by Stone, Piper
I’d done everything I could to immerse myself in other, more distinct cultures in other countries, maintaining a strict regime, but that hadn’t pulled me out of the depths of hell either. My decision to return home had been difficult, memories of the distant past almost as brutal as the recent ones. But here I was.
In a cheap motel.
With a plastic cup full of liquor in my hand.
They say what goes around comes around. Maybe this was the perfect start to a new life. I snorted at the thought, taking another gulp of whiskey, although there was nothing cheap about the selection. Sadly, the smooth blend did little to chase away the demons. However, the beautiful woman still cradled in my arms had provided some relief. Just the way her long, dark curls covered a portion of my chest kept my cock almost fully aroused. I could easily take her again, shoving my shaft into one of her tight little holes, fucking her like the beast I’d become.
The taste of her pussy lingered on my lips and the moment I dragged my tongue across them, my cock began to throb. I had to get control, squash my raging libido.
I still had no idea what had compelled me to take control, except the instant electricity had been unmistakable, the sexual tension unlike anything I’d felt with another woman. As if our connection meant a damn thing. We were just two lost souls sharing one sizzling experience in the middle of a rainy night. It didn’t mean a freaking thing.
Damn if her sultry scent didn’t entice every one of my senses. She’d playfully grabbed my tee shirt, sliding into it before easing onto the bed. Maybe the fact I’d ripped her blouse to pieces had something to do with it or maybe she wanted to continue the closeness. Franny had no idea she’d surrendered to a monster. By all rights, I should walk out into the night, pretending as if the round of passion had never happened.
Then why did I remain, her voluptuous body molded against mine? Hell if I knew. Maybe I’d needed the comfort of a warm body for the first time in well over a year. I’d spent the majority of the time since getting the fuck away from the military by myself, refusing to admit I would forever be considered damaged goods. What the hell did I care? I was prepared to go it alone for the rest of my life.
After all, that’s exactly what I deserved.
I swallowed half the cup, finally placing it on the nightstand. The light remained on, the darkness always bringing the monsters crawling to the surface.
And the damn rain continued to fall.
I closed my eyes, listening to the sounds of her even murmurs, almost relaxing enough to fall asleep. Shit, I hadn’t slept a full night in so long I should be exhausted instead of wired, my body humming with the same electricity as before. What the fuck was I doing back in Missoula? This wasn’t home any longer, even if my ma and my younger brother lived close by.
Then there were the men I’d served with. I hadn’t maintained contact after leaving the base, although I’d known Hawk had been the first one to return to Missoula, forging a new life. Jake Travers, the self-appointed papa dog of the six of us, the boyhood friends who’d enlisted together forced to turn into men real quick.
Because of the strict rules.
Because of the blood spilled in a war that hadn’t brought peace to anyone.
The last thing I’d wanted to do was to return, but here I was. As far as a new life? I had no freaking clue what mattered to me any longer. I was numb, dead inside.
Franny murmured in her sleep, her fingers involuntarily digging into my abdomen. Damn if she didn’t feel good in my arms, the respite exactly what I’d needed. Tomorrow was something else entirely. I had no intention of seeing her again and I suspected she felt the same. I didn’t know her, and I certainly didn’t need any complications in my life.
Even if she was more beautiful than any creature I’d laid eyes on.
I took a deep breath, trying to relax. A couple hours of rest wasn’t going to take away from any of my plans.
As if I had any.
She wrapped her leg around mine, forcing me to stiffen. I opened my eyes, gazing down at her then kissing the top of her head. The closeness was unexpected.
So what?
I certainly wasn’t going to bring anyone into my madness.
Once again, I closed my eyes, a sense of anger shoving everything else aside. Maybe I should have eaten a bullet months before, just like everyone had suspected.
No doubt a few wishing I had.
“The fuckers are everywhere!” Snake hissed, crouching low to the ground.
I heard the spray of automatic gunfire in the distance, although our location would be compromised within minutes. “We need to get the fuck out of here.”
