“If I were you, I’d start prayin’ my wife is unharmed.” Gun drawn, I turn my back to her and rush outside.
With Lucky in the lead, we hide behind one shack after another as we make our way to the only cement block house in sight. A closer look reveals two boarded-up windows on the ocean side and a larger one facing front.
I motion my pal to the back as I pound on the plywood door. “Tom? Can you come on out for a moment? I need to talk to you.”
“Shotgun!” Sam screams, I jump to my stomach, and wood explodes inches above my head.
Motherfucking son of a bitch. What the hell is wrong with these people?
“Sebastian, you alright, mate?” With my ears ringing, I can barely hear Lucky in my earpiece.
“Affirmative. I’m going in.’ One good kick and what’s left of the entrance disintegrates. Simultaneously, lumber cracks at the back of the house.
“Luck? You with me?”
“Nev-ah bett-ah.” He joins me in the living room, taps my shoulder and back-to-back, we circle past a flat screen TV and a leather lounge chair.
Inching down a dark hallway, we pause at two closed doors. I put an index finger to my lips and point. He’ll take the one to the left, me to the right. Silently, I count backwards with hand signals. Three…two…one…
“Go, go, go!” I hug the bathroom wall across from a toilet.
Reaching forward with my gun barrel, I slide the shower curtain and peek behind it.
Thank you, Jesus.My finger releases the trigger, I lower my weapon, and stare at the most beautiful fucking sight in the whole damn world. My bedraggled wife uncurls from inside the tub, stands, and wraps her arms around me.
“You okay, babe?” Tucking her chin, I tilt her head until her chocolate eyes meet mine.
When she nods, I report. “I have Danger Magnet. Repeat. I have Sam and she’s uninjured. Repeat, the magnet is safe.”
“Seriously? Is that my code name?” A tiny grin appears on her tear-streaked, muddy face.
My eyes water as I squeeze her to my armor and hold her close until Lucky’s scuffle ends in the other room. When he gives the all-clear sign, I unbuckle my chin strap, remove my helmet, and kiss my wife.
Those hands, which I feared I would never touch me again, reach to my neck as mine cup her cheeks and hold her in place.
Out of breath, one side of her mouth turns up. “What took you so long?”
Before I can think of a snappy comeback, Jack interrupts. “Heads up. The Royal Guard is on the way.”
I’ve had my fill of the local law and am about to suggest to Lucky we skedaddle but as always, Slate reads my mind and says in our comm unit. “Don’t even think about it. These guys are Special Forces, an altogether different branch of the Royal Guard. The FBI is here with me and the president has been informed. Stay put. We’ve scheduled a debriefing on Nassau.”
“Helluva vacay, eh?” Lucky rests against the door and winks at my wife who untangles from my arms and pecks his cheek.
“Thank you for keeping him safe.”
“Hey, no kissing the hired help.”
“Mate, it’s me accent. Add that to me gorgeous bod and I’m fookin’ irresistible. I’ll tell you what, I’ll go see to our prisoner. Meet you outside in five.”
Seconds later, tears run down both our faces as my hands run up and down her body. I cup her cheeks and tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “Tell me you aren’t hurt?”
“I’m fine.” She sobs and laughs at the same time.
With all my tactical gear, I can’t embrace her the way I want but I tell her how I feel with my lips on her mouth, her nose, and her eyelids.
“Is five minutes enough?” Surprising me, she unzips my fly and drops her panties.
Holy Almighty God.Here I am thinking I need to treat her with kid gloves while she’s got sex on her mind.
