Reckless Destiny by Teresa Southwick

weapon did she have? The idea of force was ludicrous; both of them were bigger than she was.
    When they continued to fight, she tried again to pull them apart. That didn’t work, so she tried to push herself in between them. Reynolds made a fist and drew his arm back. With the agility of a cat, John Eagle ducked the punch and it hit Cady square in the left eye.
    Pain exploded in her cheekbone, and her vision filled with bright yellow and orange spots.
    “Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat, ma’am!”
    She fought dizziness as she staggered to the bench behind her and sat. Boots scraped on the canvas floor and a big body moved between her and the boys.
    “No man ever hits a woman.” Kane’s voice echoed loudly in the mess hall. Then he was on one knee beside her. “Are you all right?”
    With a hand to her throbbing cheek, she managed to open her uninjured eye. “Fine.”
    There was a sound behind him. Kane jumped to his feet. “If either of you moves a muscle, I’ll throw you both in the guardhouse.” He glared at each boy in tum. “I just might anyhow.”
    Amazingly enough they stood quietly, although still breathing hard from the exertion of the fight. Reynolds rubbed a hand under his nose, and his white sleeve came away streaked with blood. Cady rose from the bench and, with her good eye, looked at the rest of her students, who had watched the whole scene with avid interest.
    She was so angry her hands shook. She needed to clear the classroom before the rest of her students witnessed another scene, one she was about to start. How dare Kane step in when she’d asked him not to!
    “Children, you’re dismissed for lunch. I’ll see you back here at one-thirty.” They stood and raced from the room. John Eagle and R. J. Wexler started to follow.
    Kane held up his hand. “Halt.”
    They did, instantly. How did he do that, Cady wondered?
    Standing tall, with his arms crossed over his chest, the captain speared each of them with a look. “Go wait in my office.”
    “Halt, you two.” Cady touched his upper arm. The wide muscle beneath her palm told her how he had managed to pull the boys apart. She envied him his size and strength. “This is my responsibility and I’ll handle it.”
    Ignoring her, the two boys continued to march out of the room.
    She looked at the empty doorway, then up at Kane, and pulled her hand away. “I can’t believe what just happened.”
    “I figure to give those two a lecture they won’t soon forget. Sit down and let me have a look at that eye.” He tried to lead her to the bench, but she pulled her arm from his grasp.
    “How dare—”
    “Simmer down. I’ll take care of it. How’s the eye?”
    “Forget the eye. Why did you interfere in my classroom?”
    “Why did I—?” He stopped, stunned, and stared at her for a moment. “Those two were trying to kill each other.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous. Besides, from nine-thirty to twelve and one-thirty to three-thirty, this is my schoolroom. If my students are trying to kill each other, I will deal with it.”
    He pointed to her eye. “What if they kill you?”
    Without hesitation she replied, “Then feel free to step in and restore order.”
    “I’m sorry, but I can’t stand by and watch someone hit a woman.”
    “I’m not a woman.” Heat blossomed in her cheeks as his brows lifted. “I mean to
them
. I’m their teacher. Besides, Reynolds didn’t mean to hit me.”
    “That’s no excuse. You’re a woman, no mistake about that. And in about thirty minutes, you’re gonna have one hell of a black eye. I plan to make those two sorry for what they did so it never happens again.”
    “It’s up to me to discipline them. Don’t you see? When you stepped in, you undermined my authority. If I can’t maintain order, no one can learn.”
    “Looked to me like you were learning a thing or two about a right hook.”
    “This isn’t a joking matter.” She tried to glare at him, but it wasn’t easy with only one good eye.
    “I’m not