“You know me, Vader. I ain’t going anywhere until this mission is complete.”
Pop. Pop. Pop!
A thick haze filled the air, swallowing us in toxic fumes. I covered my mouth, still able to see the helicopter in the distance. The fuckers had tossed smoke bombs to disorient us. “We’re out of time.” I yanked on his arm, fighting his resistance. “Hear me, soldier. I freaking outrank you. You’re coming with me. The mission has been terminated.” I jerked Snake to a standing position, dragging him two feet before he pulled away. Gunfire was now coming from every direction, Hawk’s command barely audible.
“We’re leaving. Now!” Hawk bellowed.
“Fine. Christ. How the hell are we going to save them?” Snake hissed.
“We’ll do it another time. You know Hawk won’t let this go.” We took off running and only seconds later, a glint caught my attention. I dropped and rolled, getting off several rounds, a strangled series of yelps telling me I’d met my goal. A wash of agony swept into my system, a quick gaze confirming I’d been hit. Crawling a few feet, I could just make out Snake peppering a spray of bullets toward the oncoming enemy. We were sitting ducks, the intel we’d received nothing but a lure.
“Run!” Snake yelled.
I powered to my feet, heading in the direction of the waiting bird, the whirl of chopper blades providing a slender amount of comfort. The smoke burned my eyes as well as my throat, the harsh chemical used filling my lungs.
As soon as I reached the landing spot, I caught Hawk’s eye.
“Where the fuck is Snake?” he barked. He’d been insistent on coming on this damn mission, certain that we would be successful. We’d be lucky to make it out of here alive.
I swung around, barely able to see a damn thing. At least the haze was hugging the ground. If not, Hawk would never be able to get us out of here. An ugly realization settled in. Snake had turned back, determined to complete the mission. “No. No! Snake!” Before I had a chance to take a single stride, a powerful explosion occurred, the soundwave reverberating in my ears, the force pummeling me to the ground. A freaking grenade.
“Watch out!” Hawk bellowed as he dragged me toward the helicopter. “We have to get the fuck out of here!”
“Snake,” I huffed, coughing several times, fighting his hold, the pain in my shoulder intensifying.
The whirl of the blades pounded into my ears, the toxic fumes still in my lungs mixing with sand, the combination suffocating. The other men of our unit raced toward the helicopter, scrambling inside. Hawk refused to let go of my arm, looking me directly in the eyes, his riddled with agony.
“We can’t leave him out there!” I exclaimed, gasping for breath, still trying to find Snake through the haze.
“Get the fuck inside,” Hawk growled, shoving me into Mustang’s arms with a hard glare. “Get him on board.”
“Where the fuck you going?” Mustang hissed. “We need to get the hell out of here.”
“I’m not leaving without Snake,” Hawk insisted. The rapid popping of continuous gunfire was getting closer. My gut churned, my heart aching.
“Then we’ll all fucking die!” Mustang snapped.
The stench of smoke was everything, rolling inside the bird. I gasped for air, fighting to get out of Mustang’s firm grip. This wasn’t going to happen.
Smoke.
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nbsp; Gasping, I tried to rouse from the wretched nightmare, my chest heaving. I was more disoriented than normal, finding it difficult to breathe. Why the hell was the light so damn foggy? As I shifted into a sitting position, Franny’s arm falling away, a wave of shock skipped along my spine.
There was smoke all right, only coming from outside the room, the thick and putrid stench creating a wave of nausea. “Franny. Wake up.” I gripped her arm, trying to awaken her. She moaned, barely opening her eyes. “We got some problems.” Jumping to my feet, I raced toward the locked door, pressing my hand against it before yanking the chain lock, breaking the damn thing in my effort. When I threw open the door, the cold air rushing in, I could hear the lick of flames. They were close. Far too close.
The goddamn motel was on fire.
