by S. K. Lessly
I noticed this look come over Misty’s face as she closed her eyes and shivered.
“Yeah, he does look good in his uniform.”
“Like An Officer and a Gentleman, right?”
Misty smiled weakly at me and nodded, sadness abruptly blanketing her face. “Being with him wouldn’t be so bad. It’s just…”
I shook my head and stood. I took one of her hands into mine and squeezed. “Misty, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t go for it.”
“Sweets, it was just sex and it was a mistake. It can’t happen again. Besides, we are just friends. That’s all we’ll ever be.”
“Why can’t it happen again?” I asked and frowned as a thought occurred to me. “Was it awful?”
Misty leaned away from me and gave me that are-you-kidding-me look. Smiling, she confessed, “Woman, that man right there…” she trailed off, closed her eyes, and shivered.
I swatched goose bumps explode all over her arms and neck. When she opened her eyes, I saw how much Shane had affected her. I grinned. “Okay…”
She looked at me and we both started laughing.
“I will take that to mean he held his own.”
Misty nodded and fanned herself. “Yes, girl, he definitely did that and then some. I tell you I never expected it to be that good. Well, I hoped it would be, but he surpassed all expectations, I tell you that much.”
“Then what’s the problem? I’ve never seen you back down from a challenge. The man’s single and has been for some time.”
“How do you know that?” she asked.
I shrugged. “I overheard Amanda…” I stopped when Misty frowned.
Puzzled, she looked as if she was about to ask me who Amanda was.
I rolled my eyes. “Girl, you are too much. Amanda is Malcolm’s girlfriend. I overheard Amanda talking to Malibu Barbie when we were at Mama Joe’s. We were winding down from dinner, and I needed some fresh air. Amanda was on the porch, and I guess she thought she was alone. She didn’t see me, and I didn’t make my presence known. I actually got an ear full in my haste to announce my presence.”
“Oh yeah? What was she saying?” she asked, her eyebrows lifting up and down. She smiled devilishly.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Not anything juicy. Casey told Amanda how she and Shane had gotten into an argument over the dangers of his job. Amanda told Casey not to give up because Shane was in love with her and was talking marriage to Malcolm.”
The look that suddenly accosted Misty’s face made me wish that I had kept my mouth shut.
Misty stood, her eyes saddened slightly. “See, that’s why he and I can’t do this.”
I shook my head and stepped in her path. “No, I disagree. I saw the way Shane looked at you when you walked into the meeting late today. Actually, I’ve noticed every time he looks at you. There’s something there. I can feel and see it. What Amanda said can’t be true. She was probably blowing smoke up her friend’s ass.”
“Kind of what you’re doing to me right now?” she rebutted.
I sort of froze as if I was confirming it.
Misty gave me a small smile. “Look, I know what you’re trying to do and you’re probably right about Amena blowing smoke. I just don’t know about Shane.”
“Well, I do. Why don’t you just talk to him? Tell him how you feel, why you’re hesitant, and everything else he needs to hear. Believe me, I know what it’s like to wonder and second guess everything. I did the same thing in the beginning of my relationship with Josh. He would tell me all the time how he loved me and would never leave me, but because of my past, I didn’t believe him. I couldn’t believe him. I had to keep my guard up at all times. I ignored the feelings of contentment and belonging because I thought they weren’t real. Josh couldn’t be that amazing. He couldn’t want me as much as he did, but he did. And when I look back, I wish I would have let go a whole lot sooner. Maybe all of that stuff wouldn’t have happened, you know.”
Misty frowned instantly and put her arms on my shoulders. “No, I don’t know. First of all, don’t you dare blame yourself for getting kidnapped. You had nothing to do with that. Your decision not to tell Josh you loved him wasn’t the cause, so get that crazy shit out of your head. As a matter of fact, if you say it again, I’m going to tell your crazy-ass husband.”
My eyes grew after hearing her threat.
Misty laughed. “I’m kidding. All he’ll do is beat Noah’s ass again for just the thought of everything. But seriously, I hear what you’re saying, and it’s different between Shane and me. He and I aren’t in love with each other.”
I wanted to laugh and tell her just how wrong I thought she was, but I didn’t. Instead, I said, “My point is you need to talk to him to find out where his head is. Maybe he’s struggling with everything just as much as you are.”
She scoffed. “I doubt it.”
“Yeah, me too,” I said unconsciously.
Misty gave me a side eye. “Why do you say that? Do you know something that I don’t know?”
I metaphorically backpedaled and put my hands up. “No, I’m just going back to my original statement. There’s something there between you two. You shouldn’t be afraid to explore it. I think you and Shane would be great together. And how you reacted to telling me about you two, I think you feel the same way. So stop being a chicken shit and go get your man.” I pushed her toward her door and smacked her ass.
She looked back at me and scowled.
I laughed. “Oh… And when you get done, I really need to talk to you. Can you come see me after you talk to Shane?”
“Oh yeah? What’s going on?” Misty stopped and turned to look at me. She crossed her arms. “Shane can wait if you…”
I started shaking my head and moving in her direction. I began pushing her out of her door. “Oh no, don’t worry. It can wait. Stop stalling and go handle your business.”
