“Do you remember me telling you about the one guy I’ve been with?”
Ah, fuck. I was right then…
I look away. “Yeah.”
“He’s just a friend, Fletch. I promise. We haven’t done anything in… god, over a decade, I think. We only talk a few times a year.”
I frown. “But he flew here the second he heard about you?” I hate how my voice sounds. This isn’t who I am, usually.
“Yeah. And I’d do the same for him.” His voice is steady, honest. “We have a strong friendship. But we aren’t close. Not like that. Not like us.”
The knot loosens in my chest, but only a little.Not like us.
“You just never told me about him,” I say. “Or the other guys.”
Vince blinks. “What other guys?”
“There was a photo in your room at the apartment. I recognize you and Ace. But there were five guys in… Afghanistan, I’m guessing?”
Vince is quiet. So quiet it makes me wonder if I mis-stepped. He turns away and runs a finger over the blanket. When he speaks again, his voice is heavy. “Kit, Bucket, and Bubba.”
I choke on a laugh. “I’m sorry—Bucket?”
“Bucket,” he confirms, cracking the faintest smile. “We all had nicknames in the army. Ace isn’t actually Ace, for example. His real name is Ashton.”
“What’s your nickname, then?”
His expression seems guarded, but also soft, revealing deep affection underneath. “Stone.”
“Stone?”
He shrugs. “For my cold, dead heart, apparently.”
I can’t tell if he’s serious or not.
He finally laughs. “I’m kidding. I don’t know why they called me that. They just did.” He sighs. “For eight years, that was the only name I answered to.”
I brush a thumb over his hand, my heart suddenly aching. Something tells me that if the other men knew Vince was laid up in a hospital bed, they would be here too.
“What happened to them?”
It’s a long moment before he answers. “Our hideout on a mission was compromised, and we were ambushed.” His expression tells me what he cannot. The others didn’t survive.
I curse under my breath. “I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah. Me too. They were good men. Ace and I barely made it out. It’s how he lost his leg and eye.”
It all makes sense now. Why Ace would jump on a plane to come see him. They’re bound by something deeper than I can possibly imagine.
The tightness in my chest finally eases. Ace isn’t a threat. He isn’t here to take my place—he’s here because Vince survived. Because he made it home. That kind of thing inspires loyalty.
I’m suddenly grateful Ace came as quickly as he did. Vince deserves that, especially when he tries so damn hard to push everyone else away.
Vince lets go of my hand to rub his face again. He always does that when his beard gets too long. “I’m so damn tired.”
“Why don’t you just sleep until we can go?”
“Stay with me?” His pleading tone is everything. He wants me here.
