Casanova In Training

by Aliyah Burke

  “Thank you,” she said.

  Ivan had cooked. Before her sat some solyanka, a rich stew. She could smell the mushrooms in it and her stomach growled in anticipation. Pelmini, meat dumplings, and a red beet salad.

  “You doing okay?” Lexy asked after they’d said grace.

  “I guess so. Just tired.”

  “Eat,” Ivan stated, gesturing with his spoon.

  So she did. It was delicious, each bite better than the last. Afterwards, they all sat on her couch and started a movie. Snuggled against Ivan, she barely stirred when a knock came at her door.

  “Hon?” Lexy said.

  She dangled between sleep and consciousness. “Hmm?”

  “Are you hiding tonight or should I get the door?”

  “Whichever,” she slurred. Ivan draped his arm around her and she burrowed closer. The knocking halted and she figured whomever it was had left. However, it was the voice that pulled her exhausted eyes open.

  “Where is she, Lexy? I’m not leaving until I see her.” A pause and she was faced with the lower half of a body instead of the television. “If you can tear yourself away, Jaydee, I need a word with you.” Gio’s voice was clipped and cold.

  Ivan squeezed her shoulder before releasing her and she stood. An eerie fire burned in Gio’s hazel eyes and it gave her a moment’s pause.

  “You shouldn’t have come here. Admiral Fitzroy said—”

  “Said for me to stay away from you at work. We’re not at work.”

  He grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the bedroom area. Although not totally, it did offer a mediocre amount of privacy. The moment they were behind the divider squares, he had her close, his mouth feasting on hers.

  Fire erupted along her skin, banishing all her exhaustion, and she wanted more. Craved more. With no hesitation, she wrapped around him and returned the kiss. Arching against him, she nearly cried with relief at his touch again.

  “Jaydee,” he rasped, tearing away from her.

  A cold reality settled over her, dissipating the raw haze of desire. “You have to go.”

  “So you can be with Ivan?”

  The words were so sharp they could have cut her. He was jealous.

  “Ivan is a friend, nothing else.”

  Gio stared intently at her before he nodded and cupped her face. “I’m tryin’, sweets. Really I am. I want to kill him for touching you. I hate he can and does. And I hate how comfortable you are with him.” A light brush on her mouth. “Are you okay after today?”

  She gripped his wrists and pulled them from her face before stepping close to rest her cheek against his chest. Her hands smoothed along his back and she breathed deep when his arms wound around her to hold tight.

  “Jaydee.”

  One more minute was all she wanted. In his arms, she felt invisible to the trials of the real world. But, more than that, she felt safe and protected. Cared for. Steeling herself, she sighed.

  “I’m fine. You shouldn’t have barged in.”

  “I wasn’t about to let them blame only you, sweets. And I’m sorry.” She stepped back but he lifted her chin to ensure eye contact. “Not for what we did, but because of who caught us.”

  “I’m sorry, too.”

  “For?”

  “Everything. This cannot happen again.” She walked out to where Ivan and Lexy sat with eyes and ears glued in their direction. “Thank you for—”

  “What do you mean?” he snarled, positioning himself before her, halting her progression.

  “Goodbye, Commander.” She went around him to the door and opened it, giving him a pointed look.

  His expression as furious as she’d ever seen, Gio stalked towards her. He stared at her before his hand snaked out to land possessively and dominatingly on the back of her neck. He jerked her forward, and kissed her. He never relented until she sagged into him. When he finally backed off, her fingers gripped his shirt and her body swayed in his direction, wanting more.

  “You’re not getting rid of me that easily. See ya around, sweets,” he murmured. With a tug on his cap brim, he left her apartment and strode away.

  Touching her swollen lips, she pivoted to lean against the door. Both Lexy and Ivan had raised eyebrows and shocked expressions on their faces.

