She glanced down. “It looks worse than it is.”
“What happened?”
Her lips thinned into a line. “Maybe we can talk about that later.”
There would be much to talk about, but he was fine with holding her in his arms. “I wish I’d been there.”
“No, you don’t,” she said. “You needed to be right where you were.”
“You’re wrong about that. I belong by your side.”
The barest hint of a smile curled at the corners of her mouth. “I love that about you.”
He kissed the crown of her head and breathed her in. Then, his lips traveled down, brushed against her forehead, whispered past her nose, and landed lightly on her lips. His kiss was tender but firm.
She wrapped her arm around his shoulders and fluttered her fingers at his neck, letting them twist in the short lengths of his hair.
A throat cleared behind him, and he broke off the kiss.
“Major Meyers,” an all-too familiar voice said, “may I have a word?”
Tia’s eyes widened, and her already pale complexion faded to a sicklier shade of ghostly white. Then, she closed her eyes, and a look of defeat spread across her features.
Ryker straightened and turned to find Colonel Vane standing in the doorway.
FORTY-ONE
Choice
TIA
Tia’s recovery progressed quickly.The wound in her chest healed with little residual effect. Initially, there had been concerns about nerve damage to her shoulder and arm, but aggressive physical therapy helped her avoid long-term disability. Standing at rigid attention before the judge caused only mild discomfort.
Not that it mattered. Her career was in shambles. She faced Colonel Martin, the judge presiding over whether to proceed with a court-martial for fraternization, with a grim set to her jaw, a ramrod posture, and as much courage as she could muster.
She was doing this alone.
Ryker wasn’t here.
Vane had forced Ryker to fulfill his temporary-duty obligations, playing with Angel Fire on their USO tour. In the days following her hospitalization and the weeks before this hearing, Ryker had traveled to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, RAF Lakenheath in England, and other bases scattered around Europe. At each base, he’d sent pictures of him with the band, playing onstage, and signing pictures with a growing fan base.
In every picture, a smile lit his face, laughter brightened his eyes, and his expression filled with adrenaline. She loved how he could bring such intensity to every moment. In his emails, he imbued his words with love, hope, and a profound loss at not having her by his side. There was anger there, too, over what Vane had done. Ryker tried to hide it, but he missed her and hated that she was facing this trial alone, but his presence would have only strengthened the case against her. He understood this, too.
Collins tried to protect her against Vane’s crusade as best he could, but there had been several witnesses to that kiss, the most damning being Vane himself. Unlike her wound, the damage done from that single kiss would have repercussions for the rest of her life.
Colonel Martin read from a stack of papers that held her future. “Major Meyers…”
The lack of emotion in his voice brought a shiver to her spine. There would be no leniency in this courtroom. Her good friends, Skye and Forest, had flown in for her trial and sat on the stiff benches behind her. Skye had brought letters from Ryker, things he didn’t feel safe placing in an email that could be used against her in the court proceedings. Forest had brought his indomitable presence. He’d rescued her in her youth, and in the years that followed, he had been a solid presence of support and strength. She leaned on her friends now, knowing, no matter what happened, Forest and Skye would be there to help her pick up the pieces.
Collins was at her side, and Warren sat behind Forest and Skye. His hug prior to the proceedings filled her with strength. Collins’s steadfast support lifted her spirits. She was surrounded by those who cared for her, even if Ryker couldn’t be present.
Colonel Martin cleared his throat and continued reading from his official report. “The Air Force places high value on the professional relationships within its ranks. This is vital to the functional effectiveness of our units. Our missions involve great challenge and hardship, and unit cohesion is vital for mission success. Anythingthat might interfere with the interests of the Air Force is grounds for censure.”
She rolled her shoulders and stiffened her spine. This wasn’t censorship. It was a witch hunt.
“Professional relations are consistent with the Air Force values of integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do.” Martin read directly from his brief, barely glancing up. “It’s incumbent on all our military members to understand that the needs of the Air Force will sometimes outweigh personal desires.”
She hated this waiting, wanting only to get to the end, to the part where she found out if she would face a court-martial with the potential for jail time or be offered an alternative. His speech was a part of the process, and he continued to read from his legal brief while she stood at attention.
