by J. L. Drake
I quickly disconnected his radio so he wouldn’t be distracted and stayed focused on me. The way the wooden board he stood on was disconnected from the rest confirmed my fear.
“I see it,” I whispered. “Don’t move.”
“I can do that.” His hands shook at his sides, and sweat dripped off his sideburns.
“Raven Two, I have a situation here.”
“Oh, shit.” Mark stood guard at the doorway. “What do you need, Mike?”
“I’m not sure.” I bent at the knees and laid my body flat on the ground. I studied the short floorboard and how much of Crawford’s shoe was actually on the trigger. “Mark, something heavy.”
“Ten-four.” He disappeared from my vision, and I removed the switchblade from my pocket.
“What do you see?” Crawford’s leg shook.
“Your sister home from Italy yet?” I needed him to stay cool. I hadn’t been in enough situations with Crawford yet to know his level of calm.
“Next week.” He swallowed hard.
I shifted and rolled to my side, and with the tip of my knife, I lifted the board next to his and clicked on my flashlight to see multiple wires sticking out.
Dammit! It was a homemade landmine like ones they often used to blow up our tanks.
There was enough shit in there to flatten the entire house.
“This is what you’re known for, right?” Crawford started to tap his fingers on his leg, “You’re the bomb guy.”
“I am.” I studied how the wires were connected. One, two, three, four, and five, but the fifth and third were wrapped around each other. It was a goddamn freak show of a bomb.
“So, have you seen anything like this?”
“I have.”
“And?”
“Different units of the cartel have a signature way they make their bombs.” I used my knife to pull a wire free. One down, four to go. “They like the attention and, since bombs create different patterns once they go off, there’s no mistake who made it. Yup, they are fuckin’ attention seekers.”
My wrist slipped, and I almost pulled the two entwined wires out at once. I blinked and studied my hand again, using my tattoos to line up my eye, and popped one free and left the other. Most people thought my tattoos were my personal stories, and most were, but they also were my guides for when I was working.
“What’s the pattern look like for this one?”
“This is most likely a signal, a bomb they leave in an unused room to alert them that someone was in the house when they were gone.” I moved to my knees and glanced around the room as Mark arrived with a handful of bricks.
“That explains why there isn’t any furniture.”
I held my tongue not to remind him of his training and how that was a dead giveaway not to enter a room.
“Will these bricks work?” Mark huffed.
“Let me see.” He handed me the stack of six bricks on top of each other, and I felt their weight. Not heavy enough. Think, think…I clicked my radio. “Beta Seven, are you inside the house?”
“Delta Six, I am. I see we have possible company in roughly fifteen minutes.”
I glanced at Mark, and he raced out of the room and returned with a large clay pot.
“Between the weight of the pot and the bricks, I think we’re at seventy pounds. Will it work?”
“It will have to.” I stood and carefully moved in front of Crawford, who was now covered in sweat. “You want to live to tell your sister this story?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Do exactly what I say and ignore your own head.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Mark.” I pointed to the clay pot, and he dragged it over. “Gently, now.” We ever so carefully inched it on the small piece of wood, and when it was next to Crawford’s shoe, we started to fill it with the bricks, one on top of the other, making sure they lay perfectly so the weight was even.
“Okay, Crawford.” I held his shoulders. “Look at me.” He did. “We’re in this together. You blow, I blow, so either way, I will see you on the other side.”
“Okay,” he whispered, “I’m ready.”
“Mark,” I held Crawford’s gaze as I spoke, “leave.”
“Fat chance, brother.”
I cleared my head and took a deep breath. “On three, you will step off, turn, and run down the stairs to Keith, where you will follow his orders. You will turn your radio back on once you’re safe. Understand?”
“Copy that, sir.”
Mark’s hand landed on my shoulder, so we were all connected. It was something Blackstone had done since I joined.
Live as one, die as one.
“One, two,” I gripped his jacket in my hands and mirrored his step as I said, “three.”
Silence.
Mark grabbed my head and kissed my cheek. “That’s my brother!”
Shit.
Crawford let out a strange sound as he realized he was alive. He took one look at me, and he stepped back into line and raced downstairs.
I dropped to my knees and went to work.
“T-minus five minutes,” Keith ordered.
“Copy that.” Mark went for the door, but when I didn’t follow, he yelled, “What are you doing?”
“Karma.” I pulled a push charge from my pocket and stuck it in where wire number two once was. I set my watch for sixty seconds.
“Now what?” Mark asked as I stood.
“Now we fucking run.”
We raced down the hall, down the stairs, through the kitchen, and out the back door just as our company arrived. For one so big, I could outrun most. Speed was something I worked on often so it wouldn’t be a weakness.
As we hit the tree line, I heard Keith on the radio.
“Location?”
“I see your back,” I yelled as I glanced at my watch and hauled Mark to the ground.
Boom!
The blast was so big we could feel the shockwaves from where we were. Hot wind tore over our exposed skin as the oxygen was pulled from our lungs. It was over in a matter of seconds.
“Whoa!” Mark rolled onto his back and laughed hysterically. I joined in and met his fist for a bump. “Damn, you are one badass dude.”
