“One final thing, then you can go to her. The assumption was Joseph Pippens died after taking the lives of all of his men, but he didn’t.”
Looking up she turned to face Brian. The apology was there. It had to be clearly written on her face. She’d had a suspicion and she should’ve brought it to the team, her family, but she hadn’t. She’d gone to her father. Seeing him there had confirmed it.
“What happened to him?”
“Son, Joseph Pippens is Petty Officer …”
“Lance Roberts,” she mouthed as her father and Brian vocalized her greatest secret.
“Aww, fuck,” Eli stated. She heard a thud against the door and jumped before she heard him speaking again. “Apologies, sir.”
“No need. Now you know why she is who she is and why she won’t willingly let this go until she finishes it. If I know my daughter, even on house arrest she’s been doing some digging on her own.”
B.B. didn’t hear the door open. He was just suddenly there, kneeling before here.
“Eli, Brian … I’m so sorry. Everyone. I’m so very sorry. I didn’t know. I thought it was done. I didn’t …”
Her words trailed off as Eli pulled her into his arms and she wailed into his chest. Her hand remained plastered to his beating heart. Her “guys” simply huddled around her on the floor and allowed her time to cry it out.
It felt like hours before she was able to get up off the floor and be guided to the conference room.
“You know what we need to do, B.”
Brian stated as he gave her a look that told her he wasn’t being an ass, he was just doing his job. She nodded. B.B. gave them all of the information she could think of on the persona that was Joseph Pippens.
As the rest of the team took off to do their respective tasks, Eli’s tablet chimed. He didn’t realize it was still connected to the main screens until it was too late.
I’m glad to know that you figured it out honey bee, my Sexy Red. I’m sorry to disappoint, but I’m not where you think I should be. I’m somewhere closer to home, but you’ll be too late, as per usual.
“The bastard is taunting me. He knew I’d figure this shit out. Wait. Has anyone checked in with the Hamilitons? Did anyone speak to them today?”
Eli was already dialing before she completed her thought. When the call connected, the sound from the other end was all she needed to hear to confirm what his words meant.
Eli put the call on speaker so she and the remaining team members could hear.
“Gone. The dickhead had her killed. I was only … I was only gone for a minute. It wasn’t long. I needed to take a piss. When I came out, she’d been gutted.”
She listened as Landon confirmed her fear. Lance or better yet Joseph had killed Brooklyn. Even if those men’s deaths weren’t on her, this one definitely was. There most definitely would be retribution for what he did this time. B.B. was going to make sure of it.
Chapter Eight
The Deadly Touch
B.B. was exhausted after the day that she’d had. It was frustrating as hell to know that the team didn’t have any leads on the trouble with Lance Roberts or Joseph Pippens. She knew they needed time to do what they would normally do, but that didn’t stop the pressing need to have the thing done and finalized. She had two children and a husband to think about, not to mention her own freaking sanity.
The fact that the team had some of the greatest resources at their fingertips didn’t seem to matter when it came to this man. He kept eluding them. She knew she didn’t have long before one or all of the team members were on her doorstep.
B.B. breathed in the smells of her little two bedroom haven away from work. The smell of pumpkin spice and vanilla permeated the air. It didn’t matter how long she’d been away, the smell, her smell was still there. Her favorite holiday was Halloween. She loved seeing the kids dressed up and the more than tolerant parents going door-to-door just so their kids could experience Trick-or-Treating. The smile from memories of watching kids from her porch back in Philadelphia remained on her face as she began to make her way through the doorway of her apartment.
The mail she’d grabbed from the box was dropped onto the little shelving unit that was near the front entrance hall. It held a bin that had socks so she could strip out of her shoes and not have to walk barefoot on the cool wood flooring. There were enough there so her guests could remove theirs as well. Her favorite jacket was hung on the rack next to it. The alarm Eli had installed automatically reset. As she made her way to her living room, she thought about the bath she was going to take. Reaching for her weapon to deposit it in its case, she noticed the disturbance in the rug placement a little too late for her to have time to react.
