Securing Piper

by Susan Stoker

  “Get out of my way,” Solberg demanded.

  “Step back,” Ace said, holding his arms out to his sides. He heard one of his teammates helping Piper to her feet, but he didn’t take his attention from Solberg.

  Now that he was closer to him, he realized the man looked…unhinged. His eyes were bloodshot, as if he’d either been drinking nonstop or crying. Ace figured it was the latter, as he didn’t smell any alcohol on his breath. He could see stains on the man’s shirt, as if he hadn’t changed his clothes in days.

  But it was the hatred in Solberg’s eyes that concerned Ace the most.

  He much preferred the blank look that had been there earlier.

  “Move. That bitch killed my Kalee!” he hissed.

  “Paul,” Commander North said. “Piper didn’t have anything to do with your daughter’s death.”

  “It should’ve been Kalee taking cover instead of her,” Paul said in a low, chilling tone. “She’s always followed my daughter. Never the leader. If she’d taken initiative for once in her life, Kalee would still be alive!”

  “Mr. Solberg…” Piper began from behind him, but when she didn’t continue, Ace figured one of his friends had made sure she didn’t say anything else to make a volatile situation worse. It was obvious no matter what Piper said right now, Solberg wouldn’t listen to a word of it. In his mind, Piper was the reason his daughter was dead, and nothing she said would likely change that.

  “Are those the kids?” Solberg asked in a nasty tone.

  “Yes,” the commander said. “That’s Rani, Sinta, and Kemala. Kalee saved their lives when she made them hide from the rebels with Piper.”

  “An eye for an eye,” Paul muttered quietly, with a weird light in his gaze.

  “What the fuck does that mean?” Ace asked, his tone deadly.

  Solberg looked at him for the first time, and Ace glared back steadily. He’d come face-to-face with the worst of humanity. He’d fought terrorists with knives and fists. He’d looked through a rifle scope into the eyes of a scumbag right before he’d blown himself up, and dozens of brave, dedicated soldiers right along with him. There wasn’t much Ace hadn’t done, and not much he was afraid of.

  But looking into the soulless eyes of Paul Solberg, and knowing his girls were watching his every move, Ace did something he’d never done before.

  He physically retreated.

  On the surface, the man was holding himself together—barely. But Solberg was a ticking time bomb, and Ace didn’t want his girls anywhere near the man. He might be Piper’s best friend’s father, but their association ended here and now. If the man truly believed Piper was responsible for Kalee’s death, then he was a danger to her.

  Not to mention he’d already put his hands on her. He’d hit her. And he clearly felt no remorse about it, either.

  Using the only ammunition at his disposal at the moment, Ace said, “Kalee would be ashamed of you right now.”

  He saw the barb make a direct hit when Solberg flinched, so he kept talking.

  “I didn’t know your daughter, but I know for a fact she’d be sick with disgust at the way you’re acting. She was a Peace Corps volunteer because she wanted to make the world a better place for children like the ones standing behind me. Piper didn’t ask to be caught in the middle of a rebellion. Neither did your daughter. Neither did the children who were killed right along with Kalee. But they were. You should be down on your knees thanking God for sparing Rani, Sinta, and Kemala. But instead, you’re throwing your muscle and perceived power around like an idiot. Enjoy your lonely, pathetic life—because this will be the last time you see my wife or children. The last people to have ever seen and talked to your daughter are lost to you. Forever.”

  Ace didn’t look away when the man glared at him with pure hatred. It was a battle of wills, one Ace was determined to win. His girls had been through hell, and he’d be damned if Paul Solberg made them experience one more second of it.

  “Come on, Paul. We’ll go talk in my office,” Storm said, visibly tightening his grasp on the man’s upper arm and pulling him backward.

  Ace kept eye contact with Solberg until he finally turned and walked next to their commander, out of the hangar.

  The second he left, Ace turned to Piper. She was standing in front of Phantom, of all people. He had his arm diagonally around her chest, and Piper was holding on to it with both hands, staring at Ace.

