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Case had taken one bullet during the first bout of gunfire, the second came when he’d tried protecting the old man he was helping to walk. Fortunately, that person walked away with only a few bumps and bruises, but Case had nearly lost his life.

After they’d finally ceased fire, killing the seventeen Taliban members to their unit’s ten men, he finally set eyes on Case. In that moment, he’d allowed himself to cry because he believed he was dead. There was so much blood, and no one should have been able to live after that kind of loss. But Case was a fucking fighter if he’d ever met one.

Seeing his friend so full of life one moment—cheering the old man on to seeing him a bloody mess the next—was something that would be forever impregnated in his mind. He’d never forget that first moan of pain as Case came to or the horrifying screams of pain as he tried to stem the flow of blood loss in his missing limb. Nor the cries for death as they walked through the desert with him over his shoulder. Or the moment Case had died just as their halo was landing.

Moments such as those became a permanent part of his life and of who he was. Made him the cold man he’d turned into. The thought of losing his best friend closed off any emotion he might have felt towards anyone else for years afterwards. Until he met this tiny little spitfire of a girl, full of attitude, and as manipulative as he’d ever met. She opened him to caring again. And in a way became his downfall at one point.

She was the reason he failed a mission for the first time after not killing her father.

She was the reason he was vulnerable when he came across Brooke.

She was the reason he woke up in the morning.

*****

Deidre could practically feel Dominic’s mind working. His body said he was relaxed, but his increased breathing indicated his stress level. She knew it had to be about Casey. She felt horrible for opening an old wound that hadn’t fully healed. She could only imagine how these men felt when someone brought up such a horrible time in their lives. It had never been her intention to hurt either of them; she’d simply been curious. And at first, Case had been open to her questions, even joking about certain things.

“Will he be okay?” she whispered in the quiet night.

“Sleep, Princess, Case is a big boy.”

He didn’t really answer her question, and she knew pushing for more would get her nowhere. So she tried a different angle. “Is there anything else I shouldn’t talk about? With either of you?” Does he hear the hurt in my voice like I do?

“No, Princess. I’m an open book for you. Nothing will ever be off limits. But Case? I don’t know. I think talking would be good for him, but he won’t do it with me. Last time he tried, I damn near went and killed his folks. The ignorant fucks.”

“How come?”

“After he got clean and we had Jax in a semi-routine, he decided on trying to contact them. Jax was nearly one.” He laughed. “It sure took us bachelors a long-ass time to get that kid to do anything for us. Anyway, Case went home to Virginia. His mom had welcomed him back into their home, but as soon as his dad got there, he kicked him out again.”

“What the hell for?” She was pissed now, leaning up on her elbow so she could see his face. “Casey is such a caring man. How could they do that!”

“Careful, Princess, or I might think you’re crushing and have to kill the man myself.”

“Oh, please.”

“Try me.”

“Whatever. Why did his dad kick him out?”

“His folks are real old school. They come from the generation where if you have a disabled child, you’re somehow like a leper in the community or some hillbilly bullshit.”

“But…but…” she sputtered, at a loss for what to say. She could never even imagine the hurt he felt.

“I know, Princess,” he murmured playing with her hair.

She couldn’t fathom that kind of rejection from her parents. Well, no, that wasn’t true anymore considering her father basically sold her to the man currently holding her. But to be rejected for serving your country? For trying to make the world a better place? She just didn’t understand.

It wasn’t long before Dom’s gentle fingers lulled her into a deep dreamless sleep.

*****

“Pincess?” Poke. “Are you awake?” Poke. “Daddy’s not here, and I’m hungry.” Poke, poke.

Being awoken by poke’s in the cheek was not her idea of a good time. “How you feeling, sweetie?” Touching his forehead, she was happy to note his fever was mostly gone.

“Hungry.”

“How’s your tummy?”