Flash Bang

by Meghan March

  “Beau?”

  “I’d suggest staying off it for the rest of the day today, at the very least. And preferably tomorrow, too. You might as well give it a chance to heal up right this time. Especially if you’re planning on walking on it eight hours a day like you’ve probably been doing.”

  More like ten or twelve hours a day, Rowan thought.

  “She’s not going anywhere,” Graham decreed. Rowan’s temper flared like a Roman candle.

  “Excuse me? I’m headed out today, whether you like it or not. I don’t have time to screw around. I need to be somewhere, and I’ve got people waiting on me, and whether I stay or go is not your call.” Ro had put her family last on her list of priorities too many times during the last decade. They were first on her list now, and any desire to stay—regardless of the reason—had to be ruthlessly shoved to the bottom.

  “How exactly do you think you’re getting out of here? Not a single person here is going to open the gate for you. You’re going to stay put until you’re healed up completely and I figure out what the hell to do with you.”

  Zach spoke up then, as if sensing that Graham’s words were just pissing Rowan off more. Which would be an accurate assumption. “Sweetheart, it’s not safe for you to be out on the road alone. I know you made it this far, but we can’t in good conscience let you leave by yourself. We’d be throwing you to the wolves.”

  “I’ll be fine. And regardless, I’m not your problem. I’m not far from where I’m going. It’ll only take me another day, maybe two, to get home.”

  “I don’t care if you’re only crossing the street, you’re not going anywhere. And that’s final.” Graham reached down to pluck Rowan off the chair, but she shoved his shoulders back.

  “I don’t know how things usually work around here, and I don’t really care, but this whole what I say goes attitude you’ve got going on doesn’t work for me. So just let me grab my pack and I’ll be on my way. You won’t need to trouble yourself with me again.”

  Graham cursed, spun, and left the mess hall, slamming the door behind him.

  “I think Mr. Graham is mad, Daddy,” Grace said to Jonah. “I think he doesn’t want Miss Rowan to go because he likes her like you like Mommy.”

  Ro dropped her head into her hands. From the mouth of babes and all.

  Zach lifted her chin and dropped a quick, and completely surprising, kiss on her lips. “Been wanting to do that since I saw you covered in mud. I’ll talk to Graham. We’ll figure something out.”

  Zach left the mess hall and spotted Graham heading for the command post. He jogged to catch up.

  “That could have gone better.”

  Graham shot him an annoyed look. “No shit.”

  “You got a plan besides telling her she ain’t leaving?”

  “I’m still working on that.”

  “Because she seems pretty damn determined to get on her way. I want her to stay as much as you do, but we can’t force her.”

  “Says who?”

  “Seriously, G. Don’t you want a willing woman in your bed?”

  “As long as she’s in my bed, I don’t much care.”

  Zach knew posturing when he saw it, especially in his best friend.

  “There’s got to be some middle ground here.” And Zach was determined to find it. After all, he wanted her to stay, but even more, he wanted her to want to stay.

  “You think she’ll figure a way out of the camp?”

  “Not a chance in hell,” Graham said confidently.

  “She’s a firecracker, all right. Might surprise you.”

  “Everything that woman does surprises me. Can you imagine her setting out without any protection to walk home? Over a hundred miles?” Graham shook his head. “Un-fucking believable.”

  “You have fire watch this morning?”

  “Shit. I have a shift in the command post.” Graham looked down at his watch. “Which started five minutes ago.”

  Graham took off for his post, and Zach called after him, “You ever been late before, G?”

  Graham shot up his middle finger before he disappeared into the building.

  Rowan waited at the table until the other men gave her apologetic looks and left to go about their business. Jonah took Grace into the kitchen to sit with Allison, and cleaned up and set the leftovers aside for those who hadn't made it in for breakfast yet.

