The Arrangement Ch. 04

Clay, Junior had inherited his father's poor moral compass. Rumor had it that Dodd, Senior had purchased his son's nomination to the Naval Academy with a large donation to a senior Senator, a man that also served on the Department of Defense's oversight committee. A man that it was said had used his influence once again to guide the young man's career path into the highly prized Seal unit. It was a path that had been unobstructed until he joined Daniel's unit.

"Hey, Clay," Daniel said as he extended his hand towards the man. "I'm surprised to see you here."

The man smiled just as Daniel imagined that snake would to an unsuspecting Eve. "It's always nice to see you too, commander," he said as he took the extended hand. "And on such a joyous occasion. So soon after Rachel's suicide too. I spoke with Heather Thomas just this morning. Seems that they knew nothing about your nuptials. How odd?"

Daniel cleared his throat and looked the man in the yes, "Yes, well, I see no need to inform Rachel's family of my private affairs."

"Was it, commander?" the man laughed as he raised a bottle of beer to his lips. "I mean the timing does beg the question. Less than a year and you have replaced your dead wife with someone new. Makes one wonder how 'new' she really is."

Daniel ignored his comment, turning to Dwayne. "It's good to see you again my friend. How are things going with the new job?"

Dwayne took the hand that Daniel held out and smiled. "Pretty good, commander. How's things around here?"

"Same as usual," the men exchanged pleasantries without revealing the sensitive nature of their partnership. Daniel had helped arranged Dwayne's new job with one of the computer firms working closely with the Department of Defense and his team.

"Yes, I was just telling Dwayne that despite his disability, Night Walkers could use a good man with his computer expertise," Clay inserted himself into their conversation.

"Did they ever figure out what did go wrong with that helicopter? Damned shame about it though. Zach dead and you ended up in a wheel chair for life. Seems like the least this country could do is get to the bottom of it all. Don't you think, Chloe?" he said addressing Zach's young widow as he drained the bottle of beer.

The smile that had been on the woman's face as she played with her son was gone in an instant. The pained look that replaced it spoke volumes. "If you'll excuse me, it's getting late. I should take Thad in and change him. We should be heading home soon," she said as she stood preparing to make a hasty retreat.

"I'm pretty tired too, Chloe. Mind giving me a lift?" asked Dwayne.

The girl nodded as she took Daniel's hand. "I really want to get going before," her voice broke with pain.

"If that's why you're in such a hurry, don't be. That particular tradition is not happening this night," he asserted.

A shadow crossed the woman's fresh face, as she gripped his hand tighter. "No, she has to. You know that. You know what happens if…" she trailed off before reaching down, scooping her son out of the pool and running into the house.

"Oh yes, I forgot about that," smiled Clay. "Nice timing on my part. Arriving just in time for the big show," he grinned.

"I said it is not happening tonight," said Daniel with finality.

"Too damned bad. I hear that Rachel's performance was unforgettable. Besides I'm kind of curious now to see if the new Mrs. Monroe is as hot looking as the Ice Queen was."

Daniel took a swig of his beer. He gripped the bottle tightly. Too bad it was only his third. He might have enjoyed knocking the bastard over the head with it if he had been drunker. Not that he had been that drunk in a very long time. He add it to his growing list of fantasies, right along side with watching Jill do the one thing that he had virtually forbidden her to do.

Holding out his hand to Dwayne, he said, "I'm really glad you came. It's always nice seeing old friends." He nodded to the four remaining wives that had strategically retreated to the edge of the pool upon Clay's arrival, "Ladies."

Turning to Clay, he replied simply, "It is always interesting seeing you."

"Yes, well. Here's to hoping we see lots more of the new wifey," the man said raising his bottle.

Daniel's palm itched, this time with the need to curl it into a fist and slam it into the man's face. He could not help smiling as he overheard Dwayne say, "You always were a real asshole."

But he was more than a little tempted to turn back at Clay's low blow response. "At least I was smart enough to get out while I could still walk away."

