Riordan (23 page)

that she wanted to be a tiger with you? I think it’s an excellent place to have this done, too. In

the event that there were problems. But as there weren’t any, it was fine anyway.
He told Dad

that the timing had never been right before, and wasn’t really right now.
Well, I’d say that the

timing was perfect for him. And I’d not be the least bit surprised if she comes out of this very

soon. She was nearly to the point of no return anyway, I think. Perhaps it was the other shifters

blood she had in her as well. That girl will never be what you expect, and I’m thinking she’s

going to give you the time of your life. For the rest of your days. Ours too, if I know her.

Riordan thought his dad was right. Storm was going to be more than he could have ever

hoped for in a mate and wife.

To say she was uncomfortable would have been an understatement. Her body felt strapped

down, and she felt naked without her sidearm. Rubbing her foot up over her ankle, she was glad

that she’d not mentioned that little piece of metal, and smiled to think that she’d gotten one past

the security here. Of course, that feeling was short lived when she thought about what was going

to happen within the next half hour.

The man standing next to her wasn’t anyone she knew. His name was Ted Branson, and that

was about all she knew other than he was Secret Service. He smiled at her twice when she

stretched her neck. He was in a suit, but she knew that he was armed to the teeth, and he had a

small mike in his ear. She could hear it now, the small buzz of it when someone spoke to him.

She wasn’t always sure what she was hearing, but Riordan told her that her hearing would calm

down after time. She hoped so. Right now she could hear a fly fart in the other room, then sigh in

relief when he’d done it.

Riordan had left her when she’d gone to change after arriving at the White House, and he

was being seated in the large dining room. Storm glanced over at the table of closed velvet

boxes.

“You can look if you wish.” Nodding at Ted, Storm made her way to the table. At random,

she picked one up.

It was the Medal of Honor. Not touching the actual medal itself, she fingered the ribbon that

was folded neatly under it. The men that had died the day she’d been hurt were getting these…or

at least their families were. She put it back and noticed that the boxes were labeled, and that was

when she realized that Brewer’s name was among the others, as it should be. Storm was glad that

she’d been able to clear that up for his family.

“I’m guessing that his family knows by now that he wasn’t a traitor to his county.” When

Ted didn’t answer her, she turned to him. “I know that he had at least one sister. What happened

when she was told?”

“He didn’t have anyone. She died some weeks ago. Cancer.” Storm stiffened when she

heard the president speaking behind her. She turned slowly, trying her best not to muss herself up

as she put the box back were she’d gotten it. She’d worked for nearly two hours to get this thing

right. He picked up the small velvet box that she’d held in her hands and then put it back to look

at her. “Every time I see someone dressed like this, I get all choked up.”

“Yeah, well you should have it on. It’s just the way that it feels, too.” She pulled at the

collar, then moved it back into place. “And could you fucking turn the air on? This sucker is

wool.”

His laughter had her blushing. She was really going to have to learn to hold her tongue. Not

soon, but someday. Mom had warned her twice that this was not the place to show what she’d

learned in the service. Storm thought that was funny since she’d learned all her language skills in

the service.

Her uniform had been in her closet for years. The one and only time she’d had it on in the

last ten years was when she’d graduated from the program. But when she’d brought her uniform

here, it had been taken from her and pressed, as well as had some additions put on it.

Storm pointed to the stripes on the sleeve and then at the insignia on her shoulders. The

president only nodded, and she growled low. With a nod at Ted, the two of them were left alone,

and she asked him what this meant. Instead of answering her, he picked up one of the boxes and

opened it again.

“Do you know what this is for? I mean, why we honor our men with this? I know you know

the definition of what the Medal of Honor is. But do you know why we’re giving this to these

particular men?”

“They were conspicuously gallant and intrepid at the risk of life above and beyond the call

of duty, sir.” He told her not to be a smart ass. “Okay, they gave their life that day while in the

line of duty. I don’t know what else you want me to say.”

“They should have had these while they were alive. And would have had I had my way

about it.” He put the box back on the table and looked at her. “Today, we honor them not for

dying on that field that day. Not because their commanding officer ordered their deaths and

yours, but because of the mission you were on several weeks before that day. Do you remember

it?”

“There were so many.” She knew what he was referring to and tried her best not to think

about it. “We failed that mission, and you know it. We had a loss of life, and we didn’t extract

anyone but our own asses. It was a major fail, and everyone from the top of the brass ring to the

janitor at the local school knew that it was fucked up.”

“Maybe so, but what you did was just what you were told. Even at the risk of telling you that

you were right when you told us it was a bad idea, you and your men went in and did what you

could. Yes, there were lives lost and you didn’t get the man out. But you did eventually, didn’t

you?” She knew that what she’d done was treason then. And if she had to do it all over again,

she’d do the same thing. But her way, not theirs.

“My way was better. It’s not always, but this time it was.” He nodded. “So you’re giving me

a promotion and them a medal because I went against your say-so and got the job done. What the

hell will others think when they know that you’re such a pushover about shit like this?”

“No one but you and I know that it wasn’t on my say-so. And you no more believe that I’m

a pushover than I think you are. And the others that might have known are no longer with us.”

He put out his hand. “As for the promotion, I want you to work for me. For the government.”

