Band of Bachelors: Jake2: Book 4 (SEAL Brotherhood) Read online

  “We’re going back to Baja, landing again by transport at the old Mexican Naval base at Puerto Cortes, on the Isla Santa Margarita.” He glanced Jake’s way. “We hope General Cortez doesn’t send a welcoming committee for you, son.”

  Coop put his arm around Jake’s shoulder and rocked him.

  “We’re only giving them an hour head’s up so we don’t think they can muster that fast, and our liaison will get our permission to land and try to bypass the brass if she can. Not to worry.”

  Kyle proceeded to tell the group their purpose was to again pose as disgruntled former and current vets, looking for some fun, but also looking to score some sales of military equipment.

  “What about the girls down there?” Armando asked. “Can we check on them, maybe see if they have more information about the Garcia gang?”

  In the previous mission, Santiago Garcia’s little brother had been killed. In the gunfight, Jake had accidentally shot one of the girls brought to the party they were attending, the older one, and a schoolteacher at the Catholic school in town.

  “No pink palace this time,” Kyle answered. “The Federales did a major cleanup so we’re hoping a lot of the old group is diluted. But Santiago Garcia is back in residence, and that’s why we’re going down. He hasn’t met any of us and we’re banking his crew hasn’t either. But we tread careful. Invisios all the way, so you guys come with your ears cleaned.”

  “We need anything extra fancy?” asked Fredo.

  “No rescue this time. No party. Just looking for the ones offering to buy our surplus equipment and someone big enough to lean on to get to Santiago himself. We turn them in to the Feds there, and they do the confrontation and arrests. We had to promise no gunfight this time. Of course, if you gotta defend yourself or a brother, or an innocent, well, you know the answer to that one,” Kyle barked.

  “Kyle, they’re gonna recognize Jake and T.J. They’re the ones who started the gun battle last time,” said Coop. “You sure Jake should go?”

  “Thank you,” whispered Jake.

  “What Jake doesn’t know is that he’s to become a skinhead,” answered Kyle. A wave of chuckles erupted throughout the room.

  “Nice, huh? Headshed wants him totally incognito. You all can go as yourselves, but we gotta keep Jake out of harm’s way, and yet I can’t risk not taking him because of what he’s seen.”

  Jake was dreading the haircut that probably would happen right after the team meeting. He knew there was no way Ginger would like the way he looked.

  “You grow a beard, too. Can you do that in four days?”

  “Sure he can,” Alex interrupted. “His dick hangs down to his ankles, he can grow a beard just by pushing real hard to take a dump. It pushes the beard right out.”

  The laughter helped Jake feel slightly better about the situation he was being put in. It was just the way the Team operated, and indicated they were comfortable enough with him to give him a good razing.

  “Okay, let’s can the potty mouth, guys. I want you all to get some rest. We’ll do a longer briefing on Friday when we leave. I hope to have someone from the State Department giving us some background. Now, I need some volunteers with barbering experience.”

  Practically the whole squad attended to Jake while Alex got out a pair of electric hair clippers and they first did a Mohawk cut, then removed the ridge and made him as smooth as a cue ball. Jake had wanted to watch the process but he had a SEAL on each arm and leg, and Fredo was sitting on his chest as he lay on the workout bench. His fingers smoothed over the porcelain of his skin and he knew Ginger would have a fit.

  “You get yourself an earring,” said Armando. “A nice big one.”

  “Should I wear an eye patch too? Red bandana?” Jake was half serious.

  “The eye patch might work. Forget the bandana or they’ll think you’re gay,” answered Coop. “And Alex, don’t forget to bring the shears. We need him to stay bald.”

  “Roger that.”

  Coop whispered, “You get your butt over to Flesh Graphix and have Daisy do the piercing, so it doesn’t get infected. While you’re at it, get another tat if you want. Something naked and nasty looking.”

  Jake pulled away. “I’m a family man. No way.”

  Coop and several others laughed. “Just pulling your leg, man. But Armando’s right, get the earring, but get it done right. Daisy will have some surgical steel earrings that will work. You don’t want to get an infection in Baja.”

