The General paused.
“Is it the safest way?” he asked the question and looked around at the men. “Honestly, I don't think so. There were ways you boys could have been a little safer. But then you would have had yourselves a safe two-hour firefight in the middle of the ocean on an oil rig, and this way, there was a not so safe firefight that wasn't even fifteen minutes and we didn't lose anyone. I really love the explosiveness you all exhibited today, gentlemen.”
With that, the debrief broke. The team filed out, and Bradley stayed behind to hear a few more words from the General.
“And you, Bradley, what can I say?” the General asked. “You performed like a real leader out there. Some of the people back in DC, they asked me, 'Why would he expose himself like that on the ladder?' You know why they asked that? Because they don't know how to lead. They aren't natural leaders. They watch people lead and critique. But I told them, hey, he wanted to join his men, he wanted to get in the fight. And they get that.”
Bradley nodded, trying to keep up with the narrative of people from DC questioning his heat of the moment actions. He was glad that the General was pleased with how things had gone.
“Well, thank you, sir. I don't know what else to say.”
Bradley kicked himself for not being better with words. The General slapped him on the shoulder and told him again what a good job he'd done, before sending him to get a good night's rest.
Jasmine was waiting for him in his room, and she didn't look happy.
“What were you thinking, acting foolishly brave on the rig?”
Bradley didn't know what to say. How was he supposed to convince someone who had no idea what the experience felt like what he was thinking at the time, and how that had spurred him forward, upward.
“I wanted to join my men ahead of me,” Bradley said. “That's not an abnormal thing. No one thinks that I was acting foolishly.”
“Simply not true,” Jasmine said. “There were a bunch of people in DC who my father had to talk into being on board with what went down. Sure, you might have been pushing up to join your men, but what if you'd been hit? The whole mission would have been dealt a massive blow.”
Bradley didn't know what to think about Jasmine talking about “the mission” as if she'd had anything to do with it, or really had a clue what she was talking about. Like most civilians, Jasmine thought she was entitled to her judgment of what had happened, even though Bradley was sitting right there in front of her, someone who could give a first-hand account of not just this mission but many. And, no matter what anyone said, at the end of the day, the mission had been a success. There was no way for anyone to take that away from them, no way anyone could tell them they hadn't gone out and done their job to the utmost.
But Bradley could understand where Jasmine might have some bad feelings about watching an RPG whiz past him and go spinning into the ocean. Thank God the thing hadn't gone off! It might have injured him, and even if it hadn't, it would have made the spectacle look even more blown out of proportion than it already was.
“People get shot at all the time in my line of work, Jasmine,” Bradley said, but not harshly. His voice was calm and even. “I know that it might be really hard for you to process watching me get shot at, especially with something so visible to the eye as an RPG, but you have to know in your heart that I get shot at all the time. I had bullets go by me through the air long before the RPG went past me. I get that it might look like a lot going on, but all that happened was--”
Jasmine cut him off.
“Don't tell me that I don't know things,” Jasmine said. “You don't know what the fuck I know. I know that you weren't thinking out there. That you pushed ahead because of a gut instinct, instead of keeping a level head. And that worked this time, but like my father keeps telling everyone, it's a way that will take causalities, but if it works--”
This time Bradley cut her off.
“Then it's worth it,” Bradley said. “Yeah, that's pretty much the way of things in the military. Sometimes people don't come back from missions, and that's just how it goes. In wars, big wars, or police actions, there are times when entire patrols don't make it back through the gates. That's just how it goes.”
They both stood silent for a second, looking at each other with that veiled suspicion that couples get when they fight. There wasn't much they could do at this point, as far as Bradley saw. What was he going to do, leave the military?
“I've talked to my father,” Jasmine said. “And, although he doesn't like it, he said that if you want to get out to marry me, he'd figure out a way. Because of the way you helped pace training, and how you basically built a new way to assault rigs, the military is willing to allow you to get out of your contract while keeping all the benefits you would have earned. It's not a bad deal, and I think you should really consider it. Especially if you want to be with me, because, I'm telling you, right now, I don't see us being together for very long.”
