by Laura Acton
Dan set his coffee down and relaxed his arm trying to ease the ache in his right shoulder. A constant, dull throb increased during the two hours he held a shield covering Lexa while she negotiated. Lexa impressed him with how she connected with the overwrought woman. She helped her realize her actions only hurt her boys and as a mother, she needed to make the hard choices in the best interest of the kids.
Standing close to Lexa for hours sent his senses into overdrive. Particularly when she laid a hand on his back as she peeked out from behind the shield. The attraction which seized him the night they met in the bar tugged on him. Electric currents burned his body the entire time she touched him. He would place odds her touch branded him with her handprint.
No denying he remained fascinated with the petite sniper with her eyes emblazoned with flecks of gold. Sexy Lexie is a spitfire full of surprises. Her eyes flashed fiery daggers at me when I called her that months ago.
He flicked his gaze to her, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly. The magnetic pull to her was something he didn’t fully understand, especially since she had been bitterly cold to him. When the gun the subject held looked like it might rise, he almost shot prematurely as the desire to protect her overwhelmed him.
A brutal war had been fought in his head today as he shielded her. His need to safeguard Lexa faced off with his self-preservation. In the end, protecting her was victorious. Although, he should have known the victor was a foregone conclusion.
Blaze had once yelled at him, angry he put himself in the line of fire and told him he must stop protecting others at the expense of himself. He responded, ‘this is who I am and what I do.’ At the core, Dan understood he was a protector, and he was on this earth for one reason only, to defend those he cared about and those who couldn’t protect themselves.
Drawn out of his thoughts, Dan noted lovely Tia entering the briefing room with a smile and carrying a pink box.
Tia had been busy with Delta Team on another call when Alpha Team arrived to debrief. Now finished with them, this was the prime opportunity to deliver Dan’s package.
She still couldn’t believe the mix of people who stopped by the dispatch desk while the team was out on the call. Two women, two teens, and an elderly man approached her. The smartly dressed middle-aged woman introduced herself as Caroline Bennett. She then presented the others. Gladys, a sweet grandmotherly type who held a huge box of cookies. Max and Jeff, teenage boys who gawked at TRF officers as awe shone brightly in their eyes. Lastly, Murray, a thin, weathered, ancient man wearing a comfortable Army jacket who appeared to be homeless from the state of the rest of his clothing.
Caroline requested to visit Dan, and all appeared disappointed when she told them he was out. Gladys asked her to give Dan the baked goods. Pulling out a thank you card, Caroline penned a short missive inside. Once finished, she inserted the note in an envelope, and after sealing it, she handed the envelope over and bade her give it to him as well. Tia assured the group she would hand deliver the gift to Dan.
They thanked her, and as they left Tia overheard them talking about how kindhearted Dan was and their disappointment in not being able to express appreciation in person. Tia chuckled when Gladys said if she were a younger woman, she would’ve pursued the blond hunk with the beautiful smile.
She agreed with all of the statements by Dan’s fan club. He is kind and undeniably handsome. If only he weren’t a cop, I would flirt with him. She strictly enforced her self-imposed rule about not dating cops.
As Tia approached Dan, her smile grew broader. “Dan, several of your admirers came by looking for you. Gladys hopes you enjoy these treats. She baked them for you. Caroline wrote you a message in the card.” She set the items down in front of Dan.
“Thanks,” Dan said as she left the room. Tia is always friendly to me—another reason to stay. Not everyone at TRF dislikes me.
Lexa stared at Dan. Admirers? Plural? Women are coming here and leaving gifts for Dan. Damn, he must be a player. Her thought was reinforced when she recalled Dan saying ‘out of protection’ when she asked him why he stopped the night they had mind-blowing sex.
She was aware women ogled his well-built body as they wrapped up calls over the past three months. Undoubtedly, Dan had his choice of women. In all probability, he slept with a different woman every night with the way women devoured him with their eyes like he was juicy prime beef. Hell, they’re now coming to his place of work to bring him cookies and such. Caroline … Gladys … and others ... How many others?
