Read Online Fire and Ice (Guardians) by Victoria Paige - Free Book Online
Authors: Victoria Paige
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twenty, and four years later during one of his breaks, he met Claire. She was not classically beautiful, but she had this way about her that just drew him to her and he had fallen in love immediately. Claire had grown up in a military family. She understood his life and never asked about the nature of Jack's missions. Still, there were times when they fought right before he was deployed and he had to detach himself from his emotions to focus on the mission. He proposed to Claire in his last year with the SEALs and looked forward to having a civilian life with her.
Jack came from money. His father was a well-known real estate developer who loaned him the capital to start McCord Defense Industries. Jack thought that life couldn't get any better: Claire was planning their wedding and he was getting his business off the ground. Then, two months before their marriage, tragedy struck. Claire, his sister and his mom were coming back from a dress fitting at a well-known wedding couture.
He remembered their last conversation. She was so excited after fitting her gown, she couldn't wait to call him and gushed, "Oh Jack, the dress fits perfectly, I can't wait for the wedding! I love you, Jack."
"You make me so happy, sweetheart," Jack had told her.
An hour after their conversation, his father called him. "Jack, son, there's been a terrible accident." His dad's voice was hoarse with suppressed tears, he could barely understand him. "Your mom, oh...God ....Anna ....they... they're at New Park Medical."
Jack had never felt so much fear in his life. Even as a Navy SEAL, when he was faced with danger he had maintained a certain emotional detachment. But this, not knowing if three people he loved so much were alive or dead, those minutes that had taken him to get to the hospital were hell.
The hospital was chaotic. His dad was a mess, Anna confirmed dead, and his mom and Claire were in critical condition. Claire's parents arrived and then Brett was charging in, followed by other friends and relatives.
It was then that Jack learned from the detectives who were gathering more information about the incident that their car had been side-swiped by a panel van on the highway. At 70mph, their car rolled over several times and went over the guard rails.
His sister died at the scene. Claire and his mom were airlifted to New Park Medical and were undergoing surgery.
Half an hour later, a surgeon came out. His face was blank, everyone held their breath. "Claire Stanton?"
Even as Jack stepped forward to meet the surgeon with Claire's parents he had already known deep in his gut ... she hadn't made it. All he heard was the doctor's "I'm sorry..." then every molecule of air seemed to have been sucked out of him as he barely registered Claire's mom's keening cry. Jack backed away, sank into a chair nearby and sat staring at the floor. He was numb. He couldn't even cry. Brett, who had been crying after finding out about their sister, laid a hand on Jack's shoulder.
His sweet Claire was dead.
Anna, lively, exuberant Anna, was dead.
After another hellish three hours, a different surgeon emerged to inform them that their mom had made it. She was still in critical condition with internal injuries but was expected to survive.
The van was found abandoned in a state park, cleaned of fingerprints. It had been rented with bogus identification used on the rental agreement. Foul play was immediately suspected as many witnesses reported that the van had deliberately rammed the car.
Jack was tipped off by one of his friends in the CIA that several names of Navy SEALs had been leaked to the leaders of the Colombian drug cartel against which the SEALs had carried out anti-drug operations.
Jack, with his father's backing, pressured Washington to launch an inquiry into these allegations. There was not enough evidence to sustain the inquiry and the case was dropped but Jack and the other SEALs who had been burned, took matters into their own hands. This was
Jack came from money. His father was a well-known real estate developer who loaned him the capital to start McCord Defense Industries. Jack thought that life couldn't get any better: Claire was planning their wedding and he was getting his business off the ground. Then, two months before their marriage, tragedy struck. Claire, his sister and his mom were coming back from a dress fitting at a well-known wedding couture.
He remembered their last conversation. She was so excited after fitting her gown, she couldn't wait to call him and gushed, "Oh Jack, the dress fits perfectly, I can't wait for the wedding! I love you, Jack."
"You make me so happy, sweetheart," Jack had told her.
An hour after their conversation, his father called him. "Jack, son, there's been a terrible accident." His dad's voice was hoarse with suppressed tears, he could barely understand him. "Your mom, oh...God ....Anna ....they... they're at New Park Medical."
Jack had never felt so much fear in his life. Even as a Navy SEAL, when he was faced with danger he had maintained a certain emotional detachment. But this, not knowing if three people he loved so much were alive or dead, those minutes that had taken him to get to the hospital were hell.
The hospital was chaotic. His dad was a mess, Anna confirmed dead, and his mom and Claire were in critical condition. Claire's parents arrived and then Brett was charging in, followed by other friends and relatives.
It was then that Jack learned from the detectives who were gathering more information about the incident that their car had been side-swiped by a panel van on the highway. At 70mph, their car rolled over several times and went over the guard rails.
His sister died at the scene. Claire and his mom were airlifted to New Park Medical and were undergoing surgery.
Half an hour later, a surgeon came out. His face was blank, everyone held their breath. "Claire Stanton?"
Even as Jack stepped forward to meet the surgeon with Claire's parents he had already known deep in his gut ... she hadn't made it. All he heard was the doctor's "I'm sorry..." then every molecule of air seemed to have been sucked out of him as he barely registered Claire's mom's keening cry. Jack backed away, sank into a chair nearby and sat staring at the floor. He was numb. He couldn't even cry. Brett, who had been crying after finding out about their sister, laid a hand on Jack's shoulder.
His sweet Claire was dead.
Anna, lively, exuberant Anna, was dead.
After another hellish three hours, a different surgeon emerged to inform them that their mom had made it. She was still in critical condition with internal injuries but was expected to survive.
The van was found abandoned in a state park, cleaned of fingerprints. It had been rented with bogus identification used on the rental agreement. Foul play was immediately suspected as many witnesses reported that the van had deliberately rammed the car.
Jack was tipped off by one of his friends in the CIA that several names of Navy SEALs had been leaked to the leaders of the Colombian drug cartel against which the SEALs had carried out anti-drug operations.
Jack, with his father's backing, pressured Washington to launch an inquiry into these allegations. There was not enough evidence to sustain the inquiry and the case was dropped but Jack and the other SEALs who had been burned, took matters into their own hands. This was
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