  Her cheek had a huge red blotch on it from where Solberg had slapped her. The sight made Ace want to go after him and hurt the man after all.

  Rocco was still holding a sleeping Rani, Sinta was in Gumby’s arms with her face buried in his neck, and Kemala was standing next to Bubba, looking understandably upset.

  Ace hated that his girls were freaked out, but his main concern at the moment was Piper. His friends would take care of the kids until he could reassure them.

  The second he walked up to her, Phantom nodded and took a step backward, then Piper was in his arms. They both held on as tightly as they could. Ace felt her heart beating against his chest and her shuddering breaths against his neck.

  Slowly but surely, his anger gave way to concern. He forced himself to pull back so he could see her face. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded.

  Ace brought his hand up and ran the backs of his fingers over her cheek in a barely there caress. “I’m sorry I wasn’t close enough to stop that from happening.”

  Piper closed her eyes for a second before opening them and locking gazes with Ace. “He’s never done anything like that before. I mean, Kalee never talked about him being violent. Not at all. If anything, she’s always complained that he’s too protective. He practically gave her whatever she asked for growing up. It was always the two of them against the world.”

  Ace pressed his lips together. His Piper had the biggest heart of anyone he’d ever met. Her friend’s dad had just said the most vile things to her, had basically told her he wished she’d died instead of his daughter, and Piper was standing there practically defending him.

  “Don’t twist things in your head, Piper,” he warned. “What he said and did was not right. I don’t care that he’s grieving.”

  “I know…but, Ace, you don’t know him. Don’t know what their relationship was like. Kalee was everything to him. He’s devastated. Broken. I can’t imagine what he’s going through.”

  “The only reason I didn’t beat the shit out of him is because I didn’t want to do it in front of you and our kids. But if he dares to ever show his face in my presence again, I won’t hesitate. No one lifts a hand to you or our girls. No one. Understand?”

  Piper stared up at him for a long moment, and Ace struggled to get his anger under control.

  Solberg had hit her. Hit. Her. If he hadn’t gotten between them, there’s no telling what else he would’ve done. That was unacceptable.

  “Why man hit Piper?” Kemala asked from next to them. “What she do?”

  Ace turned to look at the teenager. She looked shocked, but not particularly afraid, like Sinta obviously was.

  “Piper didn’t do anything,” Ace said.

  Kemala nodded. “Men hit,” she said with certainty. “Watch eyes,” she told Piper. “Move quick.”

  Ace was appalled she’d had to learn that. Keeping one arm around Piper, he put his free hand on Kemala’s shoulder. “In America, men aren’t allowed to hit women. It’s against the law.”

  Kemala’s eyes widened in shock.

  “And women can’t hit men either,” Piper added.

  Ace nodded in agreement. “Look at me, Kemala.” The teenager did so. “If anyone ever hits you, or your sisters, you let me know. If you can’t find me, you tell Rocco, Gumby, Bubba, Rex, or Phantom, and one of them will deal with it. No real man hits someone smaller than him. I don’t care the reason, it is never okay. If a man hits you, Kemala, he doesn’t love you. Remember that.”

  Her eyes went from him to Piper’s cheek, then back to him. “So you no hit Piper
when she make mistake?”

  “No. Absolutely not,” Ace said.

  “Or me?”

  “No.”

  “Or Sinta?”

  “No. Or Rani either. You’re going to make mistakes, Kemala. You’re going to do things that will upset me. Maybe even make me angry. But that doesn’t mean I have the right to hit you. I will never physically harm you. Ever. That’s my vow to you as the man who adopted you. Understand?”

  She nodded, then tilted her head and asked, “You no hit Piper or us, so you love?”

  The question made Ace’s heart clench, and he didn’t hesitate. “Yes. I love you guys. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you all safe.”

  Kemala nodded and smiled in satisfaction, as if his answer was one she’d desperately wanted to hear. “I like US.”

  “I heard what happened,” a deep voice said from behind them.

