Mercy: Second Chance Military Romance (5 page)

The moment he reached out to grab my arm with his hand, I screamed, hoping someone noticed.

SEVEN

Tyler

When I heard her scream, I leapt into action, rushing toward her CHU. The lights were on, but I had no idea what was happening inside. Had she seen a rat or something?

The door burst open, and she ran outside. Roger lumbered out right behind her, a sick and demented smile on his face. I slowed down, stopping near Mercy.

“What’s wrong?”

“You need to teach your boy some manners,” she said, pointing at Roger.

He smirked.

“What did you do?” I demanded.

“Nothing you don’t want to do with her,” he said, puffing out his chest.

I stepped forward, pressing mine against his. He stood a few inches taller than me, but I wasn’t afraid of fighting him in the least. Brain won over brawn all the time.

“What the fuck did you to do her?”

“Nothing happened,” Mercy said, grabbing my arm with both her hands.

She pulled at me, but I didn’t budge, standing my ground.

“You like me, don’t you babe?”

Roger patted her ass with his hand.

“Hey,” she said.

“That’s it you son of a bitch.”

I swung and punched him dead on the temple.

He growled and bent into a defensive stance, his fists up.

“Knock it off you two,” Mercy cried.

“She’s right.”

I lowered my hands.

“Too late for that, punk.”

He lunged, hitting me with an uppercut to the jaw.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mercy run outside.

“Why are we fighting?” I asked, not wanting to get into it with him.

“Because you need to know who’s the alpha dog around here.”

I dodged out of the way as he swung again, missing completely.

He threw his arms up as I punched again, hitting his forearm.

“What the fuck, guys!” Harris yelled as he ran into the room.

“Roger needs to get the fuck out of here and not come back.”

I kept my hands up as I bobbed up and down, waiting for him to take another crack at me.

Harris stepped in between us. Mercy walked back inside.

“All of you need to leave,” she said.

I stared at Roger, daring him to make a move.

He put his hands down, grinning like an idiot.

“I’m out of here.”

As he stepped toward the door, I stepped aside.

“That’s better,” Harris said, following him.

I hung back, looking across the room at Mercy.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

The other two men walked outside.

She took a deep breath, shaking her head.

“I came because you were yelling. I’ll go.”

“No, wait,” she said, putting her hand on my arm.

“Yeah?”

“I’m leaving soon, and you seem to have little time for that romantic date you promised me. I need something to remember Afghanistan by.”

I smiled, my heart still racing.

“Fine. I’ll stop by tomorrow. If you need anything just yell, and I’ll come running.”

“Promise?”

“He won’t bother you again. I can promise that.”

She moved her hand away. I missed her touch.

“Have a good night, Mercy.”

“You too, Tyler.”

I walked outside her CHU, closing the door behind me. The half-full moon had risen in the sky as I walked to the sleeping quarters I shared with Harris.

As I approached, I saw Roger standing outside the door. He punched his fist into the palm of his other hand and shrugged his shoulders a few times.

Do you want more? I’ll give it to you.

He tilted his head back and puffed out his chest. I stopped in front of him.

“We can’t be fighting over pussy, bro.”

“I’m not fighting over anything.”

“Oh, so now you didn’t sucker punch me?”

He laughed.

“What do you want, Roger?”

“I want to make sure you don’t open your stupid mouth to that reporter chick about what we got going on.”

“What you got going on,” I said. “I’ve told you I want nothing to do with it anymore.”

“And I’ve said you don’t have a choice in the matter.”

His chest bumped against mine as he stepped forward.

“Hey, Tyler,” Harris called from behind Roger. “You coming in, bro?”

“I’ll be there in a second,” I said. “Me and Roger have some stuff to work out.”

“Alright, man. No more of that fighting bullshit.”

“He said go inside!” Roger yelled, not taking his eyes off mine.

The door closed. I concentrated on my breathing.

“Roger, I mean it. I’m done. My tour is over soon, and I’ll be going home.”

“You’ll sign up again.”

“No, Roger, I’m not.”

His lip twitched.

“Look, I’ll not say anything to Mercy or anyone else. I’m implicated in this mess myself.”

“Damn right you are,” he said. “Don’t forget that shit.”

“Go get some sleep, Roger. And cut down on the Steroids. That shit is making you crazy.”

“Maybe, but I’m buffer than any mother fucker in Afghanistan.”

“Whatever, man. I’m going to bed. Lay off the reporter, okay? We don’t want any extra eyes on either of us right now. She’ll be leaving in a few days.”

“Yeah?”

“That’s what she said. Captain is sending her home.”

Roger grinned.

“You had nothing to do with that, did you?”

He patted me on the shoulder.

“Later, man.”

I watched as he walked away to his CHU about twenty feet away. Did I need to stay up all night and make sure he didn’t go back to mess with Mercy? I decided against it. Instead, I laid in my bed and came up with something somewhat romantic for my date with the reporter the next day.

