“Mace, a woman does not define a man by his sexual organs.”
“Really?” His brows shot up with a sarcastic arc.
“My husband is a functioning paraplegic. We’d just started dating when he was in a DPV during the early days of Operation Enduring Freedom, and they ran over an IED.”
“Sorry,” he grunted.
“No sorry’s required. He has the use of his hands and upper body, and his sexual organs are also functioning. Not like every man, but we have workarounds. We also have two beautiful boys.”
Mace’s gaze snapped up to hers.
“You’re in a far better place than he was when he came home, but you will have to work just as hard, and be just as determined.”
“The doc in Germany said I’d be fully functional, but nothing so far.”
“I suppose not, Mace. It’s only been three weeks. Let’s lay out a plan of physical therapy that will work on your specific injury. Are you willing to do that?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Good, now let’s get through this paperwork, then I’ll show you the facility and give you your first week’s activity.”
Tricia turned to retrieve a pen from a cup on her desk. “Did you ever doubt?”
The warm smile returned to her expression. “Of course. My husband more than me, but I never doubted him.” She paused and narrowed her eyes. “I would surmise that the lucky woman in your life is the same.”
“Her name’s Nina.” He let her name roll off his tongue, but his heart twisted hearing it. “We didn’t know each other very long before I was sent on the mission and this happened.”
Tricia’s grin curled even wider. “Love is a great motivator. Making love even more so. I’ve read your doctor’s report from Germany and so has Dr. Seivers. We both feel you will be able to recover and most likely challenge the physicals to return to combat duty. I don’t know any SEAL I’ve worked with who didn’t put that as his main focus.” She raised a curled hand to her mouth and cleared her throat. “That and making out.”
“You’re right about that, Tricia.”
* * * *
“Why are we here?” Mace asked, nerves biting into his recent motivation by Tricia. The base gym and workout facilities were like a home away from home for a SEAL. The hours spent training sat in the thousands.
“We haven’t finished. Thought I’d grab ya and you could hang with us, maybe even workout on some of the equipment if you’re not too beat.” Tony jumped out of the car while he grunted and strained, biting down on the pain.
“Not too beat,” he barked back. “Sorry. Listen, I’ll just walk back to the apartment.”
Tony swerved in front of him, standing eye to eye. “You’re home. You’re whole. Now you have to work your ass off, but no one sees you any differently, buddy. You can be angry, but take it out on me, not Nina or any of the other guys.”
His friend didn’t blink nor shift one millimeter in his gaze. Why was he sticking up for Nina? Had they talked? Great. Was she sharing her frustrations with Tony? Maybe she should move in with him.
“Get your ass moving. That way.” Tony stretched out his arm, pointing toward the doors as two Marines exited.
The place had to be filled to overflowing, didn’t it? He grumped to himself. Every machine clanked or banged. Guys curled hundred pound weights, their thighs bulging with strain. Even the mats overflowed with activity. His observation came to a full stop.
“My turn,” Tony yelled out, leaving his side to join a sweating Nina. Her sleek, toned arms and legs glistened. She wore head gear, gloves, and a tight body suit. She chewed on a mouthpiece, rearranging it, waiting for Tony.
Kendleton from Team Three fisted Tony as they exchanged spots as Nina’s sparring partner. Holy shit. Nina launched with a round out kick, connecting with Tony’s right shoulder, sending him staggering backward. Men and women gathered round the edges of the mat, and some chuckled with her surprise kick. She grinned at Tony, then palmed her hands and bowed. Mace had to take a few steps closer to get a clear view. There wasn’t much air time between them, and Nina was the aggressor. The Tae Kwon Do match rivaled a professional competition.
Stepping in between Caleb and Ditz, he watched. She wasn’t good, she was extremely good. The crowd cheered when she twirled, and a long, powerful leg swung with complete control, connecting with Tony’s jaw. His head snapped with the force and he staggered backward. Shaking it off, the warrior appeared in his eyes. Now Nina would have to worry. Tony had a competitive nature that pushed him to win. Mace’s stomach rolled, hoping Nina wouldn’t be hurt.
