Defend Her: A military suspense romance (Aussie Military Romance Book 4)

by Kenna Shaw Reed

  “The very least I can do for the man who saved my life!” Doug insisted, if he didn’t know better, Darby would think his mate liked throwing him into the spotlight, or was it the fire pit?

  So, he was half asleep in the back of a car, with his thumb in the tight grip of Doug’s three-month-old son. Yet again on the outside of someone else’s happy family life while he never had a chance to meet someone, let alone get to know a woman well enough to start the family he knew had to be in his future. Growing up, it could have easily turned to custard, but a brief stint in juvie courtesy of his biological father was enough of a wake-up call. He could never thank Seth and Grace enough for adopting him and giving him the first taste of structure and stability.

  Then he joined the Army and found a new family.

  An all-encompassing family that gave him no time or energy to pursue one of his own.

  Finding women was never the issue but finding someone special enough to try a long-distance romance was darn near impossible. Darby wanted nothing more than to receive emails that made him blush, skype sessions that were hot enough to keep him warm on the cold desert nights and have someone waiting for him to step off the plane.

  “How’s Maddie,” in the twilight drifting off to sleep, he vaguely heard Doug ask.

  “She’s back from university, has been for a while. Got a job with one of the local accountancy firms and apparently clients love her. She moved in with a couple of friends before going back home.” Elisha had the soft, soothing tone that would never wake a baby.

  “I would have thought living with mum would cramp her style,” the baby stirred at Doug’s louder and unfamiliar voice.

  “Not at all, your mum says she barely leaves her room these days other than for work - maybe she’s grown out of being the party girl.”

  “You’d love Mads,” Doug’s voice broke any thought Darby had of getting to sleep but when he didn’t react, Doug’s rough shove from the front seat did the trick. “Hey, wake up, I said you’d love my sister, Maddie. Always the life of the party and up for some fun. Elisha said she’s back home, so you’ll get to meet her and the four of us can hang out.”

  “Oh, Dougie, don’t pressure the poor boy, Maddie might not be up to meeting your friends.”

  “Nonsense remember the time …”

  Darby tuned out again. If the baby could sleep, he could at least pretend to.

  Despite of, or maybe because of last night, he didn’t want to meet people especially Doug’s baby sister. Not for the first time, he wished he had just grabbed his backpack yesterday and instead of drinking with the guys, gone bush. Sit out under the stars and try and contemplate the meaning of life, or at least remember that this was the real world.

  No one was out to ambush them, and the back fire of a car was only the back fire of a car. Red traffic lights were not orchestrated by people with guns, and schools were filled with children who weren’t going home to half bombed buildings.

  MADDIE

  “You have to leave that bloody room sometime,” Maddie’s mum yelled through the door.

  Maddie twisted her long brown ponytail until it pulled tight against her scalp, ignoring her mother, knowing she would eventually go away.

  No, she yanked at her hair, she didn’t want to see her brother over skype, or even drop in and wait to welcome him home.

  No, she bit down on her lip until it threatened to bleed, she didn’t want to go out for dinner with her parents, or go grocery shopping, or get her hair cut or have a pampering afternoon with her mother at the salon.

  Maybe if things had turned out differently, but they were what they were. Earlier in the day she got a call from Constable Blackshaw to meet up at the station.

  “Ms Whitehead, if you can come down there’s something I’d like to discuss.”

  “Great, I’ll be there after lunch.” Maddie’s nerves were already shot as she prepared to go through her statement again.

  Only to be told there wasn’t enough evidence.

  No, while the Constable believed her, in a matter of fact voice that couldn’t be more different than the turmoil swirling within Maddie’s gut, “I’m sorry Ms Whitehead, there was insufficient evidence to charge him.”

  After all she had gone through, the medical examination and hours of interviews, they couldn’t bloody well charge him because there was insufficient bloody evidence to make any charges stick!