“You sure?”
I nodded. “Yes, scaredy cat. Now go!”
Misty gave me another once over before she nodded and headed to Shane’s office, I hoped.
I leaned against her door looked down at my belly and sighed. “So much for getting help.”
“What do you need help with?” questioned a deep, troubling but familiar male voice.
My eyes snapped up and I found my brother standing in front of me. Since Curtis had joined the team, he and I had developed a very strong bond. He was my rock when it came to dealing with my messed up family. Seeing my sister with Wayne disturbed me every day, especially since I had found out they’d got married and were about to have their first baby. I’d been clueless, and no one had bothered to tell me.
I wanted to vomit all over both of them and their happiness. And to make matters worse, my father gushed over them as if they were the epitome of a stable and happy family. What made me feel better and brought me insurmountable joy was Curtis.
Throughout the years, my relationship with my family was still strained or volatile. My mom and I were cool, but it was the others that I had a problem with. But every year, for a few hours, we all put our differences aside for Thanksgiving. Josh accompanied me to dinner and he’d behave himself for about three hours. After that, he would change to him telling my father how much of a wasted space on this planet he was and how sad it was that he had no relationship with me.
Naturally, my father would get pissed and a pissing match would ensue with my brother Curtis taking Josh’s, side resulting in the three of us leaving early and going to Josh’s parents’ for the rest of the day. I’d always tell Curtis that he didn’t have to leave and that he could stay because he wasn’t obligated to leave on my behalf. After all, it his was his family, and they loved him.
But my brother would always tell me, “The way they treat you is fucked up, sis. It ain’t right. That shit won’t happen when I’m around because I ain’t gonna tolerate it.” He’d also say, “Kenya, they’re all jealous of you anyway. You’re beautiful as hell, successful, you’re wealthier than Dad twen
ty times over, and the love that your husband and his family has for you puts them to shame. That’s why they try to hurt you whenever they can. They want what you have and they will never experience it in their lives.” Those words from my brother always filled me with joy.
Needless to say, I cry every time he says that to me. It doesn’t take away the longing of wanting the love of my father and sisters, but it helps.
“What’s going on, sis? You all right? Little Sweets okay?”
I instinctively rubbed my belly and smiled. I gave my brother the once over. I figured if I told him what I had, he’d tell me how I should handle it and Josh. Then again, I didn’t know for sure. I smiled at my brother and hooked my arm through his. “Yeah, we are both fine and hungry.”
He laughed. “Well, why don’t we see if we can find something for both of you to eat?”
Chapter Thirteen
Shane
“Yes, sir. I’m on my way.”
I hung up my office phone, stood, and gathered the various documents I needed for my meeting on the Simon case. I was sticking everything in my black satchel bag when I heard a light knock on my office door.
Without looking up, I informed my guest, “I literally have less than a second before I have to leave. Whatever you need, make it quick.” When I didn’t hear a reply, I looked to see who had come into my office, and I couldn’t help the shit-eating grin from spreading across my face.
Besides the meeting, I hadn’t seen Misty all day. It felt like a lifetime ago. As always, she looked sexy as hell to me. She wasn’t wearing anything spectacular, but when it came to Misty, it seemed it didn’t matter what she had on. She’d look good in anything.
I shamelessly raked my eyes all over her body slowly, taking in her beautiful curves before they rested on her tentative eyes. I noticed right away that she had been eye fucking me too. The way she was studying me now with her chest rising and falling more rapidly than normal as if she were fighting to gain control of her breathing were telling signs. She was reminiscing. Good because so was I.
I wondered which parts of the other night were replaying through her mind right now. Were they the same things that were now flashing in mine? I licked my lips slowly, remembering just how good she tasted and I saw the heat in her eyes deepen ever so slightly as her eyes zeroed in on my lips.
Yeah, she’s thinking about the same thing as I am.
When she didn’t reply, or move further into my office, I sat on the edge of my desk and waited for her to decide if she was coming into the lion’s den or not.
Hoping to encourage her to make a move, I asked, “Are you going to tell me what you need, Gunny or are you just going to stand there?”
Despite the fact that Misty was no longer in the Corps, I still called her Gunny. The term, Gunny, was used by the peers and superiors of Gunnery Sergeants of the Marine Corps as an informal nickname for the rank. I called her by that nickname as a way to show my respect to her craft and skills. The woman was freakishly good with any weapon placed in her hands, and her service record clearly detailed how deserving she was. By my account, she deserved that nickname ten times over.
She cleared her throat as she blinked a few times, very hesitantly, which wasn’t like her.
“Do you have a minute?” she finally asked.
“I have a few minutes,” I lied. “Why what’s going on? You need something?”
“Did you go to your meeting at the Pentagon yet?”
“Actually, I’m about to leave in a few minutes. I just got off the phone with the Deputy Director of Defense, and my presence has been requested at my earliest convenience, which means now. But they can wait. Why don’t you come in, close the door, and tell me what’s on your mind?”
She smirked and shook her head, seemingly returning to her normal self. “Um, no, I think I’ll leave the door open. Thank you.”
