Hiding Catherine

by Jennifer Becker

  “Catherine, what day is it?” She looked at him confused but told him anyway. “Shit, babe it’s Friday. You’ve been out of it for about two days. You’re lucky I got here when I did.”

  “Oh my god, my job. I wonder if I have a job.”

  “Fuck your job.” He snapped at her; her life was more important than her job.

  “I have to work to eat and pay rent. I was supposed to work a double. I have to call my boss.” She tried to get up again, but Charlie kept her pinned down.

  “Just relax. It’s after eight at night. Let’s get you dried off and back into bed, maybe get some food in you. Catherine relaxed as he helped her out of the tub. She still felt warm but not as hot as before. He dried her off and helped her into new clothes. He pulled all the sheets off the bed. With her guidance he found a new clean set, remade the bed and helped her in. “Are you hungry?” He asked once he had her settled. She shook her head no, as her stomach growled. She glared down at it, then nodded her head. He ran back downstairs and made her some chicken noodle soup and brought it back up. He almost expected to see her sleeping again, but was happy when her grey eyes were opened and watched the doorway for him. When she saw him, she smiled sleepily and tried to sit up. He set the bowl on the nightstand and helped her sit up, so he could feed her some soup.

  “This was not how I pictured us when you came home.”

  “And how did you picture it?” He asked blowing on the spoonful before feeding her a bite.

  “Well, definitely not sick for one.”

  “I warned you about these long shifts.”

  “Don’t start.” She grumbled. “I’ve always been able to work long days and function off little sleep.”

  “Your body begs to differ. I used to be able to do it too when I was younger.”

  She quirked a brow. “Are you saying I’m getting old?”

  He knew a trick question when he heard one and he planned to live to see fifty. “No, I’m just saying the body can do almost anything in our teens and early twenties. As we age, the body doesn’t bounce back as quickly.”

  “It still sounds like your calling me old, just in a scientific way.” She didn’t sound upset. He was saved from any future talk when she let out a big yawn. “How can I be so tired after having slept for two days?”

  “Your body is healing and I’m sure even though you slept for two days, your body has been busy fighting this fever.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

  “If I hadn’t been working so much I wouldn’t be sick.”

  “We can talk more about it in the morning.” She was tired and needed her rest. There was no point in arguing about it.

  “Stay with me?” A group of Al-Qaeda couldn’t keep him away.

  “Always,” he promised, kissing her brow. It was still warm but slowly going down. He returned the bowl to the sink and made sure everything was locked up before joining her in bed. It was hardly the welcome home he was planning, but they had the rest of their lives for that. Right now his only focus was getting her better. He got into bed behind her in only his boxers and pulled her to his chest. She sighed and wiggled her ass against his groin getting comfortable. His dick immediately sprang to attention. He thrust into her ass cheeks. “Behave,” he warned her. She softly chuckled then fell asleep.

  Chapter 21

  Catherine rolled over and felt something hard and warm pressed against her chest. She felt tired and grubby, and still a little dizzy, but far better than she had the day before. She didn’t feel overheated any longer, which meant her fever must have broken. That was a good sign. She hated that she was sick for Charlie’s first homecoming, but he had cared for her so tenderly and held her all night. She was just happy he was home. She would have to call her work and explain what happened. She couldn’t believe she was sick for two days. She had been putting in a lot of double shifts. Charlie hadn’t been kidding when he told her that as you got older your body couldn’t do the same things. She would have to stop taking on so many extra hours. If she had Charlie around, she wouldn’t need them. He wouldn’t let her nights feel lonely, and she didn’t feel the need to save up money as if she needed to flee.

  “Morning, Sweetheart.”

  Catherine jolted at hearing his voice suddenly but then settled as the words were deep, seductive, and went straight to her groin.

  She opened her eyes slowly to see piercing green eyes looking back at her. His hair was rumpled and sticking up at odd ends like he had tossed and turned most of the night. He smiled at her and her insides melted. Damn, how had she gotten so lucky? She touched him to see if he was real. She touched his whiskered cheek, and he closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. He was real.

