“Girls, stay close and behind me.” All three nodded, peering out the crack in the curtain. Mrs. Sanders opened the front door and stepped out with her band of Bonnie’s behind her. Three black SUVs pulled up and parked in a row, their tint too dark to tell what waited inside. When the doors swung open, the girls flipped. “Oh my God, they’re back!” Alaina squealed, not taking the time to go down the steps but instead leaping over the porch banister onto the grass. Bella was right behind following her lead, while Violet and Mrs. Sanders giggled and made their way behind to greet their soldiers. They all piled out, dirty, tired, but so excited to be home.
“Hey, baby! We missed you!” Rock said, smacking Alaina on the ass. Maverick stole a kiss first, making Rock yank her away for his turn. They snickered, repeating the process until she was in a fit of giggles so hard she couldn’t breathe.
“I missed you both so much. Not hearing from you was the worst.”
“Look at our group of gun toting women we got, boys! I have never been so proud. You ladies are all a sight for sore eyes. You can put a spell on the intruder with your beauty, and shoot ‘em before they know what hit them,” Juju said.
“You don’t mess with the women at MM Ranch without getting a load of lead fired at ya. Where’s, Pop?” Mrs. Sanders joked.
“We dropped him off at home to the little lady. He will be over sometime tomorrow,” Bud said with an eye roll. Even some of the guys found her over the top dramatics too much to handle, and had been more than willing to drive cross country if necessary to avoid enduring their first day back around her.
“It looks like you girls have been busy. The flower garden looks gorgeous,” Vice chimed in, noticing all of the different colored fragrant flowers that lined the yard beautifully.
“Yeah. Maggie has had us cooking every recipe known on the face of the earth, gardening, and sewing. She is a regular slave driver now,” Bella joked. Joker laughed, squeezing her tight.
“Sounds good to me! That just means more goodies for us!” He winked at Mrs. Sanders, who was making the rounds giving welcoming hugs and fussing over them all. Violet had greeted everyone briefly, making her way down to Hulk. Before she got to him, Kodiak wouldn’t let her go, and Mac insisted his turn first. She giggled, loving it all. This was family. Once Kodiak’s bear paws let her go, she jumped up and gave Hulk a huge hug, dropping kisses on his cheek. He seemed shocked at first but pulled her tight, whispering in her ear, “I missed you, sugar.”
Violet smiled, loving the softer side of the big lug. “I missed you more. Come on, let’s go get a spot to sit before everyone piles in.” Her bright green eyes flashed with orneriness, bringing a grin to tug at his exhausted features. He laced her tiny little fingers between his and led her away from the crowd, not stopping until they were hidden away from prying eyes. Hulk swooped her up in his arms, seeking the refuge of her pouty plump lips. Violet giggled, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissed back, giving him what they both wanted. Footsteps on the porch pumped their brakes, stopping their reunion far before either would have liked. Violet hopped down grinning. “Now that’s how a hello should be.”
“Mmm. Just like I remembered. Sweet as honey. We aren’t done here.” Hulk touched the tip of her nose sweetly, admiring the little swoop at the end. Everything about Violet was perfect, from her button little nose to her wild red curls. When the group started trailing in, he stepped back begrudgingly, but not without sneaking another peck to her cheek. Hulk turned and left her standing, still lost in the river of his spell. Mac came running in the house, overly excited to be back home. Since Violet was the only one whose attention wasn’t taken, he went to her first.
Violet knelt down, greeting him with love. Mac swiped his tongue across her cheek and nuzzled under her hand, getting the much deserved welcome for the hard work he had surely put in with the others. “Hi, boy. Did you miss me? Awww. Yeah, you’re a good dog aren’t you,” she cooed.
Kodiak spotted Mac giving Violet his overly ambitious attention and he laughed. It seemed he was more like one of the team than they already knew. Not only did he know that this was home, but he knew a good looking woman when he saw one. “I think he likes you.” Kodiak grinned, sitting on the couch beside where she crouched on the floor. His elbows rested on his knees, lowering his huge frame more to their level.
“Yeah, we are buddies, aren’t we, Mac? Yesh, you’ze a good doggie aren’t you?” She babbled in baby talk. “So, how did things go over there? Did you guys finish what you needed?”
