LOGINShare
Chapter Eleven
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56Chantal didn’t have much time. After his therapy session, Sunny slid into the seat and looked around the office. Alexis sat nearby and offered him a reassuring smile.
“Thank you, Miss Chantal. My leg feels better.” He clutched the jar of lotion on his lap as he stretched out his sore thigh. The amputation was just above the knee and Chantal hated seeing those blisters from the prosthetic rub. He needed a better artificial limb.
He needed everything she hoped she could give him. His worn clothes looked gray and hung off his thin frame. A bruised cheek spoke of a rough life on the streets. He mentioned recently finding accommodation in a hostel, but worried about his sister’s safety.
“You look tired, Sunny. How many hours do you work?”
He shrugged a thin shoulder. “Too many. I won’t go back to that orphanage. They tried to take my sister away—split us up. I can provide—I’m planning to send Roshani to school next year.”
“Good. How about this year?”
Sunny frowned.
“We’re looking for a caretaker for the clinic—someone to learn from the ground up. We’re including accommodation—we have living quarters at the back.”
“Okay…” Sunny shook his head in confusion.
“Sunny, I’m offering you the job. But there are conditions.”
He straightened his back, looking wary.
“Your sister will go to school. You will attend online classes. You will only see to the clinic’s needs once your classes and homework are complete.”
“I… I have no idea about computers.” His eyes darted about the room.
“That’s okay. Alexis will teach you and we’ll send you on a course.”
“How much?” Sunny’s chin jutted forward and Chantal’s heart broke. He expected a low-ball offer—a similar salary to the pitiful hundred dollars he currently earned.
“Two thousand dollars to start.”
His eyes widened. “Per year?”
“Per month. Two thousand per month.”
Paling beneath Chantal’s gaze, Sunny looked shellshocked.
“Yes.” Alexis smiled. “As long as you attend classes. I help with the running of the center and will teach you everything you need to know.”
“I know nothing about being a… a caretaker.”
“That’s okay. I’m confident in your abilities. Say yes.”
“Ah. Yes, Doctor…Okay. Yes.” He licked his lips and sat back.
Chantal pointed to a calendar. “Call me Chantal, and you’ll start next week. In the meantime, I’d like you to fetch your sister and get settled in your new rooms. I’ll leave a welcome package on the bed.”
That package would include new clothes for the pair. A new laptop for Sunny and shoes and toiletries. The fridge in the center’s kitchen was fully stocked.
“Who… who are the men walking around?” He looked back at the door nervously. “I can’t accept the job if they could hurt Roshani.”
Bless him—he’d sacrifice the job to shield his sister.
“They are here to protect me. There are bad people trying to hurt me.”
“I’ll protect you!” Sunny stood and stuck out his chest. “They’ll fight me first.”
Chantal smiled at his voracity. “That’s not your job, honey. Your job is to learn and grow and help your sister. And to take care of the closed clinic when we are away and helping patients. Can you do that?”
“Yes. I will never rest.”
Both women laughed, and Chantal corrected him. “You will definitely rest. This isn’t a sweat shop. You never have to work those hours again. Come, Alexis will show you around and give you a key.”Chantal walked with them out into the hall and introduced Sunny to the other staff as they headed to the connecting accommodation. His eyes sparkled with excitement and she wanted to hug the kid. She glanced at her watch—only fifteen minutes until her date.
“Chantal. A word?” Gage approached from behind and she excused herself and joined him down the passage.
“Yes, I know—we’re leaving.”
“Fuck the date. I wanna know why you hired someone without consulting your teams.”
“Excuse me? Listen, buddy. I don’t need your attitude—I have my own!”
“Which may need an adjustment. You never said you were hiring the teenager. We haven’t performed a background check—for all I know, he’s a card-carrying mercenary. You’ve just provided the perfect opening.”
Her temper flared. “And you’re an ass! I’ll hire whoever I want and if you don’t like it, there’s the door.”
“Agent Hendrix has a point.” Wyatt joined the discussion. “We’re not saying you can’t hire him—but we need a heads up.”
“I got the go-ahead from the charity. I’m not kicking that kid back to the streets.”
Wyatt raised his hands. “We’re not saying that, it’s just—”
“You’re all pushing the wrong buttons today. Get your boulder asses out of the way.”
Gage followed her to the changing room and Chantal turned to glare. “What?”
“Your soft heart could get you killed.”
His quiet words got on her last nerve. “Take a hike. Thanks to all your complaining, I’m late.”
