Page 2 of Callahan's Haven

“Yeah, we’d like to protect her too, Major, wouldn’t we Woosley?” Morton laughed and elbowed the man beside him. Woosley didn’t laugh, but the heated gaze of the tall, lanky man with dirty blond hair did wander over the woman, his face flushing as he said under his breath, “I’d protect her, alright.”

“Fuck my orders,” Cal said on a low growl.

“About fucking time,” Declan muttered.

Cal stepped out of the shadows with the young woman’s swollen gaze flying to his. Her unusual sea green eyes held no recrimination, only an intensity he found hard to ignore. He held her stare for a few seconds before tearing his focus away to confront Celeski. “That’s enough, Major.”

Celeski raised his head and let out a snorting laugh. “What did you say?” He released his captive’s hair and gave her head a hard shove before moving directly behind her. She tensed when he ran his hands from the back of her head and cupped each side of her jaw. He kept his daring eyes on Cal’s, and then pressed his fingers into her flesh while pulling her head back against his stomach. Celeski’s grin widened when she gasped as his fingers dug in deeper.

Cal met the young woman’s eyes again, her battered features strengthening his resolve, before staring full force into Celeski’s smirking face. “I said, that’s enough.” He took another step while the other man eyed Cal’s hand on his gun. “This isn’t how we do things. So back away.”

Celeski glared at him. “This isn’t how your fuckingElite Squadused to do things when you took orders from that pussy, Sheppard.” He gave Cal a full smile while moving his hands down the woman’s cringing body where they hovered over her breasts. “Here, we do things Whitman’s way.” He narrowed his gaze at Cal. “So, see menotbacking away.”

Cal clenched his jaw when Celeski rubbed his hands over the young woman’s breasts while his men snickered.

“Damn,” Celeski said, laughing over his shoulder at his men. “She likes my hands on her.”

Cal made quick eye contact with a glowering Declan and then nodded over at Solace and Garrett before motioning for them to spread out.

“You two shouldfeelhow hard her little nipples are right now,” Celeski said, squeezing her breasts. “They’re like sharp points digging into my palms.” He squeezed harder, turning back and leering down at her as Cal’s team took their positions. “I bet you like a little pain with your pleasure. Don’t you?” he said, kissing the top of her head.

She replied by throwing her head back and bashing his chin.

“Bitch!” Celeski rounded on her and pulled his sidearm, prompting Cal to rush at them from across the room. She cried out as Celeski’s sudden backhanded strike whipped her head roughly to the side, with the large signet ring he took such pride in tearing a bloody gash into her face just below her left eye.

Cal stopped short when Celeski pressed his gun to her temple while rubbing his chin with his other hand. “And here I thought we meant something to each other.”

Cal pulled his own weapon and pointed it at his ranking officer. “Drop it, sir.” Celeski’s men pulled their weapons while Cal’s team did the same. Cal and his people kept their guns on Celeski, while Woosley and Morton—outnumbered and focus divided—took their time about pointing their guns at one of Cal’s team and then another. The tension was high, with only heavy breathing filling the void for several seconds while they each took stock of their prospective opponents.

Celeski finally broke the silent standoff with a low chuckle. “Sir? Really?” He shook his head and pushed the gun harder against the woman’s temple, her resigned gaze closing. “Youdrop it. I’m under orders to get answers from this prisoner however I see fit.” The other man narrowed his gaze on Cal. “Which gives me permission to do whatever the fuck I want.”

The major grabbed her hair again and caressed her cheek with the tip of his gun. “And what do you think you’re going to do?” He glanced around at the drawn weapons. “We may be outgunned, but you won’t shoot us without one or more of you getting shot in return.” He grinned again. “Not a smart move on your part.”

“Maybe not,” Cal said taking up a stance across the table from Celeski and the woman. Declan moved farther to his left while Garrett and Solace took up flanking positions, further dividing the other men’s attention. “But they’re not our target.”

Cal had his first reason to smile since entering the interrogation room when Celeski’s gaze bounced off each of his team’s weapons and took in a quick breath.

“You are.”

Celeski turned his focus back on Cal with a hard stare.

“We might get shot,” Cal said, shrugging. “Hell, one or two of us might die. But not before all four of us unload what we’ve got…” He raised his gun higher and pointed it toward Celeski’s head. “Into you.”

Celeski swallowed hard, a fleeting expression of fear crossing his face before he tightened his features. “What you’re doing is mutiny.”

“Nah, I’d just call it some friendly insubordination.” He motioned with his head to Celeski’s men. “Anyhow, I’d suggest you tell your people to stand down. Now.”

“You’re too much of a Boy Scout to disobey orders. You’re certainly not going to shoot me.” The room wasn’t hot, but sweat rolled down Celeski’s face. “Besides, if you shoot me, the last thing I’d do is blast a hole through this bitch’s head.”

“Sh-sh-sh-shoot him.” The woman’s accented words grabbed everyone’s attention. “Do it,” she said, her eyes on Cal bright with relief.

Celeski chuckled. “Oh, so not only do you speak, but you speak English.” He took in a deep breath and had another look around. With a resigned sigh, he lowered his gun. “Morton, Woosley, lower your weapons.”

“But, sir,” Morton sputtered. “We—”

“I’m not dying for this rebel filth.” Celeski placed his gun on the table and pushed it toward Cal, then took several steps away from the woman’s chair with his hands raised. Cal picked the gun up and stuck it in the back of his pants.

“Davidson,” Cal said, glancing over at Solace, “take his men’s weapons.”

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