Silent Ranks

by USMC Best Friend

  “He spanked you”

  “Yeah and not the good kinky way” I muttered “I mean so I’ve heard”

  “Is that when you punched him?”

  “Yes Ma’am I floored him”

  “But?”

  “He came back for more kissing me again and pinning me to the barn wall and I… I… didn’t stop him” My head dropped to my chest “I gave up fighting”

  “Did you really change your mind and think okay no means no but I’ll let him screw me anyway” Mom asked sharply

  “I don’t know Mom… I was scared I was confused with stuff inmy head and Ryder leaving and then Dad’s call stuff with Jordan… I shut down and gave up” she pulled me to her and hugged me tightly “I bet you’re disappointed now” I sniffed fightingback the tears.

  “No not disappointed angry that when you told him no he didn’t respect you to back off… Fucking Cowboys they need a good horse whipping”

  “Don’t tell tell Dad he knows some of it but not all Mom… His head has to be withhis Platoon now not me” I begged

  “I agree but I will be telling him when he’s far enough away that he can’t do much” She stroked my hair “Do you need to see a doctor”

  “No Mom, it wasn’t forced or rough I got acratched onmy back from the barn wall that’s it”

  “Did he think to cover it?”

  “I don’t know?” Panic choked me now I hadn’t even thought of that.

  “Okay first thing tomorrow we’re going to the doctors and get the tests run… No wonder Flynn was so wound up”

  “Can we just go back in the pool hall and get on with the night I want to forget it ever happened”

  “You know he’s not going to get away with this he’s going to get a Marine Ass whooping”

  “I’m seriously considering not going back to the ranch” I groaned

  “It’s part of your family you’re not going to get driven away by some hired hand” she chastised “I think I’ll be heading back there with you”

  “Uncle Flynn and Riley are already coming Mom”

  “Yeah well even Flynn is no match for this Momma bear when it comes to her cubs.”

  Chapter 21

  Two calls

  Mom and I walked back inside Dad and Uncle Flynn were arguing over whose shot it was. I swear they’re like stroppy two year olds.

  “Bathroom” Brit jumped of her stool and grabbed my hand.

  “What?”

  “Girls go in pairs to the bathroom” She pulled me with her

  “Hey Ow watch the tattoo” I groaned as we got into the bathroom “What’s wrong?”

  “So what did you tell her?”

  “Everything” I sighed and leant on the sink

  “What that he raped you?”

  “I didn’t put it like that but I told her all of it and I’m now sick of talking about it I want to go out there and kick my dad ‘s ass and yours at pool” I pushed off the sink “And Mom’s going to be coming to Texas with us”

  “Oooo Damn this ain’t going to be pretty” Brit pulled a face.

  ‘I know” I opened the door “I’m not even going to think about it till after Dad’s gone” I stepped out and right into Ryne this time tripping over his feet and almost going ass over tit onto the floor.

  “Whoa I think you must have an inner ear problem” he chuckled catching me round the waist before I fell and swinging me back upright.

  “And I think you must have a stalking problem” I sighed.

  “I’m not stalking I was peeing” he pointed to the guys bathroom door

  “Gee thanks for sharing” I smiled the door opened and Brit walked out bumping into Ryne knocking him in to me his hands caught hold of my arms

  “Oooo hot guy sandwich” She giggled

  ‘Brittany” I Reached round Ryne and Gibbs slapped her “Sorry about her she’s on day release from the local mental hospital” I shot her a look

  “Nice to see you’re helping those less fortunate” he laughed

  “Hey” Brit pulled a face

  “If you take any longer you’ll forfeit the… Oh hello” Dad walked round the corner and folded his arms across his chest “What is it with you two and finding guys”

  “Oh God” Both Brit and I groaned

  “What?” Dad pushed his tongue into his cheek. I stepped back from Ryne and grabbed Dad and pushed him back to the table.

  “You are so embarrassing” I hissed at him

  “What I walk round the corner to go for a pee and find my daughter and niece sandwiching a guy between them” Mom and Aunt Riley looked at us.

  “We weren’t” I groaned

  “Oh we were” Brit giggled as she took the pool cue her Dad held out to her “Firm ass” she mouthed to me making mom snort Beer down her nose. Oh my family is so classy…

  “How do you know?”

  “Duh… I have hands made for squeezing” she waved them at me making me laugh

  “Okay you’re daughter is soooo much like you” Flynn laughed looking at Riley

  “Hey you’re the gropey one” Aunt Riley threw a peanut at him

  “Okay Gross” I grumbled as my phone started to ring. “Saved for hearing way too much about my family’s sex lives” I pulled my phone from my pocket and walked away from the bickering and laughing that was going on.

  Me * hello

  Justin * you up and left me I thought I was supposed to take you to the airport?

  Me * Justin… how did you get my cell number?

