Chapter Seven #3
“Yeah, all the Protectors have been in a wave pool. Justice and Teller took us before the lagoon, right after I had the twins. Brinks almost shit a brick but Jordan was cool and took me while Brinks had the twins.”
I laugh. She’s crazy. I would think recuperation time should play in there.
“I’d have thought Brinks would be cool and Jordan would bust a gasket.” Seren is crazy too.
“Stella just had the twins and went surfing and your thought is on which man would lose his shit over it?”
Seren looks me in the eye for a few seconds before answering. “Yeah. I begged to ride behind Cort for weeks after Caelan. It’s not like you need months of recovery.”
I look from her to Stella. “You don’t?”
“Nah, Aylen was in the room while the healers were outside. She’s almost as strong as Justice and Mucimi are at healing.”
Wow. “You had healers, Seren?”
Her head shake is enough but she gives details.
“We didn’t know them yet. Everyone hears the stories but I never met anyone that healed.
Ben Knight sent them down when Ranger got burned by the flamethrower.
They took the bandages off before his chopper landed.
Freedom almost hit her knees when she first saw him.
His skin was lighter than it is now but he was healed. ”
“They’re amazing, we went through wars in the east that had healers run ragged.
They were on Ops riding or flying and spent every off-minute eating and healing.
It was fuckin’ nuts. It’s calmer here and they have help.
Cort has good Brothers with experience coming out of the woodwork here.
” Stella has got to be early twenties. She’s talking about teenage years.
Seren agrees. I was never in the east so I’ll take her word for it.
“So, you woke up being his woman?” Stella isn’t going to let this go.
There is no point in hiding it. “Yeah. This morning, I remembered thinking I needed the drink to push him away. I used the questions to push him away but every time he answered like me, or I could understand his reasoning, I wanted him more. I’ve since decided that I need a tag-along shrink.”
They both laugh at me. While they go on about me circling Hud like Stella did her men, I think about the ride home.
He’s in really good shape for someone who recuperated while nursing for his friend who was going through the last stages of cancer.
The man is more compassionate and loyal than you’d think because of his lack of chit chat.
Stuck on a boat, he spoke when it was needed for almost the whole week.
The hours of talking was on the last night and I think I was hooked.
We talked about countries, people and where we’ve been and what we saw.
No work, no military and really, nothing too personal.
It was odd and amazing all wrapped together.
Last night was all personal and I feel the same way today. It really is odd and amazing all wrapped together, he washed me. I breathe deep trying to…
“What’s wrong? Hey, why are you crying?” Stella pulls my arm.
I’m surprised as I turn. “Oh, it’s good. He washed me.”
“You’re crying because he washed you?” Seren asks but it’s soft. That soft makes me think she probably knows.
I nod. “I grew up in care. I can’t remember, even one time, anyone doing anything like that for me. I remember dressing myself with clothes left on my bed when I was three and four. Nothing before that.”
“That’s sad but he’s sweet. Our Badass men all drink the Kool-Aid and wash their women. Who washed you?” Freedom sits by me as Debra sits by Seren.
“Hud. She’s his now.” Stella answers for me.
I almost protest but honestly, I did agree to sleep with him and I’m tired of the dating pool games at the Clubs. Officers that are the real deal aren’t as easy to find as you’d think in the predominantly male environment. Being an Officer, I can’t outrank a likely candidate.
I shake my head. “I don’t need a reason. I feel what I feel and we agreed on almost every answer.” I stop the whole convo of pros and cons my head was going to play out for me.
Stella slaps the table laughing at whatever I missed.
“I knew you were one of us. No playing fuckin’ games is as Badass as you can get. Preach on, sistah.” Freedom has me laughing with Stella.
I really need help but pretend sanity well enough to pass muster with the Badass crazy ol’ ladies.
I’m not sure they see it or even care. I should ask if they know how crazy they are but I’m latched on to a man I’ve had meaningful conversations I can count on one hand.
Granted, one of those times was an excessively detailed list of life choices that should have come with an index, quick reference fill-in list and proposed age recommendations.
The should-be offensive list did bring me to a point that I am afraid to say how I feel about that man who is normally called my mute.
Shaking my head, I smile like a lunatic at the ol’ ladies who had a conversation I did not listen to a word of.
They don’t care and continue as if I know what’s going on. I love the Badass sisterhood.