Rocco and Mandy: A Red Team Wedding Novella (Book #6.5) (8 page)

BOOK: Rocco and Mandy: A Red Team Wedding Novella (Book #6.5)
9.29Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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The angels were screaming now. The noise in his head was explosive.
 

He crossed from Mandy’s property over to the back of Blade’s, his way brilliantly lit by the moon. This side of Blade’s was near the stables. Kitano sensed him first. A shadow of death slipping down the hill. Rocco swiped the back of his wrist across his eyes. Kitano’s whicker wasn’t his usual. He knew Rocco was a predator tonight.

The angels flew in front of Rocco now, pushing against his chest. Wailing. He shut his eyes, rejecting them. Their touch was nothing but the cool breeze, he told himself. There were no celestial beings. God couldn’t want him to stay here in his hell.

He climbed the fence at Kitano’s corral, pausing at the top. He didn’t want to do this. Angels be damned. He didn’t want to die. Not now. But he couldn’t take living in the dark any longer. It fucking hurt too much.
 

Kitano stood on his hind legs and kicked at the air. Maybe he felt the angels, too. Rocco slipped down the fence on the inside of the corral. Kitano screamed in a way Rocco had never heard a horse do. He screamed, too. He shouted and shouted and shouted, roaring out his pain like a black cloud spilling into the night.

Mandy was jumpy. She had been the whole evening. She’d chalked it up to her leaving earlier that day. The dining room was quiet. Her nerves were drawn so tight, she could barely breathe. She looked over at Kit, who was in the living room with Ivy. Wynn had taken Zavi up for a bath and had promised to read him his bedtime story. She should leave now. There was nothing more for her here. Angel watched her, frowning.

She heard something outside. Maybe it was just coyotes, but her gut said it was something more. She went through the dining room and opened the patio doors. The sound came again. It was Kitano screaming.
 

Mandy bolted outside. Kit and Angel were close on her heels. Someone was screaming with Kitano, the sound unlike anything she’d ever heard before, like a soul being ripped apart. She’d just made it around the gym building when the report of a gun boomed into the night air.
 

Kit ran past her. Angel caught up to her and tried to stop her. She shook him off. Oh, God, it was Rocco. She knew it. Another gunshot roared into the night.

She almost made it to the corral when Angel snagged her and spun her against his chest, blocking her from seeing what was happening in the corral.

“Jesus, Angel. Get her out of here,” Kit snapped.

Angel struggled with her. She freed herself just enough to realize that Kitano and Rocco were still screaming at each other. His fists were raised in the air. A gun was still in his hand. He fired it two more times. She couldn’t make out his words. It seemed a mashup of several languages. His voice was so raw; it was as if his throat bled from screaming.
 

Kitano reared up and pawed the air. Rocco hit his knees. Kit was braced on the corral fence ready to jump inside until Kitano charged forward, his ears back, his teeth bared. He would have mauled Kit if he hadn’t jumped back off the fence. As it was, Kitano slammed into the fence, then turned and looked at Rocco crumpled on the ground in the middle of the big pen.
 

Kitano pawed the ground, then ran to the opposite side of the corral, coming perilously close to Rocco. Mandy held her breath and forced the blood pounding in her ears to go still so that she could hear Rocco.

He was sobbing.
 

Kitano galloped around the fence line twice, tossing his head in an agitated way. “Let me go.” She pushed against Angel.

“No.”

“I can get Kitano away from Rocco.”

“He’ll kill you. He’s not letting anyone near his pen.”

“He knows me.”

“Not now he doesn’t.” Angel lifted his head and called over to Kit, “Four shots. He’s got two more.”

“Yeah,” Kit answered, his eyes glued to Rocco.

When Kitano neared where they stood, Mandy took a step closer. Kitano stopped and turned, focused on her. Angel pulled her against his chest again. “Let Kit handle this, Emmy. Just be still. Please.”

As Mandy watched, Kitano walked a circle around Rocco. Another circle brought him within feet of Rocco’s slumped form. He stood next to him. Shivers rippled through his shoulders. Mandy could hear his heavy breathing as he scented Rocco. He moved a step closer, now standing nose to nose with Rocco. He nudged Rocco, pressed his face against Rocco’s, snorted against Rocco’s neck.

Rocco leaned his face into Kitano’s, then reached up with both hands to hold Kitano’s head. The gun was still on the ground.
 

“Now, Kit,” Angel snapped.

Kit shook his head and held out his hand. “Wait. Just wait.”

