Walker (In the Company of Snipers #21) - Irish Winters Page 0,118

girl loves you, Judge. Don’t know why, but—” Dooley choked, because he knew precisely why Emily loved Walker. And why Walker would forever adore his little girl.

He blinked hard as he accepted the sweet gift, a bracelet made with pink and blue elastic strings and bright red hearts. He slid it over his left hand, the one without an IV line, and onto his wrist. By then he could hardly speak. Didn’t dare.

Quinn grasped Walker’s right hand. Like a brother, pulse to pulse, his fingers tight around Walker’s wrist. “You saved her, buddy. You saved my daughter, and you saved me and my wife, too. Now, I’m here to save you.”

Walker honestly didn’t see how that could ever happen, not with all the bogus charges stacked against him. It was like betting against the house in Reno. The cards were already counted, stacked, the crooked die cast, and he was going down.

“And the next time you’re on my ship, you’d better damned well introduce yourself,” Quinn growled.

Walker nearly smiled. He’d been on Quinn’s aircraft carrier during that covert op into Brazil to assist Meg Duncan, then Julio. He would’ve grinned at the scolding, but one of his guys, he honestly hadn’t seen which, reached past Dooley and slugged Walker’s injured arm.

“Shit! That’s where I was shot, you ass! It still hurts like a mother—”

Every single one of those blowhards laughed. They laughed! Even Quinn!

And Walker laughed with them. Because, well, that’s what tough bastards did. They pulled each other back from all kinds of dangerous edges, even when that edge was just a crying jag.

Captain Quinn Dooley leaned over and told him, “Get used to it, LT. We’re not going anywhere. We’ll leave now to give you time to rest and heal and get your head back in the game. But mark my words, we’ll be back. You’re not in this fight alone anymore. Get that through your thick SEAL skull, will you?”

Walker could only nod and blink, then blink again.

Until his XO bellowed, “Commander on deck!”

Every last one of his men snapped to attention. Even Smoke and Dooley. And Brim!

Now who? Walker sank back into his pillow, exhausted but so damned thankful for brothers-in-arms.

Turned out the commander on deck was a tall, deadly serious, badassed civilian, not an officer at all. Dark haired. Craggy face. Wicked blue eyes. This guy was decked in tactical armor, and he wore it like he owned every last one of their souls. The men in his way flattened against the walls to make room for him. On his six, the only woman in Walker’s dreams peered around the guy’s thick biceps.

Persia winked. “Lieutenant Walker Judge, may I introduce my boss and the man who owns the one and only TEAM, Mr. Alex Stewart. Alex, this is the SEAL I’ve told you about.”

Stewart rolled his eyes. Grunted. Why Walker wanted to salute him, he didn’t know. It just seemed the proper thing to do to the man who’d commanded this many warriors just by showing up.

“Knock it off,” Alex hissed at the men still at attention. “I’m not a son of a bitchin’ officer. Relax. Then get the hell out. Judge and I need to talk.”

Just like that, the room emptied. Even Captain Dooley, a Navy officer, who should’ve been shown more respect, walked out without a word. The room was quiet for all of two seconds, until Steel Arrington dodged back inside and set that frosty PBR on Walker’s nightstand with a wink and a cheeky, “Later, Boss.”

Tired to his soul, Walker faced Stewart. Persia stood at this fierce man’s side like an obedient handmaiden, and that pissed Walker off. He fluttered his fingers for her to come to him. Damned if a smile didn’t brighten her face. Persia came straight to his side, took his hand, and together they faced her boss.

“You made all this happen,” Walker said to the guy. “I don’t know who you are, but… thank you.”

“I’m your boss, is who I am.” Stewart stuck his chin at Walker, like one of those arrogant guys who thought they knew more than everyone else. Maybe he did.

“My boss?” Walker could feel Persia beaming down on him, like a warm morning sunrise.

“You heard me,” Stewart growled. “Take it or leave it, I don’t give a shit either way. But Agent Coltrane is one of my best, and when she tells me I’d be smart to hire you…” —he spared a quick glare under his eyebrows at Persia— “I’m smart enough do