Saving Olivia (Team Cereberus Book 1)

by Melissa Kay Clarke

  As the afternoon waned, the overly crowded beach slowly emptied. Olivia noticed several women eyeing the jaw dropping team of SEALs with appreciation. She couldn't help but smile proudly. The guys didn't seem to notice the heated stares and concentrated on their ladies. That spoke volumes about their characters.

  Later, after everyone finished eating and a huge campfire was lit, they all sat around talking and laughing. Each of the men sat on the sand with his chosen lady pulled into his arms. Finch, being the solo man out, sat alone, strumming a beat up old guitar.

  "So," Annabeth caught their attention from where she sat snuggled against Hick's good side. "Levi won't tell me how ya'll got your nicknames. I know River's is from being born in Mississippi, but the rest of you are a big ole mystery. Come on, cough them up." She grinned at the man sitting beside her. "You first, Studly."

  Hick swallowed the bite of apple pie in his mouth and dropped the fork back into the tin balanced on his knee. "I'm just an old redneck," he said with a shrug.

  "Liar!" River threw out with a laugh. "You're from Boston. If you don't want to disclose how you got your name, then say so. Don't lie about it."

  "Thanks for outing me, buddy," Hick groused. "Alright, I got mine in BUD/s. At dinner the second night, I ate so fast, I got a case of the hiccups. They wouldn't go away."

  "He kept us awake all night," River said.

  "How did you get rid of them?" Olivia asked, fascinated.

  "I tried everything. I drank water fast, ate a spoonful of sugar, tried to drink from the other side of a cup. Nothing worked. Finally, they went away on their own."

  "At three o'clock in the morning. We had to be up at four. That was one long day," River grumbled. "I'm surprised you survived."

  "I almost didn't. A couple of the guys cornered me outside the mess hall the next night. They expressed their displeasure at missing their beauty sleep." Hick snorted.

  "The next time you have hiccups, put a straw in a full glass of water, put your fingers in your ears and drink as much water as you can through the straw as fast as you can. I don't know why, but it works." Annabeth advised. "I've done it a hundred times, and it always works, without fail."

  "I think a lot of those hiccup cures are invented for spectator purposes," Railroad chimed in.

  "Alright then, Railroad, you're next." Annabeth snuggled into Hick's arms.

  He shrugged as Arnetta laid back against his shoulder. "Not much to say. I tend to get focused and single minded. I have a one track mind. One track, railroad track. There you have it."

  "I was raised on a ranch in Wyoming," Cowboy said. "We had horses, and I learned to ride almost before I could walk. Dad said my first word was 'horse,'" He chuckled. "The nic followed me from high school."

  Annabeth nodded toward Bruiser. "Your turn, boss man. I'm thinking you're some sort of brawler. Maybe you were a boxing champion in school."

  "Fighting, yes. Boxing, no," Bruiser agreed. "Like Cowboy, my name followed me from before the service."

  Olivia wasn't surprised he didn't elaborate. She knew how guarded he was about his past and she didn't think he would be divulging anything more. Apparently, Annabeth got the same vibe for she passed on to Finch.

  "From my name, naturally," he said quietly. "I've been called Finch since Jr. Varsity football."

  "Aw, man, you guys are boring. How about you Olivia? Hick says you were in the Army. Did you get a nickname too?"

  Livy was caught off guard by the question but recovered quickly. "No. I mean, I've been called Livy my whole life, but it's just a shortened version of Olivia. Sorry, Annabeth, you struck out again."

  "Damn!" Annabeth swore to herself then turned her gaze to the last remaining member of the team. She rubbed her hands together. "And that leaves the star of the night. Alright, Toad. Let's hear it. What did you do to get saddled with that gawdawful name?"

  Toad shifted uncomfortably, dislodging Rachel draped over his body like a sheet. "I need another beer," he said and stood.

  "Chicken!"

  The sounds of clucking filled the night air as his friends ribbed him. Popping the top, he took a long drink from the can and burped.

  "Charming," Joselyn yelled out. "Oh wait, is it from you croaking like that?'

  He glared at her but said nothing.

  "Well, that's a first. Toad's speechless," Bruiser said.

  "Next topic," Toad said.

