Silent Ranks

by USMC Best Friend

  “What happened?” he moved quickly and caught hold of my hand I pulled it out of his hold.

  “You want to do that again and I’ll put you on the floor”

  “Hmmm like the other night and we had a blast” he picked up a strand of my hair and toyed with it. I slapped his hand away. “So you want a replay” he chuckled

  “Hell no… I had to go home and try to explain why I had finger marks on my arms and scratches down my back” I glared at him “I told you No and you ignored me”

  “You wanted it really or you wouldn’t have let me”

  “I told you know and you kept trying and pushing for god sake look at your lip look at the tooth I busted”

  “You just like it rough” he moved closer to me I balled my fist “See I know what you like and what you need Baby” Okay I think I just threw up a little in my mouth “You think you’re a tough girl but a tough girl needs a guy that can handle her and put her in her place”

  “Oh you have to be kidding” I groaned stepping away from him “You think you can control a girl and you think you can control this girl I pulled the dressing’s off my wrists and held them up “See you hate me having tattoo’s and I just got more” his face fell a little

  “Why would you do that where people can see them the ones on your body we could cover up” he tipped his head

  “I don’t’ want to cover them up” I groaned “You need to realize what you did to me the other day by everyone I know is being classed as a form of rape” he threw his head back and laughed

  “You know the last girl I was with said the same thing” Okay well that’s a shocker “But she came round to my way of thinking” he got a really creepy smile on his face “and why did you tell everyone we made love”

  “Made love don’t make me laugh you fucked me there was no love in it” my voice was almost lifting the roof “I said no and I know I gave up but you should have backed away the first time”

  “You just need some coaching baby” he moved closer tipping his head to one side “I did something for you to show you I love you”

  “DUDE YOU MET ME LESS THAN A WEEK AGO” I shook my head

  “So?” he reached for me again I swung my fist sending a stream of blood streaming from his nose

  “Back the hell away from me” there was the all too familiar sound of a gun being cocked.

  “You heard what she said” Uncle Flynn’s Drill Sgt voice filled the air spooking the horses “Or you can breathe in her direction and give me the excuse to pull the trigger” Justin held a rag to his nose

  “You picked the wrong family to mess with” Mom’s voice was cool and calm which was way scarier than when she was in yell mode ‘You think you can get away with touching my daughter when she had said no” Mom walked over “I’ve dealt with douche bag jerks like you before all you use to think with is this” She grabbed his junk a squeak and groan emanated “You think the Marines are tough and ruthless” she hissed in his ear “You ain’t seen nothing till you mess with the Wife and mother of a Marine”

  “She was begging for it she took off her shirt”

  “I was showing you that I had Tattoo’s” I snapped

  “I’m in love with her” Justin pleaded

  ‘You’re a dumb ass” Brit was standing next to me “she doesn’t want you she doesn’t even think you’re that hot and I don’t blame her” I looked at her she just shrugged

  “I did something for you” he ignored Brit and Mom and pulled off his shirt there was a dressing pad over his heart “I hate them but you seem to like them and I wanted to show you how I felt” he pulled off the pad. I saw Uncle Flynn drop his aim

  “Okay so who’s ALICIA?” you could hear the snicker in his voice we all looked at the fresh ink on Justin’s chest

  “It’s her name” Justin stuttered

  “Dude really” I held up Brit who was almost on her knees laughing Even Mom had turned away “My Names’ not spelt like that”

  Chapter 24

  Death grip

  Justin looked at me and then at the name on his chest. Brit walked out of the barn hooting like a mad person.

  “You need some sort of help” I looked at him “You’re delusional… and wow stupid I think is the other word”

  “You’re a Bitch” his whole face changed as he turned to lunge at me

  “Oh No you don’t” Mom grabbed his throat applying pressure just as Dad had taught her stopping him dead in his tracks. Justin gagged and choked “You see when I told you that you’d messed with the wrong family I meant it my little girl has the entire United states Marine Corps watching her back waiting to take down ass holes like you. Right Flynn?”

  “Oh yeah” Uncle Flynn walked over

  “My Niece means the world to me especially when her Dad is away… Now my sister is more than capable of breaking your neck… she’s had a gun held to her head before and will snap if allowed” I backed away “And hell do I want to put this gun in your mouth and blow you off the face of the earth but that would make us as bad as you… You ever, ever think of coming close to this ranch or any member of my family and I will take you down” Justin choked again as Mom increased the pressure “But be warned if I’m not around we know people who will keep a very well trained eye on you… my brother-in-law and nephew are guys that live by one shot one kill and I’ve never seen either of them miss” Uncle Flynn’s voice was low and threatening “Get your shit get out of here in the next 15 minutes or all hell will break loose” He put a hand on Mom’s shoulder, she reacted instantly letting go on her grip of Justin slowly he was terrified right now it was written all over his face like he was face to face with his worst night mare. Flynn was one rough mean looking son of a bitch even when he wasn’t in his uniform. “14 minutes 10 seconds” Justin was running from the barn Mom Flexed her fingers and looked at Flynn the two of them high fiving each other.