  Ace turned to see Rear Admiral Creasy standing nearby. “I sincerely apologize. Mr. Solberg has been a pain in Commander North’s ass since we learned what happened to his daughter. Pestering him for details, even the classified ones. We should’ve known better than to allow him to meet you all. He insisted, and since we had no reason to deny him, we let him come along…but obviously that was a mistake. Are you all right, Mrs. Morgan?”

  Ace felt Piper startle a little in his arms. Mrs. Morgan. The rear admiral obviously knew about their wedding. He’d told Kemala that he loved her and Piper and while he’d quickly confirmed what the girl had obviously needed to hear, Ace wasn’t surprised to realize he’d been telling the truth. The second he understood Piper was in danger, something in him had shifted.

  No one hurt his woman and got away with it. And no one threatened his children.

  An eye for an eye.

  The words Paul Solberg had said truly sank in for the first time. What had he meant? It was a clear threat—but toward who? Piper? The children?

  The not knowing left Ace feeling extremely uneasy.

  Piper was responding to the rear admiral’s question. “I’m fine. Thank you. Do you think we can go somewhere and get the girls settled, though? They’ve had a very long trip, and I know we still need to meet with someone on base to finalize some things.”

  Feeling proud of her, Ace acted without thinking, leaned close and kissing her temple before turning to his superior officer. “Yes, please, Sir. I’d like to get my family something to eat and let them stretch their legs a bit before getting down to business.”

  The smile that spread across the rear admiral’s face was genuine as he nodded. “Of course. The rest of you guys, follow me. If it’s all right with your team, I think you can stay with your wife while the rest of them debrief…unless you want to be there.”

  Ace immediately nodded. He would much rather stay with Piper and the girls. He didn’t feel comfortable leaving them alone just yet. He didn’t know where Paul Solberg had gone, and the last thing he wanted was for him to track down Piper while she was talking with human resources. Filling her head with more bullshit or physically attacking her again.

  “Thank you, Sir. That sounds perfect. I’ll read the report and add in anything I feel is missing.”

  The rear admiral nodded and headed for a door near where the commander and Solberg had disappeared. Piper reached for Rani, and when Rocco handed her over, she finally woke up.

  “Welcome to the United States,” Piper said softly to the groggy girl. Rani reached up and patted Piper’s slightly red cheek, then melted Ace’s heart by leaning forward and kissing it.

  With tears in her eyes, Piper met his gaze.

  Yeah. Ace would kill anyone who dared lay a hand on one of his girls.

  Paul Solberg was escorted to his Porsche and followed until he was off the naval base property. He drove around aimlessly for an hour before ending up back at his house. He climbed out of his expensive car, not caring that he’d left the keys in the ignition, and stumbled up to the front door.

  The house had also been left unlocked, but he didn’t care or notice. Nothing seemed to matter anymore. Not with his beautiful Kalee dead.

  Paul slumped to the leather couch in the living area and stared sightlessly at the huge digital TV in front of him.

  Kalee was dead.

  And Piper Johnson…no, Piper Morgan, was alive and apparently very happy.

  His fists clenched.

  What right did she have to be happy when he was living his own personal version of hell?

  He could just imagine her pushing Kalee out of the way of the hole she’d found because there wasn’t room for more than one of them.

  And now she was married—and had adopted three children. Those kids could’ve been Kalee’s. If Piper hadn’t been the scared little mouse she always was, Kalee wouldn’t have felt the need to take care of her. She’d be alive today. She’d be married to some brave SEAL and adopting those kids.

  Kalee had talked about all the girls at the orphanage in an email she’d written him not too long before her death. Had told her daddy all about how cute they were, how much she loved spending time with them, teaching all of them.

  He should be a grandfather right now, not mourning the death of his daughter!

  Paul’s mood swung from fury, to depression, to jealousy, then back to fury once more. He couldn’t stop thinking about the what-ifs.

  What if it had been Kalee who’d hidden in the hole instead of Piper?

  What if Piper hadn’t gone to visit his Kalee at all?

