Irons (Norfolk #1)
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Authors: Mj Fields
The Norfolk Series
By
MJ Fields
Published by
MJ Fields
Copyright © 2014 MJ Fields
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Songs mentioned throughout have been given credit and are the work of the credited artist, musician, or song writer.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be constructed as real. Any resemblance to person, living or dead, actual events, locale or organization is entirely coincidental.
Jax
I
was born
and bred to be the man I am today. My father and his father were both graduates from The United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. Both went on to become helicopter pilots. Both had seen plenty of action. Both had met and caused devastation. Both men, whom I respect above all, had served and protected the United States and her people honorably for decades. I swore the same oath they had. I would fight, protect, and put my country’s safety and security above my own for the greater good.
I was trained well by men who had toed the line before me. I kept myself in top physical and mental condition. My hands were lethal weapons, my body was the property of the United States Navy and I was damn proud of it.
My best friend, William Cruz, who attended the academy with me, had flown beside me, had lived the same life as I had and shared the same ambitions in life, was gone now. This was not part of the plan. Will and I were supposed to have each other’s backs, support each other and never let anything supersede our bond.
* * *
After mishap debriefing
I needed a drink. I pulled down Waterside Drive and parked the Mustang, jumped out and threw four quarters in the parking meter. I was gonna sit at our normal table, slam a few beers, grab a piece of ass, head down to Hampton Avenue, get a room, fuck, and drink until I could get the past two days out of my head.
When I walked into Bar Norfolk, I overheard the bastards that we were picking out of the water blaming Will for the rescue mission taking the life of one of them. I saw nothing but red.
Ace, the Officer in charge of the SEAL platoon whose ass we put ourselves on the line for, stood toe to toe with me and poked me in the chest, once. That’s all he got before I shattered his nose and beat his face bloody. Luckily for him, my friends Titan, and Shadows pulled me the fuck off him or he’d be dead too.
We weren’t back at my house very long before Commander Smith showed up screaming at me. Telling me how wrong I was and how I shouldn’t get drunk and fight, especially at a civilian establishment.
He thanked Shadows and Titan before telling them to take a walk and that’s when I informed him I wasn’t drunk. I was stone sober and would do it again if that mother fucker ever disrespected Will’s name again. He didn’t respond or show emotion so I went on to tell him if Ace was ever in trouble, I’d piss out of my hawk in his face and let the mother fucker drown,; taking pleasure knowing that the fucker drowned in my piss.
Then he lost it. He pinned me against the wall. Let me be honest, here, I let the old man pin me and scream in my face because I respected him. To continue the truth telling, had I not just busted Ace’s face, I would not be against the wall now.
“After you attend Will’s funeral, which you will be attending, and handing his mother the United States flag, you’re going to Florida to train our new guys for a year. Consider it a favor returned that I owe to your father or you’d be facing a Captain’s mast!”
“Kick me out. I’m a pilot. I didn’t spend seven years of my life busting my ass to not be up in the sky!”
“That’s an order, Lieutenant!”
Now I was fighting to retain what little control I had left.
“One year and if you keep it together, you come back here, you get back in the air. Fuck up, Jaxson, and you’ll be out!”
* * *
I stood over
Will’s casket. Everything appeared to be in order, the national ensign was positioned over where his left shoulder, underneath the dark cherry coffin his body was laid in. Shadows was carrying the flag ahead of us as we carried the box containing my friend into the church in his hometown of Princess Ann, Maryland.
Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Will’s parents, Rosa and William Sr., his sister Francesca, and his grandparents. They all stood tall and proud of Will. I focused forward and stood beside his casket while the minister gave the ceremony. I focused, boring a hole in the Christian flag that hung above the United States flag in the back of the church. I needed to focus on something, show no emotion. This was a mission. This was what we did far too often.
His father gave a eulogy about how proud he was of Will. I heard Francesca and glanced towards her when her voice broke. She wiped a tear and cleared her throat.
“Jaxson, I know you have to stand there and do your duty, but I want you to know how much Will loved you. Thank you for making sure we had his body home to bury and… well, thank you for bringing Will home.”
I nodded slightly and stood focused.
We waited until the room was empty, and lifted the coffin and carried it to the hearse.
We carried Will from the hearse to the grave while the band played Eternal Father, Strong to Save. The committal service included a gun salute and that was followed by a trumpeter playing Taps. Titan folded the flag and handed it to my father, Congressman Irons. He saluted the flag and took it from Titan. My father turned to me, and handed me the flag and saluted it again.
I turned and walked towards William, Rosa, and Francesca. I stopped and handed the flag to Rosa. “On behalf of a grateful nation and a proud Navy, I present this flag to you in recognition of your son William’s years of honorable and faithful service to his country.”
Rosa and Francesca sobbed and I saluted the flag, looking above their heads, avoiding eye contact. I spent time with all of them. While my parents traveled and campaigned, I spent holidays with these people. I had to be strong for them.
