Reckless Hero (Savage Soldiers Book 5) Read online

  “Apparently not,” Anna said, amused once again. She shrugged.

  I watched while she got out her notebook and popped the top off a pen. She wrote the date in the top right-hand corner of the paper and titled the page ‘Phil 101 Notes – Day 1.’

  I smiled to myself while I watched her meticulous writing. Her ‘y’ was curled in an adorably girly way. “You really are a nerd, huh?” I teased.

  She looked at me with wide eyes and I gestured toward her notebook.

  “I guess.” She shrugged. “I just want to do well.”

  I felt slightly chagrined at my teasing when her earnest and completely innocent gaze met mine. My attempt at flirting had obviously fallen flat. Anna had only just sat down, yet she was already throwing me off my game. She seemed completely oblivious to my efforts, which was a rarity for me.

  I wasn’t usually so awkward with the opposite sex. I had always been that guy who knew exactly what to say to get them eating out of the palm of my hand, and later crawling into my bed.

  Anna looked back down and her hair fell over her face again. I got the overwhelming urge to push it behind her ear. But I resisted, instead watching her delicate fingers smooth the wayward strands back into place. I could tell it was an absentminded gesture.

  She began drawing in the corner of her page, seeming to forget I was in the room—another rarity for me.

  I’d never had to work this hard to keep a girl’s attention before.

  “So,” I said, trying something different. I leaned a little closer to her and let the teasing tone fall out of my voice in favor of a more straightforward one. “Why philosophy?”

  “Huh?” She looked up at me, confirming my suspicion that my presence wasn’t affecting her in the least. Her grey eyes shone from behind her glasses.

  “Why did you choose philosophy as your major?” I tried again.

  She shrugged and looked back down at her notebook, clearly not interested in carrying out a conversation with me. I watched her for a few seconds, waiting for her to speak, but she didn’t. She just continued doodling in her notebook.

  “I’m glad we got here early,” I said as more students starting filing into the classroom. I waved and high-fived a few of the guys I knew from high school. “We wouldn’t have this lab table if we were late.”

  Anna nodded. “True. I would have hated to sit in the back.”

  “Didn’t you say you always sat in the back in high school?”

  “I did. But this is college. It’s different. So I have to be different.”

  She put down her pen when the professor walked in, instantly giving him her full attention.

  I admired her focus, but was still daunted by her lack of interest in me. I could only assume I wasn’t her type.

  Dammit.

  Without wasting any time, the professor launched into the syllabus immediately after his teaching assistant handed them out.

  “I’m a stickler for punctuality,” the professor warned. “So if you’re late to class, don’t bother showing up at all. I won’t let you in. And remember, all assignments are due on the date the syllabus states. If you’re worried, then have them completed a few days ahead of time. That way, if an emergency arises, you already have the work done.”

  I listened with raised eyebrows.

  Was he serious? He wasn’t going to allow late assignments?

  I exhaled slowly and glanced at Anna to see how she was reacting. I found her staring at the professor with wide eyes, scribbling down notes while he spoke.

  It was apparent that she’d meant what she said about taking the class seriously.

  Right then and there, I knew if I was going to be successful in my pre-law classes, I had to get my act together. Shameless flirting and letting myself get distracted wouldn’t get me into law school. This professor meant business, but so did I. I wasn’t going to let my perfect academic record slip through my fingers.

  As the professor finished explaining the syllabus, I made a vow to put aside my attraction to Anna and stay focused. I pulled out my own notebook and grabbed a pen from my backpack as the professor was just about to start the lesson of the day.

  I didn’t want to miss a single word.

  By the end of the hour, I had two pieces of paper completely filled with notes. The professor was a fast speaker and my hand ached, but in a good way.

  When we were dismissed, I packed my stuff slowly and glanced at Anna. She was tossing her notebook into her bag and putting the top back onto her pen.

  She still hadn’t looked at me since before class, something I was keenly and regrettably aware of despite my vow to stay focused. And as it turned out, staying focused was easier said than done, for each time the air conditioning kicked on and blew the scent of Anna’s perfume my way, I knew I was a goner. Her scent, not to mention the way the cool air rustled her hair, made my whole body tense.

  She was so beautiful. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t noticed her before.

  “That was a good first class,” I said lamely, smiling when she looked at me.

  She nodded and smiled back politely. “Yeah. I thought it was interesting.”

  She then stood and made her way to the door, leaving me hurrying after her.

  “So,” I said, falling into step beside her in the hallway, “I was thinking that since we’re already sitting together, we could be study partners. I have a feeling this class is going to be a killer, so we’ll both need the extra help.”

  Anna looked at me for a second and then averted her gaze. I couldn’t tell if I had insulted her by implying she might need help, but it was the truth as far as I was concerned. That professor wasn’t fucking around; it would be easier on both of us if we had help studying.

  Plus, I wanted an excuse to see her outside of class because I knew I wasn’t going to get anywhere within the confines of that lab.

  “Sure,” she finally said with a shrug. “Whatever.”

  With that, she hurried off to her next class and I watched her disappear with a smile on my face.

