The Power of Love (4 page)

Steven shot him another salute but swiftly started the car, reversed, and lit out of the driveway leaving the three of them alone. Lexi was still gawking up at the bruises on her daddy’s face, but she’d curled into Gia’s side and had wrapped her arm about her mommy’s knee.

“I-I need to get inside, honey. My legs feel like they could give out. We’ll talk later,” he told her, and though she frowned, when he leaned on her, she helped shuffle him toward the door. Luckily, Lexi let go without demur. “Leave the bags. Josh can get them when he gets home. There’s nothing important in them anyway.”

She might have asked why he’d bothered to bring them home if they weren’t important but he wasn’t in the right frame of mind. If anything, he was worse. The last thing she wanted was to give him a reason to snap at her.

Once they were through the front door, and he was panting, a sheen of sweat coating his forehead and cheeks, he bit out, “Help me to the spare room.” Another squeak escaped her, but he’d always been able to translate the little noises she made. “I need space, Gia. My back’s fuc—” He swallowed. “Hurt. I need the empty mattress. Plus, I can’t make it up all those stairs.”

She said nothing, simply bit her lip and helped him down the hallway, hoping like hell he wouldn’t slip on the shiny floor, proof of her overzealous efforts at being a housekeeper.

He didn’t fall, but by the time he was limping through the door, small gusts of air escaped him. They were loaded with pain and discomfort, and each one pricked her eyes with tears as she hurt for him. Hating that he was suffering, she tried to make him comfortable.

At their back, Lexi mumbled on about something they’d been learning in class. Her words were a gentle soundtrack as they maneuvered about the spare room. She didn’t seem to notice they weren’t listening, and maybe it wasn’t important if they did; her happiness at Luke’s return throbbed through each word. That joy had been dented by her papa’s odd behavior, but as observant as Lexi was, even she couldn’t discern nuance yet.

God help them when she was old enough to read between the lines.

“Let’s get you on the bed,” she whispered, helping him down onto the mattress, and trying not to wince as the few bits of his face that weren’t bruised turned pink with exertion. By the time he made it, each inch it took to lower him down to the bed painstaking, she was panting as well.

“Can I get you anything? Do you want help undressing?” She bit her lip. “I guess I should have asked you that before.” She’d never have made a good nurse.

“No, it’s okay. I’m fine like this.”

“Do you want some coffee?” She wrung her hands together, wishing this was easier, and knowing it wasn’t. She didn’t understand why he was so standoffish, but after what he’d been through, Gia guessed it made sense.

She could never understand how deep he’d had to go to survive, but she knew she could only be grateful he had.

His return hadn’t been how she’d imagined. She’d prayed for this moment, dreamed about seeing him again. It wasn’t disappointing; it was heartbreaking.

“I need to sleep,” he told her, fatigue and agony lining his words.

Her jaw trembled, but she nodded. Needing to touch him, she leaned over the bed and pressed her lips to his. He didn’t reject her, didn’t move away, but she could feel his lack of response. She tried not to be hurt by that and knew that it was selfish of her to have tried. He was still in survival mode, and she had to respect that.

Standing, she realized Lexi had moved to be at her side and knew their little girl had finally discerned the real difference in her papa, because she hadn’t climbed onto the bed, and she’d stopped rabbiting on about the Cherokee, her latest history project.

Putting a hand on her shoulder, Gia guided Lexi out. As she was about to close the door, Luke called out, “Bear with me, Gia.”

She paused, turned back to let their gazes brush, then ducked her head in understanding and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

“What’s wrong with Papa, Mommy?”

Hell, how to answer that?

Hesitantly, Gia started, “We don’t know what he saw over there, baby. It’s only natural. He needs to get used to being back home. It’s hard where he was, darling, but he was fighting to make this world a safe place for everyone, but most certainly
you
.”

Sagely, Lexi nodded, obviously pondering Gia’s words. “He was so quiet. Not like Papa.”

“Give him a chance to settle in, sweetie. He’s in pain too, don’t forget. Remember when you fell off the slide in the yard and it hurt so badly you couldn’t stop crying?”

Lexi nibbled her little lip in consternation. “He hurts that bad, Mommy?”

