Protecting the Future (SEAL of Protection Book 8) (3 page)

Jess blushed, glancing at her friends to see if they’d heard her husband’s words. Seeing they were cooing over her kids, but smiling, she realized they’d heard every word her husband had said. Knowing they were happy for her, she nevertheless whispered back at Kason, trying to keep her friends from hearing
everything
, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she’s up in a bit. I like it when you have plans. Love you.”

Kason kissed Jess hard, then stepped back. “Love you too.”

Jessyka settled down into an empty chair and watched as Kason sauntered away toward his teammates, and then smiled as her three friends settled into the chairs beside her.

Soon, Caroline and Alabama wandered over to join the little group. They pulled up chairs and sat in a semi-circle, watching the kids play in the bounce house and the other equipment in the park.

“I freaking love this,” Fiona announced.

“What?”

“This. Us. Being here. Holding babies. Watching the kids play. Watching our husbands talk about who knows what manly shit they’re talking about. We are six lucky women, that’s for sure.”

Everyone nodded.

“Five and a half kids, six husbands, six friends.”

“Five and a half?” Caroline questioned.

Fiona gestured toward Cheyenne’s protruding belly. “Yeah, I’m counting Cheyenne’s baby as a half until she’s born. Until Cheyenne has to change diapers, it’s only a half.”

Cheyenne laughed at her friend. “You know what’s missing?”

“What?” Fiona asked.

“Tex and Melody.”

“True. We should totally Skype them while we’re here,” Caroline proclaimed.

“Oh, hell yeah. That’ll be awesome. I haven’t seen her and Akilah in too long!” Fiona chimed in.

“How’s Akilah doing?” Cheyenne asked.

“Last I heard from Melody, she was great. She had the amputation, and Tex is teaching her the ropes on how to take care of her stump and how the prosthetic works,” Caroline told the group.

“Does she miss Iraq?”

“I don’t think so. Tex and Melody have done a great job in making sure they cook her familiar foods, and they’ve even found a support group there in Pittsburgh so she can talk to and be friends with other girls displaced from Iraq.”

“Did they ever find her parents?” Alabama asked.

Caroline shook her head sadly. “Akilah says they were killed, and Tex doesn’t think she’s lying about it. She was lucky the United Nations doctor over in Baghdad felt sorry for her and pulled strings to get her seen back here in the States. Contacting Tex and letting him know her story was the best thing that ever happened to her.”

“How’s she doing in school?” Summer asked.

“Melody says she’s still struggling with English a bit, but she gets better every day. It’s hard enough being twelve years old, but to be twelve in a new country, learning the language,
and
dealing with a major injury and how to get about in daily life with only one arm…well, Melody is amazed at how well she’s doing.”

“We are
so
Skyping them today!” Alabama announced resolutely.

After chatting for a bit longer, Sara finally woke up and Fiona put her down and all the women watched the little two-year-old toddle off to play with a group of kids in a big sandbox nearby. Jess waved at one of the other mothers from the base, who motioned that she’d watch the little girl.

The group sat around talking about feeding, toddlers, childbirth and other random topics until one by one their husbands came over. Wolf and Mozart pulled up chairs next to their wives, Dude stood behind Cheyenne and rubbed her shoulders. Benny and Cookie sat on the ground next to their wives, and Abe scooped Alabama out of her chair and sat in it, with his wife on his lap. Brinique and Davisa wandered back over, finally tired from running around, and sat next to their new mom and dad.

“Thank you all for coming out today,” Alabama told everyone. “It means more than you’ll ever know. I’m proud of us. I have two children who I helped take out of a horrible situation, much as I had growing up. Jess, you and Kason got right to work and started popping out babies right after you were married. The house you guys bought out in the countryside is beautiful, and after Kason finishes fixing it up, it’s going to be even better. Fiona, you’ve come a long way from where you were after Hunter found you.”

“Well, I’ve had a lot of therapy,” Fiona said honestly. “And a lot of help from my friends.”

Everyone nodded in agreement and Alabama continued. “Cheyenne, you’re the most beautiful pregnant woman I’ve ever seen. And I swear if you didn’t tell me the doctor had most definitely said there was only one baby in there, I’d think you were having triplets.”

“Shut your mouth, evil woman,” Cheyenne teased. They all laughed at the gleam in Faulkner’s eyes.

“Looks like Faulkner wouldn’t mind, though.”

“Yeah, well,
he
doesn’t have to squeeze them out his—”

Alabama interrupted Cheyenne, gesturing toward Brinique and Davisa in warning as she did. “And Summer, I’m so proud of you for getting that HR Director job. I know you weren’t sure you wanted to get back into the field, but the small-company thing is working for you. And April is beautiful as well.”

