Targeted: Newlywed Navy Seals Risk It All! (Truth and Lies Series Book 1)

by Pinki Parks

  “It won’t help and I can picture you naked anytime I want. You forget, I did orally please you and I know your body like a blind man does Braille.” I was dangerously close to getting on her last nerve by poking fun at her.

  “I can do the same thing.” She stared at my crotch trying to make me feel like she was picturing me without my pants and failing miserably.

  Her attention awakened one piece of my anatomy that had been lying dormant all this time. It rose from the ashes of my previous orgasm to stretch to its full potential down the left side of my leg. She gasped and turned away as if she was disgusted by my behavior.

  “You may not know this, but it sometimes has a mind of its own. I can’t be held responsible for how it reacts when in close quarters with you.” I flexed the bulge a few times to make my pants rise and fall.

  “Do you really have to do that?” I cocked my head to the side with indifference.

  “I don’t have to, but it’s fun to see your eyes grow big as saucers.” I laughed with no regard for her feelings.

  It was a callous thing to do, but it was all part of the dance we were trying to learn the steps to. I felt it was necessary to keep her on her guard. She could despise me, but her instincts would be awakened to keep her alert to anything out of the ordinary.

  Chapter Eleven

  Gail

  I was warming my feet and hands by the fire with a cup of warm brandy clutched between my fingers. I couldn’t get rid of the shiver running down my spine and through my lower extremities.

  “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to take a shower before we begin. There’s certainly room for two if you wanted to join me.” I gave him a dirty look and he smiled like he was expecting it.

  “I’m going to sit here at the fire you made with your bare hands. It’s a good thing you are good for something. Don’t take long or you might find me sleeping soundly. I have the tendency to sleep through a hurricane.” He was taking off his shirt in front of me with no shame.

  “Go ahead and close your eyes for a few minutes to catch your breath. I have an interesting way of waking you up without using my hands.” I slapped my knees together mimicking a chastity belt closing shut any possibility of getting physical.

  “I don’t know what you’re trying to prove, but I know the hidden meaning behind your words. This is highly unorthodox. I can tell you’re excited to be with me. Keep it in your pants where it belongs, mister.” I had the files in a tangible format of papers littering the floor.

  “I’m not sure what you mean.” I heard his zipper and I darted my eyes around without turning in my chair.

  “If you are expecting me to turn around then you’re going to be waiting a very long time.” From my vantage point, I could see the notations I had made on some of the papers.

  “You know you want to look. What possible harm could come from a little show and tell?” I knew exactly what would happen and how close I was to jumping into his arms for a repeat performance of last night.

  “Stop screwing around and this is more important than your classless attempt to get into my pants. I don’t have any intention of doing anything with you besides work.” That damn wedding ring was keeping me from throwing good sense out of the window.

  “I’m only kidding. This is my way of trying to get you to relax.” My whole body was like a live wire ready to go off at the slightest provocation.

  “I’m as relaxed as I’m going to be under the circumstances. Don’t even think about taking advantage of me. I always sleep with one eye open.” I waited until I heard his footsteps going up the stairs.

  The wood stove was a throwback to a different era and I could see the flames licking between the slats in the metal door. It was pure black with a pipe jutting out of the roof.

  The furniture was customary for a cabin of this variety. There was even a moose head on the wall and a shotgun hanging below it. I got up and walked around to see the sparse kitchen with very little cutlery. There was not even a knife block. He had one pot and pan and a couple of utensils. This screamed a bachelor pad, but it also made me see him as a recluse.

  I heard the shower running with one lone occupant and I looked up to see the steam coming out from underneath the door. The temptation to scrub those hard to reach places for him was prevalent in my mind.

  “I know you’re probably sneaking around down there but try to show some respect for my privacy. I know how hard it is for you when you have seen me naked. It might seem I have very little, but I have what I need and not what I want. I live a minimalist lifestyle. I do have a few luxuries. The jeep was a no-brainer. The snowmobile and the all-terrain vehicle in the shed are perfect for the environment.” I could hear his voice in a higher register to make sure I could hear every single word he was saying.

  “A man only needs a few things to survive. Food and water are at the top of that list. You could probably live without female companionship, but you would most likely wither away and die. Don’t you think being out here in the middle of nowhere is hurting your chances to find a relationship?” I let the question linger in the air and I went through his fridge to find the basics.

  He had several condiments, a package of expired hamburger, and the date on the milk made me hesitant to even open it up. There was no telling what I was going to find in his freezer. There was a medley of freeze fried family entrees. I had a feeling he hadn’t seen a good home cooked meal in quite some time. His only saving grace was he had the good sense to go with a brand name. Hungry man dinners had everything for a growing boy.

  “It would take a unique kind of woman to handle my mood swings. Take what you go through at a certain time of the month and multiply it by a hundred.” I had heard of the condition post-traumatic stress disorder, but I had never seen it for myself.