Rocco reached up farther to pat Kitano’s long neck. He held on to the horse’s mane as he pulled himself to his feet. He leaned against Kitano’s chest and wrapped his arms around the horse’s wide shoulders. His sobs were quieter now. Much quieter.

The three of them stood on the outside of the corral. Mandy couldn’t stop her tears. She noticed the rest of the team had come outside and were now standing in small groups around the corral.
 

Rocco held Kitano and cried and cried. The horse that had feared men as long as Mandy had known him didn’t fear Rocco anymore. The horse owned the man in that moment, standing patiently with Rocco while they all waited for the storm to pass.
 

After a few minutes, Kit walked over to the gate and stepped inside. Kitano lifted his head and watched him. This time, the horse didn’t seem agitated by his nearness. Kit slowly walked forward until he was within reach of Rocco’s pistol. He picked it up, checked it for bullets, then tucked it in his waistband.

He set a hand on Rocco’s back. Rocco turned from Kitano, shoulders slumped, and faced Kit. The two men hugged. Mandy could hear they were both crying, which started her tears over again. Angel rubbed his big hand over her back.

Kit led Rocco out of the corral and over to them. Before Mandy could even reach for him, he hugged the both of them. Then the other guys were all there. Each of them hugged Rocco. Even Selena.

When he came back to Mandy, he looked pale and defeated, so very lost.
 

“I couldn’t do it,” he said. “I can’t do it.”

Mandy wept as she held his face. She checked him over, from neck to waist, then did a pass over all of him. He was whole and unharmed. What a blessed, sweet sight. “I’m glad.”

Kit palmed his phone. “I’m calling Kimble.”

“No,” Rocco said, his voice like gravel. “Not tonight. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”

“Rocco—” Kit started.

“Not tonight, Kit,” Rocco said.

“We got him tonight,” Angel said, putting a hand on Rocco’s shoulders. Angel hugged him again. “You didn’t do it. Goddamn, Rocco.”

“I couldn’t. There were too many angels in the way. I was shouting at them to leave, but they wouldn’t. Just more and more came. Didn’t you see them?” he asked, looking around at everyone.

No one said anything. Mandy bit her lip, but her choked breath still made a loud sound.

Rocco wrapped his arms around her. “I’m done, Em. I’m done.”

“What does that mean, Rocco?”

“It means I’m going to find a way to live. I’m leaving the dark behind.” He looked over at Kitano, who was watching him by the fence. “Kitano and I both are leaving the dark behind.”

Mandy lowered her head against his chest and wept. He wrapped his arms around her head. “I’m sorry. For this. For everything. Every fucking thing.”

She looked up at him. “You have nothing to apologize for. I only ever wanted you to begin healing.”

Rocco nodded, then kissed her forehead. “I’m ready to start that.” He looked into her eyes. “Will you give me another chance?”

She huffed a laugh and caught his face. “There isn’t any number of chances that I’ll give. Not one or two or a million. I am
always
in your corner.”

Tears slipped down his hard cheeks. He yanked her close and squeezed her. “Thank you.”

Kit came over and set his hand on Rocco’s shoulder. “Let’s head back to the house.” He leveled a hard look at Rocco. “I have your gun.”

“Good. Put it with the others in the bunker. I’ll bring over the rest of the ammo tomorrow.”

Rocco took Mandy’s hand as they started for the house. Kitano walked with them as far as he could in his pen. Rocco walked over to the fence. Kitano didn’t run away. Rocco reached up and scratched his neck then patted his withers. “Is he going to be okay?” he asked Mandy, who also reached up to stroke the horse. “I didn’t set him back, did it?”

Mandy smiled. “Look at him, Rocco. He’s not afraid of us anymore. I think you helped him break through, too.”

“I think he saved my life.”

“I’ve never seen a horse do anything like what Kitano did for you tonight. He kept us away from you, then stood over you and protected you. Let’s see how he reacts to you tomorrow. Maybe we can have you ride him soon.”

“I’d like that.”

Kit kept his hand on Rocco’s shoulder the whole way back to the house. Rocco looked around at the somber group surrounding him. The walk back to the house was sort of like a funeral procession, but in reverse. His friends weren’t walking him to his eternal rest but back to the rest of his life. They were his blood and flesh angels. He smiled, humbled by the realization that he had such friends. He lifted his arm and wrapped it around Kit’s shoulders. Kit frowned at him, but Rocco only smiled back.

“Hey, guys, thank you.”