  “Oh my,” she uttered and slid down the door to sit on the floor. Suddenly, she felt extremely and totally out of her league.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Gio operated on a hair-trigger. The date for dealing with the inappropriate behaviour between him and Jaydee had been pushed back even further. He didn’t know why and frankly didn’t care. All he knew was that Jaydee had damn near vanished. She never answered her door, or her phone either.

  He hadn’t seen her since that night in her apartment and, if not for cornering Ivan Vinokourov and asking about her, he would have assumed she’d been transferred early. As it was, he’d learned Ivan had been her lover. News that nudged him closer to the edge of his control. Rumours were circulating all over about how he’d fucked Jaydee. Although, to be fair, they weren’t rumours but still it irritated him. It was nobody’s business.

  Finished with his food, he made his way to the door. Admiral Griffin halted him as he began to leave the cafeteria.

  “A word, Commander.”

  “Yes, sir?”

  They stepped to the side and Griffin ran a hand over his grey hair. “You’ve really stepped in it this time, son.”

  “Why the delay?” he asked, figuring this man would answer him honestly.

  “Brigadier General Thomas is arriving to oversee the charges against you. Nelson reported the information on to him and he figured it was time to get involved.” He grimaced. “I’m sorry, son, but, with all the heat coming on Fentress, they don’t want to go light on you two, either.”

  Could his career be over? “I understand, sir.”

  “For what it’s worth, Giovanni, I’m proud of you, son. I knew you’d prove me wrong and out-fly these Air Force boys.”

  Hell, even Griffin sounded like his career had just crashed and burned. “Thank you for the opportunity to prove myself, sir.” Christ! What would he do? Flying was his life. The urge to strike out nearly overwhelmed him and he drew deep breaths in an attempt to calm down.

  “The general wants to see you tomorrow at eleven-hundred.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Go home and get some rest, son.”

  Gio walked away, a deadened cathexis within him. Retire because of age, sure. Or even loss of ability. It had always been a probability. But this?

  “You okay, man?” Lizard asked, pacing him to his car.

  “Sure. Have a brigadier general coming in to decide what my fate is. Tomorrow at eleven-hundred. I’m fuckin’ great.”

  Jason gave a low whistle. “Where are you going?”

  “Firing range.”

  “Want some company?”

  “Nawh, man, but thanks.” Gio left before Lizard could pry any more.

  That night he sat on the floor of the room containing all Mike’s belongings. A glass of Scotch dangled in the fingers of his left hand. Untouched. In his right, he held the shadow box he’d got to display Mike’s flag, picture, and awards.

  “I miss you, man,” he uttered, ignoring of the tears that rolled down his cheeks.

  He woke in that room, back against the wall, drink still full and beside him, with the memorial to Mike on his lap. Gio readied for his day, and, with a heavy and unsure heart, made his way towards his face-to-face with the general.

  * * * *

  Brigadier General Hardy Thomas was an imposing man. He oversaw the test facility and didn’t seem happy in the least to be here. His blue uniform had creases so sharp Gio wondered if he’d cut himself with just a touch. The general’s chest was covered by rows of ribbons, attesting to the fact that he was no paper pusher. His silver wings gleamed against the blue of his uniform. Beside him were the admirals, one on each side, also resplendent in their uniforms.

  Gio stood be
fore them after they’d called him in. The room was deathly silent and he wondered what they waited for. He watched the second hand on the clock behind the three men who held his life in their hands. He observed it near the top when the time would be eleven-hundred exactly.

  Behind him, the door opened at the same time the second hand hit the twelve. A tingle up his spine told him all he needed to know. In his periphery, Jaydee appeared.

  She wore an outfit of charcoal grey. A skirt suit that made him forget the seriousness of the situation. Holy hell! It halted above her knees, the short-sleeved top conforming to her curves like a dream. His wet dream. Her long legs were covered in sheer black stockings with—holy shit—the dark line down the back. And damned if she didn’t have on another pair of those fuck-me stilettos she’d worn the first night they’d met. Grey in colour, matching her suit.

  He bit the inside of his cheek to stop his cock from rising in admiration and lust. He focused straight ahead but couldn’t stop himself from taking in the chignon her hair was confined in. Still, it was the blankness on her face that worried him.