“Don’t worry, Sniper,” Caleb leaned into him. Nurse Hatchet can hold her own. Tony’s been trying to get his licks in for three weeks now, but….” The crowd shouted their approval when Nina blocked a power-kick from her opponent, reversed and made her own attack. This time it connected with his left cheek. “Those long legs of hers aren’t spindly. She packs a hard hit, believe me.”
“She’s good,” he admitted, watching her offense and defensive maneuvers. She had a sharp-edged grace. Every time Tony opened up, she took advantage. At one point they connected between each other’s legs like a four-legged scissor. Nina’s body coiled like a snake, and her foot smacked the back of his head.
Tony barely held his own. Knees bent, her steps exact, every move had precision and a target. Tony went for a shoulder kick. She took it, but didn’t falter, turning in the air, building up pressure and nailed him hard in the head. Tony took two staggering steps and fell on his ass. He shook himself, a hand held up in defeat. Nina gripped it, and pulled him to his feet. He slung an arm around her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek. What the fuck?
“What the hell is the matter with you, Mace? Ya look like you want to kill your swim buddy.” Ditz elbowed him.
“What?” He quickly hid his expression, not even realizing it had been painted all over his face.
Nina waved, seeing him and sprinted over. “Hey, how was the workout?” she breathed heavily.
“Nothing like yours.”
She searched his eyes, and the smile disintegrated on her face. Tony stepped up beside her. “I think we need a team name for Nina. Nurse Hatchet isn’t doing it. How about Ninja Grasshopper?” Tony joked.
Nina gave him a set of narrowed eyes. “I don’t think so.”
“Let’s grab some lunch,” Caleb said, pulling his shirt over his head and waving himself to cool off. “Showers first. I built up a sweat getting my ass kicked by Ninja Grasshopper here.”
The guys all dispersed, leaving him and Nina face to face. “I didn’t know you practiced Tae Kwon Do.”
Nina stepped back and shrugged. “Started when I was twelve. I competed for a while, in my teens.”
He tried to bite down on the words, but they came out anyway. “So did Tinman. You guys have a lot in common.”
Nina’s jaw tightened, and there wasn’t a sign of warmth in her eyes, in fact they began to spark with anger. “Maybe we do.” Her lids hooded and she turned away from him. “I’ll see ya later.”
“Aren’t you coming for lunch?” She didn’t even bother to look at him as she shook her head and kept walking. “You’re not going back to the apartment now, are you?”
With the same fluid motion she portrayed on the mat, she turned to face him. “Why?”
“Not by yourself.”
She sighed. “Mace, I can take care of myself. In fact, I hope the Shark does show up. Then I can rip his head off and serve it up to him.”
From what he’d seen she probably could. “I’ll walk with you.” For a split second he’d forgotten about the aching ligaments, and the fact he had most of his weight balanced on a cane.
“Tony’ll give you a ride. You look beat.”
How do you deflate a SEAL in two seconds flat? Make him realize he can’t protect his own girl, and to top it off sound like a simpering, jealous boyfriend. “I can walk you back to the apartment, Nina.”
She shook her head. “I’ll
see ya later, Mace. I’ve got some packing to finish.”
“Packing?” Shit, from bad to worse at the speed of light. “Nina.” He knew he’d used the wrong tone, wrong for his strong lady. “Nina,” he barked, and she stopped in her tracks. He waited until she cocked a look over her shoulder. “We both need patience. Especially me.” He swallowed, not sure what to say next. Half of him wanted to let her go, the other half was screaming, not in this fucking lifetime did he want to let her walk away or give up on him. He took a few struggling steps until his muscles eased up. “Is there something between you and Tony? If there is, I won’t get in the way of that.”
“You’re going to stand there and firebomb my morals? You really think I would do that to you? I flew all the way to Germany when you were hurt. I’d known you for a sum total of two weeks. I’m the fool here.”