  “Probably wouldn’t be the first time, bro,” mocked Lucas. Laughter rippled through the group.

  Someone put some masculine-scented oil to finish off Jake’s lack of hairline and the deed was considered done.

  JAKE WALKED THROUGH the front door when he got home, finding Ginger, the dog and the girls sitting on the couch watching a movie, with their mutt fast on her lap. Chelsea Fiona immediately reared up and barked at him, while Ginger tried to calm her down. But Jake hadn’t counted on Jennifer being scared to death seeing the strange man walk through the front door. She screamed and buried her head in her mother’s arms, adding to the drama on the couch. Jasmine didn’t recognize him either at first, but then carefully ran to Jake to give him a hug, which was her custom. Her enthusiasm was lacking, and he knew she also was on edge.

  Ginger was dumbfounded. After successfully calming down the dog, she managed to blurt out, “What happened?”

  “The guys got to me. It’ll all grow back. Part of what we have to do for Mexico. And I have to start growing a beard.” Jake shrugged. “Better than being recognized.”

  The dog had wedged a spot between Ginger and Jennifer, growled and gave a final bark.

  Ginger scratched the top of the mutt’s head. “I’m just thinking it will feel like cheating on my husband with you in my bed tonight.”

  Jake waved his eyebrows up and down. “You can always close your eyes…” He winked at her and saw the satisfying blush on her cheeks. Jennifer finally broke away from her mom and stepped toward him. The dog followed, but stayed back a pace.

  “Sorry, Daddy. But you did look scary, until I recognized you.”

  “No worries, angel.” He came to his knees and hugged both his girls. Jennifer’s warm little body was shaking, but she hugged him hard, as if asking for strength, and forgiveness. Her courage in the face of fear moved him. Brushing the hair from her forehead, he spoke to both of them, “Daddy is supposed to look a little scary so the bad guys don’t know who he really is. It’s for my protection.”

  They both nodded their heads and he kissed each on the forehead. The girls ran off down the hall to their rooms, the dog following. Jake stood up, yanked his pants, repositioning them on his hips, and then kicked off his shoes, laying them by the front door. Then he adjusted his pants again.

  “You losing weight, Jake?” Ginger asked.

  She got just close enough so he could grab her. With her back to his chest, his arms making a straight jacket so she couldn’t wiggle free, he whispered in her ear, “It’s all the sex, sweetheart. You’ve been making me a lean, mean fucking machine and I’ve only just begun showing you how I feel about you.”

  He felt her giggle as she whispered back, “I kinda like that, and am not sorry one bit. Your hip action is making me one happy lady, Jake. One lucky lady.”

  He whipped her around. “I think you’re gonna get lucky again tonight. It’s all for you. Only for you, sweetheart.”

  As they parted, he gave her a squeeze on her ass, and followed her to the kitchen. “What’s for dinner? I know what’s for desert.”

  Ginger’s blush was always a thing of beauty, the way her bright pink cheeks framed her face, making her red hair give her the impression she was literally on fire. He liked seeing her distracted, blushing, forgetting things and just generally being affected by his proximity. Her body offered up to him pleasures even when she took greens out of the refrigerator. It was sensual just watching her pour him a tall glass of cold water. He could lie in bed and watch her shower ever
y morning, if he could keep himself from not joining her. The way he felt about her was even better than when they were first married. He loved her like a man loves something so precious he’d give his life for it in an instant. His chest swelled with pride that this little sweet thing was his forever. He’d never been so happy.

  They had a light dinner, and then the girls went off for a bath, followed by reading time, which was always reserved just for him. He took his time with them every night he was home, always finishing up the session with a kneel at their beds so they could speak what they had been thankful for, and pray for others less fortunate.

  The dog alternated who she slept with at night and tonight Jasmine had her tucked under her arms. Jake blew them all a kiss, turned out the light and closed the door quietly.

  Ginger had just finished up in the kitchen and was drying her hands. He removed the towel and slipped his arms around her waist, allowing his fingers to slide up under her shirt. He discovered she was wearing something silky underneath.