“Franny. Get up!” I grabbed my jeans, struggling into them before returning to the bed. She was barely stirring. Fuck. The smoke was getting too thick, burning my eyes, my lungs screaming for air. I gathered her into my arms, cradling her against my body then racing outside. As soon as I turned around, I realized what we were facing. An entire section of the motel had gone up in flames, the vibrant orange licking toward the sky.
“What is… What’s happening?” she asked, pushing hard against me.
“The damn building is on fire.” I heard the distance blast of sirens and shook my head. What the hell was that damn smell? I was certain I’d heard an explosion, the reverberation still echoing in my ears.
Franny finally opened her eyes, experiencing a violent coughing fit.
Jesus Christ. I realized I hadn’t grabbed the keys to her truck. “Listen to me. I need to put you down. Emergency help is coming.”
“No,” she wailed. “You need to…” Sputtering, she clung to me and in those few seconds, her utter vulnerability kicked a solid blow to my gut. “Get me… out of… here.”
What the hell?
“You need medical attention.”
“No! No, please. You don’t… understand.” She fought with me, pummeling her fists weakly against my chest.
I stared into the blackness, finally hearing screams coming from another section of the hotel. Then there was a loud rumble, a crashing sound as a burst of flames rushed out of a broken window only a few doors down. Fuck. Fuck.
Growling, I eased her down and against the truck. “Stay here.”
Boom!
A wave of debris erupted from the front of another unit, glass and wood flying in our direction. Within seconds, the entire freaking place was going to go up. The sirens were getting closer. “We’re going to wait here.”
“No. That can’t… That can’t happen. I have to get my things.”
When she broke free of my hold, my reactions were far too slow. She almost made it to the door of the room before I was able to catch her, dragging her back instantly. “Listen to me. You’re going to fucking stay by the truck. I’ll get the shit. Promise me you ain’t gonna move.”
She nodded, the dim lighting of the parking lot allowing me to see utter fear in her eyes, but I doubted it had anything to do with the damn fire. She didn’t want to be found.
With me.
Well, hell, I couldn’t blame her. I bolted into the room, the electricity already shut off, the darkness oppressive. Where the fuck had she left her bag? Able to grab the keys, I felt my way through the room.
But not before the fire broke through the wall, climbing along the ceiling. The flames were burning far too hot, the blue hue as they licked across the ceiling telling. This was no accident. Shit. Even through the thick smoke, the fire highlighted her bag, the canvas already smoldering. After taking two long strides, I heard a cracking sound just as I wrapped my hand around her belongings.
Whoosh.
As debris swept over me, the force knocking me to my knees, I heard her scream. All four walls erupted in flames, one collapsing beside me. Holding my breath, I powered my way toward the door, racing into the air, the sounds now echoing. Pain blasted down my arm, but I managed to snag my jacket.
The look of relief on her face was palpable, but I wasn’t entirely certain whether it was more about her belongings. Another blast of sirens indicated the firetrucks were close. Her expression remained imploring, begging me to get her out of here. Growling, I fought to bite back the agony as I unlocked the door on her truck, hitting the unlock button then tossing her bag behind the seat, fighting to get into the hooded sweatshirt. I didn’t like this shit at all, but I damn well didn’t want to be found at the motel either.
Missoula was a big little town and everybody talked smack.
She huddled against the passenger door, slinking down in her seat as I revved the engine, screeching out of the parking lot at a high rate of speed. As I glared into the rearview mirror, the fiery orange glow indicated the entire place had gone up in flames. I pushed down on the gas, trying to keep my shit together. We made it only a mile before three fire engines and two ambulances passed, several law enforcement vehicles shortly after.
Franny remained silent the entire time, although I tell she was struggling in order to breathe. I darted a look, shaking my head. “I should take you to a hospital.”
“No. I’ll be fine.”
“What the hell is this about?”
She finally looked over at me, scooting closer. “You’re burned. Oh, God.”
“It’s nothing.” I flexed my fingers, grateful the injury wasn’t any worse.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Not your fault.”
