by J. L. Drake
“Hey, Frank, my flight was fine. Andy did a sweep of the apartment, and I just really need some sleep.”
“I’m really uncomfortable with the way you returned. It’s too soon, but I understand needing your own space. You’ve always been independent, Sloane. However, if anything seems slightly off in any way, call me.”
“You have my word.”
“Okay.” His voice was kind. “Try to get some sleep.”
“I will.” I glanced in the mirror and saw the dark circles under my eyes. I officially felt as I looked on the outside. Drained.
After my shower, I changed into my sweats, grabbed a bottle of Francis Coppola and a glass, and curled up in front of the TV. I was way behind with my Marvelous Mrs. Maisel series, and we needed to catch up. I thought I made it to the opening credits before sleep got the best of me.
A noise startled me awake. I reached for the remote to mute the TV and tried to make sense of the sound. A small creak had goosebumps slowly inching up my spine. Without moving too much, I dug around the blanket for my phone when I heard it again. With two fingers, I pried the phone from between the cushions and called Frank, knowing he was closer than my father was.
“What’s wrong?” He didn’t miss a beat.
“Frank, someone’s here.”
“What do you hear? What do you see?”
“Nothing. I just heard something. I think someone is inside the apartment.” I saw a shadow cross the kitchen door. “Frank,” I nearly panicked, “someone’s here…in the kitchen.”
“I’m on my way, getting in my car now. Can you get out?”
Just as I moved toward the front door, a dark figure stepped in my path. He was so close I could smell stale beer on his breath.
“I don’t think I can do that.” The man slowly shook his head and reached for my phone, ending the call.
“Sloane Harlow, we’ve been waiting for you. Henry will be very happy to see you.”
I licked my dry lips and cleared my throat, hoping my voice would work.
“Like I explained to Henry, the judge has made his ruling. There is nothing I can do.” His head tilted, still in shadow.
“Well, that’s just a shame, isn’t it? After all, you are the daughter of a general. You can find a way to fix it.”
“That’s not how it works.”
“You can tell Henry that, then.”
As his hand reached out to grab me, I blocked his arm, kneed him in the crotch, and as he fell forward, I grabbed the half-full bottle of wine and cracked him over the head with it. I leapt out of his reach and headed for the kitchen, only to be snatched up by another set of arms. He whirled me around to face beer breath, and his fist caught me in the cheek. A loud ringing noise blocked out any further sound, but not the pain that exploded in my head.
“Put the bitch in the trunk.” His words seemed far away. Panic and adrenaline hit me at the same time, and I screamed for help as loudly as I could as they dragged me kicking and screaming down the stairs.
My legs broke free, and I kicked someone hard and heard a curse. “Grab her fuckin’ legs, will ya?”
I clawed at the brick wall and used my fingers to grip the tiny grooves, which momentarily gave me a second of hope.
“Let me go, you piece of shit!” I wiggled hard and tried to use all my strength to break free. “Assholes!” Since I was already emotionally drained, all I had left was pure, hot anger.
“Feisty little bitch, aren’t yet?” One laughed but stopped mid-hiss.
I was suddenly dropped onto the sidewalk on my back, beer breath landed beside me, and I struggled to make sense of what was happening. The lights from the parking lot burned my eyes as I tried to focus. Frank had a gun to the second guy, and I scrambled to my feet and grabbed a flowerpot and threw it as hard as I could into beer breath’s face.
“Ahhh,” I shuddered and put my hands to my aching face. “Fuck you, Henry!” I screamed into the night.
“Sloane,” Frank reached out to steady me, “are you good?”
“Um…yeah. Yeah, I am.”
“Go get into the car.” I wasted no time and jumped into the front seat.
Chapter Eleven
John
“Nothing like a twenty-mile run with ninety-five pounds on your back to make room for a second breakfast,” Mark called as he trotted by me with a grin then slowed to a walk.
