Page 24 of Love and Loyalty

Everything was going to plan. The mission was proceeding smoothly, and they had encountered minimal resistance. But then, without warning, one of the wounded civilians pulled out a grenade and held it up, his eyes wild with fear and desperation.

"Get back!" he shouted, his voice trembling. "I won't let you take me alive!"

Izzy froze, her heart racing. She knew that if the grenade detonated, it would kill everyone in the vicinity. She slowlybegan to back away, trying not to make sudden movements that would trigger the man's panic.

Drew appeared at her side, her weapon drawn but held low. "Let's talk about this," Drew said calmly, her voice soothing. "We're here to help. We won't hurt you."

The man's eyes darted between Izzy and Drew, his grip on the grenade tightening. Izzy knew they had to act fast or risk losing everything. She took a deep breath and tried to think of a solution, but her mind was blank.

Just as the wounded man's finger closed around the grenade's pin to pull it, a single shot rang out. The man's body jerked, and he crumpled to the ground, the grenade slipping from his grasp.

Drew reacted in a flash, dashing toward the grenade as it rolled away from the man's lifeless body. She scooped it up and threw it with all her strength, her arm extended in a perfect arc.

Time seemed to slow as the grenade soared through the air, spinning end over end. Izzy watched in horror, her heart racing with fear. But Drew's aim was true, and the grenade landed with a thud in a nearby ditch, detonating harmlessly.

The blast sent a shockwave through the air, but it was muffled by the distance.

As the grenade detonated, Drew scrunched to the ground, folding her body against the dirt and taking Izzy down with her. She breathed a sigh of relief as Drew turned to her, her face grimy with sweat and dirt.

"Drew, oh God, are you okay?" Izzy reached out to help her up.

To her surprise, Drew brushed her off again, her expression darkening. "I'm fine, Lieutenant Colonel. Just get back to the mission." And she got up.

"Thanks for taking him down," Drew said as she turned, nodding toward the sniper who had shot the man.

Izzy didn't back down. She grasped Drew's arm, her grip firm. "No, Drew, I won't leave you like this. You could have been hurt."

Drew's eyes flashed with anger, and she shook off Izzy's grip. "I said I'm fine, Lieutenant Colonel. Don't make a fuss."

But Izzy stood her ground, her voice rising. "Why are you doing this, Drew? Why are you putting yourself in danger for me? You're constantly risking your life, and I don't understand why."

Drew's face twisted in a snarl. "You really don't get it, do you, Lieutenant Colonel? I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for the mission, for the team. And even if I were doing it for you, which I'm not, you wouldn't deserve it after the way you've treated me."

The argument escalated, their voices growing louder and more heated. The rest of the team stared, uncomfortable, as the tension between them boiled over.

"You're so caught up in your own guilt and regret that you can't even see what's right in front of you," Drew spat. "I'm not some damsel in distress, Lieutenant Colonel. I can take care of myself."

Izzy's face burned with anger and hurt. "How can you say that, Drew? After everything we've been through?"

"Whathavewe been through?" Drew lashed out. "I just saved your life as I would any other member of this team. Why do you have to make it seem like you're something special? Just say thank you and move on."

Izzy nodded, still trying to process what had just happened, but she didn't want to be a topic for the men two times in one day. "Thanks for saving us," she replied, her voice shaking slightly.

The team erupted into a flurry of activity, securing the area and tending to the wounded civilians. Izzy and Drew exchanged a look, their eyes locking in a moment of understanding. Theyknew that their differences would have to wait. For now, they had a mission to complete.

But as Drew turned and walked away, leaving Izzy standing alone, her heart banged heavy with emotions, and she wondered if they would ever make up again.

Later that night, Izzy had just finished dinner and was already preparing her bed when she heard a knock on the door of her quarters. Peeping through the keyhole, she recognized Drew and memories of their earlier argument rushed back.

Isabel let her in and could tell that the tension still simmered beneath the surface, even as they engaged in polite conversation discussing the mission and the team's progress.

As they talked, Izzy couldn't help but notice how Drew's eyes sparkled like emeralds in the dim light or how her hair curled in short messy golden waves. It was usually slicked back when working or under a helmet. But here, like this, freshly washed, Izzy could smell the shampoo and desperately wanted to run her fingers through it. She felt a flutter in her chest, and a heat between her legs before suddenly, the conversation turned heated again.

"You're still not listening to me, Lieutenant Colonel," Drew said, her voice rising. "You're still not taking me seriously."

Izzy stood, her heart racing. "That's not true, Drew. I am listening. And I do take you seriously."

Drew's eyes flashed with anger, and she took a step closer to Izzy. "Really? Because it feels like you're just humoring me, like I'm some kind of pet that needs to be placated."