“Audra, all you could do was love him and let him be who hewas.”
“I do love him. I love him enough to see justice done.” She leaned away and swiped her eyes, then looked up at him with a new level of determination. “I intend to find out what happened. I know they’re not telling me thetruth.”
“Why do you thinkthat?”
“Because Jeremy toldme.”
Diggs paused. “How?”
She took a ragged breath and he felt relief. He could research for hours and find out every detail recorded about Audra and Jeremy, but he’d rather hear the truth from her lips, knowing firsthand how things can get twisted around and hidden if there was foul play involved like Audrasuspected.
“Jeremy was set to return home the day before he was murdered. That night his commander ordered him on a last-minute mission. I know because Jeremy sent me a video call and told me something wasoff.”
Another day in the military in his eyes. Following orders often meant saving the life of your team and the men and women around you, but in this instance, it hadn’t worked out that way. Diggs urged her to continue, “Goon.”
“He’d already bought the plane ticket from Fort Benning back home. I was going to meet him at the airport. But the next phone call I got was from his unit chaplain telling me he’d been killed by an IED.” Her chin wobbled and he saw her fight for control. “I’m sorry. I haven’t talked about this since hisdeath.”
“Because talking about it would make his deathreal.”
Shenodded.
“I’m so sorry,” Diggs said quietly. “I haven’t lost a brother, but I lost my best friend. He was murdered in the line of duty. I still haven’t completely gotten over it, and I still think about him everyday.”
“How?”
“I’d been injured badly and couldn’t get to him. I watched him die,” Diggs felt his own voice go hoarse with emotion. “And I live with that guilt everyday.”
Audra put her hand on his chest, her green eyes bright with an understanding that made his chest ache. “If you were injured that bad, then how is it yourfault?”
He swallowed.Because I should have found away.
“Was your team there?” sheasked.
He nodded, “They were close but they couldn’t get to himeither.”
She leaned into him, placing her head on his chest. “That doesn’t sound like your fault. It sounds like there wasn’t anything else you could havedone.”
She stroked his abdomen, a feather light caress that seemed to ease him enough so that he could speak. “I feel like I should have found away.”
“Diggs, I may not have known you for a long time.” She leaned back and took his face between her hands. “But what I do know is that if there was a way you would have foundit.”
Diggs shuddered in her soft touch, the deep chasm of guilt he’d been carrying on his shoulders eased a little. “Just like you would have with yourbrother.”
Unable to resist the temptation of her lips, he dipped his head to hers and feathered a kiss across her mouth, seeking more of the comfort she offered. She made him realize that maybe he couldn’t do it all alone and needed the support of his team. And ofAudra.
He needed her just as much as she needed him. “Audra, you can’t do it all alone. I can help you if you letme.”
“What about yourteam?”
“My team will helptoo.”
Her eyes flashed with uncertainty and Diggs drew in a breath, knowing he’d have to tell her about their past if he would ever gain her trust. “We were betrayed by our commander. He’s the reason my teammate is dead and he’s the reason Quantum is in acoma.”
“Oh, Diggs,” she gasped, “I’m sosorry.”
“If anyone on this planet would believe things in the military aren’t always what they appear, it is me and myteam.”
She trembled in his arms and he pulled hercloser.