  Room empty, and the others occupied, Rowan spied her backpack in the front corner. She stood, gingerly putting weight on her ankle. Only a twinge, okay, more than a twinge, but still, she was satisfied that she could walk. At least a little. Thankfully, both of her boots were sitting next to her bag. She dragged the bag to the nearest chair and attempted to fit her wrapped ankle into the hiking boot. Not happening. She pulled her sock off and unwrapped the ace bandage and shoved it in the bag and then pulled the boot on and laced it. Standing, she took a few tentative steps. The pressure from the boot definitely helped. She wouldn’t get ten hours in today, but she’d get a few. She shouldered the pack and slipped out of the mess hall.

  Outside, Ro ducked around the side of the building and took a look around. The whole area seemed to be enclosed in the shape of a hexagon. The twelve-foot corrugated steel walls topped with wicked looking razor wire were impressive. Very twenty-first century, barbarian stronghold chic. And not what she’d expect from a simple, rustic hunting retreat. She surveyed her surroundings and racked her brain to figure the best way to get the hell out. Graham was undoubtedly right that none of his guys were going to be opening the door for her to leave.

  A few of the giant oaks that shaded the interior of the compound had platforms built into the high branches, forming covered camouflaged lookout posts that probably gave a good view outside the walls. If she hadn’t known to look for them, she wouldn’t have even noticed they were there. It was possible someone was using one for watch. She didn’t see anyone, but it didn’t mean someone wasn’t there. On the far side of the compound, she could see the goats Zach mentioned munching away at the grass growing in a wire-fenced pen. A lean-to type barn provided shelter from the elements, and a large chicken coop sat off to the right of the goat pen. Rowan couldn’t count how many chickens fluttered around, but she estimated a few dozen. What looked to be some type of vertical garden, with plants growing out of pallet-like wooden shelves and metal mesh arches flourished not far from the livestock. A greenhouse about thirty feet long ran alongside the vertical garden. And a decent size stream ran across one corner of the camp, snaking under the walls to make its way in and out.

  Bingo.

  If she tried to scale the wall somehow and make her way over the razor wire, she’d end up sliced to ribbons, but the stream had definite potential. She just needed it to be a few feet deep, and she could swim right under the wall and out of Graham’s little kingdom. She didn’t look forward to starting her hike soaking wet, but it was better than bleeding from razor wire. She didn’t allow herself to consider the possibility of staying. Family first. That had become her mantra. And one added bonus: she’d be proving Graham wrong. Something Ro figured didn’t happen very often. Humility. Learn it, Conan. Checking the trees again for lookouts and coming up clear, as far as she could tell, Ro made her decision and hefted her bag. She hobbled toward the stream and the wall it flowed under, careful to keep as much weight off her now-burning ankle as possible. A pine tree offered decent cover, so Ro dropped her bag and started to unlace her boots. Might as well keep as much of her stuff dry as possible. She peeled off her socks and then stripped off the borrowed sweatpants and hoody. She kept the t-shirt on because otherwise she’d be skinny-dipping. She tied her hiking boots onto her backpack and shoved the clothes inside. She heaved the pack upward as hard as she could, watching it sail over the razor wire. The thump on the other side meant she was committed. Ro studied the stream. She really, really hoped it was deep enough.

  Ro took a steadying breath and looked around the branches of the pine to make sure no one had noticed her. Not
seeing anyone paying attention to her or her impromptu strip show, Ro stepped barefoot into the stream, shivering at the icy cold and—hell, yes!—hip-deep water. She slipped on the rock bottom and winced as a jagged edge gouged into the side of her right foot. Another tentative step toward the wall and Ro almost lost her balance on the moss-covered rocks. She felt a sharp stab of pain as her ankle rolled and swallowed her curse. Fuck it, she was determined. Taking a deep breath, Ro slid beneath the surface and pulled herself under the wall.

  Graham’s radio squawked. “G-man, I think your pretty little chick has flown the coop.”

  Graham jerked his head away from the wiring diagram he’d been studying and reached for his radio. “Say again?”

  “I’ve got a bead on a half-naked girl just outside the wall pretending to be a mermaid.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?” Graham roared into his radio.

  Zach burst into the command post.

