Of the eight of them that had been captured, two refused, one didn’t survive the attack and another didn’t survive his first change. And only the four Lycans—Spook, Weasel, Monk, and him—made it out of Central America alive.
“Well, remember the Lycan brotherhood is everywhere, even where you’re headed. You have any trouble, give me a call and I’ll put you in touch with folks who can help. You still have the numbers I gave you?”
Sean patted his chest pocket. “Right here.”
“Good.” Spook cleared his throat and seemed uncertain what to do next. He looked like a father who didn’t want to let his kid go off to college, but knew he had to release him to the real world sometime. Smiling wryly at the thought, Sean reached over and lifted his gear off the bed.
“You tell your girl I said hi. Bet she’ll be happy to see you.”
Adjusting the strap of his duffle on his shoulder, he corrected Spook. “She’s not my girl. Von’s engaged to a former army buddy.”
“She’s not married yet. That means you still have time.”
“I told you, Hooch is a friend. I wouldn’t do him like that.” At one time, Hooch had been a brother to him, had even saved his life once during a firefight by pulling him out of harm’s way. You didn’t repay a man by stealing his girl.
“Sure, Serge.” Spook’s expression spoke volumes. “You just remember what I told you. See you when you get back.”
Sean nodded and walked out the door. Only to himself did he admit that he was in love with his best friend’s girl, and if Von ever looked at him with a hint of the love he felt for her, screw friendship. He’d do whatever it took to make her his.
Sean caught a hop into Fort Stewart and arranged lodging on the base. MWR arranged for a car rental and gave him a map of the area. He picked up his truck, went to a nearby Wal-Mart to purchase some additional supplies, though he could have bought them on the base, then returned to his room to settle in.
Once he unpacked, he picked up the remote, turned to CNN Sports and watched a baseball game, more as a way to pass the time than out of any interest in the sport. Inside he was a bundle of nerves. Former Private First Class Derrick “Hooch” Wilkins had encouraged him on more than one occasion to come for a visit, but was the invitation still open? It had been years since they’d seen each other, though they still kept in touch via email and Facebook.
His friend, Hooch, was a minister now. A freaking man of the cloth. There’d been nothing holy about the guy he met in basic training and later deployed in the same unit with to Iraq. That guy had been pure trouble, proving the maxim about preacher’s kids to be true. They’d tagged him with the moniker because of the amount of liquor he consumed and his winning way with the ladies. Sean shook his head. Unbelievable.
And Von? Did Hooch know his woman still wrote to him? Sean picked up the recently opened packet of letters that were never far from his side. She’d continued to write and email even though he’d dropped off radar for several months. Von knew his job was frequently dangerous. He’d never gone into detail but had given enough hints that she knew not to panic or think he was ending their friendship if his end happened to go silent for weeks. But he’d never gone months without responding. From the letters that had caught up with him after everything was over, she was frantic with worry.
He brought the envelopes to his lips and kissed them, wondering if Von knew exactly how much of herself she revealed in the lines on these pages. She was so fucking beautiful to him. It didn’t matter if she was black, white, Hispanic, or Asian. Her soul radiated beauty. Derrick was a very lucky man. He wondered if the bastard realized how lucky.
Finally, evening arrived. Tight with nerves, he dialed Hooch’s home number. The phone rang several times with no answer. Just when he was about to hang up, Hooch answered. “Hello?”
“Hey, stranger. I hope that invitation to come visit is still open.”
“Cougar?”
“Yeah, it’s me.”
“How are you? Where are you?” Hooch sounded happy to hear from him.
With a silent sigh of relief, Sean collapse against the backrest of the couch. “Fort Stewart for a little R and R.”
“Stewart? That’s right up the road,” he exclaimed.
“That’s the plan. So, that invite still good?”
“Yeah, man! I can’t believe it. Wait until I tell Von you’re here. She’s been asking about you,” Derrick said excitedly.
Heart thumping at the mention of her name, Sean counseled himself to play it cool. “Oh, you two still kickin’ it?”
“We’re getting married.”
“Lucky bastard,” Sean told him with feeling.
“Don’t I know it.”
“So when’s the happy event?” he asked, dreading the answer.
“Not for another year.”
Sean scowled. “Why so long? Aren’t you afraid someone will steal her out from under you?”
“Von? Man, she’s crazy about me. She’s not going anywhere.”
Fool, he deserves to lose her, taking a beautiful woman like Von for granted. If she were his, he’d have bound her to him in every way possible as soon as she said yes. “You know her better than anyone,” he said, keeping his thoughts to himself.
“True that. We’ve been together a long time.” Derrick sounded smug. “So, how long you here for? How soon can we get together?”
“A couple of weeks. You tell me. I’m footloose and fancy-free. You’re the one with the nine-to-five.”
“How about tomorrow night? Von’s off and there’s no service or meetings at the church. Chili’s sound good?”
“Works for me. I can go for some ribs.” He paused to take a sip of his beer. “Hooch, I can’t believe you’re a minister.”
Derrick gave a sheepish laugh. “Yeah, well, what can I say? I’m following in the old man’s footsteps. And call me Derrick. That’s who I am now. Hooch is long gone.”
From what Hooch, make that Derrick, had revealed about his father, deep in the night when confessions flowed, in his place Sean wasn’t sure he’d want to. Derrick Wilkins Senior sounded like a religious fanatic.
“I finished seminary and made junior pastor at our church. Dad suggested giving myself time to get used to my new responsibilities before adding a wife to the mix. Von understands and agrees. He’s been grooming her to be a minister’s wife, so she knows what’s important.”
Sean bared his teeth and growled inaudibly. “That’s great,” he forced out through clenched teeth, knowing full well how Von felt about continually being pushed to the side, coming in last on Derrick’s priority list.
“Hey, listen. I’ve got to run to a meeting, but we’ll definitely get together tomorrow, say six?”
“Sounds good.”
“It’s the Chili’s on Ashley Road. Google it and get the directions.”
“Will do. Check you tomorrow.”
“Later.” They both disconnect.
Sean sat staring blankly at the television. Tomorrow he’d meet the love of his life for the first time, face-to-face.
Von fumbled with the door and set her laundry basket down in the entryway, pulling her ringing cell phone out of her pocket, catching it on the last ring. “Hey!”
“You sound out of breath. What were you doing?”
“Laundry. You caught me with my hands full.” She pushed her basket clear of the doorway and shut the door. Then, with the phone tucked between her shoulder and ear, she toted her clothes to the couch and set the basket on the coffee table.