Mayhem Chapter #2
“He claimed he wasn’t putting his life in my hands, and he encouraged the other four pilots to join him.
I was the only woman. They followed his lead.
Despite knowing it was wrong, when they took off, I went after them.
I kept trying to tell them to get back on the mission.
Ground control heard some of it and was demanding we either get back on target or abort. ”
Astrid paused again and lay her forehead on my chest. I rubbed the back of her head. If it made it easier for her to tell me this way, then so be it. The anger I was feeling toward those other pilots was building, but I managed to hold it inside. I’d explode after I knew the entire story.
“Before either I or Command could convince them to turn around, we were hit with some of the weapons we were there to destroy.
Anti-aircraft missiles were among them. Two of the planes were hit and exploded midair.
The rest of us were taking heavy damage.
Our attempt to get out of the line of fire failed, and rather than crash with our failing jets, we ejected.
We landed in the middle of enemy territory.
It became a mission to get back to safety.
“Unfortunately, the one who went off script to begin with, Lieutenant Commander Baker, was still trying to take the lead. He even dared to blame me for us being shot down. I knew we had a better chance of getting back home if we stuck together and worked as a team. I was reluctantly allowed to go with them, but the other two listened to Baker. I tried to tell them we were going deeper into enemy territory, not out of it. I’d studied the map.
Baker laughed and talked about how women had no sense of direction.
We walked right into a party searching for us. ” She stopped talking again.
“Astrid, baby, if this is too much, we can stop. I didn’t know how painful it would be. You can tell me later when you feel up to it.”
She shook her head, which was still pressed to my chest. “No, I want to get it all out. The enemy wanted us to reveal details about our Naval plans. Where we had people, aircraft, extra forces, weapons - you name it. When we refused to tell, they assumed they’d get the guys to talk if they hurt me in front of them.
They thought I was their leverage. I was tortured on and off for three days before they accepted that the men with me wouldn’t break to spare me anything.
“It was then that they moved to them. Ultimately, they killed the other two who were with Baker and me. When they began his torture, he broke almost immediately and told them things he never should’ve.
Thank God, the Navy had sent in a SEAL team to recover us.
They arrived not long afterward, so the enemy hadn’t had time to share the intel outside of that encampment.
In the resulting firefight to gain our freedom, Baker was killed.
I was the sole survivor out of the original six pilots.
My injuries took months to heal, and as a result, I was medically retired.
The families of those other pilots weren’t told they disobeyed orders or betrayed their country.
It was touted as a mission gone bad, their reputations remained untarnished, and their families were clueless about the truth. ”
My body was tense as her words sank in. While I didn’t want to cause her pain, I had to ask, “What injuries did you have? They whipped you. I know what those marks look like. What else took months to heal?”
As I asked her, I placed my finger under her chin and raised it so I could see her face. Her eyes were wet with tears. I kissed each one, removing her tears. Moving from there, I kissed my way to her mouth. I gently nibbled on her lips.
“Shh, don’t cry. Forget it,” I whispered.
Her body jerked, then she shocked me by answering despite the pain it caused her.
“I was beaten severely, which left me with a broken arm, ribs, ankle, and a concussion. There were countless bruises and lacerations. They whipped me as you saw. I have no idea why they kept it to just that area of my body. They used psychological torture to try to break me. They kept telling me how they were going to hurt me. And they…” Her voice faded away.
Her body shook harder, and more tears streamed down her cheeks.
In agony, I croaked out, “They raped you.”
I phrased it as a statement, not a question. My gut told me it was true. When she nodded, I let my roar of fury loose. She cried out. I sucked it back in and crushed her to me. I rocked her as I whispered in her ear.
“Jesus Christ, God no, babe. I’m so fucking sorry. Shit, I can’t imagine enduring all that. And then I come onto you like I did. I’m sorry. I swear, I won’t do it again. Please, say you’re not scared of me.”
I was babbling, but I didn’t know what to say or do.
My brain churned like a blender. The only thing I knew for sure was that if the men she went on the mission with were still alive, I’d hunt down and kill the traitors.
And the men who’d tortured and raped her would receive the same after I tortured them within an inch of their lives.
“Did they kill all the men in that encampment, or did some get taken prisoner or get away?” I asked hoarsely.
“They were all killed. Jamie, you can’t think that you have anything to apologize for. I was with you all the way earlier, and you made me do nothing against my will.” There was an urgency in her tone. Her gaze was steady on mine.
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely sure. But I have to ask you something now that you know.” She sounded hesitant.
“Ask me anything.”
“Does knowing this change things for you?”
“Change things for me, how?” I asked, puzzled.
“Knowing that I was raped. It’s a turnoff for men. Knowing the woman they’re with was gang raped sickens many men,” she raggedly mumbled.
My anger blazed again.
“Astrid, you look me in the eyes and listen carefully. My only feeling about it is rage over what they did to you. If they weren’t already dead, all of them, including Baker and those other four pilots, would be hunted down and put in the goddamn ground.
I detest that you had to live through that, but I have zero disgust for you.
My only concern is that I never do anything that might cause you to be triggered.
If I ever start to do that, you have to promise to tell me right away.
What those monsters did doesn’t change you or how I feel about you.
You’re not getting rid of me that easily. ”
I said the last with a smirk, trying to ease the tension.
It worked. She smiled, and then I was drowning as she latched onto my mouth and kissed the hell out of me.
I followed her lead and hungrily kissed her back.
Damn, this wasn’t how I saw today going, but I’d take it.
Knowing what she suffered, hopefully, would help me avoid mistakes with Astrid.
After these past two hours, I knew one thing for sure.
I hadn’t made a mistake in choosing her, and I wanted her to move in with me.
I had to find a way to convince her to give up her search for a place of her own and live with me.
However, that conversation could wait until we were done kissing.
God, who knew you could become addicted to kisses?