  She may not have been interested in me yet, but by the end of the semester, she would be.

  ***

  I sat on my mom’s porch holding my acceptance letter and remembering that day.

  The first time I’d seen Anna had seemed insignificant at the time. She had been nothing more than a cute girl in my class. Back then, I had never met a girl who didn’t want to date me, so Anna had thrown me completely off my game, making me even more intrigued by her.

  That entire semester had flown by in a blur. Anna and I had studied together almost every day and we both ended up acing that class. We set the curve on almost every test and slowly became friends. When our final grades came out, I suggested we went out to celebrate.

  That had been the night things shifted between us.

  I had always wanted more with Anna, and finally, she had started to see something worthwhile in me.

  I smiled to myself as the memory washed over me. It had been years since I had last seen her, but I could still clearly picture her face in my mind. I was sure she was still just as beautiful as ever.

  Sitting there holding my future in my hands, I wondered what she was doing and tried to imagine what her life was like now. Did she look the same? Where had life taken her? Was she still in Savage, or had she moved somewhere far away?

  Was her life everything she’d always wished it would be?

  Did she still think of me like I still thought of her?

  CHAPTER 3

  Anna

  “Garrett!” I yelled. “Hurry up, sweetie! Mommy’s going to be late!”

  I ran around my apartment, grabbing my things and quickly throwing Garrett’s backpack together. He was moving slower than ever that morning and I knew I was going to be late for class. It was my first day of law school and I couldn’t afford to miss anything.

  When Garrett’s backpack was ready, I grabbed his lunch from the fridge and threw it inside. I then zipped the backpack and ran to G
arrett’s room.

  He was sitting on his bed with his shoes on his feet. He had one foot tucked underneath him and the other poised on the ground. He held the shoelaces in his hands, desperately trying to tie them properly.

  I smiled and sunk to my knees. “Here. Let me help you.”

  “No!” he said, jerking his foot away from me. His face was set in the stubborn lines I was encountering more and more frequently lately. “I can do it!”

  I swallowed a sigh. “Honey,” I said patiently, “Mommy can’t be late for class today, okay? We have to go. You can tie your shoes tomorrow.”

  “But…” he began, but I cut him off with a look that was more powerful than any protest he could throw my way.

  He settled down with a pout and I grabbed his foot, gently pulling it to me and tying the laces.

  When he was finally ready to go, he jumped to his feet and I wrapped his backpack around his shoulders.

  “Come on,” I said.

  We hurried to the living room and I picked up my bag. With Garrett’s hand in mine, we ran outside to the parking lot.

  I buckled Garrett into his car seat and jumped inside. Firing up the engine, I threw the car in reverse and sped out of my parking spot. When I finally reached the highway, I checked the clock and groaned. I only had twenty minutes to get to class and still had to drop Garrett off at the campus daycare.

  It was only my first day and I was already off to a horrible start.

  We reached campus and I pulled up to the daycare. I jumped out and grabbed Garrett from the backseat, grunting as I picked him up but not daring to pause at any point.

  He protested as I carried him inside, but I only had five minutes to get to class and didn’t have time for him to walk.

  “Have a great day,” I said, breathlessly. I kissed his forehead and pushed him toward the classroom.

  He waved at me before disappearing inside.

  Without wasting another second, I flew back to my car. Speeding across campus, I pulled up to the science building right as class began.

  When I reached the classroom, I peered through the window and saw that the professor had already started the lesson.

  I groaned; interrupting class wasn’t the way to make a good first impression.

  With a deep breath, I slowly pushed open the door, trying to make as little noise as possible. Quickly stepping inside, I softly closed the door behind me and cringed at how loud it clicked. Fortunately, only a few people turned around.

  I hurried to the first empty seat I saw. It was in the back row, but I didn’t care.

  A woman handed me a syllabus and I mouthed a silent ‘thank you’.

  I quickly read through the syllabus, noting that it all seemed pretty standard. I then tucked it into my bag and pulled out my notebook. With my pen in hand, I focused on the professor and realized I hadn’t miss anything important; he had just begun the lesson.

  Still, I hated the thought of having missed anything at all. Shaking my head, I started furiously scribbling notes.

  Briefly glancing around, I saw that the students around me were all busy taking notes as well. I smiled, for this was precisely the kind of class I wanted to be a part of. There were only about twenty students, but it was clear that we were all there for the same reason—to become lawyers. Our goal wasn’t just to get a degree and then forget everything we’d learned; we wanted to help people get the justice they deserved.

  Finally, I let myself relax, feeling that I was exactly where I was supposed to be. It felt amazing; it had taken me years, but I’d finally made it to law school and I couldn’t have been prouder of myself.

  A grin spread across my face, and I knew that if anyone looked at me, they would have thought I was crazy. I didn’t care though, because they didn’t know everything I’d gone through to get my seat in that classroom.

  After spending four years raising a son, I never imagined I would have the chance to study law. I had put my dreams on hold and focused solely on Garrett for so long that I’d almost forgotten that I was a real person with dreams and ambitions. For a while, my only name and role had become ‘Mom’. My own personal desires no longer mattered. Nothing had mattered but keeping food in my son’s mouth and clothes on his back.

