Dominant Deception [Black Ops Brotherhood 3] (Siren Publishing Classic) (32 page)

“The minute you walk out of this hospital you’re on your own. You will be treated like you never existed. Those are my orders,” Jack said.

“What the hell are you saying?”

“I’m saying I don’t want to leave you hanging like that, Anna. I know what it feels like and I am not doing that to you. They will kill you this time,” Jack said.

“So how are we arranging this,
Captain
?” Anna demanded.

Jack hesitated a moment and glanced at the book in Anna’s lap.
Asking for Trouble.
It suddenly struck him exactly what the loophole in that message he’d received from the admiral was. He’d been thinking about that damn message for almost six days and Dixie had made it impossible to do anything but what that message had instructed. That message said that
SOCOM
and the
Navy
were dumping Anna. It did not say that
Jack
had to dump her. He knew what he needed to do and that damn title of the book in her lap was true to the proposal he was about to make. This had to be done and there was no other way. The key was to convince her to see things his way.

“What the hell do we do, Jack?” Anna demanded.

“You could move in with me. I know you would be safe.”

“That’s your brilliant plan? Are you out of your damn
mind
?” Anna asked, stunned.

“No. We would need to get married, and this time it would have to be the real deal. You’ll need a dependent ID card and there’s no way for me to do that other than with a marriage license. And then you’ll need to resign from civil service,” Jack said calmly.

“
Hell no
!” Anna roared.

“Then you will
die
! They won’t fuck this up twice! And this time you could take your mom or Tammy with you! Quit being so fucking selfish and
think
!” Jack yelled back.

The tension in the room was physical as they sat staring at one another. Anna closed her eyes and looked away. Jack never wavered as he stared at her, waiting. She looked at him and exhaled.

“Jack, do you really want to do this? I’ve been married. Do you honestly think we could live together?” Anna asked.

“You sure as hell had no problem fucking me,” Jack snapped.

“Oh my God! Will you ever let that go? I’m talking about
living
together!
Fucking
you one night and sending you home is not the same as
living
with you!”

“All right. Let me hear your plan,” Jack demanded. Anna looked away and said nothing. “Well? I’m waiting.”

“Jack, I don’t want to do this. And we shouldn’t have to…” Anna pleaded.

Emotional exhaustion washed over Jack and he suddenly wanted to be anywhere but in this tiny room with Anna. He got up and walked to the large window in her room. The blinds were open and he shook his head. If he told her once, he’d told her a hundred times to keep these damn blinds shut. She was right. Living together would be difficult.

“If you have a better idea, then please tell me. We’re running out of time. You will be leaving tomorrow. And for the record, I really don’t want to do this, either,” Jack said, scanning the area as he looked out.

“Okay, Jack,” Anna said, defeated.

“Okay? What?”

“Let’s get this over with.”

Jack turned around and looked at Anna. He resumed his sitting position at the end of her bed.

“What, Anna? What do you want me to do?” Jack asked.

“We’ll do this your way.”

“Okay. Let me get busy.” Jack stood.

“Jack…” Anna called before he could walk out the door.

“Yes?”

“Get a lawyer today, too, because this won’t last long,” Anna warned.

Jack said nothing as he shut the door behind him.

“
Check
—baby,” Jack said whispered with a smile.

When Jack returned to his office, he started to work on how he would get all this done in less than twenty-four hours. He decided to check in at the chaplain’s office, hoping they’d know what to do. Because he’d demanded to see the chaplain, he was led back to the man’s office and quickly became aggravated.

“We usually recommend prenuptial classes…” Lieutenant Colonel Landez, the chaplain explained.

“Sir, we’re both over the age of forty. I think we’ve got things figured out by now. This is urgent,” Jack said shortly.

“Then this is a marriage of convenience, not love?” the chaplain questioned.

“Chaplain, can you do this for us or not?” Jack asked, becoming more impatient.

“I’ll have to talk with the bride.”

“All right. She’s at BAMC right now. She’s been there for almost three weeks because she almost died a couple of weeks ago. Get in the truck and I’ll take you to her,” Jack said shortly.

The chaplain said nothing and Jack waited for his answer.

“All right, Captain. You’ll have to get a marriage license at the courthouse. You’ll both need to go and do that today and then come here and I’ll marry you, after I talk to Anna,” the chaplain said.

“Fine.”

Jack went back to BMAC and had Anna’s doctor called. He’d requested a temporary pass for the afternoon, but the doctor moved up her release and allowed her to go home. Within a couple of hours they were on their way to the Bexar County Courthouse. They got the marriage license and returned to the chaplain’s office shortly before two in the afternoon.

* * * *

Lieutenant Colonel Landez looked at the marriage license and shook his head because he’d serious reservations about this marriage. Chaplain Landez was very interested in meeting Anna Santiago. He’d instructed his secretary to give him a few minutes before she brought the captain and his fiancée back to his office. It wasn’t long before he heard a slight knock on the door.

“Come in,” the chaplain called.

“Sir, are you ready for Captain O’Malley and his fiancée?” the secretary asked.

“Show them in, Connie,” the chaplain said.

Reverend Landez was surprised. After meeting Captain O’Malley, Anna wasn’t what he’d expected. She was dressed in yoga pants, a T-shirt, tennis shoes and her arm was in a sling.

“Please, have a seat, both of you,” the chaplain said with a warm smile.

The couple sat down and looked expectantly at him.