Daniel fumed at the cruel words. The man had not walked away. Not exactly. He had slunk away like the snake he was when one of the female supply clerks that worked closely with their unit came to Samuel and him in confidence. She had been virtually raped by Clay, who had used threats that came with his officer rank and his father's wealth to intimidate her into having sex with him.

She probably would not have come forward at all had it not been for the fact that she found herself pregnant with a child she did not want. Despite the gravity of the woman's charges, it really had been a case of he said, she said. While they did not doubt her claims for a moment, they knew that a court martial panel might not, especially in light of his father's influence.

So he and Samuel arranged a transfer back to the States for the young woman and confronted the man themselves. They offered him a simple choice…transfer out of their unit or face court martial. It was an empty threat, but the man did not know that. With the disgrace of transferring out of the prestigious unit, Clay had chosen to leave the Navy completely. As fathers and leaders, he and Samuel had sighed with relief.

But that was not the end of their troubles. Like a bad apple, the man seemed to show up everywhere the unit went. Thanks in large part to the sensitive contracts that his father held to protect local officials in Iraq and Afghanistan. Worse yet, the man had chosen to remain in the Virginia area rather than return to the bright lights of New York City.

He had also taken to poaching men from Daniel's unit. Offering them lucrative contracts, huge sums of money that the Navy simply could not compete with. The bastard had even had the balls to try and buy him and Samuel as they called it.

The offer had become one of the biggest arguments between him and Rachel in those final months. His first wife simply could not understand how his duties to his country could be more important than money. Money, she felt that she deserved after a decade of their bad marriage. Money that would pay for her shopping addiction and private school for their daughters.

Daniel wanted to turn back and reveal the truth of who and what this man really was before everyone. Instead he chose prudence once more, as he simply walked away towards the larger pool from which he saw his eldest daughter finally climb out.

"What's that man doing here, daddy?" asked Jessie.

Daniel looked over his shoulder, "I didn't know you knew Clay Dodd, Jess."

The girl stared at the grass, her toes making circles in it. "Yeah, well, he came around a few times. To talk to Mom when you were away."

Daniel shook his head. He should have known. When he refused the man's offer for a higher paying job with his father's company, he would have, of course, gone to Rachel. Hell, the two of them were probably country club buddies from way back in New York City.

Daniel smiled as he lifted his daughter's chin. "Don't worry about it, sweet pea. And besides since when you talking to your old man again?"

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that. I'm still plenty mad with you. And you know I have every right to be. You marry the woman a week after you pick her up from the airport. Friend of gram's, my ass."

"Watch your mouth young lady," he said as he wrapped his arm about her shoulders. "I know this seems sudden to you. And one day when you're a bit older, we'll talk about it. But for now, will you just trust your old man that he has not gone crazy and that he is just trying to do what's best for our family?"

"Is this because of Aunt Heather and the custody case? I thought we won that?" she asked.

"Sort of, Jess. But more than anything it's about having someone else there for you and your sisters. If anything," he smiled. "Well, just if."

Jessie shook her head, "I get it. I guess. Althea and me watched this old movie. I mean really, really, really old. It was like this. A Navy commander that wanted to get back on his ship, but he had all these kids. He married this red headed lady, who had just as many kids. It was called something funny like His, Hers and Theirs or something."

Daniel chuckled. He remembered being forced by his mother to watch it when he was younger. Back in the day when there was only one television set and adults got to decide what you watched. "Yeah, something like that, sweetie."

The girl shivered, "Just promise me that there wont' be any 'theirs.' That's the most disgusting part. Old people like them and you guys having babies. Yuck!"

Daniel chuckled at his daughter's train of thought. He certainly would not mind a little baby making action with his wife. "I promise it is not on the agenda any time soon. Am I forgiven?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe, but she still won't be my mother. Ever. You tell her to keep her smothering to the little girls and we'll be fine."

He nodded. He knew that Jill would appreciate his daughter's boundaries, but he doubted very seriously that the woman would simply give up on trying to reach the temperamental teen.

He hugged his daughter and watched with worry as he saw Chloe Johnson race from the house, carrying the screaming toddler. He was about to go after her when he noticed that Simone was right behind the girl, calling out to her. But she would not be stopped. Chloe barreled through the wooden gate at the side of the house that led directly to the street.