“Nice of Tripper to join us this morning,” Keith said around his water canister. “I wondered when he was going to return to the team.”
“Mm.” I glanced over at Sloane’s cabin, curious to know why he wasn’t with her. “Maybe his guilt is getting to him.” I snorted.
“You just need to feed him more cookies,” Mark chimed in.
I laughed. “Not everyone is ruled by their stomach like you are, Mark.”
“Women love men who eat. It makes them feel like they’re caring for me, and I need to be cared for.” I shoved Mark’s shoulder and rolled my eyes at Keith.
“Oh, my God, Abigail ruined him.” Keith snickered as we heard footsteps from behind us.
“Uncle John!” Livi came racing across the yard and leapt into my arms. “We’re still on for our practice, right?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Good, because,” she turned to look at Mark, who was listening, so she leaned in and whispered, “we’re the fifth to go on.”
“I promise, I’ll be ready.”
“Good!” She gave me her father’s curt nod then immediately broke into her mother’s smile. That little girl could commit murder, and I’d be right there digging the hole to hide the evidence. I dropped her to her feet, and she took off after Butters, who loved a good chase.
“Is someone keeping secrets?” Mark glared at me. “Just because you and Keith are her favorites doesn’t mean I should get the Logan look from the little pipsqueak.”
“She only loves me because of B.” Keith chuckled. “He’s a charmer, just like his father.”
My phone vibrated in my pocket and alerted me to a call.
“Hi, Mom.” I stepped away from the others with a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Once again, I glanced at the cabin, concerned what this call might bring.
“Honey, I think we should talk. When you called yesterday, your sister was just starting another meltdown, and it really upset me. I was having a wonderful time with Sloane. We went to lunch at Zach’s, and she welcomed me into a world I didn’t think I needed.”
“What? I thought—”
“John,” she continued, “I realize I do need some help, not just with Ellie, but for myself and your father. Sloane opened my eyes that we can be okay again. Do you know what happened? Your father and I laughed together. We laughed for the first time in a very long time. Do you know how good that was for me, for us?”
I wanted to scream, my emotions were so raw on this subject. “Well, then, what was yesterday?”
“Yesterday was an eye opener for me, and it took until this morning for me to see that. We need to move forward, and if we allow ourselves to get help, we could. It’s not fair for your father and me to rely on you all the time. I think I see things clearer now. Give it a little time, but I think things will change. I have to go, but I’ll call you later. Sorry about yesterday.”
“Okay, bye.”
What the fuck.
“Who is up for some football?” Mike called, tossing the ball in the air. Just as we were about to start the game, I spotted Daniel, Frank, and Cole on the porch, deep in conversation.
“Irons.” I nodded in Cole’s direction. “Did Chamness call in this morning?”
“No.” He dropped the ball, and we headed toward the house. I noticed Daniel was spinning his watch around his wrist, a telltale sign that something was up.
“This can’t be good,” Mike muttered from behind us.
When Cole caught sight of us, he excused himself. “Black, can I have a word?”
“Well, shit, at least it’s not me. See ya.” Mark hurried off,
avoiding Cole’s glare.
Keith hovered nearby as the rest left. “Logan,” he called, “are we all good here?” Cole motioned for him to join us. I leaned against the railing as Daniel and Frank approached.
“Black, I’ve always respected your privacy, and I know you’ve grown close to Sloane, but I have to ask. Did something happen last night?”
As much as I wanted to end this conversation, I knew Cole must have a reason to ask. Given the current company, I knew something was going on. “We had a few words last night that didn’t go so well. Why, what’s going on?”
“She left for Washington last night, and she seemed really off,” Frank started. “It’s not like Sloane to leave like that. She knows better. Now is the time, son. If she’s not welcome here, please let me know. I can move her to Dusk. I need Blackstone to be one hundred percent focused right now, and if there’s a negative distraction, I need to know.”
Cole cleared his throat, and Daniel shuffled his feet as though there was more to come.
