The Class of '93 Trilogy: Deadly Briefs

by Felicia Forella

  As soon as the runners touched the ground, the door swung open. A large, barrel-chested man jumped to the ground. Aiden half expected the ground to shake as a result of his girth. Behind him, Samantha peeked over his shoulder.

  A wave of relief flooded Aiden, threatening to drag him under.

  "Donde esta Antonio?"

  So, he wanted to know where Antonio was.

  "No hasta que tengo Samantha."

  Good girl. She wasn't about to hand over their ace in the hole until Samantha was safe and sound. The two argued for a moment or two, until the hired goon accepted the fact that he had to pony up first.

  The sight of the man gripping Samantha by the waist shot shards of anger through Aiden. He wanted to break the man's fingers for daring to touch his daughter. The goon dropped her to the ground and pointed to Erika.

  Samantha just stood there. Aiden wanted to call out, but to reveal his position could be hazardous.

  "It's all right, honey, I'm a friend of your father's.” She squatted down, putting her eye level with the little girl.

  Cautiously, Samantha approached Erika, slipping her hand into hers. “Is my daddy here?"

  "Yes, honey, he is. He can see you, but you can't see him."

  "'Cause it's getting dawk?"

  "Exactly."

  Erika waved to Antonio, a sweeping gesture with her arm. His gaze collided with Aiden's for a split second before Antonio marched into the clearing.

  "Donde esta mi padre?"

  "El esperar. Venido con mí. Iremos a él."

  Aiden could tell by the hesitation in Antonio's step that he didn't want to go with his man. Aiden just wanted him gone so he could wrap his arms around his daughter. After an internal struggle, Antonio climbed into the helicopter. No sooner had the door shut, than the rotary wing craft took off.

  Like shadows coming to life, the Ranger team moved into the clearing and waved Aiden from his hiding place.

  "Daddy!"

  Samantha's squeal drove away the vice that had been gripping his heart since he'd learned of her kidnapping. She darted toward him, her upper body moving faster than her feet, tumbling her into his embrace. Holding her close, the scent of baby shampoo overwhelmed him as she wrapped her little arms around his neck. Aiden dropped to the ground, cuddling his baby girl on his lap, uncaring of the audience.

  "I didn't like your fwiend vewy much, Daddy."

  His friend? Sonny had told her he was a family friend?

  "Why not, sweetie?"

  "He talked funny, he didn't have vewy many toys, and he doesn't know Dowa. How can he not know Dowa, Daddy?"

  "I don't know, Sammy. I thought everyone knew Dora. She's so popular because she's on TV."

  Thank God, it sounded like Sonny hadn't frightened or threatened Samantha. Later, he'd talk with her about going with strangers, even ones who say they're a friend. Now, he just wanted to hold her close.

  As Aiden sat there in the tall grass, his daughter cuddled in his lap chatting away with the Rangers and the Special Tactics Team, one notion ran through his head with astonishing clarity.

  He hadn't failed.

  Chapter 16

  Success felt sweet in his arms, as Aiden held on to his squirming daughter. It smelled heavenly, the scent of baby shampoo making him smile as she wiggled her head near his nose. He covertly watched Erika as she spoke with the leaders of the Rangers and the Special Tactics Team. Even without her uniform, she belonged with the men in their BDUs, the combat camouflaged fatigues that helped them blend in with their surroundings. Her bearing marked her as a military officer; it was an important part of who she was.

  She'd kept him safe and helped secure his daughter's release. Her training and her knowledge brought them to this point. They weren't done yet—Sonny was not behind bars—but he was confident her skills would guarantee continued success.

  Thanks to her, he tasted victory instead of defeat. As he stared at her, he knew he wanted her by his side for the rest of his life. With her, he could fight the ghosts of his past and move on toward a better future. He knew, without a doubt, he could never ask her to be any less than herself. He'd expected it of her once. Thank God, she'd flat out refused him. She'd never have become the woman standing in front of him if she'd allowed him to dominate her course in life. He loved this woman more than he thought possible, even more than he loved the woman she'd been back at the Academy.

