Chapter Four
Riley’s scentof cherry blossoms was driving Josh mad as he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. He swore her sweet smell was stuck to his nostrils, and he’d only escorted her from the inn to Dad’s house a block north.
She’d been reluctant to take Josh up on his offer, but he couldn’t have her driving into the city late at night. Like any big city, San Fran was easy to get lost in. Josh actually took comfort in knowing she was apprehensive. That showed him she didn’t trust so easily, and that alone would keep her out of danger. He didn’t know why he was even thinking about danger when it came to Riley. Josh had this overwhelming urge to protect her, and hell if he knew where that feeling was coming from.
He closed his eyes, willing sleep to come like he had every other night since he’d returned home from Afghanistan. Josh was mainly afraid to sleep for fear he would relive that explosion over and over again. Anytime he did, he always woke up in a cold sweat with pain gripping his leg.
Still, he had to get some shuteye, or else he would be useless at work the next day and at taking care of his dad. But Dad did have in-home health care four days a week, and tomorrow was one of those days, so Josh wouldn’t have to tend to his dad’s every need.
Charlie curled up closer, and Josh wrapped his arm around the golden retriever before closing his eyes, his body finally giving in to sleep.
The apartment building was deathly quiet. The only sound was the creak of the stairs that Josh climbed with Wiggs, a brother at arms and a friend, behind him. They both had their guns at the ready, checking each apartment as they crept down the hall of the third floor, along the wall.
Josh was approaching an open door, when a little boy ran out. Josh sucked in air, his arms tense, and his gun primed to fire.
They boy’s big brown eyes went wide.
Josh waved him off. “A boy is heading down,” Josh said into his comm unit.
“Copy that,” his lieutenant said.
Josh held up his fist, a signal to wait while he quickly poked his head into the open apartment door, once then twice. He pointed one finger forward, indicating that he was going in. Wiggs followed closely.
The dingy place stunk of sweat and blood.
The word “clear” blared through Josh’s earpiece as others on his team checked the floors below.
He slowly looked around, turning his head with his gun out in front of him. He caught a glimpse of someone darting through the archway that led into the kitchen. He held up his fist again, but Wiggs bumped into him.
Josh pointed to the bedroom door, indicating that Wiggs should check the bedroom, then proceeded toward the kitchen. A floorboard groaned.
“Bandon,” Josh’s lieutenant called through the earpiece. “Report.”
Josh hated to utter a word, but at that point, the enemy knew he was inside.
“We’ve got movement in here.”
“Is it our package?” Lieutenant asked.
Before Josh could respond, the man appeared, wrapped in explosives, blocking Josh’s way into the kitchen.
Josh froze. “Wiggs,” he said as calmly as he could. “Get the hell out of here.”
“Bandon.” Lieutenant’s voice returned. “Report.”
All Josh could think about was that he would never see his family again.
It was too late to run, too late to jump out the window, too late to say goodbye, and too late to plead with the young man to not press the trigger. Josh had learned rather quickly that bargaining for a life with anyone in this country was useless. So he gave in to whatever was about to happen because even if he got five feet away, he was a dead man.
“Lieutenant,” Josh said as calmly as he could. “Please make sure my folks know that I love them.”
Lieutenant started shouting, saying something Josh couldn’t make out because he was praying and shaking his head at the young man. Again, Josh knew no matter what he said the bomber wouldn’t back down. But with a minute before his life was over, Josh had to give it the old college try.
“Please, don’t do this.”
The man’s dark gaze studied Josh as though Josh were the weirdest person he’d ever seen. Then the man blessed himself and pressed the detonator he was holding.
The world rained down around them.