Alabama took a deep breath and turned to Caroline. “And Caroline. What would all of us have done without you? Seriously. You’re our leader. You took us in and cared for us from the get-go.”

“Well, except for warning me off Faulkner,” Cheyenne said with a laugh.

“You and Matthew might not have any kids, but why do I feel sometimes as if we’re
all
your kids? You’re there when we have questions and worries. You’ve looked after John when he was colicky and Jess didn’t know what to do anymore. You babysit Brinique and Davisa whenever I ask, without question. You make sure Tex, Melody, and Akilah are always included and invited when we do things. You’re the glue that holds us all together when our men go off to save the world. I love you more than I can ever say. Thank you for being you, and for being our friend.”

Wolf, Abe, Cookie, Mozart, Dude, and Benny all rolled their eyes at each other good naturedly when their wives all started crying. They might be tough-as-nails women who wouldn’t let them get away with any crap, but with the pregnancy hormones and general happiness they all felt at the moment, it seemed as if they could all cry at the drop of a hat.

“I thought Mommy was happy?” Davisa said in confusion in a too-loud whisper to Christopher.

Everyone laughed at the five-year-old’s innocent statement and wiped their eyes.

“We are happy, baby. But sometimes people cry happy tears,” Alabama tried to explain.

“Grownups are weird,” Brinique explained to her sister. “Can we go play some more?”

Abe palmed his daughter’s head. “Yes. Be careful though.”

“We will. Come on, Davisa, race you to the monkey bars!”

The two girls ran away from the group shrieking with laughter.

“This is one of the best days of my life,” Cheyenne declared. “Friends, kids, and the love of my life by my side. What else could we ask for?”

Everyone agreed wholeheartedly.

Each of the twelve people in the close-knit group would remember this day and the joy and love surrounding it in the upcoming weeks, needing the memories to keep them going.

S
ergeant Penelope Turner
was once again seen on a videotape provided by ISIS. Turner has been missing for six weeks now. This video was the longest one of the kidnapped American soldier to date. She is seen sitting in what seems to be a tent and reading from a long-winded, rambling letter that extols Allah and claims, among other things, that there will be more killing and deaths if the Americans don’t stop sending soldiers to the Middle East.

She reads the letter in a monotone voice, and doesn’t look up at the camera at all. She only looks up after a voice is heard reprimanding her in the background. Analysts have concluded that Turner looks like she has lost some weight, but she is still remarkably healthy, all things considered.

There has been no word from the President about what, if any, rescue attempts are in the works for this brave American soldier. Her family continues to push for information and for the government to make some sort of gesture to gain her freedom. The official response is that the United States does not negotiate with terrorists.

More information at the ten o’clock hour.

C
heyenne sat
on the couch with Faulkner and held his hand firmly.

“We’re leaving in the morning.”

“But—”

Dude hauled Cheyenne into his arms and held her as tightly as he could with her enormous belly hampering his efforts. “I don’t want to go. Dammit, I don’t want to go. I even asked Commander Hurt if I could sit this one out, and was denied.”

“Really?”

Dude nodded. “Yeah. Which means every single one of us is needed for this mission. I won’t lie to you, baby. I have a bad feeling about it. I don’t know if it’s because I have to leave you here, about to have my baby, or if it’s because of the mission itself. But mark my words.
Nothing
is going to keep me from getting back here to you and our little one. Nothing. Got it?”

Cheyenne nodded and sniffed. She’d always tried to be brave when Faulkner had to leave, but this time was different. They’d practiced breathing techniques together, he’d gone to every doctor appointment with her. He hadn’t missed one step of her pregnancy. The thought of her husband missing the actual birth of their daughter made her feel empty inside.

“Words, Shy.”

She smiled at that. He hadn’t changed in the two years since they’d met. He was still as bossy as ever. “Yeah. I got it.”

“Your only job is to stay safe. Keep our daughter safe. You’ve got all the girls here to keep you busy. If, God forbid, I miss the birth of our daughter, make sure you get someone to film it for me.”

“What?” They hadn’t talked about that at all. “I’m not filming it. Gross!”

“Shy, I’ve waited my entire life for this moment. To watch my child being born is not gross, it’s fucking beautiful.”

“But, Faulkner—”

“Please.”

Well shit. He’d said please.
She
was usually the one begging, not him. She nodded reluctantly. “Okay, but we are not breaking out the video of my cooter to show off to anyone else. Ever.”

Dude only smiled. Double shit. He sobered and said in a gruff tone, “And if your so-called family dares to show their faces at the hospital or try to insinuate they should be allowed to see my daughter, sic Caroline on them.”