  “Let’s begin,” Thomas said, sitting forward.

  The beginning of the end.

  “You both know why we’re all here. This is an informal hearing, more of a meeting, for us to decide on how to proceed with charges.”

  Gio wanted to move closer to Jaydee and offer her some support. But he held still and stared just past Thomas as he blabbed on about the UCMJ—the Uniformed Code of Military Justice.

  “I knew it was only a matter of time with you, Cassano, before you messed up,” Thomas uttered.

  That got his attention. What had he done to this man?

  “Excuse me, General, but personal opinions hold no place here. We’re here to decide a course of action.” Fitzroy made the observation.

  “Bullshit. This is my programme. I run it. No one else.” Arrogance dripped from every syllable. “I make the final decisions.”

  Yep. He was really fucked. Up the ass and not even a nice dinner beforehand. As he stood there, Gio could basically see his career exiting stage left.

  “Wait now,” Griffin began, only to be cut off.

  “No. I am glad that the traitor has been discovered. However, if I want to use this unprofessional incident as grounds to get him and the brainiac gone, I can. And there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it.” Thomas’ smugness grated on his nerves and Gio wished he could wring his neck, if not for anything more than the derision with which he’d spoken about Jaydee.

  The three senior officers got into a shouting match. Stunned, he faced Jaydee. None of her thoughts showed on her face. In fact, she looked bored.

  “Enough!” Hardy shouted. “I’m through discussing this. My decision is made. I am going to throw the book at him and when I’m through”—the general glared at him—“you’ll be lucky to pilot a biplane.”

  “No! I won’t let you do this,” Griffin protested.

  “My programme, Admiral. You can’t stop me.”

  What had he done to this man? He had no clue. The others didn’t either and Fitzroy asked.

  “I have a daughter, Melisande Ramos. She lives with her mother and told me of a man she fell for and,” he paused, “you used her and tossed her away like she was trash. You took my pure baby and ruined her!” His face was red with fury.

  Shit. Shit. Shit.

  Gio remembered Melisande, and that hadn’t been how it had happened at all. She had been a freak in bed, good fun, but she hadn’t got the message of no strings, so he’d ignored her calls. He’d never known she was the brigadier general’s daughter.

  “Say goodbye to your wings, Casanova.” The loathing his call sign was uttered with chilled the room to absolute zero. Or zero degrees Kelvin.

  “This…this is outrageous,” Griffin hollered.

  “Too bad.” He waved it off. “Your fraternisation is costing you your job.”

  The bastard sounded so gleeful. Gio had no clue what to say. None. Nothing would help. Telling him his precious daughter had lied to him because she was mad he’d ended it…nope, he wouldn’t buy that. From the sounds of things, this man had been looking for a way to get rid of him and now he’d finally succeeded.

  Jaydee faced him and he saw compassion in her eyes. That made him angry—he didn’t want pity. Then it vanished and he couldn’t read her at all.

  “I don’t think so.” Jaydee’s voice was soft and yet somehow the other three, who were still embroiled in a nasty argument, fell quiet.

  “What? Did you have something to say to me, Amos?”

  Gio growled low in his throat—the hell he’d let this fucker talk to her like that. “You can’t—”

  Jaydee cut him off. She stepped beyond him so he had a clear view of her body-hugging skirt and those damn stockings and heels.

  “I am sure you heard me just fine. You can’t punish Commander Cassano for the fraternisation.”

  Everyone looked at her. Thomas scowled, his face twisting into an ugly mask.

  “And why not?”

  Gio was a bit curious himself.

  “I’m senior to him. I became lieutenant commander three days prior to his promotion. So this is on me. Not him.”

  Wait, she was protecting him?

  “You conniving… Fine, but it’s still my call about kicking him out of the programme so I—”

  “Will not be doing it,” Jaydee interrupted.

  “You have no say!”

