Code Name: Nina's Choice (Warrior's Challenge)

by Natasza Waters

  Mace shifted Gabbs in his arms, and stole a swift look at the women who were captured in the moment. Nina however, had her afterburners powering up. “No one wants war, Jack,” he agreed in a steady voice, “The fact that you can state your opinion freely tells me I’m doing my job.”

  “My brother did his too, and my parents visit his grave every Sunday. He didn’t listen to me either, and he died in Afghanistan,” Jack said, anger simmering in his eyes.

  “I’m sorry for your loss, Jack, but he died protecting Canadians and the other NATO countries.”

  “He didn’t protect me from anything, he died for nothing. He talked about you SEALs once. Said you and some of the other elite groups were the difference between failure and success on some missions. Murdering innocent people isn’t my idea of virtuous, teaching young minds like Gabriella to figure things out passively is.”

  Gabbs had been very quiet in his arms, and she suddenly looked up at him with big eyes. Her little brow furrowed. “Mace doesn’t murder people, he takes out bad guys. That’s what Mommy says.”

  Jack foisted a fake smile on his face. “Your Mom is a smart lady, Gabriella, and beautiful too,” he added, his gaze stalling on Nina again.

  “Thank you, Jack,” Nina said, her voice barely above sub-zero. “Did I mention I work for the United States Navy now, and I can tell you one thing for sure.” Her brow lifted and an icy smile cinched her mouth to one side. “The Navy SEALs are not murderers, but warriors. There is a difference. If you pulled your head out of your ass, maybe you’d know that. If the forces did not exist, you’d be speaking some form of Arabic or some other language. Not everyone thinks like you, especially terrorists and other countries that have nothing else in mind, but to dominate.”

  Jack gently rested a hand on Nina’s shoulder. “I didn’t mean to insult you. Do you mind if we have a word in private?” he asked, but before she could answer he’d wrapped his hand around her arm and pulled her away.

  Mace chewed on the inside of his mouth, and then cocked his head at Gabbs. “That guy likes your mom, doesn’t he?”

  She nodded and leaned in to whisper in his ear. “He keeps sucking up to me because he wants to go on a date with Mommy.”

  Mace grinned. No one would ever pull anything over on his Gabbs. “So, she hasn’t yet?”

  “Na-uh.” Gabbs shook her head with a dramatic swing.

  “He might be hot, but he’s an asshole,” Kate said, crossing her arms. “He just stood there and insulted all of us. Both Ruby and I are married to Navy. My father was Navy as well.”

  “I’m not married,” Carla piped up. When the other two women gave her a get real look, she shrugged. “I’m just sayin’.”

  “Everyone has a right to their opinion,” Mace offered. “He’s obviously still grieving for his brother. Can’t blame the guy.” He watched Nina’s body movements and surmised Jack was asking her out on a date and apologizing again.

  Nina joined them and drew Gabbs from his arms, setting her on the ground. “Shall we?”

  “I don’t know,” he said. “Did you turn down the anti-war activist?”

  Nina wrapped an arm around his neck, and leaned in so they were nose to nose. “What do you think, hotstuff?”

  With Nina’s body pressed against his, the main muscle wanted to spring into action. Although not an opportune time, he allowed himself to accept it, but it didn’t rise to the challenge. Don’t get frustrated, he reminded himself. “Think I might have to work a little harder at making sure you don’t stray from my bed. There’s going to be no end of guys hitting on you.”

  “Yeah, well, guess we’re in the same boat now, aren’t we?” Nina landed a smoldering kiss on him. “Let’s get these kids organized.”

  He knelt down in front of Gabbs. “Give it your best today, Gabbs, win place or show, you’re number one with us!”

  Gabbs kissed him on the cheek and gave him an impish smile. “Mace, I don’t care what Mr. Mitchell says, you’re my hero.”

  “And you’re mine, Little Red. Now let’s go kick some aaa…behind.”

  Gabbs giggled and ran toward a gaggle of girls that had to be her classmates.

  Mace had never cheered so much in his life. Standing on the sidelines, he and Nina went crazy when Gabbs won the long jump. With legs like her mom, she was a shoe-in, and she took the blue ribbon.

