Chapter 17
17
Hazard hit her from behind like a linebacker, the impact pushing the air from her lungs. She grunted when she hit the tent floor, his hard body covering her from head to toe. For several seconds, Leigh panicked at the weight of him on top of her, pressing her to the ground while bullets flew all around them. The stench of flash burns lingered on the steamy air. She could barely breathe and memories of what had happened to TOC almost paralyzed her. She kept telling herself this wasn’t the same. Hazard was protecting her, and he was all right. He was alive. He had to be.
The gunfire was steady and close.
“Hazard,” she called, but there was no answer. Had her voice been drowned out by the gunfire? She couldn’t see any of him, and she tried to control her chaotic mind to focus on whether or not he was breathing, but her heart was pounding so hard, she couldn’t distinguish any other sound.
There was indistinct shouting, then rapid bursts of additional gunfire, running feet, and discordant sound. She opened her eyes, but the only person she could see was Alzate. He was on his side, cupping his groin, his face contorted in pain, still reeling from her ball-breaking knee. Confident that he was incapacitated, Leigh tried calling again.
“Archer!”
“I got you, babe. Hang on.” His deep voice trembled over her skin, and her heartbeat staggered painfully, her panic-driven terror giving way to a debilitating relief. “Oh, thank God,” she sobbed.
“Hazard!” Iceman shouted and several more male voices, but she couldn’t distinguish the other members of his team. They must be frantic.
“In here, boss,” he shouted back, slipping off her. There was a muffled sound, then big, fully kitted-out Navy SEALs entered the tent, weapons bristling. Several of them went over to secure Alzate. One of them bent down to her…Breakneck and helped her to sit up. Kodiak was right behind him. The man was huge, and she couldn’t see Hazard.
“Are you all right, Leigh?” he asked.
She took inventory and hissed a little when her calf protested. “My leg,” she whispered.
He immediately bent down, placing his big hands gently on her calf until he probed. She protested. “Ow.”
“Yup, you got an owie,” he said, deadpan. He turned to his kit as she sputtered a little, then gave in and chuckled, hissing again as he injected something that made it numb, vigorously cleaned it, and slapped a bandage on it.
He finally moved those massive shoulders of his, and she could see Hazard kneeling while he talked to Iceman who crouched near him. Their leader was as impassive as ever, but she had detected that note of fear in his voice when he’d called out Hazard’s name.
She heard Hazard mention Jose, and that’s when Leigh realized that Jose and Astrid were gone, and so was all that cash on the table—to the tune of at least a couple million.
She huffed out a little scoffing laugh. That should fund their disappearance. Jose had given her instructions in the car, quite aware of how much Hazard would have protested against her being involved in any efforts to save them. He had quite decidedly left Hazard out of the conversation. But Jose knew the guards would dismiss her if she was bound. He had slipped Hazard’s knife into the waistband of her pants, and true to form, the guards had completely ignored her as any kind of threat. Jose had also loosely bound her before she’d gotten out of the car. He told her when he gave the signal, she was to act. He didn’t exactly say how, but the knee in Alzate’s groin had been more than satisfying.
Those thoughts rushed through her brain as she watched Hazard. Her lower lip quivered, and she drank in the moment, the man. She got lucky, so lucky, and even though she had been terrified of losing him, all that mattered now was that he was alive, they were both safe, and Angel Alzate was in their custody.
Iceman rose and he started giving orders to secure Alzate and get back to the compound.
Hazard turned his head and his gaze slammed into hers. He clenched and unclenched his jaw, his face twisting with emotion. She had no idea how she got to him. She just threw herself into his arms. Hazard made a choked sound and crushed her roughly against him, holding her as if she were his next breath. “My mouthy warrior,” he murmured. Then he clutched her tighter, his breath ragged. She couldn’t stop the laughter at the “mouthy” part of the comment. She took it as a compliment.
Burying her face against his neck, Leigh clung to him with every ounce of strength she had, holding on to her salvation. He had changed her in the time she’d been here, so drastically she barely recognized the woman she had been.
She closed her eyes and wrestled with dozens of emotions, not able to absorb them all right now.
