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“This isn’t about you,” the giant of a man had told her quietly. “This is a storm that’s been brewing a long time, Slick. Best to let it play out. Sorry you got caught in the middle.”
Hayley could only watch helplessly as the two men traded punches. When Chris had Jimmy pinned down, the look in both men’s eyes was murderous and she was terrified not knowing what would happen. Chris finally got to his feet and stomped over to the table on the deck and slumped into one of the chairs. Hawk opened the screen door, probably only to be civilized since it was less a door than a huge, gaping hole, and hauled Jimmy to his feet. He told Jimmy quietly that it was time to leave and Jimmy stormed through the house to the front door, not bothering to acknowledge her. Hawk gave her a nod and a thin smile and followed him out.
Hayley picked up a roll of paper towel and began mopping up the tea and broken glass that had fallen off the table and broken when the men tumbled into it. As she worked to mop up the debris, a shadow darkened over her from the back door but she couldn’t really bring herself to look up. She heard him cross the floor and he knelt down beside her. “I’ll do this, Slick,” he said quietly.
“No, it’s okay. I got it.”
He sighed. “Rule is, you bust up someone’s house, you make it right. And you already got cut today. Don’t need you around broken glass, too.”
“It’s fine. It’s almost-”
“Don’t bust my balls.” Normally this phrase was delivered in an angry or teasing tone, but this time he sounded so bone-weary that it actually scared her a little and she looked up at him. Chris looked about as broken as the glass and the screen door combined. She pressed her lips together tightly, handed him the paper towel and moved out of his way.
“There are things I should tell you,” he announced while concentrating on his task of plucking up shards with his fingers.
“You don’t have to-”
“I decide what I have to do and what I don’t,” he bit out and she once again pressed her lips together.
“First. Deanna. I didn’t lie to you about needing to work late. I did. And she drove by, happened to see my bike, and stopped at the garage. I’ve known her a long time. Hadn’t seen her in a while. Didn’t think she’d just show up at Tex’s house uninvited and start trouble. Most of what she says is bullshit. I don’t do her without a condom. I’ve never done a woman without a condom. Not even my high school girlfriend when I was young and stupid. I was never too stupid to know better. Had a few break. Worked out okay.
“And, no, I don’t know why I’m telling you that except that it seems to me that kind of thing goes along with being a lying bastard, planting my seed all over town with no regard for the consequences. That’s not me. That’s not who I am. I’m sorry she confronted you. I’m sorry she spewed a lot of hateful shit at you. She will never bother you or any one of us ever again. I can’t do any better than that.
“And Jimmy.” He paused, looking at a shard of glass in his palm. “I don’t know what to do about that.” He placed the sliver of glass on the towel, folded it up and took it with him to the garbage can. Frowning at the receptacle he said, “He was our Sapper, our Combat Engineer. He only just graduated from Ranger School and got his tab. He wasn’t officially assigned to the 75th yet, so he never got his scroll.
“Ranger training is the most difficult combat course in the world. Some guys don’t even survive to graduate. They drown, or freeze to death. Hawk and Tex were out to prove who had the bigger dick and I went along for the ride, that’s the only reason we signed up for the course. But Jimmy was a lifer. Had his heart set on being an officer.
“His old man wasn’t really his old man. Or at least that’s what his mother used to yell when she’d get drunk. So he had a hairy eyeball for Jimmy ever since he was in diapers. Jimmy thought he’d go back to New Orleans in his dress blues and show the old man that he was a son worth claiming, blood or no. When the bomb went off, we all scattered. Jimmy, Doc, and I got pinned down away from the rest of the unit when we came under fire. Doc had his kit and we were trying to stop the bleeding. But it was bad. And we knew it. And worst of all, Jimmy knew it. He was terrified, and kept looking at his leg, and finally he looked at us and begged me to shoot him.”