People flowed past them, keeping their attention elsewhere, but his and Nina’s stance and words had formed a bubble of tension that, if poked, would blow the building to bits. “I don’t judge people, Nina. Things happen. This happened to me, and I’m not even a quarter of the man I was before.”
Nina’s lips pressed together, her nostrils flared. “You’re exactly the man I want. If you meant what you said in Germany, than say it again, this time I’ll believe you.” Her gaze locked on his and never wavered. When he kept his lips shut and his tongue in park, she turned and left the workout center with a fiery step.
It took him a second to realize Tinman was standing beside him. “I just accused that woman of wanting you instead of me. I’m losing it, buddy. It feels like the whole world was hinged on my physical abilities and without them, I’ve got nothing.”
Tony was silent for a moment. His chin dropped and he eyed Mace. “Even if you tossed her out of your life, I wouldn’t chase her. You’re my best friend, and because she’s your girl, that makes her my friend too. You guys spent all your time breathing heavy before we left. It’s time to get to know the woman. Nina’s smart and has a wicked sense of humor. She’s made of sweetness and spice.” Tony gave him a thoughtful look.
“Yeah, you don’t like her at all, do you?” he said with a bitter twist.
“She’s perfect for you. Nina has enough optimism to keep you both buoyed until you get your head screwed on right. Don’t fuck that up.”
“I don’t want to, but I keep thinking I’m leading her on.”
Tony shifted and crossed his arms over his chest. “I bet you’re sleeping on the couch, aren’t ya?”
Mace ground his teeth.
“Ya know how they say chicken soup is good for a cold.”
Mace’s brow wrinkled waiting for one of Tinman’s bent analogies. He used them to break the tension on their missions. When things seemed to be twisting out of context, he’d come up with some stupid-ass analogy that made everyone laugh.
“It’s a homeopathic remedy. You need the same. Just staring at your junk is not going to get it moving again. Nina’s enough motivation for any man, and she’s as natural a remedy as you’ll get.”
“And with enough failures she’ll be frustrated as hell.”
“Doubt that. Your tongue still works, doesn’t it?”
“Okay, Doctor Dick.”
Tony rolled his eyes. “Let’s get some lunch. Maybe a full belly will put your sorry-ass mood into better spirits. Better yet, I can take up the sexual slack with Nina until you’re in running order.”
“I thought you were my friend?”
“Tough love, buddy. Tough love.”
“You’re an asshole, ya know that?”
“Yeah, I love you too, bud.”
Chapter Three
Chairs scraping on the tile floor made Caleb “Stitch” Stone and Clay “Ditz” Sacks crank their heads.
“Hey!” Stitch fisted his hand and Tony bumped it with his own.
Both Stitch, the squad’s corpsman, and Ditz, their communications and electronics whiz-kid, gave Mace a shallow smile as he sat down and offered a nod.
“Mace, ya been holed up for the last week. What gives? Ninja Grasshopper been keeping you in bed?” Stitch taunted.
“Don’t call her that or he’ll go all psycho on you,” Tony warned. He slid a sidelong look at his best friend. Mace wasn’t a happy warrior. He’d peppered him with what ifs on the way over to Breakers, the favored hangout for the teams. Nina was all Mace talked about. The guy was going crazy because he couldn’t get his junk to operate with the ultimate payload. No matter what he told Mace, his friend couldn’t keep the faith. Aside from listening to his woebegone friend, who had fallen for the redheaded Canadian beauty like a nuke test in the Nevada desert, he moped.
“Glad you could make it,” Ditz said.
Mace hooked his cane on the chair. “What’s so important you had to call this meeting?” he asked, wincing as he sat down.
“Utmost importance,” Stitch chimed in, then leaned across the table like he was going to offer the hiding place of a HVT, High Value Target. “We’ve got a homeland mission.”
“And you think I can do what?” Mace asked with a strong slice of sarcasm in his voice. “I can barely get to the bathroom.”
“You’re part of this team, and we have a brother SEAL to set straight,” Ditz explained, leaning over as well.
Tony’s brows rose.
“Never lie to a brother, that’s the motto, right?” Ditz said, swinging a look over his shoulder.
