out there and watching you. I could tell that you believed that with every inch of your heart. I always thought you were just placating me, but you weren’t. I don’t want you to quite something you love.” Trent could hear her crying as she was talking.
A weight felt like it had been lifted off his chest. Trent hadn’t even realized that was what he had been doing in the past. “You know I never knew I was doing it for that reason. But your right I was doing that.” He took a deep breath. “But if they don’t kick me out or let me retire early, I don’t know if I’ll be able to transfer to your station.” He stated.
“Baby, I’ll move here to you. I can easily do this, remember my dad is still good friends with the right people.” She stated.
Trent smiled. “You are really the greatest girl who a guy could ever find. How the hell did I miss out on these last 20 years? Sometimes I am such an idiot!” He laughed.
Kimberly laughed on the other side of the phone. He had to wonder if the Captain was an acquaintance of Kimberly’s dad. For the first time since yesterday he felt like his chances of staying in the military was good.
“You are an idiot at times dear. I love you though idiot part and all!”
Trent looked up as he heard Melissa’s phone buzz. “Hey I think I have to go. I love you and I’ll call you soon!”
“Okay love you too Trent!” He heard her say as he took the phone away from his ear.
“He would like to see you again.” Melissa said to Trent.
He got up and entered the Captain’s office. “Sit down Senior Petty.” The Captain said.
Trent took a seat. His stomach clinched up on itself. He hadn’t been this nervous since he had first asked Kimberly out.
“You know this meeting could have been a lot shorter if you had told me about you and Ms. Sanks engagement.” The Captain looked at Trent seriously.
“I’m sorry sir; I didn’t realize it might have benefits at that point.” Trent admitted.
The Captain smiled and said. “He said Kimberly had told him that when she talked to him last night.” He laughed. “Jake and I have been buddies since our days at the Academy together. Your fine no problems and the rules are being rewritten as of now. “
What are you kidding me? She knew when I talked to her it would be okay.” Trent shook his head.
“No she didn’t Jake told me that he wouldn’t interfere in this unless you told me something. He wasn’t taking any steps to help. He said Kimberly wouldn’t have it any other way. He also told me that she said to tell you that you would understand that statement now.”
He shook his head. “Yes sir I do understand it. I know I have the greatest wife in the world. It won’t be a long wait either. I love that woman.”
Trent walked out of the office and headed straight to Kimberly. She was waiting outside for him and as he approached she ran to him and jumped in his arms.
“Hey watch the PDA lieutenant.” He stated.
“Hell with those rules, we’ll get them changed one day if we can! Plus I’m not in uniform. I just look like the wife who is very happy to see her husband home. Now come in because I’m going to welcome you home in another way.” Kimberly pulled him in through the door and shut it behind them!
THE END
Wild Beast
Chapter 1
The snow blanketed the ground outside and continued to fall from the sky. She sipped her coffee and frowned. Trust her mother and stepfather get stranded at the airport three states over. Now she was alone on Christmas.
A knock at the door startled her. With excitement, she bounded down the stairs. She’d just spend her first semester away at college, and she was so excited to talk to her mom about it. “You made it!” s
he said as she flung open the door.
Her drive instantly changed when she saw who was at the door. Despite the freezing cold temperatures, his wore a leather jacket that was still unzipped at the neck, and of course, he wore nothing to protect his head.
“Cade,” she said with a frown. “What the hell are you doing here?” She crossed her arms to protect herself. Her body always betrayed her whenever her stepbrother was around.
He stared at her like she’d lost her mind. “It’s Christmas.”
“I know, but my mom and your dad flew to Pennsylvania to spend time with your family.”
“Erin, it’s freezing out here. Can I come in before we debate about why I’m not allowed to spend Christmas here?”
She rolled her eyes but stepped aside. Cade brushed the snow off his jacket and filled the doorway as he entered. “Thanks, sis,” he said wryly.