  Justin * Jordan had left her cell in the our bunk house after she and… well I sort of borrowed it from her phone

  Me * you took it too far?

  Justin * took what you were begging for it

  Me * Excuse me I punched you in the mouth… and that wasn’t a damn love tap

  Justin * I know you broke a tooth… but it was some come and get me if you think you’re tough enough play and baby I can take whatever you dish out

  Me * wow I must have punched you hard enough to make you delusional

  Justin * I know it wasn’t perfect or romantic but I’ll make it up to you

  Me * I don’t want you too I want you to back off my ass and leave me alone

  Justin * Yeah but you have a fine ass

  Me * Oh god dude please I’m not interested in your cowboy ass…

  Justin * yeah right… I went and got something for you

  Me * Okay I’m hanging up now

  Justin * Aly I did something today that…

  Me * bye

  I hung up the phone and put it on the table I was stood in front of and pushed it away and shuddered. I looked up Ryne and the girl that was with him were both looking at me. I picked up my phone and turned away.

  “You okay?” Mom was in front of me

  “Yeah Justin now has my cell number” I said quietly

  “Can you block it” I nodded “Get it done this Jerk will be getting whats coming to him” I nodded again

  “Hey are you going to talk on the phone all night or are you going to play” Dad walked over and put his arm round me

  “I’m coming” I smiled trying to cover up the feeling of dread I had about going back to the ranch… would it really be so bad if I stayed here

  “Earth to Aly” Dad snapped his fingers in front of my face

  “Sorry” my phone rang again Mom looked at me I looked at the display “I think it’s Ryder”

  “We’ll let you talk him tell him we love him and to take care” Mom smiled pulling Dad away from me. I sat back at the table and answered my phone.

  Me * nice timing

  Ryder * what?

  Me * it’s not going well

  Ryder * why? And I’m fine by the way

  Me * well I sort of figured that because you’re calling me

  Ryder * smart ass… so what’s going on?

  Me * grass ain’t greener in Texas

  Ryder * didn’t take you long to work that out…

  Me * it’s really screwed
up right now. I’m keeping things from dad because of him leaving… Mom and Uncle Flynn and Brit are on the war path… Jordan’s smoking weed and screwing any cowboy that shakes his lasso at her… and I have a delusional guy after me

  Ryder * Alyssa for god sake I haven’t been gone a week

  Me * thanks for your support. Oh and while we’re at it, telling mom and Dad why I went to Texas early. I’m so going to kick your ass so hard you’ll need Kevlar but pads to stop the pain you truly have the ass baton shoved up their sideways

  Ryder * whoa hey I was worried and from the sounds of it rightly so… so don’t give me shit for it

  Me * I’m sorry I miss yu and Jack so much I forgot how much we talk

  Ryder * it’s okay so are you going to fill me in on this guy

  Me * no not yet I can’t I just told Mom and that almost killed me

  Ryder * hey remember I told you not to do something stupid

  Me * I know and I forgot

  Ryder * sometimes I think I got your share of the brains

  Me * Yeah but I got the looks

  Ryder * I have to go Al I’ll call when I can and tell Mom and Dad I love them.

  Me * I will watch your ass Sniper

  Ryder * always love ya

  Me * I love you too

  I hung up and put my head on the table before I took a deep breath and got up from the chair Ryne was still watching me intently okay he was creeping me out and I hoped to god he and his girl weren’t hoping for a threesome.

  Chapter 22

  Spare rifle

  I walked out of the pool hall and took deep breaths of the sea air there were more people around now it was dinner time people finding places to eat after a day on the beach.

  “Sorry” I was bumped by the door and the girl that was with Ryne walked out “are you okay?”

  “Yeah I’m fine” I nodded.

  “Hey I know this might sound strange” Oh here we go I don’t swing that way honey I groaned inwardly “But my brother can’t take his eyes off you” HA he was her brother.

  “I noticed and I hate to sound blunt but it’s creeping me out”

  “I know I told him to stop” she laughed “But Ryne is a law to himself… I’m Ana by the way”

  “Alyssa… Aly” I smiled “and as for your brother I have one just like him so I understand”

  “Do you live round here?”

  “Yeah”

  “So you know where a good restaurant is?”

  “Sure there’s a really good Italian about two blocks away from here or there’s a steak place if you go back about ½ mile from the beach” I pointed back wards

  “Thanks you want to join us I can tell you Ryne will behave” She smiled

  “No I can’t I’m sorry”

  “Oh Okay” her face dropped a little

  “It a family thing” I pointed to Where Brit was using the pool cue as a guitar “Don’t’ ask” I sighed

  “No it’s fine” I opened the door and walked back in past Ryne and his friend Dad was singing some lame song to Mom who was laughing like she was having a fit. I have a damn cool family at the end of the day.

