Page 64 of Playboy

She blinked away the tears that threatened to spill over, feeling overwhelmed by the care and thoughtfulness that filled the room. Gabby smiled through her emotion, her heart full, knowing that even in his absence, Playboy had made sure she felt his presence. He had given her everything she needed to take that first step—love, support, and strength.

“Thank you, all of you,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. “I couldn’t do this without you.”

Autumn nodded, her eyes shining with pride. “You're the one doing the hard work, Gabby. We’re just here to help guide you.”

Gabby nodded, feeling a sense of empowerment she hadn't felt in a long time. As she looked around the room, she knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, she was not alone. With her friends, family, her medical team, and her own inner strength, she was ready to face whatever came her way.

However, there was one particular person she had her sight set on—Vice Admiral Alley.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Playboy lifted the towel to his face and wiped the sweat from his forehead as he and the team walked out of the Operations Center.

The evening air was cooler than the sweltering indoor heat they had just endured. Today’s training had been grueling, an intense combination of live, virtual, and constructive training simulations. It was mandatory but essential, as it kept them sharp and ready for combat situations by using cutting-edge technology to simulate real-world operations. But now that it was over, Playboy’s thoughts drifted to Gabby. He wondered how her big day had gone. He hoped she had been surprised by all of the support that showed up.

He couldn’t wait to see her. He hadn’t expected to be done early enough to see her today, figuring their training would run late into the night, but now he had the time to swing by after grabbing a drink with the guys at Bayside. The thought of holding her, seeing her face light up when she saw him, made him grin. He was glad Clover, Jocely, Selena, and her team had shown up to support her. She needed that right now.

Beside him, Nails was still grumbling, his voice muffled as he spoke into his hand. “I still don’t know how it happened. One minute, I’m clearing the building. The next, I’m in some virtual reality wasteland, and I have no clue where the hell I was.”

The rest of the team roared with laughter.

“Nails, how do you get lost in a simulation?” Jay Bird choked out between laughs.

Nails scowled but couldn’t hide his grin. “Ask the geniuses who programmed it. That virtual environment’s got no business changing on me mid-run.”

“You didn’t see the flashing exit signs?” Bear added, shaking his head.

“Nah, the only thing I saw was confusion,” Nails fired back, the laughter spreading around the group again.

By the time they reached Bayside, Playboy’s heart felt a little lighter. The crew walked in, and as usual, the familiar hum of the bar greeted them. Bayside was their go-to spot for downtime, and tonight, Playboy was ready to decompress. But as they made their way toward their usual table near the back, something caught his eye.

Over at a high-top table near the bar sat Gabby’s teammates, huddled together and looking anything but celebratory. Their postures were tense, and the air around them seemed heavy. It was unusual—they were usually loud, animated, and joking like they didn’t have a care in the world.

Playboy changed course, walking toward them. He wanted to find out how Gabby did. He raised his hand in a casual greeting. “Hey, guys. How was Gabby’s appointment?”

“It was great,” Captain Graham told him. “She did awesome.”

The others around the table all nodded in agreement. But Playboy could sense there was something else going on—something that wasn’t being spoken.

“Have you not spoken with Gabby yet?” Graham asked, his expression a little darker than it was just seconds ago.

Playboy felt a knot of dread form in his stomach.

“No. Not yet. We just finished up some training. I planned on going to see her after this. Why? What's going on?” Playboy pressed, his heart pounding now. “Did something happen at her appointment?”

“No. Her appointment went fine.” Graham exhaled sharply, leaning back in his chair. “Vice Admiral Alley paid her a visit today.”

Playboy’s blood ran cold. “What the hell did he want?”

“He’s recommending her for a medical discharge,” Graham said grimly. “Came to deliver the news himself. He told her it’s already in motion.”

Playboy’s fists clenched his vision narrowing. “He didwhat?” His voice was low and dangerous. He hadn’t thought much of Alley before, but now he wanted to put the man through a wall.

James reached out and placed a hand on Playboy’s arm. “Take it easy, man. Captain Graham’s already working on something. We’re not gonna let this stand without a fight.”

Playboy forced himself to take a deep breath, though his anger was still simmering just below the surface. He nodded curtly, grateful that at least Gabby’s team had her back. “Alright,” he muttered, trying to steady his thoughts. “Thanks for letting me know.”

After chatting for a few minutes more, Playboy made his way back to where his own team had claimed a table near the patio door. They had already started on drinks, and when he sat down, they immediately picked up on his mood.

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