“What lie?” Mace asked.
Ditz fingered the coaster, balancing it on its edge. “Our cocky junior has been handing us a load o’ shit.”
Mace and Tony waited, arms crossed.
“What did Tadpole promise?” Ditz queried.
Tony thought for a second. The only promise Nathan, the newest and youngest member of the squad had made was to… “No way.”
“Yeah, way,” Stitch said leaning back. “The little bastard said he quit three months ago.”
Mace scratched his brow, and gave them a resigned look. “So, he fell off the wagon.”
“Maybe, but that’s not the point. Nathan has been an arrogant little shit from day one, don’t get me wrong. I like the kid, but if he’s gonna die, it’s gonna be in combat, not from sucking back cigarettes. Besides, he’s straying from the squad. It’s time for that boy to learn a lesson.” Stitch pushed his empty glass to the side.
“Snatch and grab?” Tony asked, knowing what Ditz and Stitch had in mind. It happened in the teams, but it would only happen once. A SEAL learned his lesson after some hard love from his fellow team members. The sentence was straight up and understood by all. It was a cardinal sin to lie to your brothers. If they asked a question, you answered. Failure or success, didn’t matter, truth did.
“I saw him yesterday outside a bar in the Gaslamp district. He was smoking up a storm. Today when we went for a run I asked him how he was doing with the quitting. The son of a bitch said, ‘No problem. Been smoke-free for three months.’”
Every guy at the table shook his head. “What do you have in mind?” Tony asked, knowing it would require some setup time. A snatch and grab for a SEAL was a delicate mission. Some guys got yanked off the street, others bagged in their girlfriend’s bed. Girl wasn’t usually too happy about that.
“I’m thinking tub of ice, duct tape, and a few instruments of torture.” Stitch ticked off the items with his fingers.
“Count me out, guys. I’m not in the mood,” Mace said.
“You’re in,” Tony barked at his friend. It was time for Mace to get some tough love too. “Not asking you to run the beach, man. Come on.” He cuffed him on the shoulder. “You’re part of this squad.”
“Can’t walk let alone run,” Mace griped.
“Mace, snap the fuck out of it,” Stitch said, his expression dropping into a churlish squeeze. Beers descended on the table and each of the guys grabbed one. “You got all your parts. Hell of a lot better than what could have happened. You gotta give it time.”
Mace thumped his half-empty glass o
n the table. “Saw the neurosurgeon today at the hospital. He said it wasn’t responding like it should by now.”
“So what?” Stitch piped out. “Not all kids learn to walk on their first birthday, either.”
“I don’t want to tell Nina. She keeps thinking things are going to get better.”
Tony intervened. “I told ya how to deal with that. Let her perform some homeopathic skills if ya know what I mean.”
The guys chuckled.
“Funny.” Mace lobbed a sarcastic look at him.
“Use everything and anything, Mace. Whatever works,” Ditz added.
Mace’s head snapped around with an angry scowl. “It doesn’t work, that’s the problem. I might as well have lost it completely.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Nina wants to take me to Canada. Her father is a neurosurgeon.”
“Why don’t you?” Tony asked. His friend was spiraling downward. Giving in to a whirlpool of negativity wasn’t going to help.
“I want to stick around. Any word from the Captain?” Mace asked, trying to change the subject.
“Nope,” Ditz said, thumbing a cool drop from his glass. “I know why he keeps searching for Snow White, but maybe he should give up.”
“No” both he and Mace said at the same time.
Stitch reserved comment, but seemed to be onside with Ditz.
“Kayla is alive,” Tony spoke out first. “Mace thinks so, Nina does, and so do I. Ghost will find her. Until then…,” he slapped both hands on the table, “you need to make some reservations to Canada, and we need to teach….well, speak of the devil.”
Nathan sauntered in with his cocky swagger.
“Hey men, how goes it?” he said, flipping his shades off and tossing them on the table. “How’s your dick?” Nathan offered a stupid grin.
Code Name: Nina's Choice (Warrior's Challenge) Page 3
