CJ (Voodoo Guardians #32)

CHAPTER ONE

Christian Joseph ‘CJ’ Abbott was the only child of Milo and Lia Abbott. Milo joined the Navy, becoming a Navy SEAL after a childhood with religion shoved down his throat. His parents wanted him to become a preacher, but his grandfather, Teddy, saved his life in more ways than one.

Almost his entire childhood, Milo thought that Teddy lived with them in their small home. As it turned out, his parents were living in Teddy’s home, taking advantage of him and his generosity. Something Milo never forgot.

Teddy was now living at Belle Fleur along with Milo and Lia, living the life he deserved as one of the last remaining members of the greatest generation. For CJ, it was like having living history lessons at your fingertips. Between his great-grandfather, his father, George, Matthew, and all the other men, it was an unparalleled education.

“Great-grandpa? Did you like the Army?” he asked. His eight-year-old brain was trying to decipher why anyone would ever want to have people yelling orders at them all day long.

“It was the greatest time of my life, other than helping to raise your dad,” he smiled.

“You didn’t mind people telling you what to do?” he asked.

“There are always people telling you what to do, CJ. You have to decide if they’re the right things to do or not. Just because someone is yelling at you to do it doesn’t mean it’s right. That’s why you were given a brain to achieve rational thought.”

“Rational thought?” he said with a scrunched face. Teddy laughed, hugging his great-grandson to his chest.

“It’s that thing in your brain that knows the difference between right and wrong. The thing that says, ‘this don’t look or feel right.’ The thing that tells you to run when you’re in danger.”

“I think I know what you mean,” he said with a very grown-up nod.

“Are you thinking about joining the Army, CJ?” asked Teddy.

“No, sir.” Teddy let out a long, slow breath, almost relieved. Then CJ spoke again. “I’m going to be a SEAL like my dad.”

“I see,” he nodded. “Well, I think you’ll make a fine SEAL.”

“I’m not very big,” he frowned. “I’m smaller than all the boys here.”

“You’re still awfully young, CJ. You got time to grow. Just eat your vegetables, exercise with the other boys, and take your vitamins. You’ll be just fine. Besides, not all SEALs are big men. In fact, some of the finest I know are smaller men.”

“I sure hope so,” he said with a sad face. “It’s not fun being picked last for basketball.”

Teddy could only laugh, hugging his great-grandson again before he dashed off to play with the boys. He was indeed picked last for the pickup basketball game, but a few years later, he had grown some and was picked somewhere in the middle.

Then Teddy couldn’t help but smile when, in his senior year, he was suddenly the center for the team. Six-feet-seven and two hundred pounds of unrestrained eighteen-year-old hormones. Lord, help them all.

Fortunately for Milo and Lia, CJ was a determined and focused young man with more than his fair share of common sense. In fact, when Milo sat CJ down to talk about the birds and the bees at the beginning of middle school, CJ held up his hands and stopped his father.

“Dad, I know about sex,” said the twelve-year-old. “I know that I’m going to start going through puberty, and I’ll get hair in weird places, and my body will do stupid stuff. I know all of it. I know that having sex without protection could result in a girl getting pregnant or passing diseases to one another, and I know that I have to be responsible enough to stop, say ‘no,’ or ensure that we’re protected. Both of us. Don’t worry, Dad. I don’t have any of those feelings yet, and I know that doing that could end my dreams of becoming a SEAL. I’m good.”

Milo just stared at his son, nodding.

“Well, alright then. Good talk. Do you have any questions for me?” he smiled as they swung their feet in the water at the end of the dock.

“Only one. When the time comes, how will I know that she’s the one? I mean, I know that most people will have sex with more than one person before they get married. But what if I have sex with someone and think she’s the one? How will I know? How can I be sure?”

“That’s a great question,” smiled Milo. “Making love to a woman is a beautiful, sensual, wonderful experience, CJ. But it won’t tell you whether you love her or not. Emotions get all jumbled when you’re making love to someone, having sex with them. It may not tell you anything at all.”

“It won’t?”

“Nope. It will be little things that tell you. The way she laughs or the way she touches her hair when she’s nervous.”