  "Aw, come on man, tell the ladies your story," Cowboy called out.

  "I said next story."

  They cackled anew. Finally, after several minutes, everyone settled down. Shortly after, one by one they gathered their things and said goodnight. As Bruiser and Olivia drove away, she thought how good it had been to laugh with the others. It had been a wonderful night, and she appreciated that none of the others had wanted to talk about the white elephant in their midst. The review was in a couple of days, and she was happy his team had taken Bruiser's mind off things.

  Chapter 10

  Tuesday came much too quickly for Olivia's liking. Knowing she would be unable to sit at home and wait on Bruiser to call, she talked Philip into giving her a shift at the shop. They had enough baristas, so she was on inventory. It was mindless work, but at least it kept her busy.

  Sitting on her knees before the display of cups in one corner of the store, Olivia carefully pulled out the different mugs from their place on the shelf, counted and cleaned before returning them to the display. Some of them were funny, making her chuckle as she read the captions.

  "Excuse me, Miss? Can you help me?"

  She looked up with a smile which fell slightly. She recognized the creepy man from the bus stop a few days ago. John? Jack? She wrinkled her brow. It was something with a "J."

  "Oh, hi, Livy, right? I'm Jake. We met a few days ago."

  The accent she detected at the bus stop was more prominent today. She plastered a smile on her face and hoped it didn't look as fake as she felt. Climbing to her feet, she nodded to him. "Yes, hi Jake. From the bus stop. How can I help you?"

  "I wondered if your shop sold beans or just finished drinks?"

  She nodded slowly and took an unconscious step back. "Yes, of course. It's all up on the board above the counter. You can purchase any of our beans by the pound." Olivia's discomfort increased when her legs pressed up against the coffee mug display she had just been cleaning. Jake took another step forward, effectively boxing her into the corner.

  "That's great. My company is having a big meeting in a few days. We'd like to offer something more than a normal brew to our clients," He said as he flashed her a brilliant smile.

  "If you will go to the counter, one of the baristas can help you." Livy took a step to the left and squeezed out of the corner. "Ask for Philip. He's the owner and can give you a good price if you buy in bulk."

  He took a step to the right and stopped her escape. "When do you get off work? I'd love to take you to dinner sometime."

  "No, thank you. I appreciate the offer, but I don't date the customers." She took a step to the left.

  "Then I won't buy here," he said taking a step to stop her again. "You are very pretty. I would like to get to know you. I can pick you up tonight after your shift."

  "Livy, everything alright?" Philip's voice had never sounded so welcomed as it did at that moment from behind Jake.

  "Sure, Philip. This man has some questions about buying in bulk." Olivia pushed past him and stopped behind her boss. "I told him to speak to you for a good price."

  Philip's eyes narrowed slightly on Jake before nodding slowly. "Can you go help Margo for a bit? We have a big order coming in."

  "Of course, Philip." Olivia placed the pen and pad into her apron pocket. "I'll finish the inventory later."

  Philip rubbed his thumbnail over his jaw. "Take your break first." He eyed Jake suspiciously.

  "Excuse me," she said to Jake and fled to the counter as quickly as she could. She shivered and rubbed her arms as she slid behind the counter, thankful to put s
ome distance between them. She didn't know what it was about the man that made warning bells go off in her head, but they did. She didn't like Jake. Not one little bit.

  She and Margo worked together, making the large order of sixteen drinks and boxing them with wadded up paper for insulation. By the time they finished, Jake was gone. She let out a breath in relief.

  "Are you sure you're alright, Livy? That guy seemed to be rubbing you the wrong way." Philip appeared in front of her as she and Margo entered the shop after taking the boxes to their customer's car.

  "I'm fine. He was just a little insistent for a date." She chuckled. "Bruiser will clean his clock if he doesn't learn how to take no."

  "Speaking of your yummy young man, how is he doing? Out of town on business again?" Margo was a bit of a busybody, but it was all in good natured fun. She didn't have a malicious bone in her body.

  "He's in an important meeting today. I hope to hear from him as soon as he's done." Worry poured over her in cold streams. Wanting to check her voice messages, she touched her cell phone in her pocket. "I think I'll take my break now if that's alright?"