  ‘Oh you two are scary good” I groaned leaning back against Sempers stall door his head nudging my shoulder.

  “We always have been” Flynn chuckled Putting his arm round Mom’s shoulder “and you’re mom’s always been Semper Feisty ask your Dad”

  “Ew” I shuddered “Thank you”

  “YOU don’t have to thank us honey” Mom walked over to me and hugged me tight “We love you and we will always do what it takes to protect you”

  “I want to go home” I sniffed a well of emotion was building up right now

  “and home’s going to be?” Mom moved back and looked at me

  “On base… the grass isn’t greener and with a Marine I know what to expect I know how to deal with them and they’re not all psycho stalking mental day release patients” I sighed

  “No baby they’re not” Mom laughed “and the ones that are become drill instructors” she looked at Flynn

  “Oh really you’d better run Sis” he laughed grabbing a bucket of water and launching it over her Brit was waiting by that barn door for mw with Uncle Brody and Jordan

  “So we don’t get you this summer?’ he sighed I shook my head “I’ve arranged to move Semper and Fi to a stable about 10 miles from the base: he wrapped his arms round me “We love you and I guess I’m responsible for this at the end of the day I’ll tell you something I’m vetting and background checking all of the hands in future” I kissed his cheek as Uncle Flynn walked over and handed Brody the rifle. We watched as Justin got in his pick up and bailed as fast as he could from the yard.

  “I hate your leavin’” Jordan pouted

  “I’ve worked out where I want to be” I looked at her “I’ll be back for the new year fest as always” I hugged her tightly “But right now I need to be at home”

  Chapter 25

  Job and an ass

  “Pool hall” Brit walked into my room

  ‘What about it”

  “We’re going down there” she sat on my bed “and I have something to ask you”

  “Oh crap that sounds scary” I pulled on my boots

&nbs
p; “Why the hell are you wearing your” she did quotation marks in the air “Look at me boots”

  “Because I know we’re going to the pool hall I’ve got a job there for the summer while I’m not doing classes”

  “And you were going to tell me this when?” she laughed

  “Now I only got the call from Doug this morning and you were getting waxed” I picked up my phone and put it in my purse.

  “I know and damn that hurt how do you do it” she pulled a face

  “You think that hurt sand you got a ring put in your…”

  “Hi girls” Mom walked in as we walked down the stairs “I’m glad I caught you” she looked at me “You be okay if I head to the Island for a few days your Grandma and I are planning something for your Grandpa’s birthday”

  “No that’s fine” I smiled “It’s the weekend so have fun”

  “Thanks and you girls behave” she winked at both of us. It had been 3 weeks since the show down at the barn with Justin and things were back to as close to normal as deployment allows. I grabbed the keys for my truck and walked out.

  “Jack called this morning he said to pass the message on that they want oreo’s and some new photos of everyone” she looked at me

  “We’ll have to go shopping then” I smiled “so two weeks and your Marine is done”

  “I know and you’re so coming with me to help fend off Grandpa” she sighed “You think it’s crazy to tell him I love him?”

  “What Grandpa ?”

  “No idiot Marek”

  “Wow you must like him”

  “I do he’s different darker somehow”

  “What he been out in the sun or something” I giggled pulling into the parking lot behind the pool hall.

  “No something in his past I think”

  “Oh trust you to find the one with issues” I got out of the truck and waited for her

  “Oh so says the one with the crazy cowboy stalker” she punched my arm.

  “You have a point” I grinned at her “Why don’t ask Doug if you can get work here so you’re not working in the store on base”

  “I like it there” she laughed “and anyway if I come in here when Ryder and Jack get home we can give you crap”

  “Oh thanks” I walked over to the bar while she spoke to a couple of guys she’d graduated from school with. I started waiting on the tables dotted round. I stepped back from taking Britt’s order and trod on someones foot “Oh I’m sorry” I turned round “Oh God”

  “See we have this thing that you become clumsy when I’m around” Ryne was grinning at me

  “No I think you just get under my feet” I pushed my tongue in my cheek

  “Oh it’s the hot ass guy” Britt giggled I looked over my shoulder at her “Sorry”

  “It is pretty cute” he smiled trying to look at his own ass in the reflection in the window

  “Yeah for an ass” I smiled sweetly

  ‘Oooo Ryne you have no game” Ana walked over.

