To Mend Fearful Hearts

by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  “Who are those guys talking to Cherise?” Eric asked Landon.

  Landon looked over and saw the guys. They were military, and two of them were cops in Benter.

  “Two of them are cops from Benter. The other guy recently retired from the Army,” Landon said and turned away.

  “Everything went great. Just a few more competitions and then the awards ceremony. Do we have all the medals and trophies set up?” Eric asked.

  “Cherise and Ivy took care of that along with Leeann and Faith. They’re standing over there too.” Landon pointed them out.

  Cherise was a few feet away from the awards table and chatting away with the guys. They were completely flirting with her. As one of the guys placed his hand on her hip, he leaned in close and whispered something to him. She gave him a shove and shook her head. He chuckled.

  “Dick,” Eric said aloud.

  They made their way over a few minutes later, and the guys said hello to them and even shook Landon’s hand. “Cherise, we’ll see you at Harper’s tomorrow night. Definitely going to stop by,” one of the guys said to her.

  “It’s a great band, and you’ll love them. See you then,” she said and smiled.

  All three men eyed her over with interest. Eric did as well. She looked hot as usual. The woman was all woman, with curves in all the right places, and a body made for men who really wanted to feel a woman in their arms. He and his brothers were big, their hands super big, and her breasts were so full even he couldn’t cup one in his hand. He had tried a year ago when they made out at a party at Harper’s men’s place. Jesus, since that night she remained on his radar, but the timing just wasn’t right.

  He had been staring at her, feeling his body’s reaction, and she looked intimidated as she quickly glanced away and started to fix the trophies on the table.

  Landon pressed closer to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. “About fifteen more minutes, and then Carlos will start announcing the winners to come get their trophies,” he said to her.

  “Okay, Landon, no problem. Ivy had told us how to set everything up in the order of events. We got it, right, ladies?” she said to Leeann, Faith, and Candice.

  “We sure do,” Faith said and smiled at him.

  Landon released her shoulder and then looked at Ivy as she approached. Eric slid his arm around her waist, and she hugged his side. “Just about ready for the trophies, right?” she asked.

  “You should be resting,” Eric told her.

  “I have been. After this, we can all sit back and enjoy the food and the DJ,” she said.

  “You might be going home to really rest,” Keller told her as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

  Eric released her. “You’re pushing yourself way too much. If Johnny says it’s time to go home, you’re going,” Eric ordered.

  As Carlos began to announce the winners and direct them toward the table, Eric watched as the men smiled and flirted with Cherise, Faith, Leeann, and Candice. When they were finished and the awards were all handed out, Cherise started to help bring the boxes to the truck so they could drop them at the recycling center. As she approached and tripped over one of the boxes Landon was crushing, Eric grabbed her to stop her from falling and pulled her close. She gasped, staring up into his eyes, and he couldn’t resist. Eric pressed his lips to hers and kissed her. He moved her to the side of the truck where no one could see them, and that kiss got hot fast. He squeezed her ass, maneuvered her against the truck, and devoured her moans. He started rocking his hips against her, and then Landon joined in behind her.

  “Goddamn,” he said, and she tightened up as Landon suckled against her neck.

  She pulled from Eric’s lips and gripped his side. “Damn it, Eric, Landon, stop. We can’t do this,” she said, and Landon stepped back as she pushed against Eric’s chest.

  “Wait, what the hell, Cherise?” Eric questioned her.

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m not going to be this week’s special for you all. Nothing can come of this. We can’t keep—”

  Landon pulled her into his arms and kissed her fully on the lips. He then pressed her against the truck, and the sight aroused Eric entirely too much. When he finally released her lips, she tapped her forehead to Landon’s chest, gripped his arms tight as he caressed her ass and sides.

  “Damn you, Landon. I can’t. I don’t want to be your next screw,” she said and stepped from him. She fixed her blouse, ran her fingers through her hair, and stared at them.

  “Our next screw, huh? I think there’s more going on here,” Landon said to her.

  “No, it’s a dead-end street, and we know it. Let’s just forget this,” she said and walked away from them.

  Eric stared at Landon.

  Landon ran his fingers through his hair. “What the fuck?” Landon said.

  “We ruined it, man. A year ago, that one night when we were so close to taking her together and she freaked out. Rome was leaving for another tour. She thinks this is just about sex.”

  “Isn’t it though? We aren’t in any position to commit to her, to any woman,” Eric replied.

  “Bull-fucking-shit we aren’t. It’s Rome. He needs time to adjust. That’s what Kenny thinks too.”

