by C. C. Brown
“It was my mom.”
“So why would speaking to your mom rile you up so badly?” she asked, moving closer to the kitchen. Riley followed behind her.
I looked between the two of them, then downed the rest of the water. “Because it seems that not only was I a complete jackass to Nat, but she wasn’t the only person giving info to O’Hara.”
“Your mom ratted you out?” Riley asked, stunned.
“She didn’t fucking rat me out. She didn’t know. She said a man called the house and spoke to her and my grandma and was asking about Cassie. They didn’t know what it was for, and from the sounds of his questions, they thought that something had happened with me, so they told him what they knew.”
Cassie shut her eyes as she breathed loudly through her nose, and Riley just shook his head.
“That jackass is using people close to me to hang me fucking dry. And after speaking to my mom last night, I realized that she knew about this shit just as much as Nat did. I was fucking wrong for going off on her like that. I fucked up.”
“What the fuck, man? Now what?”
I looked to Riley, who stood consoling Cassie. “Now, I move forward to beat this motherfucker at his own game.”
“What does that mean?” Cassie asked, looking and sounding completely worn out.
“Now, baby. We get married now.”
“What?” she asked, shock taking over. “What did you say?”
“We’re already engaged, Cassie. The best thing for us to do now is to get married. It cuts some of the weight from O’Hara’s argument that I’m some dick who gets off by fucking my students. It also ties us, hopefully making it harder for the Marine Corps to separate us, and it cements us. I want you here. I don’t want you sleeping in some fucking barracks room, always looking over your shoulder for the next psycho to come your way. I want us to be Mr. and Mrs. Cruz, making a life right here together.”
Her face softened with my words. The goofy expression that had been a sense of comfort over the years with Riley was back as he stood looking proud as fuck. I didn’t give a shit if I looked or sounded soft in front of him—Cassie was my number one priority, and even though this probably was not the way she envisioned getting married, I wanted to marry her right away and be one with her.
“I don’t even know what to say, Alex.”
“Just say yes, again. This is our first step together, babe. A show of solidarity in the face of adversity.”
“Your grandmother…if she knows you’re in trouble because of me—”
“Cassie, I’m not caring about my grandmother right now. My focus is on you. Making you happy, and keeping you safe. I want to be your husband like fucking yesterday. Say the word and I’ll make it happen.”
She swallowed, then looked toward Riley who was grinning like a fucking loon. His smiles seemed to be permanently etched into his face, breaking me down while allowing a smile of my own to creep through.
“I’ll be your fucking witness. This shit is beautiful.”
Cassie looked to him again and finally smiled. “Okay, let’s do it.”
I picked her up and kissed her, swinging her around in a show of elation. She’d just made me the happiest fucking guy in the word. Kissing her felt like hitting the fucking jackpot. Her soft, moist lips pressed up against mine, reminded me that she would be mine, in every way that counted, and I couldn’t be happier with the thought of it all.
“Hey, man,” I said to Riley as we pulled apart. “I’d love for you to be my witness. It’s going to be quick. We need to be able to get in first thing this weekend.”
“Yeah, I’m there,” he answered.
I lifted Cassie off the ground and slung her over my shoulder, her boots hitting me in the legs. I walked down the hallway but came to a halt at the sound of Riley’s voice.
“Can I bring Nat?”
“Sure.”
“Okay. And I’ll make sure that you clear shit up with her long before then.”
I turned and looked back to him, his goofy expression long gone and deep sincerity taking its place. “You’ve got it, man. I’m all over that.”
He smiled, then turned back for the couch. I couldn’t believe it, but I had just given in. It wasn’t as if I didn’t need to, but before Cassie, I had never admitted my wrongs and damn sure wasn’t one to spew apologies all over the fucking place. Cassie was doing things to me that I had never allowed before, and strangely enough, it all felt so good, so necessary.
When I got her into the room, I laid her down on the bed and helped her undress out of her cammies. “Only a few more days of this name tape,” I said, holding up her blouse that held her last name on one of the breast pockets.
“I know. How crazy is that?”
“Not crazy at all, Mrs. Cruz-to-be. I can’t wait to make you my wife, Blondie. Cassie Cruz has a beautiful fucking ring to it.”
She laughed. That beautiful, heart-warming, sensual laugh that had been missing in the past twenty-four hours. She undid her bun and allowed her long, luxurious hair to flow. I laid down next to her, gently rubbing her legs as she lay there in nothing but her underwear.
“I’m going to put a ring on your finger and spend every day tirelessly working to make you the happiest fucking girl on this planet.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“It’s true. Then we’ll tackle all of the looming bullshit, but as long as we’re together, Cassie, I’m damn certain that we can make it through anything.”
She turned to the side and kissed me while running her hand over my chest. I prayed that she wouldn’t want to jump to sex at that moment because I wasn’t ready to give it to her just yet. I wanted her, wanted her bad, but I wasn’t ready to jump that hurdle just yet. Time would mend the hurt that lay under the surface, and I needed time to get through this little hiccup, no matter how madly in love with Cassie I was.
Chapter 6
Cassie
Alex and I were really going to do it. He was ready to take the plunge.