“Don’t call me that,” she snapped. “Why aren’t you in Pennsylvania?”
Her fingers tingled as he stripped his jacket off. As he lifted his arms, she could see just an inch of so of his torso, and her mind immediately flashed back to when she’d spent some time at the beach with him. Six-pack abs. Tanned and smooth skin that was virtually hairless. Perfection.
“If you’d remember anything that came out of my mouth when we were together, you would know that I live here now. I’m starting a business, and New York is the best demographics. Where is Dad and Susan?”
“Pennsylvania,” she said as she crossed her arms. “Because of the snow storm, they’re stuck for at least a few days.”
“So, you’re alone here? No babysitter?”
“Cade. I am nineteen years old. I haven’t needed a babysitter for ten years.”
He smiled at her. “That’s right. You’re at NYU. How was your first semester?”
“It was awesome. My roommate is kind of a bitch, but I think she’s going to fail out next semester anyways. My suitemates, on the other hand, are awesome.” She continued chatting as she followed him into the kitchen and watched as he opened the refrigerator door. “What are you doing?”
“I’d like to feed myself. Maybe we can order Chinese.”
“You’re staying?”
Cade peeked over the kitchen door and shrugged. “It took me two hours to make the twenty minute drive, so I’m not exactly ready to drive back. And besides, it’s Christmas. It wouldn’t be very brotherly of me to leave you on Christmas.”
“You’re not my brother,” she snapped.
“No,” he said with a slow smile. “I’m not.”
Erin Silva shook away the memories and stared at her editor. “I’m sorry, what did you just say?”
Leila frowned. “Erin, you haven’t written anything worthwhile in over a year. I know you wanted to take a hiatus after the veteran’s piece, but you can’t keep surviving off travel blogs. You’re a human interest writer, and The New York Monthly is begging me to get you to write up his profile.”
“Cade Marquis? You want me to do an interview with Cade Marquis?” Erin stared at her friend. “Are you insane?”
“No,” Leila said slowly. “I thought you’d have an issue with the project, not with the subject. What’s going on? Do you know Cade?”
Just thinking about him made her chest tighten. “Yes, I know Cade. And no, I’m not writing a piece on him.”
“That’s going to be a problem.” Leila followed her through the kitchen. “Erin, if you don’t writing again, people are going to forget about you. You have the write this piece. I already told the magazine that you’d do it, and I’ve already informed Cade’s publicist. He agreed to it.”
“The publicist or Cade?” Erin snapped as she whirled around.
Leila halted. “Does it matter?” she said nervously.
“Yes, it matters,” she said tightly. “Who agreed?”
“Cade did. He called me last night and told me it was a great idea. He needs more exposure, and he says he likes your style of writing.”
“Did he now?” Erin rolled her eyes. Trust Cade to sweet talk Leila. For all she knew, he was probably pulling the strings at the magazine as well. Obviously, he’d decided his life was empty without tormenting her.
Leila reached out and grabbed her arm. “Erin, this is a big opportunity for you. What the hell is your relationship with Cade?”
What was her relationship with Cade? “He’s my stepbrother,” she said softly. “His dad, Richard, married my mom when I was sixteen. He was twenty.”
She stopped talking for a moment as she tried to figure out what to say next. “Okay,” Leila said. “So he’s your family. That’s even better. You’ll be able to easily intertwine his past struggles with his present success. What, was he an obnoxious stepbrother?”
Erin snorted. “Please. Cade was too old to bother with me at first. But then, things changed.”
“How so?”
Leila had been her friend since college, and Erin had never told her the story. Mainly because it was too personal, and also because it hurt too much to talk about. “When I was nineteen, I gave Cade my virginity,” she said softly.
“What?” Leila’s mouth dropped open. “You told me Chase Hartfield took you virginity. You lied to me?”
