All three of them fall silent, and even Jagger’s smirk falters. “Holy shit,” he exhales. “You never told me that you were engaged.”
“Almost,” I correct him. “I had the ring. I didn’t get the chance to ask.”
“What happened?”
“Not here.” I shake my head. The weight of the half-lie hits harder than I expect. I did have the ring, but the night of Mattis’s accident changed everything.
When I step inside, my boots cement to the floor. My heart jumps into my throat, and my stomach drops at the sight in front of me. I just held my friend together after watching his leg get blown off his body. Yet, the sight before me is more harrowing than anything I’ve ever seen on a battlefield.
Glassy blue eyes stare at me from the far side of the tent. They are teary and sad, but silently pleading. A cry her mouth can’t make with the hand clamped over it. A shirtless man with the belt and button-fly of his fatigues undone has two hands pressed firmly over her mouth, his shins shoved against her arms. Both men leaving her helpless to fight off the one between her thighs.
“Fuck, Hawk… Jagger,” he grits between thrusts. “Either get in or get out… but shut the fucking tent. I wasn’t planning on sharing her with the whole fucking base.”
I let go of the canvas flap I didn’t realize I was still holding, sealing the five of us off from the base on the other side.
“This slutty fucking tease is finally getting what she really wants. Aren’t you darlin’?” The man helping to pin her to the cot stares down at her and darkly laughs, before glancing up at us and continuing, “Are you two fucks going to watch with your cocks in your hand? Or are you going to come take a fucking turn in her tight cunt? You look like you could fucking use it after the night you had.”
I glance over my shoulder at Jagger, and he gives a silent, curt nod to the question he knows I’m silently asking. Pulling at my belt, the two of us cross the room to the already full cot.
I didn’t miss my chance to propose. I walked away before she saw what kind of man I really was.
Damon clears his throat, pulling me from my thoughts. “On a more immediate note, command approved our request. We have a tent about a half click from the east fence. It’s secure, private, and close to the comms tower. We can stay there until our extraction.”
“Good.” I take a deep breath and let out an equally heavy exhale. “We’re moving Reese there, too.”
Jagger raises a brow. “You sure that’s wise? She didn’t exactly look thrilled to see us.”
“She’s not staying alone,” I state firmly. “And rotating us through her tent doesn’t make sense.”
“She’s gonna fight you on it,” Gunnar points out.
“She can fight all she wants.”
Jagger whistles low. “God, this is gonna be fun.”
When we reach her barrack, I pull open the entrance and let myself inside. Reese is sitting at a small desk, typing away on her laptop. Her hair is still in a messy knot atop her head, and a sheen of sweat glistens on the back of her neck. She might not look up when we enter, but her whole body stiffens. “If you came to apologize, Christopher, don’t bother,” she grouses without turning to face us.
“Not here for that,” I retort, keeping my tone neutral. “Pack your gear. You’re moving.”
Her head snaps up, eyes blazing. “Excuse me?”
“You heard him,” Jagger snickers, earning yet another death glare from me.
She stands, planting both hands on her hips like an insolent toddler. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“This isn’t optional.”
“Everything is optional if you try hard enough.” She folds her arms, head tilting defiantly. God, I forgot how fucking bratty she could be. “You don’t get to walk in here after ten years and start giving me orders.”
“Not giving them,” I correct. “Following them. Your boss wants you under our protection, and I determine exactly how that happens.”
Her laugh is sharp and humorless. “Carl can shove his protection.”
“Reese—”
“No.” She points at me angrily, fire flashing in her eyes. “You don’t get to say my name like that. Not anymore.”
“Then don’t make me,” I bite back, my patience quickly fraying. “Pack your gear, or I’ll have them do it for you.”