I turned and walked beside the casket. Will’s casket was lowered and the prayer was given. I couldn’t help but watch as William held Rosa and Francesca tried her best to not fall apart. When she looked up and saw me, her lips quivered and I know Will would have hugged her. Just like he did every time we left to go back to Norfolk.
The only emotion I was ever allowed to share was strength. The only emotion I ever fought to hide was anger. So the burning in my chest I felt while looking into Francesca’s eyes was foreign and unwelcome, as was the welling of tears behind my eyes.
I looked forward, and swallowed hard and tried to let anger blanket the pain as it always did so many times before.
* * *
I walked into
my room at the Hampton Inn and changed out of my dress Blues, into jeans and a long-sleeved polo. I shoved my wallet in my pocket, grabbed my jacket and, helmet and walked out the door. I sat on my Harley Fat Boy and revved the engine.
I drove up the windy road towards Will’s place, slowly. I needed to give myself time to put shit in perspective. Today I said my last goodbye to my best friend and now I was going to do the same to a family that had been in my life for six years. A family that wasn’t the same as mine. They were emotional and warm. It was gonna be a long fucking day.
I rolled up to the driveway and sat looking up at the house and realized that there was no possible way this day would end. Even tomorrow I would miss him, miss this. As an only child to a family like mine, the brotherhood I had gained from Will was irreplaceable. Where I was intense, he was calm. Where I was a hot head and reacted without thinking, he was methodical. Will being the one in the crash blew my fucking mind. I didn’t know why he was flathandeling, putting him and his crew at risk. It wasn’t like Will.
I took a deep breath and started up my bike and headed down the driveway. When I walked up the steps, Francesca was walking out the door. She was crying and wiped her eyes when she saw me.
“Frankie, I’m so sorry, baby girl.” She dove into my arms and fell apart.
It wasn’t normal for me to stay in an embrace for any longer than a few seconds, but she needed me.
“You’re going to be okay.”
A shaggy hair punk opened the door and looked frustrated when he saw her.
“Jesus Christ Francesca don’t get pissed and take off!” I stared at him and he rolled his eyes. “Fucking chicks.”
My glare never left him. I stepped back and wiped her eyes. “You know this boy, Frankie?”
She nodded and finally let go. “Joel, my boyfriend.” She used air quotes when she said boyfriend.
“Nice, Francesca. You need to grow…”
“You go inside and freshen up, Francesca. I’d like to talk to Joel for a moment, alone.”
I turned, and put my hands on the railing and looked out over the grounds. If I didn’t take a minute, this punk would be breathing out his ass.
I turned and sat back on the railing. “You ever meet Will?”
“Yeah.”
“How do you think he’d feel if you were treating his sister like that?”
“She’s being a …”
“Listen, punk. I’m not Will. As a matter a fact, I’m far worse. That girl lost her brother. A man, not some punk ass kid. She’s grieving and so help me God if I ever hear you talk to her like that, scratch that, if anyone ever mentions that you ever called her any name but sweetheart, I will rip your mother fucking…” I stopped talking when the door opened and William Sr. walked out.
“Jax, are you coming in?”
“Yeah, give me just a minute, sir.”
“Jax.” The way he said my name and looked at me was no doubt a warning.
“We clear, Joel?” He didn’t answer me, he just looked at me. I wasn’t sure if he was being a little punk or if he’d just shit his pants. I walked past him and whispered, “I will find out.”
I sat quietly next to Francesca and listened to the family talk about Will. Their stories were all true. Never a better man than he was. Never a better man would there ever be.
Francesca didn’t leave my side. She looked up at me and smiled from time to time. Cute little kid, always had been. If that punk hurt her, there would be no doubt I would come back and kick his ass. When he was of legal age, of course.
When just immediate family was left, I helped clean up. Pissed me off that people who came to pay their respects didn’t have the decency to pick up after themselves.
“Jaxson, I can do this.”
“No ma’am, I want to help.”
“It’s Rosa, Jaxson.” She patted my shoulder. “It’ll give me something to keep me busy son, you’ve done enough.”
I smiled at Will’s mom but didn’t do as she asked. I wasn’t leaving them with a mess.
When I was at the sink I looked out the window and saw Francesca telling the punk off. Her little hands flailing in the air. Her head bobbing around and finally, she pointed to the driveway. I saw him scowl at her and then look around. He spotted me in the window. I took my hand, and drew it across my neck and gave him a look that made the fucker shake. He headed down the road, and hopped in a Lexus and peeled out of the driveway. I heard Will Sr. chuckle behind me and turned around.
“Sorry, sir.”
“Don’t be sorry. I never liked that Joel to begin with. I think you just did her a favor.”
I nodded. “I’m gonna head out myself.”
“Back to Norfolk?”
