Austin - Piper Stone Page 0,12

to stick together.

And how many times had Hawk told me I was a broken man?

Maybe this was cathartic, a necessity in order to face my guilt and the fact I should be the one prison. That still might happen.

As I approached the front deck, a motion sensor light detected my presence, shining down over me. It also allowed me to see the colorful planters on the front porch, the swing that was attached to the ceiling, and the flag swaying in the breeze. I guess I’d heard the news correctly. Hawk was involved with someone.

I hesitated before walking onto the porch. I wasn’t ready to start another war.

Suck it up, soldier.

Grousing wasn’t going to do me any good. Right now, I had zero options. After knocking on the door, I took a step away, keeping my head down. Far too much time had passed, the brutal experiences likely costing us our friendship.

The sound of the door opening made me bristle.

“Yeah? Whoever you are, it’s the middle of the freaking night and I have a gun in my hand.”

The sound of Hawk’s voice was just as I remembered. As I slowly lifted my head, lowering my hoodie, there was absolutely no recognition at first.

Then his eyes opened wide.

“Vader,” he whispered, his tone full of emotion.

“Hawk.”

“We thought you were dead.”

Chapter 3

Vader

“Jesus Christ, buddy. Come inside.” Hawk gestured me into the house and I immediately felt uncomfortable as hell.

Dead.

I’d heard the rumors, had ignored certain individuals who’d reached out to me including my family.

As well as every member of the unit.

“Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure I’m going to hell.”

Hawk exhaled before closing the door, the soft light coming from another room allowing me to see the haunted look in his eyes when he faced me. There was the same kind of awkwardness that I’d felt with Franny. I simply didn’t desire to get close to anyone ever again.

The pain was too intense.

He studied me for a few seconds before pulling me into a bear hug. “Maybe that’s true for all of us. I’m damn glad to see you.”

Sighing, I remained stiff, my old buddy finally letting me go after a few seconds. I was able to catch a glimpse of the kitchen and felt another pang of guilt. “Maybe I shouldn’t have come.”

“Nonsense, although it’s three o’clock in the morning. Did you just fly in?”

“Something like that.”

He took a step away, shaking his head. “Okay. You look like you could use a drink. Drop your bag right there if you want.” The way he was looking at me indicated my face was likely covered by soot. There was nothing I could do about it at this point. After dropping the duffle, I shoved my hand into the pocket of the hoodie before following behind him. The house was much like I remembered, although there was new furniture and feminine touches.

There were also childish drawings on the refrigerator, a picture of a beautiful little girl. I could tell he was watching me as I stared at it, sadness creeping into my heart. “I’m sorry about your brother.”

“Yeah, me too. Mostly, I’m sorry I didn’t get to spend quality time with him. That’s my niece. Drake adored his little girl. Now, Ashley has become the apple of my eye, capturing my heart. Well, she’s one of two special ladies in my life.” He laughed and I heard the sound of two glasses clinking together.

“You married?”

“Not yet. Three weeks, four days. Although Bryce, that’s my fiancée, is bucking to get it over with. She’s not big into ceremonies.” He laughed. “Believe it or not, I’m the one who wants the big wedding. She’d be just fine with jetting away to Bermuda or some other tropical island. I think she’s only giving me my way because of Ashley.”

Smiling, I walked away from the appliance, moving against the center island. The kitchen had a homey feel; bright dishtowels positioned haphazardly on the handles of several drawers, a loaf of bread and a basket of fruit on the counter. There were even two partially consumed wine bottles waiting to be enjoyed. A pang of remorse and jealousy pounded into my system.

“Sorry, I was prattling on about my life when you appeared in the middle of the night. Whiskey all right? If I remember correctly, it was your drink of choice.”

There was such an awkwardness between us, as if we were nothing but strangers. Maybe we were. “Whiskey sounds good.”

He remembered that I preferred a single ice cube. The realization