  “Of course, I’m real.” She hadn’t realized she said the thought out loud.

  “I thought I had dreamt you came back.”

  “Not a chance.”

  “You took care of me.” It wasn’t a question.

  He pulled her hands from his face and kissed her fingers. “I’ll always take care of you.”

  “You won’t always be there.” She reminded him. He would have to go out on missions and couldn’t always be there or when they were at work. She wasn’t porcelain and didn’t need constant watching.

  “I’ll give you the number of someone you can call when I have to leave.”

  “I’m not an invalid, Charlie.” Her nostrils flared in anger. She didn’t want him to see her as some weakling.

  “I didn’t say you were. Everyone needs help every now and then, even me. It’s okay to ask for help. How are you feeling?” The abrupt change in topic almost gave her whiplash.

  “Better,” she said carefully. She wasn’t at full power but better than yesterday.

  “Good, are you up for some breakfast?”

  She nodded, and her stomach growled in agreement.

  Charlie hopped out of bed and slid his pants on but left the button undone and went sans shirt. What a sight he made, and she almost forgot about her food hunger as another hunger emerged. She had been without him for a week, and she longed to reacquaint herself with him.

  “Soon,” he promised as if he knew what she was thinking about. For all she knew he could. She was all but panting and drooling over herself. Right, food then lovemaking. Or at least she hoped so.

  * * *

  It was a week before Charlie deemed her healthy enough for lovemaking. She had threatened him bodily harm if he didn’t make love to her already. He told her he wanted to make sure that she was one hundred percent better before they did anything. After explaining what happened to her boss and apologizing profusely, he put her back down to more regular hours and no more double shifts. She would miss the extra money, but it wasn’t worth her health. She hated telling Charlie he was right because she was getting older and couldn’t work long hours with little sleep and still function. She also hated admitting her body wasn’t back to one hundred as she tired easily.

  It had been two weeks since she had lain with Charlie, and she was not only ready to make love to him, she was desperate. Unfortunately, Charlie’s friends, another Delta Force team, were coming over tonight for dinner and were staying in town for the charity race so her wicked plans of seducing him were put on hold. The public knew that two military bases in Texas were competing in the race, and not that they were Deltas.

  Catherine was nervous to meet more of Charlie’s friends, but not as much as their wives. She had never had girlfriends, and was afraid she would make an idiot of herself. Charlie had assured her they would all get along but she didn’t feel as confident. They were coming from Fort Hood and she had bad memories of that base. She hoped none of the wives were someone she knew, that would be embarrassing. So many people from that base pitied her after her many hospitalizations, and she couldn’t show her face at work after Martin’s crimes.

  “It’s going to be fine,” Charlie told her as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. She let his st
rength give her strength. It was one night. She could do this. What was the worst that could happen?

  Charlie’s teammates arrived first. Ortiz had a wrap around his shoulder but wouldn’t tell her why. He assured her he was fine with an easy smile and dug out a cookie from his cargo pocket. She would never understand that man. Everyone asked how she was recovering and for the first time in forever, she felt loved. The guys were all like big brothers to her. The doorbell rang, and she gulped audibly.

  “Nothing to be nervous about,” Charlie assured her kissing her neck then stepped away to answer the door.

  The first thing she saw was a tall, well-built man with brown hair and eyes. Next to him was a striking brunette, about her height with an easy smile. She shook Charlie’s hand then turned and looked at Catherine. She smiled at Catherine and walked up to her with a hand out.

  “Hi, I’m Rayne. That’s Keane.” She pointed to the man she saw with her thumb over her shoulder.

  “I’m Catherine.” She said taking Rayne’s hand and shaking it. There was something familiar about this woman and man, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Another man stepped in and all Catherine could think of was that he was the most gorgeous man ever and that he belonged in the movies or a cover model. He had his arm wrapped around the waist of a beautiful woman. Something familiar kept nagging the back of her mind about this group of people.