  “Yeah well, you saw all the guys hitting on her and planning on visiting her at Harper’s. How much longer do you think it might be before we lose this opportunity with her?” Eric asked.

  Landon was silent as they continued to stack the back of the truck with the folded boxes.

  Chapter 2

  “This is bullshit. Absolute fucking bullshit,” Eagan yelled and threw down his backpack.

  “Calm down. There isn’t much we can do about it,” Ben said and rubbed his jaw. He was in desperate need of a shave.

  “They left us there, we got out, we escaped, and now they say nothing happened? They’re going to let those terrorist fucks get away with what they’re doing?” Eagan raised his voice.

  “Lower your voice. We aren’t even supposed to be talking about this shit. It’s bad enough that they know who we are and what we look like. We need to get the fuck out of here and never look back,” Ben said, and Eagan looked at him.

  “We’re supposed to head home and sit back for a few months before they send us on another one of these fucking missions? What about the fact that these men know what we look like? They know our faces—they can easily hunt us down and kill us. Don’t you see that this government, this team we’re part of, basically doesn’t give a shit about us? I say we should get out while we can,” Eagan said.

  “Why would they bother to protect us now when they never have before? They got away with transporting the guns and negotiating some inside deal. Obviously this fucking situation is way bigger than us, than our unit and what our commander was informed about. There’s some inside operation happening. Maybe they’re trying to rein in these terrorist assholes? You know, like get them thinking there’s a great connection in the States, and meanwhile these terrorists are giving up their dealers, their connections, and the big hit is yet to come. I know you’re pissed off, Eagan. I am too, but our hands are tied. They say stand down, we stand down,” Ben said and then got up to grab some clothes so he could shower.

  “Fuck!” Eagan roared.

  “I’m going to go shower. Let’s pack our shit and catch the flight back home.”

  “I don’t like this feeling I have. Jordun Havibe has friends in the States, all over the US. You heard what the commander said, that this is big.”

  “Yes, and the right task forces will handle it. The CIA, FBI, and local terrorist task forces will work together to bring Jordun and his asshole business partners down. Our part is done. We confirmed his involvement and gained the list of his associates, and we destroyed that huge shipment of weapons. We got our hit in. Our part is done, Eagan. Let’s just go home and get the rest we need,” Ben said and then headed out to the main showers on base to wash up and prepare to head home.

  Ben should be
feeling relieved, like the safety and happiness of home was better than being in the midst of danger with a bull’s-eye on his forehead, but he wasn’t happy. Home reminded him of his brother Case, and of course Cherise. He missed her. Missed her body, making love to her, and the opportunity to make her their woman. They had hurt her. Not only by making her feel like it was all about sex and nothing more, but also by informing her of Case’s death a month after it happened and by cheating on her with other women because they were on a path of destruction and self-blame. They had fucked things up. Hurt her so badly that they didn’t visit her, only called her to say hello and ask if she needed anything. Like she would ever accept them in her life again, never mind her bed.

  As he stepped into the shower, the sound of helicopters taking off and then dry air of the desert making his voice hoarse, he thought about what they just survived, about how close they came to dying. It made him realize that more than likely he and Eagan would die in the field of battle. There was nothing really left for them back home. The one woman they loved, they hurt, and they would continue to hurt her, to make her feel lonely and used. So why was he thinking about Cherise so much? Why was he feeling like he needed to see her because maybe, just maybe, this would be the last time he had the chance?

  “You still want to deliver the shipment? Are you not concerned over the chatter we’ve been made aware of, Jordun?” Habal Slansky asked over the secure line.

  “Not really. We have been shipping supplies in and out, taking over locations, and getting ready to strike these small meaningless US troops trying to infiltrate our land, our livelihood. The US government has no right involving themselves in our affairs. If they want to interfere, then we will kill them all. In fact, those two fucking soldiers, the ones who got away, were the reason we are now initiating additional security measures. I want to know who failed to do their job. Whoever they are, I want them dead, and those soldiers, I want them dead too.”

  “You’re losing your mind. I say lie low, Jordun. Pull back a bit. We’ve made a lot of money, secured a lot of artillery and our own cells of troops. If these American soldiers come in, they will be taken out.”

  “They killed Khalil, and the entire warehouse was blown up and destroyed. They got several of my best men, and you think I’m going to stand by and not seek revenge?” Jordun raised his voice.

  “Of course not, but it’s different to kill on our land, in our country, than to go after soldiers in the US.”

