Page 64 of Her Marine
Killian increased the volume on his phone as he removed his boxers. “It’s what he’s trained to do, baby,” he told her, stepping into the shower. “On top of that, he was protecting Kaydence, and he isn’t going to feel bad or worry about taking those men’s lives when it saved her.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“I know I am,” Killian responded, stepping under the shower spray. “I wouldn’t if that were you. Those men and probably those other hostages would be collateral damage if I were in his position.”
She was quiet, and Killian wasn’t sure if she’d heard him or if the call had dropped. He hadn’t heard the sound informing him that it had.
“Tigress,” he called.
“Yeah, I’m here. I was just thinking.”
Killian continued his conversation with Journee as he showered, and once finished, he stepped out, grabbed a towel, and wrapped it around his waist. He carried the phone back into the bedroom and slipped on a pair of boxers after drying off.
“Hey, baby, I have to go. My sister’s calling.”
Killian paused, rubbing lotion on his arms to pick up the phone he’d once again propped up on his dresser. “Okay, I’ll talk to you later.”
The two hung up, and Killian called Axel, placing the phone on speaker. It rang several times, and he was about to hang up when the other man answered.
“I’m aware you’re probably with Kaydence, not letting her out of your sight or allowing her to breathe, so I won’t keep you. Are you good?”
Axel breathed out a chuckle that Killian knew was only half-hearted. “I’m good.”
“That’s all I needed to hear,” Killian responded.
“I’ll call you tomorrow; we’ll talk about it,” Axel stated.
“Alright.”
The men hung up, and Killian finished rubbing lotion on before going into his kitchen and pulling out the ingredients needed to make shrimp tacos. As he cooked, he thought about the bank situation. He hadn’t pegged Kaydence as being reckless, but he also knew she wasn’t one to sit idly when she felt she could help with something. So, he wasn’t surprised she’d taken on the bank robber because she was sure he didn’t have a weapon.
Killian also had to commend Axel for his training because, from what Journee told him; he’d stayed calm, stuck to his protocol. He wasn’t sure he would have been able to do that. He hadn’t been kidding when he told Journee that everyone in that bank would have been considered collateral damage if he’d been in Axel’s position. It came with his job.
He dealt with things in his profession that required such high levels of clearance that most of the time, the assignments came directly from the Secretary of Defense. He trained to take targets out, no questions asked, for his country. He’d have no qualms doing so to keep his woman safe.
When Killian finished cooking, he took his plate into the living room and turned on his television. He flipped through the channels stopping when something caught his attention. He’d be having dinner with his parents that coming weekend and Killian made a mental note to order the edible arrangement his mother was fond of. Although, he knew that wouldn’t stop her from questioning him about his extended holiday.
17
“The fact that she was already on the phone with you when the robbery started going down is a stroke of luck,” Killian stated as he sat in his office.
“I agree. It definitely was luck, but also a bit of a habit. If the unit isn’t on a call when Kaydence leaves the shop, I call her to make sure she makes it home. It’s a habit I’d fallen into.”
“Well, that habit kept things from being worse than they could have.”
Killian wondered if it was a habit he should start himself. He usually texted Journee in the morning and called her before bed. He knew that the length of her workday fluctuated depending on whether or not she was hosting an event or if someone walked in at the last minute.
“I know you just left, but how do you feel about coming back Sunday morning?” Axel questioned after a few seconds of silence.
Killian furrowed his brow. “For what?”
“When I know for sure, I’ll tell you. I have to go; I have an appointment,” Axel responded, and the two men hung up.
Killian shook his head as he placed his phone on his desk. There was no telling what Axel was up to, but whatever it was, he’d wait to hear back from him. Multiple footsteps moving quickly down the hall outside his door caught Killian’s attention.
Getting up, he opened the door and stepped out, finding several soldiers on either end of the hallway. One released a Nerf football, which Killian reached out and grabbed.
“Major Stoll.” One started as all the soldiers saluted. “We weren’t aware that you’d returned.”