With that thought, an emotion Lexa didn’t want to acknowledge roiled within her. No, I’m not jealous! Why would I be envious? I don’t give a damn if he sleeps around. None of my business.
However, the little devil sitting on Lexa’s shoulder whispered snidely in her ear, “The green-eyed monster of envy has come to roost. All those women lucky enough to sleep with him and have him drive them wild, while Dan is off limits to you. You are jealous. Admit it, Sexy Lexie, you want him all to yourself.” Lexa mentally punched the mouthy devil to shut her the hell up.
Loki grinned when Tia came in with a box and card for Dan. In a spunky mood today, Ray accused him of still being on a sugar high from all the pie he consumed. Lexa even teased him saying she would be limiting his pie intake in the future because he acted like a ping pong ball today.
Still trying to figure out stoic Dan, Loki noticed a slight hint of an upturn of Dan’s mouth after Tia’s departure. It was the first emotion he saw since Dan’s outburst at Jon weeks ago. Until he figured out the rookie, Loki decided to use humor to make a connection. So, in that vein, Loki grabbed the sealed envelope.
“That’s mine!” Dan stated.
“Oooo, Dantastic must’ve made someone swoon,” Loki teased as he tore open the envelope. “Let’s find out who shall we?”
Dantastic? What the hell? “Give it back!” Dan demanded as he stood, grabbing for his card with his sore arm. He missed as his deltoid muscle cramped hard causing him to hiss in pain before covering his reaction.
Jon interpreted Dan’s sound as anger at Loki. “Calm down, Broderick. No need to go getting all pissed off. Who’s it from?” Jon said as Loki skipped around to the other side of the table away from Dan.
The snide devil on Lexa’s shoulder got back at her for the punch as she made her snipe, “Read it out loud, Loki. Let’s see what Danny boy’s latest dinner partner says about his skills.”
Internally, Lexa winced as the words escaped her lips. She put the damned devil in a chokehold. I shouldn’t be lashing out at Dan in a snarky way. I must not behave so irrationally, but something about him drives me batty.
Dan shot Lexa a ‘what the fuck?’ glare but swiftly refocused on Loki. “Hand it over. Now!”
Smiling, Loki mischievously waggled his eyebrows. “Dinner partner, is that what they’re calling hook-ups now? Oh, I just have to read this.”
Bram shot Boss a look—he should stop this right now. Loki was out of bounds. Loki meant well and was trying to use humor, but the rookie was not ready for this joking. About to say something, he waited as Dan spoke.
Reining in his temper, Dan bit out in a tone which implied Loki should desist now, “Fine. Read it.”
Loki opened the note then, using his best falsetto, started reading. “Dear Dan. This is only a small token of appreciation for all the pleasure and joy your hands wrought. The last two days you spent here with us were fabulous. We all wish there were more men like you.” Loki stopped for dramatic flair.
Wow, Dan is a woman magnet. More than two women are so impressed with him they stopped by to visit him. I’m no slouch, but I wish I had that kind of success with the ladies. Joining the playful teasing, Ray quipped, “Impressive! Dan, you sure know how to reel them in. Two whole days with more than one lady. You must have some stamina.”
Loki continued to read using the same intonation. “Your help meant so much to so many. Brandi came in today and asked about your shoulder. She wanted to know if you st
ill hurt …”
The girly voice trailed off, and Loki resumed reading in his normal one. “I told her you’re all better, a tough guy, and not to be concerned anymore. Brandi’s plate is full enough trying to survive. I figured you wouldn’t want her to worry about you getting injured when you caught the guy who stole her purse. Though I genuinely hope you heal fast and you stay safe out there while protecting us.”
After the last sentence, Loki glanced at Dan. He hurt his shoulder taking down the purse snatcher?
Bram turned his gaze to Dan and studied him closely. What is this all about? I didn’t notice, yet again, Dan got hurt on a call. Why? How?
Loki continued to read aloud. He couldn’t stop. He needed to know the rest, and he figured the others should hear this too. “Brandi also hopes your boss doesn’t yell at you anymore for doing your job. She said little Dillon loves the toy car you gave him. There is never money left over after she pays for food and rent to buy him a toy. Old Murray says thanks for the warm jacket too, and he slept much better last night not being so worried about the cold.
