Author Note: JE owns everything you recognize. I am merely playing in her wonderful world.

Chapter 1

Lester's POV

Eight Year Earlier

I woke up groaning. Fuck. I hurt everywhere. What the hell is going on?

I saw what must have been an angel leaning over me. She was beautiful with dark red hair, deep green eyes and perfectly formed lips. She was trying to talk to me. Her voice was sexy and smoky but I couldn't understand what she was saying for some reason. "Are you an angel?" I asked.

I gave my head a shake as I tried to adjust my sight and felt my ears pop.

My gorgeous angel rolled her eyes at me and said "Yes, and this is clearly heaven. If you can get past the 110 degree heat, the dust and the rats this place is pretty much perfect. I hate to break it to you, but you're still in Iraq. We're outside Kalar soldier. You better pull your shit together, you're not on that much morphine" she said bluntly.

I groaned again as I tried to move. I've never felt pain like this before. "So Angel, are you going to tell me what the fuck happened to me?" I asked.

"IED. You're lucky you didn't lose a limb and since you have a higher security clearance you and I are going to be best friends for the next few weeks" she said without smiling as she took my blood pressure.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Because I'm one of the few people here whose security clearance is higher than yours and considering you're going to be on some serious pain killers…well we can't have you blabbing national secrets now can we?" she smirked. How the fuck did I mistake this chick for an angel? Acidic maybe, angel…no.

"How's the pain on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worst pain you've ever felt?" she asked as she shined a light into my eyes.

I felt like I must be dying my body hurt so much, I certainly wasn't going to admit that, especially to a chick as hot as this one "Uh like a six?" I said.

"You're wincing while you talk, so a six is bullshit. What's your name soldier?" she asked.

"Santos. Lester Santos."

"Alright Santos, here's what's going on. Their moving the wounded to bases in Germany to recover. It hasn't been easy and it's been taking awhile. You sir, are pretty far down that list, so we're going to be together for awhile. I'm going to need you to be honest with me. Consider me your hospital wife. You shouldn't ever lie to your wife and you tell your wife about your needs. Got that?" she said sternly.

"Why did I marry such a shrew?" I muttered.

To my surprise she threw her head back and let out a sharp laugh. "Santos, you may have just moved up the list to my favorite hospital husband" she smirked.

"You have a lot of husbands?" I asked.

"Only here. Now let's talk about your pain level again and this time no lying" she said giving me a hard look.

"10" I mumbled.

"That's better" she said rewarding me with the most dazzling smile I had ever seen. Her beautiful full lips looked really soft. I wondered what they would feel like.

She took out a several clear plastic syringes and injected something into my IV which made me go cold "I'm just flushing the line" she explained. "This is what you're waiting for" she said injecting the second plastic tube. Within seconds I felt warmth flooding through me, my head felt fuzzy and the pain was lessening. I realized I was exhausted.

"Rest up, husband. I can be a real bitch of a wife so you'll need your strength" she whispered in my ear.

I closed my eyes slowly and I heard her pull back the curtain and exit my little area. I fell asleep almost immediately.

XXXXXXXXXX

I woke up sometime later and groggily starting assessing the damage. My chest and shoulder were bandaged and hurt like hell. My leg was in a cast. Shit, it must be broken.

The curtain pulled back and my acidic angel entered my area "Santos, good to see you awake. How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Can you tell me what the damage is?"I asked.

She took out a light and started shining it my eyes. "Shrapnel hit your chest and caused some pretty serious lacerations. Your ribs are cracked and your leg is broken" she said simply.

She stuck a thermometer in my mouth and I started to ask a questions. "Nope" she cut me off. "You talk with that thermometer in your mouth and I'll start taking your temperature the other way" she warned.

I clearly shut the fuck up.

Once she was done I finally asked "My face?"

She reached into the pocket of her white coat and pulled out a small mirror and held it to my face "Relax soldier, you're still gorgeous" she said as she gave me a smile.

She thinks I'm gorgeous.

I looked into the mirror. I looked tired and shitty but there were no large lacerations or missing eyebrows. "You must think I'm vain" I said sheepishly.

