by B. B. Hamel
So many familiar buildings and so many memories. It was hard to keep it all at bay as I found a spot. It reminded me again of the kind of man I was with the military, of what they turned me into. I had real purpose and strength when I was on a tour of duty. I could help save people, help save my country. I was a soldier out there and I didn’t have to worry about anything else.
I didn’t feel lost out there. I’d sacrificed a lot already and seen men sacrifice even more than I have. It was the price of keeping your country safe and I willingly would pay it at any time.
“Gates?”
I looked over at Piper. I realized that we’d been parked for half a minute and I was lost in memory. She was looking at me with those beautiful eyes of hers, and I was instantly reminded of why I was so torn over this whole thing.
I had purpose out there, but maybe I had purpose here, too.
“Come on,” I said and climbed out of the truck.
She followed me. We headed down a short walk and entered into the office building. It stretched upward around us, each office filled with a high-ranking military official, someone important and powerful.
I climbed the stairs, remembering the way. I assumed he was in the same office still at the very top corner of the building. Piper kept pace as we climbed and eventually made it to the sixth floor. We walked under stale fluorescent lights until we reached the last door. Maron’s secretary was just inside, and beyond her, Maron himself.
I stepped in and she looked up. “Can I help you?”
“I’m Gates King,” I said. “Here to see the General.”
“Oh yes, Gates. He’s expecting you.” She smiled and nodded toward the door.
We stepped past her. I pushed the door open.
General Maron looked up, his cold, dark eyes staring at me. I felt Piper step up behind me as I paused in the doorway.
“General,” I said.
“Gates, come in and sit down. Close that door.”
I nodded. Piper went in before me and sat in a chair. I shut the door behind us.
General Maron was in his late forties with a thick head of salt-and-pepper hair and a square jaw. He was once a serious and decorated soldier, and he said he was a lot like me. He really made his name during Desert Storm as a field commander. He was involved in Iraqi Freedom and everything after that as well.
Maron was a strong man and in good shape, especially for someone his age. His gaze swept past me and locked on Piper.
“Who’s this?” he asked.
“Piper Bowers. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too, Piper.” Maron looked at me. “What are you doing here, Gates?”
“Came to ask for help.”
He laughed, and that made me cringe. “Ask for my help? I offered you my help and you turned me down.”
“It wasn’t the kind of help that I needed or wanted.”
“You don’t know what you need or want.”
“I want to serve my country.”
“So do it the right way.” He clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. “No, we’re not having this argument again.”
“Good,” I said. “I’m not interested in hearing it.”
“What do you need from me?”
“Piper is in trouble,” I said. “Well, I’m in trouble too.”
“Okay. What happened?”
I looked at her. “Go ahead, Pipes. Tell him the story.”
She bit her lip and then launched into it. She started at the beginning, with her relationship with Tony, and she ended with the two of us driving away from the city as fast as we could.
Maron listened and nodded. It was an insane story, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if he didn’t believe it, but he didn’t seem to bat an eye at it. When she finished, he looked at me.
“Do you confirm all that?”
“Yes, sir,” I said. “It’s all true.”
“How can you be sure?”
“They came after us.”
“I see.”
“We need your help, sir. We have nowhere else to turn.”
He leaned back in his chair, watching the two of us. I couldn’t tell what was going on behind those dark eyes, but I hoped it was good. I hoped he still had some fondness left for me, or else we were both screwed.
“What do you need from me?” he asked finally.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I don’t know what you can do.”
“You want me to talk to the mafia?”
I blinked. “Can you do that?”
“Probably,” he said. “Potentially. Maybe. I have a lot of contacts, a lot of them politicians. I may be able to find one with mob ties.”
“That’s asking a lot,” I said.
“Yes, it is.” He stared at me quietly for a second.
“It’s for her,” I said finally. “It’s not for me. I can handle myself. But Piper, she’s a normal person and these animals are after her.”
Maron finally nodded. “Good. That’s what I wanted to hear.”
“What?”
“Your whole damn life you’ve thought about nobody but yourself, Gates. I’m happy you’re finally thinking about someone else.”
“That’s not true. I serve my country.”
“You serve it because you want to.” Maron shook his head. “I don’t have time for this. I know a place the two of you can stay for the night. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”
“Sir,” I said, standing. “Thank you, sir.”
“I would never turn away a soldier in need.” He wrote down an address on a piece of paper and slid it to me. “Key is under the mat. Stay there and do not leave until I contact you. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You’re dismissed.”
I nodded at Piper then grabbed the paper. She stood up and followed me back out into the reception area. We quickly headed back downstairs and got into the truck.
I leaned back, relief flooding over me.
“That’s it, then?” she asked. “He’s going to help?”
“It seems that way.”
“Good,” she said, sighing. “I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life running.”
