Leave Me Behind

Jenkins glances up at me from his position a few feet away. His eyes move over my face slowly as if he’s memorizing me. He does this before every mission starts, tracing my lips that he kissed so fervently last night.

I give him a slight nod so he knows I have his back. I always have his back. He gives me a solemn smile before looking back to the men moving crates over the dock of Black Bay. It’s somewhere south of Anchorage between the national park preserves. It’s not an official landmark, but it’s highly frequented for the black market weapons trade.

They are dark forces soldiers we’ve been sent to eliminate as traitors. Riøt is spread out with every corner of this dock secured. No one is leaving unless we let them.

It’s unusual to get other dark forces as a target. Usually we are hunting the upstairs traitors, which are immensely easier to take out because they don’t realize a team like Riøt exists. Other underground teams? They know if they’re involved in dirty operations that they’ll need to watch their backs for us.

This is why our squad is stationed in a different facility from the other undergrounders, so we don’t get close and have trouble pulling the trigger. General Nolan knows he doesn’t need to worry about us though. Jenkins and me are the dream team. We don’t care. If a name comes up on a screen, that’s all it is. A name.

We obey. We eliminate.

Jenkins lifts his hand and gives us the signal to close in. I move quietly and keep on my sergeant’s heels, looking every direction he doesn’t. I find my thoughts harder to wrangle lately, especially when we’re on a mission. The only thing I seem to be able to focus on is Jenkins. His sharp cheek bones and the whispers he tells me of dreams he has for us. Together. I’ll always be by his side. My chest warms and I’m distracted for a second.

It was only a second.

A branch snaps under my foot and the target soldiers snap their heads up instantly.

My heart drops as they lift their M16s and start shooting at us.

“Get down!” Jenkins turns his back toward the gunfire and shoves me down. I fall on my ass and bring my scope to my eyes in my next breath.

I shoot both the men in the center of their foreheads and they drop like flies. A few remaining soldiers try to load the boat and drive away but our grenadier launches his missile and strikes the boat dead on. The explosion is bright against the night and burns into my retinas.

My eyes flash down to Jenkins. His shoulder is slacked and he breathes heavily. His blond hair is disheveled as he looks up at me with those lovely dark eyes.

I fall to my knees and tremble. “Sergeant…” My throat tightens. “This is my fault.” I try to take his gear off so I can assess his injury, but he shakes me off.

“I’m fine, Gallows,” he says softly. “It’s okay.”

It’s not okay. I wasn’t focused.

“I’m sorry, Sarge.” I dip my head with guilt but he places his hand on my shoulder and gives me a heartfelt smile, a rarity for him. It stops my entire world right on its axis.

“I’m glad it wasn’t you.” He brushes his thumb over my cheek before forcing himself to his feet. I follow his motion and pick up his M16.

The rest of Riøt is waiting for us on the burning docks. Our slick black figures are haunting against the flames.

Jenkins examines the bodies to ensure they’re dead. He has me kneel beside him to teach me how to make them disappear.

“This one was just a grunt, so he’s fine to be found by whoever comes looking for him.” I nod and try not to think about the pain Jenkins must be in as he talks so smoothly. “This guy on the other hand has to go.”

“What did he do?” I ask as I watch Jenkins bring out his KA-BAR knife.

“He stole secrets from a string of terrorists and was planning on using them against his own country. He hid them in the merchandise aboard his ship.” Jenkins nods to the burning boat.

I cock my head to the side. “Who finds that out for us?”

Jenkins grins. It’s one of his malicious ones that gives me chills. “We have snakes everywhere, Gallows. Trust no one.”

My eyes widen. “No one?”

He looks at me for a while before he resumes cutting off the man’s face and tossing it into the water. “No one but me, love.” He shoves the body into the water and whatever the fuck is in those dark tides starts feasting on the flesh. My stomach flips and bile reaches the back of my throat.

Jenkins stands and blood drips from his gloved fingertips, dotting the old wooden dock with red. I glance back at the rest of our squad as they watch us like statues on the shore, waiting for the next order.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“Do you trust me?” I ask Jenkins.

His head turns toward me. The fire behind illuminates him in an orange halo, magnifying all his beautiful features. His eyes soften and he closes the distance between us. “I’m not sure I ever will,” he says somberly. He lifts his hand to my chin and holds it still. “You are a dangerous little thing. Beautiful, but dangerous.”

I think about that on our way back to our base and while I let Jenkins fuck me in his tent. His strong hands grip my hips and make me whimper, his come leaking from my center.

Before I fall asleep, I conclude that he is the beautiful, dangerous one. Wicked in his ways. Perhaps that’s why he holds me so securely while he sleeps with his head on my chest. We were made for each other—molded by darkness itself.

I smile, letting my head fall to the top of his and breathing in his scent of pine sap.

As long as I’m by his side, I will follow him to the grave.