Thankfully, Daniel noticed Dwayne roll his wheel chair after the woman that was his best friend's widow. He held out his hand to stop Simone as she ran after Chloe. "Leave it. Dwayne can handle her better than any of us."

Simone nodded, "All right, I have some things cooking in the kitchen anyway."

Daniel stared at her. "It better not be what I think it is."

"Well, that's for me to know and you to find out, commander," the woman said as she swung her wide hips and danced back into the house.

***

Jill held up the glass of wine and stared at the woman in the mirror. "Simone, it's perfect."

Simone wrapped her arms about Jill's waist in another hug. "Did you really think I'd let you down, girl friend?" She said as she reached up and adjusted the sheer, white lace robe on her friend. "I know exactly how you're feeling. You think just because I flaunt my stuff that it's easy for me to be around all these teeny weeny beauty queens?"

Jill stared at her friend, "But you're so confident."

Simone laughed, "No, sweetie, I'm arrogant." She took the glass of wine and turned Jill back to face her. "I meant what I said earlier. You are perfect and that has nothing to do with what? Size sixteen?"

Jill blushed, "Something like that."

"Look at you. You're breath-taking."

Jill did take another long look at herself in the mirror. The white satin bodice of the bustier lifted and molded her breasts until they sprang like the waters of life from its D cups. But the stays inside the soft material also did a beautiful job of holding in the waistline that made her cringe. The array of pastel colored scarves that hung from its bottom and formed a skirt of sorts hung to her stocking clad calves. Beneath it she wore a white garter belt and lacy underwear that were like a second skin to her round bottom. Her friend had even found a perfectly sheer chiffon robe that covered the lingerie until it looked almost presentable enough to be worn in public.

Almost, Jill thought. She still would much rather be just about anywhere else at this moment. But with Simone's help she would make it through the next five and a half minutes or so she promised herself as she took a deep breath. "Let's do this damn thing then," she did not bother trying to wrestle the glass of wine from her friend's fingers, instead she picked up the bottle that was sitting on the dresser and downed what amounted to another half a glass.

"You know we're all right there with you, girl friend," Simone reassured her as she swung the door open and they were greeted by more than a dozen squeals.

"For the first fucking verse, thanks a lot, girl friend," Jill said sarcastically as she was passed from wife to girlfriend to wife for hugs and inspections.

"You'll do fine, sweetie. Just think of it as another two-step," Trisha said as she slapped Jill on the ass. Hard. "Come on."

The group of women exploded like a hurricane through the back door. A storm of giggles, laughter and blushing. Night had fallen and most of the children had been whisked away by a couple of the more reserved wives to communal beds in their homes. A few, including Bel, were bedded down in Simone's living room watching a Nick marathon. Even the group of teens had disappeared in favor of bad horror movies, junk food and whatever mischief they could manage. Only a couple dozen guys and the stray date that was not yet 'official' enough to be included in the traditions remained in the back yard.

Lanterns flared around it, casting shadows. Shadows that Jill was thankful would hide what sins this amazing get-up did not. The soft glow of the fire lights cast a spell that the bright light of day and even the haze of early evening had not. Despite the chill of the breeze coming off the Ocean, there was a warmth to the place. Or perhaps it was just that extra glass and a half of wine that gave her courage to think that she stood half a chance of pulling this one off, she thought.

Until she saw him. The men were congregated by the bar, laughing at another of Samuel's stories. As if on signal, they moved as the team they were, surrounding their leader. Jill lost sight of him among the crowd for a moment, but not before she saw a dark and unreadable expression cross his handsome face. "I told you," she heard his voice carry across the yard, but the rest of his sentence was muffled by the robust heckles of his friends and the silly giggles of hers.

She turned to run back into the house as the recognizable, pounding eighties beat suddenly blared from the speakers. Two hands reached out to restrain her. Simone's dark one and a freckled one with a stone the size of Texas on its ring finger. She looked up into their faces.