“For what?” Angel asked.

“For coming out to watch me die.” Rocco met Angel’s eyes. “For holding my woman through all that.”

“Is it over, Rocco?” Blade asked.

“I think so. The angels made it clear that I have something still to do here.” He looked at his friends. “Did you guys really not see them?” They all shook their heads or said “no” in their deep, calm voices. He met Kelan’s eyes.

“I didn’t see them, but I felt a powerful energy with you in that field,” Kelan said. “I think Kitano felt it, too. Otherwise, how would he have known to do what he did?”

At the house, Kit stopped. The guys went inside the living room. Kit’s hand tightened on Rocco’s shoulder as he looked at Mandy. “I need a few minutes with Rocco.”

Mandy checked with Rocco, who nodded. She hugged him, then her brother, and went inside.
 

“Jesus Christ, Rocco. This was the worst night of my life. Worse than when we thought you were killed in Afghanistan.”

Rocco nodded. There was nothing he could say. He couldn’t undo what had just happened.

“You’re off duty until Kimble says you’re fit for work.”

“Good. I can use that time to put my family back together.”

Kit studied him. “I don’t want lip service. Don’t fuck with me. Or my sister. You took years off her life tonight.”

“I did. And I’ll spend my life giving them back to her.”

“Kimble will be here at 0800.”

Rocco nodded. “Good.”

Kit put his hands on his hips and studied Rocco. “I’ve never lost a man, Rocco.”

“You didn’t lose me.”

“Damn near. What happened?”

Rocco pulled a long breath. There wasn’t anything he could say at this point, without returning to his raw, broken self. The angels had made it clear that leaving to be with his baby wasn’t a choice he could make, so there was no point telling Kit about it. “A miracle, I guess.”

Kit’s hard blue eyes held his. “I don’t believe in miracles.”

“No?” Rocco smiled. “I do. I’ve had several in my life. You and Blade finding me in that pit. Getting Zavi back. Having Mandy love me.” A tear spilled down his cheek. “That’s a lot of fucking miracles, Kit.”

Kit huffed a deep sigh, then hooked a hand around Rocco’s neck and brought him in for a hug. “I just want you well again, Rocco, feel me?” He pounded his back, then stepped away.

“Thanks, bro. Me too.”

* * *

Mandy followed the guys inside, reluctant to leave Rocco’s side. Ivy hurried over to give her a quick hug. “Was it Rocco?”

Mandy nodded. Now that the emergency was over, she was suddenly depleted.
 

“He’s all right?”

Again, Mandy nodded, but fresh tears spilled down her face as her mind replayed the terrible minutes when Rocco was in the corral with Kitano.

Ivy put a hand around Mandy and led her to the sofa. “The kids are upstairs with Wynn. Kathy and Dennis have left for the night, so it’s just us here. I put some coffee on and made some sandwiches. Rocco didn’t eat dinner.” Her voice broke. “I don’t know if he feels like eating, but I thought it might help.”

Mandy squeezed her hands. “It will. Thank you.”

“Hey, Ivy,” Val called from behind the bar in the living room. “Any chance there’s some whipped cream in the kitchen?”

“There’s whipping cream. I could make some. Why?”

“I think we need a libation that fits with the night. Something to keep us up but calm us down. Hot cups of Irish coffee sound like just the ticket.”

Ivy smiled. “I’m on it.”
 

Mandy sat on the sofa. Eden and Hope sat on either side of her. Each girl held her hand or rubbed her arm. They kept her warm. She’d been unaware how numb and chilled she was. When Kit and Rocco came inside, Rocco searched for her, then smiled. She latched on to his gaze. Finally,
finally
she could see beyond the madness in his eyes to the real him.

Hope vacated her spot, letting him sit next to her. Mandy turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She cried, giving in to the terrible, endless tears she’d been fighting for months. He pulled her onto his lap, letting her cry freely in the room filled with their friends.
 

“Hey,” Rocco whispered, smoothing some of her hair from her face. “Val’s got something for you.”

She straightened enough to look over her shoulder. Val was sitting on the coffee table, holding a glass mug of coffee topped with thick cream and a box of tissues. “It’s decaf. With chocolate and caramel flavoring and a big topping of whipped cream.”

Mandy slipped from Rocco’s lap and blew her nose, discovering as she looked around the room that all the couples had paired up, many of the girls were also quietly crying sympathy tears.
 

BOOK: Rocco and Mandy: A Red Team Wedding Novella (Book #6.5)
9.29Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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