“Like Mom,” smiled CJ. “She’s always touching her hair if she’s nervous.”

“Exactly like Mom,” laughed Milo. “She’ll walk into a room and take your breath away. If she’s sad, all you want to do is make her happy. If she’s hurting, you want to take her pain away and make everything better for her. She is the first thing on your mind in the morning and the last thing on your mind as you fall asleep.”

“Mom must be on your mind a lot,” smiled CJ.

“All the time, buddy. All the damn time,” laughed Milo.

CJ remembered that conversation for many years afterwards. He remembered it when he left for basic. He remembered it when he went through BUDs. He remembered it when he got the trident pinned to his chest.

For almost fourteen years, CJ served on the Teams, saving people he didn’t know, countries he’d never heard of, and constantly training for what might be around the corner.

“Abbott?”

“Yes, sir?” said CJ, standing to greet his commander.

“Abbott, we want you to spend some time in D.C. at Quantico,” said the older man.

“Quantico? Am I helping the bureau with something?”

“No and yes. You’re helping the bureau and Marines train for an op they’re gearing up for. They need someone with your skill set, and we’re slow right now. Besides, you’re only ten months from your contract end date. You said you were going to leave. Is that still true?”

“I’m afraid so,” smiled CJ. “I’m ready to go home.”

“I can understand that,” nodded his commander. “I’m three wives and six kids in. I have to keep working.”

“No offense, but for someone who makes amazing decisions on the Teams, you make shit decisions in your personal life,” he grinned. They’d known one another for years, so the banter seemed normal to them.

“You’re not wrong,” he laughed. “What can I say? I love beautiful women, and there always seems to be a prettier one around the corner, ready to be the wife of a SEAL commander. Which begs the question, why isn’t your ass married? Even as a man, I can see you’re a good-looking dude. Big, tall, handsome, and you seem to have decent manners. So, what’s wrong?”

CJ laughed, shaking his head at his old friend.

“I’m a bit more selective,” said CJ. “I’m not looking for the one right now. I’m looking for the right one forever. It’s kind of a family trait.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he laughed. “We’ve rented a condo for you near the Pentagon. You’ll be working half your time at Quantico and half your time at the Pentagon.”

“Sounds like a dream job,” grimaced CJ.

“I can get someone else if you don’t want this,” said his commander.

“No. No, this is fine. You’re right. I’m leaving in a few months, and I can bide my time and still make a difference.”

“Good man.”

CJ was moved into the condo within a week, his furnishings modest but efficient. He had a few photos of his parents, some with his friends from Belle Fleur, and probably ten of his great-grandfather.

Grabbing another box from his car, he walked up the steps and heard the door next to his open. As the woman stepped out, he nearly dropped the box. She was tall, probably six-feet. Her hair reminded him of the cherrywood table in his mother’s dining room. Her eyes were a light brown, almost hazel, as their green and yellow flecks glimmered in the hints of sunlight.

“Hi,” she smiled. “You must be the new neighbor. I’m Jill Morgan.” She extended a beautiful hand, and he shuffled the box beneath one big arm, earning him an eyebrow raise.

“CJ. CJ Abbott,” he said, taking her hand. It was like electricity zipped up his arm straight to his brain. Everything was firing like crazy.

“Nice to meet you, CJ. I have to run to the office, but maybe we can chat later,” she smiled. Behind her, a man stepped out in his uniform and gave him a nod. “Oh, Tim. This is CJ.”

“Hey. I have to run, Jill. I’ll see you later.” He turned and left the woman standing there, not even kissing her cheek.

“Brother?” he asked hopefully.

“Uh. No. I mean, no.” She appeared confused and somewhat hurt by his reaction to her. “No. He’s my fiancé.”

“Ah. Well, he’s a lucky man,” said CJ.

“Yeah?” she said with a sad grin.

“Definitely. Nice to meet you, Jill.”

“You too, CJ.”

He watched her head out to her own vehicle, watching the car of her rude fiancé as it sped away. He casually took his box inside, all the while keeping an eye on her. . It wouldn’t be the last time he ran into Jill, but it was the moment he knew she was supposed to be his.

He just had to convince her of that.