The look on Kodiak’s face said it all. Something was definitely wrong. When he didn’t answer, but just shook his head, she didn’t press the issue. They had all just walked in the door. He, like all the others, needed a break, a hot meal, shower, and a good long rest before talk of work came up. Guilt flooded her. “Oh, sorry… I didn’t mean to… You just got home. Hey, do you wanna help me grab some drinks for everyone? I’m sure everyone is parched after the flight.”
Kodiak’s face lit up, pulling out of the unfamiliar scowl that wasn’t a norm. “Sure. I’d kill for a glass of sweet tea right now. I know the others would too. Hell, all we talked about was coming home to the good food, pretty women, and sweet iced tea.” Of all the group, he was the happiest no matter what. If Violet had to hold his big butt down and tickle him to keep him grinning, she would. Of two things she knew for sure. One, something majorly wrong had gone down over there. Two, she would just about put money on it that it was about to get worse. Making a mental note to talk to the women later and hatch out a plan to help keep their morale up, she patted Mac one last time and headed for the kitchen with Kodiak behind.
Vice had never been so happy to be home. After walking the fence of death and the nightmares that plagued her every night of never seeing anyone again, it took all she had not to lay down and kiss the ground. The house smelled wonderful—like pies and cakes, and home. The ranch seemed more green and vibrant than ever before. But most of all, sitting in this very room, surrounded by the people she loved, was what sent the sentimental overload coursing through her veins. She was so content that for the most part she just sat back and listened. Everyone was on a high so great no drug could ever compare. People were laughing and talking, catching up on stories of the kids and local happenings. Mac continued to make the rounds, getting an equal share of pettings from everyone. “Where is Vince and Michael?” She finally spoke up in a break of conversation.
“They are out tending the animals, hun. They should be back soon, and the kids will be getting off the bus in the next thirty minutes or so. All three of them are going to flip when they see you,” Mrs. Sanders answered.
“Awww. I missed them so much,” Vice said.
“Well, they have a whole forest worth of pictures for their Auntie Vice to give you. You’re gonna have enough to wallpaper your house,” Mrs. Sanders snickered.
“Really? Hahaha. Well, I can definitely do that. It’s not like I have any decorating skills. This would be a definite upgrade.” They laughed. “Oh! That reminds me, has Vince ventured out and found himself a cowboy yet?”
Alaina, Mrs. Sanders, and Violet, who had just walked into the room, froze. It wasn’t their place to spill the beans on the matter, but lying to them wouldn’t work either. All three gazed to Mrs. Sanders, who sighed and shook her head. “Yes, he went out, but unfortunately his night got cut short, and he hasn’t tried since.” She kept her voice even, not giving more away than necessary, despite the fact she knew they wouldn’t stop asking until the whole story had been told.
“And?” As predicted, the interrogation began. Romeo just happened to be the first to start it.
“And, it went badly. Before you all get your guns cocked and your battle rattle on, it’s already been taken care of.”
“What has been taken care of, Maggie?” Dom butted in, falling in his familiar protective pose. Vice couldn’t help it. He looked so damn hot when he got like that. It took the expression 'bad boy' to an all new level. Granted,
the man was huge, but he wasn’t near as tall or broad as Kodiak or Hulk. And yet, he was the scariest of them all.
“I mean, it has been taken care of. Now, sit down, boy, and listen if you must know.” Maybe not the scariest. Mrs. Sanders just proved she had that position already filled. Vice glanced around and noted how everyone had dropped their eyes, doing their best to stifle a chuckle. At least she wasn’t the only one fighting it. “Now, he is okay, so know that. The night he went out to Joe’s, a truck came speeding up the driveway and slid to a stop only long enough to dump him out on the ground and sling gravel back the way it came. When Michael found him, he was unconscious.” The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. “The doc came and checked him out. He had been roofied, beaten up pretty bad, and injured in ways unimaginable. But, the good news is, he is almost fully recovered.”