  "Go ahead," Philip gave a wave of his hand. "In fact, if you want to go ahead and leave, you can. We're slow, and Margo can finish the inventory. You have most of it done already."

  "Alright." Olivia handed the inventory sheet to her coworker before untying her apron. Reaching under the counter, she pulled out her purse. "I'm on at seven Thursday morning, right?"

  "Yeah. I'll see you then," Philip answered.

  Olivia stuffed her apron into the dirty linens bag in the break-room and slipped out the back door. Retrieving her cell phone, she checked for word from Bruiser. There was nothing in her text or her voice mails. She grimaced and pressed the speed dial button. Her stomach clenched as she heard Bruiser's deep voice through the speaker. When the introduction was over, and the beep sounded, she spoke.

  "Hey, Bruiser. It's Livy. I got off work a little early and was checking to see if you were through yet. I guess not. I thought we could have a late lunch if you wanted. Anyway, I'm going to stop by the store and grab a few things. Auntie is making an enchilada casserole tonight. She forgot to get the chili peppers. Give me a call when you can. I miss you like crazy."

  She sighed heavily. She did have it bad. Every minute she spent with Bruiser was a reaffirmation of what she already knew. She was drawn to him from the moment she had seen Jayden's sketch. He was strong, handsome, caring and so protective. She knew a great part of that protective instinct came from his training with the SEALs, but the beginnings were already there long before his enlistment. She curved her arms around herself. She also had a strong protective instinct, especially for Jayden. That was part of the reason for her enlistment. She smiled to herself. Jayden needed a strong male influence in his life, and he had that with Bruiser. It was touching to see how they had bonded. Jayden looked up to Bruiser with something close to hero worship, and Bruiser took it all in stride. It hadn't escaped Olivia's notice that Jayden's nightmares were absent. Her baby brother's peace of mind was reason enough for her to love Bruiser all on its own.

  She stopped. Did she love Bruiser? They had only known each other a short time. Slowly she nodded. She did. She loved him already. Well, dang, so much for going slow. She wondered if he felt the same. Did he feel the same overwhelming need to be with her that she experienced on a daily basis? She didn't know for sure, but the way he looked at her spoke volumes. He had such tenderness in his handling of her; making her feel special. Wanted. That was love of a type, wasn't it? She giggled to herself and pushed away from the wall of the alley. Love or not, standing here wasn't going to get those chili peppers to Auntie. Checking her cell phone again, she compared it to the bus schedule she memorized. If she hurried, the bus would be getting to the stop at almost the same time she would.

  "Come on, Livy, let's get a move on," she admonished herself out loud and walked quickly toward the street.

  Chapter 11

  Bruiser stepped out of the review board office and let out a slow breath. Reaching up, he scratched at the neck of his dress uniform with a grimace. Whenever he got nervous, the overly starched thing made his throat itch. He couldn't wait until he could get out of it and back into something comfortable.

  "How did it go?"

  Cowboy and the team stood from the chairs lined against a wall in the hallway. They circled as they waited for Bruiser to gather his thoughts.

  "It's going to be okay. You guys are all cleared from any blame."

  Railroad narrowed his eyes. "What about you?"

  Bruiser looked down at the cover in his hand. He dreaded what he was going to have to tell his team. "Well..."

  Finch let off a string of curses that impressed even Hick. "You have got to be kidding."

  "It's not that bad. Madison pushed for BCD, but they found no fault. Given the fact the mission was to apprehend al-Bashir, and he was not there, it was within the team's right to call an end to it and get out with the wounded." He turned to Hick. "I think had you not gotten hurt; things would have gone differently. I'm not saying thanks, but yet I am."

  Toad laughed. "Nice going, Hick. You took one for the team."

  "Glad I could be of a service," Hick grumbled and gently rotated his shoulder stiffly.

  "Wait... Madison asked for a Bad Conduct Discharge for aborting the op?" Cowboy asked incredulously.

  Bruiser shrugged. "He did at first, but he could tell that wasn't going to happen early on during the review. So, he changed tactics and wanted me out for striking him. He also blames me for Raulston's death."

  "He's lucky I didn't get my hands on him," Hick grumbled. "If I'd seen him kicking that kid like Cowboy said Madison did, I'd get the BCD because I would have made sure he couldn't do it again. Asshole can't kick with both legs broken in a few places."

