Cadence of Love (11 page)

“I like the way you think.” Brody sounded like he had a mouth full of oatmeal. He had managed to suck her lips into the warm cavern of his mouth, and was devouring her.

She had planned to mention they were ignoring her and talking as if she wasn’t wrapped up with both of them in a bed but soon forgot and ended up lost, floating in another realm. She was high on these men, and didn’t want to ever come down. Alcohol had only been an enabler—in the sense that she could feel without thought, love without regret.
Love?
The single word flashed in bright neon lights across the emptiness.
No way. It’s not possible…it is too soon. I deeply care for them. There. That makes more sense, right?
Love was a word and emotion she knew whole-heartedly would take a lot longer to develop, but from her standpoint, they were on the right track. Could she totally love and trust again after Brian? Was she capable of giving everything to someone, or in this case two people, without being guarded and jaded to some degree?

Leland planted a kiss on her, making her float even higher and stop the inner dilemma that had started to arise. Instead of working her up, he demanded. The sting created on her lips from the roughness of his jaw and the scrapes of his teeth sent her from zero to orgasm in less than a minute. She was clinging on the edge, grinding on Brody’s face in desperation for release. Brody rubbed a fingertip on her clit, and Leland palmed her breasts before pinching down on both nipples at the same time, remaining lip locked in a tongue fucking. It was all too much. Alaina exploded. There was no restraint, no reservations. Both of her legs wrapped around Brody’s head and shoved him harder against her. Screams slipped from the gaps in their joined mouths. Her body wrenched and twisted on the bed. They milked her, draining every drop of cum before slowly easing her back down to earth. The last thing she remembered before the depths of sleep took over was a sweet kiss from each of them, and a “Good night, sweetheart. Dream of us.”

Alaina woke with the best hangover of her life. Kisses, coffee, and pain reliever were the first thing she got when she opened her eyes. The curtains had all been drawn, and the room was dimly lit and bearable. Leland and Brody had obviously been up for quite some time, and had seen to Elizabeth’s needs. She was outside playing pinecone stickball with Nick and Wesley. She had already had a shower, Alex had fixed her hair, eaten more death by sugar rush chocolate pancakes, and now her sweet laughter could be heard.

After the sweetest non-manly snuggles she had ever received in her life, she made her way to the shower to start a new day—with Brody and Leland. That afternoon, they managed to sneak away and finish the previous night’s events in the sweet mountain air with the wide open woods surrounding them. It didn’t matter what or where, these two could rock her world in a matter of minutes. Three rounds in the woods and two hours later, she was succulently sore and beaming bright.

They made a campfire and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows for dinner, washing it down with hot chocolate. Lizzy got her first real camping experience. Everyone had taken turns telling ghost stories and singing kids songs, just to give her the best day they could. She snuggled up in Alaina’s arms and passed out halfway through a cadence Zane had altered to make kid-friendly. Alaina cuddled her tight, rocking her until her arms went numb. Before she could stand, Nick scooped her out of her grip and carried her to her bed, tucking her in with a teddy bear on each side. The big strong Kodiak bear smiled when he moved to let Alaina kiss her goodnight. “She is the best little thing in the world. No one will ever try to hurt her again, I promise you that.”

****

In the next three days, they slowly made their way to Justice, Montana. Nothing from their drunken conversation had been mentioned again. It was amazing what all came out onto the table when people were loosened by alcohol. Untainted truth came out every time. That night, emotions that had been under lock and key in the team got a chance to breathe, and Alaina was proud she'd gotten to be a part of it.

The troop had insisted stopping at various landmarks and parks along the way, wanting Elizabeth to explore and have fun. From petrified forests to dinosaur remains, they took each stop like a brand new mission. Her daughter was happier than she had been in as long as Alaina could remember. Hell, Alaina was happier than she had ever been in her life. When the big rolling chariot pulled down a dirt road that led to a huge older lodge style cabin, there was no denying it. This was…home.

“So, what do you think? I figured it would be run down…but not barren and docile. It’s going to need a lot of work. My father has been…ill for a while. There are ranch hand cabins scattered along the property. We have enough for everyone and then some. The barns used to be stocked with fresh hay, and the lands full of cows and horses. From the looks of things, he has sold them all off.” Something gripped Leland, showing a jagged edge she hadn’t seen before.

Not knowing what to do, she slowly slid her arm around his waist and hugged up against him. “I think it is gorgeous, and perfect.” Instead of allowing him to slump into the unknown place he was going, she turned and faced him. With both hands cradling his face, she whispered, “It is home,” and kissed him.