  When this was all over, he planned to sit her down and ask her to marry him. Again. If for some reason she said yes this time, they'd have to discuss what he could do to fit into her life. It didn't matter that Aiden's father had been the breadwinner, and his mother had followed him around, taking care of the family. Once upon a time, he'd assumed that was the only way to make a marriage work. Except that it hadn't worked for him and Nancy.

  No, it was time for him and Erika to sit down and decide what would work for them. If she said yes.

  "Dad-dy.” Samantha whined. She wanted to move around. “Can I go play?"

  "Stay where I can see you."

  "Of couwse.” She skipped over to Erika.

  All eyes looked to the sky as the familiar whomp-whomp-whomp sounded in the darkening sky. What the hell? The Special Tactics officer closest to Erika put his hand to his ear, his mouth moving as he spoke into the microphone at his lip.

  Aiden stood, brushed his butt to remove anything clinging to his jeans. He heard the words “incoming friendly” as he closed the gap, the vibrating air whipping away the rest of the words. Samantha bounced, clinging to Erika's hand, as the familiar silhouette of the Air Force's Pave Low helicopter came into view. The six large rotary blades at the top of the chopper generated most of the noise, but the four squat blades on the angled tail played their part in making the over eighty feet of Air Force power one deafening machine. This bird resembled and acted like a flying bulldog, bearing few similarities to the sleek, bubble-shaped Pave Hawk on which Samantha had arrived. During his five year stint in counter-narcotics intelligence, Aiden had spent his fair share of time being infiltrated and exfiltrated on both crafts.

  He'd discover soon enough why this second bird was touching down. His gut instinct, which had been known to fail him in the past, told him he wasn't going to like what came out of those doors. When Erika closed the short distance between them, wrapping her fingers around his, he believed his gut one hundred and ten percent.

  Shit.

  The helicopter's runners had barely made an impression on the grass when the door flung open and his ex flung herself to the ground.

  Shitshitshit.

  "Mommy!” Samantha raced for her mother.

  Aiden understood that Nancy needed to and should be here. She was probably more stressed out than a captured drug mule who just realized he'd taken laxatives. Plus, Samantha needed a parent to fly back to Ohio with her, and Aiden lacked the luxury of time. None of that meant he wanted to face his ex in front of the woman he loved. Erika released his hand, freeing him to go to Nancy. He turned to look at Erika, still wearing her best blank face. He tried to wrangle a smile for her, only managing half of one.

  As he approached Nancy and Sammy, he saw the tears streaking down Nancy's face and heard Sammy trying to comfort her.

  "Hello, Cooper."

  Cooper. His middle name. The name he'd taken on when he'd left active duty in an effort to prevent Sonny or one of his supporters from finding him. That had worked well, hadn't it? His father's words echoed in his mind, real men don't fail their families. Except he had, when his marriage fell apart and he was forced to move out. Until today, thanks to Erika. He fought the urge to turn around and find her.

  He was no longer Cooper, not that he'd ever really been. During the past few days, he'd reclaimed Aiden and liked the feel of it.

  "Nancy.” He nodded at her.

  "Honey, why don't you go back to the nice lady over there. I need to talk to Daddy for a minute.” Nancy set Samantha on her feet so she could scamper over to Erika.

  Uh
-oh.

  "What the hell is going on here, Cooper?” She smacked at his chest, fear and anger flashing in her eyes. “No wait, you can't tell me. You've never been able to tell me anything about your life before law school. And now whatever the hell it is you did while in the Air Force could have killed our daughter."

  "Don't you think I know that?"

  "Do you? I land to see Samantha running around, playing and you holding hands with some bimbo."