  No, they didn’t need to keep her clothes or any of the other items in the plastic evidence bag. She could have the denim dress and white jacket back. The Constable even tried to joke that the grass stains could come out with dry-cleaning.

  Surely the whole station should have been able to hear the screaming in her head? With every throb her skull felt like it was caving in under her repressed cries.

  Stupid bitch in uniform, didn’t have a clue and couldn’t pull her foot out of her mouth quickly enough as Maddie snatched the plastic bag and half ran back to her car. Hoping no one saw her, not knowing what she’d say if they did.

  Now she had to deal with her mother wanting her to put on a “lovely dress to meet your brother.”

  No, dearest mother and dearest world, she didn’t want to leave her bedroom. It was too soon, and the world was just too suckworthy. A far better use of her time was lying on her bed and muffling the tears with her pillow.

  No one knew, and those who did, couldn’t help her prove it.

  It wasn’t fair, her body cried. Not bloody fair at all, her life had changed in an instant and while she couldn’t go back to the person she was, he could walk around as if nothing happened. Because as far as the police and the courts and everyone in town was concerned, nothing happened.

  Maddie got up to check the locks on her bedroom windows for a third time and went through the rest of her new routine. Baseball bat next to her bed, a small sharp knife under her pillow. One final check that her bedroom door remained locked and a pull on the curtains to make sure no one could see in. Not enough to make her fears go away, but most nights she could get a couple of hours sleep.

  No, it wasn’t fair that her brother could go off to save the world, but no one was here to save her.

  CHAPTER 2: HOME AND FAMILY

  DARBY

  A couple of the guys ended up crashing at Doug’s place for the first night, “Only until we can check in tomorrow.” Nothing phased Elisha who rattled off a grocery list and with no effort, turned what should have been a romantic home coming dinner for two into a buffet for eight on the back deck. An old cast iron drum was ideal for an open fire, the flames creating the perfect ambiance for lazing back and seeing who could tell the better tale.

  Darby sat back, listening to the stories he knew so well expand with the telling, how the insignificant were amplified while the hairy stuff was neatly glossed over, at least while Elisha was around. Darby had to give her credit, she didn’t give up on asking questions but allowed each of them to gently brush her off or distract her with another story. Generally, at Doug’s expense, but Darby wore the brunt of more than a few anecdotes.

  As nights went, it was pretty chill and no one complained about the home cooking, especially when Elisha left them to whip up a batch of chocolate brownies drizzled with heated strawberry jam. Tired and satisfied, the guys were quick to help Doug set up camp stretchers in the front lounge room, far away from Darby’s room which was next to the baby’s.

  “I didn’t get to thank you.” Darby had been enjoying the fire slowly dying when Elisha came back outside, handing him a cup of tea and breaking the silence. He knew the questions were coming and had avoided her most of the afternoon and evening, then again, he might as well face her now because he wouldn’t be able to avoid her for two weeks.

  “No need. He’d have done the same for me.” Embarrassed and trapped in a conversation he didn’t want, Darby tried to quickly accept a wife’s gratitude and let her move on or at least go inside and do whatever married couples did after being apart for months.

 
“Can you tell me what happened?” Elisha wouldn’t let it go, “Doug didn’t mean to even tell me and any time I ask he jokes about not being able to talk about it because of national security. That’s bullshit and we both know it. Please, can you tell me anything?”

  Of course he could, he’d written up copious reports, detailing to the best of his memory all the decisions that lead up to the ambush and then the corrective actions necessary to get his men out alive. Including Doug who had been trapped in a doorway, pinned down by enemy fire. Darby refused to lose a soldier and definitely not a mate. He did what was necessary for the fire to stop and Doug to come home to his new baby and wife.

  At night when the screams kept him awake, he tried to replace the images of the shell-ridden bodies he created with those of the mates he kept alive.