She let out a laugh "Santos, I can take one look at you and know you're vain, but I don't carry this mirror for myself. Almost everyone in here eventually asks to see what they look like."

I sighed in relief. I didn't want her to think I was a pussy who only cared about how he looked. I cared about lots of things. Like sex with hot women and getting into the Rangers. There's other things too, I just can't think of them right now.

"How's the pain?" she asked.

"Coming back strong and fast" I replied.

"It's time for another shot" she said as she out the plastic syringes. I felt the cold and then the warmth wash over me again and I was out again in minutes.

XXXXXXXXXX

I woke up again and this time it was dark out. I noticed my angel sitting in a chair next to my bed reading a massive book.

"Good morning, Honey" I said groggily.

She looked up "Good morning, Darling" she replied.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"You started talking in your sleep and since you've been exposed to classified information, someone above your security clearance is required to stay with you. I drew the shot straw tonight" she replied evenly.

"Oh" for some reason I felt disappointed.

Well I guess I wanted her to want to be around me. In all fairness I haven't spent any significant time with a woman in months. There weren't any in my particular company and now I have a smoking hot red headed doctor and lots of impure thoughts. I really started looking at her body for the first time. She was a petite woman with some seriously amazing curves. I started letting my mind wander to what she must look like out of the white coat and hospital scrubs.

She got up and left for a minute then came back with a tray which has a sandwich, apple and a bottle of water. She put the tray on the chair she was sitting on and come over to help me sit up. When she was leaning over me I got to inhale her scent. She smelled amazing and while she was pulling me up I got a nice look down her shirt.

I must have been staring because when she finished getting me settled she said "So I take it, it's been awhile?" as she averted her eyes.

I wasn't sure what she was talking about till I realized I was sporting a major hard on. FUCK! How did I not even notice? Stupid fucking drugs I quickly adjusted myself to hide it. "Sorry about that" I mumbled sheepishly.

"It happens" she said picking up the tray to gently place it over me so I could eat. I didn't really remember the last time I'd eaten. I barely remember anything. The last thing I remember I was out on patrol with Brown.

"Hey! Was Brown, the guy I was patrolling with hurt?" I asked. Bobby Brown was my closest friend. We were both applying to the Rangers.

"He wasn't injured. Your entire unit is fine" she said.

"This is going to look shitty on my Rangers application" I sighed.

"Aren't you a little young for the Ranger's?" she asked.

"I'm only a few years off from what the normally recruit and I'm damn good at what I do" I said sharply.

She raised her hands defensively "I'm sure you are."

"What are you reading?" I asked after I fished the food she brought me.

"Pillars of the Earth" she replied. "It's a personal favorite."

"It's fucking long" I pointed out.

"That's one of the reasons I brought it. Also, it has everything you could ever want from a story, drama, intrigue, suspense, romance" she said with a smile.

"I just realized I don't know even your name" I said.

"Dr. Audra Miller" she said holding out her hand to me. I shook it.

"You volunteered to come to this hell whole and treat wounded soldiers?" I asked.

She nodded "Just wanted to do my part."

I stared at her face. She looked really young. I doubt she was older than me. "You're awful young to be a doctor" I said suspiciously.

"I started medical school young and I'm technically only an intern but I still get to be called doctor. I'm in charge of the high security clearance patients that have non-life threatening injuries" she explained.

"Well, lucky me" I smiled.

"Glad you seem to think so" she scoffed.

"Can I see your book?"I asked. She handed the book to me and I opened it and all the words seemed to jump around the page. I closed my eyes and shook my head. I couldn't seem to focus.

"You're probably not going to be able to read while you're on all this pain medication" she said taking the book back. To my surprise she told me to lay back and brought her chair closer and opened the book to the very beginning and began softly reading to me. This could possibly be the nicest thing a woman has done for me.

I laid back and let Dr. Audra Miller's smoky voice wash over me.

XXXXXXXXXX

It's been weeks since I've been brought to the hospital in Kalar. I was moved into an actual room now which was tiny but better than no privacy besides a curtain. I thought about my unit a lot and wondered if they had entered Bagdad which was our original plan. I hated not being with them but I was glad to have Audra.