A fist connected with her face and she stumbled. As she did, her weapon was snatched from her hand at the same time a blade cut across the front of her body. There was a slight pain, but she couldn’t think about that. B.B. knew she had to fight. She wasn’t just fighting for herself. There was a little bean to think of. Eli’s little bean … her little bean … their little bean was nestled in her womb waiting to grow big enough to greet the world, their family and the team, her other family.
She began to fight. There was no other choice. With everything that she’d gone through, everything she’d experienced in her life, there was no other option.
There was a satisfying crunch from a punch she landed. Her vision had blurred a bit because of one of her assailants connected punches. B.B. believed her nose to be broken. It would explain why she couldn’t completely focus. It was just as it was the last time it had been broken. Suddenly, her feet were swept out from under her and her head hit something. It was probably the brick at the base of her fireplace that the back of her head connected with. Her attacker climbed on top of her. That was when he chose to speak.
“Hello honey bee, my Sexy Red. I’m sorry I hurt you. I didn’t want to. You were fighting me and I had to let you know who was in control.”
Lance’s voice filled her ears and her heart began a rapid climb as fear for her life increased in insurmountable measures. She could make out his shape and tried to swing out, but it was fruitless. He caught her arm. Her shirt must’ve been ripped in two. He yanked it down one side at a time while holding a hand around her throat. His grimy hand covered her exposed flesh.
“Such beauty, wasted. You were supposed to be mine. This all was to be mine. Instead you fucked a man who was supposed to take vows to the church. Despicable. I saw. When he took you on the balcony, I was in the building across the way. You ripped my heart out that night. I want to return the favor, but first I will have what’s mine.”
“Fuck you.”
“I plan on doing just that to you.”
She’d tried every maneuver she could to get herself free. In the end, it wasn’t enough. The more she fought, the more pissed off he became. He must’ve had something with him. B.B. had felt the prick of a needle then a feeling of grogginess overtook her. There was motion around her. The motion of something being stripped from her and she felt tears leak from her eyes. There was a feeling of pressure between her legs as he tried to pry them apart. Even drugged, she fought. B.B. might’ve even broken down and pleaded, but she couldn’t be sure.
It wasn’t until some time had passed that she realized she was no longer alone with him. Her hands were unbound and she immediately swung out. Her fist was caught and she heard Brian’s voice. He was calling for someone. She heard someone’s sniffle then her voice. Sam was shaken. Brian told her to leave. B.B. blinked a few times as she moved back, away from them. She curled in on herself because of the fear of what she had to look like having been bound and exposed the way that she was. She was ashamed to be seen that way. Lance had made her a … victim. It was something she’d vowed she would never be again.
“I fought,” she heard the words fall from her lips.
“I know, B.B., I know you did. Come on, let’s …,” she felt him move toward her and she cried out.
“No. I fought. I fought,” she began rocking and wrapped her arms around herself.
“Isa, Wells, will you try …?” she heard Brian begin to ask.
“Ah!” her voice sounded foreign to her, anguished, filled with the pain of what her underlying feeling was. “I fought. I fought.”
It had become her mantra. It was the only thing she could cling to as she held one hand to her previously exposed belly.
“Where’s Proph? Where the fuck is Elijah?”
She heard Brian ask the question, but she couldn’t make sense of it. Hounder was the one to respond to his request.
“Where the fuck would you be, Ghost?”
She saw Brian’s head bob as if in a nodding motion out of the corner of her eye as she repeated her mantra.
“I fought him, Little Bean. I fought.”
She felt the tears as they fell from her eyes and felt her body tremble.
“Tell him his girl needs him. That fucker can be dealt with after.”
“Huh?” she heard herself moan and she began to shake at the thought that the man that did this to her would live. “No, no. No. NO! I FOUGHT!”