By the time she finished, the team was all standing, ready to bolt. If Michael and Vince hadn’t walked through the door when they did, nothing the girls could have said would have stopped them from finding the responsible parties and ripping them apart piece by piece. “Settle down, guys. Ol’ Dad here is one mean son of a bitch. He not only kicked ass and took names, but he reserved them a special spot in hell that would give them a daily repeat of what they did to me. All three of them are sitting tight in Steinbeck.” Vince grinned. Steinbeck prison was the roughest prison in the United States. With the main population mostly psycho killers and rapists, what went on behind those walls was what nightmares were made of. Rumor had it that there was a group that called themselves the Killer Clown Posse. That nostalgic gang painted their face up like killer movie clowns and would come in the night, raping, torturing, and eventually killing other inmates. Making Steinbeck a perfect location for someone who liked that sort of thing.
The room turned to stare at Michael wide eyed. If there was any doubt to his capabilities before, there wasn’t now. It was clear where Maverick inherited his strength and inner badass from.
“Well then, let’s get something to eat,” Mrs. Sanders said grinning, kissing her man openly.
“Not so fast. Vice, care to share anything?” Dom said, putting her on the spot. When the entire room turned to stare at her, she turned beet red. Then it clicked—her capture. He was talking about her capture, not their affair. Whew, that was almost a disaster… Damn it, Dom, a little warning next time, asshole.
“Oh, I had a little obstacle, but we are all home safe. Let’s eat.”
“Go on,” his tone dropped, sending a chill through her body.
“I was captured. They tried to rough me up a little. No biggie. I have a few bumps and bruises, and can hold my breath for record-breaking times now, but we are all alive. You should see them. Now, do I need to go butcher my own cow to get something in my deprived stomach, or can we please go enjoy our first meal home and forget about it?” Her irritation was evident. And, the family all knew not to push her until she was ready to talk about it. Tough or not, it had to have taken a toll on her. Sooner or later she would need to vent and get it off her chest to keep from having issues in the future. For now, Dom let her be but made a mental note to ‘discuss’ her snarky attitude later.
Michael jumped in, defusing the situation before they pushed her too far. He was more than concerned, but now wasn’t the time to go into detail. “You have something ready, Maggie?” Michael grinned, knowing the answer.
“Now what do you think? The girls and I have been slaving in the kitchen all day. We have so much I’m not sure even this crowd can eat it all.”
“What have you been doing with all the food you girls have been making?” Juju asked, hating the idea of it going to waste. He was an endless pit, and always hungry.
They giggled, eyeing one another before Alaina spoke for them all. “Some of it goes to the other farms when they need a hand during calving season or illnesses, but most of it we are freezing. You can never have too much food prepared and ready.”
“And the rest Alaina eats. We can’t cook fast enough for her.” Violet winked in her direction, only cueing more questioning looks.
“Has our baby been stress eating again?” Rock teased.
“You need to put some weight on your bones. You’re starting to look like a walking skeleton again, sugar.” Maverick rubbed up and down her arm and kissed her shoulder.
“I don’t think that’ll be a problem for long. She is going to grow pretty dang fast at this rate,” Mrs. Sanders hinted. Vice, unable to keep quiet any longer, stood.
“Oh for shit's sake, Rock. You and Maverick are so dense. Congrats, Alaina! I’m so excited for you. When these boneheads figure it out, they will be too.” She walked over and hugged Alaina tight, shoving Rock and Maverick out of the way. It wasn’t until she bent down and rubbed Alaina’s belly that their blank dumb expressions changed.
“You’re pregnant?” Maverick asked, his eyes wide and hopeful.
“Yep. About four months now.” Alaina beamed. Both men attacked her, rubbing and kissing their excitement.
“Geeze. It’s about time. I thought you two would never get it,” Vince joked. Cheering began. The group all gave congrats, exploding into baby conversation that carried through lunch.
During dessert, Rock clinked his fork against his glass and stood. “There is no secret that we have yet to tie the knot with Alaina. Since the work never ends, and the great news we received today, I think it only right we slap a ring on her finger before the baby is born. So, if you all could lend a hand, I propose we give her the wedding of her dreams.” Alaina burst out in joy, talking ninety miles a minute. He continued, “Friday. We have until Friday.”