  “I want them suffering, Habal. I want them to feel what it’s like to be the hunted and to be killed where they feel safe, and where they lay their heads at night. To infiltrate their home and slit their fucking throats will bring me great pleasure.”

  Habal exhaled. “I don’t like it.”

  “I want a plan of action. I want to find out what you can about them. Be smart. Use our American friends to do the job and get me information, and then we make a plan.”

  “I’ll work on it, Jordun.”

  “Good. Now, our intel has some potential problems heading our way. Questions are being asked several towns away as informants from the US military are sneakily trying to decide where to hit next. I want those informants to disappear. I’ll send the coordinates. You handle it.”

  “Understood.”

  Cherise was working at Harper’s and training the new girl, C.C. from South Carolina. She was blond, beautiful, and sweet as could be. The men were going crazy over her, and she didn’t quite know how to handle them.

  “You just need to blow them off, but maintain that little bit of sweetness so they stay in line, honey. Otherwise, you won’t be getting any work done, and they’ll be leading you on and down the path of trouble. My advice, don’t shit where ya eat,” she said to her, and C.C. chuckled.

  “I got it, don’t worry. It’s just that there are so many good-looking guys around here, and they seem to come in fours, fives, and sixes. Some of them are really big too,” she said and widened her eyes as she made a funny face.

  “Welcome to Cherry Hill,” Cherise replied.

  “Like those guys. Holy crap,” C.C. said, and Cherise glanced over her shoulder and spotted Eric, Landon, Kenny, and Rome. “Now those guys I’m running from. I’ll go grab that order we put in,” C.C. said and hurried clear out of the path of the Waters men.

  Cherise turned away. She heard some laughing and some cheers and realized that the Waters men hadn’t come alone but instead with some friends, and from the looks of them, they were military too. They loaded up by the bar and at a few tables right next to it near her section.

  Leeann gave her a wink. “Looks like you get the hot guy section tonight,” she teased, and Cherise replied with a roll of her eyes and exhaled.

  She strutted on over to the other table of guys who had been sitting there a while, as well as the table of women looking to have some fun. Those women eyed the Waters men and their friends with interest, but the guys at the table did not.

  “Can I get all y’all another round?” she asked, and the one guy dropped the coaster onto the floor. She bent down to pick it up and heard the whistles and of course saw the men’s eyes gazing at her breasts in the top. She placed her hands on her hips but not before tossing the coaster at the guy who dropped it. “Another round, or are you heading out?” she asked.

  His smug expression changed. He stared at her and licked his lips. “Woman, I’m staying right here until you’re ready to go home and be my fantasy come true,” he said, straight-faced. She exhaled and tried her hardest to hold her tongue.

  “I think you rendered her speechless, Larkin.”

  The guy Larkin smiled. “Another round, beautiful,” he said.

  She took a deep breath, but as she walked away, she felt their eyes on her. A glance toward the guys by the bar, including the Waters men, and Kenny and Rome looked ready to kill.

  She squeezed past them and put in the order for the six bottles of beer. As Ade lined them up, Landon gave Cherise a nudge.

  “How’s it going tonight?” he asked her.

  “It’s going,” she said and looked away from him.

  He leaned closer, and she tilted her head up toward him. When he gazed at her breasts, he inhaled and then locked gazes with her. “You smell real good as usual,” he whispered.

  She hated to admit it, but she wore this scent all the time because he and his brothers complimented it and really seemed to enjoy the light, clean scent. She shifted on her feet and then glanced at his buddies. “Celebrating something?” she asked as Ade lined up the beers and cocktails for another order, and she started placing them onto the tray.

  “Just catching up. We haven’t seen these guys in over a year. A bunch of them have been coming back home from extended tours.”

  She hadn’t expected that sad feeling to hit her from his words, nor could she hide the emotion in her eyes. “Well, enjoy.”

  She grabbed the tray, and he looked at her like he caught her expression. She headed back to the table of flirts and handed out the beers. Larkin and his buddies continued to flirt with her, and the women behind them started conversations with the Waters men and their friends. She was very busy, but every time she approached the bar for drink orders, one of the Waters men talked to her, except for Rome. He kept his distance, but she caught him watching her, and she noticed that he didn’t really socialize much at all.

  Some time later, when Larkin got up from the stool and stumbled, he grabbed for her, and he hugged her around her waist. He fell to his knees, and his face pressed up against her breasts. “I love you, Cherise. Come home with me tonight. Make my fantasy come true,” he said, and his friends were hysterical. She was just annoyed.