Everybody has a hero. Every soldier wants that special someone to come home to. For Scarlet Chambers her's is a soldier. For Ajay Harrison his is Scarlet. Scarlet meets her hero/soldier during a heroic event at her school and she instantly falls in love with him. Ajay Harrison is 22 and is one of the top trained United States Marines in the world. Scarlet is a 18 year old seinor with honors. What and how will this relationship turn out? And will he always be there to protect her? How will they last while they're in two different country's?

"Do you have to leave?" I say through tears. "I promise I'll be home before you know it." That's a lie. It'll feel longer than what it actually is. And it will all feel like hell. "I'll be lost and...and...alone without you, Matt" I sob even harder. "Don't say that. You'll have Aunt Kathy and Jo. Trust me when I say this: they know exactly what they're doing. They've been through plenty of these before." I nod, not trusting my voice, afraid I'll break down again. His hand comes to my cheek as he wipes a tear that's falling. His arms then indulge me in a huge hug, his familiar cologne invading my nostrils. "STARKS! We're boarding!" I flinch at the fact that its time to let him go. He kisses the top of my head, "I love you." He whispers in my ear. "I love you too." I respond weakly. "I love you most." And with a final, hard kiss, he walks away from me. Kathy holds me and lets me cry on her shoulder as Matt looks back at me, and walks into the plane. ~~~ **This is an original story by @QuackingDuck. Any other publication of this story has been stolen** ~~This story contains mature content~~

After deciding to work on the family farm in Jameson, North Carolina instead of going to college like her older sister, Daisy, Hayden Alistair's life took a turn for the worst. Her parents die tragically in a horrific car accident, and to top it off, Daisy wants nothing to do with the family farm. Left to run the property and family business alone with the help her close cousin, Billie-Mae, Hayden is forced to overcome challenges she didn't expect to have so soon. Just when her life couldn't change anymore drastically, Hayden's long time neighbors, the Taylor's, receive a huge surprise when their only grandson, Chase Taylor, comes to stay with them while he's on leave for the U.S. Marine Corps. Hayden didn't think anything of the guy, that is, until he tries to make friends with her the next day. Drawn to his good looks and friendly personality, Hayden finds herself falling for Chase, finding comfort and escape in his presence. Just when Hayden's life starts to smooth out, it's turned upside down once more when she learns that not only does Chase get called back for deployment, but she also faces horrifying news about her older sister Daisy. Read on to hear a story about love, loss, family, and the strength a southern woman.

Mari Hansen ran away from home at 15 not being able to stand her radically religious family anymore and was desperate to be nothing like them which lead her to living on the streets subjecting herself to drugs, alcohol and prostitution going down a road straight to an early death when her pregnancy saved her life. Clean and sober since then, she would do anything to provide for her even if it's selling her body to do that. She went from the bad streets where she was beat up to an agency for high priority clients. Now 24 with a 7 year old daughter she wants out of the life she's known nearly 10 years so she can do anything else, already knowing that one day her daughter would have to know the truth. So she studies while Lalexia is at school when she gets a new client that her boss thought only she could handle. Shawn Sorci left home as soon as he could and never went back. He was off to basic right after graduation. He dedicated his life to the Army and in 9 years he had served a good portion of that overseas. He volunteered for deployments and his leadership qualities shone through as he was promoted to Sergeant First Class shortly before his latest deployment, which he didn't know could possibly be his last. Part way in they were ambushed and he was lucky to make it out with a couple gunshot wounds while some of his men never made it out. Now on medical leave while he recovers he's irritable, frustrated, angry and not wanting to admit he was suffering from PTSD. He needed to let off some steam and that's where Mari come in. He didn't want some fake experience because he really didn't care so when he tells her to speak her mind she becomes the most infuriating and sarcastic woman he's ever met, putting him in his place on many occasions much to his amusement. For once in his life he feels a fierce protectiveness for someone other than for the men he served with but she wants nothing to do with that, to her he's a client and nothing else.