AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mason
Mason laughed for what seemed like the hundredth time that evening as he cleared Pippa’s plate away from in front of her.
“I can get that,” she protested.
“Dad always says the cook doesn’t clean.” Aspen smiled, shuffling the deck of cards before she placed them in the worn box. “Okay, winners get to choose the movie.”
“I don’t think it counts if you cheat.” Mason chuckled, wiping his hands on a dish towel.
“We didn’t cheat.” Pippa smiled innocently.
He narrowed his gaze, flicking it between her and Aspen. “I don’t know how you did it, but you did. There’s no way I could have lost so bad at six-hand rummy.”
Pippa shrugged. “I guess Aspen gets to pick.”
“Twilight!” Aspen jumped up from the table.
Mason groaned. “Not again.”
“You promised.” Aspen crossed her arms over her chest.
“Fine. Get it set up,” Mason conceded.
Pippa laughed as the young woman skipped into the living room. Mason walked over to Pippa and grabbed her hand. She stood before he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a hug.
He leaned in and inhaled her sweet scent. “I’ll take the dog out while you guys get the movie started. There’s popcorn on the counter to microwave.”
“Okay,” she replied.
He kissed her forehead and called Lady towards the rear door. He walked out to his backyard, taking a long drag of the late summer air. It was much cooler after the sun went down now. The beginning of fall was right around the corner.
He turned towards the brightly lit house. Pippa snuggled up on the couch next to Aspen, offering her the bowl of popcorn. She was talking about something animatedly, waving one hand in front of her. Aspen’s eyes held on the woman in rapt attention as if she’d hung the moon. This was his life now. Pippa had been giving him more and more of herself. He’d be damned if he let anything tear their relationship apart again. He wouldn’t get in his own way this time.
Lady walked past him to wait by the door. She was well trained. Mason opened it and followed her inside, then took his spot next to Pippa. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned against him.
The first movie wasn’t as painful with the constant commentary from Pippa. Usually he and Aspen watched in silence. Anyone else and he might have been annoyed. But Pippa’s voice was soothing and spellbinding. By the second movie, he closed his eyes, just listening to her and Aspen going back and forth on who Bella should pick, the werewolf or the vampire. Aspen was team Edward all the way. But Pippa made a strong case for the wolf.
“All clear. Move in.” The command crackled through the radio. Mason’s vision was green, his night-vision goggles on.
“First room, clear.”
His gut clenched. Something didn’t feel right. Hadn’t felt right since he’d left his baby girl with his father back in the States.
Mason aimed his weapon ahead and held up a fist. He signaled the man to his side before he let his gun hang loosely from the strap. He pulled his FUBAR knife from his gear and snuck up behind one of the guards who were keeping their target hostage.
He drew in a breath, his body humming with adrenaline. He had his orders. With one slick movement, he cupped his hand over the man’s mouth and dragged the knife across his throat, cutting off his attempted scream. The man gurgled on his own blood, as an iron tang filled the air. The stench of death overpowered Mason’s nostrils as he listened carefully to the guard’s radio to see if he’d been overheard. He laid the man on the ground as silently as possible as his fellow SEAL moved to the next room.
“Target located.” A low voice came through the radio in his ear.
Mason wiped his knife on his pants leg and sheathed it before grabbing his gun again and headed into the next room.
The man was barely clothed—nothing but skin and bones with dark bruises and lesions all over his sickly pale skin. He was struggling with his commander.
“No, I don’t know anything else. I swear! Please! Leave me alone,” John Sebring, their target, begged.
“We’re here to rescue you. Come on, we’ll get you to safety, but you have to be quiet.”
But John wasn’t listening. He stumbled forward and Mason grabbed him, to steady him. “Shhh. We’re here to help—”
