FIRE (Elite Forces #2)(2)
There's only one thing I'd do differently. I would have stayed away from her if I had known this was my fate. How was I supposed to do that though? She drew me in the instant I knew about her. I can't change it now, and even if I could, I'm not sure how I could have stayed away.
A tiny tear slips out of my eye and across my nose as I think about the way it should be. I was so close to having everything. My heart is still full, and even though I'll most likely never feel her soft skin again, I swear I can smell her right here and now. I swallow hard and acknowledge the reality of this situation. The odds of me making it through this are very slim. I can only hold on to the memories and die with a vision of her in my head.
Their voices get louder, and I translate a few of their words. They’re coming in soon to attempt to get me to talk.
I will never talk. I swallow around the large lump in my throat and begin to accept my fate.
I'll die soon with only one regret. Jade
Chapter ONE
Jade
“Harris, let me go. I swear to God, I’ll kill you.” I pull out my pistol and set it right on his temple. He looks at me with a sadness that matches my own. I'm hurting so f*cking deep I can hardly breathe, and I want nothing more than to kill someone. If I thought for a second it would bring Kaleb to me, I'd do it right f*cking now. My hands are shaking. My finger rests on the trigger, while my eyes pierce through Harris’. What the f*ck am I doing?
This isn’t right. Nothing about any of this is right. We can't leave Maverick. Not after I fell in love with him. I’m pointing my gun at my best friend’s head while my heart crumbles.
"Elliott. Stop. I'm on your f*cking side. We're in this together, so put your damn gun down. The second we can separate from the team, we will. I'm going back to get him and so are you. You f*cking know we have to get Al-Quaren back to the States, and we can't do that if we're acting on goddamn emotions. We did what we f*cking had to do. Check yourself now, Jade. Right the hell now." He’s right. I’m a mess, and yet here I am, still not able to put my gun down.
We both stand there in the same position as the thumping of the helicopter continues to move us. My head feels like it's about to explode and so does my heart. How is this happening?
I start to lower my gun, and he pulls me into his arms while the gun dangles in my hand. I'm dying inside, and the last thing I want to feel is the warmth of a man who is not Kaleb.
I slam the gun into my leg holster and push away from him, moving over to the monkey straps that bound me in earlier. I fight with everything I have not to kill every single one of these guys and try to fly this motherf*cker back myself. How could they lift off without him?
"Ice. I'm working on a plan, and when we get to the drop, I'll take you myself." Jackson moves closer to me and talks loudly over the whipping of the helicopter blades.
That's three of us going. It sure doesn't feel like enough though, but with the rage I'm carrying, I don't care if there’s an entire army waiting for us out there. I’ll go in by myself if I have to.
"We have to play it safe, Ice. I can see crazy in your gorgeous eyes, and I can't let you go back in unless you reel that shit in. Do you f*cking hear me? You’re more of a danger to him and to all of us until you pull your goddamn shit together." Bullet is in my face, reminding me who's in charge here. The pounding of the helicopter blades literally matches my heartbeat, and I'm surprised I could hear his yelling over the noise in my head.
"Yes, Sir," I say loud enough for him to hear. Yet my tone is telling him I’m not really listening. I know what they're saying is vital and of the utmost importance, but I'm struggling like I've never struggled before.
I'm well-trained and knowledgeable about what can go wrong in a mission, but nowhere in all my life could I have ever prepared for the way I feel right now. They may as well have me, because I'm feeling every single f*cking hit he's more than likely getting. I feel all of it. Straight to my heart.
"I'm killing the mics now. They have his helmet, and we don't need them listening in. We only have a few minutes when we drop. I want us all to board that airplane and regroup. It's the only way we know we're safe."
"Not on your f*cking life, Kase." Harris comes in behind him and speaks before I have the chance to.
"Goddamnit. He'll have my ass if we don't do this right. We can't just start splitting up and f*cking lose everyone. Seriously. Use your heads. Both of you.”
"And you know time is of the essence in a situation like this. We have to split up. Half of us take this piece of shit in and the other half stay behind and blow off heads until we get Fire,” Jackson speaks his mind. He seems to be pushing to stay behind, and for that I like this guy more by the second.
“You're f*cking crazy if you think they haven't moved him. You're also an idiot if you go back there tonight. An army will be waiting to blow your f*cking heads off.” Kase is logical. I know he is, but right now, I don't want f*cking logic. I want Kaleb back where he belongs. With me.
Kase continues to talk, and I try to hear him. But my mind is spinning with chaos, and my body is filled with so much hatred and adrenaline for those bastards that took him, I can't comprehend anything else.
“Who do we have here in Mexico we can trust?” Thank god for Harris right now. He's asking questions that line up with what I need to know. All my mind wants to do is betray me of the years of training I’ve had, while my heart screams louder than any drill sergeant ever has.