She continued her rocking motion and repeated the words until she felt a familiar touch.
“My beautiful fighter, you did. I know you did, baby. I know.”
Hearing the cadence of his voice and the wonderful lilt of his dialect began to calm her. She felt his hands in her hair before he placed a tender kiss to her forehead. B.B. knew she was safe.
“Eli, I fought him. For us … all three … no four of … us. I fought him.”
“I know, Bruiser. I know you did.”
She allowed him to pull her close. It wasn’t until she was in his arms that she noticed the faint smell of fresh blood, but she didn’t care. He was there. Her man had her. That was when she completely broke down. Heaving sobs released from her body. She was safe and she was alive.
“I fought.”
“Yes, baby. You did. You did good.” She felt his body move and then they both were. “Let’s go.”
B.B. hadn’t noticed he’d lifted her and was walking her out the front door. She heard Brian ask someone a question. It was something that she wanted to know the answer to so she fought the fog that was trying to take her over.
“The fucker?”
“Looked like pulverized meat when Proph got finished with him. Coroner is going to have a field day with that one. Believe it’s going to be a closed casket.”
Trig’s response made her want to cheer and kiss her man for avenging her, for avenging them. Instead, she snuggled into him and allowed the freedom of the fog to reign.
Something was beeping incessantly. Trying to move, she felt the pull of something on her wrist. A hand squeezed her other arm. She felt his warmth behind her and his other hand over her belly. B.B. had never been a crier before. Something about these last few months with him had changed her. Crying wasn’t part of her nature. She didn’t fight the tears as they began to fall though. When she felt where his hand was, she tuned into the thumping that also surrounded the room. That was a sound she knew. She’d been there with Wellsie when she’d gone to hear her baby’s heartbeat with Hounder. She’d been so scared when she was pregnant with Camille that she’d tuned out her baby’s heartbeat. This one was loud, strong, and full of life.
“What? What’s the matter, amore bella?” She could hear the worry in his voice and moved to reassure him by placing her hand over his.
“I was so worried that Little Bean wouldn’t survive that ordeal.”
He moved closer to her and placed a kiss to her earlobe causing her to shiver. It was then that she noticed the feel of his skin against her own.
“Eli, are you … are we naked? In a hospital bed?”
He snickered before answering her.
“Yes we are. After all of the testing, probing, and … everything else, you screamed for everyone to leave you alone. You told me …”
“To stay and make love to me. I didn’t want that to be the last thing I felt. I wanted it to be you. I thought that was a dream.”
“I worried. I had Bri ask the doctor if it was okay. He said it was ‘ill advised’ and ‘out of the norm,’ but finally relented in saying that it was ‘up to the patient.’ I thought it would be too much, far too soon.”
“It wasn’t. It was what I needed. You were what I needed. I needed to feel all of you surrounding me, within me and not just in the form of our child. I wanted to be bathed in your warmth in every way. I don’t think I could have survived the night had I not.”
His smile was entrancing and infectious. She smiled back as he wiped away the tears that fell from her eyes. He began to chuckle.
“Your doctor wasn’t too thrilled when he came to check on you about an hour ago. He wanted me out of the room and you properly covered so that he could examine your wounds. Brian and Hounder advised him not to attempt to make that type of demand again.”
It was her turn to snicker.
“Eli, I didn’t know you had that in you.”
“He wanted to take me from what’s mine.”
B.B. turned and winced at the pain from what had to be one of many injuries. She fought passed the pain because she needed to look at him. There was something in his voice that said she had to look into his eyes as he looked into her own. He helped her turn and immediately brushed the hair off of her face.
“He didn’t. I’m here. We’re here.” She looked down toward her belly. “It’s me, you, Camille and our little bean. That’s what’s important.”
“I know, amore bella. Still, I’m going to be a little bit more protective.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She smiled to herself before clearing her throat and looking down between them. Lifting her chin, he brought his lips to hers for a brief kiss. “Thank you.”