Cheyenne smiled, remembering the last time Faulkner had “sicced” Caroline on her mom and sister. They’d shown up at
Aces Bar and Grill
while they were eating, and Caroline had headed them off before they’d even gotten close to their table. Cheyenne didn’t know exactly why they’d come to see her, Caroline wouldn’t really tell her, but they’d probably wanted something from her.

Caroline had gone off on her family. Cheyenne hadn’t even
heard
of some of the insults she’d hurled at them. Faulkner had kept his eyes on the trio, but hadn’t moved while Caroline was giving them hell. It wasn’t like him to not take the opportunity to tell her family how much he didn’t respect or like them, but he’d told her later that Caroline had been doing such a great job at dressing them down, he didn’t feel the need to join in.

Cheyenne answered Faulkner, “I will, although I don’t think they’ll show up. I think they finally got the hint when you returned their Christmas card unopened with the words, ‘You don’t exist for Cheyenne anymore,’ scrawled on the back.”

Dude leaned down and buried his face in his wife’s hair and rested his hand on her swollen belly, not addressing her comment about the stupid Christmas card, but instead saying what was foremost on his mind. “I love you, Shy. And I love our daughter. I don’t know what I’d do without you in my life. You take me as I am. You’re my match in every way. I’m dying inside thinking I might not be around for one of the most important days in our lives.”

Cheyenne held on to Faulkner, knowing she had to reassure him. “Even if you don’t get back for her birth, this is only the start of this child’s life. Even if you miss the big events, you’ll be there in the middle of the night when she needs changing. You’ll be there when she has a nightmare. You’ll chase the boogeyman out of the closet for her. You’ll take her for ice cream and let her cry on your shoulder when she falls down. You’ll teach her to ride a bicycle. You’ll be there giving the evil eye to her first date. You’ll be there for her everyday life. Missing events here and there doesn’t matter. It’s being there for the everyday, boring things that she’ll remember most and that are important. Yeah?”

“Fuck, I love you.”

Cheyenne smiled. “I love you too. Should we talk about names again?” She hated to bring it up, as they usually ended up arguing about it, but if Faulkner had a feeling he might not make it home for her birth, they’d better talk about it now.

“No, I don’t want to jinx it. If we decide now, I
know
I won’t make it home in time.”

Cheyenne smiled at him in exasperation. “But if you don’t make it home, I’ll have to name her without you. I don’t want you to be disappointed.”

“We’ve talked about this enough, Shy, you know what I like and what I don’t.
If
I don’t get back, I trust you to give our daughter a name she won’t get made fun of for the rest of her life and that she won’t want to change as soon as she’s old enough to think for herself. Now, if we’re done with this conversation, I need to show my daughter who her daddy is one more time.”

“Jeez, Faulkner, I swear you’re hornier now when I’m as big as a house than you were when we first got married.”

“I can’t help it. You’re just so fucking beautiful with my child inside you, I can’t get enough.”

Cheyenne let Faulkner help her off the couch—lord knew she had trouble getting out of it on her own nowadays—and lead her into their bedroom. There, he proceeded to strip her out of her nightgown and he spent the next few hours worshiping her body and showing her in every way he could how much she meant to him. He loved her as if it might be the last time he’d ever get to love her.

“
Y
ou’ve got
your tracking thing, right?” Jessyka asked Kason nervously for the third time that night after they’d put the kids to bed.

“I’ve got it. Don’t worry.”

“I can’t not worry. Every time you step out of the house, I worry.”

“I know, and that’s one of the four hundred and thirty-three reasons why I love you.”

“Only four hundred and thirty-three?”

“Come here, Jess.” Benny hauled his wife into his arms. “We get called away on missions a lot. Why are you so worried?”

“I don’t know. I just have a feeling this time is different.”

Benny didn’t say anything, because he had the same feeling. He changed the subject. “Are you all set with John and Sara? Will you be able to do your volunteering thing at the youth center without me to help with them?”

“Yeah, Caroline said we could come and stay there for a few nights and Fiona said the same thing. I can go and volunteer while they’re looking after the kids.”

“I hate that you don’t feel comfortable being out here in our house when I’m not here.”

Jess tried to explain. “It’s not that I don’t feel comfortable, but you do a lot, and you don’t even realize it, I don’t think. With John and Sara being so close in age, and John just now starting to walk and Sara needing lots of attention, it’s just easier for me to have help.”

Seeing the dismayed look on her husband’s face, Jess hurried to reassure him. “I’m not saying this to make you feel guilty. Single parents do it by themselves all the time, and I have a newfound respect for all the men and women out in the world who are raising their kids on their own. Caroline and Fiona have offered to be that help. That’s all.”