“Anna?” the chaplain asked as he walked around his desk.

When Anna met his eyes it was clear why these two had been drawn to each other. The chaplain saw in Anna an inner strength and intelligence. He surmised she was probably more strong willed than her future husband and he also detected a calm grace and dignity about her. Any number of men would be attracted to a woman like Anna. She wasn’t an unattractive woman. Had these circumstances been normal, and were she dressed as a bride, Anna probably would have been very beautiful.

“Reverend.” Anna smiled, extending her left hand in a very old-fashioned feminine handshake.

Reverend Landez took Anna’s hand and lightly held it.

“Okay, we’re here,” Captain O’Malley stated.

“I told you, I need to talk to the bride first,” Reverend Landez said calmly.

“Of course.” Captain O’Malley smiled as he stood to leave.

“No, Jack. I want you to stay,” Anna said softly but firmly.

* * * *

Jack sat back in his chair. Reverend Landez took a seat at the edge of his desk. Jack was nervous. He’d no idea why Anna had asked him to stay, and he felt as if he were heading into an ambush.

“Anna, I really wanted to speak with you before the ceremony. I can assure you whatever you tell me is confidential and we can speak alone because I want you to speak freely,” Reverend Landez said.

“Don’t worry, Reverend, I will. Whatever I say, Jack should hear. No secrets.”

Jack wanted to be anywhere but where he was sitting at the moment. Anna was very unpredictable, and she’d made her feelings about this whole marriage thing very clear. This was no time for her to make her
move.
Jack took a deep breath.
What the hell is she up to now?
Reverend Landez cleared his throat.

“Anna, frankly I have some reservations about this whole situation. And in good conscience, I can’t do this without knowing that both of you understand what’s about to happen. Being married should be for the rest of your life. And I’m not sure you two have that kind of commitment,” the chaplain said.

“We don’t,” Anna said.

Jack closed his eyes. It was over. The chaplain had been a real pain in the ass about this situation to begin with, and Anna was confirming all of his suspicions. Even though it was true, she didn’t have to say it out loud.
Work with me here!

“Anna…” Reverend Landez started.

Anna held up her hand and stopped Reverend Landez.

“May I finish, please?” Anna asked.

Reverend Landez adjusted himself and looked squarely at Anna. Jack was exasperated. Didn’t she understand what he was trying to do?

“Reverend, I don’t know what Jack told you, but I’ve been married before,” Anna said.

“Then you understand what a mistake this could be…” Reverend Landez interjected.

“Yes, I do. I also know that I was no more committed to my first husband the day I married him than I am to Jack. It took years to
love
him. Really love him. You’ve married a lot of people. You know as well as I do that it’s a gamble and no matter how many classes, retreats, or counseling sessions you go through, real love in a marriage doesn’t happen right away. You’re infatuated and attracted to each other. You’re not in love.”

Jack turned and looked at Anna in mute shock. What she’d just said made so much sense and it was
true.
He and the chaplain were watching Anna intently.

“I’m not divorced. I’m a widow. My husband and daughter died within a few hours of each other. Real love doesn’t happen for a long time in a marriage. It’s the result of the things you share and endure together. And you never realize how much you love someone until you lose them. Jack and I’ve been through a lot already. Don’t doubt me, Reverend. I know what I’m doing,” Anna concluded.

What the…
Jack was awestruck. Even if he wanted to say something he couldn’t. Anna made sense of all the things that drove him from a real relationship with a woman and made him want the one that was sitting next to him. It was the need to be committed and dedicated to something better. No matter what happened. These were the same traits that made him a good SEAL.

Anna had also made sense of the insane attraction Jack had for her. Never in his life had he known someone like her. She understood so much without having him say a word. He felt like he’d found someone who might finally understand him and a small part of him wanted to believe that Anna could fill an emptiness that had been gnawing at him for a long time.

“That was a very wise observation, Anna. I’m sorry I doubted you,” the chaplain said. Reverend Landez glanced down at his watch. “Let’s get on with this. You need to have that back at the courthouse before four thirty. Will you follow me to the chapel?”

Jack found himself in a position he never thought he’d be in. He was about to be married, and as much as the thought frightened him, it gave him hope as well. He looked at Anna who looked so calm and sure of herself, the complete opposite of his own feelings at this moment. The Reverend began the ceremony and thankfully made it quick.

“I’ll be using your given names. I suppose
Jack
is a nickname?” the Reverend asked.

“Yes, sir.”

Jack couldn’t remember the last time he set foot in a church and he sure as hell couldn’t remember the last time he’d heard his given name. This whole scene was surreal.

“John Thomas, do you take Anna Marie to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

It was now or never and Jack was sure Anna would have no problem walking away. He took a deep breath and questioned why he was standing here about to drastically change his life. He recalled asking himself the same question his first day at BUD/S.

“I do,” Jack said before he realized he’d spoken the words.

“Anna Marie, do you take John Thomas to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“Yes.” Anna hesitated. “I do.”

“What God has joined, let no man separate. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride,” the Reverend Landez said.

“That’s it?” Jack asked, astonished.

Jack was a little surprised at the abruptness of the ceremony because it had taken him a lifetime to get here. All the things he and Anna had been through, including their little ongoing game of chess seemed to culminate in the blink of an eye.

“Isn’t this what you wanted? And, it is if you want to get to the courthouse in time to file your marriage license,” the Reverend said with a smile.