Chapter 2 #2
I don’t mean it. There are so many days I wish I could have what he has. I wish I was worthy to love a woman like he does.
“She’s busy.” He chuckles and holds out his beer.
“Thanks, man.” I take a big swallow, almost downing the bottle.
“Shit, guess I shoulda brought two.”
“Woulda been nice.” I laugh as we make our way through the gate into the yard. Aries and I used to be on the same SEAL team until he left and came out here.
I take in all the people. Some are talking loudly, while others are in the dark corners making out and doing other things.
I spot my father sitting at a table with Zeus, Typhon, Drea, Wrenn, and Sydney, the woman I’ve only caught a couple of glimpses of.
And just like before, the ground feels like it’s rolling under my boots.
Sydney throws her head back, laughing as she takes a shot.
Her long red hair falls in waves around her shoulders.
The red catches the light above her and shines, making my breath hitch.
I’m not a sappy kind of asshole, but whenever I see her, I want to pull her into me and lay claim to her.
I don’t want any of the other unattached fuckers to even think they have a chance.
A movement beyond her catches my eye, and I watch as Apollo approaches and pulls Drea into his arms. Typhon laughs, and I want to punch one of my close friends for spending time with her.
Sydney laughs when Wrenn urges her to take another shot, and Typhon tips his head back, taking two.
Wrenn is at it again, challenging Typhon to a drinking contest, and she must have roped Sydney into it, seeing as she and Drea are both pregnant.
I found out Sydney’s name from Wrenn and my dad the last time I saw her. She ran off before I could introduce myself, but that isn’t going to happen again.
Aries says something to me, but I ignore him and make my way across the yard to where she is seated. I stop right next to her. Everyone else has grown quiet, looking at me as she continues chatting away to my father and brother about traveling to Alaska.
“I’m Tucker.” I hold out my hand, giving her my real name and not my road one.
She stops and turns to look at me. Her eyes are so green I can see the ocean surf in them. It reminds me of the Mediterranean, and my tongue feels thick in my mouth. I’m about to stutter or embarrass myself.
“Hello, Tucker. I thought your name was Poseidon.” She smiles at me. “I’m nobody. Stand in line with all the other guys wanting to get to know me.” She waves her hand around the area.
Typhon and Wrenn chuckle along with my dad, and I clench my jaw. My brother tips his head at her as he shakes it, holding back a laugh too. I look out at all the men taking her in and realize I have to lock her down before someone else tries to.
I lean down into her space. Her vanilla scent invades my senses, and I’m hooked.
“Sydney, baby, none of the guys here will get to know you but me.” Her eyes flare wide, and she leans away from me.
She looks over at Wrenn, who is trying to hide her smile.
“Let me get you a drink,” I say, but the little spitfire twists in her seat and stands.
“I’ll be back.” She looks over at Wrenn again, then up at me. She’s so tiny, almost a foot shorter than me. “Tucker, it was nice meeting you, but you couldn’t handle me. There are plenty of women here who are more your speed.” She walks away as my brother and father guffaw along with Typhon.
I glare at all of them, then look back to see her enter the clubhouse attached to the garage several of the guys work at.
“Son, maybe you should give her a moment to calm down before you go after her again.” My dad is still laughing.
“If I leave her be too long, some tool is going to think he has a chance with her, and he doesn’t,” I growl as I turn toward the entrance and make my way inside.
I take in the big room. People are seated at the tables and in front of the television watching the countdown in New York. I don’t see her anywhere around and it causes my skin to prickle with nerves.
Even though it’s still a couple of hours until the actual New Year, I hear the boom of fireworks starting nearby. For a moment, my mind flashes back to war, and I have to close my eyes to center myself and remember I’m safe now. I’m no longer there.
I head up to my room to get away from everyone and the noise. As I round the corner to head upstairs, I make out a figure standing in the shadows. Moving closer, I see it’s Sydney, but she isn’t focused on me. She turns, her eyes wide and her body trembling.
“Hey, spitfire, are you okay?”
She shakes her head and closes her eyes for a moment. Her body is shaking so hard her teeth rattle. She opens her eyes and looks up at me, and this time I can tell she sees me. But this isn’t the confident woman who was just in the courtyard bantering with me.
“Sydney, are you okay? Did someone hurt you?”
Another boom sounds from outside, this one closer and louder.
She squeaks and pushes herself farther into the corner.
Carefully, I reach for her. Her eyes flare wider in fear, but she doesn’t pull away as I haul her into my body.
There’s another bang, and this time her legs give out as she clings to me.
She cries out and buries herself deeper into my chest.
“I’ve got you, spitfire. You’re safe now.”
I heft her up my body and into my arms and carry her up to my room.
When we get to my door, I set her down and pull the key from my pocket to unlock my room.
I keep the door locked all the time; I don’t want just anyone in my space.
I kick the door open and guide her inside.
She still hasn’t acknowledged me, but I know what I’m witnessing.
I’ve seen it many times before through my own eyes and in the eyes of others as they panic from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Something has happened to her. And from her reaction, it might have been war too. Or something similar.
I hear a ringing and realize it’s her cell phone.
She holds it up to me but doesn’t respond.
I look at the screen and see it’s Wrenn.
From my own phone, I send her a message, letting her know I have Sydney and that we are okay.
Again, Syd’s phone goes off. It’s a text message from Wrenn, asking if she’s okay.
I can see the preview message but can’t respond because of her passcode.
“Syd, baby, you need to let Wrenn know you’re okay.” I try to get her to come back to the present.
She shakes her head, and when the next firework goes off, she jumps at me and starts clawing at me, trying to climb my body.
I pull her into me and hold her close. She squeezes me so tight our bodies feel like they are becoming one.
I lead her to the bed and lie down with her in my arms. I lie there for a while, holding her while she trembles.
I must have fallen asleep at some point, because when I open my eyes the room is quiet and she’s no longer there. I jump up from the bed and pull out my cell. It’s after three in the morning. She’s gone. My little spitfire gave me the slip.