“I won’t let that happen.” I grinned at her. “Come on. Let’s get you a shower.”
She made a face. “You stink worse than I do.”
“Probably.” I started the engine and pulled out as she laughed.
We finally had a goal, or at least we finally had help. There was the real possibility that we were going to get through this. I had no doubt that Piper would make it, because I’d never let those bastards get her. But I was ready to sacrifice for her, and that realization hit me square in the chest.
I was willing to sacrifice anything for her.
I smiled to myself. That thought felt so damn good that I could barely explain it even to myself. I headed toward the address on the piece of paper, barely able to contain my excitement.
We were finally going to take some hot showers and clean off the blood from the night before.
21
Piper
The cabin General Maron sent us to was gorgeous. It was situated on a tiny manmade lake a few miles outside of town, away from the hills and the farms. There were no other cabins around, or at least it felt that way. The place was small but very modern with large windows and lots of gorgeous natural light.
We put what was left of our stuff down and Gates immediately disappeared into the bathroom. I went through the kitchen cabinets and checked out the food situation. There was actual fresh stuff in there, and so I quickly made myself a small salad. I devoured it in what felt like two bites before opening a yogurt.
I didn’t trust the General, but I didn’t have any other choice. I trusted Gates, and if he trusted the General, then I was going to have to go along with that. But the General had very intense, dark eyes, and they made me uncomfortable. He looked at me like he was disgusted with me, and he looked at Gates like he wanted to destroy him.
Gat
es clearly didn’t see it, and I wasn’t about to say anything to him. Gates clearly looked up to the general like father, even if they had their falling out. I only saw them together for a few minutes, but that was long enough to clearly see it all.
I heard some grunting come from the bathroom, and instantly I was on the defensive. It sounded like someone was in pain. I walked toward it slowly.
“Gates?” I called out.
“Yeah,” he said.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Stay in the kitchen.”
I kept walking toward him. I pushed open the door a crack and blinked, startled at what I saw.
Gates was sitting on the toilet seat, thread between his teeth and a needle in his skin. He was slowly sewing up the wound on his arm.
“Gates!” I said, stepping inside.
He looked up at me. “I’m fine,” he said. “I’m almost done.”
“Holy shit, Gates. You’re sewing up your own wound.”
“I sterilized it.” He took a swig from a bottle next to him. “And I have some painkiller.”
“Let me finish.”
He shook his head. “I got it.”
“Seriously Gates. Just let me finish.”
He looked at me for a second then nodded. I walked over to him and kneeled down beside him. I took the needle from him and gingerly began to sew up the rest of the wound.
It was surprisingly easy, just like sewing cloth. Except it was Gates’s arm, and I was shoving a needle into it over and over.
“We should have gotten you help at the base,” I said.
“This is why I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want to get scolded.”
“I am scolding you, idiot. You needed stitches and you didn’t even say anything.”
“Like I said, I’m fine. I don’t need you worrying.”
I sighed. Gates was strong, but maybe he was too strong. “You can trust me,” I said. “I can handle some of this stuff.”
“I know,” he said softly. “But if you don’t need to, I won’t make you.”
“That’s not for you to decide.”
He winced as I shoved the needle in through the end. “Maybe not. But I’m the one protecting you.”
“I know that. Doesn’t mean you have to go through this alone.” I felt frustrated over how incredibly stubborn he could be.
I finally finished sewing the wound. He took the needle from me and finished it up, tying it off.
“Is that regular thread?” I asked him.
“It’s medical grade,” he said. “But it’ll have to be removed. And it’ll leave a nasty scar.”
“You had thread with you?”
“General did. His emergency medical kit is actually surprisingly well-stocked.”
“Of course. He is a general, after all.”
“Come on. I’m starving.” He stood up and stepped toward me.
I took a step back but he pressed against me. I looked up at him, my mouth hanging open. He smirked down at me.
“You’re holding it together,” he said softly. “I’m impressed.”
“What did you expect?”
He shrugged. I felt his hand on the small of my back as he pressed me against his chest. “I didn’t expect you to sew up my arm, that’s for sure.”
“I’m not some fragile little girl.”
“Yes, you are.” He smirked at me. “You’re small and I’m big.”
“Oh that’s right. You’re a big tough SEAL.”
“Exactly right.”
I traced a tattoo up his arm. “Well then, Mister Big SEAL. Go make me something to eat.”
“In a few minutes.” He grabbed my waist and suddenly lifted me into the air, putting me down onto the countertop. “There’s something I want to do first.”
“Gates,” I said, gasped as he kissed me hard.
I didn’t expect it. Things had been strange between us since the hotel, but his kiss suddenly made everything seem right. Even my discomfort over the General completely disappeared. He kissed me hard and slowly slipped his fingers down my jeans.
I gasped as he found my pussy, and was surprised at how soaking wet I was.
