15
Diggs pulledAudra’s foot into his lap and stroked his thumbs firmly and smoothly up her arch, marveling at how soft and dainty her toes were.Dainty?He’d never thought about that word before. He really was losing it. Then again, next to him she seemed small, and the alpha inside him savored that part of her. Even though he knew it wasn’t politically correct, she made him feel strong. She made him feel capable of overcoming any obstacle in his path. And right now, reclining together in his bed, surrounded by his pillows and sheets, she made him feelunstoppable.
But it didn’t matter how confident he felt. Without more information on the threat approaching her, he wouldn’t be able to protect her. The last thing on earth he wanted to do was bring the hurt back into her voice, but he had to know more about her brother. He had to find out what she’d done to stir up this wasp’snest.
Reclining on his side, his grip firm on her foot, he asked in a gentle tone, “Tell me aboutJeremy.”
Her eyes darkened with pain, just like he knew they would. She tried to draw her foot from his grasp but he didn’t let her. He felt her need to talk about her brother’s death. She’d been keeping it bottled up inside and that wasn’t good. He worried that keeping something that dark buried deep would eat away the goodness inside her. It could turn her bitter and sour and that wasn’t something he couldstand.
“Audra, talk to me,” he gently probedagain.
After a few tense moments, she relaxed back against the pillows. “Jeremy is . . . was the perfect big brother. I always looked up to him. He was one of those people that was meant to do something big with his life, you know? Even when he was little, we knew he’d befamous.”
Her chin wobbled and she crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive gesture. Diggs wanted to yank her into his arms and shield her from the hurt, but she needed her space as much as she needed to talk about her brother. So, he stayed right where he was, gently massaging her foot and patiently waiting, knowing the reward would be well worth thesacrifice.
“He was going to go into professional baseball. He’d already signed a contract in the minors. He hadeverything.”
It didn’t take a genius to fill in the gaps. “But he joined themilitary.”
Her gaze flitted to his and away. “I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn’t listen. If he had a flaw it was unrelentingstubbornness.”
“Something I see is a familial trait,” Diggs saidlightly.
Her lips curled for just a moment. “Maybe.”
Diggs snorted, “Definitely.”
“Are you calling me stubborn?” She scowled at him and his amusementsoared.
“Never. I’d call you strong-willed.”
Her chin tilted down and her deep red brows dipped low over her emerald eyes. Diggs’ heart did a little flip-flop in hischest.
“Maybe,” shesaid.
Even though he wanted to kiss that pout right off of her plump lips, the goal of this conversation wasn’t sex—although he had every intention of pursuing that subject thoroughly later. First and foremost, he had to keep her safe. He gave a firm stroke down the arch in her foot. “So, he joined theMarines?”
The light died in her eyes and Diggs wished he could chase the shadows away. She didn’t deserve any of this, and he would do everything in his power to see she was free from thethreat.
“Yes, and I can’t even say it was because some recruiter talked him into it. He went of his own free will. He said that he didn’t feel right not doing his part to serve the country that had given him so many opportunities.” Tears welled in her eyes. “But he couldn’t see what I could. Jeremy never did anything halfway. I knew if he joined he’d volunteer for the most dangerous missions. He’d put his life at risk. And I knew the military would take everything he had to give and in the end, they did. They took hislife.”
Even though he’d guessed that’s what she’d been thinking, Diggs’ body still reacted as if she’d dealt him a blow. Every man or woman who joined the service did it with the full knowledge that it may mean their life, just as he did. But he also knew there were forces out there greater than himself, and he was happy to make that sacrifice if that’s what was required to ensure that good conquered evil. He’d never be able to sit idly by knowing he hadn’t done hispart.
For some reason, maybe miscommunication, lack of education about the military, or just pure hurt, Audra didn’t see it that way. His gut tightened reflexively. He needed to set her straight—for both of theirsakes.
“Audra, do you think your brother would’ve lived a full and happy life if he really was that type of man? Because that’s what he sounds like to me—a man willing to do what it took to ensure your safety—hell, our entire country’s safety.” He fought to keep his voice level, even though she’d struck anerve.
“He shouldn’t have gone,” she saidflatly.
This time Diggs didn’t resist the urge to pull her into his lap. He scooted up to the headboard next to her and drew her into his arms, capturing her face between his hands and forcing her to look at him. “Where would we be if everyone thought like that? It’s only because of brave men like your brother that we’re able to live the life we do now. I never knew Jeremy, but from the way you talk about him, I understand him. He needed to do his part.”Just like I do.“He wouldn’t have been able to sleep at night if he’d stayed home and taken the easy route. He would’ve lived a half-life, always regretting what he thought he should have done butdidn’t.”
The small pool of tears in her eyes ran down her face unchecked. “But they took him from me. He was all I had left and now he’s gone. I know something bad happened, something that wasn’t supposed to, and it wasn’t because of some random bomb. They had him killed.” Her voice broke on the last word and a deep sob spilled from her lips. “I should have stoppedhim.”
Diggs drew her head against his chest and held her, rocking back and forth as she cried out her anguish in his arms. More than anything he wanted to take this from her and give her peace, but there was no magic serum to make grief disappear. Onlytime.
When her sobs finally eased, and the small hiccups and some of the tension left her body, Diggs said, “It’s not yourfault.”
“I should’ve tried harder,” she said, her voicehoarse.
