Kira's Reckoning (18 page)

Breaking Protocol Book Two

by Willow Brooke

Jared hung the phone up, having just spoken with Joker, smiling from ear to ear.  Tomorrow morning he would start work with Joker and the crew.  He couldn
’t believe it.  He and Joker had been best friends since high school.  The wild teens had joined the Army as the result of a bad night of drinking and poker in which both had lost their ass.  They had talked about it over the years, but finally had a reason, no matter how stupid it was to actually sign the papers.  When the two of them stepped out of the recruiter’s office, they were on top of the world.  The ink hadn't dried on their signatures when the realization had hit them that this was what they were meant to do in life. 

During Basic, they lucked out and were put together.  Come AIT, they were split up for their advanced training in their individual fields, both graduating at the top of their classes, and somehow ending up stationed together at Ft. Drum, New York, for a couple years.  Both Jared and Joker had jumped on any specialty training offered, and soon they were shipped to Kentucky to work with the Special Ops units.

Joker had been there the night Jared had met Bella.  One glimpse of her from across the dance floor and he knew she would be his wife, one way or another.  Joker had played wingman, getting her friend away long enough for Jared to make his move.  He ended up going on all but three dates with them, and had been the best man in their wedding. 

Unfortunately over the past few years, they had very few chances to work together or be in the same place at the same time.  On the rare occasion they were both home, Joker could be found fighting Heather for her purple dinosaur pillow pet for his bed on the couch or stealing Skyler
’s favorite blankie.  Joker had all but cried when he missed the kids being born while he was deployed.  The second he stepped off the plane, the crazy bastard had shown up with what looked like the entire Toys R Us store crammed in as many sacks as he could hold.  He was his brother through and through. 

Bella is going to flip!
he thought as he walked back in the house.  The kids were already passed out, and Bella had fallen asleep on the couch.  He contemplated waking her or waiting to tell her in the morning, but the moment he caught sight of his sweet little wife, he couldn’t bring himself to wake her.  Her hair was a mess, her mouth hung open with drool most likely dripping out, all while she snored like a freight train.  And yet, his heart melted.  She was the most beautiful creature on the planet.  It was the rare times like these that he treasured.  He was the luckiest damn man on earth…which Joker made a point to tell him every time they talked.  If he didn’t trust Joker with his life and love him like a brother, he would definitely worry about his connection with Bella.  She took care of Joker the same way she did Jared when he was around, from making his dinner plate to doing his laundry.  And Joker was expected to take out the trash and mow the lawn if it needed.  It was a normal, big happy family. 

The kids were going to be ecstatic.  Uncle Joker was the only family they really had that visited, and he was the only one who had shared holidays with them.  He had played the Easter Bunny for the past few years, and had made a few Santa appearances to keep them true believers. 
This was going to be freaking awesome
!  He was finally going to be back with his best bud, and couldn’t wait to go back to work.

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