  “What the heck is this?” he said as he lifted her shirt, revealing a white lace push-up bra. “Holy cow. Frosting!”

  He scooped her delicate breasts up from the lacy cups that held them, kissing her knotted nipples.

  “I like this. You brought the cherries, I see,” he said as he lingered over each nipple, sucking and making them peak. Her areolas were the same color as her peach lips, wet with desire for him. He pressed his mouth to hers and felt himself fall under her spell. His hands roamed over her tight ass, then his fingers slipped under the front of her pants, undoing the top button and zipper. He felt satin again.

  “Matching. I know you like things to match,” she said breathlessly as his fingers breached the elastic waistband of her panties.

  He was kissing up the side of her neck, tasting the sugar-sweetness of her feminine scent when he bit her ear lobe. “No, darlin’ I like you best naked. But until I can get you there, honey, matching is very, very nice.”

  She climbed up his front, wrapping her legs around his hips and waist and he took her off to the bedroom.

  He watched her remove her shirt and pants as he disrobed. She was going to remove her bra and he stopped her.

  “You just lay back on the bed just like that. I want to look at you first.”

  Ginger smiled, obliged by sitting on the edge of the bed, then turning and crawling slowly up to the head of their bed. She peered around the perfect roundness of her ass. “Like this.”

  “Just like that,” he said as he approached, fully naked and with an erection he felt might last all week. “Hold it! Right there. Don’t move a muscle.”

  “You mean I can’t do this?” She palmed her mound, rubbing up the crease in her rear with her fingers gliding over the smooth white satin. She spread her knees, and with her fingers still in place, pulled back the elastic slightly, just enough so he got a glimpse of the lips of her sex.

  “Oh that was very bad, Ginger. But I have a cure for that. Yessir indeedie I do.”

  He came up behind her, his thighs pressing against the backs of hers as he fingered her sex, sliding up and down until he tinkered with her bud, making his sweet Ginger moan in desperation.

  “Desert, sweetheart.”

  “Yes. Please.” He could barely hear her.

  He drew himself up and again pulled back the elastic of the panty. He didn’t want to take the time to remove anything. He slid himself inside her sweet channel until he was at the hilt. “There.”

  “Better. But—”

  “Shhh. Talk dirty to me, Ginger.”

  “Oh. My. God. Jake, I need this so much.”

  “Dirtier.”

  “Fuck me, Jake.”

  “More, please.”

  “Make my pussy swell. I want you to fuck me until I can’t walk.”

  “Whoa there, I just might be able to do that, sweetheart.”

  “And then wake me up and fuck me again.”

  “Perfect.”

  Chapter 8

  GERUD INSISTED HE take Adele to breakfast before they started their trip to Los Angeles to meet his father. She objected at first, but Gerud had always been good at convincing his mother about things she should have never said yes to. This was one that should have been an immediate yes, and so they sat at the trendy diner just outside San Diego proper.

  He had memorized a list of questions he wanted her to answer first.

  “So what’s he like?” Gerud asked.

  “Well he was an athlete in college, so I remember him as tall and fit. He wore a business suit better than just about anybody at the office.”

  She’d gotten that far away look again he’d seen just about any time Gerud had brought up Peterson’s name.

  “It took a lot to distract me, I was so darned busy in those days. Then one day, he waltzed into my office and asked me to lunch. I told him I had work to do, and he told me to take the afternoon off. Well, we went to lunch, and then we went to the movies of all things. I’d never been to a matinee before. Honest.”

  “Swept you off your feet.”

  “Not at all. He said he was rescuing me from an early grave.” Her fragile smile began to show her age. “I think he probably saved my life. Your fath—Burt and I were so driven to make it with the new business, we hardly talked. Hardly did anything together. Rob showed me a little concern and attention, during that summer when Burt was away, and, well, I was certainly ripe for it.”

  “So how did you get together then?”

