Free Distinguished Service & Every Move You Make (Uniformly Hot!) by Tori Carrington Page A

there.
    General Stan “The Man” Norman had been presentable enough, direct and to the point, an extension of what had likely made him a successful general. More importantly now, he was content to let them decide what he needed to do…beyond his predetermined routes.
    Mace didn’t get it. While rumors surrounded the one-time general, now political talk show radio host’s future political plans, he couldn’t understand why the guy garnered so much attention.
    “Have you listened to his show?” Dominic Falcone asked Mace from the driver’s seat.
    “No.”
    “If you had, then you’d know why. They don’t come any more confrontational than the general. Name one group he hasn’t manage to offend and I’ll point how he managed to do it.”
    “Sticks and stones…”
    “Yeah, well, we all know what words are capable of.”
    Indeed, they all did, as history and armed conflict bore out.
    In Norman’s case, it seemed many people were interested in stoning him simply for the words he chose.
    Earlier that day, the man responsible for putting Mace in this position had called to consult with him. He’d reminded Darius of his mounting debt and assured him he had everything well under control. They’d talked a bit about the kidnapping case that had taken his friend away, and then Dari had asked about the girl he’d been spotted with at The Barracks.
    If he didn’t know better, he’d think that had been the true reason behind Dari’s unnecessary call.
    “Geneva?” His friend had sounded incredulous when he’d told him. “You do know…”
    “Yes, I do.”
    Dari’s silence had been louder than a car bomb. “Hey, far be it for me to suggest you don’t know what you’re doing, but, well, do you know what you’re doing?”
    “I’m enjoying her company.”
    Enjoying her company. Those words seemed to fall far short of the mark. Whatever he was doing, Geneva and her soft lips were there, along the fringes of his thoughts.
    He’d texted her a short time ago to tell her he’d see her at the diner later.
    She’d texted back with a smiley face and told him to be careful.
    He’d nearly texted back saying he was always careful. But then he decided not to. Mainly because he wondered if careful entered anywhere into their situation.
    Oh, he knew they were only pretending to date. That when she’d revealed her circumstances, a real relationship was out of the question.
    But what had happened last night? There had been nothing fake about his actions…or her reaction.
    He’d liked it.
    More than liked it, he…
    He set his teeth together.
    He needed to keep his head in the game.
    He and Dari had talked a little while longer, then his friend had signed off with a quiet, “If you need anything, call.”
    Mace suspected that Dari had been talking about more than his assignment.
    They were nearing the point where he’d run into the hooded man on the street earlier. He went on alert, actively scanning the areas he’d seen the guy. Unfortunately, he’d lost him in the crowd. That meant one of two things: he lived in the area or he was the one they needed to watch out for.
    “Damn.”
    “What is it?” Falcone asked.
    He indicated the corner of the next block where a group of people with signs were gathered.
    “Looks to be protesters,” Falcone noted.
    That’s exactly what they were. Even at a distance, he could read the signs that ranged from, “Go Home and Be a Man, Norman!” to “Think Outside My Box!”
    He’d allowed for the possibility of protestors. He just didn’t like that they were gathered so close to where he’d run into the suspicious character earlier.
    “I’m getting out,” he said.
    “What?”
    “Slow down.”
    He issued the command for the lead car to do the same, which would alert the limo driver to follow suit, allowing him to walk alongside the cars until he felt it was safe to move forward.
    He climbed out, unfastened the protective strap of his shoulder holster and stepped up next to