“No.” He laughed and took her hand and put it in his. “I don’t want to work for you. Every

time I do, I get my ass shot to fuck. I’m too old for this shit. I want to retire with grace and

dignity. I want to bake and decorate my cookies. Be with my aunts for as long as they have left,

if they’ll have me. And Riordan and I are getting married.”

“Do you even know what those two words—grace and dignity—mean? And as for

retirement, you’ll be bored within a week. How long can you bake muffins and not want to shoot

someone? Not long, I’m betting. But you should know that I’m going to take care of you, as will

every president after me, for as long as you live.” When she opened her mouth to tell him to fuck

off, a man behind them cleared his throat. “Tell them we’ll be right there.”

“Riordan and I want to have a life, have come children. Soon. We want a family of our own.

I want to just…I have a house to fix up.” He nodded. “You’re not going to let me just go, are

you? This is a done deal so far as you’re concerned. Well, I’ll still be telling you no when I’m

nearly ready to step in my grave.”

“It is a done deal and has been for a long while. But I’d like to ask you something else,

about what you’re about to do with me. Your family, other than Riordan, have no idea what this

is involving, do they?” She shook her head. “I have a feeling that they think that you’re off

seeing to something and that when you return to them, you’ll be dressed in a lovely dress with

high heels.”

“You’ve spoken to Bri…to my new mom, haven’t you?” He nodded. “Yeah, I didn’t have

the heart to tell her that I don’t do dresses. She had me pick this sexy thing out, and even bought

me some of the toe crunchers. I guess this will really disappoint her, won’t it? Actually, I’m

thinking I’m going to be a major disappointment to her all the time. She’s what my mother

would have called dignified and well mannered. All the things I have fought against my entire

life. I think that’s why I joined up. It suited me to no end that my mother would have been aghast

by it.”

“Your mother is more than likely rolling over in her grave, even as we speak. And wipe that

smile off your face; this is not a good thing. And as far as Bri being disappointed in you,

doubtful. I think—and I can’t understand why they would—they seem to love you.” Storm

grinned. “Yes, I thought you felt that way as well. All right then, let’s get this started. Are you

ready?”

They moved into the next room, and Storm had to pause. She’d met some of the family to

the men that had worked for her. Others, most anyway, she had met through their letters and

movies that they sent to their sons and daughters.

Storm had tasted Mrs. Winters’s fudge from Christmas. It would get to her son about July,

but it was still good. Mr. Cartwright had sent his little girl brickle. Storm didn’t think that eating

it fresh would have tasted any better. But his daughter had loved it and had cried each time the

tin came to her. Grandma James had sent her grandson pictures every month…the yard she was

working on, the flowers that he’d sent her for her birthday. Storm even remembered the date,

January tenth. She’d even shown him how to set it up so that no matter where they were, the

flowers would be delivered. When they’d taken some time off to supposedly relax, Mr. Parker

and his other son would come to wherever they were and buy them all dinner. Pictures were

never taken, of course, but there were some amazing memories. As she moved up behind the

president, she looked out over the tables and found Riordan. He smiled at her. Letting out a long

breath, she waited for her part in this.

The families were brought up to the podium one at a time. Storm talked with each of them,

telling them what she remembered most about their child. How much they had loved them, and

how they would talk about them long into the night when they should have been resting.

Two of the parents hugged her tightly, and she wanted to step back. But they needed this,

and she was glad in some way that she could help. They had lost a great deal that day, not just in

their child’s life, but not ever knowing just what had happened the day they were taken from

them. When the last family came to the podium, it was the grandmother and with her, she had the

daughter of the man she had served with.

“We wanted to tell you thank you.” She told her it was her pleasure to have been a part of

this. “No, not for this, but for what you did for Alex. He was…they were gonna put him in the

prison for his temper if he didn’t find some kind of outlet. He’d never lost his temper before

then, and he told me it wasn’t even his…I don’t think he ever got over that until he met you.

Alex, he told me that you weren’t one to take him whining like a little girl, and you smacked him

around a bit.”

“I didn’t actually hit him, not with my hands at any rate.” She smiled and nodded. “Alex

was a good man. He just needed to focus on something besides what he thought he should have

gotten. And his temper was never a problem when we were working. He’d blow off steam by

writing letters to his daughter and using the weights.”

“I tried to tell him that, too, but he wouldn’t listen to me. Right after he told me that he’d

been brought into your team, I did some calling. You’d be surprised what a woman who is

determined can find out.” Storm knew that was true. Bri was just as nosey. “I had my grandson

back because of you. I know that he’s gone now, but you gave him back to me at the end. I’ll

never forget you so long as I live. And neither will my family forget you either. And I got you

something.”

She started to tell her that she couldn’t take it when a tin was shoved into her hands. Storm

knew what it was and rubbed the top of the can that had a picture of a huge Santa on it. Storm

looked up at her. She had to clear her throat twice before speaking.

“He told me that you collected tins. Said that you’d have a hundred or so before you started

cooking for the holidays, and by the end, you’d always need more of them. He sent them back to

you. We were always sorry to see it disappear, but thrilled to death to know that you’d be

sending him another shipment the next year.” She nodded and said that she still had the thank-

you notes that they had put in it too. “Alex was brave and a good man. You should be very proud