"You can do this," the women said as the group began to move together as one across the all too short yards that separated them from their husbands and boyfriends. The shaking of their arms and shoulders imitations of the MTV video that had once been among Jill's favorites.

Jill surrendered to their words of encouragement. The dye was cast already. Now she just needed to make it through the next five minutes, she thought as she began to move her satin and lace clad figure in time to the familiar song. She closed her eyes and prayed for strength. For the damned song to end. For this night to end.

But when she opened her eyes again, she realized that her troubles had just begun. Daniel stood just ten feet away, stripped to the waist of his too damned tight jeans. The impossible defined muscles of his bronzed chest glistened in the fire light. The air caught in her throat and she willed herself to breath. But nothing could stop the insanely fast pounding of her heart, its beat faster than even the song. Jill noticed that somehow the t-shirt that he had changed into for the party was now wrapped about his wrists, securing them firmly behind his back.

"You'll pay for this," he mouthed. Jill winced. Although she was not certain if he was speaking to her or Simone or even Samuel and his other men. The intense need to escape, to take flight, gripped her once more, consuming what false bravado that the wine and her friends had managed to impart.

As if they could read her thoughts, the group of women surrounded her then. With smiles and giggles they began to move faster to the chorus. The singer's words rang like an anthem in Jill's mind. Of heroes rising from heat, of gods and white knights. 'I need a hero,' 'fresh from the fight,' and 'larger than life' played through her mind.

Suddenly, Jill was transported to another time and another place. The music moved over her, carrying her on its wings, transforming her into that young girl she had once been, brimming with new found beauty and sexual confidence. Without thought, she began to move in earnest to its rhythm. Her steps were sure as she focused on the moment, surrounded with new friends and old memories.

As they had promised the group remained by her side as they swayed and gyrated across the all too short distance. Jill lead them with confidence as they flanked her like her own unit of warrior women invading and conquering.

But as the pounding refrain died and that sultry voice slowed once more into the second verse, Jill found herself eye-to-eye with the man that was her new husband. She swallowed hard at the look she saw in the depths of those crystal blue oceans. Her heart stuttered in her chest, skipping beats as her brief surge of assurance came face-to-face with the enemy.

When she would have turned and fled back to the safety of the group if not the house, he whispered, "You started this, you gonna run away now, sweetie?"

Even over the lingering charcoal, citronella and beer, she could smell him. The rush of adrenaline. Man, pure and simple. Words filtered through the haze of the wine, as she took up his challenge and the unspoken one that those eyes held as well. She knew this song. She knew these people. And on some primal level she knew this man. The rest just sort of flowed out of the depths of her soul.

Hers hands trailed slowly across heated, bare flesh of his chest as she swayed and moved against him. She felt the silk scarves wrap about her calves as she moved her hips in seductive circles, brushing against the rough denim of his jeans. Her nipples tingled and swelled inside the bustier and for a moment she feared that they would burst over the dam of its low-cut cups.

Emboldened by the moment, their audience drifted away until in her mind nothing remained but the two of them. They were as alone as they had been in the laundry room. Was it just a little over twenty-four hours? Things were moving too fast, she thought. Not fast enough, her body replied as her hands came to rest on his broad shoulders, her hips brushing repeatedly against his in this mock lap dance.

She could not bring herself to look into those blue pools again so instead she found herself mesmerized by his soft, pink lips that were curled into a sardonic smile. If she closed the distance, if she had the courage, would she savor that fire again? Or would it be the ice she had found when the chaplain said…you may kiss your bride.

She would never find out, she thought with a touch of disappointment when the pounding bass trailed off and the song came to an end. She smiled. At least, I did this, she thought as she went to step away. To flee back inside the house with her comrades. To change out of this remarkable but ridiculous outfit. Before she could turn though, hands came from out of nowhere, imprisoning her wrists more securely than handcuffs ever could.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked as he drew her into his arms. Smiling over at where Simone had retreated to the safety of her husband's embrace, "The little witch didn't tell you the rest, did she?" He chuckled. His arms beneath the chiffon of her robe were like a vise holding her still against him. "Stick around sweetheart cause this night is just getting started."