“Okay, Jess. I’ll let it go. I’ll be back as soon as I can and I’ll work even harder to get the house finished up so you’ll feel more comfortable here. Maybe we can look into getting some help around the house. A nanny or something. I don’t want you to lose yourself either. I know how important volunteering at the youth center is. It’s your way of helping kids like Tabitha.

Jess sighed as she thought of the young girl she’d loved, but ultimately couldn’t help.

“Yeah, I can’t help but think that if Tabitha had had some sort of safe place to go after school, maybe she wouldn’t have felt so isolated and maybe she would’ve spoken up about the abuse she was going through.”

“I’m proud of you, Jess. You could be bitter or depressed over what happened to Tabitha, but you aren’t. You turned the experience around and used it to fuel your desire to help other teenagers.”

“You’re the best husband ever, Kason. Don’t forget it.” Jess smiled at him. She loved him so much and had no idea what she’d done to get so lucky to have him in her life, but she wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. She wasn’t letting him go. Ever.

“I won’t, but if you feel like showing me how great I am before I go…I wouldn’t be opposed.”

Jess giggled and stepped back from him and pointed over his shoulder. “What is
that
?”

When he turned to look, Jessyka smiled and hurried out of the room toward their bedroom as fast as her body would take her. She threw her words over her shoulder as she made her way down the hall. “Ha! Made you look! First one in the bedroom gets to be on top!”

“Why, you little sneak!” Benny said with no heat. He came after her, but made sure to let Jess stay in front of him. He liked her on top as much as she liked being there. Her limp, a result of one leg being shorter than the other, didn’t really slow her down, but they both knew if he really wanted to, he could overtake her in a second. Watching his wife’s sexy ass sway as she fast-walked down the hall to their bedroom never failed to make him smile.

Later that night, Benny knew he’d never forget the look on Jess’s face as she rode him. Her head thrown back, her long black hair brushing against his thighs, and the smile on her face. It was pure gold, and she was all his.

M
ozart sat
in the rocking chair holding his six-month-old daughter and looking down at her in awe. She was the most amazing thing he’d ever seen. He wasn’t a sappy man. He’d lived a hard life and never expected to have a wife, never mind a daughter. One of his favorite things ever was watching as April breastfed from Summer. His girls. They were so beautiful it made his heart hurt.

April had woken up a bit ago. She was doing better at sleeping through the night, but still had times where she’d wake up, and he’d fetched her and brought her to Summer. Summer had only been half awake and Mozart had helped April latch on to his wife’s nipple and he’d held his daughter to his wife’s breast as she nursed. Summer had smiled tiredly at him, and palmed his face when April had finished.

“Thank you, Sam. I love you.”

“Shhh, you’re welcome. I love you too. Go back to sleep. I’ll be back.”

Now he was sitting in April’s room. His daughter had fallen back to sleep a while ago, but he was enjoying breathing in her baby scent and holding her in his arms. She was growing up so fast and he could suddenly envision her as a teenager, not wanting her dad to hug her. In the back of his mind, Mozart tried to tamp down the worry he had about the mission they were about to go on. Even though they’d been on many missions similar to this one, somehow he knew this one would be different.

Summer found Sam in their baby’s room, rocking her and watching her sleep. “You didn’t come back,” she said softly, not wanting to disturb her daughter.

Mozart looked up at his beautiful wife. Her blonde hair was in disarray around her face and her blue eyes were sleepy. She’d thrown on one of his shirts that he’d inevitably left on the floor and was holding it closed around her body with her arms crossed in front of her. His heart felt as if it was going to burst with love for her. He’d come so close to losing her two years ago, and there wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t thank God the team had gotten to her in time.

“Hey. Sorry. Can you believe we’ve had her in our lives for six months already? You never know what you’re missing until you have it in the first place.”

“Like you.”

“What?”

“Like you. I never knew I was missing you, until I
had
you.”

“Come here, Sunshine.”

Summer padded over to her husband and kneeled on the carpet next to the chair. She palmed his scarred cheek and ran her thumb over his lips. “Even if we’d never had April, my life would’ve been completely full. April isn’t a culmination of our love. I love you, Sam Cooper.”

“You’ll never know how glad I am that you stood up for me that day up at Big Bear. By some miracle you don’t see my flaws, and I’m not only talking about the scar on my cheek. I love you too, Sunshine. You and April are the most important things in my life. I’ll move heaven and earth to always come home to you.”

“I know you will. Come to bed, hon.”

Mozart nodded and stood up, careful not to jostle his little girl. He lay her gently in her crib and kissed her on the top of her head, her fuzzy hair soft against his lips. He put his hand on her back, amazed at how tiny she still was. He could cover her entire back with the palm of one hand. “Rest easy, Angel. Daddy loves you.”