“I can’t express how much I appreciated you talking with Jeff and Max. The boys are going home to give their parents and school another chance. They like the idea of becoming police officers. Thank you for taking the time to listen to them. You made a significant difference in their lives.
“Although we would miss you here, we all hope by next year you have some friends or family to spend Thanksgiving with. No one should be all alone on holidays. I’m glad you stumbled upon us, and we were here for you, too.
“Thanks again for all your help. See you on Christmas Eve. Sincerely, Caroline Bennett, Director Mayfield Soup Kitchen. PS, Gladys hopes these cookies put that beautiful smile on your face again.”
When Loki finished, all eyes turned towards Dan. An awkward heaviness permeated the room. Nick, Loki, Ray, and Lexa realized they never asked Dan if he had plans for Thanksgiving. They all assumed he would spend the day with his family.
Jon’s mind was in a different space. He and Nick had an uncomfortable discussion on Thanksgiving where Nick pointed out to him that he was unfairly attributing his opinions of Burl and Alejandro onto Dan. Believing himself a fair-minded man, Jon now actively questioned himself. Could I be so blinded by my perceptions? Yes, Broderick is an ex-soldier and unreadable. He is also cocky and reckless, but in all honesty, did Broderick resemble either of those men?
He came back today needing to figure this out. He must view Broderick through a new lens, not one distorted by memories of other men. With a fresh perspective and the information gleaned from the letter, the hiss he heard took on new meaning for Jon. Dan had been injured taking down the purse snatcher, and he failed to recognize because he was too busy yelling.
As Jon watched Dan smile at the team, a hollow, lifeless grin which didn’t reflect his blue eyes, Jon gradually came to the realization he may have misjudged the rookie.
To break the unsettling silence, Dan focused on Bram as he said, “Thanks for inviting me for Thanksgiving dinner, but I was meant to be at Mayfield.” Dan thought about the small nudge he felt on his back as he exited the park. He attributed the push to Brody. So, he added, “I wasn’t alone, my friend suggested I spend the day helping those in need.”
“I’m glad you had a pleasant day,” Bram automatically replied though something didn’t jibe. The note from Ms. Bennett specified Dan stumbled upon them, but Dan indicated he went at a friend’s suggestion. He also still wondered about the flash of anger when he invited Dan. And though Dan smiled, his expression appeared forced and artificial. Broderick, you are a perplexing man, to say the least.
As Dan sat down, his eyes moved across the rest of the team. He noted a mix of emotions. Discomfited at being the object of their attention, he said, “Help yourselves. Gladys makes a terrific chocolate chip cookie.”
Picking up one of the cookies, Dan took a big bite shifting his gaze to the window. I might be able to make a difference here, whether the team wants me or not. Only a week remains of my commitment to the commander. If Alpha Team doesn’t want me, perhaps Gambrill will allow me to transfer to Sergeant Winter’s team.
Observing Dan’s neutral expression, like nothing out of the ordinary happened as he devoured another cookie, caused Jon to alter his thoughts. Dammit, Nick is probably right. How the hell am I going to crawl out of the deep hole I dug for myself?
Nick studied his entire team. The air hummed with altered energy. Clearly, Caroline’s letter affected each of them. They received their first glimpse of Dan being more than an emotionless soldier. Volunteering for two days at a soup kitchen … well, that shed a different light on the rookie. Dan became a real person to them, not just a teammate who had been forced on them. Perhaps this is the turning point I’ve been searching for … maybe this will set us on the right path forward.
We Need More Time
30
October 19
TRF HQ – Commander Gambrill’s Office – 6:00 a.m.
Walter blew out a breath. For eight weeks, he and William played a game of telephone tag, this time he connected. His phone call to the general went about as well as he expected. Telling his friend everything which transpired over the past months had been arduous and met with rage. Perhaps fortune smiled upon me for two months given William’s reaction to my news.