The doors swung open and everyone piled out, venturing around in exploration. Out of the corner of her eye, Alaina caught the faint silhouette of a man standing in the shadows of the porch. No one had noticed him yet. She discretely meandered over and walked over to him, extending her hand. “Hello, I am Alaina Bradford.” He was tall and broad through the shoulders, but time had taken its toll and what once was a brawny, handsome cowboy was now what looked to be a hollow shell. She could see where brute muscles had once been, and where the faded tan had come from year after year of work in the sun.

He looked up and met her eyes, staying firmly in place. After an awkward moment, she lowered her hand and stepped closer. He didn’t speak, but just kept his gaze affixed to hers. Without overthinking it, she closed the remaining couple of feet and hugged him. After a few long minutes, his arms raised up and hugged her slightly, seeming unsure. Alaina smiled in understanding, knowing that whatever was buried deep in the man, the one thing he needed most was someone to try.
Baby steps.
If anyone could help, she could. It seemed that everyone who was going to call this place home was broken in some way. Together. Together they would overcome all of the pain and anguish from the past, the present, and the future. When she stepped away, she offered him a genuine smile and turned to leave. Before she made it off the steps, he said, “Michael. Michael Reynolds.”

She turned around, pausing momentarily. “It is nice to meet you, Mr. Reynolds.” With that, she walked away. A quick glance over her shoulder revealed he too had disappeared.

After a tour of the house, Alaina fell back into her domestic comfort zone, skirting around the kitchen, cooking a meal big enough for an army, literally. The rest had been busy cleaning up the cabins and getting everyone settled in. Michael stayed out of the way, not crossing paths with any of them. There were a few run ins in the hall, and a curt nod or hello was all that was spoken.

Brody and Leland were sitting in the front room, deep in debate over the assessment of damages the property and buildings had. From the sound of things, cattle and horses weren’t cheap. She could sense the anxiety around them and wanted to help defuse the tension.

“Dinner time!” she hollered. Roast, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, gravy, homemade mac and cheese, and a salad centered the long dining table. Elizabeth had set the plates and silverware out for each person, folding the napkins into triangles. The troop hustled in, almost knocking each other down on the way. Once everyone had been seated, Alaina noticed an empty setting. “Where is Mr. Reynolds?”

“Probably in his room drinking his dinner. But what do I know…we have been here all day and the bastard hasn’t said a single word to me,” Leland gruffed. They all eyed him momentarily before changing the subject and avoiding the uncomfortable situation. Brody reached for the roast, and Alaina stopped him.

“Just a minute, Brody. I will be right back.” He stopped and put his hand back on the table, looking at her curiously. She scooted her chair out and hurried out of the room toward the hall.

Without hesitating, Alaina knocked on Michael’s door. Then again, and again. No answer. On a final rap, she turned the handle and walked in, announcing her presence. “Mr. Reynolds? I am coming in.” She slowly entered, hoping he wasn’t naked or sleeping. He wasn’t thankfully, but was perched in a rocking chair staring out the window. She marched over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. “Dinner is ready. Come in and get your plate.”

He finally acknowledged her. With a simple shake of his head, he turned back to stare into the abyss.

Okay you stubborn ol’ coot, two can play this game.
“Mr. Reynolds, we are waiting on you, and supper is getting cold. Now, please get up and get your butt to the table.”

This time he didn’t even look up at her. “I'm not hungry.”

His bitchy tone only made her more determined. She turned on her heels and stomped out, returning only a short time later with a tray full of food. Instead of setting it on the dresser beside him, she thrusted it into his hands and said, “You need to eat,” and went back to the table.

Alaina sat back down and looked at the group. With a smile, she asked, “Who is going to say grace?” Everyone looked at each other, not sure how to respond. One thing the whole group shared was their belief in God. With their line of work, they had to. That being said, there was a guilt and uncertainty that clouded each of them from the things they had done on the battlefield. Whether they would be judged for them or not, they wouldn’t know until it was time. Alaina sensed their hesitation and without skipping a beat, added, “Jeremy, will you do the honors?”

He looked at Brody and Leland for help, acting as if he was being put on the spot in front of an audience. “Let’s let Rock do it, since this is his place.” Leland’s eyes went wide, but he nodded curtly.

Everyone bowed, and he said the meal’s prayer. After a round of ‘Amens’, dishes were handed around and conversations started. The light mood made for a great atmosphere. Each of them seemed to be excited over their own ideas for the ranch, and plans were exchanged and discussed. The whole scene seemed like an episode of
The
Br
a
dy
Bunch
, only with more dysfunction. Somehow, each of their uniqueness interwove with everyone, creating a tight knit family.