As soon as they got back to the command center, Anna had already made arrangements with the DEA, and they were en route to transfer Alzate to San Diego. Colombia had released him in a previous agreement, Leigh had drawn up, so all of that red tape had already been handled. Most of the cartel had been rounded up, and jailed, waiting for their own justice.
When Iceman growled Hazard’s name and flicked his thumb to an empty room, Leigh realized this was the ass-chewing Hazard had expected. She waded through all the people milling around.
“Iceman, wait.”
He paused and currently had Hazard by the back of his vest with that signature Iceman coldness crackling like a blast chiller.
“I’m busy right now. It can wait.”
“No,” she said in her best prosecutor’s tone, ignoring Hazard’s attempt to warn her off with a quick shake of his head. “It can’t.” She grabbed his arm and hauled him to a stop. Her jaw was fixed, and the first flickering of anger and protectiveness tightened her chest. This man was everything to her, and she wasn’t going to back down an inch if she could save him some grief.
“Last time I looked, Hazard doesn’t hide in any woman’s skirts,” Iceman snarled at the rebuke in her eyes.
Hazard ran his hand over his face, and she knew by the expression in his eyes that he didn’t know whether to be amused or ticked off over her going to bat for him.
“Nice try,” Leigh scoffed. “Hazard is man enough and confident enough to know that I wouldn’t expect him to hide in my skirts. I’m very sure he can hold his own. I am giving you my argument against punitive action. He may feel differently.” Apparently, he did. He released a long, suffering sigh.
“Punitive action?” Iceman’s eyes narrowed. “Is that lawyer-speak for me chewing his ass?”
Hazard opened his mouth, and Iceman shook him hard, his eyes never wavered from Leigh’s. Damn, he was an intimidating bastard. But she’d looked dangerous criminals in the eyes, and she wasn’t backing down here.
“If you want to use the vernacular and that’s the way you want to interpret it. I wouldn’t presume to lecture you, Master Chief.”
“Oh, don’t Master Chief me, Leigh Waterford, Esquire,” he said. “It was a reckless and ill-advised order.”
“You said, and I quote, ‘If she issues an order, it’s like it’s coming from me.’”
“She’s got you there, boss,” Boomer said with a smirk. Iceman flicked a look toward Boomer, and the smirk immediately disappeared, and he moved away quickly.
Iceman let go of the back of Hazard’s vest, his mouth tightening. He stepped up to her, all that lethal quality of him contained in that rough and ready package, but she wasn’t cowed. She was fighting for her man, and there wasn’t anything that could deter her from that course. Not even Iceman.
“Well, if it’s okay with you, I’m going to have a chat with my man here—Master Chief to Petty Officer, and in the vernacular —leader to subordinate. Just so you understand.”
She lifted her chin. “Technically, I'm the leader here, and if I tell you that I was the one who ordered Petty Officer Booth to accompany me on that side mission, that should be enough.”
“Side mission?” he said, his tone now quiet and dangerous. “That was a clusterfuck of a goatfuck.”
She didn’t even blink an eye. “I’m not really sure what that means,” she said stridently. “But we succeeded. We got Alzate.”
“I’m not disputing the outcome, Miss Esquire. I’m exerting my command prerogative to discuss Petty Officer Booth’s decision-making skills. He needs an adjustment.” He grabbed Hazard again and started to march him toward the empty room.
“I’m lodging an official objection to your action,” she yelled after him.
He didn’t even turn around, just shoved Hazard through, and said in that low, seething voice, “Duly noted.” Then he slammed the door.
Skull came around her, staring at her. He stuck out his hand, and she shook it with defeat at not getting Hazard off the hook. “Wow, I have never seen anyone but his wife, Rose, talk to Iceman like that, not even the brass. I think they’re all a little afraid of him.”
Preacher burst out laughing. “I don’t think Chris appreciated your logic, Leigh, but I’m tickled pink that you put him in his place. That was deftly done, even though Ice doesn’t give a damn.”
“Yeah, he’s like one of those icebreaker ships that notes there’s ice but plows through anyway. That was priceless,” Kodiak said.
“You’re my hero, Leigh,” Breakneck said.
“I’m so glad this is all so amusing to you while Hazard is getting in trouble for something I did,” she said with exasperation.