  “Ro’s gone. I went to take a leak and she wasn’t in the mess hall when I came back. She’s not in the cabin. She’s not in the bathhouse.”

  Graham gripped the desk to keep from throwing his radio across the room.

  “G-man, I suggest you get outside the wall right fucking now.”

  Graham glared at Zach and shoved to his feet.

  “Go get a fucking towel. And get someone to cover my shift.”

  “No way in hell, huh?”

  Graham didn’t reply as he shoved the door open and headed for the bolt hole.

  He reached the stream on the outside of the wall just as Rowan was trying to pull herself out and onto the bank. He stopped next to her bag and watched as she stood, eyes closed, wiping the water from her face. The wet black t-shirt was like a second skin, outlining her generous breasts and the nipples jutting out from the cold water. The fabric stuck to her stomach, and Graham’s fury evaporated as he realized that she was nearly naked, and her movements flashed him a peek at her completely bare pussy. His cock twitched, and it was all he could do to stop himself from dropping to his knees to lick every drop of water from her skin. Instead, he reached for Rowan. She blinked, eyes widening as she caught sight of him, but Graham had her settled over his shoulder before she had a chance to open her mouth.

  “Hey! Put me d—” Rowan’s words became a screech as Graham’s heavy hand came down, smacking her on her cold, wet, and very naked ass.

  “What—” Another smack connected.

  “Stop—” Smack.

  Ro gave up on trying to talk and began to struggle instead.

  “What did I tell you about following orders, little girl? And what part of ‘You aren’t going anywhere’ did you misunderstand?” she heard Graham say over his shoulder. “Although,” he said, “I can’t say I haven’t wanted you soaking wet and ready for me.”

  Speechless at the abrupt change in the direction of Graham’s thoughts, Ro didn’t respond.

  Graham’s hand smoothed over her ass and damn near brushed her girly parts.

  Before Ro could come up with any type of suitable reply, Graham’s hand stilled and flipped her off his shoulder and re-situated her in his arms. Thankful that her ass was no longer bared to the world, and whoever must have spotted her attempted escape, she stayed silent.

  Graham carried her along the wall to the front entrance, which swung open as they approached.

  Zach met them with a towel as Ro’s teeth started to chatter.

  “She’s going to need more than a towel,” Zach observed.

  “Back to the showers, I imagine.”

  Zach lifted her foot. “Back to Beau first, I think.”

  Rivulets of crimson dripped down the side of Ro’s right foot.

  “Goddammit, Ro,” Graham said. “You are going to stay put this time, even if I have to tie you down myself.”

  He hefted her higher in his arms and headed toward the clinic, radioing Beau on his way.

  Beau had once again okay-ed the shower, leaving her ankle unwrapped and covering her stitches, which had hurt like a mother without local anesthetic. Graham had glowered at her the whole time, squeezing her hand tighter each time she flinched as the needle cut into her skin. At least she had only needed six. Any more and she might have lost a hand. Zach held her other hand, and rather than squeeze, he’d spent the entire time rubbing his thumb back and forth across the back of it and playing with her fingers.

  This time both Graham and Zach waited just beyond the shower room for her to finish, holding up the tiled walls like sentinels standing guard. Ro shut off the water and reached for the towel that Zach held out. He didn’t even pretend to look away as he handed it to her. She was pretty sure they’d both taken more than one glance at her during her shower. Just the thought of them watching her had heated her more effectively than the hot water. She didn’t give herself the luxury of enjoying the shower too long, though. She was focused on hiding her hardening nipples and trying not to clench her thighs to assuage the building ache.

  “Done?” Graham asked.

  Ro nodded, pushing herself from the seat. Before her feet made contact with the floor, she found herself in Zach’s arms, Graham right behind him.

  “Forgetting something, doll?” Zach asked.

  Ro’s short bark of laughter bounced off the tiled walls. “I guess so.”

  Zach sat her on the bench and Graham held out a t-shirt. Gratefully, Ro slipped it over her head and shoved her arms through the sleeves.