  Jack, dressed in his tight white T-shirt, made sure to strut a little taller whenever he passed them. Nina conveniently looked the other way, but he didn’t, because it was starting to piss him off. She’d turned him down, what the hell did he think he was doing strutting around like the cock of the walk?

  They broke for lunch and found a space on the grass to down hot dogs and drinks. Gabbs had won a second blue ribbon in the fifty-meter dash, and she pinned one award on his shirt and one on Nina’s. His hunger kept growing as he appreciated Nina in her short shorts and small tank top. The woman was one hell of a lean, sexy goddess. His thoughts continually romped back to wanting to throw her down in the grass and make love to her, but the only alone time they had was after they’d put Gabbs to bed at night. He got a taste of what parenting would be like, because they were both exhausted when they hit the pillow. Two of them handling one little eight-year-old girl shouldn’t be tiring, but it was.

  “Can I have a brother?” Gabbs asked, stopping him and Nina in mid-chew.

  They both looked like someone had shot them in the ass. Nina choked on the hot dog she’d only half swallowed, and he got ready to jump to the rescue, but she forced it down.

  “Whoa, there, kiddo, we have a few things to do before that.”

  “But I want a brother,” Gabbs said.

  “Where did that come from?” Nina asked, turning onto her knees and fixing Gabbs’ ponytail.

  Gabbs sucked on the straw from her juice box. “I don’t want a sister. You and Auntie Dawn fight all the time, but I’d like a brother.”

  “Aunt Dawn and I don’t fight all the time.”

  “Yes, you do.”

  Nina rolled her eyes at him. “Okay, well maybe we do, but we still love each other.”

  “Nina?”

  They shielded their eyes from the sun, and looked up to see Jack standing over them. What now? Mace wondered.

  “I could use a hand with the 100-meter sprint after lunch. My assistant bailed on me. I’ve got four heats running. I could use you at the end of the line.”

  “I suppose,” Nina said, “But I don’t want to miss any of Gabbs’ events.”

  Jack squatted down and gave Gabbs a big smile. “How you doing? I see you’ve got two blue ribbons. Well done!”

  “Thanks, Mr. Mitchell. Mace helped me improve my long jump and my running. I’m faster now.”

  “That’s good. Although misdirected, I guess the SEALs are well trained physically. We’re having a few parents events later. You should join in, even if you aren’t Gabbs’ father,” he said.

  “I don’t think,” Nina began, but he interrupted.

  “Name the time…Jack?” Adding ass wouldn’t be very mature, but it crossed his mind.

  “Mace, you’re barely out…” She stopped when he gave her a look to cease fire.

  “There’s a tug-o-war challenge for the fathers and a two-hundred-meter dash. Around three we’re having a father-daughter three-legged race.”

  “We’ll be there.”

  Jack offered a sly grin. “Good.” He rose and sauntered off.

  “Mace,” she ground out. “How could you let that guy goad you into that? I don’t even know if it would be good for you to try that.”

  “Baby, before you woke up I ran five miles this morning. It’s not top shape, but I’m getting there.”

  “You did?” She looked surprised.

  “Yup, ran it with your father.”

  “Huh.” She gave Gabbs a hug. “Okay, well, you know your limitations.”

  He did, he didn’t have any, and he was sure Jack would be running in that race, and he was going to
kick his ass.

  * * * *

  “Gabbs doesn’t have an ounce of fear, does she?” he said, standing beside Nina who looked a little unnerved.

  “Gabriella, not so high,” she shouted at her daughter, who was trying to get as much air time as she could on the trampoline.

  “Watch, Mom,” she yelled, giving her arms a pump when she hit the pad, her lean little body as straight as a torpedo as she vaulted into the air. With her next jump she tucked up tight and did a midair somersault.

  “You’re not listening,” Nina yelled back.

  Mace chuckled and crossed his arms. That kid would break the sound barrier if she could. With her next bounce, he stiffened. She landed off-kilter with too much forward momentum trying to pull off another somersault. He vaulted around the trampoline, seeing what was coming. The spotters were talking instead of watching. “Heads up,” he yelled. Too late!