  “Babe, this is Graham and his wife, Kassie.”

  “Nice to meet you.” She said meekly nodding her head at them. Next walked in a man that was huge and not just in height, but he had broad shoulders too, and his arms were covered in tattoos. Her eyes widened as she had to tilt her head back to look up at him. She involuntarily stepped back at seeing him.

  “Don’t fear, Cormac, who everyone calls, Fletch,” Rayne whispered in her ear. “He’s really a gentle giant.” The man in question snorted at that comment. A woman and child sidled up to him, and suddenly her world spun. Now she knew why these people seemed familiar.

  “Emily,” she whispered then her eyes rolled in the back of her head, and she collapsed.

  Catherine came to slowly. She opened her eyes to see several people hovering above her. It was overwhelming to have so many people peering down at her with curious looks. Her gaze locked on Emily, expecting to see scorn but there was only concern for her. That puzzled her even more. The woman should hate her. She may not have had a helping hand in blackmailing Emily, but Martin used her money to buy the containers that Emily and her daughter were put in for the mock war games.

  “Give her some room guys. Babe, you alright?” Everyone stepped back, so she only saw Charlie above her. He looked worried for her and scanned her from head to toe, looking for an injury or a cause of her blacking out. He wouldn’t find one. The past she thought she had run away from just caught up with her and was staring her right in the face. Charlie held a hand out to help her stand, when she assured him she was fine.

  She brushed herself off and faced Emily; words spilled out before she could think about it. “I am so sorry, Emily. I had no idea that they were doing anything to you until it was too late. I saw you were hungry and tried to help you out when I could. I had to be careful because Martin would have people watch me at the PX. I didn’t know what was happening until afterward. I tried to leave him and planned to tell someone, but I ended up in the hospital again, and Martin threatened to do worst if I ever told a soul. He threatened to hurt my grandparents.” Tears spilled down her cheeks by the time she was done explaining. She didn’t fool herself that it would set things right between them, but she had waited a long time to explain herself to Emily. She never thought she would ever get a chance. She thought it was best to slink off with her tail firmly between her legs. Emily had seemed happy after the incident and even found a man to care for her. Everything about these people finally clicked into place. This was the team that Martin hated. The men that beat them at a mock war game a year ago, that began all this. These men had to hate her as much as their spouses. Martin had been trying to break his leader out of prison, so they could continue this deadly game.

  Emily looked down at her daughter, who was looking at Catherine as if she was an odd person for crying then at her husband, who was looking at Catherine with wide eyes. She could see the wheels turning in his head. It terrified her what he could want to do to her. She had never been involved in the crimes, so she couldn’t go to jail, but now that they knew where she was they could make her life a living hell. Catherine should feel embarrassed for blurting out her confession and apology in front of so many witnesses, but by the many blank looks around the room, she had a feeling they had known about her and her past. Emily turned to face Catherine, and she prepared herself to be attacked or yelled at. Charlie stood at her back, holding her arms so she couldn’t escape whatever Emily had planned for her. Out of all the hundreds of scenarios she had never thought that Emily would walk up to her and hug her. Catherine’s body was tense waiting to feel fists or slaps or at the least a good railing, but no, it was a hug. She raised her arms and awkwardly hugged her back. Catherine wasn’t used to so much show of affection, so it was still new to her.

  “You have nothing to apologize for. You were never at fault, and I never blamed you. I didn’t even know your connection to them until Cormac explained it to me on the way down here.”

  Catherine looked up at the man in question who smiled down at her. “Emily told me you would give her food and money when you could, while she and I were going through our communication barrier. I owe you my thanks.”

  “You owe me nothing.” Catherine pulled back from Emily to look at her face. “I thought you would hate me knowing I dated one of those men who kidnapped you and your daughter.”

  Emily pulled Annie closer to her side and squeezed her. “You knew the bad men that took us?” Annie asked her.