  “Nah, it’s all a blur.” The best he could do was give her a hug and hope it was enough to stop her from asking questions. “He’s home, make sure he changes his fair share of nappies. Luckily, the baby has your blonde hair instead of his brown scruff,” Darby tried to change the subject.

  As he turned to go back inside, Elisha called out, “I was thinking of throwing a BBQ on the weekend. Doug’s family are aching to see him, his friends have been bugging me to find out when he’ll be home, but I know what you guys are like. I figured if I invite everyone to one BBQ, you can get all the social niceties out of the way and the rest of your leave you can do what you want.”

  “That obvious?”

  “Like I said, I’ve been an Army brat and now an Army wife. I know what you guys are like. Just don’t stay too long in your own head, you need friends. I’ve told Dougie that this is a safe place for any of you boys to come and hang out or hide out. I’ll even invite the rest of your unit so you’ll be amongst friends.”

  “Elli, thanks, I’ll think about it.” If he said any more, it would only lead to more nightmares.

  Family meant everything they went away and fought for, and as great as the Army family was he wanted one of his own. It would be enough to share Doug’s porch and bathe in family life for a few weeks before he went back and it all started again.

  Doug joined them, handing over a couple of beers, “One more before I take my bride off to bed.”

  “So, if you won’t tell me how you came to save my sexy husband,” Darby tried not to feel jealous of the happy couple when Elisha made herself at home in Doug’s lap. “How about you tell me why they call you ‘Rip’.”

  Darby blushed as Doug threw him a cheeky grin, “Shall we tell her the ‘G’ rated or ‘X’ rated version?”

  “Nothing to tell,” he had to get in first. “My first week at Duntroon, I got my face ripped by the Sergeant almost every hour. Everything from beds not being made, to being late to class or even my shoes not being tied correctly.”

  “Always such a strange expression, face ripped,” Elisha kissed her husband. “There’s gotta be more.”

  Before Darby could say anything, Doug had to chime in, “Yeah, well we started calling him Ripped but then this skinny kid started showing us up at the gym and class. He went from being everyone’s punching bag to the ripped guy he is today. The girls call him Rip&Hung, so he seems to have adjusted to the name well.”

  “Rip and Hung, well I’m sorry I asked.” Elisha pulled her husband to his feet. “Darby, if you forgive me, I’m going to drag my husband away. Make yourself at home and have a good night sleep.”

  “Lead away, Mrs. Whitehead, lead me astray,” Darby heard their banter fade as the sounds of night wildlife filled the silence.

  Doug was a great mate, but like most happily married men, wanted to inflict the condition on their single friends.

  “You’d be a lot less boring if you’d just find a good woman to settle down with.” Doug said, showing off his new motorbike. “Firstly you’d have someone to double date with me and the missus, but more importantly, Elisha will stop worrying about the guys trying to lead me astray whenever I’m away from home.”

  Darby forced a laugh as he shook his head, “Not for want of trying, mate but who the hell am I gonna meet who will put up with me as well as Army life. I have no idea of where I’m getting posted in a few months. You’ve got an amazing woman in Elisha, but unless she has a sister ...”

  “Well, wait until you meet my sister, Maddie. Bright, smart, bubbly and won’t put up with any of your shit. There’s gonna be heaps of the guys at the BBQ and I expect you to look out for her. Just remember, she’s my sister.”

  Elisha had come outside to check out the bike, “Doug, leave Maddie be. She’s still settling into life back home.”

  To Darby she said, “Dougie remembers his sister a little differently to the young woman who came home from university a few months ago.”

  “How much could she have changed?”

  “You’ll see,” she said before changing the subject.

  At the BBQ, Darby understood why. The tall brunette girl introduced as “my kid sister Maddie,” was nothing like the bubbly party girl his mate described. Her dark green eyes barely acknowledged his existence even though her lips uttered the expected polite greetings.

  Still, he couldn’t leave her side, wanting to do or say something that would shake her up a bit or at least get her real attention.