  For four years, I worked nonstop to support Garrett. I did the best I could, but I’d let myself go in the process. It had been years since I’d even cracked open a book. So when my little sister, Autumn, had suggested I go back to school, I thought she was insane.

  “I don’t have time,” I had told her. I had dismissed her suggestion as childishness. She too, wanted to be a lawyer. The difference, however, was that she was younger and childfree. She still had her whole life ahead of her, and her only responsibility was accompanying our father on the road while he chased after his political ambitions.

  My sister and my father were perfectly capable of following their dreams. I, on the other hand, never felt I had that same luxury. Being a single mom, there were just too many things for me to juggle.

  My sister wouldn’t let up though. When Autumn got an idea in her mind, she ran with it. For months, she pressured me into applying. And when I finally did, I had never thought I would actually be accepted. I had only sent in the application to shut her up.

  Getting my acceptance letter had felt like a dream. Even with the piece of paper in my hands, I couldn’t believe it was happening, and still hadn’t been sure I could go. But after countless conversations with Autumn, I decided to give it a try.

  We celebrated Garrett’s fourth birthday and a week later, I was in my first law school class.

  Still grinning like an idiot, I turned over the first page of my notebook. I wished I had a computer to take notes on; I could already tell my writing hand was going to be exhausted by the end of class.

  Taking a quick break, I stretched my hand before continuing.

  As the content of the lecture became more complicated, my mind had fewer chances to drift. Not wanting to miss a single word, I made a mental note to start bringing a recorder.

  I had sacrificed so much to just be in law school. It was Garrett’s last year before starting kindergarten, and I had been looking forward to spending time with him. Now, however, I would see him less. The year would fly by, and he would officially be in school in no time. The idea brought tears to my eyes, but at the end of the day, I knew I was doing the right thing. Garrett deserved a mom who chased her dreams, not one who just accepted living a mediocre life.

  I had to teach him how to fight for things.

  So far, I thought I’d done a good job raising him. He was sweet, polite, all his daycare teachers loved him, his aunt Autumn was his best friend, and my friends adored him.

  Still, I wanted more for him than a cramped one-bedroom apartment. I wanted to give him the world.

  As class continued, I glanced around the room again. My eyes were beginning to water and I couldn’t stare at my notebook any longer. I squeezed them closed for a second and then looked around again. It was a short break, but it was long enough to take in the faces of my fellow classmates. There were so few of us that I knew I would learn everyone’s name by the end of the month. By the end of these four years, I imagined we would all be like family.

  When my eyes fell on a familiar face though, I almost fell out of my chair. My body went rigid and my heart began to race. I blinked hard, sure I was seeing things. But when I looked again, I knew I wasn’t mistaken.

  It was Tucker James.

  He was sitting three rows in front of me with his eyes locked on the professor. I could only see the side of his face, but it was enough—I would know him anywhere.

  Tucker’s sandy blond hair was shorter than I remembered. It no longer covered his face, but was still long enough that he had to toss it out of his eyes every few minutes. The curve of his nose and the set of his chin looked so familiar it made my heart ache.

  I couldn’t believe my eyes. Class was almost over, but I had completely lost where I was. M
y notes laid forgotten in front of me and I no longer heard a word the professor spoke.

  My ears rung and my pulse zoomed.

  Shit.

  I watched Tucker closely, wondering why he was there. The last thing I’d known about him was that he’d been stationed somewhere overseas. I hadn’t even known he was back in town.

  Had he left the army for good?

  My mind was racing when the professor dismissed us, his words shaking me back to reality. I jerked my head away from Tucker and began grabbing my things, haphazardly throwing them into my bag.

  I needed to get out, fast.

  Seconds later, I flew out of the room like hounds from Hell were nipping at my heels. I was the first one in the hallway, and I didn’t stop running until I’d reached the women’s restroom.

  I hurled myself into a stall and fell against the wall. Breathing heavily, I tried to calm down, but couldn’t.

  Shit. Shit. Shit!

  Everything was spinning and I didn’t know how to make it stop. If Tucker was in that class, he would be in all the others. I wouldn’t be able to avoid him forever, but I wasn’t ready to face him.

  Not after the way things had ended between us.

  Over four years ago, Tucker left town, barely saying goodbye. We had been together for years, but he hadn’t bothered to discuss his decision to enlist with me. When his father died, Tucker had subsequently pulled away from everyone and everything he once loved, including me.

  He had become someone I no longer recognized. A sad, lonely soul.

  I had wanted to save him, but couldn’t.

  His father’s death had ruined us both.

  I could still remember the day he told me his father had died. Just thinking about it made my stomach tighten.

  I swallowed and tried not to think about it anymore, knowing I could push him from my mind if I tried hard enough. It had become easier to do as the years passed, but seeing him again had undone all the effort I’d put into moving on from him.

  I closed my eyes and pictured his face the way I remembered it—his hair long and his brown eyes full of life. He wasn’t yet broken in those visions. He was just the fun, adventurous, and cocky Tucker I’d always known.