Mercy: Second Chance Military Romance Read Online Free Page B

listen,” he said. “You would be out of here tonight, but I can’t risk bringing a transport copter in to take you to the Kandahar airport. That said, you’re out of here in a few days or a week at most.”
    “No,” I said, moving to the edge of my seat. “That’s not fair. The agreement said two weeks.”
    “And you broke the agreement, Ms. Jones.”
    The smugness in his voice told me he enjoyed the strict discipline of the military way too much.
    “Fine. I’ll just have to finish my story earlier. You can’t stop me from doing my story.”
    “Your story on the villagers here in the province?”
    He stared into my eyes. I used my many years of practice to lie.
    “Yes, that story. Why else would I be here?”
    Don’t push him!
    “Get out of here before I change my mind and fly you out of here over the enemy for the fuck of it.”
    I stood and saluted, which he hated.
    Outside, I saw Tyler standing a few feet away.
    “How did it go?” he asked.
    “He’s making me leave a week early.”
    He stared at me like he wanted to say something.
    “Spit it out,” I said. “I’m running out of time.”
    “There’s things going on here you don’t know about.”
    “Yeah? Tell me more.”
    “I can’t right now.”
    “Fine. I’ll ask Roger and some of the others.”
    “You need to stay away from Roger.”
    “I do?”
    He nodded.
    “He’s not a good guy.”
    “I have to decide that on my own.”
    I took a step away. He put a hand on my shoulder.
    “Mercy, wait…”
    I spun around. He stared into my eyes.
    “What is it?” I asked, lips barely moving.
    “Just be careful, okay? Afghanistan is a rough country.”
    “I’ll be fine,” I said then turned and walked away.
    Fucking men always trying to control me.
    He was hot, but not anything other than a possible one-night stand.
     
     
     
     

SIX

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Mercy
     
     
     
     
     
    After Tyler warned me about Roger, I had an even bigger desire to see and talk with him. I went to where I usually saw him, the makeshift outdoor gym on the south wall of the camp.
    I saw him on the weight bench lifting some ridiculous amount into the air while a slightly smaller man stood behind him. Neither of them had shirts on. Their bodies glistened with sweat.
    “Hey, boys,” I said as I strolled up.
    Roger grunted then placed the barbell on the hooks. He sat up and stared at me with a disgusting lusty look on his face. I consciously pressed my chest out.
    While not afraid to apply my female charms when needed, I never took it too far. Most of the time, I got the information I needed. Roger might help me break the story wide open.
    “What’s going on, foxy reporter?” he said, standing up.
    The other man wandered away, leaving Roger and I alone.
    “Your CO is making me go home early.”
    I pouted briefly.
    “Get out of here. We were just getting to know each other.”
    “I had an idea. Do you want to be in this story I’m writing? It would be a profile piece online. You’d get a lot of fan mail from women all over the world.”
    “Who says I don’t get that already?” he asked, stepping toward me.
    “Well, it would be even more with a nice story online.” He stopped in front of me. “Maybe some photos.”
    “You want to take photos of me?”
    “Maybe later. What I need is information.”
    I glanced to the left and right then back to his face, that ugly, stupid mug.
    “Information?” he asked, a puzzled expression on his face.
    He was a grunt, not too smart.
    “Yeah, about what goes on here at the base.”
    “What have you heard?”
    Does he actually know something?
    “Nothing specific, but you’re the real big man on base.”
    A smile spread over his face as he lifted an arm and flexed his muscles.
    “Impressive,” I cooed. “You have time to talk?”
    “Not now,” he said. “Give me an hour.”
    “Um, sure. At the mess hall?”
    “No, I’ll come to your quarters.”
    “I don’t think…”
    Before I