“Thanks for staying.” I smiled up at the sky and watched the forest dust swirl in the air. I loved the brotherhood of the Army, of Blackstone, of my family. I wished they were around when I was younger, but as Cole explained, our past shaped us, molded us into who we were. If we didn’t have the bumps, scrapes, and scars, we might not have each other today.
“Nobody is walking out of the house, boys,” Keith cheered through the radio. “No sign of our vic, so get your ass to the chopper. I want to get home.”
“Copy that.” I coughed as I pulled myself to my feet. “Let’s go home.”
“Shoulder.” Mark pointed before he checked himself out. I glanced over and saw my shoulder was torn open and bleeding badly. It could wait. I wanted to get across the border before more company arrived.
CHAPTER FOUR
Catalina
I changed into my yellow bikini and jean shorts and shrugged on a loose tank top. I put three necklaces over my head, and I slipped on some thin matching gold bangles. I then packed warmer clothes for when the sun went down. Gathering my hair into a high ponytail, I raced to the fridge. I was starving. Of course, it was empty. I hated to go to the store because I couldn’t carry much home.
I decided on an apple and downed a bottle of water to fill the hunger void.
Kyle honked his horn twice to let me know he was here. Just as I locked up, I heard Jeff snicker about my outfit. He hopped off the step and blocked my path.
“Where are you going?”
I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily. “Move, Jeff.”
“Just answer my question, and I will.” His gaze dropped to my chest.
“Beach.” I held up my hands as he moved to touch me and stepped around him.
“Mmm, tan lines,” he cooed after me, and I wan
ted to throat punch him.
“Hurry up, chica!” Kyle yelled from the driver’s seat, more to get Jeff to go away. Kyle and I were close, mainly because neither of us allowed ourselves to live in the past. We lived in the here and now. I knew he had his demons to deal with, and I had mine. That was the funny thing about hurting. You could spot it in others, and there was an unspoken understanding to leave it alone.
“What did the Slytherin want?” He pulled into the street.
“Just giving me his daily dose of creep.”
“You really need to move.”
“Tell me about it.” I angled the air vents to face me and basked in the cool air until we arrived at Char’s parents’ house.
“Hi, Mrs. Irons,” I greeted Charlotte’s mother as we entered the kitchen. “How are you doing?”
“Hi, Catalina.” She wrapped her warm arms around me and pulled me in for a hug. “My goodness, you smell yummy.”
I laughed and showed her my coconut beach spray.
“Would it be too much trouble to ask you for some help?”
“Not at all.” I waved off Kyle, and he held up my bag to indicate he’d take it down to the beach and left to say hello to the rest of gang.
“Can you peel the apples and cube the avocados?”
“Sure.” I was more than happy to help her out. She was feeding all of us, and it was the least I could do.
“So,” she joined me at the island, “tell me a little about yourself.”
I flinched but continued to peel.
“Um, I was born and raised in Mexico. I moved here when I was seventeen and haven’t been back since.”
“What about your parents?” She glanced at me, genuinely curious. I swallowed past the lump in my throat.
“They didn’t come. They’re still in Mexico.”
“Oh.” She paused. “I’m sure that’s very hard on all of you.”
“It is,” I answered honestly. “Lonely too.” That last part slipped out.
“I bet. Do you have any family here?”
“My aunt, but she’s not really around anymore.” It didn’t take long for my aunt to meet someone and kick us out so she could start a new life. Thank God we were resourceful.
“Catalina, where did you stay when you came here?” Her tone was concerned. “Did your aunt take care of you?”
Ha! Not even close.
I shrugged as I remembered that day. “A lot of promises were made, and a lot of them were broken. But I was here, and I managed to get myself a place, a job, and enrolled in school.”
All by myself, with no help from them.
Mrs. Irons dropped the butter into the dish and turned to face me. “So, you’re here without anyone?”
Kind of.
“No, I had my brother, Javier, but he had different plans for when we arrived. It wasn’t so bad.” I tried to reassure her while I flat-out lied to that sweet woman. Those times were horrible. Dark corners and alleyways were my home for a short time, but I was resourceful and was book smart, so it didn’t take long. But she didn’t need to carry that burden, so I chose to move on. “It could be worse, right?”
Her red eyes told me I wasn’t convincing anyone.
“I want you to know you’re always welcome, no matter if Char is here or not.”
That was such a kind thing to offer, not that I would ever.
“Thank you, that’s very nice of you.” I went back to peeling.
“Do you get to talk to your parents very often?”
Not unless I have to.
“It’s been some time,” I whispered.
“That’s pretty heartbreaking to hear. I’m sure they miss you.”
I changed the topic while we finished up, and I helped her carry out the food to the barbecue. Mike’s father was knee-deep in steaks but flashed me an Irons-huge smile when I handed him a beer.
“Thanks, hon. How was work?”
I loved their use of terms of endearment for me. “It was good. Busy, which is always nice.”
“Good. Happy to hear it.”
I didn’t leave right away. I liked standing near him while he cooked, and I enjoyed his company. He was easy and had such a positive outlook on life.
“How is the sunscreen campaign going?”