  Catherine felt another wave of tears come on at seeing this brave little girl in front of her. To think something might have happened to her because she had kept her mouth shut. Charlie must have sensed Catherine’s inner struggle because he wrapped his arms around her. “Catherine did know those men, but now they can’t hurt anyone anymore.” It was as close to the truth as he would tell a seven-year-old. Catherine’s ex was still out there and had already proved what kind of damage he could cause on his own. He had been on the loose for several months now. He could be growing another army to try and challenge the team again.

  Catherine was thankful for the show of support from Charlie. She wished he had forewarned her about this group, so she hadn’t made such a mess of the evening. It was far from done when the one introduced to her as Kassie turned and faced her.

  “I know what it’s like to live under the thumb of a bad person. I dated Jacks for a long time. He would have people watch me and my sister. Threatening them.”

  Catherine’s eyes widened in horror. “Karina, Karina is your sister.” The one kidnapped while Martin was in the prison. Catherine felt her flight or fight instincts kick in, and flight was winning big time. Oh, how these people must hate her. “I’m so sorry.” She tried to break free of Charlie’s grip, so she could run and flee or hide under a rock, but his grip was like steel. It didn’t matter what she tried to do to get away he refused to let her go.

  “Babe, relax” Charlie whispered in her ear trying to soothe her. “No one here blames you for anything. After the phone conversation with Tex, he explained to them what had happened and the fact your ex could still try to harm them or their spouses. Forewarned is forearmed and all that. No one blames you for your ex’s actions. No one here blames Kassie for her ex kidnapping Emily and Annie.” Her struggles ceased, and Charlie loosened his grip on her, so he didn’t hurt her.

  “They don’t hate me.” She didn’t know if she was telling Charlie or herself.

  “We don’t hate you,” Kassie answered her anyway.

  “Well, now that that is cleared up, can we eat?” Ortiz asked loudly drawing all the attention on him which may
have been his goal. The women surrounded Catherine and walked with her to the kitchen, where food was already laid out. Fletch took Annie’s hand who still looked baffled by what happened. “Daddy, can I go play with my army men?”

  “Not yet, squirt, but soon.”

  “Are you sure all the bad men are gone?”

  “No one will ever harm you or your mother again. I promise.” Annie beamed up at him then skipped ahead straight for the food.

  “You alright?” Ghost asked Charlie as everyone bypassed them for the food.

  “I’m good. I should have warned Catherine about your connection, but I didn’t think she would wig out like she did.”

  “You should have seen Kassie the first time she met everyone after we knew her connection. Graham there was ready to jump ship, but we told him that she wasn’t the one doing anything wrong. I’m sure it’s the same for Catherine.”

  Charlie nodded. “She was sent to the hospital on more than one occasion for broken bones and such. After Karina’s kidnapping, she finally left him.” He wasn’t telling Ghost anything he hadn’t already said before. It was a true testament to Catherine’s strength. He had seen the scars that he knew had pained her when they happened. He was no stranger to pain himself, especially from broken bones.

  “The ladies will bring her around.” Ghost clasped a hand over his shoulder, and they headed into the kitchen to join the others.

  Chapter 22

  By the end of the night, everyone was sitting outside by the fire pit. The days were still warm and the nights cool, but everyone had a blanket or a loved one to keep them warm. Charlie’s team had left for the evening, but Ghost and his team remained. Fletch and Emily left so Annie could get some rest. Harley couldn’t make it because of some deadline for a new game she was making. It sounded fascinating to Catherine, not that she ever played video games, but it would still be cool to see how they were made. It was easy to tell Beckett, who was introduced to her as Coach, was missing her but it was only a short time they would be apart. Beckett even told her half the time she got so into her game making she didn’t even notice he was gone. It sounded sad to her, but if it worked for them, she was happy for them. Tomorrow was the big race, and they planned a big barbeque for afterward, no matter the winner.