Bradley took a step back.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Bradley said. “Why do you have to be so confrontational about this?”
“Why did you have to charge up a ladder and almost get hit by a fucking rocket grenade?” Jasmine shot back.
Bradley thought about that. He had been acting on instinct out there. That was the way he always did things. He'd been brought up in a SEAL program that was passing by, literally. People were dying because they pressed forward instead of waiting a few heartbeats to see what would happen next. It was the way that Bradley had been brought up to fight, to move continuously on the offensive. But the new Navy was starting to get away from that. It didn't like the causalities, no one did. And Bradley could understand why. There just weren't enough SEALs to treat them like they could lose one a mission. That's why the General had freaked out when a team had lost men.
“I'll think about it?” Bradley said. “All right? That's all I can promise you, right now.”
Jasmine threw her arms around him like she was drowning.
“Please, please Bradley,” Jasmine said. “I need you. Please tell me that you'll walk away from all of this. We don't need it anymore, and you know it. Why can't we just run away together? We could make a life somewhere, anywhere.”
Bradley's head was spinning. He liked the idea of what she was saying, but at the same time, he was terrified. The idea of leaving the Navy, a place that had been his home since high school, wasn't something that crossed his mind without causing some concern.
Before Bradley knew what was going on, Jasmine was pushing him back onto the bed. But not for sex this time. Instead, this time, to hold each other and cry as they realized that their worlds were about to change more than either was comfortable with, and that was something they weren't ready for. But, like Bradley had pushed forward on the rig, they had to move on instinct if not on conviction alone.
Chapter 10
The next few months flew by. Bradley decided to get out of the Navy to be with Jasmine. It was kind of a no brainer, considering that he'd get to keep his retirement stipend and he'd just had an RPG fly past him. It wasn't the danger of the missions that bothered him, it was just the creeping certainty that eventually he wouldn't come back from a mission, and that was just the way things worked. He was getting on in his career as a SEAL, even though he was still considered young by civilian standards. It was the best time to transition.
It had been hard for Bradley to say goodbye to the team, but everyone had been really understanding of his situation, and he'd appreciated the hell out of that. No one had jumped down his throat, or called him a coward. That was something he'd worried about from a few of them, but there had been no snark. They'd each looked thoughtful about their own future as Bradley had spoken about his.
Now, off the coast of Puerto Rico, living on a little fishing island, Bradley couldn't have been happier. And Jasmine, well, all of Jasmine's dreams had come true. She'd started her own business running tourist from fishing spot to fishing spot, and it had rea
lly taken off. Now she was in charge of a small fleet. It was something that Bradley hadn't expected, but then again, he hadn't thought he'd ever start a business that revolved around SCUBA diving.
But that's how things had gone. He'd started pearl diving, and investigating shipwrecks, on his own. But as soon as he'd started to get in over his head when it came to projects, he'd hired on his SEAL friends who were out as well. They didn't storm rigs anymore, and instead of taking fire, their biggest worry was the weather. Which was a very real danger to them, and things were still touch and go sometimes with the sharks. But it wasn't like it had been, never knowing when things were going to go wrong, if victory would snatch them from the jaws of defeat or if the fates would turn their back on them. Because, in the end, for all of the SEALs who got out, it wasn't that they hadn't liked the work, it was that the work could turn on you and bite you even if you did all the right things. And, eventually, it wouldn't be a rig they stormed, or whatever the objective was, it would be part of a larger conflict and the SEALs would be tasked to do something they were never intended to do. And then what? Because that was as certain as the finally taking a bullet, as far as Bradley was concerned. Higher only cared when SEALs died in mass, and that meant that, eventually, Bradley would be a statistic.
And that wasn't what he wanted—had never been what he wanted. He wanted to have a little more control over his life than wondering if the people above him were using their heads or acting according to how they thought things would play out on paper.