“You’re dripping,” he said, kissing my neck. “Does all this violence make you so fucking wet?”
“No,” I protested. “It’s not that.”
“What is it, then?”
He pressed his fingers inside of me and I gasped, tossing my head back, I gripped the edge of the counter.
“I don’t know,” I panted.
“You fucking know.” His fingers pressed deep inside of me, teasing me, sliding in and out. “You know exactly why you’re dripping wet.”
“It’s you,” I breathed. “It’s you.”
“That’s right.” He pulled his fingers back. “It’s me.”
He roughly pulled my jeans off me and slid my panties down my skin. He spread my legs wide and pressed his lips between my thighs without another word.
It was amazing how I could go from nothing to incredible pleasure instantly. Gates could do that to me with his amazing fingers and his body and his tongue. He sucked and licked my clit, working me like that, his mouth sucking and moving along my pussy.
I gripped his hair, pressing him harder against me. His hands grabbed my hips and adjusted me, pulling me forward slightly as his tongue pressed deep inside of me. I moaned, losing myself in the moment, in the pleasure.
The stress melted away as it always did when Gates touched me. There was only heat and need between us. I knocked over some toothbrushes and hand sanitizer, but I didn’t care. Gates continued licking my pussy faster, tongue sliding inside of me and back out, moving faster and gripping my legs harder.
I was moaning loudly, back arched. He knocked over a towel rack as he adjusted to press his fingers deep inside of me. I moaned as he sucked and licked my clit, fucking me with his fingers. He worked my pussy rough and fast, his tongue moving along my every inch, lapping me up.
His fingers pressed deep inside and I moaned. I gripped his hair and pressed him down harder, rolling my hips. I could feel the orgasm building inside of me. He looked up at me, smirking, his fingers continually fucking me.
“You want to come?” he asked me.
“Yes,” I moaned. “Please.”
He went back to work, tonguing and sucking me faster, teeth and lips working along my clit. I arched my back, gripping his hair, rolling my hips along with him. The man was insatiable and incredible as his fingers pressed deeper into my pussy, sliding in and out of my soaking wet spot as he licked and sucked me faster, faster. I could feel it building, working up along my spine, destroying me with intensity and pleasure.
And then my whole body tensed as I released. The orgasm exploded down my body, through my back, forced all of my muscles to tense and strain. He kept going as I said his name over and over, fingers fucking me, tongue working me, rolling along my skin. I could barely stop myself as he pushed me past the edge and beyond.
Slowly, the orgasm ended. He kissed up along my stomach and found my lips. I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him back. He pressed me against his body and we held there for a moment, slow and right.
“There,” he said. “That was what I wanted. Now go make me something to eat.”
“You asshole,” I said, smiling. “You were supposed to cook me for.”
“I changed my mind.”
“Fine.” I pushed him away and hopped off the sink. “You clean this mess up.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I left the bathroom smiling to myself, practically floating on air. I walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator just as I heard rattling at the front door.
I cocked my head and looked up. I saw a silhouette of a man standing there, trying to get the door open. Suddenly, he rammed against the wood, making the frame splinter.
“Gates!” I yelled.
He was in the room in a second, gun in his hand. The man at the door rammed it again, causing it to break
apart.
“Run!” Gates said. “Back door!”
I didn’t have time to think. Two men burst into the room and began to fire their weapons. Gates dove into cover and I sprinted back down the hallway.
I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to stay and make sure that he was okay, but I knew that I was useless in a firefight. He told me to run out the back door, and so I was going to listen. I promised to do as he said.
I moved down the hall, past the laundry room, and kicked open the door. I plunged outside and ran away from the sound of gunshots ringing through the air.
The only thing I could hear was my own heart hammering in my chest, beating a million miles a minute.
22
Gates
Fucking mafia guys.
They were a bunch of untrained idiots. The way they shot their weapons suggested they’d never been in a real firefight before. They didn’t work together at all, they just found cover and went crazy, sending as many bullets as possible flying at me.
I was more careful. I chose my shots as well as I could, but it was difficult with all the flying lead all over. I was pretty sure there were three guys, though I couldn’t get a good look at any of them.
One of the three was sneaking around to my right, trying to get an angle on me. I opened fire down toward his legs and he dove back, but not before taking a bullet to the ankle. He screamed out in pain as I fell back further into the house.
Piper ran out the back. She was nowhere to be seen, which was good. I kept the guys pinned down in front of me so that they couldn’t chase her and grab her. She was unprotected, but safe for the time being.
Another guy came toward me. I fired off a few shots, forcing him back. I ducked into a back bedroom and they advanced forward down the hall. I opened fire, hitting one guy in the chest. He dropped, and I knew he was dead. But the guy behind him opened fire, forcing me back.
“Give it up!” someone yelled. “There are too many of us.”