Her Lucky Number Thirteen (The American Soldier Collection 13)

“My God, that must have been terrible,” Dusty said, joining them eavesdropping.

“What did you do?” Aspen asked her.

Nalia snorted. “What any teenager would do. In the next several years I acted out. It got to the point where I would do things in hope of getting my father to accept my existence and perhaps even allow me to be part of his life despite the fears of danger. Then it became a need to just see him in person, even if it were to reprimand me or warn me to stop hanging out with a certain crowd.”

She chuckled. “I was doing some pretty crazy stuff. One night, while planning to rip off this small warehouse that had some electronics and stuff, my dad caught wind of the situation somehow and intervened. He saved me from getting killed that night from some Cuban drug dealers. It was also the night he confronted me about why I was getting into trouble, especially since my mom met Raymond.” She swallowed hard.

“He married your mom soon after?” Storm asked. Now the others were gathering around them, all taking seats. Nalia hated to be the center of attention but she also felt challenged by the emotions and being put on the spot. It was crazy but she always felt it necessary to prove herself, despite the pain.

“By nineteen Karlicov decided it was important for you to learn to defend yourself and to be able to survive and escape in an emergency,” Boian said to her and everyone.

“I was more than ready,” she stated firmly then smirked as she recalled first seeing him and feeling intimidated but also interested.

“You had your moments, Nalia,” Boian added.

“That’s amazing. That you two met years ago and that Karlicov chose you, Team 13 to find Nalia, and protect her,” Aspen added with a smile.

“Like I said, thirteen has been a very unlucky number for me,” Nalia said.

“Actually, it’s pretty interesting that you bring up the number thirteen. As I recall, we found you exactly thirteen weeks after you escaped from Vincent’s hold, and it was on the 13th of the month,” Chatham said with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

“I was also shot on that day, and was forced to kill four men in order to survive,” she stated firmly.

“Perhaps in that moment when they found you and brought you into their safety that it was a change in luck for you, Nalia. A positive step in the right direction and to freedom,” Zin now added to the conversation.

Nalia was silent as she looked at the men.

“Speaking of the situation, what else do you know about Raymond, Nalia?” Winter asked, changing the subject. Nalia noticed that Aspen seemed disappointed. She was pushing for Team 13, as they were called, to be more than just Nalia’s bodyguards. However, Nalia wasn’t stupid. She saw this for what it was. Not a story with a happy ending like Aspen’s and her men who once saw her as a baby sister. No, this was a means to an end, and an unknown future for Nalia who would be alone and abandoned.

She looked at Winter, who was indeed a very attractive man just like the others on his team. She swallowed softly.

“I don’t know much, just that my mom thought he was stable, reliable and safe. I suppose it was the better route to go than to continue and lust for my father, a man who wouldn’t reciprocate that love. But then again, look where it got her,” she said straight faced.

“Raymond definitely covered his tracks well. After investigating him we believe Scarlapetti and he had dealings about a year before he married your mother.”

“Raymond said he worked her over to get to the point of trusting him. He showed no remorse, no emotion but an expression of a man on a mission when he shot my mother in the head.”

“Jesus,” Dusty whispered and Aspen covered Nalia’s hand with hers.

“I’m so sorry, Nalia,” Aspen said. Nalia felt her eyes tear up but she quickly pulled her hand from Aspen’s and went straight faced again.

“Raymond got what he deserved. Crazy thing is, my mother wound up in danger anyway, despite Karlicov’s belief that he was protecting her by staying away from her. Pretty ironic, don’t you think?” she asked. Everyone was straight faced.

“I think we should start cooking up those steaks. What do you say, Storm?” Cosivan interrupted. His command and control of the situation was obvious as everyone stood up and Weston and York helped Aspen stand. Nalia noticed how Weston kept a hand over her belly. Aspen caught her expression and smiled.

“I just found out a few days ago that we’re expecting.”

Nalia smiled. “Really? Oh my God, that is wonderful. Congratulations,” she said to her and Aspen took her hand and squeezed it. She walked with her and Weston and York followed them out of the living room.

“You can have it all, Nalia, despite their fears and insecurities as well as your own. It’s fate the way you all have come together in a time of fear and dire need to have some sort of connection and reason for existence. Mark my words, thirteen is indeed your lucky number,” Aspen said.

Nalia looked straight ahead and saw everyone working together to prepare for dinner. Even that wasn’t something she was used to. Maybe Aspen had a point, but right now, Nalia’s lack of trust and belief in happiness wasn’t budging.

* * * *

“What’s standing in the way? Karlicov? Nicolai? You need some sort of permission, or acceptance? Because I can tell you right now, Cosivan, that woman is interested in you and your team and you’re interested in her,” Storm said to Cosivan.

Cosivan clenched his teeth. “We don’t need fucking permission, it just isn’t smart. Not now, not when she’s in the danger she is. Hell, Storm, she hasn’t even spoken to us about how things happened and what Scarlapetti said and did to her. We only found out about Raymond shooting her mother in front of her just now, like you heard her say. The shit she went through, I can’t even imagine. She’s vulnerable right now. You heard what she said. She killed four men, and we know from the trail of blood in her path to freedom that she killed more than that.”