And not only this, Bradley had felt the old Navy leaving, even while he stayed on to greet the new Navy. He just hadn't been comfortable with how things were turning out as far as operations were concerned, something he and his SEAL friends and employees often talked about between dives.
Besides all of this, he and Jasmine had a home life. That was somewhat strange for both of them, but it was something they thought they liked, at least. They'd never had a life outside of work before. Jasmine, for her part, hadn't had a life outside of the base and her father's influence. Bradley had thought of this as they'd packed up to leave, knowing that he was putting an awful lot of faith in Jasmine to go with her on this adventure when it was her first real one.
Now they had each other each night, and not just sexually. That was something they still did, but as with most couples that are together long term, it had turned into something more special than titillating. Now they held each other each night as if it would be their last, even though that wasn't the kind of lives they led anymore. It was something they both thought they needed to try to hang onto as much as they could, even though it wasn't going anywhere—that's how special their love was to each other.
The days went by, one after the other, and things just kept getting better. There seemed to be no end to the new joy they'd both found with each other, and it was something that they wanted to last forever.
Maybe it could, Bradley thought, as he looked out over the waves toward the setting sun. For the last few months he and Jasmine had been trying to get pregnant, and it was something he thought about a lot now. As the sun blazed its glory across the evening sky, Bradley knew that his future with Jasmine was more brilliant than any sunset, and it amazed him that his choice to come with her had been absolutely everything that he'd ever thought it could be.
Enjoy the story? Sign up for our steamy romance mailing list to receive news on releases and promotions!
Click Here!
Have any feedback we can pass on to our authors? Email us at [email protected]
Hostage
Chloe Martel
Hostage
Copyright 2016 by Chloe Martel
First electronic publication: August 2016
All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to person, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Warning: Due to mature subject matter, such as explicit sexual situations and coarse language, this story is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. All sexually active characters in this work are 18 years of age or older, and all acts of a sexual nature are consensual.
Hostage
Chapter 1
I couldn’t believe it; the day I was going to become Mrs. Escrow was only a few weeks away. Ever since Johnathan proposed to me it was like I was living in a dream. All my life, all I ever wanted was to be a wife. It was, after all, a custom in Sunhaven. Girls grew up to be women, and women became homemakers and wives; to rich men if they were lucky. I was one of those lucky ones. My father, George Conyers, was not only a wealthy man, but the governor of Sunhaven. So, no matter what, it was unlikely for me to marry in to a common house. I was blessed and very grateful for the life I was granted. That wasn’t to say that somewhere deep inside of me longed for adventure, but I considered myself lucky. My family had started out as one of the greatest merchant families in Sunhaven. My father worked hard and built himself a legacy, eventually creating the first trade agreement between Sunhaven and the rest of the civilized world. After a few years of raising more money for Sunhaven than anyone ever born there, he was elected as governor and ever since has held that position. I must admit, life was much more exciting when he was the owner of his own trading vessel. My mother and I were lucky enough to travel with him to certain locations, but I was very young and don’t remember much of the places we visited. Fortunately, finding the love of my life and planning my wedding had seemed to settle that craving for adventure; at least for the time being. Johnathan was everything I could have asked for in a husband. He was sweet and kind. When he looked at me, I could feel his love. He was the prominent owner of his own set of trading vessels, which he promised to take me on as soon as we were wedded. He spoke much of the world and the culture of places I only learned about in school. Places my father had never been brave enough to travel to. Hearing his stories made me even more excited for the day we would be married and he would sweep me off to faraway lands. Just thinking about it now was making my heart beat faster. The two of us hadn’t made love yet, as it was unaccustomed for a young lady to lose her virginity out of wedlock. A few girls I knew, including my best friend Connie, had had sex with many men. She told me stories and while I admit that those stories made my curiosity grow even stronger, Jonathan and I had pledged ourselves to each other and for him I would willingly wait.
