Ask Me No Questions (The American Soldier Collection 12)

“I hope one day you’ll find the right man or men for you, too. Ones that can love you and take care of you the way you deserve. Please be careful, Cass.”

“I will be, Lynn, and most importantly, you’ll be safe now, too.”

Lynn hugged Cass and then walked out of the bedroom. Cass looked around the room. The Jeep was fully packed, and she had only these last few bags. She planned on heading to a hotel somewhere out of town. She needed to leave. Blaze had cost her her job at the hospital. He was stalking her, watching her every move and threatening any men, even patients, she was helping. He was paranoid and obsessed. He needed serious counseling, and she wasn’t going to do that. If she had only known what kind of man he really was when she’d first met him… That was how good he was at pretending to be normal. But then he would lose it. Small things would trigger outrageous behavior. He could have killed her that night, but instead, she’d calmed him down, gotten him to put the gun away, and held him until he believed she wasn’t going to leave him or go anywhere.

She swallowed hard and grabbed her other things. There was no place for her to go except out of Houston. She thought about Red again and his description of Tranquility. Maybe it was far enough to go? Maybe she could find a job?

She needed to work. She needed to survive, despite her poor choices. At least she would feel less of an outsider in a town filled with retired soldiers and, of course, Red. But was she reaching for something, hoping to be part of something she had no right being part of? Red had his sons, their team, and God knew how many other soldiers living in that town. What was she hoping to find there? Why was she even considering reaching out to Red?

She had called him the day after Blaze hurt her. She told him bits and pieces about the relationship and about needing to end it. He offered to come out to help her. She smiled as tears filled her eyes. She’d gained more than the respect of Sergeant Major Red Halloway that day in battle. She had gained a friend, a comrade who had her back. Would she be placing him in danger by leaning on him, even for a short period of time while she planned her next move?

She stood there and contemplated on what to do. Her gut clenched, and she closed her eyes to try and listen to what her gut was telling her to do. She really had no place to go and no one to trust.

She pulled out her cell phone and looked for Red’s number. He said he knew some places for rent in Tranquility. That was a start. She would put Blaze behind her and move on with her life as it was before. Lonely, keeping busy, and focusing on everything and everyone else but herself and her problems. Yup, time to move on once again.

Chapter 2

Red felt antsy as he tapped his foot and kept glancing toward the entrance to Casper’s. He was listening to John Luke talking about the parade coming up next week. All the storefronts in town were donating or setting up tables in front. They, of course, were planning on setting up tents in the parking lot, having an outdoor BBQ and beer truck on hand, and donating the money made to the wounded warrior fund set up in Tranquility.

Red was interested, but right now, he just wanted to see Cass and know that she was okay. Although she’d only told him bits and pieces about some bad relationship she had with some guy, she sounded as if it was more serious and she was being her tough, stubborn self. He hoped by getting her to come out here to meet him today that he could convince her to live near him and the guys. She was a good person. She didn’t have any family around, and they had formed a special bond. He glanced at his son Cash, who sat by the bar. He hadn’t wanted to come along, but Red thought it would give them some time to be alone on the ride in and talk. But they’d hardly said much to one another. The relationship was strained. Too many times they fought over Stryker’s treatment and care options. Cash and the team wanted to let Stryker be to just work it all out himself. Red felt he needed help, especially physically, getting him to exercise and do the right things to strengthen his legs and hips. He exhaled.

Apparently Stryker’s brother and team knew better.

* * * *

Cash stood by the bar in Casper’s. His dad was talking to John Luke, Jasper, and Davie, the owners of the place. Cash took a slug of beer then placed the bottle back down onto the bar.

“Where’s the rest of the crew?” Garrett, a bartender, a friend, and retired Marine asked him.

“I don’t think they were in the mood to hang out tonight.”

“So you came with your dad? Things must be rough,” Garrett teased, and Cash smirked.

“He was meeting an old friend here. Someone who’d just moved nearby or something. I don’t know. But he wanted me to meet them too.”

Garrett looked past him and stopped what he was doing. Cash wondered what was up, and he heard some low whistles from a group of rowdy guys to the right, and Garrett smirk. Cash turned to look and was shocked to see his father halfway across the room in a flash, pulling some gorgeous brunette into his arms. She was smiling as his dad released her, kept a hand at her waist, and brought her toward John Luke, Jasper, and Davie.

Cash couldn’t believe that his dad knew a woman as sexy and hot as this one. But he was even more surprised when Garrett asked Ezekiel, the other bartender, to watch the bar.

Cash c

ouldn’t do anything but stare.

* * * *

“Holy crap, it’s my favorite nurse,” some guy from behind the bar yelled out as Cassidy shook hands with John Luke, Jasper, and Davie, the owners of Casper’s.

“I told you Garrett would remember you,” Red told her as Garrett greeted her.

“Cassidy Williams. My God, how have you been?” he asked, and Cassidy did recognize Garrett after all. She remembered the way he acted to the other nursing staff and how he was so pissed off after surgery, having to stay in bed.

“Gunnery Sergeant Garrett McCallister, of course I remember you, and that stinking, bad attitude of yours. Is that a smile on your face?” she teased him, and then he reached out and hugged her.

Garrett began to explain to his fathers about her being the lead ER nurse alongside Dr. Reynolds, who helped to save his life.

“You have to meet Gia. My brothers and I got married not too long ago.”

“That is great, and I would love to,” Cass told him.