Sweet Affliction [Sweet Awakenings 4] (Siren Publishing Classic) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Desert Storm.
    Adam continued, “He never cared for the ground. Dirt, that is. Didn’t want to be buried in it.” A cynical laugh came from him. “Maybe that was why he became a SEAL. The son of a bitch loved the water, you know. Always around it, even when he wasn’t on assignment.”
    Neither he nor Rex said anything. He hoped Adam didn’t realize what he’d just said. Judging from the look on his face he knew all too well the irony of what his friend’s love for water had gotten him in the end.
    “Anyway,” Adam went on, “knowing his mom and dad were finally together again, he said when old age took him he wanted to be cremated and his ashes scattered out in the ocean where his SEAL instructors first beat the snot out of him.”
    Jack and Adam were never very close, but he had nothing but sympathy for what the man was going through.
    “Can you believe that shit?” Adam turned around then. The red-lined whites of his eyes were filled with anguish. “He thought he was gonna live to a ripe old age.”
    “I think we all think that, man.” Rex put a consoling hand on Adam’s shoulder.
    “He was tired of fighting in a war that there seemed to be no end in sight to. He wanted out.” Adam motioned toward the hallway. “After meeting Chelsea he razzed me, saying he wanted to get himself one of those little numbers.”
    Jack couldn’t help but smile at that. That sounded like Slater. The man had a way and a soft spot for all women. While he never saw Slater with a woman who wasn’t attractive, he didn’t seem to have a type, but rather liked all women.
    Rex echoed Jack’s thoughts. “Yeah, he loved the ladies. Even stole a couple gals who had my attention a time or two. Back in my bachelor days, of course.”
    “You mean before Shelby whipped your ass into submission?” Adam smirked at him.
    Even though it was a cover, Jack was glad to see a grin on Adam’s face. “Let’s go grab something to eat. Tamara made some sandwiches with some Greek salad or some shit like that. I don’t know, ever since she had JJ she’s become very domesticated, trying out all these different recipes.”
    All three of them walked from the den. There was still a sadness left lingering in the air. They’d lost two of their own. Any way you sliced it, it sucked to high heaven.

Chapter 5
     
    He opened his eyes, or tried to. They were heavy, almost like they were being held down. He felt exhausted. The peaceful serene feeling that consumed him once before was now replaced with aches and pains. Hell. He had to be in hell. That was the only thing that explained the mind fuck that he’d been experiencing. Bliss then pain, peace then people arguing. Obviously the devil had a sick sense of humor, but I guess they didn’t call him the master of all evil for nothing. Thankfully he couldn’t feel flames licking at his feet, so at least it wasn’t as bad as all those books would have you believe.
    Suddenly a voice distracted him from his thoughts. He gave up the effort of trying to open his eyes and just relaxed. It was a woman’s voice. The same woman from before, he wondered. She wasn’t talking or even yelling this time. She was humming, almost singing really. It was a peaceful melody. It rang familiar to him. The tune seemed to be something he’d heard before. Actually it was something he knew quite well.
    He relaxed and allowed himself to soak in the soothing echo of her melody. It was as if it was reverberating around him, soaking into his achy joints and muscles, relieving the pain. He wished he could touch her. She sounded like an angel.
    “Hello?”
    Someone had come to visit her? Whoever it was, she was surprised to see them. A sense of panic washed through him as he worried that it might not be a good surprise. A man had upset her before, and he hadn’t liked it. He didn’t want anyone else causing her worry.
    “Can you hear me?”
    Oh. It dawned on him them. She didn’t have a visitor, she had a phone call. Bad