Livid over the team’s horrendous treatment of Daniel, William told him outright he would recall Daniel if they harmed him again. Walter tried to explain Dan still grieved for Brody and needed more time to adjust. He needed for William to understand Dan shutdown emotionally as he did with Sara’s death becoming an obstacle to his own recovery. The team strove to rectify their errors, and though Dan kept them all at arm’s length, things appeared to be improving in the last few weeks. Alas, William latched on to the events of September fifteenth and wouldn’t listen to another word.
William ranted, claiming Daniel was not where he rightly belonged. He wanted his son back in Special Forces where his talents made a real difference. William believed Daniel’s expertise as a sniper was wasted in the police force and his overall skill set better fit into the path of becoming a general. Sadly, his long-time friend could be obtuse and blind to his son’s spirit and needs.
If only William heeded the family’s advice when Dan was a young boy, things might be entirely different now. But William didn’t listen. If…. Walter stopped the ifs, he must deal with reality, not what might’ve been.
Walter shook his head reviewing the form. Another injury report on Dan. In the past week, Nick resorted to getting Dan checked out on scene anytime even the slightest possibility existed he could’ve been injured. Speaking of obtuse—Dan could challenge his father in that arena sometimes.
Alpha Team experienced a rough week. They went from call to call and served several no-knock warrants which became physical. This report came from a critical call yesterday. Walter sighed. Dan took improper risks. Jumping on a concussion grenade! For heaven’s sake, what is Dan thinking? Luckily, the only damage done was ringing in Dan’s ears.
Checking the clock, Walter decided he still had time for a little chat with Nick before Alpha Team’s shift started. He needed an update on how things were going on the team. He called Tia at the dispatch desk and asked her to send Nick into his office. Five minutes later, at the knock on his door he said, “Come in.”
Nick stood before Gambrill wearing workout clothes and carrying a towel in his hands. He wiped the sweat from his forehead as he said, “Commander?”
Gambrill motioned to the door. “Close the door and take a seat, please.”
After doing so, Nick waited for the commander to state the reason for calling him in. Although with their month up soon, he was certain this dealt with their rookie and the fate of his team. Time to go to bat for them—all of them.
Walter tapped the injury report in front of him several times with his fingertips. “I finished this. How is Broderick doing this morning?”
; “Hearing is back to normal.” Nick took the opportunity to share something he hoped showed how they attempted to embrace Broderick. “Dan scared the bejeezus out of Loki after workout. Loki tried to sneak up on him assuming Dan’s ability to perceive sound might still be a tad off. No luck for Loki, Dan whipped around and put Loki in a headlock in no time flat.”
Gambrill frowned. “Not a smart idea to startle a Special Forces trained soldier. Perhaps you should remind Baldovino certain pranks should be avoided with someone possessing Dan’s capabilities. I wouldn’t want either of them to be hurt by Broderick’s reaction to a harmless stunt.”
Nick nodded. “I think Loki learned his lesson, but I’ll speak with him.”
“So, tell me, why did Broderick jump on the grenade?”
Wiping away the sweat dripping down the side of his face, Nick considered the question. “I’m reasonably certain he reacted on instinct. While Loki secured the defused explosive, one of the bomb squad members carried the wooden box of grenades to the disposal truck.
“The officer tripped, and one of the grenades popped out and went rolling towards Lexa and a group of kids. With Lexa facing the opposite direction she didn’t see the thing coming. Dan yelled ‘grenade’ as he threw himself on top. The pin dislodged on impact, and the damned thing exploded only a second after Dan used his body to shield the others.”
Walter cringed at the description and what might have happened. “Did the storage box contain only concussion grenades?”
Nick wiped his face again. “No, the case contained frag, smoke, tear gas, and flashbangs too. We were all aware of the contents. I’m still boggled by Dan’s reaction speed and willingness to sacrifice himself to save the children and Lexa from the blast. They would have been killed if it had been a frag.”
Shaking his head, Walter recognized a Broderick trait of nobly protecting others before oneself. Though with Dan on the knife’s edge, still dealing with the emotional aftermath of Brody’s death, his behavior worried Walter. There was a slight chance he was taking unacceptable risks as a way to end his life. Walter hoped the team would pull Dan back before he fell into the abyss.
