Rocker stopped by the bedside table of his hotel room and pulled out his wallet. He snapped a picture of his military ID and sent it to Rayne’s number. Sitting down to his cold dinner, he took a bite of the take-out burger and texted Sledge.
I reached Rayne. She’ll fly in tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted.
A few minutes later, Sledge replied.
Good. I say if this doesn’t work, we plan our own extraction. We can’t let Sassy P down.
We won’t.
Rocker placed his phone down while he shoveled the food into his mouth. Fifteen minutes later, it buzzed with Rayne’s flight information.
When he finished, he threw the wrappers in the garbage and headed to his car. Every day, he stopped by Scarlett’s home, only to be told she had fallen asleep or suffered from a headache and refused to see any visitors. He hoped this Rayne might have some better ideas before he took Sledge’s advice and scaled the side of Scarlett’s house and hauled her ass out the window. There weren’t many people he’d willingly go to such lengths for, but Sassy Pants got him home to see his wife and two boys when hefound himself cornered and with no way out. The memory flashed in his mind.
“There’s no way out, I’m surrounded,” he whispered into his mic, holding his wounded arm. “I’ve lost contact,” he said to no one as the static grew louder. Rocker leaned against the wall, resigned to his fate. The unexpected explosion disoriented him, and his coms stopped working. His teammates seemed to have disappeared. Then an angelic voice echoed in his ear.
“I’m right here, Rocker. Tell me what you see,” Sassy Pants ordered calmly.
“I’m in a makeshift shed or barn. There’s smoke nearby. It’s coming through the cracks. They’re searching for us, I’m not gonna make it,” he said desperately. “Tell my wife I didn’t suffer. Make sure she knows I love her and the boys,” his voice trembled.
“Take out your tampon and focus. You can tell her yourself. Sledge and Parrot are working their way to you, and I have air support en route. ETA of six minutes. You mentioned a barn. Do you see any hay or animals?”
His head pounded, and the building shifted when he opened his eyes. “There’s a pile of straw.”
“Do you have any injuries?” she asked.
“My arm won’t move. There’s a piece of wood stuck in my shoulder,” he reported, moving against the thin wall.
“Listen to me, Rocker. Where’s your gun?” she asked firmly.
“I got it with me. I’m dizzy and can’t see shit,” he growled, bracing himself for the insurgents to rush inside.
“Can you get to the straw? Hunker down. ETA three minutes. Do you hear me, Rocker? I need you to take cover until Sledge and Parrot come for you. You’ll hear the air strikes any minute.”
“They’re getting closer,” he told her, trying to raise his weapon.
“Don’t speak. Click the mic when you reach the straw. Lie down and cover yourself. Hold on, Rocker. Listen to my voice and take one step at a time. You’ll owe me a trilogy when I get your ass back here. I might even make you read one of my trashy novels. Youmight learn a few things your wife might like.” Her voice acted like a beacon in the storm, and he clung to it until he reached the area and clicked his mic.
“ETA, one minute,” she assured him. “Hold on, Rocker. I got you.”
A minute later, all hell broke loose, missiles hit their targets, and relief flooded him when Sledge and Parrot appeared. Sledge threw him over his shoulder while Parrot watched their six. Another team rushed them to safety.
Two weeks later, he smiled as he ordered Scarlett a new thriller trilogy from his hospital bed.
No. Failing Sassy P in her time of need wasn’t an option.
CHAPTER 6
Rayne wavedwhen she noticed the man from the ID walking toward her.
“Thank you for coming,” he said, taking her bag from her and leading her to his rented vehicle.
“Have you seen her today?” Rayne asked as she buckled her seatbelt.
“I stopped by this morning. Her father informed me Scarlett stayed up late last night and was still sleeping. We ate breakfast and played cards until I left to pick you up, but she never rang her bell.”
“Her what?” Rayne exclaimed.
“Yeah. They gave her a fucking bell to ring when she needed something to prevent her from falling down the stairs. She’s lived in the same house all her life and suddenly forgot the layout,” he said sarcastically.
