Ranger’s Sacrifice Chap 1
Army Rangers Cory Foster and Chase Richards fought for their country. Are they willing to fight for the women they love, even when it gets hard?
© Tracey Cramer-Kelly
PROLOGUE: CHASEAfghanistan
Sergeant Chase Richards flattened himself against the wall on one side of the door. This Iraqi home was nothing special, but if all went according to plan (and the intel was accurate), they would drag the High-Value Target out in flex cuffs in just minutes—all while the neighbors slept the night away.
Chase’s friend and fellow Ranger, Sergeant First Class Cory Foster, positioned himself on the other side of the door. The taste of adrenaline—grit mixed with absinth—filled Chase’s mouth, and he ran his tongue over his teeth.
Cory signaled to him, and Chase nodded. Oh, yeah, baby. Locked and loaded.
Cory lifted a boot.
CRAAACK!
The door caved in with one well-placed kick and Chase swung himself around the frame, his M4 pointing first right, then left, his eyes scanning rapidly.
He plastered himself against the inner wall as Cory frog-hopped his position. He sensed more men behind him. Brett and Ricky.
Cory waved them on, and the men spread out.
The house was quiet. Too quiet. Sweat trickled down Chase’s face, tracing the edge of his Night-Vision Goggles as he moved further into the house.
Just another day at work.
He rounded the corner, his rifle flitting in every direction.
And he saw them. Ghostly-green through his NVGs. Two full-size, and two smaller…
Chase’s spit stuck in his throat, and his rifle lowered slightly as his mind assimilated what he was looking at. A wave of nausea rolled over him, but he ignored it.
Cory signaled from the doorway.
“Cory.” His voice was barely above a whisper.
Cory’s gaze locked with his, and Chase tipped his head toward the ceiling.
“Sonofabitch!” Cory’s voice was low and rough. “Get Intel in here.”
“Whatcha got?” It was the Captain, coming over their headsets.
After a beat, Cory spoke. “Four dead. Looks like a whole fucking family. Hung like Goddamn deer.”
CHAPTER 1: CORY
Cory tossed his gear on the ground with more force than was necessary. He dropped his ass onto it, using the crumbling wall as support for his back.
Nothing. They’d found nothing. Where there was definitely supposed to be something. More specifically, someone. A High-Value Target, otherwise known as HVT. Where was this elusive traitor/double-agent they’d been sent to track down? And how many more people would have to die before they neutralized him?
He rubbed his temples. Had they missed something? Had he made the right decisions?
Absently he rubbed his hand over his side where Rolando had knifed him. Pressure is good, he reminded himself. Keeps you on your game.
He surveyed the members of Echo Platoon, First Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. Some were stretched out, trying to catch a few zzz’s. Others were cleaning rifles or checking gear.
“Yo.” Chase dropped his duffel next to Cory’s. “Transport will be here any minute.”
Cory grunted; you never knew what “any minute” meant over here.
Chase proceeded to flop down on the duffel; he pulled a small notebook from his side pocket. No doubt writing to Ella.
Ella and Maddy occupied more of Cory’s mind than he preferred. He had hated leaving this time, leaving both of them. Ella because of what she’d been through, and because he didn’t trust Rolando to stay away from her. And Maddy because…
Because she was Maddy. Smart, compassionate Maddy with her generous breasts, soft curves, and silky hair… The first woman he’d ever asked to be exclusive. The first woman he’d ever asked to wait for him. For a moment he allowed himself to relive their last night together…
“You think the girls are telling the truth and there’s really been no contact from Rolando?” Chase’s voice cut into his thoughts.
He supposed he should be thankful to Chase for taking over communicating with Ella, but it was still odd to think of his best friend and his sister, together. Cory had never been good at keeping Ella ‘in the loop’ when he was gone. Hell, there were a lot of things he was no good at, and most of them had to do with women. You had to keep your head in the game over here. When you were Platoon Leader, like he was, it was even more imperative.
Cory considered for a moment; he hadn’t known Maddy long but they’d already been through a rather intense experience together. His gut told him she was incapable of being devious, at least with him.
“I reckon so,” he finally said. “I don’t think Maddy could lie even if she wanted to.”
“It almost doesn’t make sense,” Chase said.
That was bothering Cory, too. If Rolando considered Ella his ‘property,’ why would he let her go so easily? At least she’d found a new place for them both to live. Not that he expected Ella to spend many nights in their apartment now that she and Chase were… involved. But she wouldn’t be far away, and he’d sleep better knowing she was with someone he trusted.
“Maybe we should still put Operation Vigilante Justice into play,” Chase continued.
“At least put the surveillance cameras in,” Cory said, warming to the idea.
Chase tipped his helmet lower on his head. “Something to keep busy with at home, anyway.”
Cory knew what he meant; they were trained to a fine edge, and sometimes being home was, well… boring. They needed that adrenaline rush…
“Yo Boss!” Brett called. “Helo’s comin’ in.”
Cory watched as the helicopter made its approach.
It was the first leg of the journey home.
CHAPTER 2: MADDYFort Stewart, Savannah, GA
Doctor Maddy Wright stood on the airport tarmac at Fort Stewart. Mentally she catalogued the physical symptoms of her nervousness: elevated heart rate, sweaty palms and a mouth dry as toast.
Several soldiers had already stepped off the plane into greetings and welcome hugs.
But so far, no Chase or Cory.
Would seeing Cory be a good thing? Or would everything have changed? Would he have changed his mind about her? After all, she’d hardly heard from him…
“There they are!” Her overly-enthusiastic companion—Cory’s little sister Ella—grabbed her hand and pulled her forward. “Come on!” Then she squealed and bounded forward, throwing herself into a soldier’s arms.
But Maddy wasn’t looking at Ella. She blinked at the man coming toward her; was Cory this devastatingly handsome when he left? His dark hair curled slightly at the nape of his neck, and a shadow of a beard accentuated his strong jaw. His plain brown tee shirt was stretched across his shoulders, the tattoo on his left arm peeking at her.
She stopped several feet from him; her mouth opened but nothing came out.
“Maddy.” He had stopped, too; he sounded so serious. Now that he was closer she could see the slight shadows under his eyes.
“Cory.” She matched his demeanor, suddenly not sure if he really wanted her there.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, then made its way slowly over his features. She saw the glint in his eye just before he reached out and pulled her to him.
As soon as their lips connected, the awkward feelings—heck, everything around her—seemed to evaporate. It was just the two of them, picking up as if they’d left off only days ago. As if they hadn’t been apart for the last three months.
Cory’s tongue pushed into her mouth and Maddy welcomed it against her own. She shivered when he pulled away.
“Where do you want to go?” She was breathless; never in her life had she wanted to jump a man right where he stood. In public. With his friends all around them.
His eyes were that dark-dark, smoldering green that left no question as to his thoughts and set the butterflies going in her stomach. Oh, yes, he wanted what she wanted…
He turned, nodded at Chase, then hefted his bag to his shoulder. “Your place.”