“Will that be all, Madame Conyers?”
I had been so lost in thought I forgot that I was ordering flower arrangements for my wedding. The florist smiled at me as I started slightly.
“Forgive me.” I said politely.
“Oh, of course!” The young lady replied. “I understand. I see hundreds of ladies come through here with the same look in their eyes. None as well-known as yourself, of course.”
I smiled lightly at her. I was used to receiving kind words from the people of Sunhaven. Even if not all of them were honest about what they said. I removed the money from my side purse and handed it to the woman. She took it and glanced at the bill for a moment.
“Is everything alright?” I wondered.
The florist looked at the money for one more moment and handed it back to me. I looked at her for a moment, confused as to what the issue was.
“Everything is wonderful.” She replied. “I wish to do something nice for you, Madame. Your father has been very kind to the citizens of Sunhaven. My family has had the ability to make quite a living because of your family. The least I can do is return the favor in the only way I am able… your flowers for your wedding are free.”
/>
“That is very kind of you, but I must insist-
“Nonsense.” The woman replied. “There will be no insisting on your part. I wish to do this for you.”
I looked at the woman for a moment more. Once I knew she was fully serious, the smile that broke my face was impossible to hide. My cheeks grew rosy and I looked down at the counter, barely able to contain my excitement.
“I-I don’t know what to say. Thank you. Thank you so very much! You are a kind and generous woman.”
“It is my pleasure, dearie. Anything to see a magnificent young lady such as yourself smile.”
“I promise; my father will hear of this.”
I left the store, still half expecting to wake up and realize this was all a dream. As I walked out in to the beaming warmth of the sun, I glanced around the Sunhaven market place. Everything was aglow with a beauty I hadn’t seen before. I smiled as I walked past waving vendors. I listened to the children laughing and running, while their parents called after them. I heard the birds cawing above me and the far off sound of the waves crashing against the shore. I breathed in the fresh air and allowed it to fill my lungs with the crisp smell of summer. I still couldn’t believe how wonderful everything was… how wonderful everything was going to be. I had been excited about my wedding before, but after today I was ecstatic. I needed to tell Johnathan the wonderful news!
As I made my way up the sloping path to the Escrow plantation I still had a skip in my step and a happiness in my heart. I waved to and smiled at the plantation workers and farmers as I passed. They nodded and waved back to me, astounded that I was paying them any mind. Usually I made my way shyly onto the plantation, noticing them but never being outgoing enough to say hello. I made my way up to the door and knocked a few times. I waited, but nobody answered. I found this odd, so I knocked a couple more times. After nobody answered this time, I figured I would let myself in. This was my future husbands abode anyhow; I figured he wouldn’t mind. Stepping inside, I closed the door lightly behind me. Johnathan’s plantation was one of the largest in Sunhaven. His family had owned it for generations, and it was handed down to him from his parents after they were lost in a ship wreck. I hadn’t known Johnathan at this point, I was only a teenager, but word spread quickly. My father and mother attended the funeral, being close friends of the Escrows. Shortly after is when I met Johnathan. My father knew that he would grow up alone, with only servants and butlers to raise him, so he allowed him to spend as much time as he wanted around the Governor’s Mansion. Johnathan learned a lot from my father and eventually became seaworthy enough to take charge of the Sunhaven Trading Company. I didn’t like him at first. He was a snotty kid who would often times pick on me. I told my mother this once and she laughed lightly, telling me that was a younger males way of showing affection. Once I heard this, I began to look at Johnathan a little differently and knew my mother had been right. Johnathan did in fact fancy me. From then on, our relationship began. It was only a matter of time before he confessed his love to me and even shorter of a time before he proposed. I would never forget that moment! He had been away on a trading expedition for a little over two months and I had missed him dearly. He was set to arrive on the Sunday before the last of the month, but instead surprised me by arriving at my door in the middle of the night three days early.
Romance: The Bad Boy Affair: A Second Chance Romance Page 116