Audra and I have gotten close since the night she started reading to me. Every night when she was done with rounds she'd come into my room and continue to read to me. I loved listening to her sexy voice.

I also found her really easy to talk too. I told her about growing up in Miami and then moving to Newark when I was a kid. I talked about how I wanted to join the Rangers just like my cousin Carlos. He was also "too young" but they took him. I thought I really had a chance until this injury.

She always listened and offered feedback but she never really talked about herself. I just loved being around her so I didn't push her too much to get information because I was afraid she'd stop coming around. I looked forward to seeing her every day. She was funny, lively and incredibly intelligent. She really was my light in this dark place.

It wasn't long before I realized I had fallen hopelessly in love. The rationale part of me kept telling me that it must be because there are just so few women and she was hot.

But the other part of me wanted to know everything about her. I wanted to kiss her soft lips and hold her in my arms. I wanted to take her to Newark and introduce her to my family. I wanted her to tell me about her fears and her hopes for the future. I wanted to be in her future.

I was in line to be sent to Germany. They told me that it would be about two more months and then I could finish rehabilitation before rejoining my unit.

I wanted her to come with me. I also knew once I was in Germany I could be granted leave. I wanted us to go away together and see if there was something real between us. I dreamed about lying in a hammock on a beach somewhere with Audra in my arms.

The problem was I never told her any of this and I wasn't sure if she felt the same way. But every night she'd come to my room and read to me or we would end up talking. She would never touch me besides when she was performing her medical duties. I found myself looking forward to having my bandages changed just so I could feel the softness of her hands on my skin.

The days continued to pass and I fell a little more in love every day. It took everything I had not to grab her and kiss her senseless when she'd lean over me.

One night when one of the nurses finished helping me back from the shower, Audra wasn't waiting in my room like she usually did. I was given a nice shot of painkiller from the nurse and I fell asleep.

I was woken up by the sound of my door handle turning. I looked up and saw Audra standing there. She was in a long skirt and a tank top. She must have had the night off. She was usually at least on call and everyone knew to find her in my room if she was needed.

She walked in slowly. "Are you awake?" she asked softly.

"I am" I whispered back.

She shut the door and to my surprise propped a chair under the door handle. I felt my eyebrows shoot up and my heart rate increase.

She walked over to my bed and climbed on straddling me carefully. She smelled incredible and faintly of whiskey. Wordlessly she gently took my face in her hands and brought her soft full lips to mine.

"I love you" I whispered as she broke the kiss.

Her eyes searched mine and I could tell she was trying to make a decision. She brought her perfect lips back to mine.

I reacted immediately wrapping my arms around her pulling her to my chest so I could feel her body pressed against mine. She moaned and I deepend the kiss. I felt like I was on fire. This was everything I dreamed of.

She quickly shed her top and I started kissing her everywhere while she continued to moan softly. I slid my hands up her leg and pulled at her panties. I moved them aside so I could have access to her.

We began slowly and passionately and I realized this was the first time I'd ever made love instead of simply having sex.

The next day Audra was gone and I found a sealed envelope attached to her copy of "Pillars of the Earth" which she left on my bed. I tore open the envelope and read her note

L- I'm sorry to leave you like this but I'm being transferred. I think I may have let me emotions take over last night. Please know that I regret nothing and will cherish the memories of us always. I love you.

Please don't give up on the Rangers.

-A

That day despite the fact that I was told it would be weeks, I somehow moved up the list and I left Iraq for Munich.

I tried everything I could to find Audra. No one knew who she was and I couldn't get the army to give me any information on where she was now stationed. I felt my heart breaking but I couldn't give up on finding her. I tried everything.

After four more months of intense rehab I was getting ready to be deployed again when I received a letter from the Rangers. They've approved my application and I was to leave immediately for Ranger training state side. I couldn't believe it, I didn't think the Rangers would have even glanced at my application once they saw my age and read about my recent injuries. This really was a miracle.

God must have realized that it wasn't fair for me to lose the Rangers and Audra so he at least gave me the Rangers.