For a moment, a piece of me feared that he was only jumping to marriage as a solution to our problems, but after listening to him gush over me carrying his last name all night long, that thought quickly faded away. This man, who had risked everything for me, was being dragged through the mud, and kicked every step of the way, was now wanting to throw the middle finger up to everyone who been trying to tear us apart.
I missed hanging with Dalton the night before, and I could hear the disappointment in his voice when I told him I’d needed a rain check, but Alex and I had stayed cuddled up together for most of the night. I figured I’d make it up to him with lunch because I knew that through all of this shit, he’d been there for me, but I was turning into a horrible friend.
I walked to O’Hara’s office to check in and be his little bitch for the day, I was surprised to hear him and Captain Hedlund exchanging words in such fierce and angry tones. Captain Hedlund was usually reserved, so it was a bit shocking to hear his voice elevate with exasperation. From what I could make out, he was wondering why O’Hara was still holding on to me—why I hadn’t executed the orders that were sitting in Admin awaiting me.
“While she is under investigation, she stays in this unit, Captain. We have the pre-trial hearing on Monday. Should be moving things along briskly from there,” O’Hara responded with a slight chuckle in his voice.
“This could have been handled as a strong NJP, First Sergeant. At least for Pfc. Bennett anyway.”
“I’m not NJPing anyone,” he hissed. Even without seeing him I could picture those small, beady eyes turning into reptilian slits as he unleashed his venom out through his words. “There is a lack of fucking respect for the Corps here. We have an NCO who thinks he walks on goddamned water and a boot who believes the rules don’t apply to her. Now I know it is your job—your duty—to represent them to the best of your ability, and I don’t fault you for that, but it is also my job to uphold the values of the Marine Corps, a Corps that has given me ever
ything I could have ever wanted. A Corps that I took a bullet for in Kandahar. A Corps that is so thickly embedded into me that I can’t fucking breathe without it. So excuse me for skipping the simple NJP and wanting to exercise some discipline where it is clearly lacking, Captain.”
There was a brief silence, then Captain Hedlund spoke up again. “Well, First Sergeant, then I will see you and Major Godinez in court. But I warn you that if you fail to get a conviction, all bets are off. You cannot turn around and NJP them then.”
“I’m well aware of that, Captain.”
“Have a nice day, First Sergeant.”
I scampered away, not wanting to be found as the eavesdropper that I had become. This was personal for First Sergeant O’Hara. I had no clue why, but he wanted Alex and me and he wanted us badly. A simple NJP had never even crossed his mind, even though that was a slam dunk. I wondered what he had on us besides the words of a few people that led him to believe he’d easily get a conviction.
My mind was moving at warp speed as I stood in the breezeway, just down the hall from O’Hara’s office. When I finally came to, Captain Hedlund was nearing, his eyes low and questioning.
“Good morning, Pfc. Bennett.”
I quickly snapped back to the here and saluted him, then grew restless waiting on any news from him. “Good morning, Captain Hedlund. Any word on my orders?”
“It seems like everything is being held up by this court-martial. As soon as you can execute them, I will let you know. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some things to take care of.”
I saluted him again then watched as he walked away. O’Hara had a way of getting under anyone’s skin, and if he had successfully irritated and angered Captain Hedlund, then I knew the anger that burned inside of me was fully warranted.
I spent the day running First Sergeant O’Hara’s errands, then cleaning out storage sheds so that he could store away some boxes that I had filled from old meaningless junk in his office. He was finding any and everything that required little to no brain cells for me to do. Anything to fill my day and keep me under his cold, watchful eyes. I tried hard not to let my anger show as I knew that he was looking for it, and a couple of times I almost gave in and let him have it, but I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. I didn’t want him seeing the effect that his bullish ways were having on me. If anything, I wanted him to have to think harder…to have to work at getting under my skin because I knew that if he saw his shit was having little to no effect on me, it would irritate him just as much as he was truly irritating me.
My plans for lunch never happened. In fact, I never saw the outside of a building unless I was navigating my way to another building as I carried O’Hara’s shit from one place to the next. When I finally got a break for lunch, it was after the normal lunch hour, and I had just enough time to scarf my food down, then get back to whatever else he had planned for me for the day. Thankfully, I only saw him a few times—the rest of the time he was tied up in meetings.
I finally got in touch with Dalton and asked him to come by my room later in the evening. Alex wasn’t too thrilled that I was staying in my own room for the evening, but I needed to maintain my presence in the barracks, and I needed some alone time with Dalton. He was feeling brushed off, and I needed to hold on to my friend. He had been my right hand threw my secret relationship with Alex.
Dalton came by the room just as I was dressing after taking a long, hot shower. He came bearing food which I desperately needed; the little bit that I’d had earlier in the day was practically inhaled.
“Well, don’t you smell pretty,” he greeted, kissing the top of my head before making his way into the room. I’d missed him, and his loving and affectionate ways.
“Well, I smelled like a field Marine after working today, and my muscles feel as if I’ve been on a ten mile hump.”
He laughed and took a seat on my bed, taking two sub sandwiches and small bowls of pasta salad from the bag he was holding. I took a seat and dug in, savoring the food.