He furrowed his brow. She closed her eyes then opened them again.
“Thank you for taking him out of play.”
He nodded and his features hardened for a moment before he calmed himself.
“What that fucker did was inexcusable. He got off easy. I flew into a rage at seeing you … the way we found you. We’d gotten there and he was … there with you. I grabbed him and tossed him to one of the other walls.” He gave her a sheepish look for a moment. “Sorry about the holes there. The guys let me have my time with him. How that bastard was able to move after I’d beaten him, I don’t know. I’d moved to check on you when I heard him scramble away. The guys had been trying to access the room and handle necessary things like calming some of the women. I took off. I shot him in the leg. When he fell, I was there. Trig had followed me and waited me out. After a few moments, I heard Trig’s phone chime. The noise made me come back to myself and I realized I was beating a corpse. A nod from Trig let me know the man formerly known as Lance was done. I moved as quickly as I could to get back to you.”
B.B. stroked his arm and placed kisses to his chest. She noticed the instant he calmed and other parts began to react. Chuckling, she looked up at him.
“Such an enamored and insatiable man. I love you. Thank you for the second and third chance. Thank you for loving me and adoring our little girl. Thank you for being you and being the male that I need. Feeling your heartbeat, hearing your voice, knowing where you are helps more than you’ll ever truly know.” Tears began to fall as she stared at him and saw his eyes fill as well. “You are my everything. I knew it before any of this happened. I would be a hysterical mess if you hadn’t been there to snap me back to reality. I am yours whenever you’re ready to make it official in front of our family.”
His dark chuckle did wicked things to her body. She shouldn’t feel that way after the ordeal that she’d had. Some time in the night she’d decided she wouldn’t allow Petty Officer Ass to taint what she had with Elijah. It was why she’d begged him to make love to her. Having him love on her took her out of the head space of pain and victim. When she came apart in his arms, she allowed that to fall a
way. It was step one for her. She knew that. B.B. didn’t want to slip into the space that her friend had been in. Kitty would kick her ass if she did.
“Where’s Camille and Kitty?”
“They’re in the waiting room. Camille was here before. I made sure to cover all of the major injuries, but she had to see that you were alive for herself. She was scared that you would die. I think Kitty took this harder than you did.”
“Will you help me dress so we can see them? I’m sorry we can’t do anything about the silent appendage, but …”
“I have you. You’re mine. It will be taken care of later. I know you can’t go long without having several tastes of your Italian. Plus, your friend and our daughter need to see you alive and well. I don’t need to know the details to know that some serious shit went down in Kitty’s life.” He paused and tapped his ear. “Brian, let Kitty, Camille, and the rest of the fam know that Lindy’s awake. Give her ten and she’ll be set to see them.”
Eli nodded then tapped his ear again.
“You upgraded the comms to activate and deactivate. How in the hell did you do that? You know what, don’t answer that. You said ‘fam.’ does that mean the rest of the team or did you mean …”
“Belinda, your brothers, mother and father are here. Your brothers and father want to give me an award for what I did to Lance. Your father said that he would make sure that I don’t have anything to worry about when it comes to repercussions for the bastard’s death. Your mother openly wept in my arms and thanked me with a cake.” He paused before he added. “I didn’t know your parents were still together.”
“Yeah, Dad finally forgave her for what she did to us after a lot and I mean a lot of talking on our part. The woman is totally different than the one that we grew up with. He’s often said that it is like he was married to one woman and now he has the greatest life partner ever. She still feels the need to make amends and all, but we dismiss the over-the-top gestures. The boys spoil her rotten because she’s ‘mom.’ I help her work out the aggressive moments by going to the training complex and shooting ranges. It’s a balancing act. Being a grandmother helps out a helluva lot. She adores every last one of her grandbabies. All five of her kids have gifted her with at least one grandchild. I know this scared the ever living shit out of her.”
Field Stripped: 15 Steamy Military Romances Page 26