Page 109 of Protecting Peyton

He might have been a scary motherfucker scout sniper in the Marines, but he instantly folded to an old lady’s orders.

Watching the group, I could tell Duke knew something and was holding back. When he got up from the table after his second helping of pancakes, I motioned for him to meet me in the living room.

He shook his head and pointed at the stove, as if he was in line for another helping.

Walking past him, I whispered a SEAL motto he couldn’t ignore. “The only easy day was yesterday.”

He snorted and nodded. “Yeah.”

I was relieved when the SEAL brotherhood bond between us got him to follow me into the other room. “What do you know about this gathering?” I asked.

Duke shrugged. “I guess Lucas is going to tell us.”

I pivoted to my best guess. “Is Pete joining us?”

He sighed and looked around. “I dunno. I agree, though, that Pete seems listless to me, and I mentioned it to Lucas. He needs something to engage him.”

We both knew how coming back from a deployment could do anumber on your psyche, and Pete had also been held hostage by some of the worst people on the planet.

“So Pete is the announcement?”

Duke didn’t say anything.

That was neither an agreement that Pete was joining us nor a denial. “Isn’t he still active duty?”

Duke nodded. “But on account of his experience…”

Experiencewas such a pussy word for what Pete had been through.

Duke paused when Peyton poked her head around the corner. I waved her away, and she left us.

Duke continued. “He’s got a twelve-month leave, psyche evals, and all that shit. He can’t just sit around and stew. You know what that’s like.”

I did. In some ways, it had hurt more than it had helped after my incident. Two good men had lost their lives. For a long time, I hadn’t been able to get their screams out of my head.

Duke glanced at the doorway again.

“Pete’s a good man. Giving him something to do with his time would help,” I agreed.

Serena came out of the kitchen area. “Hey, you two. Time to stop sharing war stories and join the rest of us.”

Duke nodded, and I followed him back to the kitchen.

The doorbell rang ten minutes later, and when I answered the door, Lucas strode in, followed by Jordy, who held a bunch of flowers wrapped in newsprint, and another man I didn’t recognize in an expensive-looking suit.

“Is everybody assembled?” Lucas asked.

“Yes, sir. Plus one.”

Lucas eyed me warily. “Duke told me he was bringing Serena, but otherwise, this is Hawk business for Hawk people only. Get rid of the extra.”

“You tell her. It’s my mother.”

“Hmm…”

Jordy held back a giggle. His brother wasn’t used to being told no about anything. Jordy thrust the flowers at me. “I’d say it’s a sure thing the guy knows she’s here. We found these by the street.”

I took the flowers—again, pink roses.