Mrs. Sanders went wild. “We can’t properly put together a wedding in less than a week! There is the caterer, the florist, the cake, the dress… Not to mention the decorations and invitations, the band…”
“Calm down. We have some reinforcements to lend a hand. Plus, there is nothing we can’t do. So, you girls worry about the dress, and make a list. We can handle the rest,” Maverick finished.
“Who are these reinforcements?” Alaina asked curiously.
“Let’s just say, we’re calling in the cavalry.”
“Alrighty then. We’ll have a list after lunch for you all to get started on.” Mrs. Sanders finished dishing out the hot pie alamode. The girls all chattered wildly about the upcoming surprise, while the men opened discussion over the location and physical aspects of the wedding. It was great being able to disconnect from work, if even for one day. There was no denying it was weighing heavy on all their minds, but all were in a silent agreement to leave all work at the door and start fresh first thing in the morning. The general was scheduled for a debriefing during breakfast, and there wasn’t anything more important than catching up together. With a new baby expected and a wedding, family excitement was at an all time high. The rest of the afternoon was full of love and laughter. The time came for the kids to get home from school, so, like always, Kodiak took off to go pick them up. When they came in the door, they were not only jumping up and down with excitement, but were hyped up on sugar from the ice cream stop Kodiak had insisted on. When they got the news of Alaina’s pregnancy and the wedding, there was no stopping them. Eventually, Kodiak was sent out in the yard to play with them and Mac. Like promised, the women handed over the first sheet of things to do, and mentioned that there would be another as equally detailed tomorrow. It looked like after the meeting with the General, some things would need to be pushed back until this was over. It would be at least a month before they could act on the Intel they decoded here in the States, so what was one week?
Dinner came and went, fueling them with more food than a normal human being should stuff themselves with. Through all the excitement, Dom couldn’t help his eyes from gravitating back to Vice. Dressed in a simple pair of jeans and red top that hugged her curves in all the right places, she was a walking hard-on. Her long dark hair hung free, blanketing her shoulders. She flashed her bright turquoise bedroom eyes at
him on more than one occasion, taunting in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. The evening only dragged on, building up the anticipation higher and higher. He still needed to be careful with her deeper bruising and broken ribs, but tonight was going to be a night she’d never forget…and neither would he.
Maverick looked around at all the smiling faces and knew, this was what they fought so hard for. Family had to come second so many times. Not now. He caught sight of Dom who seemed overly interested in Vice. All night, Dom’s eyes had never strayed too far from her, and as the evening grew later, his infatuation intensified. Which, came as no secret. Dom may think no one was on to him, but most of the troop knew sooner or later those two were bound to be together. He did. He also noticed Violet’s overly flirtatious behavior whenever Hulk was around, or how Kodiak would go out of his way to sit within a close proximity of her. Michael and Maggie were always connected in some way, whether holding hands, or snuggling. Bella and Joker were the same. Vince kept checking his cell, texting from time to time. He and Rock had been busy fawning over Alaina. The others were nursing more alcohol than the rest under the radar, but it wasn’t anything a night on the town wouldn’t cure. All in all, love was everywhere. What was meant to be would be, and this was exactly how family was. He was truly blessed.
The rest of the evening, everyone caught up on what was missed and was to come. Vice loved being here. She loved everyone in the room more than she could describe. Unfortunately, she couldn’t get Dom off her mind. She had caught him staring at her every time she glanced in his direction. He had kept her flustered all damn night. Now, with the evening wearing to an end, it was time to pay back the favor. This time, she intentionally let her eyes rake up and down his body, stopping at the bulge in his jeans. The longer she watched, the bigger it got. When her view leisurely found their way up to meet his, she smiled. His eyebrows narrowed, boldly outlining his sinister expression. She knew she was playing a dangerous game, but couldn’t resist. Her teeth raked over her bottom lip seductively before she let it pop free. She traced her tongue over the same spot, moistening her pout. Instead of the snarl she expected, Dom grinned. Not like his normal half smile, but a full toothed smile. His eyes twinkled, and his body language softened. No, this was worse than his intimidation roll. Fear rose in her chest, igniting the party in her pants that had been simmering all evening. She was so glad to be home, but damn it if she couldn’t wait to get alone with him. The little touches and looks had driven her bat shit mad all day. Tonight, he was going to get it back tenfold.
Mission: Compromised Submissive Page 9