With luck, I hoped to fuck her under the open sky on the foothills of the mountains. If nothing else, I would distract her until she left our camp and lives for good. At that point, I could get out of the smuggling operation.
One step at a time
, I told myself as I fell asleep.

One step at a time.

EIGHT

Tyler

When I saw the smile and look of amazement on her face, all the effort and trouble I’d gone through was worthwhile. I had even called in favors from three different people at FOB Rushmore.

“This is so beautiful,” she said, looking at the valley below and the mountain range in the distance.

“Right? It’s a shame this country has besieged by so much war.” I sat down on the blanket. “Here, have a glass of wine and some cheese.”

She sat next to me, her knees bent and her feet further down the hill. I poured her a glass of red wine as she stared out at the landscape.

“What’s that over there?” she asked, pointing.

I glanced up.
Shit
.

“The Chinese, I think.”

“The Chinese? I didn’t know they had troops here.”

“They don’t,” I said. “Here you go.”

I handed her a glass of wine.

“Thanks.”

She took a drink.

“I wonder what they’re doing over there.”

“Probably mining?”

“Mining? What, like gold?”

“You sure do ask a lot of questions.”

I grinned, wondering if she sensed the electricity between us.

“It’s my job. I’m sorry. I get so curious. I’ll ask Roger about it later.”

“No, don’t,” I said.

She tilted her head.

“No? Why not?”

“They’re just miners,” I said. “No big deal.”

“I wonder what they’re mining.”

“Rare Earth minerals.”

“What are those?”

“The shit they use to make cell phones and electronics.”

“Oh, like platinum and what-not.”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“I’m not stupid,” she said then took a drink.

“Did I say you were stupid?”

“No, but I hate when men say it without saying anything, you know?”

“I guess.”

We both stared out at the majestic landscape.

“It’s so beautiful. I’m at a loss for words.”

“That’s something for you,” I teased.

“Hey.”

She leaned over and lightly punched me on the arm.

I took another drink, wishing we had more wine.

“More?” I asked, picking up the bottle.

“I shouldn’t.”

“Come on. One more glass won’t hurt.”

“I’m not a big drinker. This one already has me a bit dizzy.”

“More for me,” I said.

“Okay,” she relented, holding out her half-empty glass. “One more. A small one.”

I filled the glass to the brim. She pulled it away, giggling.

“Is this romantic enough for you?” I asked.

She stared straight ahead, nodding ever so slightly.

“Yeah…It’s nice.”

“You’re nice…”

I put my hand on her back and rubbed.

She moaned then said, “That feels good.”

“Yeah? Hold on. I’m actually good at this.”

Unable to set my glass down on the hill without it spilling, I emptied the contents in one massive gulp. She smiled as I crawled behind her and placed my hands on her shoulders, kneading her flesh.

“Oh, wow…” she said.

“You’re so tense.”

“You don’t even know the half of it.”

“What’s a beautiful woman like you have to be worried about?”

She leaned forward.

“Come on, you don’t want to be like Roger, do you?”

“I’m nothing like him,” I said, working her muscles with my thumbs.

“Oh, don’t stop,” she said.

Now that I had her not thinking about the mining operation across the way, I prepared to make a play. The fact the Chinese operation would be in view had slipped my mind, but I would make up for it.

As I massaged her, I bent my head down and kissed her on the neck.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” she asked, pulling away.

“Come on, you can’t say you don’t feel it.”

“You are just like him,” she said, standing up. “You two got some sick bet on who can bed me first or something?”

“Settle down. Don’t act crazy.”

“I’m not crazy!” she screamed.

I glanced over at the Humvee.

“Don’t yell,” I said. “This area isn’t completely safe all the time.”

“Are you fucking kidding me right now? You brought me out here to fuck me and it’s not even safe?” Her eyes opened wide. “You didn’t drug the wine, did you? Oh my God, I’m feeling faint. You fucking drugged me, didn’t you!”

“Calm down,” I said, standing up. “I would never drug a woman. You think I need to be a Cosby when I got a body like this?”

“Why am I so lightheaded right now?”

“It’s the mountain air. You probably haven’t adjusted all the way.”

I stepped forward and put a hand on her waist.

“Get away from me.”

She stepped back and flung the rest of the wine in her glass to the ground. The parched earth soaked it up greedily. I sighed.
Why don’t things ever go the way I plan?

“We should get back,” I said, bending to pick up the blanket.

“Yes, we should,” she said as if it had been her idea.

I shook my head, gathering up the food and putting it back into the basket. She had already made it to the Humvee by the time I finished.

After throwing the stuff in the back, I climbed in.

“I freaked out, I’m sorry. It’s just so crazy, and I have got nothing on this story I’m supposed to be doing.”

“You haven’t? I thought that’s why I took you to the village.”

“That’s not the story I’m really working on.”

We stared at each other from across the front cab of the Humvee. I shook my head and turned the key in the ignition. The engine fired to life.

“You’re something else,” I said.