Page 2 of Guarding The Phoenix: Vol. 2

Over the years, we’d been stationed on aircraft carriers and all other manner of ships in the Marines, but we’d never sailed a ship this luxurious. On the lower deck was the engine room, access to the below deck quarters, and near the stern was a small six-seater speedboat, and some jet skis. Located on the second floor was the galley, a living room, and the primary bedroom. There was also an open-air seating area on the aft deck. On the third deck was the ship’s wheel and control room, with a captain’s cabin and lounge area in the back, along with a dining area on the rear deck. The top level had a hot tub and an outdoor lounge area.

Chase was seated in the captain’s chair behind the controls. Even wounded, he kept his focus on the sea. Blood dripped from his arm and pooled on the floor below. His shirt was ruined. But fuck, at least he was alive, and Gideon had packed clothing provisions for us with a foresight that was downright eerie. But then, he’d also studied the way Santos operated when he went to war. “We need to get that looked at. Let me take over.”

“I’ve got it.” Chase gritted out and shot me a furious glance. We joked he was an eternal daredevil, always up for stupid shit. But when the shit hit the fan, there was no one I’d rather have at my side. Chase was fearless, with a side heaping of relentless. He never stopped. Even injured.

Gideon returned with the med kit and Kylie trailing in his wake. Battered and bruised, she shot me a small smile. We’d almost lost her tonight. The marks on her neck made me want to turn the boat around and go kill that fucker again for daring to touch her. There was nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her safe.

Between one breath and the next, an inconvenient truth struck me like a surprise meteorite strike.

I loved Kylie. Deeply, madly, truly. I loved her more than I ever believed it possible to love another.

But even that word didn’t accurately describe the depth of my feelings. I was devoted to her. Hopelessly. With every breath in my body.

She held my gaze with a warmth that sizzled into my heart. Did she feel the same? By chance, could she love this old Marine? I didn’t know what it meant either or how it would change things, since I had agreed to share her.

A blush spread into her cheeks. Then she shifted her attention to Chase. She gasped and put a hand over her mouth. Tears lined her inky lashes.

Chase shot her a cocky grin and winked. “I’m okay, beautiful. But I wouldn’t be averse to having you kiss me and making me feel better.

“Cool it, Romeo. We need to get you patched up. Move out of the captain’s seat. Axel will take over while we get this done.” Gideon had the med kit open and was assembling what he needed to treat Chase’s arm.

“I’m fine,” Chase gritted out, obviously in pain.

Kylie put a hand on his shoulder, above his injured arm. Chase looked at her with a wealth of meaning in his eyes and said, “Ah shit, gorgeous, don’t cry. Please. I’m useless around tears. I’ll let Gideon patch me up if it will dry your tears.”

Kylie nodded with a tremulous smile.

“Only for you.” Chase winked and rose. Then scowled at me. “Try not to sink us.”

“Quit your bitching and get your arm looked at. Then you can have the controls back.” Not that I couldn’t pilot the yacht. But I was far from an expert. And for this getaway, I’d feel better with Chase behind the helm.

Although until we were in the clear, we had to take shifts for all the duties on board. A yacht this size would normally have multiple crew members working round the clock to keep it running properly.

At the helm, I steered, maintaining the current speed and heading. But I monitored the group. Mateo sat at the communications panel, subverting any calls to local police and fire departments. We needed the attack handled by our clean-up crew. The less publicized the attack, the better.

Gideon cut off Chase’s shirt while he swore up a blue streak. Easier to do it that way than taking the black tee off over his head. Kylie sat at his side and held his free hand. Her resilience in the face of danger warmed me.

“You’re lucky they were such a bad shot. Another inch or so and they would have struck the artery. As it is, it’s not much more than a flesh wound. I don’t have sutures, so we’ll have to glue it shut. And you’ll wind up with a scar, but you’ll live.”

“Yay me.” Chase winked at Kylie. Then he hissed as Gideon poured alcohol over it to sanitize the wound.

It even made me wince. I knew an injury like that with alcohol poured over it burned like a son of a bitch. Better than letting it get infected, but still. Chase turned into a model patient, with Kylie looking on. She seemed to have that effect on us.

Gideon finished wrapping Chase’s arm when Mateo glanced over his shoulder and shouted, “We’ve got incoming and they’re not friendlies.”

“What the fuck?” Gideon swore and tossed the rest of the unused bandage on the table.

“Helicopter. Nine o’clock. I’m betting it is one of Santos and loaded with fire power.” Mateo added, “We need to take it down.”

“Take it down. You mean like destroy it? But how?” Kylie asked, her voice laced with terror. And all I wanted to do was go to her, hold her, and tell her everything would be all right. There would be time for that later. Right now, my expertise was needed and not at the helm.

“It’ll be fine, Angel. You’ve got nothing to worry about. I’ve got it covered.” I rose. “Chase, take over for me. Give me a minute to grab what I need down below.”

“With pleasure.” He slid into the seat with a nod.

Steely determination filled me. I marched below deck. The fuckers would die for putting Kylie’s life at risk. If they wanted a war, then they’d get one. And they would learn you didn’t fuck with a damn Marine.

Because I knew Gideon’s methods well, I located the firepower I needed. Hefted the AT4-CS disposable anti-tank launcher from a storage box. It had been designed for enclosed spaces with a saltwater counter-mass in the rear of the launcher to absorb the back blast. Which meant the deck would get wet, but it wouldn’t burn.

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