“How? Friend? Date?”
“Sir, I’m a guardian angel. Staff sergeant Ragbir was in the program.”
The bell went off in Troy’s head.Men like him. Men who stand up for women.
In 2012, the Guardian Angel program was started to prevent green-on-blue insider attacks in Afghanistan. The mission was extended at home to help prevent sexual assault.
“Thank you. Have a peaceful night.”He walked into the corridor and leaned against the wall.
“Boss, is everything alright?” Trask worried.
“I’m tired…and I have a theory. I’ll tell you on the way to the house.”
* * *
Troy and Traskwalked inside to the sound of voices. “What are all you freeloaders doing in my house?” Troy teased.
“Waiting for you to get your butt home. We’re hungry,” Kip said.
Troy scanned the room. “Where’s Gwen?”
Tim crooked a finger at him. Troy gave one of his patented smiles and followed Tim out of the room. “You missed something?”
“She was completely stable when I met you at PT,” Tim said. “I’m still not sure what happened. She won’t say. I asked Anderson to hold Elias Speras over.”
“If it’s not the surgery, it’s my mother. Where is Speras?” Troy stalked down the corridor to find Elias guarding his bedroom door.
“Mr. Bremen, she’s sitting on the loveseat.” The operator shook his head.
“What happened?” Troy’s neck was growing hot.
Elias explained the situation, then he repeated what Fani said to Gwen in Greek. He knew his mother, and Gwen was smart. Fani’s tone had to gut her, and his mother’s words infuriated him.Gold diggerhad the same meaning in Greek.
* * *
Gwen sat lookingout the patio door when she felt arms wrap around her.
“I’m here, and I'm not going anywhere.” Troy knelt on the floor beside her chair and rested his head in her lap. He stayed in that position for the longest time.
She was finally able to lift her eyes from the spot outside and look at the man who had wrapped himself around her. He lifted his head and stood, opening his arms, silently inviting her into his embrace. “Come on, Gwendolen. Let me take care of you.”
Troy walked her to their bedroom area and lifted her glass of tea from where he left it hours earlier. Encouraging her to drink, he noticed her hairbrush sitting on the night table. He picked it up and slowly stroked it through her long, silken hair. He never mentioned the group outside waiting to eat.
* * *
“Do I look alright?”Gwen adjusted her blouse one more time.
Troy leaned over her shoulder and placed a kiss on her cheek. “You are stunning.” He spun her to face him, his eyes following the length of her body. A smile bloomed across his lips, admiring her in a black halter-collared blouse and black silk pants with black sandals. Her hair fell in loose waves down her back.
Gwen stood at the top of the hall, her feet stuck to the floor. Troy’s warm hand rested against her hip. “You’ve got this.”They headed toward the living room, and he stepped away when she was near Zach and Martin.
Smiling, he walked to the head of the room. “This is wonderful, sharing a meal with my family.” Fani’s eyes burned into Gwen. “Mom, what can we do to get that delicious food onto the table?”
Gwen’s eyes lowered, breaking Fani’s field of vision.
She frowned. “We need to platter the food.”
Troy and Gwen followed his mom into the kitchen. “Mom, where’s Josie?”
