Page 65 of Rescuing Ryder

A few minutes later, Whiskey appeared. “The team’s working out in the gym tonight. Why don’t we join them?”

He nodded. Whiskey waited while Ryder changed into workout clothes. Whiskey punched in the code and led the way to the gym. The men sat around the mat while Taco hit a bag. When they noticed him and Whiskey, they nodded as Taco motioned him forward. Whiskey sat beside Leo as they watched. Ryder didn’t care as he stepped up to the mat and let the pain and rage he felt inside fly.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Claire waited in Kassie’s office. She fidgeted and bit her nails until Kassie walked in.

“Hi, Claire. I’m glad you came today. Bryanna mentioned she picked you up. Do you need a ride down? I can arrange it.”

“No. I don’t know how long I’ll stay. I need to talk to you.”

Kassie sat beside her instead of sitting behind her desk. “What’s up?”

“You might want to call Chase and ask him to join us,” she suggested as she steeled herself for her confession.

“I assure you I can handle things on my own. Chase and I discuss everything,” Kassie insisted.

“I have feelings for Ryder. I don’t know when they started. Maybe around the time he asked to switch or shortly after. I acted unprofessionally.”

Kassie nodded. “I see.”

Claire pinned her gaze to the floor.

“How long have you loved him?” Kassie asked quietly.

Claire turned watery eyes in her direction. “I don’t know,” she whispered.

Kassie knelt in front of her and let her cry.

“We’ll figure this out, Claire,” she soothed. “Why does it scare you?”

“I worked with him. What if I said or did something to set him back because of my feelings for him?”

“I think, if anything, it brought him out of the dark,” she stated. “Dr. Hill says he’s forthcoming in therapy. When he joins group sessions, he listens instead of watching the clock. Life has bumps no matter how hard we protect ourselves. What counts is how we choose to handle it. You’ve given Ryder the tools. Now he has to decide to use them.”

One of the veterans rushed into Kassie’s office. Both women were startled by the unusual commotion.

“Come quick, it’s Scott, he’s on the trail,” the man practically shouted. Both women took off at a run. Kassie ran faster because of Claire’s vision. One of the veterans rushing to the scene noticed her and led her by the hand to the site.

“Scott, it’s Kassie. Can you tell me what happened?”

The young soldier shook his head as he teetered on a broken log. His bed sheets hung from a branch above him and he made a noose at the end. Kassie leaned down, whispering to one of the men. He gathered a few of the others and they began ushering the teens back to the building.

“Take a deep breath. Where’s Lexie?” Kassie asked about the service dog Scott cared for and trained with.

“She’s in my room. Make sure she goes to someone who will take good care of her,” he sobbed.

“She’s already taken. Lexie belongs to you,” Kassie reminded him softly.

Ryder and Whiskey ran from the path’s edge, witnessing the scene.

Ryder went straight to Scott. “Hey, soldier, do you want to explain yourself?”

“I can’t do this anymore,” Scott cried.

“I know the pain, son. I deal with it daily. Some days feel worse than others. Sometimes, something sets us off. Yesterday, I worried if I pushed away the one person who helped me the most. I know you depend on Lexie. Do you mean to leave her?”

“What?” Scott asked, confused.

---