I returned her smile. “Oh, okay, I take it what you have to say is business related?”
She looked back at the door again and then at me. The entire front wall of my office was made of glass, including the door. It didn’t matter if she left the door open or closed. We were visible to anyone who walked past us. Still, she paused.
“No, it isn’t, but I’ll take my chances,” she replied, moving further inside, leaving my door open.
I pushed up from my desk and moved closer to her. I didn’t care if the door was open or closed or if people could see us. I wanted my fix.
Misty, however, stopped my pursuit by placing her hands up. “Uh-uh, Major, that’s far enough.”
I stopped in my stride and grinned at her. “Are you afraid of me or something? I won’t bite, I may nibble a little, though. You know you liked it when I nibbled on your…”
“Shhh,” she interrupted me, her face stricken with panic. She looked back at my door before she eliminated some of the distance between us. Still with a panic-filled face, she whispered, “Jeez, Shane, can you be a little bit louder? The whole floor didn’t hear you.”
I laughed. “You’re the one who left the door open,” I reminded her.
She shook her head, frowning, and said, “Yes, but I left door open for your safety, not mine,” she rushed to clarify. “It’ll keep me honest.”
The smile dropped abruptly from my face.
What!?
“Major…”
I reluctantly took my eyes off Misty and looked at my assistant.
“Sir, Jacks is on line two for you.”
I sighed deeply and replied, “Thanks, Sergeant. I’m about to head out. Get the number from the phone Jacks is calling from and tell him I’ll call him back as soon as I get in my truck.”
“Yes, sir,” Sergeant Ramirez replied before he disappeared from my office doorway.
Once he was gone, I turned back to Misty. I didn’t say anything to her for a beat. I just watched her, trying my best to get over the emotions she was inflicting on me. The passion and hunger for her was stirring inside.
I was a very obedient soldier. Well, I was most of the time anyway. I did what I was supposed to do, followed the rules, ran my units expertly and by the book, and commanded with an iron fist. I didn’t take shit from anyone no matter who was shoveling it. But I never wanted to disobey a direct order from my superiors as badly as I did right now. I wanted to say ‘Fuck them’, snatch Misty up, and go away from here. I didn’t care where just as long as it could be just the two of us.
“I guess my minute is up?” she asked, cutting into my thoughts.
“Yeah,” I ran my hand through my hair and stopped at the back of my neck and squeezed. “I guess so. But, listen, if my meeting doesn’t go long, I’ll come by your house afterwards and talk to you, okay?”
She smiled and nodded her head. “Yes, please do. We really need to talk.”
“I agree.” I walked toward my desk, grabbed my jacket, my briefcase and walked with her out of my office. I grabbed the slip of paper my Sergeant Ramirez held out for me and read the message Jacks had left.
“Listen, Shane.”
I looked up from the paper.
“Don’t worry about making the trip to my house if your meeting runs late. We can talk another time.”
I folded the paper and placed it in my pocket. “It shouldn’t take long. I’ll call you.”
Misty smiled. “Okay, just note you have an out if you need it. Have fun at your meeting.”
I smirked. “Yeah, thanks.”
We said our goodbyes right there, and I watched her disappear down the hall before I headed to the garage to get my car. Once I was inside my truck, a silver Ford Explorer, I checked my briefcase to make sure I had everything I needed before I turned on the ignition and barreled out of the parking lot. I made a right out of the complex and headed for the Pentagon.
My team and teams like mine were part of a group called Defense Security Operations or DSO. We all functioned under the DOD’s intelligence branch of the DIA called Office of Clandestine Operations. The OCO handled specifica
lly threats from a defense-military aspect, such as looking for nuclear weapons that Russia claimed they’d lost but were probably stolen or sold by some crooked military officer or security agent. What my team or other DSO teams like mine did was hunt down the idiots that took the weapon from Russia, capture or kill said idiots, and retrieve any lost or stolen weapons. Oh, and for shits and giggles, we’d find the Russian responsible for the incident and make him or her atone for their lapse in judgment.
The DSO was made up of a wide range of people from exceptionally trained and highly skilled soldiers or vets of any military branch to incomparable civilians with a wide range of talents and skills such as technology, foreign policy, and business and financial analytics. Putting both civilians and military minds together had the potential to be successful with the right blend of minds. My team was that extraordinary blend of talent, which made us an elite group within the DSO.
Anyone within the intelligence community knew us as agents of the DIA, because frankly, the DSO didn’t exist on paper or in any official capacity. We were a group of covert teams that lived and thrived under darkness. Those inside the DIA that did know we existed, which consisted of a handful of people, never mentioned us to anyone outside of the DIA. They knew the risk of one of us paying them a visit was too great.
Plus, what had happened to the one that ratted me out had spread like wild fire. People knew better, but there were some that still needed reminding of just how far we were willing to go to protect the DSO. We had the best programming minds in the world working for us. Whatever anyone did in the dark that would put the DSO in jeopardy, and we were guaranteed to find out.
And… well, I’ll leave what the consequences would be to your imagination, but be creative; you know I would.
As I drove, I called and spoke to Jacks. I listened to his updates and made a plan on what we needed to do once he and I met up.
