Page 27 of The Hero's Bride
Jude started to stand. “I’ll see you later today.”
“Stay. We’ll introduce you.” Before Jude could protest, Red accepted the call and set it on the small center table.
“It’s Red, Sully, and our former teammate Jude.”
“Can’t thank you enough for the smile you put on Vee’s face today.” Iron’s voice rumbled through the speaker. “Fucking miracle you found Thalia.”
“What’s even crazier is Thalia and Red knew each other,” Sully began, leaning back in his chair and linking both hands behind his neck. “She helped him escape a mob when he was a kid traveling with his parents in Mexico.”
“No shit.” Iron dragged the words out. “I know Vee and I got together quick, but I thought you looked mighty cozy with Thalia after just a few days. Good for you, Red.” Iron laughed, and he and Sully jerked back at the sound and exchanged a look of surprise. “Listen, even though I was going through hard times, I never should’ve cut my former teammates and friends out of my life. Hard to admit when you’ve fucked up as badly as I did. I’m turning a corner though and wanted to thank you for staying in touch with the occasional texts and calls, even when I didn’t respond. It helped, even if I didn’t realize it at the time.”
They sat around the deck, shooting the shit with Iron. Even Jude made the occasional comment, and they disconnected the call with a sense of peace that Iron had found exactly what he needed to heal. They were going to join Iron and Vivienne in Virginia Beach the following day. Jude declined the invitation, needing to get back to his task force in San Diego. He thanked them for their help to bring Thalia home and left to pack for his early evening flight. As they stood to go inside, Sully’s phone started ringing. He shot him a look across the deck. “It’s the lieutenant commander.”
“We have another week of leave.” The hair stood up on Red’s arms.
Sully’s brows drew together as he answered, pacing inside as he spoke. “Yes, sir.”
Red stepped over the threshold, the cool air of the suite coating his skin. He slid the glass doors leading to the balcony closed and followed Sully into the living room. It was rare for them to get reassigned without the other, because they worked in tandem, but by Sully’s grunts of agreement, it sounded like that was exactly what was happening. Sully hung up the phone and turned to him.
“Talk about timing. The lieutenant commander is pulling me for a mission with the Virginia SEAL Team. One of the men’s wives is having their first child any day now, and not only that, but his twin sister is an anthropologist who has been called in as a civilian contractor. He’s losing his shit.”
“I would be too. Why an anthropologist?”
“There’s a hostage situation along the Itaquaí River. I’m guessing they want her there to facilitate the mission in a way that’s safe for the Indigenous people who call the riverbanks home.”
“Will you still catch a flight with us in the morning?”
“Yeah, but I’ll have to head straight to the base to be briefed. I’m going to give my parents a call to let them know I’m going on a mission, then try to catch a few hours of sleep.”
“I can keep an eye on your house, bring in the mail.” Sully’s parents didn’t live far, but they weren’t as close as he was. They ran a horse and livestock rescue a half hour north of where he and Sully were located.
“Appreciate it. Sorry I can’t spend the day with you guys, but I have a feeling you’ll find a way to occupy yourselves.” Sully walked down the hall toward the bedrooms while he turned toward where he’d left Thalia to her video call.
He was just walking down the hall, when she slipped out of the room and turned directly into him with an oomph. A wide grin spread over her face, and she laughed.
“Sorry. I almost ran you over.” Mirth shimmered in her eyes. They seemed to regain more light with each passing day.
He placed his hands on his hips and smiled down at her. “Don’t think you have to worry about that, sweetheart.”
“Why because I’m small and you’re a big man mountain?”
It wasn’t only her eyes that seemed brighter. He was surprised but also delighted to see her personality come out with the more time they spent together and the more distance they put between themselves and danger. Talking to Vivienne had eased something inside her. He’d seen enough, experienced enough, to know it would be foolish to think a few days of freedom would rid her mind of past trauma. That would most likely never go away, but just like Iron, he hoped she found enough light to balance the dark.
“Something like that.” He ruffled her hair, his entire hand covering the top of her head.
When she rocked onto her toes and gave him a quick, playful kiss, he gripped her elbows and drew her to his chest, kissing her the type of way he couldn’t stop thinking of.
When he pulled back, her cheeks were flushed and there was a smile on her face. “I guess there are some benefits to your size and strength.” She patted his chest, and he grinned. “I can’t get over how happy Vivienne looks. How free. She was wearing a sweatshirt!”
He chuckled at her description. “A sweatshirt?”
“Vivienne was just as much a prisoner at the estate as me and the other servants. Her parents dictated when she worked, ate, and what she wore. I can assure you a sweatshirt and jeans were never part of the wardrobe selection unless she was contracted to model for a casual clothing line, which was rare.”
“Iron looked better than I’d ever seen him, too. He was in a bad place when we met and it only spiraled downward. I think meeting your friend was the catalyst he needed to put some of those demons to rest. I was shocked when he said he wanted to catch up.”
“But aren’t you friends?” Her face scrunched into an adorable expression.
“Yeah, but he was hurting for a long time.”