  "Now wait just a minute, Nancy. Samantha needed to burn off some energy and was perfectly safe. In case you hadn't noticed, this field is surrounded by Army Rangers and a Special Tactics Team. Samantha has never been safer. Certainly safer than she was with you. Or do I need to remind you that she was with you when she was kidnapped?” Even knowing it was a low blow, he hadn't been able to stop the comment. He held up his hand to prevent her retort. “In addition, Major Dalton over there is no tramp. She's the one who kept me safe, and who prevented me from being blown up in a car bomb, plus she worked out the details for Samantha's safe return. She's a lot of things, but she's not a bimbo."

  Nancy fixed her gaze on Erika, the emotion in her eyes turning to loathing. “Oh. My. God. That's her. That's the woman who was in bed with us the entire time we were married."

  He had no intention of justifying that comment. If she was just taking a stab in the dark, she'd learn the truth soon enough. “Take Samantha home. I still have some work to do. Once that's done, I'll come visit."

  "You'll fail her, you know. You always do. You won't be able to make it work with her any more than you made it work with me. You don't have it in you to be a good husband."

  "This conversation isn't going to happen, Nancy.” He kept his voice soft, his tone soothing. “I'm going to go get Samantha now."

  She grabbed his arm as he turned to walk away, halting his retreat. He'd never yelled at her, never reacted to her shrewish behavior. He wouldn't start now.

  "You know it's true."

  It was the stress getting to her, Aiden told himself. Nancy wasn't acting like herself because of the anxiety. They'd all been through an emotional wringer since Sunday. Was it really only Friday? “Let go of me, Nancy.” He twisted his arm free, scooping Samantha in his arms. “Come on, sweetie. Mommy's going to take you for another ride in a helicopter, only this one is going to take you home."

  "I wanna stay wif you, Daddy.” She hugged his neck.

  "I still have a few things to do. But I told Mommy that once I'm done, I'll come visit you."

  "Pwomise?"

  "Cross my heart.” He accompanied his words with the gesture. He carried her to the waiting Pave Low. “I love you, Sammy."

  "I love you, Daddy."

  Aiden glanced at the pilot, wanting to catch a glimpse of the man who would transport his child. Surprise and relief flashed through him when he recognized the man sitting in the left seat, his night vision goggles perched on top of his helmet. Braedon Powell. If Aiden couldn't be with Samantha, it helped to know she was in capable hands. Aiden saluted his former friend, who returned the gesture.

  Aiden waited for one of the enlisted flight engineers to open the door for him. “Take good care of her, Powell."

  "It'll be the safest flight I've ever flown."

  The enlisted man in the back of the helicopter gently took Samantha from Aiden's arms and placed her in a seat. Aiden pivoted, feeling Nancy behind him. He offered his hand to help her into the helicopter. She refused, reaching for the proffered hand on the inside, instead.

  Shutting the door, he watched as the crew prepared them for the flight. He closed his eyes as the motion of the blades increased and kicked up dirt and debris. Words, memories, attacked him as the helicopter disappeared in the darkness. Real men don't fail their families. You'll fail her, you know. You always do.

  * * * *

  Something had happened to Aiden out there in that field. Erika wished she knew what.

  He didn't talk to her at all as the Special Tactics Team escorted them back to the car. At first, she chalked that up to their company, a macho need not to show emotion in front of other men. Whatever.

  Now, all alone in the car, he stared out the window. In spite of the blasting heater, a chill crept down her arms and soaked deep into her bones, bothering her more than she cared to admit. It began after Nancy left. What had she said to him during the five minutes she was with him? Erika wished now that she hadn't given them some space.

  Well, if he thought she'd just back off, he didn't know her very well. She was willing to bet he understood her better now than when they'd been back at the Academy and he finally realized just how important her career was to her. There had been times over the past twenty-four hours when she'd seen admiration and respect reflected in his eyes. No way in hell she planned to give up on the only man she'd ever loved, the only one who got her.

  "With any luck, when we get back to the hotel room, we'll have a lead on Sonny's whereabouts."

  No response.

  "Either way, I think we should head back to Bolling in the morning. We can crunch the data from the Intel boys. With your knowledge of Sonny, you might be able to ferret out something they missed."

  If she couldn't hear him breathing, she'd have thought she was alone in the car.

