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The teams continue to make their way through the thick undergrowth, the air thick with humidity. The heat oppressive with all their gear weighing them down. Sweat trickles down Tank’s back, leaking into creases he doesn’t want to mention, his neck stinging with insect bites. Damn he hates the jungle. His thoughts drifting to another mission a few years ago when they’d teamed up with a SEAL team to take on this very group. After that mission, he’d hoped to not have to return here ever again, but here they are trekking through this godforsaken place once again.
Hours later, they reach their target. Each man fanning out taking up positions to begin the job of gathering the intel they need. There are five buildings in total. A large warehouse looking building is located in the center of the set up with the smaller buildings setting around it in a semi-circle. Tank and Straw set up in a clump of trees on eastern side of the compound, settling in to monitor the comings and goings of the residents.
Tank notices a couple of men patrolling the perimeter of the clearing. The men are armed with Galil ACE rifles. The rifles are an Israeli made weapon but have recently started being produced in Columbia. Tank wonders if this is the type of weapon they’re trying to smuggle into the U.S. The patrol guards also have handguns holstered to their belts along with a couple of knife sheaths. These men are well armed but hopefully not well trained. This isn’t the team’s first run-in with Columbian drug lords and likely won’t be the last. The last time they dealt with this group, the men had been disorganized and sloppy. They’d easily sent the group fleeing when they raided the compound but on the first pass hadn’t been able to shut them down. That came months later, but it seems the group has managed to revive with this new leader. It’s a sad truth Tanks come to learn during his years as a special forces operator. When there’s money and power to be had, there’s always another asshole waiting to take the place of the ones they remove from power.
The men get as comfortable as possible sitting in the muggy jungle. Each man monitoring a different direction, taking stock of the activity of the compound. After a several long minutes, Straw breaks the silence.
“You solid?” Straw asks. “We took some heavy fire there for a while.”
“Yeah, I’m good. You?” Tanks glances over at his friend, noticing Straw’s pained expression.
“I took a graze to my side.” Straw digs in his pack fishing out his med kit. “Right below my flak vest.” Tank reaches over to take the kit from him. Straw lifts his vest to reveal an ugly gash on his left side. Tank pulls some gauze from the bag and begins to clean the wound. Straw scans the area around them, making sure no unfriendlies are near, before glancing back down at his wound. “Don’t look as bad as it feels.”
Tank grunts his agreement. The wound isn’t deep, but in this environment, infection is a real concern especially as they are likely to be out in this environment for days. Tank applies antibiotic ointment and covers the wound, securing the dressing with a generous amount of tape. Straw probably won’t appreciate it later when he’s taking it off, but at least it shouldn’t come off before he’s ready for it to. “Thanks,” Straw says as he lowers his flak vest. Tank gives him a non-committal mumble. They settle back to monitoring the compound.
Several hours later as night approaches, Tank is more than over this op but understands they’ve only just begun. Straw shifts his position, taking a break from their monitoring. Tank will watch the last fifteen minutes of their assigned time to monitor the compound. As the task moves to Mercury and Bull, Tank also changes position to settle back against the trunk of a tree. Ruby still weighing on his mind.
“You think Abigail and Ellie are okay?” Tank asks, looking over at Straw. Straw nods, picking up a leaf from the floor of the jungle twirling it in his hands.
“Charlotte will check in on them,” Straw replies thoughtfully. “Emma, Elise, and Daisy will too. You know those women are tight and will make sure they have what they need until we can get home.” Tank jerks his chin in agreement. Straw is right about the women looking after one another. His gut twists. Ruby doesn’t have that. He sighs quietly.
“Hey,” Straw says softly. “Abigail will look after Ruby same as the others will be looking in on her.” Tank nods. He really hopes that Ruby will allow Abigail to help her. Ruby is very stubborn and likely won’t let anyone help her.
“I told her I’d pick her up after her shift at the diner, tonight,” Tanks says quietly. “I asked her to consider spending some time with me, and she said she’d think about it. She’s going to believe I ghosted her.” Tank sighs again. Ruby is already reluctant to give him a chance, and after this she’ll likely avoid him all together.Fuck!As soon has they’re back, he’s going to explain everything to her and beg her to forgive him. He really hopes she’s the forgiving type.
15
RUBY
Ruby goes about her normal routine over the next few days. Her heart aching more than she wants to admit over Tank’s disappearing act. She scolds herself for allowing him to get under her skin so quickly. It’s too dangerous to allow herself to develop attachments. Attachments lead to distraction. Distraction leads to destruction. She can’t afford to have the indulgence of getting distracted.
Feeling angry and frustrated at herself, she jerks the shelter door open a little more forcefully than she needs. Hurrying inside, she collides with Abigail. “Umph!” Papers fly up into the air before fluttering slowly to scatter across the floor.
“Oh, my goodness!” Abigail exclaims. “I’m sorry Ruby. I wasn’t paying attention. My mind is a million miles away these days.” Ruby gives her a tight smile. Abigail bends down and begins picking up the scattered papers.