  Damn but he had to keep reminding himself that this gorgeous girl was his mate’s sister. Really, she should be off limits especially while he was living with Doug. While a dozen other women were walking around in swimwear and tiny shorts, it was the brunette in the baggy jeans that couldn’t hide her long and shapely legs who had his full attention. The oversized t-shirt fluttered against her body in the soft breeze. Why would a young girl as stunning and with a reputation for partying be over dressed for a sunny day, especially knowing it was a party with a unit of single, fit, Army dudes?

  There was a moment when a bunch of the guys stripped down to their boxers and jumped into the pool that Darby saw a flicker of enthusiasm, a slight move towards the pool and a momentary wanting to join in the fun. If he hadn’t been watching her face so intently, he would have missed it. As quickly as her enthusiasm flared, it disappeared back behind the blank eyes.

  What the hell happened to her and why was he the only one able to see it?

  “Hey, Sparrow’s sister, come in!” almost effortlessly, Mack lifted himself out of the pool and was on his way to pick up Maddie with the obvious intention of throwing her in to join the others.

  Darby felt her recoil even before she moved and quickly reached out to take her hand, warning Mack away, “Sorry, mate, the lady just agreed to have a beer with me. Go find some other woman to count your tattoos.” After Mack shrugged and went looking for another victim, he turned to Maddie, “Shall we?”

  He didn’t expect her to follow him, but without waiting for a response, he led Maddie away from the group, finding two chairs out of the sun and two beers to keep up the pretense of sharing a drink.

  While Maddie watched the fun in the pool, Darby sipped his beer, watching her from under his sun-glasses. A complete enigma, a spark of enthusiasm when her friends came over to talk, but quickly sending them back to have fun in the pool, pleading a headache that no one questioned.

  “You know, that if you’ve really got a headache we should go and sit inside, out of this heat.”

  “The shade’s fine.”

  “Like I said, if you’ve got a headache.” A direct stare until she realized he wasn’t about to give away her secret. Whatever her reason for not wanting to join in, he wasn’t going to push her for answers, not while he was simply happy to have her undivided attention.

  Wordlessly, she got up and grabbed him another beer and her a soft drink. He tried to get a smile as he accepted the drink, but she wasn’t having any of it. Darby tried to reach out, after all Doug or at least Elisha would want to know what they talked about. “I’m Darby but your brother calls me ‘Rip’.” His standard introduction which would normally get some form of flirtatious reply “and are yo
u, ripped?”

  Instead she shrugged, “You don’t have to stay here with me, the party is for you, too.”

  “If it’s all the same, I’d rather hang out with you and make sure you don’t accidently get thrown in the deep end.” He hoped it wasn’t too soon to joke.

  The slightest smile as she almost whispered, “I’m fine here, but thanks for what you did back there.”

  “No probs, Mack didn’t mean anything by it, he was just being Mack.”

  “Yeah, well thanks.”

  Gradually Darby encouraged Maddie to open up, about moving away for university and then moving back. He learnt that family and friends were good topics, as long as he kept it light and didn’t try to delve into past relationships or how she felt about being back in town. Actually any of her feelings at all seemed to be off limit.

  Still, the awkwardness slowly disappeared into a comfortable companionship. Luckily his mates respected his space and left them alone to enjoy the sun, and he dared to say, each other’s company.

  All too soon, she brushed the crumbs from her lap, throwing him a shy, “Bye,” before finding her parents. Darby didn’t need to hear what she was saying to know she was hugging them goodbye. He also couldn’t explain the tightness in his chest, feelings of impending loss if she left. All the cheesy lines he could usually throw around without a care died on his lips. Now he wished he had said something, done something to lead to a date with just the two of them, instead she was leaving when all he wanted was for her to stay.

  “But …” dropping the empties into the recycling near the back door, he heard her protest, “I’ve been here for hours. I want to go home.”