Related chapters
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Twelve
Fredrik raised his brows at the two large men at the adjacent table. “Do they have to sit on top of us?”Chantal wondered the same thing and forced a smile. Gage insisted on practically sitting by her side and watched Fredrik like he was the Unabomber. Unlike Chantal, her date didn’t seem fazed and flashed a white grin. Fredrik certainly didn’t lack in confidence and wore a well put together suit, which made her feel underdressed in a white t-shirt and jeans. In her defense, she’d added a black blazer, gold earrings, and applied careful make-up that morning. They sat in a fancy Indian restaurant—Chantal had hoped for a casual lunch at a beach café, needing to get back to work. She wondered how Sunny had settled in and took a slow breath to slow her racing heart. The agent beside her flustered her composure which rarely happened. Getting used to her large protective detail was proving to be a big challenge. Perhaps
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Thirteen
That evening, Chantal saw to her mom. After massaging the tight muscles behind her mother’s scapula, and shoulder, Chantal walked to the quiet kitchen and made herself a jelly sandwich. After pouring a glass of milk, she walked over to her small residence. Chantal needed privacy and when they’d first moved into the Jefferson House, she’d been pleased to see the small cottage tucked at the back of the yard. Choosing the quaint lodgings over an elaborate bedroom in the main house, was first met with resistance from her mother. But, as much as Chantal loved helping her mother out, at twenty-eight years old, she needed her own space. Many nights, her mom turned clingy, especially when the nightmares came. She’d call and wake Chantal, asking her to come to her room. Chantal would then doze in a chair as her mother either paced restlessly or rambled on about politics.As she walked past the pool, Chantal glanced at the inviting water, and decided to eat her
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Fourteen
The rain drummed against the rehab center’s windows, indicating that the southwest monsoon hadn’t yet finished its five-month deluge. Chantal stepped around Alexis, who swiped at a dirty patch with a balding mop. They’d need a new supply after the long rainy season. The muddy parking lot caused issues. Dishan and some of her loitering guards helped to replace an elderly patient’s flat tire in the sludge. Lucius and Kohen escorted a drunk panhandler out of the center, and his shouts grew faint as they walked him down the street. Pausing to straighten a picture frame on the wall, Chantal scanned the packed waiting room. Forgetting about Gage turned out to be an impossible challenge, especially when he knelt to play with a toddler in the corner. The warrior’s shoulder flexed as he reached back to ensure that his weapon sat out of reach, and Chantal paused to stare at his amiable expression as he handed the girl a packet of gummies. God, Gage was good
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Fifteen
This was the worst day of his career. The first time that a principal under his watch had gotten hurt. Gage didn’t care about the implications of his vocational fuck-up. All that mattered was Chantal—an individual who he cared for. An innocent woman cornered by a savage hireling.When he’d turned and seen her on the ground, shattered and hurt…Gage wiped a hand over his face as he pieced together what happened. He sat by Chantal’s side in a sectioned off area of the emergency room. She wouldn’t let go of his hand and knowing it might get him into trouble, he still held on. He’d removed his helmet and ran his other hand through his hair.At some point, he’d need to let go and step back. Slip back into an MSD team leader mode. But she wouldn’t allow anyone else near her. And damn, if he didn’t feel as possessive as all hell. Gage should shut down t
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Sixteen
Jona walked by the waiting room and smiled at Gage’s raised voice. Team Five had been kicked to the curb and the men looked pissed. The sun had dropped from the sky by the time Jona stepped out onto the rough pavement.Rajin Bandara had made his move. An aggressive and risky move that should make the daughter’s killing a little easier. Easier did not necessarily mean quicker. Twelve years was a long time to stew over a job, and Jona wanted the satisfaction of a personal and drawn-out kill. Would that happen? Anger from that fucked-up day slowly turned to bitterness. Cheated out of the right goodbye with Papa, had Jona blaming the targets. It should have been a glorious win, and Jona should have had the guts to go to the killing grounds alone. It was all about timing and drawing out their demise. Never again would Jona fail on the job. A partnership would result in the required carnage necessary for payback. Rajin hid from the world, but Jona kne
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Seventeen
“You can’t squat inside like a caged animal. Come with us to the beach—night swimming.” Kohen tapped Gage on the back. “By the way, you look like shit.”He felt like shit. Gage ignored the medic and focused on the screen. Shifting the laptop away from the prick, he scanned the article looking for seeds of intel on Chantal’s father. By all accounts, the man had been a generous philanthropist who’d raced around the globe helping disadvantaged communities. Henri Durant made his money as a shipping magnate, not a whisper of controversy surrounding his livelihood or charity pursuits.Gage stretched. The dining chair felt as uncomfortable as all hell. “Where did I put that photo of the asshole?”“You mean on this bird’s nest you’ve weaved?” Gannon shifted a pile of papers, and Gage scowled.“I know where