The door opened and Iceman bellowed. “Don’t you all have something to do?” Then he slammed the door again, continuing on with his tirade without missing a beat. It was telling how intuitive he was, knowing that they were all out here commenting on what had just happened. Did the man sleep with one eye open? All of Hazard’s team scattered, except Breakneck.
“You cowards,” Leigh called out.
“They’re just being prudent,” Breakneck said. “We have to go back to Virginia Beach with him. He controls our training sessions and PT and won’t hesitate to throw in some old-fashioned log PT or surf abuse or obstacle course runs.”
Not feeling very magnanimous toward their leader at the present, she growled, “The bully.”
“No, Leigh.” He looked toward the closed door as the chewing continued. She winced for Hazard. “He’s not a bully. He’s the best leader I’ve ever had because he cares about us, about our lives. We are a band of brothers in a brotherhood that is unbroken in both duty and honor. Our lives are in his hands, and he would be devastated if anything happened to any of us. He doesn’t like being scared, so he’s taking out his fear on Hazard. He loves us just like you love Hazard.”
“What?” Who the hell was this kid? “How do you know that?”
Breakneck shrugged. “It’s obvious and so real that anyone can see it.”
“You make a good argument, Kelly. Do I see JAG in your future?”
He gave her one of his mischievous smiles. “Maybe. You never know.” He took a few steps away and then turned back. “With real love, nothing else matters, without it, nothing else is enough.”
She just stood there and absorbed his words. How he saw so clearly for one so young was phenomenal, but she was completely shaken down to her foundations. He was right, and her frustration escalated. If she could just have five minutes with Archer “Hazard” Booth.
But it wasn’t going to happen. She tried several times to talk to Hazard, but either one or the other of them had been pulled away, and so when it was time to ride to the airport and go home, she hadn’t had a moment to speak to him. She and Iceman carried on a glaring contest.
Apparently, Anna had detected a threat, and the DEA plane had been re-routed to a different area of the airport. The SEAL team would take a convoy to the airport as a decoy, concealing the fact that Alzate wasn’t inside one of the vehicles. She, the DEA agents, and Alzate would ride in more discrete vehicles on a totally different route.
She made one last ditch effort to talk to him when she saw him in the lobby as they all assembled for the trip. But Anna pulled her away one last time, and when she turned back, they were gone.
Resigning, she would have to wait to talk to him, maybe even after she returned to the US. She could always call him, but it wouldn’t be the same. It sucked that she knew that hidden shadow inside her, and now that it had been chased away by the light of revelation, she was free.
She had hidden any hope of happiness, the bitterness of Jamie’s death killing anything that had surfaced when they had made plans together, plans that had never come to fruition, just as her mother had said, and she had been brutal in pointing that all out to Leigh.
As she settled into the nondescript sedan and buckled in, more enlightenment broke her open, releasing what had been festering for so long.
Leigh had done what she had to do to keep herself whole, to face the bleakness of the world she thought she was trapped in. To keep herself from whimsy and spontaneity, to keep her weighted down with a sense of duty, with feelings of accountability, with a hard hidden truth. No one will ever be there for you. You have to be tough enough to handle it yourself and take whatever you need for yourself.
No. Those were not her words. Those were her mother’s words, a philosophy that she had followed after she’d lost Jamie, never realizing that she had incorporated the harsh reality her mother had painted for her over so many years. Calling off her engagement, quitting her golden opportunity job, applying to the DA’s office, and becoming a US attorney had all been to hurt her mother, to get back at her for being such a money-grubbing, mean, belittling bitch.
Leigh wanted to hit back at something for the loss of her dreams instead of going after what she really wanted—a deep abiding love, children that she could nurture, and…to teach. God, all she ever wanted to do was teach.
That deep abiding love was Archer, and she knew it wasn’t going to be easy to love him. That he was going to take her out of her comfort zone and tell her to follow her heart, and her heart would drop her where she needed to be. Change was scary, but it was also life-altering.
She just wanted to get the opportunity to tell him what he meant to her. She hoped that she would get that chance.
They attacked the convoy as soon as they got in through the gates of the airport. Gunfire came from in front of them and to the back. The SEALs were ready, along with the CNP, and it was a short-lived rescue attempt for their despicable boss.