  Gabbs came down, tagging the edge with one foot and falling to the ground. She curled into a little ball and held her ankle, whimpering. “Wait,” he ordered when Nina tried to pull her up.

  “Gabbs, talk to me,” he said, brushing her curls aside and looking into her eyes.

  “It hurts.” She sniffed, trying hard to keep the tears at bay.

  “I know it does, Little Red. I need to look at your ankle.”

  She shook her head and drew her leg in closer.

  “Gabriella,” Nina said sternly. “Move your hand. We need to look at it.”

  The crowd circled around them.

  “Gabbs, straighten your leg for me.” Slowly she straightened her leg and he gave it a quick check, running both hands down the length. No blood, no compound fracture, but her ankle was already swelling.

  “It hurts, Mace.”

  He swiveled on his knees. “I need ice.”

  Jack pushed through the crowd and knelt down. “I’ll take care of this.”

  Mace didn’t look, but his hand was lightning fast when it clenched Jack’s shoulder in a biting grip. “Got this, jock, standby.”

  Jack flinched and hopped back a step to get out from under Mace’s grip. “I’ll get the school nurse to take a look.”

  A couple of bags of ice appeared, and Mace wrapped one in his shirt, and gently wound it around Gabbs’ ankle.

  “Hurts, Mace.”

  He propped her up against his chest and tied the shirt so it sat snug against her skin. “It’s gonna feel cold, but we want to stop the swelling. Do you hurt anywhere else?”

  She shook her head; tears beginning to leech out. Nina swiped them away. Gabbs grabbed his hand with both of hers and squeezed.

  “Squeeze as hard as you want, Little Red.”

  Her head dropped back as she said, “We won’t be able to run the race together, Mace.”

  “That’s okay. We’ll run it next year.”

  When it was obvious there were no other injuries, he picked Gabbs up in his arms and aimed for the bleachers.

  “Gabriella, you are lucky you didn’t break that ankle. Why didn’t you listen to me?”

  “Hey, Mom.” Mace’s brows drew together. “Later, maybe.” It was too late. Gabbs had been verbally reprimanded and she started to cry now that there wasn’t an audience. “Hey.” He sat down on the warm metal of the bleachers and cradled her in his arms. “Mom just got scared, okay? I got scared.”

  Gabbs nodded as she wiped her eyes, but the tears kept coming. She pushed her face into his chest and cried little girl tears all over his heart. The drops made it thump harder and the cadence changed. Her tears soaked through his skin and into his soul, and he realized it would be a cold day in hell before he would let anyone hurt this little girl. Nina’s arm wrapped around his back and she perched her chin on his shoulder.

  “Mace is right. You scared me, Gabbs. I don’t ever want to see my little girl hurt or sad.” She brushed a red lock away from her cheek and bent over, kissing it.

  “Mommy, when can I come and live with you and Mace in San Diego?”

  Nina raised her head, and he waited for her to answer.

  “Soon, honey. I hope very soon.”

  “Why not now?”

  He and Nina shared a look. Who was going to pull the diversion tactic first? “Your mom is learning how to do her job and she has a lot of homework, and I’m trying to get better, so I can go back to work.”

  Gabbs blinked the remainder of her tears away. “I miss you, Mommy. I don’t want you to go.”

  How the heck did parents do it? he wondered. Innocent need from a little one was torture on the heart. How would it feel to leave Nina and Gabbs when he was deployed on his next mission?

  “Sweetie, as soon as I’m settled you are on the first plane to San Diego. It won’t be long now.”

  “Can I come for a visit then?”

  Argh. He almost voiced it out loud, but squelched the signal transmitting from his heart. He thought he better keep quiet and let the professional handle this.

  “Soon, Gabriella. Now are we going to cheer Mace on in the race?”

  “Yeah,” she shouted.

  He hadn’t been wrong. Coach Jack, or Cockroach as he’d named him, was two positions to his left. Mace had stretched out and done some prerunning exercises. No matter how bad it hurt, he was going to the finish line. On agreement they’d decided to run the fifteen-hundred meter mid-range race. Cockroach had suggested it, so he assumed he thought he could excel. Seven men would be running.