“I lied to Chase too,” Erin said with a wry smile. “It just sort of happened over Christmas one year. Our parents were stuck in Pennsylvania during a snowstorm and couldn’t get home. Cade didn’t get the memo, and came over for Christmas. We were alone for a week before my mom made it back.”
“You spent a week in the bed of Cade Marquis? Your stepbrother? You dirty girl.” Leila perched on a bar stool and leaned over the counter. “Tell me everything!”
Erin rolled her eyes. “Leila, it was six years ago. It didn’t just happen last night.”
“So? That doesn’t mean it’s not forever burned in your memory. God, Erin, Cade practically became a billionaire over night. His consulting business is a huge success. Companies all over the world are trying to hire him. And you spent a week in his bed. I have to know everything.”
Erin stared out the window. “Actually, I don’t really remember it. There was a lot of alcohol involved.” She smiled. “You remember how I was back then. But I do remember that by the end of the week, Cade turned into a complete asshole. He became engrossed in his business, and I started dating Chase. We haven’t really seen each other since then.”
“So it’s not a big deal that you guy spent a week together?”
“Not a big deal,” Erin confirmed with a smile.
“Excellent. Then you won’t have any issues interviewing him. I’ve set up your first meeting for Monday at three. You can spend the next few days doing some background research on him. The Monthly wants the story for next month’s edition which means you have three weeks to interview him and write it.”
“Wait...”
“I’ve got to go, Erin. It’s going to be great. Let me know if you have any questions!”
Her editor blew her a kiss and sailed out of the room, leaving Erin with her mouth hanging open. How had that backfired on her?
* * *
Erin propped her long legs up on the couch arm and leaned back as she munched on her lo mein. “This was a good idea.”
Cade stared at her. Every single voice of logic in his head was screaming for him to get back in his car and drive home. It was far safer for him to battle the blizzard outside than to spend even a few hours alone with her. He was twenty-three, about to start his own business, and a hair’s breath away from getting Sasha Oliver to go to dinner with him. He’s been pursuing her for a year. That was the girl he needed to be spending the evening with, not his nineteen-year-old stepsister.
But there was something about her that was undeniable. Her long dark hair practically reached her waist, and he wanted nothing more than to wrap his fists in it and…
“Earth to Cade.”
He tore his eyes away from her slender body and blinked. “Sorry, I spaced out. What were you saying?”
>
“I was asked you about you business. Didn’t you say you were setting up shop here?”
He cleared his throat. “It’s a consulting business. I would help others with their own businesses.”
She frowned. “You’re going to start a business to help other people with their businesses? Isn’t that what, like, sixty year old men do?”
“I worked for Simon and Grant for four years,” he pointed out. “And they’re backing me on my business. I’ve got a good mind for business and marketing, but I don’t want to come up with a product. I’d rather market my services, and consulting is what I’m good at. While I was at Simon and Grant, their sales went up seven percent. Do you know how big that is? I was twenty.”
“Okay, I get it,” she laughed. “You don’t have to be so defensive. You’re a guru of business.”
He smiled. He was getting a bit defensive. He wanted to look good for her. “So what are you majoring in?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know yet. I love some of the social sciences. I think anthropology and psychology would be fun. I also love history and literature. Right now I’m just taking the core classes while I talk to advisors.”
Her mother used to complain that Erin was all over the place. When she got what she wanted, she grew bored with it several months later. With that kind of track record, it would take her forever to make up her mind about what she wanted to do for a living.
She sat her box down and swung her legs over the side. “I’m going to get a drink. You need anything?”
“Another beer would be nice.” He frowned. “And don’t drink any of it. Your mother will have me castrated if she comes home and you’re drunk.”
“Please,” she rolled her eyes and disappeared in the kitchen. “First off, the beer you drink is disgusting.” She returned a moment later when his beer and a soda for her. She leaned over to put the beer on the table, and he could stare straight down her shirt. “And second of all, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea for me to drink while we’re alone together. You might take advantage of me.”
