Page 145 of Commander in Briefs

I take a deep breath, preparing for what I’m about to tell him.

“What the fuck do you mean, ‘he got her?’ Who?” he’s shouting, his voice quivering with nerves. “Don’t you fucking do this to me, Cade. Don’t tell me something happened to her when I’m an hour away!”

The engine roars and I assume he’s not wasting any time getting here.

“I’m going to fucking kill you!” he screams into the phone as something bangs against the microphone.

Did he just slam the phone into the dash?

After several minutes of silence, his breathing evens out. He’s calmer. “Tell me what happened.”

I give him the short version since I need to get to her quickly.

“Hayes left a note saying she and Lawson went out. Hayes and the others left to go get some lunch. When Hayes arrived, the security system didn’t go off. He thought Ans was home….”

Theo makes a noise of disbelief.

I don’t give him time to comment. “But when he couldn’t find her, he checked the camera footage and found her and Lawson in the barn with Nicole. He’s armed.” I exhale a breath, relieved to have gotten it all out.

“You promised me, Cade! You promised he wouldn’t get to her!” he shouts, unhinged. I guess he isn’t as calm as I thought.

I pull a Glock 45 from the closet while Theo rages on the other end of the phone. Anniston insisted we not lose the weaponry skills we were taught in the Corp. At the time, I was angry she was pushing the military back on me, but the more I got back to my roots the better I felt. Eventually, I stopped whining and looked forward to training every day. My skills have never been sharper.

“I’m going to get her,” I answer.

I’m greeted with silence as I pocket my knife. “Theo?”

A horn blows as squealing tires ring in my ear. “Get my fucking girl, Cade, or so help me, God…”

His threat doesn’t scare me. But the realization that something terrible could happen to the one person I care about the most, does.

I stand straighter, eyeing myself in the mirror hanging on the closet door. I look like Major Jameson. Fatigues hug my recently formed muscles as my weapon sits snugly in the holster at my hip. I can do this.

One last time, I will lead a group of men into the unknown. I block out visions of blood and bodies as they try to shatter my confidence. I will fight for her, like she fought for me. I’m going to get her back, no matter what.

With a resolution that I didn’t know I possessed, I answer Theo with the voice of a Major. “Oohrah.”

Theo hangs up without another word. I would’ve called him a dick or whatever, but honestly, I didn’t think he could stand to hear another word. He was on the verge of a break. I’ll have a plan to deal with him once he arrives. He won’t sit quietly, that’s for sure.

Teeth clenched, the muscle in his jaw pulsing, Theo growls, “Give me a gun. Now, Cade!”

I can’t deal with his incessant demands at the moment. I have about ten billion other things I’m worried about. He showed up half an hour ago, leaping from the driver’s side, racing toward the barn after leaving his car engine running. Tim managed to stop the rolling car from hitting the house and Mason was able to wrestle Theo to the ground, pulling him inside the house swearing and spitting that we were horrible Marines. I didn’t let his asshole remarks get to me. He’s scared and lashing out wherever he can.

My mind has been a frantic mess, trying to think of ways to get Anniston out of her current situation. The guys and I contemplated calling the police, but what would they do? Call for backup? Maybe get a phone hooked up in the barn and try and talk some sense into Lou? No, there’s no time for politics. I’m getting my girl out one way or another.

Fuck the police. I’m the law around here.

I manage an eye roll at Theo. “No, for the hundredth time, you’re not getting a gun. The last thing we need is you shooting one of us.”

His lips thin.

I’m ready for the verbal lashing he is about to spew at me. I don’t care what he has to say, the situation is serious. This isn’t a fucking baseball game. My expertise demands that I take charge. Theo can sit his ass down and shut the fuck up. “Don’t start. We don’t have time to argue. For once, put our issues aside and allow me to get our girl out of the fucking barn and away from Lou’s psycho ass!”

Theo’s face pales as the gravity of the situation sets in. His hand goes to his mouth and he gives me his acceptance with a curt nod and heads to the living room without another word, leaving the guys and me alone in my office to finish formulating our plan to take down Lou.

I take a deep breath and exhale. Now that Theo is gone, the weight of Anniston’s and Lawson’s lives sit heavy on my chest. If I fuck this up, she could die. If she dies, we’ll all die. None of us would know how to function without her. It’s the sad truth. We’re family.

“What’s the plan, Major?” Mason is antsy, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.

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