Page 42 of No Regrets

“Took your fucking time. We’ve been here hours.” Ryan leaned against his Mustang; arms folded across his chest. But the look on his face said he wasn’t mad.

“I did tell you I’d call when I got the verdict.”

“And yet you didn’t call.” Ryan pushed off his car to give his friend a bro hug, grinning. “You’re smiling, so it can’t be that bad, right?”

“He got off lightly.” Matt said as the rest of the team joined them.

“I’m off the team for a month, desk duty, and docked two weeks' pay. You think that’s light?” Dex stood hands on hips, but his tone was jovial. He had got off lightly and he knew it. He faced his team. “You guys are free and clear.” That pleased Dex the most. His team would not pay anything for his actions.

Mackie piped up, “Oh man, you are going to go bat-shit crazy at a desk for a month.” He tried but failed not to laugh.

“Knowing you, they’ll be sending you back to the team early. Just to get rid of you,” Steve added causing more laughter.

“Seriously though, that’s it? It’s over?” Ryan asked.

“Yeah, man, it’s over. Including the no-contact order.” Damn it was good to see these guys. He swallowed, forcing himself to get a grip. “Come on, let’s go around back, and I’ll find some beers.”

“Don't worry, we brought our own.” Tyler moved aside, revealing a keg behind him. These guys were the best.

“Oh. It's going to be that kind of night, huh?”

“Hell yeah.” Tyler grinned as between them they rolled the keg around back to his deck.

Once they all had a drink in their hands, Dex raised his glass to make a toast.

“Listen. I just want to say, I’m sorry I put you in the line of fire, and I’m grateful for everything you all did and said. To Alpha!”

They raised their glasses and downed their first pints in seconds. Oh yeah, it was definitely going to be one of those nights. Matt fired up the barbecue and the boys settled in.

It felt good to eat burgers and drink with his brothers, and the banter flowed easily. They would always be his family. What they’d been through together, the things they’d seen and done, had formed a bond that could never be broken. Maybe this is where he was meant to stay. Right here as a Navy SEAL, leading Alpha.

Ryan clapped him on the back, pulling him out of his head.

“You doing OK?”

They’d been through a lot together. Ryan was the closest thing he had to a real brother. From the first day they’d met, they’d clicked. Christ, they got each other through Hell Week at BUD/S. Served on deployments together, and for the last five years Ryan had been his second in command. The trust they had was unbreakable. It was going to be hard being away from them all for another month.

“Yep. I was lucky, Ryan. It was on the verge of going to a court martial.”

“But it didn’t. It must have been mine and Tyler’s answers that swung them.” Ryan winked as they strolled down to the water’s edge and watched a couple of jet skiers bouncing over the waves.

“I’m sure that helped, but I have a feeling it was more to do with the statements from the commander of the black ops team and Kelly that did it.”

“Whoa! What?”

Dex told him about both statements, leaving out that he knew who the commander was and that they’d had coffee. Today wasn't the day.

“Those black ops boys were cool. We did chat with them but hell, I never would have dreamed it would lead to that. And Kelly, wow, I’m surprised because when I saw Sophie at the hearing, she said Kelly knew nothing about it.”

“Well, she found out and sent the email. Not gonna lie. It blew me away.”

“Have you spoken to her?”

“No. And I’ve decided I'm not going to. Not until she reaches out to me. I might send her a text later to say thanks, but this whole fucking thing has been a huge wake-up call, Ryan, in more ways than one.”

Dex took a swallow of beer before continuing.

“I took Kelly for granted. If she lets me back in, if I get a second chance, things are going to be different. She deserves better from me. I’m just not sure how to be the man she needs me to be right now.”

---