I was surprised she wasn’t whimpering and after a few seconds, she shifted to an upright position. “What in the hell happened?”
Huffing, I tried to concentrate on driving. Where the fuck was I supposed to take her? “I don’t think it was an accident.”
“Jesus.” The way she issued the single word was like that’s what she expected me to say. Great. I’d been in town only a few hours and might be involved in some kind of horrific crime. Maybe her idea of getting the hell away wasn’t a bad one after all.
“You all right?” I managed.
“Yeah. Just… winded. But I’ll be all right. Trust me. I’ve been through worse.” She sighed, coughing again then folding her arms.
I didn’t want to ask her what the hell that meant. In fact, I remained quiet, the stench remaining in my nostrils pissing me off as much as the nightmare had. There was no doubt I’d made the wrong decision returning to Montana.
The quiet settling between us was thick, but I had nothing to say to her. As we approached the city limits, she seemed even more tense, her body language telling me she was shutting down. “Where am I taking you?”
“You don’t have to worry about me, Vader. Go where you need to, and I’ll drive home from there.”
At least that told me she lived in Missoula. I grimaced at the thought.
“I guess I’m assuming you have somewhere to go,” she stated quietly.
As I started to recognize some of the area, I remembered that Big Meadow Ranch was only a couple of miles down the road. From what I’d heard, Hawk had taken over his father’s ranch after his brother’s death, but even that information was from months before. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I can also take care of myself, but yeah, there’s somewhere I can go.” If Hawk no longer lived there, then I’d camp out in one of the barns until morning. I’d slept in worst locations.
There was no talk of spending the night together. We both knew the score. While the last thing I’d wanted was to see her hurt, whatever demons she was running from she wanted to keep hidden. Fine by me. Who didn’t have scars?
While the heavy rain had stopped, the mist continued, the swishing of the windshield wipers trying to yank me back to ugly memories. I refused to allow that to happen. When I approached the turnoff, Franny moved to the edge of her seat. “Big Meadow Ranch,” she whispered.
“A buddy owns it.” Why the hell had I told her anything personal?
“Oh.”
I didn’t bother pulling in
to the entrance, merely parked on the side, allowing the engine to idle.
“I, um… Do you mind if I keep the tee shirt?”
There was a heavy amount of angst in her voice. “Nah. Don’t matter to me.” When I opened the door, the flood of light was more jarring than before.
“Thank you for saving my life.”
Chuckling, I pulled the hoodie over my head before yanking my bag onto the driver’s seat. At least I had a second pair of shoes. I felt her heated gaze as I struggled into the boots, the ache in my burned fingers pronounced. After finishing, I tossed the bag over my shoulder. “Take care of yourself, Franny.”
“Yeah, you too.”
“And we’re not going to see each other again.” I knew my words were ice cold, but she didn’t need to be hanging around a broken monster.
She didn’t respond for a few seconds then snorted. “Yeah, you’re right. We’re not ever, and I do mean ever going to see each other again.”
Goddamn, I was an asshole.
I didn’t turn around as I walked into the entrance, although a part of me wanted to. Jesus, the woman had managed to get under my skin.
Her beautiful smile.
Her passionate cries when she orgasmed.
The way she felt in my arms.
Fuck.
“Goodbye, Vader,” she hissed, venom lacing her tone.
Goodbye.
The knife sticking into my gut had nothing to do with the burn, but at this point, I had nothing to offer her.
I heard the roar of the engine as she headed away. That’s when I stopped just long enough to steal a glimpse at the taillights. “So long, Franny.” I took a deep breath, the clean mountain air doing a damn good job of pushing the smoke out of my system.
As I trudged down the long driveway, I heard the sound of whinnying horses. I hadn’t heard that in so long. While I used to love riding, that had been years before, long enough that I didn’t remember that guy any longer. I’d been young and entranced with the possibilities of the future, charging headlong into a military career.