Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 93284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Giving her a warm hug, she left briefly after.
Turning around to look at Janie in her high chair, I smiled and said, “You look so much like your daddy. You make me miss him even more. I can’t wait until he comes home!”
She gave me a happy smile, and continued babbling about something that I couldn’t understand.
“Alright my favorite little hellion, it’s time to get going. I have to be at work shortly, so let’s get a move on!”
I tried hard not to think about Sam, and our wonderful night we spent together as I got Janie ready and started my day. I had way too many things to do today to be worrying about any of the consequences that night may have had. I told myself I would worry about it tonight, when I had more time to think rationally, and maybe I could share with Ember and she could give me a better perspective on things. Or maybe not, because Ember was a romantic, and she would probably make more of this that there was to make.
SAM
Same day 8:00 p.m.
“Motherfucker!” I yelled when the wrench slipped off the bolt scraping my knuckles on the nut I was tightening on the latest job.
I was having a problem concentrating. She hadn’t called. It had been hours, and I was getting tired of waiting. The guys were giving me a wide birth, trying not to disturb me. I felt bad, but I couldn’t seem to help it.
Deciding to take a break, I put the wrench into my back pocket, and then pulled out my cell phone thinking for the 100th time that maybe I should just call her. But I had a rule, I didn’t chase, so if she wanted me she would have to be the one to make the first move.
Shoving the phone back into my pocket, I walked past Max, Gabe, and Elliott, who were each working on different bikes.
When Max was injured in the IED in Iraq, I decided that I was plain tired of all the bureaucracy bullshit, and came to the decision that I wanted to take my skills and put it to use elsewhere, somewhere that I didn’t have so many restrictions and unknowns.
Max’s accident had been a wakeup call for me. The road we were on was supposedly checked over right before we were to pass through it; time was of the essence, so we entrusted the higher ups with our lives and took them at their word that the road had been checked over thoroughly. We were supposed to go extract a hostage and get out, but before we even got there the Vee was struck by an IED beside the road that had been “checked” not only minutes before.
Jack had warned Elliott with seconds to spare, and he changed course just enough that we took only minimal damage. Everyone was alright except for Max, who had bleeding from his ear and had passed out. When he regained consciousness, he could no longer hear what was being said out of that ear, but we just assumed that his hearing would come back.
We made it to where the hostage was being held, but there was no sign of anybody throughout the deserted houses, and likely there hadn’t been for a long while. The superior officers blamed bad intel, but if the bad intelligence was going to get my men and I killed, I didn’t want to be a part of it anymore. So I had the discussion with my men, and we all agreed that we would get out as soon as possible.
So I decided to start a garage in Kilgore as a front, and we helped those in need of the type of services that we excelled at. The services ranged from hostage recovery to making abused women disappear so they could live a better life away from those who harmed them.
Max and another under my command were from Kilgore. I didn’t have a real home, so I decided that Kilgore was as good as any. We moved around a lot when I was a kid; my mom and I were on the run from my abusive old man. He always seemed to find us, which I later found out was quite easy for him since he was a powerful man and could hire anyone to get the job done. He was the president of a MC, and had the help of around one hundred people that pledged their loyalty to him. They did highly illegal things, which made their profits astronomical. The MC wasn’t all bad, but for the most part I detested my life with them and couldn’t wait for the day I could get out.
I thanked God at eighteen that I could join the army and be somewhere that was out of his reach. I vowed that I would become someone that he would think twice about messing with. I worried about leaving my mom behind, but she explained to me that not having me to worry about any longer would make it easier for her to disappear as well.
The sound of an air wrench pierced the silence of the garage. Shaking my head to rid myself of my trip down memory lane, I walked into the office to the fridge and grabbed a Dr. Pepper. I sat down at the desk, propped my feet up on the top and leaned back in the chair while closing my eyes.
My moment was interrupted by my phone ringing in my pocket. I dug it out and tapped accept with my finger, putting it up to my ear.
“Yeah?” I said into the phone.
“I sent a woman to you. Abusive ex. She should be there late tomorrow.” I heard Jack say over the airwaves.
“Ok, I’ll keep an eye out for her, thanks for the heads up. Anything new with your old man?” I asked
“No, he won’t make it through the end of the week.” He said gruffly.
“I’m sorry man, take the time. We’ll be alright till you get back. Keep me updated.” I said. He agreed and hung up.