  Chapter 26

  Irritation

  I walked away from them putting in the food order in the kitchen. What an awesome first day at work the crazy guy that kept standing behind me. I came out carrying food for another table. Ryne and Ana were talking together at the bar while Brit was playing pool. Ryne turned on his stool and watched me walk and serve the guys on the far side of the hall before walking back. Ana swatted him and hissed something at him making him smile. I walked back the long way past Brit.

  “Okay so I’m all but ready to smack him in the face with the tray” I held up the large round tray in my hand

  “Who?” She stood up and looked at me

  “That Ryne guy”

  “Why”

  “He’s creeping me the hell out with the staring and the coincidental bumping in to me”

  “No you have to admit every time you to have been in contact with each other it’s you’re clumsy ass that caused it” she laughed and maybe subconsciously you’re flirting with him”

  “Okay I changed my mind I want to hit you with the tray” I grumbled moving away from her back to the kitchen to get the next order. Doug walked in through the door.

  Aly I know it’s your first day and all that but would you mind working tomorrow as well” He smiled at me

  “No it’s fine” I nodded sliding the next order onto the tray”

  “We’re doing something special” He sighed

  “Okay that sound ominous” I laughed

  “Well if I let you go in the next hour or so you think you can get a costume” I stopped loading the tray and looked at him “We’re paying” he held up his hands “There’s a Party for a guys birthday and he’s booked the entire place from 3 tomorrow afternoon”

  “And he wants a costume party” I raised an eyebrow “How old is he 5?”

  “No” Doug laughed “I think he’s aiming for the hot cutie type of girls if the one he’s with is anything to go by so you up for it”

  “Do I get more money?”

  “How does double time sound/”

  “Hell yeah I’ll do it naked for double time”

  “Aly I have a drink license not a strip club one even though I think I’d get more people in here if the waitresses were naked”

  “Okay forget I said it” I groaned “And I have a costume from the party on base last Halloween”

  “Awesome” Doug grinned “Hang on you’re not going to come wearing Ryder’s dress blues are you?” He paused with the door to the hall open

  “No have you seen the size of him and the size of me even his hat’s to big” I grinned walking out with the food I took the tray over to Brit and the two guys she knew that she was talking to. “Remember the Halloween party last year”

  “How could I forget you and Ryder going toe to toe about the way you were dressed” she laughed

  “Yeah and he still lost” I smiled

  “Yeah so what about the costume?”

  “I’m going to be wearing it here tomorrow”

  You are kidding right on base is one thing but here you weren’t wearing a whole lot”

  “I was covered and you’re nurses outfit left nothing to the imagination and I swear to god the Naval officer had a damn heart attack when you bent over” I pulled a face “And we used half a bottle of oil getting you in the damn thing”

  “It was tight” she giggled “Okay so Captain Jack’s hooker sister why do you have to wear that tomorrow night here of all places the last time I check it was summer not Halloween”

  “Doug asked me to work a party here tomorrow night double time because we have to be in costume” I shrugged wiping over the table next to her

  “Okay now that costume isn’t for the eyes of kids and costume parties are for kids right when it’s noit Halloween?”

  Apparently not” I shrugged “So you want to come and keep me company”

  “Hell no you’ll be working what am I supposed to do be on my own up a corner looking like cheap nurse Barbie”

  “Okay but don’t…” I felt hands on my hips making em jump

  “I’m holding you in place so you don’t, a. tread on me or b. fall over me” Ryne laughed from behind me

  “If you don’t get under my feet then I’m perfectly fine” I growled roughly.

  “And here was me going to invite both of you to a party tomorrow night” I moved away from him and narrowed my eyes at him.

  “Party where and what for?” Brit asked

  “Party here and for me it was Ana’s idea” he jerked his thumb back in the direction of where Ana was talking to Doug.

  “I can’t” I coked my head to the side

  “I can” Brit beamed

  “Okay one can and one can’t” he rubbed his hand over the stubble on his chin “So what’s you’re lame excuse”

  “Lame” I stepped forward “Just because a girl doesn’t jump and fall over you when you ask you think whatever the reason is it’s lame” I ground my teeth.

  “Er�
�� my I just point out you have fallen over when I’ve spoken and I think I can remember making you jump when the beer down your back was cold”

  ‘Has anyone told you you’re one arrogant son of a bitch?” I was itching to upside that pretty handsome smug face with the tray again.

  “Often” he pushed his tongue in his cheek “But sometimes I just like seeing how far I can push my luck”

  “Keep pushing smart ass and you’ll be finding my heel in your ass”