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Thirty Four
“Don’t shoot!” Hands raised, Alexis emerged through the beams of sunlight and shadow. She looked as tired as Gage felt. Dried blood coated the side of Alexis’s face, and her hands trembled as she stepped around darkened foliage. Her mud-caked clothing looked stiff and damp.Stepping over a gnarled root, Chantal moved to her friend, and Gage blocked her with his broad frame.“What are you doing? Lower the gun.”“She may not be alone—this could be a trap.”“I haven’t been kidnapped,” Alexis called. “I’m just relieved to see you both. I’ve felt disorientated since being dragged down the hillside in a wall of mud.”“The landslide got you too?” Gage asked.“Yeah! I shouldn’t have gone ahead. I heard your shout and it was too late. How many were swept down the hill?”Gage lowered his weapon, and Chantal hurried over
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Eighteen
After opening the door, Chantal forgot to breathe. His solid build took up most of her brightly lit porch. Thanks to the humidity and soft rain, his t-shirt clung to a chiseled frame. No armor, just warm skin. Chantal resisted the urge to reach out. Her gaze traveled up to his face and froze. Set in a harsh grimace, his expression savage, Gage looked ready to go to war.“Your neck.”“I know… it looks worse than it feels. Come in.”Chantal stepped aside, yet he didn’t budge.“I can see every fucking finger mark.”“Fun times.” She focused on the pitter-patter of drops bouncing off the gutters.“Jesus, Chants. This isn’t a joke.”“Believe me, I know.” Chantal walked to the small kitchen and picked up her glass of wine.
Latest chapter
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Book Two - Preview
Watch out for “Striking Blow.” (Strike Zone Book #2)This is Pearl and Antonio’s story. Filled with international intrigue and subterfuge.Striking BlowColombo.Sri Lanka.Pearl needed directions—a map—a freaking GPS back to herself. Finding her worth again meant starting with a physical transformation. For starters, the blonde princess staring back at her in the mirror wasn’t real, and it was time to pack “socialite barbie” away in a dark drawer; time to step away from the two-hundred-dollar haircut and her designer lifestyle.Of course, that wasn’t the reason for the hair clippers clutched in her nervous grip or the box of Brown Sable hair color on the counter. Returning to her natural shade would help to hide her identity. Pearl’s monstrous ex-husband wouldn’t be happy with her escape
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Forty Three
Christmas Day, two months later. Quantico, Virginia.“Connie, grab the salad tongs. They’re in the drawer next to the sink.” Gage leaned over and placed the large salad at the center of the table. He paused to look around his new home. So, maybe his whirlwind romance with Chantal had moved a little fast. He’d ended up spending the rest of the year in Virginia, commuting between DC and Quantico as the investigation into the Sri Lankan attack dragged on via multiple debriefings.Gage spent every spare moment with Chantal and wanted more—a cemented life with the gorgeous chiropractor. A home. Not just any home—a place they’d chosen together. Technically, they’d moved into their own place, but…“You used my first name without a reminder. Finally.” The ambassador tapped Gage on the arm with the tongs and grinned. “Your secret salad dressing had be
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Forty Two
One week later. Welikada Prison, Colombo. “Are you sure you’re up for this?” Gage asked, his concern evident. “I’m fine—just a little tender.” Chantal lied, but she needed to have this conversation. She stood with Gage in a dark passage. The rest of the team remained on guard outside the walls, and Dishan waited in an adjacent courtyard. Team Five insisted on accompanying her, regardless of their debriefings and orders. Chantal’s heart twisted, knowing they mourned the loss of their teammate. Local and U.S. teams had retrieved the ambush victims’ bodies, and DSS would fly Jason’s remains back to U.S. soil. Gage looked restless, and she knew he was concerned over their surroundings. Welikada Prison was the largest prison in Sri Lanka. Regular prison clashes resulted in numerous deaths. They weren’t exact
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Forty One
National Hospital.Colombo.The reunion with her daughter had been short-lived. Connie and her detail met them at the National Hospital. Chantal had been rushed from the helipad on the roof to the third floor after Gage’s men radioed ahead, coming in hot on a military chopper. Hours later, her daughter lay in a safe and comfortable bed with Gage by her side.Connie cradled her third cup of coffee and watched the couple from the door. Their heads touched as Chantal whispered with the team leader. His easy smile indicated his affection as he tucked Chantal’s tangled hair behind her ear. They both looked like they’d survived a war—or a plane crash. The MSD agent had better not break Chantal’s heart.The lash marks on her daughter’s arms and neck had Connie turning away. She’d give them more time.