“So what’s the deal with these fraternizing charges? I feel like I haven’t talked to you in forever.”
“I know, and I’m really sorry, but we found out who’s been talking.”
“Really? Do tell…”
I took another bite, trying to chew quickly before speaking again. “Do you know Sergeant Vernon?”
Dalton sat thinking for a minute before shaking his head.
“Well, apparently, he works in Admin and can’t stand Alex. It turns out he was in the tattoo shop just outside the gate and got to talking to Nat, Riley’s girl. Well, she was talking and somehow got onto Alex and mentioned me and how awesome we are. Sergeant Vernon gave the info to First Sergeant.”
“What a bitch. And what an asshole that guy is.”
“Natasha didn’t know, so I don’t fault her. But it doesn’t stop there.”
“Let me guess. Angelica ran her mouth?”
“I almost wish it had been her, but no. Shockingly, she hasn’t said anything, but Alex’s mom did.”
“What the fuck? I thought you said she liked you.”
“She does, but when First Sergeant called her, asking vague questions, she thought something had happened to Alex.”
“So he tricked her into talking about you?”
“I guess you could say that.”
“What an ass. What did Alex say about it? And worse yet, what did his grandma say about it?”
My skin turned cold. Guadalupe was the one person that I was worried about more than anything with this whole situation. Everyone else seemed level headed enough that we could explain the circumstances to and be okay, but Alex’s grandmother already had her suspicions about me, and seeing what Alex stood to lose was certainly not going to sit well with her.
“I don’t know. Alex hasn’t told them yet.”
Dalton’s eyes bulged. “Why not? And when do you two plan on telling them? Don’t you think they need to know?”
“Yes, but Alex is going to be the one to do it, and I’m, assuming he’s going to wait until after this weekend.”
“What happens this weekend?”
I took a deep breath, then smiled. “Alex and I are getting married.”
“What? Why so soon?”
His tone came out more accusatory than I would have liked, but I brushed it off and gave him the answer. “Because First Sergeant O’Hara is moving at warp speed. He got Major Godinez to get the pre-trial hearing moved up to Monday, and Alex thinks it will best if we went into court married. It shows the judge something.”
“And you’re just going to go along with it? What do you think?”
“I know you’re thinking we’re getting married for all the wrong reasons, but that’s not the case. We were going to get married regardless, and this just helps our cause. I love him, Dalton, and I can’t wait to have him in the one way that means more than anything else.”
A sparkle went off in his icy blue eyes. The boyish charm that he so easily exuded was coming back, front and center. “Well, I’m delighted for you then. I know how much you love him. Where are you getting married?”
“I have no idea—”
“It’s all a surprise for her,” Alex interrupted, standing in the doorway of the room holding a small, brown paper bag. “All she knows is that I’m giving her my last name. Everything else is left up to me.”
He strolled into the room, looking exquisite in a pair of jeans and a tight fitting t-shirt. I couldn’t believe that he was mine, and would be filling the void that was the other part of my heart.
“What you got there, Conquerer?”
His eyebrows shot up as he gently sucked on his bottom lip. A faint smile filled with seduction caressed my lips as I stared back at him. Dalton looked on in pure confusion.
“Your friend is here, Blondie. Don’t start shit.”
I looked over to Dalton and smiled, which he returned, albeit nervously.
“I brought you some Tylenol and Icy Hot patches. You said
you were sore, and since I can’t be with you tonight, I thought this might help.”
He sat the bag down on the bed, then kissed me before turning for the door. Staring at his ass as he walked away temporarily put me into a trance. I could get lost in his body twenty-four seven, seven days a week.
“Thanks for making sure she eats, Dalton. Can you make sure she gets some meds in her system as well? I have a few things I need to do,” Alex called out, turning and looking over his shoulder.
“You’ve got it, man.”
Alex stopped walking and turned to me, narrowing his hazel eyes that were crusted in lust. “I love you, babe,” he said, the words warm and gentle, melting the ache that lay throbbing inside my body away.
“I love you too.”
He winked then strolled out the door, leaving me sitting with a fool’s grin on my face, and Dalton’s mouth hung low.
“I take my questions back. I can totally see this wedding happening.”
“So you’ll be there? Please say you will. I can’t imagine marrying without my best friend by my side.”
Dalton’s eyelids lowered, darkening his emphatic gaze and popping the balloon that held my excitement. I didn’t like what spread across his face, and I didn’t particularly care to hear whatever was coming next. “I really wish I could, Cassie, but we’ll be in the field starting tomorrow night through the middle of next week. I’m so sorry, but there’s no way I can be there.”
My stomach twisted with his words. Dalton had been everything to me in the midst of the scandal that I found myself embroiled in. He was my friend, my brother, my confidant, and I couldn’t believe that I would be embarking on the next big step in my life, and he wouldn’t be there to be a part of it.
“Hey, you know if I could, I’d be there in a heartbeat.”
“I know,” I finally answered. “It just never dawned on me that you’d be tied up in work, and you wouldn’t be able to be there, but this is what happens when you move on to the fleet. You actually do shit Marines are supposed to be doing.”