  What if he’d forbidden Kalee to join the Peace Corps?

  Paul’s head spun, and he felt sick.

  He could see Kalee laughing in his mind—then he’d imagine what her dead body must’ve looked like. Filled with bullet holes and lying in the dirt in the fucking mountains of Timor-Leste.

  Bringing his hands to his head, Paul couldn’t stop more tears from falling. His head felt as if it were going to burst. He was confused, and in the most pain he’d ever felt in his life. Both emotionally and physically.

  He had no idea when he’d last eaten or showered, but those were the last things on his mind. He also hadn’t slept in more than ten-minute stretches in days, because he couldn’t stop thinking about his daughter’s last moments on this Earth.

  He’d do anything to change places with her. To be the one dead, and to have her still here, alive and well.

  As Paul sat in his quiet living room, on his expensive couch, amongst all the material things he’d accumulated over the years, one thing became crystal clear.

  None of it mattered without his daughter.

  An eye for an eye.

  The phrase ran through his mind once more.

  He’d meant every word when he’d told Piper it should’ve been her who had died.

  The kids should’ve been Kalee’s.

  The SEAL should’ve been Kalee’s.

  An eye for an eye.

  He’d make things right. For Kalee.

  Chapter Eleven

  Piper was exhausted, hungry, and heartsick, but she did her best to keep it all bottled inside and maintain a happy face for her girls.

  The meeting with human resources had taken what seemed like forever, and every time the door to the room they were in opened, she’d flinched, wondering if Kalee’s dad had returned to harangue her some more.

  His words echoed over and over in her brain.

  It should’ve been you.

  It wasn’t anything she hadn’t thought herself, but now it had been confirmed by someone else.

  “Stop it,” Ace said from beside her. He was driving them to his house in his Yukon Denali. She’d been surprised he had such a large car, but he’d merely shrugged and said he felt safer in a big vehicle.

  “Stop what?” she asked, turning her head to look over at him.

  “Stop thinking about what that asshole said.”

  “How’d you know that’s what I was doing?” she asked.

  “Your forehead is furrowed and you’re frowning.”

  How in th
e world he could read her so well, Piper didn’t know. “I can’t,” she admitted. “He was so upset. Like, over-the-top upset.”

  “He was,” Ace agreed. “But that’s on him, not you.” He grabbed her hand and held on tight. “I, for one, am very glad you’re here. And there are three little girls in the back who are glad too.”

  Piper smiled and turned to look at her girls. They were all staring out the windows with huge eyes, taking in everything about their new world as fast as they could. They still needed to get booster seats for Rani and Sinta, but that was only one of a thousand things they had to do.

  “He scared me,” Piper admitted softly. “I thought he’d be glad to see me. Relieved. But he wasn’t. He was pissed.”

  “Put him out of your mind,” Ace said. “I’ll do everything in my power to keep him away from you. But if you ever see him, do not engage. Turn around and leave. I don’t care if you’re in the middle of the grocery store…leave the cart where it is and get out. Understand?”

  She nodded. “I’m sure as time goes on his grief will lessen, and maybe he’ll get to a point where he wants to talk to me, to hear what happened.”

  “Maybe,” Ace said. “You ready to see your new house?”

  Piper took a deep breath and sat up straighter. She realized that Ace hadn’t let go of her hand, but it felt so good, she was glad. Something had changed between them. Ever since they’d gotten off the plane, and Kalee’s dad had freaked out on her, he’d been even more attentive than before—and that was saying something. He felt bad he hadn’t been able to get to her before Mr. Solberg had struck, but Piper didn’t blame him. How could any of them know that he was going to go off like that?

  Piper also felt a stronger spark every time she looked at Ace. Now that they weren’t running for their lives anymore, she could process the fact that she’d actually married the gorgeous man next to her. It felt unreal. But the ring on her finger was a good reminder. And she hadn’t forgotten how he’d told Kemala that he loved them. He was most likely talking in general though, like when you tell a friend you love them.