Out of the mouths of babes. She cleared her throat. “A little worse than that, honey.”

Mouth rounding into a small
O
, Lexi whispered, “I’ll try to be quiet, I promise. Do you know what made me feel better?”

“What, baby?”

“You kissed it better.”

It was hard not to smile at Lexi’s earnestness, and harder still when she knew a kiss wouldn’t make Luke’s pain go away. “This is too large a boo-boo, Lexi.” Patting her on the head, Gia steered her daughter away from her father’s door. “Do you want to go to the study? Maybe do some reading for your homework?”

“It’s geography today.”

“I know, but it’s going to take a little while for things to settle back into a routine. Try to get some reading done, okay?”

Lexi retreated to the family room with nary a peep of complaint. They’d converted it into her schoolroom since Luke had been away.

Prior to his deployment, they’d headed to Vegas for Josh’s and his wedding, and Luke had shipped out almost immediately.

When Lexi had been bullied at school about the nature of her parents’ relationship, they’d made the decision to pull her from the mainstream curriculum and Gia was doing her level best to homeschool their far-too-smart-for-her-age daughter.

The family room was now the learning room. The TV had gone, as had the large armchairs. The sofa was still there, but instead there was now a small writing desk, a computer corner, and Lexi had a long work surface loaded with paints and other things for her art classes.

Five years old, she was progressing at a pace they hadn’t contemplated. She’d been absorbing the work assignments their online course suggested like a sponge did water. If she hadn’t been enjoying the whole process, Gia would have drowned in all the extra work this homeschooling was causing. But seeing her daughter thrive in this new environment, and loving the closeness it gave them, she wouldn’t be complaining any day soon.

Once the door to the study was closed, and Lexi was safely ensconced in Narnia’s clutches, Gia returned to the downstairs bedroom and hovered in front of the door. She wanted to go in, wanted to talk to him—hell, she’d have settled for lying at his side, watching him sleep! But she felt unsure of her welcome.

Her heart clutched at the thought, and she started to step away, but couldn’t. She couldn’t leave him.

She’d prayed for him to be home, and now that he was, the door separating them felt like Europe.

It felt ridiculous, but she couldn’t leave, so instead, and like a child, she sat in front of the door, cross-legged, and waited.

Better to be here, close, than in the kitchen nervously wiping the marble counter down and wearing out the pattern as a form of stress relief!

At least, that was what she told herself.

* * * *

“This is bullshit, do you hear me, Jarvis?” Josh gritted out the insult, though Jarvis was his superior officer and as capable of discharging him the same as Luke had been.

“I admit, it’s unusual.” General Graham Jarvis looked down at the papers in front of him, a frown puckering his brow. That frown gave Josh some hope. Jarvis gave the term poker face a whole new meaning. “These are the reports from the ground staff?”

“Yeah. It stinks. I told you. I’ve been telling you that ever since news got out.”

“I know, and I trust your judgment, which is why I’m looking at information from another department. Intel that has nothing to do with me or my people. Intel which I shouldn’t have in my hands.” Jarvis cocked a brow, making sure the dig had hit home.

Josh conceded that with a sharp duck of his head, knowing Jarvis was right but not caring in the least.

“Luke is the best MP on this base. You know that, I know it. When he stopped working on criminal cases, it was a crappy day, and that isn’t nepotism speaking.

“He’d never do anything like this. Hell, the reason he transferred into his new division was because he thought he could help more people. Rape, well, it isn’t his style. Someone’s setting him up.”

“The army is about more than one man, Josh. I can’t start an internal war to save Lucas Gray’s career.”

“I know. But Luke is a lieutenant colonel, sir. With a sterling record, and an even better reputation. Everyone who knows him realizes he’s in the goddamn Forces to make a difference. Heading over to Libya and getting his rocks off by raping one of the prisoners isn’t the way he works. Whoever
did
set this up; they didn’t take Luke’s character into consideration.”

“War changes people, Josh. You and I both know that.”

He snorted. “Yeah, we both know that, but this wasn’t Luke’s first rodeo.”

“That doesn’t change anything. In fact, it makes it more likely he was ready to snap.”

