Chapter Thirteen
Helios
She fucking slept.
Through two shift changes, rounds, and enough nurses in and out to wake the goddamn dead, but I kept pushing her morphine drip. Every four hours. Because I knew she needed the pain meds.
And I needed the fucking space to goddamn breathe.
Rein my shit in and process.
Not that there was fuck all to think about.
I wasn’t going back to the Unit. Full stop.
The minute the docs told me the extent of her injuries, that she’d have a long road of recovery ahead of her, I was out.
I’d made the call, but it’d only been a formality.
The second, the motherfucking second, I’d found her naked on that fucking bunker floor, I knew I wasn’t leaving her.
It wasn’t even a decision. It just fucking was.
Which was fucked in and of itself, but I hadn’t been bullshitting her.
I wasn’t leaving her ever again. No fucking way.
Then she’d asked me not to leave her.
My brain flipped a switch, shit rewired, hardwired. Now I was here.
Me. Haven. Protect.
Glancing at the clock, needing a goddamn shower, I pulled out my cell and dialed a number I knew from memory.
The line was immediately picked up. “Command.”
“Master Sergeant Grayson for Sergeant Major Hutchenson. It’s urgent.”
“Copy. Hold.”
The line went quiet for two minutes. Watching every breath go in and out of her lungs, I tried not to fucking think about how I’d found her.
The line connected again. “Hutchenson.”
“It’s Helios.”
“I heard.”
Dick. “There’s been an accident. I need Ares on the next transport home.”
“You issuing orders now, Master Sergeant?”
Fucking dick. “No, sir. Requesting.”
The troop chief exhaled. “Who is it?”
“Our sister, sir.” I gave a partial truth. “Car accident. She was hit broadside.” Motherfucking Ghost said it was how they’d grabbed her. Rammed her right in front of the house.
“Christ.” Before Hutchenson had been Ares’s CO, he’d been mine. He knew the family tree. He knew she was the only blood relative me and Ares claimed, even though we technically didn’t share any DNA. “She okay?”
“If I say no, will it get Ares here sooner?”
“Negative. You’re looking at ninety-six before I can extract him, then another seventy-two, at best, before he’s stateside. Is she critical?”
“As soon as Ares can be pulled, I’d appreciate it.” I didn’t want to give any more details than I needed to or let on that Ares had been texting while operational.
“Copy that. Putting the order through.”
“Thanks.” She looked so goddamn small in the hospital bed, I fucking hated it.
“Godspeed. Now what’s this other bullshit I’m hearing? You really tapping out?”
“Already done.” My CO was the first and only call I’d made before this one.
I’d been due to re-up next month, had been on the fence anyway.
I’d had my time with the Unit. Ares could pick up the fucking slack now.
Serve without the notoriety of my ass hanging over his head.
He was a better team player than me anyway.
“What about your brother?”
“Watch his six, or I’ll fucking find you.”
Hutchenson snorted. “I see you’re still the same asshole that strolled out of Selection eating a candy bar.”
“It was a fucking protein bar.” That I’d never lived down. I’d been fucking hungry, and Selection had been a pain in the ass, but it was nothing compared to the past forty-eight hours. I glanced at a nurse loitering outside her door. “Gotta go.”
“Hey.”
“What?”
His tone shifted to full assault mode. “You get the guy who hit her?”
For a split second, I let my rage bleed. “Yeah.”
“Good. Been an honor to serve with you, Master Sergeant.”
Instead of addressing him as troop chief, I gave him the respect of his rank. “Ditto, Sergeant Major.” Ending the call, I shoved my cell into my pocket, and she stirred.
“Helios?”
Asking for me before she’d opened her eyes was a goddamn gut punch.
“I’m here.” Checking her forehead for the hundredth time for a fever, watching for signs of infection even though they’d been pumping her full of antibiotics for those open wounds that’d gone untreated, I knew I’d made the right call.
Eyes still closed, face pained, she whispered. “Don’t go.”
“Not a fucking chance.” I had plenty of savings to keep us afloat for now. I’d worry about a damn civilian job later.
“Hurts.”
I hit her morphine button for her. “Hang on, Haven.”