The Summer He Came Home (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake 1)

“You goddamn bitch!”

And then she was on her back, gasping for air.

“You never learn. I wouldn’t have to do that if you would”—he bent over her—“just fucking listen.”

He flipped her onto her stomach and hoisted her hips into the air. “It’s time I taught you a lesson.”

Chapter 35

“I’m going deep!” Cain arced his arm and threw the football high into the air and then took a step back to watch as Mac ran his butt off in order to catch it.

It was good to know his arm still had it. It was also good to know that Mac’s long legs had lost a bit over the last few years.

He took a long drink from his water bottle and wiped sweat from his brow. It was around eleven in the morning, and the parade had just finished. A good-sized crowd had already gathered at the football field, all of them anxious to watch the game and stay for the concert that would start later in the afternoon.

Everywhere he looked, American pride was in evidence—the Stars and Stripes rippled in the breeze, and most people wore red, white, and blue. Cain sported an old T-shirt with Uncle Sam on the front—a favorite he’d dug out of the Edwardses’ boathouse. Good God, the clothes he and the boys had left behi

nd made him cringe, but there were the odd gems among the bunch.

And then there was Dax. The Brit had decided to forego leather pants—thank God—at least for the morning, but was still decked out in his usual Union Jack garb. Even his kneesocks sported the British flag. Kneesocks, for Christ sakes.

There was a new intensity to Dax today. Turns out he was quite the footballer back home, and he’d stepped up and offered to play in the charity game. His game face was fierce, and Cain hoped the man knew today’s game was for fun and that there’d be kids involved. That’s all he needed. A wackjob Brit, taking out a line of ten-year-olds.

Cain scanned the crowd, looking for that familiar splash of crimson that made his heart jump. But so far he hadn’t seen her. Nervous energy kicked in, and he shook out his limbs.

They would come. There was no way in hell Maggie would let Michael miss the game.

“Cain, there you are!”

He turned and smiled as Raine pushed her way through a large group of spectators.

His smile soon faded when he realized Raine was alone.

“Where’s Maggie?”

Raine shook her head. “I don’t know. I talked to her this morning, and she said she’d be at the parade, but I haven’t seen her yet.” She reached into her purse. “I’ll try her cell again.”

“Don’t bother. I tried five minutes ago, and it’s not in service.”

Raine frowned. “That doesn’t make sense.”

That feeling in his gut—the one that said shit was about to hit—twisted hard, and Cain clamped his jaw tight. Something wasn’t right.

Raine twirled in a circle, shading her eyes from the sun. “She was so excited and happy this morning.”

Cain stopped Raine and hoped he didn’t look like the lovesick fool that he felt inside. “She was?”

A slow smile claimed her mouth, and Raine punched him lightly in the chest. “Of course she was. She couldn’t wait to see you.” Raine giggled and continued to scan the crowd. “I’m not sure why, of course.”

Jake joined them at that point, breathing hard, his T-shirt drenched in sweat.

“Damn, you look like you jogged all the way from the lake.” Cain was worried about the soldier. Jake didn’t say much these days and spent most of his time pushing his body to the extreme.

“I did.”

“Are you crazy?” Raine frowned. “That’s dangerous in this heat.”

Jake shook out his limbs and grabbed Cain’s water bottle. “This is nothing, compared to the heat over there.” They both knew he was referring to Afghanistan.