Page 31 of Embattled Ever After

The inability to integrate back into civilian life was a common issue, but one that needed to be dealt with sooner rather than later. He would head into the office and see if Gabe was there. If not, he’d track him down and have a word.

While he waited for Alex to get dressed, he opened the door on the garage and used the remote start on the truck. That starter was one of the best things he’d ever spent his money on.

While he waited for the truck to warm he grabbed a banana from the browning bunch and took a bite. He really did need to get a few groceries at some point.

Alex came into the kitchen and he paused mid-chew, stunned at what a blow dryer and a little make-up did to her. Now, he liked the natural look as well as any man, but there was something about knowing a woman had taken care with her appearance just for you that made a man feel extraordinary. When she met his eyes, she knew he was affected and a slow smile spread across her dark pink lips. Then she crossed the kitchen to him and holding his gaze, leaned down to take a bite of the banana in his hand.

Duncan swallowed, his dick warming with arousal.

“Hmm… I usually like them a little more firm.” She winked at him audaciously, then headed out the door to the garage.

Damn, but that woman was going to kill him. Ridiculously pleased though, he grinned and followed her out the door.

Chapter Nine

Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty.

Gabe shifted the thirty-five pound barbell to his right hand and started counting again.

There was a haze that he settled into. Lifting weights and counting didn’t require any special brain power or motivation, and he actually found himself ticking off the hours here. Julie… well, Julie probably wondered where he was. He hadn’t said much when he’d left. He couldn’t, the claustrophobia had been crushing.

Living and working in Colorado had been an epic shift for him. Leaving the Navy SEALs had been hard, but when he’d met the guys at the Lost and Found company, he’d felt an immediate acceptance. In typical military fashion, he’d had to be the ‘new guy’ for a while. Until he’d proven himself with the other men, he’d be given the shit jobs and expected to excel.

Which was why he was in the office alone, manning the silent phones and waiting for something to happen. It was the day after Christmas, though and not much was going to happen.

Keeping one ear out for any phone calls that might come in, he’d started working out. Losing himself in the burn of muscles and gasping for oxygen, he let his mind drift.

So lost in his reps, he didn’t see anyone else in the room until Duncan Wilde stepped in front of him. Gabe jerked, his dopamine addled brain ready to fight until he realized who it was. He dropped the weight to the padded floor.

“Sir,” he gasped, dragging in oxygen.

Duncan grinned at him. “Good burn?”

Gabe blinked, then nodded his head. “Yes, sir. I’m sorry. I’ll get dressed.”

Duncan waved a hand at him. “Don’t worry about it, Gabe. I’m going to go work for a while, catch up on a few things.” He held out a hand and Gabe realized a woman stood at the door. “This is Dr. Alex Hartfield. She’ll be working in the office with me for a while.”

Gabe nodded a hello, a little shocked at the woman’s appearance. She was a knockout. Dark auburn hair curling around her shoulders, pretty green eyes behind square black glasses. He looked back at Duncan but he was looking at the woman as well, and Gabe had been attached long enough to know that look. That was the ‘I just want to look at you because you’re so beautiful’ look. He’d caught himself doing it with Julie more times than was probably acceptable. But he couldn’t help himself. And judging by Duncan’s look, he couldn’t either.

As if suddenly realizing what he was doing, Duncan tapped his cane on the floor. “Anyway, I’ll be in my office. Alex will settle wherever she wants to work.”

The woman smiled and shook her head. “I can work anywhere. Believe me. Just give me a place to park and I’ll make do.”

They left the rec room. Gabe watched her as her gaze drifted over Duncan, watching for anything negative, but she just smiled more broadly as he crossed to her. And there was a light in her eyes that suggested she wanted more than just his attention. Eventually she turned and sauntered down the hallway, peering into offices as she went. Duncan limped along behind her, slender black cane swinging.

Gabe had never seen Duncan with anyone before, so he was a little surprised. He’d heard some break room chatter about bringing her in for the Christmas Eve party, but he hadn’t listened too closely because he wasn’t attending.

Turning back to his previous position he picked the dumbbell off the mat again and started working his lats. But he was a little distracted now. Dropping the weights back to the rack he took a swig from his water bottle, then moved to the treadmill. Might as well get it over with.

A few months ago he’d been shot by one of his own teammates. The man hadn’t meant to shoot him of course, he’d just been a stupid kid still wet behind the ears. Unfortunately, that kid had cost him the use of his right leg. The gunshot wound had very nearly destroyed the leg and it was a miracle he could even jog on it now. He’d learned though, that the muscles needed to be worked and stretched all the time just to keep him at a decent mobility level. He just hated getting on the treadmill in front of people, because it showed them exactly what his weakness was.

Three miles later, gasping in pain, he was still glancing out of the corner of his eye, as if expecting someone to interrupt him. Or maybe he was waiting for someone to interrupt him. Talking to Duncan for a few minutes sounded appealing. The man had experience out the ass, and maybe he could tell Gabe why he wasn’t settling in right.

He made himself finish four miles in spite of the pain, then he headed to the showers to get cleaned up. When he came out he checked his cell phone. Julie had texted him and called. Damn. Maybe he would call her back in a little bit, before she headed to work at the hospital.

Slipping the phone into his pocket he headed toward the front of the office. The redhead, Alex, sat at Shannon’s desk typing furiously on a MacAir and barely even glanced up when he passed. Duncan’s office door was open and as soon as Gabe peered around the corner Duncan waved him in.

“Hey, buddy. Give that treadmill a good stretch?”

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