“No need to move her. We just had a disagreement, nothing that can’t be fixed over a good night’s sleep.”
“Then you should know that when she arrived back at her apartment she was attacked and nearly kidnapped.” I stood straight up and made a move toward her cabin when Cole put his hand on my shoulder to stop me. “So, maybe this would be a good time to mend fences.”
“Is she all right? Is she here?” My voice betrayed the depth of my true feelings for Sloane, and I knew they recognized that.
“She just arrived. She’s shaken up and a little bruised, but all things considered, she handled herself pretty well. She just might need some time.”
“Go ahead, Black. I think she’d like to see you. She’s with the girls.” He nodded toward the main house.
I raced inside, feeling like shit, and realized I’d been wrong and once again had hurt someone. I was my own worst enemy, and I needed to make this right.
Sue stood as I entered the living room, cheeks flushed and concern all over her face. “Ladies,” she whispered, “let’s give Sloane a moment.” Abigail and June hurried away to the kitchen, and Savannah and Sue wavered a moment. I heard Savanah whisper that I was here, then they left us alone.
Sloane didn’t look up and sat hunched forward, her glass of brandy trembling in her hands. Her hair hid her face from my view. I moved farther into the room, but when she still didn’t acknowledge my presence, I bent down in front of her.
I felt so many conflicting emotions bubble to the surface. I had no idea how to start or what to say to explain myself, so I just let my mouth go.
“I’m so sorry, Sloane. I was wrong to speak to you that way, so wrong,” I repeated, feeling like a piece of shit. “I wish I could have listened to you. I wish I could have pulled back and realized you were only trying to help. And you did.” I prattled on, knowing I sounded like my mother who I just had on the phone. “Mom called this morning and was happy. I’m not going to lie, I was confused. One phone call she was a mess, and the next she’s seeing things totally differently. Do you know what that is like for me?” I shook my head and changed directions when she didn’t respond. “I’m not like the other guys. I lash out when I shouldn’t then shut down. I hide what I really feel. I push anything happy in my life away. I sometimes think I hide behind the pain of my sister’s accident so I won’t get more hurt myself.”
I removed her glass from her frozen fingers and gently brushed her hair from her face. Then everything inside me went to stone when I saw her battered cheek and black eye.
“Oh, my God.” I moved between her legs to get closer to her as tears started to leak from her eyes. “No, no, no.” My chest caved inward, and I wanted to kill the sick son-of-a-bitch who did that to her. My thumb held her hair back as I examined her closer. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”
For the first time since I came into the room, she shook her head, once.
“John,” Sue was in the doorway, “maybe she’d like to get some rest?”
I appreciated a little female guidance and went back to Sloane. “Would you like to get some sleep?”
She started to move, and I quickly jumped up to help her to her feet. I entwined my fingers through hers and led her out of the room, but instead of heading outside, I turned her toward the staircase.
“I’d feel a lot better if you were in my room today. Is that okay?”
She didn’t protest as I led her up the grand staircase to the second level and down the hallway.
Inside my room, I pulled back the covers and watched as she sat like a shell of herself on the side of the bed. I stumbled inside my head. I’d been in Army mode for so long now I tended to forget how to be with another civilian, let alone a woman. Did I take charge, or did I leave her be? I went with the first idea, because I thought that was what she needed.
I bent down to remove her shoes, and that seemed to bring her back to me a little.
“Would you like something to sleep in? A shirt and shorts?”
“Pain pill?” She barely spoke.
“Sure.” I reached into my bedside table and handed her a few while I raced to the bathroom to get her some water. After she took the medication, I helped her into bed and tucked the covers in around her.
I reached to turn the lights off, and her hand reached for mine.
“Don’t tell Frank.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Tell him what? That you’re here?” I didn’t care about rules anymore. Cole had paved that road for us, and right now I was just so friggin’ thankful.
“No,” her small body coiled tightly into a ball, “that I was so scared.” She broke into sobs, and I pulled back the covers and molded my body to hers.