Six Years Ago

Lester's POV

I have been in Rangers for over a year and Bobby Brown from my unit in Iraq, just finished Ranger training and we were in Paris on assignment. It was a bullshit one.

Bobby and I were originally on leave before we were supposed to meet up with our unit in Afghanistan but a General called in a favor. Bobby and I were supposed to run protection for a U.S. ambassador to meet with some Russian business man.

According to our intel this business man was a shady prick. All sorts of mafia involvement in the U.S., probably involved in some serious heroin trafficking and not to mention has a record of beating this shit out of women. Two of his last girlfriends "disappeared".

We were told to be seen and not heard during this meeting which basically consisted of the ambassador and the Russian asshole going to some overly priced restaurant for dinner.

The host quickly ushered us into a private room and Bobby and I took our positions against the wall. The Russian fuck came in with a sexy, small woman in a backless dress. The woman had black hair and piercing blue eyes. She was painfully thin, in the backless dress her spine and ribs were visible. She somehow still oozed sex appeal. It must be the way she carried herself.

The Russian asshole's name was Victor Talov and his date's was Alina Petrova. On closer inspection Alina clearly has a bruise on her face poorly covered in makeup.

I felt my rage building. I wanted to take my gun and just put a bullet in the back of Victor's head. I know I would be doing the world a favor, especially his delicate girlfriend.

I couldn't take my eyes off of Alina. There was something about her I was drawn too. She definitely was not my usual type. She never spoke during dinner. I doubted she could speak English. She simply stared at her plate and picked at her food.

As we followed the ambassador out, I heard Victor and Alina speaking in Russia. Her voice had that familiar sexy, smoky tone and when I heard it I was immediately taken back to Iraq and my night with Audra.

I shook myself and watched at Victor grabbed Alina roughly on the arm and threw her into the car. The doors closed and they sped off. I couldn't get Alina Petrova out of my mind.

Three Years Ago

Lester's POV

We had just finished up a crazy mission outside of Kabul and we earned a decent amount of money. I loved being a mercenary. It was all the fun of the Rangers with significantly better pay.

We just earned enough money to expand our RangeMan Atlanta office. We also had offices in Trenton, Miami and Boston. My cousin Carlos decided to start his own security company after we left the Rangers. Bobby and I decided to buy in and become partners. Tank, who we also met in the Rangers, was also a partner.

We all continued to do contract work for the government so we could continue to grow our business. It was our baby and we all loved it. The four of us as well as Ram and Vince, who were employees of RangeMan, were hired for a mission which we successfully completed last night.

We were now celebrating back at the base discussing our CIA contact "Ace". During these kinds of black ops missions, the CIA is usually involved. They have one of their agents do most of the intelligence gathering and then they bring us in. That agent usually stays in contact with us and backs us up in the field. However, we rarely meet them in person. We never met Ace face to face.

Ace was on the wire with us last night and talked through a stupid voice modulating microphone. I hate how cloak and dagger these bastards are. Their all about the fucking drama.

But, Ace saved Carlos's life last night so we weren't going to let Carlos live that down. Carlos had an unfriendly coming up behind him and Ace, from wherever the fuck he was positioned, hit the guy straight in the back of the head with one bullet.

Got to give it to the guy, he can shoot.

He then came over the wire and told Carlos to "be aware of his fucking surroundings!" This of course is now giving us good reason to rip on my cousin.

We were drinking a few beers and I notice Ram checking out a cute blonde walking next to some film crew that was working at the base. I raised my eyebrows at him

"Her name is Ashley. She's here with a film crew making a documentary. I think I'm going to go see if she wants to interview me" he said giving me a grin. I punched him in the shoulder and he jumped up to chase after her.

The next morning we were loaded up in humvees on the way to catch our flight. I saw Ram's chick walking past talking with a major. I froze when I heard her voice, she sounded like Audra. I turned to get a better look at her but the humvee pulled away before I could see her.

"Dude, what was your chick's name?" I asked Ram.

"Ashley Walker" Ram said with a grin.