Hazard’s heart was heavy that he hadn’t gotten a chance to talk to Leigh, but he still grinned every so often at how she had stood up to Iceman. He had been livid and chewed him out for fifteen full minutes, assigning him the shit task of cleaning all the weapons in the arsenal. He took the punishment because he had been wrong not to clear the whole stupid situation with Ice before he put his life and Leigh’s and Jose’s hands. He was only glad that Jose, regardless of his methods, didn’t want to hurt either of them. But he could throttle the man for involving Leigh in his dangerous scheme to save his girlfriend. He wanted to kick Jose’s ass. He couldn’t, and he wouldn’t duck the blame.
Iceman came up to him. “If you run, you might get there before her plane takes off,” he said. “It’s a straight shot from here. Try not to scare the civilians.”
Hazard turned and sprinted away from the team, running full out. By the time he made it to the plane, his breathing was ragged but had nothing to do with his out-of-control dash. He spotted her heading toward the steps.
“Leelee!” he shouted. She turned, her face suffused with joy, and in her damn high heels, she rushed toward him. She threw herself into his arms, wrapping them so tightly around his neck, he could barely breathe. But he didn’t care; he held her like she was precious gold.
“I thought I would miss you,” he said, his voice raw, his insides a tangle of uncertainty. She wrapped her hand around his vest as if she wasn’t going to let him go.
“I’m so glad you got here in time.”
“Maybe you’ll call me or text me how you’re doing every so often?”
She stared at him, her expression unsmiling, then she looked away, her hand still wrapped around his vest in a tight grip.
“Maybe I will,” she said, her voice very soft.
He watched her for a moment, wondering why she was avoiding looking at him, suddenly feeling shaky inside, his chest filling up with all kinds of emotions he couldn’t define. God, but he loved her. His expression compressed, he straightened, the DEA guy behind him swirling his finger in the air to tell them to speed it up. They were lifting off.
He’d like to give the guy a finger of his own.
He cupped her chin and lifted her face. Ravaged was the only word he could latch onto.
She stared at him for an instant. “I heard what you said to me.”
He frowned. “When was that?”
Leigh swallowed hard, and that delicate hand tightened on his vest as she shook him gently. “After you told me to shut up.”
“I didn’t tell you to shut up,” he said, irritation starting to creep in. “I told you to be quiet.”
“Oh, okay, we’re splitting hairs,” she said wryly with a tilt of her head.
“We’re not splitting hairs, Leigh, for fuck’s sake,” he said, a hint of warning in his tone. “I was trying to tell you something important. I wasn’t trying to be rude or anything. I was just trying to?—"
“Could you shut up,” she said, covering his mouth with her hand, a triumphant smile on her face. “Why do you have to be so difficult?” Her eyes twinkled, and he realized she’d bated him into an argument. The impossible woman.
He huffed a laugh, recognizing the words he often said to her.
“I’m in love with you, too.” Her words momentarily stunned him. He hadn’t expected them. He wasn’t sure where he stood with her since he’d told her how he felt. He wasn’t sure there wouldn’t be roadblocks and excuses. But here she was telling him exactly what he wanted to hear.
“Geezus, Leigh,” he whispered. Pressing her head to his shoulder, he gathered her against him, his hand tangling in her hair. He closed his eyes, the rush to his heart as intense as adrenaline hitting his bloodstream. He tightened his hold on her, his heart hammering, his breathing constricted.
“You’ve changed my life and my thinking. I’ve been so closed up, so afraid to give anything of myself just in case I lost it. It’s so hard to lose what you want so badly.” She took a hard breath. “I’d like to think I could have weathered all of this without you. The old Leigh wanted it to be so. But the truth is, I don’t know what I would have done without you.” Her voice got even softer. “Thank you.”
The DEA guy was getting pissed, and Hazard straightened and gave him a killer look. He blanched a bit, then retreated into the plane.
“Oh, shit,” he said.
“What?”
“I think I scared your escort.”
She hit his vest and said, “Why did you do that?” She rubbed her palm. “Damn, that hurt.”
“He was hurrying us up,” he groused, grabbing her hand and kissing her fingers. “I have more to say.”
The engine started to rumble.
“I have more to say, too.” She turned around. “He wouldn’t dare take off without me. I’ll rip him a new one, and he knows it.”