“Frank wouldn’t care that you were scared.” I kissed her head and wanted to take the hurt away. “He only cares that you’re all right.” I knew she knew this. They were quite close, but I also knew that when your life got railroaded that fast, you tended to think irrationally.
“You need sleep.” I nuzzled my head into her neck. “Things will be easier after your brain gets some rest.” I held her tightly and once again whispered an apology into her ear. “I’m so sorry, Sloane. Please forgive me for being such as ass.”
Forty minutes later, my phone lit up the dark room, and I checked the screen.
Logan: Briefing in 5, ship out in 20.
Shit.
I grabbed my shirt, hauling it over my head, and rushed downstairs, nearly tripping over Scoot along the way. He just glared at me and continued to bathe himself on the bottom stair. I rolled my eyes and kept moving.
“Don’t worry.” Sue handed me a cup of coffee while I scarfed down my omelet. “I know you’re worried about leaving, but you know we will watch over her.”
“She needs to eat.” I tried to push my discomfort aside, but it wasn’t easy.
“Of course, dear.”
“I’m sure she’ll need some Advil when she wakes. She might not remember where mine are.”
“I have some right here.”
“And when will Dr. Rice be here to look her over?”
“Frank had her checked out before she arrived yesterday.” I started to speak, but she held her hand up. “But of course I called the doctor to double check. I knew it would make you feel better.”
“It would.” I sighed and checked my watch. “Thanks, Sue.”
“Don’t worry, dear. I promise she’ll be well taken care of.”
“I know.” I kissed her cheek, and as I raced toward the front door, I glanced up the stairs, wishing I could wake her to say goodbye.
“Black?” Mike called as we exited the living room. “Ready?”
“Yeah.” As I shut the door, I whispered, “Goodbye.”
The mood in the helicopter was abnormally tense because our new plan was one we’d never done before. We rarely broke our own protocol, but this was different. We needed answers. Mike was fiddling with his fingers, working out his side of the playbook, while I was m
entally calculating the upcoming climb. When I glanced up, I saw each man was doing his own thing to prepare. Several glances came our way, which told me they were uncomfortable with the change in plan.
“T-minus five minutes, boys.” Cole’s voice came over our earpieces. All, including Mike and me, stood to check our gear one last time. We stepped back to let the others prepare for their jump.
“Join together, retire together.” Cole recited our Blackstone motto, and we all chanted it back in unison.
Mark was the first to go, followed by Keith, but when Daniel stepped forward, he pushed Mike ahead of him and said, “You go. I’m going with Black.”
Cole’s face scrunched in confusion, and he started to protest, but then he gave Mike the nod and followed him out of the Blackhawk.
“What’s going on, Daniel?” A last-minute change in plan was bad enough, but now this?
“No one knows the southern side of Mexico like I do. If you’re going in, you get me. Besides, they’ve got some climbing of their own to do, and they could really use Irons.” We both stood, arms above our heads, holding on to the handles while we got our heads back in the game.
We trained for years for the unexpected, and we understood the sacrifice and toll it took on us mentally and physically every time we faced a mission, but nothing could prepare us for this.
Bang!
A sudden jerk and a bright flash filled the belly of the chopper. We were thrown off our feet, and our grip tightened on the handles or we would have been ejected through the opening. Colors morphed together into horizontal line as we spun like a propeller.
“Mayday, mayday.” I heard the pilot’s call for help as he fought to regain control of the beast. “We’ve been hit.”
Immediately, we went into survival mode. Somehow, I willed my brain to do an inventory check of the Blackhawk. Thankfully, we didn’t carry much, only a few weapons. Nothing the cartel could use.
Bang! Again, we were thrown to the side, which stopped the spin but sent Daniel flying into the bench. He hit hard but managed to hang on. The pilot called in the second hit. The shriek of the alarms told me we were going down hard. I braced myself for impact and hoped the Blackhawk lived true to its design and landed on its belly.