“I refuse to believe that. Luke was…”

When Josh broke off, the general studied his underling for a second, then started to tap his pen. “I know it’s different because this one is your husband—” When Josh froze, Jarvis grunted. “You think I didn’t know?” He cocked a reprimanding brow. “I know everything.”

“If you did, I’d hope you’d have put a stop to this travesty, sir. My husband is not a rapist.”

“Yes, well, the logistics of a man wedded to another man being a rapist of a female prisoner is rather confusing, or at least, it would be if you didn’t have that live-in…well, whatever she is. But that’s neither here nor there. Joshua, I can’t control this continent and another.” He frowned again, and only that stopped Josh from butting in. Jarvis stared down at the reports and began riffling through a few pages. His jaw worked as he filtered the information. “We’ll deal with this, though. The inconsistencies outnumber the discrepancies, and that’s saying something. Considering his unit is the MPs, they’ve done a shitty job of serving justice.”

“I don’t care about the discharge. Luke’s time was almost over anyway, and he wouldn’t have re-upped. But I want OTH replaced with Honorable Discharge. We both know that man deserves nothing less.”

“When I made my own inquiries about this, my assistant told me he’s appealing the discharge. Are you sure he wants out? The appeal contradicts that.”

“He doesn’t want to go on another tour. He’s too old for it. Hell, I am too.” Josh pulled a face. “Especially these covert ops. If he could have a desk job, maybe he’d stay, but his work takes him out in the field. No getting around that.”

“You’re right. It’s a damn shame to lose someone of his expertise to retirement, never mind discharge.” Jarvis rapped his knuckles against the thick file Josh had handed him an hour ago. “You’re lucky you got this information out. It’s sensitive material.”

“I pulled some favors.”

“That means you need to watch that department.” Jarvis eyed Josh. “And I mean that. Favors aren’t meant to be pulled when information will hurt national security.”

“You’re right, sir. I’ll deal with it.”

Jarvis scratched his jaw. “Leave the rest with me.”

Because he trusted him, a trust that wasn’t often bestowed upon anyone, Josh nodded. Jarvis was a man of his word. “Thank you, sir.”

“You’re welcome. I don’t know how long it will be until I can get his records changed, but don’t expect miracles overnight.”

“It would be a great Christmas present.”

Jarvis barked out a laugh. “So, you’re giving me six weeks to work a Christmas miracle?”

Josh’s lips twitched. “I’m sure you can do it, sir.”

“Subservience doesn’t suit you.” He leaned back in his chair, ignoring the squeak of the leather rasping against wood. “His appeal’s set to run before the holidays. So you might get your miracle.” He opened the thick file once more, stared down at the battered body of the woman Luke had been accused of raping. “Something’s not right here. The date of his appeal tells me that.”

“What? That it’s happening so soon?” Josh nodded. “I know. I thought that. Everything about this stinks, but for whatever reason, everyone’s happy to sweep it under the carpet. Luke has probably pissed a lot of people off by not quietly slinking away.”

“It was a covert mission, Josh. Only a handful of people know what that unit was over there for, and most of those are top brass. As for the rest, the ones who know for certain were over there. That’s a limited pool of information. Easy to control backlash.”

“It still stinks.”

“You won’t hear me argue.” Jarvis sighed. “I make no promises about holiday miracles, but I’ll do my best. Go on, get out of here.”

For the first time in what felt like a lifetime, Josh grinned. Jarvis’s best meant more than most. “I’ll get out of your hair, sir.” Saluting, he stepped out of the office and into the small reception area where one of Jarvis’s assistants was working at his desk. Dana, his own PA, sat there, waiting primly, working on something on her smartphone.

A prim Dana was something to watch. It never boded well, especially if she was glued to her cell the way she was. Almost as though she read his thoughts, she looked up, a silent question aimed his way.

He raised his hand, lifted a finger and silently told her to keep quiet. She nodded, but got to her feet, and together, they left the anteroom. The corridors weren’t exactly a hive of activity, but it took five of the ten-minute walk back to their office for the walkways to clear and to enable them to talk.

“How did it go?” she asked the instant they were alone.

“He’s looking into it for us.”

“Well, hell, that means Luke is innocent.”

Josh firmed his mouth. “I knew he was, but yeah, it does. As good a man as he is, Jarvis wouldn’t help unless the facts backed us.”