Lethal Game (GhostWalkers 16)

20I’d sure like to know what kind of hardware you have in that leg, because this is bullshit, Malichai,” Jerry Lannis said, wiping the sweat from his forehead and downing half a bottle of water while he studied Malichai’s face.

Malichai raised an eyebrow. “It’s not my fault you haven’t been training. I run hills every day while you’re kicking back trying to get your woman to rub your back or some such fool thing.”

Jerry spewed water out his nose. “It’s not my fault that your woman kicks your ass if you don’t run. The last time you were lagging behind on time I half expected her to come out onto the road and flog the skin right off your back for being lazy. You’re right, mine does like to pamper me.” He flashed a little grin and wiggled his eyebrows.

“In any case,” Malichai said, “we’ve got another half hour on this run. I’ve got to swim after this. You going with me or backing off for the day?”

Swimming was a chore for Jerry at times. He was still getting used to his new arm prosthesis. He pushed himself in spite of Malichai’s teasing. Malichai knew he went through periods of depression because he would call and Malichai would meet him somewhere to talk. If they weren’t in close vicinity, they’d talk on the phone. They’d made that pact with each other. At Ezekiel’s insistence, Malichai had consulted with a counselor and that counselor had told him to have someone he trusted he could talk to.

There were more than fifteen hundred soldiers who’d lost limbs in Iraq or Afghanistan. Ezekiel wanted his brother to not only have the best physical care but have the best mental health care as well. That meant leaning on those soldiers who had carved this path before him. They’d already suffered depression and knew that downward spiral. Malichai wanted those same advantages for Jerry and he’d reached out to him and his family. The two stayed close through their recoveries.

Malichai usually trained every day with his team or Amaryllis unless Jerry was visiting. He and his family lived near the Washington base, but his wife wanted to relocate the family to a different state once Jerry was out of the military. She felt that seeing his friends continue without him was even more depressing for him. Training with Malichai seemed to boost his spirits, and she wanted him closer.

Malichai was all for that. They’d found a home in New Orleans that they loved, but before they purchased it, Malichai wanted them to experience the humidity and heat. Washington had rain and a different climate altogether. New Orleans had rain and heat. The owners had agreed to rent to them for a couple of months to see how they liked living there before they actually purchased.

“I think I’ll swim with you. I’m trying to get this arm to work for me. My daughter thinks it’s the coolest thing ever. She wants one.”

Malichai laughed. “I’ve found that the children make things seem much simpler and uncomplicated. I like being around them. I thought we could use Trap’s pool.”

Jerry’s face lit up. “Do you think he’d mind?”

“Trap couldn’t care less. We’ll have the lanes, but the kids might be in the shallow pool. They know better than to get into the deep pool, especially if any adult is training, but they’ll watch. Just so you’re warned. They have opinions.”

“I should have brought my kids.”

“I told you to. Amaryllis enjoys visiting with Denise, and your two girls would have fun with the little vi—with Wyatt’s daughters.”

“Why do you call them that? The vipers? I’ve heard you refer to them like that before.”

They jogged up the hill together and along the trail in the swamp. Malichai was grateful the tree branches had closed around them. He couldn’t help looking around. “Never say that out loud. Pepper might hear you. Those three little munchkins bit hard when they were cutting their teeth and we would tease them. Pepper didn’t like it. We still slip up.”

“I’ll be careful,” Jerry agreed as they made their way through the swamp along the path that led to Trap and Cayenne’s home.

The water felt good on Malichai’s skin and he stayed swimming long after Jerry went home. He swam lap after lap. Jerry was right, the hardware in his leg was revved up, the best that could be given to him, so that he could still run and jump with blurring speed. He didn’t have the stealth he’d once had, but he was working on that. His hands were every bit as steady, so he couldn’t complain.

Much later, Amaryllis joined him, swimming with him, and he appreciated the sight of her in a small bikini he’d talked her into buying and wearing when they were alone. She wasn’t that girl who showed off her body, but for him, she did. The children were gone, and no one was around but the two of them and the royal blue triangle was cut to curve right up her cheeks, revealing how perfectly shaped she was, riding the center and curving downward and low on her hips. He loved looking at her from the back just to see that view.