  “Let me put it to you like this. This man stays, his record remains as it is now. No letter of reprimand and he is up for promotions when the time comes.”

  “Jaydee, you can’t do this,” he said, stepping up beside her and gripping one arm.

  “What gives you the right to think you have any power here?” Hardy sneered.

  “I don’t think it, I know it. And this will happen, because, despite your desire to have him gone, you don’t want to tell my superiors you lost me.”

  Silence descended like an ominous cloud. Tension ran high as if just waiting for the first break.

  “What?” Thomas said, a sentiment echoed by him and the other two in the room.

  “This is how it is going to work, or I walk now and I will never work for anything government-related again.”

  Gio didn’t believe what was unfolding before him. His by-the-book, sexy-as-hell woman was actually threatening a brigadier general.

  “You wouldn’t dare.” Thomas didn’t look very confident, however.

  He repositioned so he could see Jaydee’s face. As he stared at her, one elegant brow rose. Her face a cool mask of disdain. The same look she’d levelled at him when she’d told him not to measure his cock to hers, for he’d come up short. Now that icy contempt was all for Brigadier General Hardy Thomas.

  “I don’t lie. And I don’t make idle threats.” A careless lift of one shoulder. “I don’t make threats, period.”

  “You’re defending a man who’s slept with so many women? Why would you protect him when you’re nothing but another notch on his belt?”

  “A fact which has no bearing on this. He is the best pilot, and for the benefit of the programme—or combat unit—he stays.” She shrugged. “It’s the logical decision.”

  “I just brought in Colonel Hirsch.”

  “A good pilot, but not up to the same calibre as Commander Cassano.”

  Gio smiled at her praise.

  “You will not get away with this, you little—”

  “Funny thing about my memory, Brigadier General Thomas, is I remember. Everything. Including our very first meeting.”

  Thomas’ face paled a bit at her statement. “Fine. Get out of my sight.”

  Jaydee nodded. “Sirs.” She glanced at him ever so briefly as she pivoted around, but never spoke. He tracked her progress to the door where she paused and peered over one shoulder. “I’ll be keeping track of his career, General.”

  “Why do you care?” Thomas snapped.

  Her gaze flickered o
ver him with zero interest in it. “I don’t. He shouldn’t, however, be forced to pay for my mistake.”

  With those enunciated words, Jaydee left and crushed her stiletto heel into his heart. He stood there staring at the door she’d vanished through when a hand on his arm startled him. Admiral Griffin.

  “Come on, son.”

  They left Admiral Fitzroy with Thomas, still shouting at one another. Not going far, Griffin speared him with a stare.

  “I don’t know what happened there but you had better thank that woman for saving your ass. She just pulled your six out from in front of the firing squad.”

  He had every intention of doing so. Right after he yelled at her for doing it.

  “So what happens now?”

  “You get ready for tomorrow. I hear the competition between you and Hirsch starts bright and early.”

  “That’s it?”

  “Dr Amos made sure of that. She’s an amazing woman.”

  Gio stared at the man who had been both mentor and father figure to him. “I know.”

  Griffin’s gaze was sombre. “Does she know you love her?”

  Love. “She’s about to,” he avowed. “She’s about to.”

  * * * *

  Jaydee sat in the window seat, her cheek pressed to the glass, watching the rain slide down in rivulets. For the first time in her life she was torn. She didn’t have a problem with what she’d done to save Gio’s career. That wasn’t it.

  She found herself conflicted about her own future. The familiar aroma of her tea dragged her eyes from the window and she saw Lexy standing there.

  “Drink up, hon.” Jaydee’s friend sat down by her feet. Lexy placed a hand on her knee. “Do you need me to stay?”

  She sipped her tea before compiling an answer. “No, I’m okay. Besides, you have that conference to attend.”

  “There are always conferences happening, I can go to the next one. Not to mention, Eugene and Hector will be there.”

  Lexy and her two older brothers co-owned a veterinary practice. She handled small animals, Eugene handled exotics, while Hector took care of the large animal portion of the clinic.