saw what you saw, and, Brady, I cannot say I’m pleased you walked in and saw my woman naked. The same as I don’t reckon you’re too happy Hadley saw what she saw. But I want you to think about what I’m asking you. Do you really believe I’d fuck Adalynn?”
“Your woman?” he pushed out.
Jesus, he was pissing me off.
“Now you’re just ticking me off.”
“Christ, Trey. The last I saw, you two were circling each other, snarling. I wasn’t sure which one of you was itching for a showdown more—you or her. What the hell am I supposed to think?”
He wasn’t wrong. But Brady didn’t understand why I’d been circling, trying to keep my distance, and he certainly hadn’t known the showdown I’d been itching for was the horizontal and naked kind.
“I had some shit I had to work out,” I told him.
“And you’ve done that?”
“Wouldn’t be in her home and absolutely wouldn’t have been in her bed if I hadn’t.”
Brady’s stare turned contemplative. He was a man who, until recently, lived with some pretty dark secrets. That was, until Hadley worked her Walker magic. Now Brady was a man who knew the goodness he had at his side. He was also smart enough to know if he wanted to keep it, he had to let his past go. And somewhere along the line, Brady had changed from the withdrawn, tight-lipped man I’d first met to a man who said what was on his mind and openly showed his love for his fiancée.
Even knowing all of that, I didn’t brace.
“I get you think that. But I know what happened in Lebanon—”
“Actually, you don’t, Brady. I understand you’re looking out for Adalynn. Hell, I like that she has people watching her back. But you don’t know jackshit about what happened.”
I was seeking patience; trying to remember that Brady had known Addy for years. He’d been part of her life and family long before he pulled his thumb out and got involved with Hadley. Something unpleasant slithered up my spine, something that felt a lot like jealousy. Not the tingle a man got when he noticed other men checking out his woman—the kind that morphed into pride, knowing the woman by your side was so special other men were jealous of you.
No, my jealousy stemmed from the knowledge that Brady had had years to get to know Addy. He’d spent time with her. He’d seen her smile and heard her laugh more than I had. He’d shared meals with her. He’d been invited into her family. And Brady had settled into life. Brady had been able to let go of his demons. Brady was where I wanted to be.
“I read the reports—”
“Really? You did? You read the after action reports; about the rescue, the mission, the explosion. Did it tell you about how I failed to react in time to Liberty’s warning? Did it tell you that she made a call that I ignored, and because of that, I almost got my team killed? Did it tell you how I fucked Luke’s career? Tell me, Brady, what exactly did the report tell you?”
Brady’s face turned to stone when he mumbled, “Right. You’ve worked your shit out.”
“Yeah, Brady, I have. As much of it that’s gonna get worked out.”
“By that, I assume you mean you intend to keep holding on to something that’s not yours—” Brady’s hand came up and I bit back my interruption and my desire to break the finger he was jabbing my way. “Not, done, brother.”
My jaw clenched as I waited for him to finish whatever it was he had to say. “You’re not doing her or yourself any favors keeping that shit locked up. It is not your fault Luke left the Navy. It’s not your fault some asshole carried out a suicide mission. It’s not Liberty’s fault she didn’t warn you sooner and it’s not your fault you didn’t jump the second she figured out what was going down. And just to add, Luke had comms, he could’ve bolted his damn self. He didn’t need to wait for you to make the first move. Both of you were fucked before Liberty made that call. And you’re both fucking lucky you weren’t blown to hell.”
I tried to let Brady’s angry words settle in. I tried to push them deep and let them soothe the guilt. But my body rejected them, deflected the reprieve of responsibility. I wasn’t blameless and every fiber of my soul knew it.
There would be