“Good. We’re just starting it this week, so not too much has happened.”
“Well, it sounds like it’s off to a good start.” He closed the hood on the grill.
“She’s being modest,” Char chimed in behind me. “Dad, she pulled straight As in school. Cat won lead on the sunscreen project.”
He held up his large hand for me to high-five him. I did and felt a hint of pride kick in.
“It was unexpected.”
“Why?” Char shrugged. “You’re super smart and beautiful. You’re the entire package.”
I appreciated her compliment, but I wanted to talk about something else now.
“No one fear, the men are here!” Mark boomed from behind us. I welcomed the interruption as a trickle of excitement bubbled up from somewhere dormant. “For you.” He handed Mr. Irons a strange-looking wine. “A treat for some of my favorite people.”
“Oh, would you look at that, dear.” He held it up for his wife to see.
“How lovely.” She beamed. “That was thoughtful, Mark.”
“You feed me, so we’re even.” He laughed and winked at me. “How are you, Catalina?”
“Fine, thanks. And you?”
“Happy not to be sitting in mud.” He jammed a handful of Charlotte’s chips into his mouth. I wanted to ask where he’d been, but I noticed no one else asked, so I let it be.
“Catalina, swim with me?” Kyle waved me over to the dock.
“Yes!” I loved the water.
I dropped my shorts and ditched my top by the boat and rushed to join him. He pointed to Chris and wiggled his eyebrows. I knew what he was going to do.
Kyle full-out football tackled Chris, who was fully dressed, into the air, and they both hit the water with a huge splash. I covered my mouth to control my laughter. Chris was going to kick his ass once back onshore.
I started to pull my hair free from my ponytail, only to feel a vibration behind me. I didn’t get a chance to think before Mike grabbed me around the waist from behind and lifted me up over his shoulder like I weighed nothing.
“Oh, my God!” I shrieked as I clung to him. “Where did you come from?”
“Can you swim?”
“No!” I lied.
“She’s lying!” Chris spat out. “She’s a fish.”
“Screw you, Chris!” I laughed.
“I guess I’ll have to come in after you.” I felt Mike’s muscles contract as he lifted me straight up and tossed me into the lake.
Once I was submerged, I stayed under and swam a little way out. When I heard him hit the water, I waited and squinted through the air bubbles. Where did he go?
I came up for air and looked around.
“Your six!” Mark shouted, but I didn’t know what he meant until I felt him grab my sides and twist me around.
“Oh!” I yelped. My hands flew reflexively to his shoulders. His muscles were like bricks. How was that even possible? “Damn, you can swim fast.” I yanked my hand back when I noticed his gash. “Jesus, are you okay?”
“Just a scratch.” He brushed me off.
“No, it’s not,” I elaborated, and he let me, totally ignoring what I was saying.
“Banner,” his mother scolded playfully, “are you being nice?”
“No.” He grinned.
“Banner?” I questioned, and he moved his attention back on me. “What’s that stand for?”
“Go on a date with me, and I’ll tell you.”
I stroked backward a few feet, but he didn’t like that, so he closed the gap and treaded water, making the current hard for me to handle.
“I’m busy.”
“You’re busy on a date and time I haven’t put forward yet?”
“Yup.”
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“Nah,” he shook his head, “I call your bluff.”
I started to swim back to shore, but he blocked my path.
“What’s up?”
“You didn’t call or text, so I’m dating someone else now.” I tried to hide the excitement that he just asked me out. I swam away from him, but he hooked an arm around my waist to stop me.
“Trust me?” he asked, but before I could answer, he dipped us both under the water and up and inside the walls of the dock.
“Wow.” I thought it would be gross or creepy, but it was well maintained underneath.
“You think I blew you off?”
I dipped underwater and popped up to pull my hair out of my face.
He held on to the wooden plank to stabilize himself, and I was suddenly aware we were in our own private area where no one could see us.
“There are a few things you should know about me, Catalina.” His gaze fell to my lips as I licked the lake from them. “One, there will be things I can’t share with you. Like how I was out of the country since I saw you last. I’m not always allowed to take my personal cell with me for safety reasons. Two,” he inched closer while the water lapped around us, “I like you, and I don’t normally like many people. And three,” he came so close I felt the pressure of the undertow created by his legs, “I don’t give up very easily. Don’t mistake my silence for me not wanting to speak with you. Understand?”
“Yes.” I matched his hold on the wood.
“Good.” His muscles flexed under his drawings, making them come to life momentarily. The eagle caught my attention, and without thinking, I reached out and ran my fingers along the feathers. When you focused on their detail, you could see names etched into the lines.
“Who are they?” My fingers kept moving about.
“People I don’t want to forget.” His tone wavered slightly.
“Family members?”
“Yes, but not in the way you think.” His hand stopped mine and brought it to his chest. He seemed to enjoy my touch.
“This place is cool,” I muttered to fill the silence.
“It got you alone with me, so I like it.” He flashed me a charming smile.
“Why do you want to be alone with me?” I felt my stomach clench as someone jumped in the water and the wave tossed me into him. His strong arms wrapped around me, and suddenly he was standing. He can touch?