When I left the Army, I didn’t just lose my teammate, I lost my best friend.

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And even though he never came out and said it, I knew I was the one he blamed.

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Did we still talk? Sure. Monthly texts about nothing and empty promises of visits that never panned out. But losing Hawk—the man I admired most in the world, the man I secretly loved—felt like losing a piece of myself.

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When he showed up unexpectedly to help our team with security for an event, I was surprised. Hurt that he never told me he was coming. But deep down I still hoped we could find some remnant of the friendship we used to have.

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But of all the things I imagined from his visit, nearly being killed right in front of him wasn't one of them. And as I opened my eyes to find a terrified Hawk kneeling over me, I couldn't help but wonder if he felt some fraction of what I did for him.

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Seeing Rhiannon lying on the ground, bruised and bloody, threw everything into terrifying perspective.

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I failed her once already. There’s no way I’ll allow it to happen again.

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After all, we used to be teammates. More than that. She was my best friend. I was supposed to always have her six. I thought I did up until the night she told the us the terrible truth—that she’d been harassed and threatened by our superior for years. And she never told us until it got so bad she was forced to leave the Army.

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I should have seen how she was suffering. I should have protected her. Then again, Rhiannon never wanted to be protected. As one of the first female Green Berets, she wanted to prove herself. Stand on her own.

 

But even the strongest people need help sometimes. And this time, I’m not going anywhere. Because I’ll do anything to protect the woman I love.