Two Weeks Ago

Lester's POV

I spotted a sexy red head across the bar. I was in Miami to check in with RangeMan Miami and to see some family. I was out with some of the guys from RangeMan when I noticed her. Her hair reminded me of Audra. It has been eight years since that night and I still thought about her constantly.

I've run countless searches on Audra Miller, Alina Petrova and Ashley Walker and nothing has ever come of them. These three women have alluded me and even years later it was still driving me crazy.

I gave the red head a smile as I walked over to her and offered to buy her a drink. She touched my arm to thank me and I knew I was in.

XXXXXXXXX

I was walking the open air marked in Miami with my cousin Ramon who was the head of RangeMan Miami the next morning. He was talking about how they had ears on the street that they regularly checked in with. I liked this. He was taking me to meet one of his contacts who is a vendor at the market.

"So how was last night? That chick was pretty hot" Ramon asked.

"Yeah she was" I agreed. I almost blew it when we were making out on the way to her bedroom when I went to say something to her and I couldn't remember her name. It was either Jane or Jen…or maybe it was Joan? Whatever, I just started calling her sexy which got her hot enough to rip her own dress off and push me on the bed so I called it a win. I slipped out immediately after she fell asleep.

"You going to see her again?" he asked.

"Fuck no! I'm not stupid" I said grinning at my happily married cousin.

"You ever going to settle down? You're not 22 anymore" he said smiling and shaking his head.

"You sound like fucking Bobby. He was just like me until he met Elaina. Now they practically live together. The other night he came over to have some guy time, just drinking beers and watching basketball and you know where she was? In his fucking apartment two doors down by herself so he could go back and sleep in the same bed as her!" I exclaimed. When did Bobby get so fucking pussy whipped?

"Sounds like Bobby's in love" Ramon said evenly. I sighed.

We started approaching the street vendor who was talking to a sexy young woman. Ramon and I held back to let them finish their transaction. The woman was petite with tan skin and long dark silky brown hair. The man was talking to her in Spanish. The woman thanked him, gave him some money and turned and walked away. I froze when I heard that smokey voice I was about to follow her when Ramon caught my arm "What the fuck are you doing?" he said quietly.

"Sorry, I uh, just got distracted" I said staring at the woman.

"Fuck Santos! You got laid last night could you stop thinking about your dick for five fucking minutes?" Ramon asked sharply.

"Yeah man, sorry" I said as I gave myself a mental shake.

We approached Javier the street vendor and Ramon made some general inquires.

"Who was that woman you were just talking to?" I asked after Ramon was finished.

"Ahh the lovely Adrianna Diaz. She is new to Miami, just moved with her husband. Beautiful woman" he said smiling.

I nodded and Ramon and I headed back to the office. I began running searches on Adrianna Diaz, Ashley Walker, Alina Petrova and Audra Miller once again no useful information came up. Adrianna at least has an address. Maybe I would find an excuse to stop by? Shit. She's married and I'm beginning to act like a crazy person.

I picked up the phone and called the airline to move up my flight. I needed to get back to Trenton.

Present

Lester's POV

I had just finished my workout and jumped into the shower. I couldn't get that fucking voice out of my head. As soon as I landed in Trenton I headed to the nearest bar and picked up some hot blonde skank and distracted myself for a few hours but that voice was still in my head.

I did the same thing night after night and I never got any relief.

That stupid fucking voice.

If I ever do see Audra again I'm going to throttle her after the way she's tortured my thoughts for the better part of a decade. I've had sex hundreds if not thousands of times over the years but I've never been with someone who I made love too after her. I hated that. I was a stupid kid who fell in love and it was time just to let it fucking go and move on.

I climbed out of the shower and went into the bed room where I threw on boxers. I stopped and froze for a moment when I realized I could smell perfume. I turned slowly around to see a woman standing behind me holding a gun.

She was pale with long dark silky hair and piercing blue eyes. She was short and lean dressed in a black trench coat and black heeled boots. I gawked at her face.

"It's been a long time, soldier" she said as I stared at those perfect lips and heard that voice that's been torturing me for years. She brought back the gun and used it to hit me in the face I felt searing pain then everything went black.