Pierce

Chapter Four

Pierce~

Being a man of his word, Pierce kept his distance from Natalie despite his body's protest. It had been over a week since he had seen her, but anytime his mind found a vacancy it decided to fill it with thoughts and images of Natalie which only made the temptation to go Luxe and see her that more appealing.

"What's on your mind, Hollywood?" Marcus asked, but his voice faded into the fog of Pierce's thoughts as he cleaned his rifle.

Seeing a hand wave in his peripheral vision snapped Pierce back to reality.

"Hmm? What?" he said, shifting his gaze to Marcus who gave him a chuckle and a knowing grin.

"Jeez man, Caleb said you were love sick, but that girl really did a number on you, huh?"

"Pssh, please. I'm not love sick. You know me better than that."

"I don't know man, you're heads been in the clouds ever since she sunk her teeth in you." Marcus joked.

"Believe me, she made it crystal clear that she didn't want her teeth anywhere near me." Pierce sighed as his shoulders dropped slightly in defeat.

Declan appeared over Marcus' shoulder with his brows drawn as he found a spot at the table and started to dismantle his rifle.

"What's going on with you lately? You were all over the fucking place today." Declan grumbled.

Being the leader of Bravo team Pierce knew it was Declan's job to call him on his shit, but wasn't ready to own up to his piss poor performance on drills and target practice.

"I know, man."

"Well you need to figure it out. You fuck up like that in the field and somebody gets killed." Declan barked.

"You think I don't know that?" Pierce was more irritated with himself than Declan.

"Easy, Dec," Marcus said as he gave Pierce and endearing shoulder squeeze, steering him out of the armory and out of Declan's war path.

"I've been off my game lately, but I'll get it figured out." Pierce huffed.

Marcus gave him a trusting nod before changing the subject.

"We're heading out to get some pizza and beer, you in? Might be good for you to take a load off."

"Yeah, I'm in."

He didn't think pizza and beer would really elevate his mood, but it couldn't hurt.

*****

Marcus, Caleb, and Pierce all piled into Caleb's jeep and made their way to their favorite dive bar for pizza and beer. In the summer Caleb always drove with the top and sides off allowing the group to enjoy the warm early evening air. 

They passed several shops and restaurants on the way, full of people that were all plain and forgettable, all except one.

Pierce ripped his sunglasses from his eyes to get a better look, but he'd know that petite bombshell of a woman anywhere. Natalie.

"I'll be damned." he said under his breath.

Before his brain could comprehend the movement of his body, he grabbed the cross bars of the jeep and hurled himself out onto the pavement as they came to a stop light.

"The fuck?" Marcus said, looking back in confusion at Pierce who was now heading down the sidewalk toward Natalie.

What am I doing?  Pierce thought, but before he could rationalize his actions, her name erupted from his mouth.