  “We used to talk. That’s how it all started. I came in early, as soon as I’d drop Jake off at the sitter’s and then work until past dinner sometimes. He’d bring me these wonderful fish tacos from a little taco truck he knew about. Otherwise, I’d skip my meals all day and only eat dinner. He was right, I was being reckless with my health.”

  “You said Burt was traveling?” It felt funny to call the man he’d always known as his father “Burt”.

  “He was gone that whole summer. Off to Africa with the Boys from the club. Jerry, and Bob and his friends. They golfed together, went on golfing vacations together and I supposed got into trouble together and always covered for each other too. We all knew it. The wives never spoke of it in public, but we all knew.”

  “Must not have been very much fun.”

  “Oh, it was just the way things were then. I didn’t like it at all, but Burt was brilliant in business, and so driven. I allowed his excesses, as long as they didn’t interfere with the family.” She checked her wedding ring, flipping it around her finger loosely. “We had some fights, some read bad ones. But I think it was sheer stubbornness that kept us together all these years.” She frowned, looking down at her nearly untouched plate of food. “But recently, well, you know. His drinking increased. He just couldn’t seem to get away from it. I had hoped Jake could get him to meetings, but he was the most stubborn man I knew.”

  She smiled at her son.

  “Thanks mom.” He felt warmer to her today, just sitting across the table from her than he had in years. The dark cloud that was Burt’s stormy personality was gone.

  “For what?”

  “For being honest.”

  “Oh that. Well, death has a way of softening the resentment I felt toward him these past couple of years. Everything was just slipping away from him. I felt sorry for him. But God, not that I could tell him so.”

  “You ready?” Gerud asked her. “You’ve barely touched your eggs.”

  “No time like the present.”

  As they walked to Adele’s car, Gerud asked her one more question. “Do you have any idea what we’re in store for once we get there? I mean, is there an agenda?”

  “Not that I know of. Just a chance for you to meet your father. That’s all it is. Something I should have allowed to happen much earlier in your life. I know I’m going to regret that the rest of my days, Gerud. Let’s hope he’s the same man I remember.”

  “Either way, I’m kind of nervous.”

  They both buckled
up and Adele continued toward the freeway. The morning traffic had thinned and the bright blue sky was still clear. By the time they would arrive in Los Angeles, the blue would turn a light brownish gray.

  THE RESIDENTIAL STREET Peterson lived on was wide, lined with massive old trees, which only barely hid the huge mansions behind them. Gerud hadn’t seen so many large beautiful estates ever. Crews of landscapers were working several front yards on. Even the vehicles traveling down the quiet streets were expensive.

  Adele’s GPS announced they had arrived. It was a light tan Spanish style stucco mansion with tons of ornate plaster bric-a-brac dripping all over the front of the two-story structure. It looked like the type of home that would have been featured in a 1930’s gangster movie involving a Hollywood mogul with a backyard full of starlets.

  “Holy cow. I guess he has done very well. Did you have any idea?”

  “No. I mean I figured he’d done well, but this will be a first time for both of us.”

  Although they were going to park in the street, a young man appeared at the front door, and then motioned for them to drive up onto the driveway to park.

  As Gerud approached the entrance, he heard classical music inside. Outside was the distant sound of a freeway somewhere, but the birds nearly drowned out that sound. He traveled the intricate brick pattern of the walkway and stepped up onto the stoop.

  “I’m Alex, Rob’s attendant today. You’re Gerud?”

  The young man extended his hand and Gerud shook it.

  “Yessir. Thanks, Alex. This is my mother, Adele Green.”

  “Yes, we’ve been expecting you. Rob is very excited. He’s having a good day today, and now since you’re here, it will be even better.”

  He opened the door and motioned for them to follow him inside.

  The foyer was as large as the living room at the Green’s home in San Diego. A walnut paneled stairway switched back on three sides leading to the top floor. The entry had a stained glass dome, letting in a shower of colorful light patterns on the marble floor. Leaning next to the doorframe leading on to the living room was a handsome, but frail-looking man. His legs were crossed at the ankles, his arms folded chest-high. He’d been staring at Adele, but his focus switched to Gerud.