  "Do you want to celebrate our partial victory? I'm sure we can find someplace to eat that's open late. We are in a college town, after all.” Or they could screw themselves silly, getting lost in a tangle of arms and legs. Mouths claiming genitals. Sweating bodies straining against each other until they both came. Just his quiet presence beside her made her body burn and her hormones stand up and beg.

  Time to halt those thoughts, for now.

  Man, oh, man. He played hard ball. Too many years spent around stubborn, obnoxious men had prepared her well for this. Refusing to jeopardize their safety, she'd save the confrontation for the hotel room. Driving on narrow, winding country roads and arguing didn't mix.

  Erika's thoughts retraced the evening's events. It had gone flawlessly. The only improvement would have been if Sonny had actually shown up. Not that she'd really expected him. Only an idiot would get on a military helicopter and fly into an unknown scenario. There was nothing stupid about Sonny. Still, they'd hoped his desire to hurt Aiden might propel him to make a mistake. No such luck.

  Not that it mattered. They'd find him and turn him over to the proper authorities to await trial. She anticipated Aiden's next plan. As much as she disagreed with this one, she had to admit it had been pretty damn ingenious. Sonny had taken the bait, the switch had gone down. No harm, no foul. Even now, Samantha was on her way home, safe and sound with her mother.

  Nancy.

  Erika had all but shit herself when Aiden's ex-wife stepped off the helicopter. It was like looking in the mirror at a more polished, sophisticated version of herself. A more maternal version.

  She wondered if it meant that Aiden thought of her after their breakup and that Aiden wanted her, even when they were apart. Not that she was a psychologist or anything, although she'd had enough psycho-babble training to make an educated guess, but that's exactly what it meant to her.

  Maintaining his vow of silence, Aiden exited the car and proceeded to their hotel room. The bathroom was his first stop, giving her time to inhale a few deep, calming breaths. What she wanted to do was follow him into the bathroom and persuade him to take a shower with her. Her palms itched at the prospect of caressing all those wet muscles, one in particular.

  "What happened to you back there?” She wasn't about to give him any leeway now.

  "Nothing happened."

  "Bullshit. You've put the Great Wall of China between us since the Wicked Ex of the West showed up."

  Before her eyes, Aiden's spine stiffened and he squared off his shoulders. “I beg to differ."

  "Good stifling God. You sound like you have a stick up your ass. Is this you in lawyer mode?"

  "I don't know what you're talking about."

  "Aiden, I love y
ou.” Where the hell had that come from? Judging by the way his mouth gaped open, he wondered the same thing. The words were out there, unable to be retracted, even if she wanted to. Time to plunge ahead and damn the consequences. “I love you.” Her voice softened. “I hope once this is all over and we toss Sonny's ass in the supermax, we'll be able to see where this explosive chemistry between us goes."

  "Erika, I don't think—"

  She pressed her index finger to his lips. “Exactly. Don't think. Feel. Just like before."

  She stared at his lips, longing for a taste of him, for the sensation of them pressed to hers. Rising on tiptoe, she pressed her mouth to his, desire flooding her senses and making gentle impossible. He remained motionless, unresponsive, as she traced the seam of his mouth, stabbing at him with her tongue. With a growl that reverberated from his chest through hers, he wrapped his arms around her and erased any distance between them. He plunged into her, broad sweeping strokes of his tongue that left her breathless. He shared a breath with her as he stole away all rational thought, until the only thing left in her world was the press of his hard body. Settling into an erotic give and take, a sensuous glide of flesh, her body molded to his with a sigh. The man should be declared a national security asset for the way he kissed. She'd volunteer to guard him every day for the rest of her life.

  Fisting her fingers in his hair, she held him close, angling her head to deepen the contact. Her nipples tingled as she rubbed against his chest. His erection jerked and twitched as she pressed her belly closer. Leveraging herself with his shoulders, she wrapped her legs around his hips, settling all that jerking and twitching right where she wanted it most. For now, anyway.