Page 33 of Meaner Than Evil

She opens the refrigerator door and takes out a slab of leftover lasagna, then puts it in the microwave and turns it on. Then she removes some garlic bread from the freezer and puts it in the air fryer to cook.

I find the plates in the same place she stored them in our kitchen, left of the sink, then I take two wine glasses. I know she has a bottle of red wine around here somewhere, so I open several cabinet doors before finding her stash of reds. She never really cared for white wine.

When the food is ready, we sit at her table to eat. She breaks her bread apart and bites a small piece, then she asks, “Tell me about becoming a SEAL. What was it like? Was it as tough as everyone thinks it is?”

I nod and tell her the truth. “It’s brutal, but it’s designed to be that way. The men who make it out of BUD/S are as strong mentally as they are physically.”

And for the next twenty minutes, I answer every question she has about my former military career. When we’re finished eating, she loads the dishwasher, then takes her wine glass and the bottle, and we go into her living room.

Logan

"So, what are you doing now?" I ask as I sit cross-legged on one end, and Jack stretches out on the other end. I pat my lap for his feet, and he smirks as he sets them gently on my legs.

He loved the foot massages I used to give him, so as he explains how Crockett rescued their former Targeting Officer Nina Fox's niece from being kidnapped, I rub his feet. He describes how the two of them reunited the former Bravo team to fight human trafficking.

"You'll love this, Logan. His company is Cock Blockers, Inc."

"Oh, my gosh." I laugh out loud.

He chuckles. "It's definitely a SEAL take on the situation."

"So what you did for me tonight is actually what you guys are doing now?"

He nods, "Yes, we are operating under the umbrella of the FBI combating human trafficking as Born To Fight Task Force.

"Wow, that is incredible!"

"All covertly, of course."

"Of course."

He smiles. "I have to be honest, Logan. It's pretty damn rewarding."

I smile back at him. "If what happened tonight is any indication of what you do, I couldn't agree more. Setting all those girls free felt pretty amazing, and this idea is a great way to use your skills."

He removes his feet, holds up the wine bottle, and asks. "More wine?"

"Yes, just a splash, please."

He empties the remaining wine into our glasses and hands mine to me. "To another successful rescue."

I lift my glass to him, and we clink them together, then drink. He leans back, and I snuggle up under his arm. As we sip our wine, I think about everything that happened. "Jack, there are so many women forgotten. My heart breaks for them."

"The numbers are staggering."

"Thank you for coming to save me."

"You're welcome, babe. I told you I would always be here for you." He squeezes me, and I snuggle in tighter, feeling safe and secure. "Logan, I still love you." He kisses the top of my head.

I kiss his bare chest and lay my cheek on his big padded pec. "Jack, I still love you too."

We sit there enjoying being together again for a few minutes and finish the wine. He takes our glasses and sets them on the coffee table, then he leans back and asks, "So, moving forward, what's next for us?"

His direct gaze pierces me to my core, and the integrity gives me strength. I realize, staring into his eyes, that I can embrace what happened to me or I can run from it, but either way, what happened tonight was a game-changer.

I decide.

"I want in on the fight."

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