  “A woman would have to be out of her damn mind to live here with you. They would take one look at this place and automatically label you as some kind of anarchist.” There was a small lake beyond the deck connected to the kitchen. It was covered with snow, but I could make out some wildlife foraging for food.

  “You would be surprised at how their curiosity can get the best of them.” I felt a little out of my element and there was not even a trace of a feminine touch.

  “Spare me the details of your carnal trysts.” There was a spare bathroom downstairs with a sink and a toilet.

  I went through his medicine cabinet and found various pills with names I couldn’t pronounce. I did recognize one for being a very powerful painkiller. He must’ve received a prescription for the injury to his knee. The bottle hadn’t even been cracked open.

  “If it makes you feel any better nobody can hold a candle to you. I know you’re trying to peel back the layers to see if there’s a bleeding-heart underneath. I can assure you I bleed nothing but red, white, and blue. My patriotism is not on trial.” It wasn’t fair to judge him by the brief look I had behind the curtain of the man.

  “I mean no offense and I was only trying to break the awkward silence. I have the bad habit of saying what is on my mind without a filter. I learned a long time ago the only way to know what somebody is thinking is by asking.” I walked up the stairs and made my way quietly down the hall past the bathroom.

  I found his master bedroom with a king size bed and a rolled-up cot by the window. The place was immaculate and he really did take pride in his place of residence. There was a multitude of different photographs with people smiling in uniform.

  I got a little closer and found myself staring at Colby’s face. It was a big coincidence for him to know my brother. Was it possible he knew more about me than he was saying? Colby was surrounded by his comrades in arms and one very familiar face standing behind him. Chase had two fingers over Colby’s head mimicking the devil or maybe bunny ears.

  The names of those soldiers were written embossed in gold underneath their photos. My brother’s nickname was Cold Cock and his best friend was a man he referred to as P
reacher. The name corresponding to that nickname was Chase.

  I saw this red light streaming through the window situated over my breast. I was frozen like my feet were caught in quicksand. I was going to die and there was a sense of calm that came over me. I was ready to join my brother.

  Chapter Twelve

  Chase

  I had to act quickly. It didn’t even occur to me that I was completely naked tackling her to the ground. The bullet shattered the mirror over my dresser. I shielded her body by lying on top of her to prevent any of the shards from cutting her needlessly.

  She looked like she was in a state of shock. I had to physically drag her from the room. I barely had the door closed when another bullet went right through the door and into the wall across the hall.

  Gail was lying on the floor physically unable to comprehend what was going on around her. It was my job to keep her safe. I had walked her right into the lion’s den.

  “Gail, I need you to wake up and get a hold of yourself.” I finally was able to get her on her feet, but she was still dazed and confused.

  “What… happened?” She was blinking after coming out of a fugue state.

  I gathered my clothes lying on the bathroom floor and with lightning speed put them on.

  “I’m as much in the dark as you are.” It couldn’t have been a coincidence and the person following us must have already known where our final destination was going to be.

  “Chase, we have to get downstairs and get the files. There’s got to be something in them to prove Mason’s innocence.” I had a feeling this was the main purpose of the letter I’d found on Mason’s computer.

  “There’s no time for that. The only thing we might have going for us is that he is most likely alone. I can only hope he hasn’t brought reinforcements.” As if in answer, there was the sound of breaking glass downstairs.

  “I don’t think you fully understand. I’m terrified. I can’t even imagine what you must’ve gone through during your many tours of duty. I have some questions, but they can wait. I appreciate how you came to my rescue.” We went toward the stairs and then I stopped momentarily to race back to the bathroom.

  I found the gun I had left strapped underneath the sink for emergencies. I was always prepared. I never wanted to get caught with my pants down.

  The gun was a Beretta with only one clip. It wasn’t going to be enough in a firefight, but it could give me the element of surprise. There was the shotgun over the fireplace. It was my grandfather’s. There was no way to know if it really worked after all this time.

  This was no time to go off half-cocked and run around like chickens with their heads cut off. I was assessing the situation. I was finding the best idea was to get into the Jeep and drive away as fast as possible.

  There was a flash of what I thought was lightning, but it turned out to be something even worse. I went to the window and pulled back the curtains far enough to see where the flash had originated. I shook my head in disbelief at the flames and black smoke surrounding my jeep. This was getting personal.

  “I think somebody doesn’t want us to leave. Do you have any other bright ideas?” Gail was looking for answers and I had none to give her.

  I was going to check my phone, but up here in the middle of nowhere reception was practically nothing. I hazard a look and had my hopes dashed with no signal.

  “There is the shed out back and there’s enough snow on the ground to utilize the snowmobile. There are many tracks. I know this land better than anyone.” We started toward the stairs when the smell of something burning assaulted my nostrils.

  The stairs were on fire leaving little chance of escape. I could see the direct line it had taken from where something was thrown through the window. There was some kind of accelerant feeding the flames. I could make an educated guess and determine it was most likely liquor. It was pretty crude but rather effective in close quarter combat. It was meant to disorient an opponent and give them something else to think about other than the current danger they were already in.