“I’m sure he’s a little bit afraid of you, too.” Hazard smiled, then spied the guy again. “Oh, he’s back.” The guy was glaring at them.
She turned around and set her hands on her hips. He couldn’t see her face, but it was clear that the DEA guy got Leigh’s drift. She raised her hand, her five fingers splayed. He would still only need one finger to get his point across.
“It’s going to have to wait, Hazard. Give me some time to get this case situated, then we’ll talk. I promise.”
She dragged him against her by his vest, lifting her face and covering his mouth with a slow, sweet kiss. Her breath caught, and she kissed him harder, then broke away. She smiled and waved over his shoulder, then blew a kiss. A thick feeling unfolding in his chest, he watched her go up the stairs, a thousand feelings lumbering through his chest.
He turned and walked to the team, who had pulled up while he was saying goodbye to Leigh. Boomer started singing, “Another One Bites the Dust.”
“You two square?” Iceman asked.
“Yeah, we’re good.”
“I told you,” Kodiak said. “Sometimes it sneaks up on you and bites you in the ass.”
“Yeah, even when they’re difficult,” Preacher said.
And Preacher should know. He and Karasu had one rocky road to love. She was the epitome of a difficult, hard-assed female. “That pain in the ass woman who I’ve fought with from the moment we met,” he said ruefully with a shake of his head. “Is the fucking love of my life.” Hazard met Iceman’s eyes, and he finally knew what Iceman had been talking about. His boss gave him one of his full, rare smiles. “And I have no doubt I’ll fight with her until my last breath. So, nah, I couldn’t do anything the easy way, especially not with Leigh.”
GQ grinned. “Ah, man, the only easy day was yesterday.”
“Nothing you can do about it,” Kodiak said. “It’s bigger than all of us.”
“What’s that?” Boomer asked.
“Love, Boomie. Fucking love.”
“Oh, goddammit. No way to protect against that.”
“No, and your time will come.” He eyed Skull, Boomer, and Breakneck.
“Nope, not me,” Skull said. “I have a partner, and he keeps me warm at night, doesn’t hog the bed, and there’s no doodads and lacy shit cluttering up my bathroom.”
“You are…misinformed, brother. You have no idea how amazing doodads and lacy shit is,” GQ said with a goofy grin.
Boomer shook his head gravely. “I’ve already been down that road. She didn’t like the lifestyle, or she just didn’t like me,” he said with self-deprecating humor most likely to lessen the sting. “So, I don’t hold out hope.”
Breakneck shrugged. “I’m still sowing my wild oats.”
“That shit is for sheep. You’re a wolf, brother,” Boomer said, then he threw his head back and howled.
“Oh, geezus,” Iceman said. “Easy there, lobo. Let’s get back to the compound. This wolf pack is packing it in. We’re heading home.”
Hazard didn’t waste a moment in requesting leave once they landed in Virginia Beach and they had all been stood down. With a steely look, Iceman approved it. “She’s a SEAL babe through and through. Takes balls to stand up to me. Tell her I said so.”
Hazard nodded and rushed out of the base for home where he showered and changed, then quickly packed a bag. He caught a cab to Norfolk Airport and booked a flight on the fly for the Redeye to San Diego, landing at five a.m. He slept all the way to California, had some breakfast since he had no idea where she lived, and waited for the courthouse to open at seven a.m. She and her office were housed at the Edward J. Schwartz United States Courthouse, just down the street from the Central Courthouse. When he passed in the cab, he noticed that the windows were still boarded up from the bomb explosion Alzate had ordered on the OCDETF.
When he entered the building, he found her office from the directory, and when he stepped inside, the receptionist stared. She cleared her throat, then said, “May I help you.”
“I’m looking for Leigh.”
“The US attorney?” she stammered.
He smiled. “That would be the one. About five-seven, blonde hair, beautiful, with a mouth on her that doesn’t quit.”
Alzate was being arraigned this morning, and he was content to see the man begin his long walk to a needle, and to see Leigh in action.
The receptionist laughed softly. “Yes, that’s her.” Her eyes narrowed. “I know you. You’re a Navy SEAL and detailed her for a bit a while back.” Her eyes widened. “Wait, are you that Navy SEAL?”
“You mean the one that’s in love with her?”