  Then he crouched at her feet, holding open a pair of gray sweatpants.

  “Leg.”

  Ro complied, sticking first one leg and then the other into the warm cotton pants. Being dressed like a child was new. And then she realized her lack of panties meant Graham had a front row seat to check out her goodies.

  “Hey!” She scooted the pants up her legs and glared at Graham.

  “Babe, I saw every naked inch of your pussy while you were dripping wet and climbing out of the creek.”

  Ro’s gaze shot to Zach, who looked intrigued.

  “Did ya now?” Zach drawled.

  Ro’s cheeks burned.

  “Do you have to be such a dick?”

  “Baby, you have no idea.”

  Ro decided studying the floor was the better alternative, but Graham’s hand shot out, lifting her chin.

  “We need to talk.”

  “I’m really not interested in anything you have to say.”

  “You sure ‘bout that?”

  “Pretty damn sure.”

  “What if I offered you an armed escort home?”

  Ro’s gaze darted from Graham to Zach, who looked a bit confused.

  “Are you serious?” she asked.

  “Completely,” Graham replied.

  “What’s the catch?”

  “You nix the escape attempts for a few days and let yourself heal up.”

  Ro considered the offer. It would mean a slight delay in her plans, but she’d be giving herself a chance to recuperate, and she wouldn’t have to face whatever craziness was outside these walls by herself. That was a hell of an incentive. And being smart about this didn’t mean she was putting her family last.

  She looked from one man to the other and started to nod.

  Then Graham added, “And you’re in our bed until we leave.”

  “What the fuck, man?” Zach held it together until he and Graham had dropped a strangely silent Rowan back in their cabin. She’d probably never speak to them again after Graham’s ultimatum. As soon as they were out of earshot, he shoved Graham back against the side of a cinderblock storage shed painted a deep forest green. “You’re going to force her to sleep with us? What the fuck is wrong with you? I’m no fucking rapist. Didn’t think you were either.”

  Graham pushed off the wall and shoved Zach back. “Calm the fuck down. It’s not like that.”

  Zach rubbed his face with both hands before lacing his fingers together and gripping the back of his neck. “Oh really? Then what the fuck is it like? Because I like this gi
rl. She could be the one. And you want to extort our way into bed with her?”

  Graham leaned back against the building. Zach shook his head in disbelief at Graham’s casual pose.

  “Did you see how she reacted to the idea before?” Graham asked.

  “Yeah, she freaked the fuck out.” Zach started pacing.

  “That might have been her initial reaction, but if you were paying attention, she was intrigued. Curious.”

  “What’s your point, man? Because I seriously think you fucked this one up. I mean ... after the experience she had …”

  “This gives her the right motivation to let go of all that and give it—hell, us—a try.”

  “By forcing her?”

  “No one is forcing her to do anything. She says no, then it ends there.”

  Zach stopped his pacing and waited until Graham met his gaze. “If she even thinks no, then it ends there.”

  Graham nodded. “Just wait and see. Give her a little time to mull over the idea. What do we have to lose? You want her. I want her. We only have a few days to make it happen. If we can’t tie her to us, she walks away forever. I didn’t figure you’d let that happen without a fight, and ...” Graham paused meaningfully. “I’m not willing to let it happen either.”

  Zach eyed his friend, amazed that he’d given voice to his feelings about a woman. It had only taken a fucking apocalypse. Zach’s thoughts went back to Ro. “She looked so ... fragile or something … when she told us what went down before.”

  Graham inclined his head. “She didn’t look fragile when she devised and executed her escape, did she? And she sure wasn’t fragile when she grabbed a backpack and left Chicago by herself.” Graham paused. “That girl is gutsy as hell and willing to take a risk. Why shouldn’t she take a risk with us?”

  Zach exhaled a long breath. “I still think you’re an asshole for the way you set this up. Just know that the second she says no, which could be as soon as we walk back in that door, I’m backing off.”

  “Agreed. Now, this is what I’m thinking …”