  It was so unusual to see Hick this serious as he was normally a bit of a jokester. To see his friend's face clouded with anger reminded Bruiser of the incredible support his team had been showing. He was grateful, more than words could express. He squeezed Hick's uninjured shoulder.

  "Anyway, they reviewed the evidence, listened to my side and Madison's. They read over the reports you guys submitted as well and decided that Raulston's death is attributed to shrapnel from the explosion and therefore, not my fault. That put a bee in Madison's bonnet. He started ranting and cursing until they pulled him out of the room. One of the chiefs said he could see why I would be tempted to strike him." Bruiser chuckled. "Madison isn't in the service, so they dismissed the charges of disobeying a direct command. They dismissed the assault charges as well. In the end, I got a slap on the wrist and a tick in my service record. It'll be a while before I am eligible for a promotion. That is if I keep my nose clean."

  "Hot damn, you beat the rap," Cowboy grinned. Clapping his big hand on Bruiser's shoulder, he pushed gently. "Time to celebrate. Let's grab a few beers and drink to Madison..."

  The others groaned, and Toad grumbled, "Or not. No reason to waste a perfectly good brew that way. We can check out that new place by the bay, Dirty Dan's."

  Bruiser laughed as the tension he had been holding slipped away. "Yeah okay. Olivia is working today, so I'll only have time for a couple. We have plans for later tonight."

  Toad wiggled his eyebrows. "Plans? Is that what we're calling it now?"

  Bruiser growled. "Get your mind out of the gutter when it comes to my girl, Toad, or you'll be eating your teeth - brother or not. Livy is a lady and was in the service. She deserves respect, and I don't mean only because I'm dating her."

  Cowboy smacked the man in the back of the head. "Can't take you anywhere. One of these days you'll grow up, and we'll let you eat at the big table."

  "Ouch, hey man, what gives?" Toad growled and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, didn't mean to stomp on your tender feelings, Bruise. Mani-pedi time next? How about a wax?"

  "Jackass," Railroad muttered good-naturedly.

  Toad pointed to Railroad
. "You first. They can make a rug from the pelt on your hairy ass. On second thought, I'd pay to see it done."

  "Aww, Toad, I didn't know you liked my ass," Railroad grinned at him.

  Toad was rude and crass, but that was part of his charm. Bruiser snorted. "If you guys are done, I'd like to get out of here."

  Turning as a group, they began walking down the hall. As they approached the exit, Madison stepped out and glared at them. Pointing a finger at Bruiser, he snarled, "This isn't over, not by a long shot. Your time is coming, asshole." He glared at the team. "All of you have it is coming, but the mighty leader is first. You'll be regretting what you've done real soon. I know people. People who don't have the scruples I do." Snapping his mouth shut, he lifted his nose in a sneer, whirled around and stomped off.

  "Oh hell no," Hick tossed his cover to Cowboy and glared down the corridor. "Even with one arm tied down, I'm gonna give him something to remember us by."

  Reaching out, Bruiser pulled him by the shoulder. "Let it go. He's just pissed he lost. "

  Cowboy slapped Hick in the chest with his cover. "Come on, hothead, it's celebration time. Beers are on the criminal. Better bring your gold card, Bruise. Tonight's going to cost you."

  Bruiser laughed as he stopped by his SUV. "I'm gonna go home and get out of this uniform. Meet you there in an hour."

  Once inside his vehicle, he relaxed and leaned back, letting out a held breath. Today had gone a lot better than he had hoped. It sucked to have a mark on his otherwise pristine service record, but at least he still had his career and his freedom. Things could have gone a whole lot worse.

  Taking his cell phone out, he swiped the front. He smiled when the voice mail indicator lit up. Pushing the code in, he listened to the sweetest voice he had ever heard.

  Hey, Bruiser. It's Livy. I got off work a little early and was checking to see if you were through yet. I guess not. I thought we could have a late lunch if you wanted. Anyway, I'm going to stop by the store and grab a few things. Auntie is making an enchilada casserole tonight. She forgot to get the chili peppers. Give me a call when you can. I miss you like crazy.