Strong Reflection: Book 2 of the Dark Series Trilogy (21 page)

Kyle knew the very second Ashley had chosen.  Her eyes had appreciated all the rings set before her but she lit up from the inside at a simple solitaire, Marquise cut, 4 carat ring, its band made of linked smaller diamonds with gold in between.  Before she could reach for it Kyle removed it from the tray and slipped it easily on her ring finger.  “Are you sure Babydoll?”

Ashley looked up from admiring the ring on her finger, eyes sparkling and with a dazzling smile she answered, “Oh, yes, Kyle.  This is the one.  This is my ring.  Thank you.”  She reached up to kiss him.

When they parted Ashley whooped, jumped up and down, and waving her hand to show Jack and Catlyn.  Kyle laughed as he reached for his wallet. One again he couldn’t help but wonder at the amazing differences between Ashley and Bunny.  Kyle knew that if he had been here with Bunny he’d be paying for the most expensive ring in the store rather than a ring, though expensive, spoke to his bride-to-be’s heart and not her greed.

 ****  

The couples were on the Newburgh waterfront in the Rainbows on the Hudson restaurant celebrating Kyle’s and Ashley’s engagement.  Jack cleared his throat and raised his glass to the couple sitting across from him and Catlyn.  “Well, I’d like to make a toast to you guys.   We wish you all the happiness in the world.  And we are so glad that you two finally caught a clue!”

The small group laughed before acknowledging the heartfelt but teasing words.  After they enjoyed their dinner they were headed back to the house, the men to a meeting with a potential client for Jack’s security firm and the women to pick a movie to go to see while the men were busy.

To enjoy the balmy day they had chose to park at one of the upper parking lots and walk down to the waterfront.  So while Jack was paying the bill, Kyle was getting the car.  The two women were walking out of the restaurant, trailing along the deck, admiring Ashley’s ring again and talking about Jack picking up Catlyn’s mother from the airport the next day.

“Jack says he doesn’t want me to take the ride to JFK to get mom.  It’s ridiculous, cute and frustrating all at the same time how protective he is of me and the baby.”

At Mackenzie’s silence after her comment Catlyn looked over at her.  Mackenzie’s face was frozen in an intense frown.   Catlyn was startled by Mackenzie’s abrupt movement.  Ignoring the 6 steps she ran to the edge of the deck and jumped the railing, shouting over her shoulder, “It’s him Catlyn!” Then she took off at top speed.

Afraid for her, Catlyn turned back towards the door.  “Jack!  Help, Jack!”

Jack appeared immediately beside Catlyn.  “Honey, what’s wrong?”

Before Catlyn could answer their attention was caught by a loud screech of tires.  They looked up in time to see Mackenzie rolling smoothly across the hood of a car that almost hit her.  Undeterred by her near miss she took off running.  “Jack help her!”

Not needing any details, responding to the stress in Catlyn’s voice, Jack too took the fastest route, bypassing the steps and jumping the railing to go after Mackenzie.

As Catlyn took the stairs and rounded the deck, Kyle pulled up in the car, “Where’s Ashley and Jack?”

Kyle had started to get out of the car but
 Catlyn waved him back inside, getting in the front passenger seat.  Pointing towards their partners running in the distance, she said, “That way.”

With an economy of movements Kyle got back in the car and headed towards Jack and Ashley.  He could see Jack closing in on Ashley and someone even further in the distance.  Ignoring the one way arrows and the wrong way signs Kyle entered the gravel road that ran parallel to the waterfront on one side and train tracks on the other.  Kyle swerved around a couple of cars with blaring horns and angrily gesturing drivers.

Kyle ignored everything around him.  His heart pounding in fear for Ashley he pressed the accelerator. Gravel tinged and pinged against the hub caps and his speed picked up.  Even though he was driving well above the speed limit Kyle knew he wasn’t going to catch the running trio before the road ran out and continued into a trail.  As he neared the trail-head Kyle watched Ashley jump the train tracks still in pursuit of the unknown man.  He could tell she was closing in on the man.  Jack was hard on their tail.

Kyle slammed on the brakes coming to a skidding stop at the beginning of the trail.  He got out and started after the trio.  His training had him looking back at Catlyn to make sure she was ok.  He watched her get out of the car and started to run too.  Guiltily he slowed his pace so she could catch him.  He grabbed her hand to keep her with him.  Their pace was much slower than the other three but he could keep them in sight.

He looked ahead and watched Ashley make a flying leap at the man she chased.  They both went down. Surprising speed had the two on their feet and facing off, surprising on the man’s part not Ashley’s, Kyle had seen Ashley’s speed many times before.

Kyle’s heart almost stopped when the man went at Ashley.  He saw Jack was almost upon the fighting duo.  Fear had him forcing a little more speed from Catlyn.  

Suddenly Jack froze and didn’t interfere.  Confused and a little angry Kyle wondered why Jack didn’t pull the man away from Ashley.  He just stood there watching some man attack 
his
 fiancée.  His gripped tightened on Catlyn’s hand as he sped up again to reach them.

Just when Kyle would have went at the guy hard, Catlyn pulled on his hand.  “No Kyle!  Look!”

Kyle flung Catlyn’s hand away and went forward.  He heard Catlyn say, “Jack!”

Jack turned and stopped Kyle pushing him back with strong hands against his chest.

Furious now, Kyle went at Jack. “What the fuck are you doing?”

Jack ducked Kyle’s fist flying at him, swung Kyle using his own momentum and put him in a restraining hold.  Kyle saw red.  “What the fuck is wrong with you?  Help her man!”