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Forty
As they converged on the courtyard, a mercenary fired from the shadows and Gage aimed and took out the threat. The man fell just as Chantal’s scream alerted them to her location. Gage switched to berserker mode, abandoning his training as he rushed the door. “Chants!”Gannon wrestled him away. “I’ll use an explosive breach. Hang back!”“Fucking hurry! I’ll do it.”“We need steady hands.” Gannon knelt beside the door and pulled out the putty. He worked quickly and stepped back.“Clear!” Gannon yelled, and the door blew inwards. Gage followed, rushing into the small space. His heart paused as he took in the carnage. Blood pooled on the rough floor, and Harris lay across Chantal with a blade to her neck. Gage recognized the knife as his own and savage regret surfaced.“One more step, and I’ll kill her.”Gage gave direction. “Chants, don’t
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Thirty Nine
Chantal paused to examine her bleeding hands before switching from the window to her chain. She knew, if she slept anymore, she’d waste time. She began a fresh count to five hundred, and would switch tasks unless she made progress with either the bracelet around her ankle or the chain link.It took an agonizing moment to lower herself to the ground. Her body screamed with exhaustion and relentless pain. Was this how her mom felt every day?And Chantal had wanted a break—thought about walking away? What kind of daughter was she, to abandon her impaired mother, to run off and “find herself”?Except she’d found herself—with Gage. Each moment they’d spent together was etched in her shattered mind. For the hundredth time, she analyzed their last moments together. And Alexis… the way she’d looked before pulling the trigger and deliberately firing past Chanta
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Thirty Eight
Gage sagged against a pillar, an empty water bottle crushed in his fisted hand. His bruised body screamed as he waited for ibuprofen to kick in. Not that the meds would make much of a difference. Kohen had patched up Gage’s head and cheek, sealing the lacerations with glue and steri strips. Now, they stood outside the tea factory, surrounded by Sri Lankan Special Forces while awaiting exfil. Ignoring his exhaustion, magnified by worrying grief, Gage focused on his team and mentally cataloged their capability. With or without them, he’d be heading up the rescue operation.His MSD team would still be the first choice, but as a rule of thumb, the host nation would have to weigh in and give permission. They couldn’t allow American Federal Agents to run rogue in their country. How would the Sri Lankan President work around this shitstorm? Would he block rescue efforts? Was Rajin in touch with the president, and did he know about Chantal’s kidnapping and how
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Thirty Seven
Sri Lanka.Jaffna Peninsula.They’d walked for just over a mile from the chopper landing site, and Chantal stumbled to keep up. Approaching the thirty-five-hour mark—aside from half a protein bar—she hadn’t eaten. Desperately thirsty and exhausted from her two-day ordeal, Chantal’s weakening body felt uncooperative. All she cared about was Gage. Staring numbly ahead through eyes swollen from tears, she prayed he lived. He’d lain bleeding, beaten and surrounded the last time she’d seen him. He had to have found a way. Gage wouldn’t give up on fighting for his life or for her rescue. The alternative would destroy her heart—her soul.They’d flown north and had stopped once to refuel. Chantal guessed—from what she’d seen on the approach—that they were on the outskirts of a coastal town which looked familiar. The
Strikethrough Book One - Strike Zone Series Chapter Thirty Six
His chest felt like it would burst as he shoved to his feet and staggered after the women. Spotting Jona in the distance, Gage sped up and fell in his haste to save Chantal. The drug felt like syrup in his veins.Gage saw Jona raise the gun as he pounded through the field. Chantal knelt before the skilled slayer, and her shoulders straightened defiantly. Too far off, he was out of time. Gage felt it in his bones. Jona shifted her stance—straightened her elbow at the last second. Even as he flung himself across uneven ground, Gage knew he’d failed. With one last futile shout, he called out to his love and closed his eyes against the horror.The gunshot echoed across the valley, shattering his soul. Gage’s foot caught on a root, and he flew, landing and sliding to a final stop. Twenty feet away. Tea shrubbery blocked his view, and Gage rose to face a killer. Two pairs of eyes turned his way. Chantal still sat on he
