Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Protecting Sam (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Abbie Zanders

Author:Abbie Zanders [Zanders, Abbie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kindle Worlds
Published: 2017-08-26T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

What the hell just happened?

The words played on repeat as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed out to meet up with the guys. As far as he knew, nothing had been done, or said, that explained the subtle void in his chest.

Sam just blew you off.

Well, there was that.

Granted, her day had ranked fairly high on the crappy day meter, but his gut told him there was more to it. This last week, when something worrisome happened, she had turned to him, not away from him.

Maybe it has something to do with the mixed signals you’re putting out there, genius.

Those signals might have been mixed, but they were an accurate reflection of what was going on inside his own head.

Sam might think he was some kind of white knight, but any armor he wore was dented and tarnished. When he was taking care of her, or working on the resort, he didn’t have to deal with his own issues. His mind was quieter. The flashbacks, the brief but debilitating moments of panic, were practically non-existent.

As if on cue, that familiar sensation of being trapped squeezed his chest. He put the windows down and inhaled deeply, forcing himself to remain calm. He was INCONUS—inside the continental US—not in some underground pit halfway across the world. The darkness around him came from the evening sky, not the heavy slabs of rocks that kept him hidden from the ones looking for him. The air he drew into his lungs was scented with mountain pine, not his own filth.

Those thoughts helped to keep the worst of it at bay. What helped more was picturing Sam curled up on his recliner, a soft smile on her lips after whispering his name in her sleep. Remembering the gentle warmth of her small hand in his. Turning those pretty gray-green eyes his way and looking at him as if he was something special. He wasn’t, but it was kind of nice that she thought so.

By the time he reached Franco’s, Steve had himself under control again.

Doc waved his hand from the back corner where they had pushed a couple of tables together. Unsurprisingly, Mad Dog was already working his way through an enormous plate of wings.

He signaled the server as he sat down, receiving a nod and a friendly smile in return. Sandy was cool. Friendly, but not overly so, and she took good care of them.

“Where’s Sam?” Heff asked, looking toward the door as if expecting her to follow. That annoyed him. Steve didn’t want Heff setting his sights on Sam.

“She’s not coming.”

“Why not? Didn’t scare her off, did you?”

Maybe. “She had a rough day.”

“We weren’t that hard on her. Unless Church was,” Heff grinned. “What kind of tour did you give her, Church? Did you show her how you got your nickname?”

Beneath the table, Steve’s fists clenched. Heff was just being Heff, trying to get a reaction.

Church got his nickname one night when they were all still wet behind the ears. They had gone out, overindulged, and Church ended up sleeping with a local preacher’s daughter.

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