After the platters had been all but licked clean, Alex rose and started carrying stuff to the kitchen, helping with the cleanup. Elizabeth had volunteered to serve the cobbler and ice cream to everyone, making them each snicker at how cute she was. They all inhaled the homemade desert, leaving only two tiny slivers for her and Alex to share. Thankfully, Alaina had assumed such would be the case and had baked a second and kept it hidden. Her and Alex were perched on a bar stool at the counter when Leland walked in and caught them. “Hey! Where did you get all of that? We had rations that were a whole two bites!”

“Oh, bologna. I know how Elizabeth dishes sweets. I made sure there was plenty to go around, and that you big ol’ brutes wouldn’t save us any. So, I made a separate one.” She grinned, watching his chin drop in mock disbelief and him pout.

“She gave more to Brody than me…and Dom got twice as much as both of us! Lizzy is playing favorites. It’s just not fair!”

“Well, my only advice is to butter her up before tomorrow’s dessert…that way you get more than the others,” Alaina stated in a motherly tone.

“That is not fair. Blackmail. Pure blackmail.” He laughed and kissed her cheek, propping up beside her with his elbow resting on the counter. “I am not interrupting anything, am I?”

“We were having girl talk until you so rudely interrupted with your whines…” Alex chimed in.

“Girl talk? With who? Is Alaina talking to herself, because there is no way you can even pretend to talk like a girl, Vice.” His eyes danced with mischief.

Alex turned to Alaina and rolled her eyes. “Excuse me for a moment, I need to go show Rock how lady-like I really am.” In less than five seconds, she had flipped upside down like a graceful panther and snaked her legs around his neck, turning a full 180 to cut off his airflow. He tried to break free but every time he moved, she tightened them up. After his face started turning a bright shade of red, he tapped her leg in surrender and she released him, flipping back to land on her feet.

Leland choked a few times, laughing. “Alex, with moves like that you can be anything you want. A girl, a gold fish, hell, even a jaguar as graceful as you are when you are flipping and turning. On that note, ladies, I think I need to go get a dose of testosterone to heal the pride you just caused to deflate a little.”

“That’s right, go on. Next time I won’t be so gentle with you, Rock.” Her mocking made Alaina burst out in laughter.

Alaina walked into the living room and found everyone gathered around with a drink in one hand shooting the breeze. Jeremy was in the middle of a recap on their drunk night and the room went quiet. “How serious were you all?”

“About what, Dom?” Nick asked.

“Going to other countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa to serve some justice?” Lines in his face appeared, showing the seriousness in his question. Everyone looked at each other, and grinned.

“Dead serious,” Wesley answered for all of them.

“Is that from everyone or just you, Romeo?”

“It is from all of us,” Drake answered.

“I am in.” Alex squared her shoulders and stepped forward.

“Count me and Rock in. Something needs to liven up this civilian life.” Brody stepped over by Alaina and kissed her temple. Whispering where only she could hear, he said, “Not that you don’t make things fun, baby. Don’t take it the wrong way. We are just not cut out for this. Nothing will change between you and us, okay?”

“One condition—we need to find out who the hell the guy was we were ordered to release and take him out first. I want him first on our hit list,” Drake stated.

“I agree. He has to be one of the leaders, or knows something that we weren’t supposed to stumble upon. It is going to be rough without knowing his name, but with Dom’s mad skills, I am sure we can track Ali Baba down.” Brody’s knuckles turned white around his glass. Letting that bad man go obviously had been hard on them all.

“Ali Baba? I thought you didn’t know his name,” Alaina asked, confused. Everyone snickered, realizing the term didn’t make sense to someone who wasn’t used to the slang.

“Ali Baba is kind of a generic name used to label any Iraqi, Afghani, or person from that area. It goes hand in hand with Haji.” Joker, formerly known as Dracula, grinned.

“Okay, million dollar question…literally. Where are we getting the funds to cover everything we are going to need? I know we all have savings, but I don’t think with all of it together it would be enough to cover the flights and all of the weapons. Some of that shit is in the millions.” Romeo glanced around the room at everyone, hoping someone had a solution.

“I have a few connections that owe me. We can get most of the stuff we need on loan, the rest will be little stuff that I can take care of. I have a savings account that has been set up since I was little, courtesy of my rich grandmother and grandfather, as they insisted on being called. I saw them twice a year, and to compensate on their lack of interest in an ‘un-proper little girl’, money was shoved into an account,” Alex piped up, dumbfounding the group.

“Well, that is good news. Anyone have transportation connections?” Leland asked.

“My father. He can get a Chinook and a few ground vehicles. Let me worry about all of that.” Zane leaned against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. He and his father were close. Family was important to the big brute. It helped that his father was just as passionate about anything military as he was, and would more than likely want a bigger part than just piloting the group. He had to laugh to himself…if the man had his way he would be fighting alongside the team despite the fact he was in his late fifties.