  They took their positions. He’d won this event in high school over and over again. If the gods were good to him, his injury could take the punishment. Three and three-quarter laps. Legs bent, body ready, the gun fired, and the cheers from the crowd went up.

  All seven men paced themselves, no one gaining ground. The first lap felt damn good. His breathing was steady, his exertion just enough to keep stride. Second lap, the tension built when one of the runners tried to gain some distance, but all the men expelled their reserves and kept pace. Third lap, his legs began to feel a burn, but it was his right leg near the groin that began to exert its distress.

  He’d trained thousands of hours to ignore pain. This was nothing, but with each step the persistent throb grew. Ignore it. At three-quarters of a lap to go, the men threw off the gloves with strides long, pumping muscles, hearts thundering. Cockroach gained ground and ran beside him. Pounding down the track, the shout from his groin raged. He and Cockroach ran out front stride for stride. At a quarter lap to go, his eyes picked out Nina and Gabbs jumping up and down shouting their fool heads off for him. For them, everything he had for them, the finish line feet away.

  Cockroach lost ground, but not enough to believe he couldn’t apply the afterburners at the last second. He thrust his mind into SEAL mode. No pain. Never quit. His cells fired every ounce of power to his legs. Cockroach made his play, but seconds too late. Mace crossed the finish line ahead of him. Holy crap. He slowed and then walked, and hoped to hell he hadn’t set himself back three weeks of healing.

  “You won. You won. You won,” Gabbs chanted and jumped around on one foot, keeping the injured one pointed.

  “Mace?” Nina’s expression wrinkled with concern.

  “It’s okay, babe,” he said breathing deeply, hands clipped to his hips.

  “You stupid-ass SEAL, you pushed it too hard,” she whispered in his ear. “Get your ass in the truck we’re going home, and you’re taking a long soak in the tub.”

  A wide grin eclipsed his mouth and he peeked a look at her. “Gonna join me?”

  “Achhh.” She swatted his backside and grabbed his wrist, pulling him behind her.

  “It’s for the good of the team, babe,” he teased.

  “What team, Mace?” Gabbs asked, and grabbed two of his fingers in her hand.

  “Team Callahan, Little Red.” He grinned down at her.

  “That’s me and Mom too, right?” She beamed up at him, freckled nose and eyes glinting an emerald green under the sun.

  “That’s the one.”

  “
Your fa…” Nina stopped. “Mace needs to get home.”

  He stopped and gazed at Nina. She looked just as shocked as him. “You were gonna say father, weren’t you?”

  “No, I wasn’t,” she retorted.

  “Yes, you were.” And he suddenly didn’t give a shit about his groin or the race or anything but his potential new position. The one he wanted to come in first place every time. “I want that too, Nina,” he said as their gazes locked.

  “Aww,” Gabbs crowed. “Are you guys gonna kiss again?”

  They both barked out a laugh.

  Chapter Eight

  Nina tossed a pound of ground hamburger into the shopping cart at the same time swinging a look behind her. Yup, she was definitely back in San Diego, her shadow was ten feet away, not looking at all obvious standing beside a rack of celery. With a quick scan her guard made sure the area was free of killers. “Ross, why don’t you just walk with me instead of back there? I feel like Michael Jackson.”

  Ross’ teddy-bear friendly face bloomed with a huge smile. There were some places a SEAL escort could not fade into the background; the vegetable aisle was one of them. Although a member of Team Three, he was good friends with Mace and Tinman. Ross wanted a transfer to Team One, Alpha Squad, but it hadn’t been approved yet, mainly because Captain Austen had disappeared as well as Kayla. She prayed they were together, somewhere, battling out their demons and healing each other at the same time.

  She maneuvered her cart around a little old lady, who thought it was her age-given right to park it in the middle of the walkway, while Ross took up floor space like Smokey the Bear with big brown eyes and a sexy impish smile. “Got my orders, Nina.”

  Orders. She rolled her eyes. “I don’t think the Blood Shark is hanging out at the grocery store, SEAL.”

  Her phone gave a small shout out and she looked down to see the text. “Oh, my God.” She shoved the cart away from her and ran toward Ross, scaring the shit out of him because he took on a stance like he was about to tackle her.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Take me to Lieutenant Cobbs. Now! Kayla’s back.”