Page 29 of I Promise You
Constant death?
This is what he only knows.
“How long has he been in?” I ask, standing too.
Kane looks at me like he wants to bite his tongue, but continues, anyway.
“Since he was eighteen.”
My mouth gapes open.
“That’s absolutely insane. Eighteen years old?”
“Yeah, I’ve known Danny for years now. I met him about six years ago. He has taught me a lot. I’m a better SEAL because of him. I will always have respect for him. Though…I’m amazed he hasn’t gotten out yet. I’m damn ready to pull the plug after my contract ends in a few months.”
“You are?” I’m shocked at his admission. Danny has told me time and time again his job comes first before anything or anyone else. Kane is the complete opposite of Danny. Danny loves his job. It’s what he enjoys. From what I know about him, being a Navy SEAL is where he thrives.
Kane nods, dropping the soccer ball on the ground. He steps on it with one foot, holding it in place.
“All of this shit, Ari…” He stops and shakes his head as he looks at the stars in the sky. “Can I be honest with you?” he pleads.
“Of course.”
He sighs, letting out a breath, and I can see the vapor from his warmth linger in the air as he turns back. He looks like he’s hurting. He’s always been there for me since Paul passed, so it’s the least I can do for him.
“All of these missions, seeing the lengths evil wars can bring. It’s getting to me.” He lets out a short, sarcastic laugh that disguises his true feelings. “Sometimes, I just lose myself in random moments. I’ll find myself just staring at the wall, thinking about my past deployments for a while, not realizing an hour has been wasted…staring at a fucking wall.”
I bite the inside of my lip. It gets to Danny, too, and that’s why he drinks. He promised me he wouldn’t get drunk again, and I believe him. He keeps proving that to me every single day. He hasn’t gotten drunk since the night he confessed the details of Paul’s death.
“Talk to someone then, Kane. Talk to someone in psychiatry, a therapist even. They have a lot of resources and options at the hospital I’m working at on base.”
He shrugs and stands in silence, watching me.
“I think I would just like to play soccer with you for a bit, if that’s okay?”
This feels wrong, but I try not to read more into this. I’m just playing soccer with one of Paul’s best friends. Danny’s teammate. At midnight.
What could go wrong?
I shrug, and my body jolts forward, kicking the ball from underneath his massive foot, dribbling it to the soccer net.
“Sure, but you’re going to get your butt kicked by someone a whole foot shorter than you.”
9
ARI
“GOAL!” Kane shouts into the air as he runs away from the net, dramatically.
It’s about midnight now and I’ve forgotten all about my trauma for the past hour and it felt amazing.
We’ve been playing one versus one, and I’m getting tired finally.
Kane kicked the ball into the goal, surpassing me.
I roll my eyes at his ego, trying to catch my breath. My throat and lungs hurt from breathing in the cold air so much that it burns. I pull the ball out of the net. He’s way faster than me, taller, and has longer legs. Of course, I’m going to lose against him.
He’s lifted his shirt over his head like all professional players do when they score a goal and I’m met with a six-pack of abs. My eyes trail down from his perfectly defined abdomen muscles down to the V covered in a patch of dark hair that leads to…