  The next few days the mood became more and more somber in the house as Dad’s bag was placed by the door ready for him to leave. All to son we were again on the parade ground with the other families Uncle Flynn was hugging Mom as I walked into Dads arms and snuggled my head into the camo and inhaled. He stroked my hair and I felt him press his lips to my head.

  “You be strong baby girl okay” I nodded “It’s taking everything I have right now not to run from here and kick that Justin guy into touch” I looked up “You could have told me” I opened my mouth “I understand why you didn’t” he held my face in his hands his thumbs brushing away the tears “But I love you and I would have gone there and taken him out”

  “I know and it’s bad enough I lose you for 7 months what would you get for murder” I hugged him again “I’m sorry I let you down”

  “You didn’t baby girl you didn’t” He sniffed “I love you and I’ll call” I nodded and stepped back Aunt riley rubbing my arms as Mom went back to him, Brit linked her fingers with me the tears streaming down my face as he walked away I hate Deployments.

  My Dad’s words echoed in my head for the entire journey to Texas I’d tried to get the others to not go with me but I’d have better luck at dating Chad Kroeger. I looked out of the window of the plane as we taxied to the gate. Brit was talking none stop she’d been to the ranch a couple of times and had loved it there but this time she was on a mission. I mean normally I’m the one jumping in with both feet when something happens and she waits till the battles half done to wade in for the kill if Jack gives her a chance to. Mom and Uncle Flynn we straight thunder faced and gunning for a flight thank god that Flynn couldn’t carry his side arm. We walked in to the arrivals hall Uncle Brody was standing waiting.

  “Hey guys” He walked forward and looked at me “You should have told me”

  “I know’ I sighed hugging him

  “Hey B” he hugged Mom “I was kinda hoping that the Marines would show up and not you”

  “She’s my daughter Brody and someone’s going to pay” she smiled “and the Marines just ain’t got nothing on me”

  “Oh thanks Sis” Flynn Gibbs slapped her

  “Oh will you too behave” I groaned “Is he still at the ranch?”

  “Yes even though your Aunt Lucy did almost shoot him Yesterday”

  ‘Oh My God” I hung my head

  “Yeah thankfully he ducked to pick something up from the floor” Brody laughed as we got in his truck. “So what did happen in the barn” he looked in the mirror at me “I know it was more than just necking” Brit snorted

  “Who says necking these days” she mouthed to me “Ow” she grumbled as Uncle Flynn Gibbs slapped her.

  “He went further than Aly wanted and we’ll leave it at that” Uncle Flynn’s neck spun so fast I saw it cracked and Brody broke hard

  “He raped you?” Both Flynn and Brody choked out together

  “Technically no I didn’t put up a fight” I sighed feeling about the size of an ant “I did tell him now and you must have seen his lip” I looked at Brody who nodded “but he’s stronger than he looks and…” well to tell you the truth I truly didn’t have an explanation for why I’d let him carry on.

  “Son of a bitch” Brody threw his foot to the floor

  “Let me go to him first” I begged as we got to the ranch

  “Like hell” Flynn growled I promised your Dad and your brother I’d take care of this

  “Hey I’m her Mom I’ll handle it”

  “Hey how about let me handle it first and then I’ll call in the troops”

  “I’m don’t want you to have to deal with him” Mom sighed

  “Mom my head’s clear now and I’m fighting fit and I’m not about to take my shirt off” my Uncles looked at each other “if it’ll make you feel better I’ll take Brit with me to a point”

  “He’s in the barn” Brody sighed Mom and Flynn looked at him

  “We’re right here and if he tries anything we’ll know about it”

  “You have a spare rifle?” Flynn asked

  “Sure” Brody nodded I got out of the truck and walked across the yard with Brit.

  Chapter 23

  Confrontation

  “I think you should just let my Dad shoot him” Brit muttered to me

  “What you want him court-martialed? Because I know I don’t want that” I sighed “I want to give Justin a chance to explain what happened and get his ass off the ranch”

  “Please tell me that’s not all?” She stopped as we got to the door of the barn and pulled me round to face her “What he did was wrong if you didn’t want it to happen then it shouldn’t have happened”

  “Brit give me five minutes to try it my way and then you can light up his ass… but I think you’ll have to be fast to beat those guys” I pointed to where Mom and Uncle Fly
nn were arguing over the rifle Uncle Brody had brought out.

  “Don’t worry I’ve got your back” she smiled

  “Wait here” I hugged her and carried on into the barn. Semper kicked the door to his stall. “Hey baby” I walked over to him and rubbed his nose with my knuckles.

  “You’re here” I turned round as Justin walked over stopping a few feet from me “I’ve been trying to call you and the call wouldn’t go through” he took a step closer to me I put up a hand.

  “I’d stay right there if I was you” he looked at me wrists that were still covered with dressings