  “This is getting ridiculous. Those papers are going to go up in flames and there’s nothing we can do about it. Thankfully, I do have the hard copies securely located on my computer with a code word to access it.” We were the only two who knew the code and this was an easy way to eliminate the threat.

  “He could have come in with his guns blazing. This is his way of emotionally affecting me. He’s making it hard for me to think on the fly. I’ve been in difficult positions in the past.” I was trying to make it seem like I knew what I was doing, but underneath I was thinking about the realization of burning alive.

  “I don’t want to die.” She had momentarily had a breakdown but surprisingly came back clearheaded and ready to fight.

  “Nobody is going to die here today if I have anything to say about it. We need to get some towels and soak them in water. The best place to take cover is in the bathroom. We need some time to get out the window and down onto solid ground.” The flames were spreading over the walls and covering the ceiling.

  “Chase, a broken ankle is preferable over burning inside this fire. I would rather face whatever is outside than stay in this deathtrap.” I was having flashbacks of those times I’d spent with my grandfather hunting and fishing during summer break.

  I felt her tugging on my arm. She pulled me into the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind us. She went to work dousing the towels and putting them snugly against the bottom of the door. She managed to wedge a few more in the seams to prevent the smoke from getting in and suffocating us.

  “I know it’s painful to see what your grandfather built burning to the ground. It can be rebuilt. I’m sure you have insurance to cover this.” We were pinning our hopes on the window leading to our possible safety.

  I opened the window and removed the screen letting it fall to the ground aimlessly. There was an explosion of flames from the living room below us. I could feel the heat on my feet. It was a matter of time before the cabin was condemned to a fiery grave. I didn’t want Gail to join it. I made a quick circuit of the area looking for anything to resemble a threat. I couldn’t see the perpetrator of this crime leaving without witnessing his dirty work.

  The smoke was trying to bleed itself through the door frame. What Gail had done to keep it at bay was only a temporary solution. I could see the first telltale sign of flames at the door.

  “You are going to go first and run as fast as you can for the tree line. Stay there out of sight and don’t move until I get there. I can’t stress this enough. I know you don’t want to hear this, but the person responsible still could be out there lurking in the darkness. There’s no point in taking chances with either of our lives.” I helped her up to the window still searching the area in the darkness for anything which would leave us sitting ducks.

  “Don’t drop me.” She was using short sustained sentences to get her point across.

  Her feet went out the window first and I was holding her hands with my fingers locked around her wrists. She was dangling a few feet off the ground and there was a pile of wood which was going to make an awkward attempt to keep her balance.

  I held my breath and released her. She should have plummeted to the ground below, but she was still clinging with her fingernails driven into my hands. I cringed and winced from the pain, but it was nothing compared to the bullet tearing through my chest to protect her brother.

  “You’re going to have to let go.” I glanced behind to see the door in flames and the sound of sizzling when it came in contact with the wet towels.

  “I can’t do it. My fingers are locked and I can’t make them let go.” She looked petrified on the verge of tears, but she was refraining from showing that kind of emotional outburst.

  “Take a deep breath through your nose and out through your mouth. You need to settle your nerves. This breathing exercise will help you deal with the panic.” I had seen many recruits in stressful situations. I taught t
hem the same thing in a more in-depth way.

  “I know I should be able to do this, but I can’t. Forget about what I said about this being preferable than dying in the fire.” I had to literally pull one of my hands free. It was with enough force to have her long and sharpened nail break the surface of the skin of my palm.

  I had to pry her other hand away from me one finger at a time. The look of shock and dismay had me feeling guilty for making her let go of her lifeline. She disappeared into the darkness. I could hear her vocal exclamation of pain. I could see a female shape hobbling over to the tree line. Nobody took a potshot at her.

  It didn’t mean I wasn’t going to fall victim to a bullet in the back of the head. There was no other choice. The flames were already in the bathroom. I felt like a cornered animal. I lifted myself seamlessly through the window and was barely hanging in midair when I let go. I heard the bullet and felt it graze my cheek.

  I landed on the woodpile trying my best to balance myself before jumping to the ground. Another bullet with my name on it splintered a piece of wood where I had been standing. I was well aware of the sniper quickly reloading and firing another round.

  I turned and fired the gun I had taken from my waistband. I couldn’t see where the shots were coming from. This gave me a way to defend myself. I was putting myself in the shooter’s shoes and extrapolating his location by personal experience.

  I was running backward with the recoil of the revolver knocking me off my feet. I was down on the ground staying near the center of gravity crawling on my hands and knees. My clothes were dark enough to leave him without a line of sight. This was all contingent on whether or not he was using night vision goggles. The smoke billowing from the open windows in the cabin was hopefully distorting my image.

  There was no way to move fast enough without alerting the shooter to where I was. I had to use a modicum of patience. Moving a couple of inches at a time was necessary to inhibit his ability to see me out of his peripheral vision.