The woman smiled again. “Right, Petty Officer Archer ‘Hazard’ Booth. She told me you might call and to put you right through.”
“She did? I like the sound of that.”
She blushed under his intent gaze, then rattled off a courtroom number and directions. He thanked her and left. The court was already in session, so he quietly went through the doors.
He was aware that Leigh was going to request the death penalty for Alzate, and it was now employed in certain federal offenses, such as killing a government official, kidnapping that resulted in death, running a large-scale drug enterprise, and treason.
Alzate fit into three of those four offenses with multiple counts of murder for government officials regarding the OCDETF and a corrupt senator, and kidnapping that resulted in the death of Petty Officer Mayta Mosquera and Coast Guard Investigative Service Special Agent Carter Lennon. He noticed there were two people inside. One was a woman with tawny hair and an Asian American male. He recognized them as NCIS Special Agent in Charge Kai Talbot, and CGIS Special Agent Davis Nishida.
They turned when the door closed, both of them nodding to him. He sat behind them, nodding back. His gaze went to Leigh, and she looked so professional in her burgundy power suit that brought out the color of her hair, a glossy honey blonde.
The court clerk started speaking as he read off the docket number. “United States vs. Angel Alzate. Charges are multiple counts of murder, attempted murder, and accessory to murder in the first degree, kidnapping and torture of military and federal employees, and running a large-scale global drug enterprise, the Alzate Cartel.”
“How do you plead?” the judge asked.
“Not guilty,” Alzate said. Hazard was surprised the bastard didn’t choke on his lie.
The judge looked at Leigh. “Miss Waterford?”
“The United States will prove that Mr. Alzate is guilty of all charges, and due to the violent and callous disregard for human life, we ask for remand.”
“I agree, Miss Waterford. The defendant is denied bail and remanded until trial.” The judge cracked her gavel, and the US Marshals took him away.
Leigh turned with a satisfied smile on her face, her gaze going to the two agents. Then he stood, and she stilled. With trembling hands, she packed up her briefcase and came through the swinging gate that separated the viewing area from the court.
Kai touched her arm. “It’s about time that bastard paid for what he’s done.”
Leigh only seemed to have eyes for him. Davis smiled, glancing over at Hazard, then said, “Are we still on for lunch?”
Leigh nodded. Hazard grinned at the giddy look in her eyes. “Looks like we’re going to have a special guest. You remember Petty Officer Booth?”
“Oh, yes, I remember him,” Kai said with a sigh. “He’s kind of unforgettable.”
Davis laughed softly, and Hazard noticed the diamond on Kai’s hand. “See you at lunch,” he said.
They left and she pulled him to the back of the courtroom. “What are you doing here?”
“Ice wanted me to tell you something, but I also came to hear all about your revelations.”
“You mean like I’ve told my boss that I’m resigning after this case, and I’m going to teach law instead. I have my eye on a position at Old Dominion University as a matter of fact.”
The happiness surged in him, but he kept it together, playing along. “Oh, isn’t that in Norfolk, Virginia?” He pulled her against him. “Hmmm, what a coincidence. I’m based out of Virginia Beach, a hop and a skip away.”
She giggled. “Wow, that works out perfectly. I won’t even have to find an apartment.”
He chuckled. “I have a few questions.”
“Oh?”
“Do you snore? How many doodads and lacy shit do you own?”
She smacked his shoulder. “I don’t snore. How unladylike. And there are many, many doodads, but on the lacy shit, I’m going to have to let you discover that for yourself.”
He released a hard breath. “Sounds intensive. I think we should start now. How far do you live from here?”
“Just a hop and a skip,” she said, brushing her mouth against his. “I even have a sweet, fast car.”
“Damn, woman. I think I’m in love.” He was so deeply in love, the kind of love that was going to last a lifetime, well into a happily ever after, and if he could manage, even beyond.
“I know I am.” She brushed her fingers along his jaw.
He followed her down to the garage and they slipped into her car. He couldn’t resist pulling her to him and kissing her for several long seconds.
She grinned at him and started the engine. “Oh, you came over two thousand miles. What did Iceman want you to tell me?”
“You’re an official ball-busting SEAL babe. He has the busted balls to prove it.”
She threw her head back and laughed hard before pulling out of the parking space and gunning the engine.