“And what about you?” Claire asked, her brows drawing in. “Is this a long-term thing with Hallie?”
“It’s a life-thing with Hallie,” I stated. “And I guess when that time comes, I’ll try to get a transfer south.”
“Would you consider declining a reenlistment?”
I scoffed. “As much as I respect the fuck out of you girls, I don’t think I could cope working full-time with all the estrogen.”
She snickered and grinned. “No, not with us. But I know people.”
“Didn’t know you ran a recruitment agency,” I drawled.
“You forget who I’m married to, Montgomery.”
“And the dream team saves the day again, huh?” I laughed and felt the plane even out. Moving from my seat, I knelt beside Hallie and exposed her inner elbow. Claire wordlessly found a bag of IV fluids and waited until I had the line inserted before handing it to me.
“Thank you for taking care of our girl,” she murmured.
“Ain’t nowhere I’d rather be,” I mumbled, closely watching the fluids enter her body.
Claire clapped me on the shoulder and returned to her seat, leaving me alone with my vigil as well as contemplating the tiny seed she’d planted in my head.
Chapter Twenty-One
Avery
When we finally landed at the private airfield on the outskirts of San Diego, a heavy cloud hung over the women. Hallie had barely spoken to any of them since she roused a few hours ago, and I’d noticed numerous concerned glances between the team members. Claire’s depth of worry ran deeper than the others, as did Shaun’s.
He reached for her hand after she descended the jet steps and tenderly gathered her in for another hug. His murmurings against the top of her head had her nodding, creating another bite of jealousy in my gut.
As I stepped closer, his parting words to Hallie dissipated the jealousy and replaced it with gratitude.
“You’re strong, Hells, and you’re going to get through this. I’m here for you no matter what, always, even at your darkest. If ever Avery isn’t immediately available, my phone is always on, okay? I’m here first and foremost as your friend, then as your teammate.Always.”
“Shaun,” I stated and met his gaze above her head. “Thanks, man. I needed to hear that; I need to know she’s going to be taken care of if I’m deployed.”
“Of course.”
I shook his offered hand and lingered when Hells made her way to where Zeke opened the jet’s undercarriage luggage compartment.
“You fucked her, didn’t you?” I asked, my voice low so only he could hear.
He scoffed, then a wry smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. “Yeah. Once.”
“When?” I demanded gruffly.
“A while ago. In Italy.”
“With the Italian guy?”
Shaun balked and disguised his surprise under a cough. “You know about the Italian guy?”
I snorted. “Biagio, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah. Biagio.”
My low chuckle dissipated at the same time Shaun’s did. After clearing my throat, I looked up from under my eyebrows and pinned him with a harsh glare. “If you ever contemplate touching her again,especiallywhile I’m out of town, I’ll hunt you down and break your fucking arms.”
Much to my surprise, he grinned and rocked back on his heels, folding said arms across his chest in the process. “Not keen on sharing, huh?”