“I wasn’t watching where I was going either,” Ruby assures Abigail. “Here let me help.” Ruby kneels down to gather more of the papers. The women make quick work of picking up the mess. Ruby shuffles the papers aligning them into a neat stack. “Here you are.” Ruby hands the stack to Abigail. Ruby looks closer at the woman in front of her and notices she looks tired and stressed. “Is everything okay, Abigail?”
“Yes…No…it’s complicated?” Abigail gives Ruby a forlorn smile. “Robert’s out of town, and I don’t sleep well when he’s not at home. I’ll be okay, but I’ll be much better when he gets back.” Ruby returns the smile and wonders who Robert is, but doesn’t ask. The last thing she needs is to get closer to another person. She’s broken the no friends rule too much in the last few days. First agreeing to help Jolene, then letting herself get too close to Tank. Nope she can’t allow herself to get drawn into another complication.
“Well, I better get going,” Abigail says. “I have to pick up my daughter from school.” Ruby watches the woman head down the hall toward her office. Ruby makes her way to her cot. She’s exhausted and merely wants to go to sleep. Most importantly, to stop thinking about the beast who’s taken up residence in her thoughts and dreams. She needs to turn off her mind for a few hours.
She lays down on her cot thankful not many patrons have arrived yet as it’s so early in the evening. She tries to get comfortable, but sleep eludes her. As she lays there staring at the ceiling all the reasons why she has found herself sleeping in a shelter and can’t allow anyone to get too close races through her mind. In the days following her father’s confession to her about the family business and his intention for her to marry a complete stranger, Mary had lived in a haze of grief and disbelief. Still reeling from everything that’d happened, she’d made to have dinner with Mr. Russo. Just remembering that night gives her chills…
* * *
The rideto the restaurant is tense. Mary doesn’t speak or make eye contact with either man sharing the back seat with her. They’d sandwiched her between them as if they were afraid she’d bolt from the moving vehicle at the first opportunity. Mary thinks they were wise to do so, because she thought of doing just that. Where she’d go, she had no idea, but anywhere would be better than where they were headed. Her father and brother carry on a conversation, but Mary tunes then out. She’s too nervous about what’s about to take place. She’s going to meet her future husband.
They arrive at the restaurant, the car stopping in front of the main entrance. Tony opens the door and steps out. Mary notices he looks around in all directions before he leans down and reaches back for her. His large hand grips her smaller one as he helps her from the back seat. Their driver has opened her father’s door. Her father steps out of the vehicle, and he too scans the area around them before buttoning his suit coat and making his way around the back of the car to meet up with her and Tony on the sidewalk.
Once they’re all together, her father takes the lead, placing his hand on the small of her back leading her inside. There are two very large men dressed in dark suits standing on either side of the door. The man on the right nods at her father as they pass. Mary swallows hard. She never thought much about the places they’d been before or that there always seemed to be men in suits standing around as if watching over everything. She’d always thought the restaurants were just careful about security and protecting their patrons. She realizes why those places needed guards, because of their association with or ownership by the mob.
Once inside, they are greeted by a beautiful woman in a glittering silver dress, which clings to her generous curves. Mary looks at the woman closely, noticing she is eyeing her father with hungry eyes. Anger burns hot in Mary’s veins. Her mother hasn’t been in the ground two whole days yet. She glances at her father grateful, that he isn’t encouraging the woman. He barely looks at her when she tells them to follow her to their table.
They approach a large round table in a dimly lit corner near the back of the restaurant. A tall man with black hair, a clean-shaven handsome face, and lean body stands to greet them. Several other muscled men with dark glasses are standing around the table looking scary, in Mary’s opinion. Another man, an older version of the first also stands up. Mary notices there are two women sitting at the table as well. Tony and her father shake hands with the men.
“Ah, Antonio,” the older man greets her father. “So good to see you.” He pats her father on his shoulder as he’s shaking his other hand. “And Tony, such a good boy.” The man briefly shakes Tony’s hand and pats him on his cheek before he turns his eyes on Mary. Her heart skitters in her chest when her eyes meet the man’s. His eyes are black as coal. There’s no warmth in them at all. He looks her over from top to bottom and back again. It’s revolting how his eyes linger over her hips and breasts. She can’t keep from shivering at the unnerving sensation of having his eyes on her is causing. “And this must be, Mary.” The man glances at her father. “You didn’t do her beauty justice, Antonio. She’s even lovelier than Evelyn was, God rest her soul.” Mary flinches at the mention of her mother.
“Giovanni,” her father says to the man, and Mary’s heart drops. Surely this can’t be the man her father intends for her to marry. He looks older than her father. “I’d like you meet my daughter, Mary Catherine.” Her father places a firm hand on her lower back as if reminding her of her manners. “Mary Catherine, Giovanni Russo, Sr.” Mary swallows around the lump in her throat.