Kyle broke Jack’s hold but now Catlyn was holding him back.  Kyle was reluctant to fight any woman but certainly not one he knew was pregnant.  He suspiciously glared at Catlyn.  She knew he wouldn’t touch her in that way.  “Catlyn move!”

Her hands gently cupped his cheeks and she got in his face, connecting their eyes.  “Kyle, look at them with the eyes of Director Strong and not with the eyes of the man in love.”

Giving Catlyn one last look Kyle took a deep breath and looked at Ashley.  She had just blocked a fist to her face.  Kyle put a hand to Catlyn’s shoulder, pregnant or not she was getting out of his way.  Jack was there.  He pulled Kyle’s hand off Catlyn’s shoulder.  “Stop being an ass man and look at 
them
 not just your woman.”

Kyle threw Jack a glare before he switched his scrutiny back to the fighting couple.  The man who was about 20-23 years of age was tall, several inches taller than Ashley, putting him somewhere in the 6-2 vicinity.  He was very physically fit.  He was in the middle of a backflip away from Ashley.  Like mirrored images the two landed perfectly on their feet turned and stepped into each other simultaneously.

It suddenly struck Kyle.  They were doing identical moves.  They threw the same punches, used the same blocks.  They were so in sync with each other their fists came crashing together after they had attempted the same move.

“Ten.” The man shouted out.  He and Ashley arced into another ready stance and tried another attack.  They came clashing together.  He blocked her and she blocked him, identically.  They pushed each other back and Ashley said, “Four”.

They both went into spinning back-kicks.  Their feet hit together and they both spun out and quickly did a running drop-kick.  Their feet slammed into the others, the force sending them both back, Ashley into a back cartwheel and the young man into a no-hands back-flip.  Quickly they faced off again.

The man said, “Three”.  Their hands flashed simultaneously.  Blocking and striking.

Ashley, “One,” they switched stances and did a series of rapid hand motions that were often used to fend off a knife attack.

The man, “Seven”, their motions sped up, doubling the speed they hand been using, yet the two still did identical moves.

Frantically, Ashley shouted, “Two.”  Again the pair did exact moves that had their fists clashing together and their arms crossed against each other in the same counter move.

The battling pair froze wide-eyed.  Still holding their crossed arms against each other, chests heaving, Ashley spoke hesitatingly, “J-J-Jared?”

A loving wonder filled the man’s eyes as he lowered their arms and slowly took Ashley in his arms. Shaking hands cupped her cheeks, his thumbs wiping at her fast falling tears, “Yes, little-one, it’s me!”

Ashley cried out as though in pain and crumpled against the man’s chest and his arms tightened on Ashley.  He soothingly stroked her hair, whispering gently in her ear.  “It’s ok little-one!  I’m here.  I’m right here!  I’ll never leave you!”

His words seem to both console and devastate Ashley.  Her crying was heart wrenching to hear.  She cried out again and pulled Jared close to her.  Ashley lost her legs.  Jared easily caught her in his arms, cuddling her to him as she went into a faint.  He turned to the 3 stunned people watching him.  

****  

Jared took in the different expressions.  The one most in common with all 3 was concern.  So they were friends not foes, “I think we need to get her indoors.”  His gray eyes scanned the two men and one woman. The tall man with piercing blue eyes moved towards him.  “I’ll take her.”  

At the man’s motion to take his small burden, Jared did a half turn, giving the guy his shoulder.  “No, thanks, I’ll keep her with me.”

The man seemed to grow several inches taller right in front of Jared.  The guy was big and tall, well-muscled and look ready to take his head off.  Jared hid a small smile.  He was probably her boyfriend. Jared readied himself and held on tighter to his precious cargo as the man flexed and stepped closer.  

But the other guy who was even bigger and just as muscled grabbed a hold of the first man’s arm. “Kyle, the most important thing is to get Mack the help she needs.”  The man with the green eyes looked at Jared.  “This way, follow us to my car.”

****

Kyle was fuming as he rode in the back seat with the stranger who held Ashley so gently in his arms. Her head rested against his chest and his head rested lightly against hers.  Kyle was angry but he was also very scared.  Ashley had looked at the ‘boy’ as though he were her world.  What the hell was going on?

Trying to hold his temper back, Kyle questioned the boy, “So, how do you know Ashley?”

The boy flashed his gray eyes at Kyle before he gently stroked Ashley’s cheek.
 “So, little-one, you’re Ashley.”  He rubbed his cheek against hers and then kissed her forehead.  “Don’t worry Ashley I’m here.”

Kyle’s anger grew if that were possible.  Who did this little punk think he was, coming in here, first attacking his woman and then pawing all over her and staking some lame claim when it seemed as though he hadn’t even known her name?

Jack cleared his throat from the driver’s seat.  “Uh, are we taking her to the hospital or home.”

“She hates hospital.
 I can take care of her at home.”  Catlyn answered.

Catlyn turned in her seat to address the boy.  “You’re Jared? Is that right?”

The boy nodded and held Ashley closer to him.  “Well, I am a very good friend of Ashley’s.   I’m Catlyn Lyte and this is my fiancé, Jack Gard who just happens to be the Chief of Detectives.”

The boy nodded his head in acknowledgement of Catlyn’s introductions.  He then tipped his head and cut his smoke colored eyes quickly to Kyle, “And the fire-breather?”

Kyle’s eyes bulged and his anger went up yet another notch at the boy’s description of him and Catlyn’s inability to hide her amusement at said description.  She spoke through a choked gasp which was obviously her trying not to laugh, “Uh, this is Assistant Director, FBI, Kyle Strong… and Ashley’s fiancé.”

The boy turned his head to fully look Kyle in the face.  He studied Kyle for a full minute before giving an unimpressed snort.