Page 46 of See You Soon

Chapter21

ari

Danny walks me to where he’s staying after the military police arrived and I filed a report. His room is more private, more spacious, and more secluded than mine. He has government furniture just like the rest of us. Yet his room looks more elegant. The way the room was built, it's more modern and feels more cozy. White walls with dark gray colored doors. Bright ceiling lights illuminate the bedroom. His bed is covered in plain white bed sheets and two black pillows.

He has only three photographs pinned to a bulletin board as decoration. As I walk closer to see them, I see one photo of Danny and his mom. The second one is Danny hiking in tall mountains on a snow-covered trail. The third is a group picture with Kane, Paul, Gabriel, and Rooker all in their Navy uniforms, holding rifles. It's weird seeing Gabriel, in uniform.

I smile looking at the photographs. These photos gave me a little more insight into Danny's personal life. His mother was beautiful and tall, fit, with blonde hair. The photo was from his Navy boot camp graduation day. It looks like the day he officially became a Navy SEAL. And I wondered where his dad was in these pictures. His dad hadn’t abandoned him like mine from what I can remember.

I turn around to search for Danny but I bump into a black shirt instead. I look up to meet Danny's eyes and I immediately regret it. I feel like my chest drops to my stomach as if it’s anchoring down deep into an ocean.Hisocean blue eyes. His gaze was as if he was starving and I was his meal, his lips curled up in a small smirk.

I gulped, trying to do anything to relieve my emotions. He had left me in his room when we just got here so he could go smoke a cigarette.Burn oneas he likes to say.

I break away from our eyes locking and look down instead, letting my side bangs fall into my face.

“Where’s your father in these pictures? Wouldn’t a day like becoming a Navy SEAL interest him? ” I point to the photographs on his bulletin board, turning around.

“He was there that day.”

“So why isn’t there a picture of him with you and your mom?”

“Why do you like to ask so many questions?” He walks closer to me.

“I’m inquisitive.”

He groans frustrated, running his hand through his hair as he stares at the bulletin board.

“We don’t talk. I stopped talking to him when I found out he’d been fucking one of his employees while my mom was pregnant with their IVF baby.”

My mouth hangs open as I’m digesting the news of a cliche work affair. I can’t imagine how his mom felt when she found out her husband’s been having an affair while she was carrying their child.

“Oh… I’m, um, sorry.” I stutter over my words, stopping myself from asking further questions.

He watches me and I can feel his demeanor completely change from the protective Danny moments ago to a man hardened with anger.

"Danny, I think... I think we should talk about what Kane insinuated about you and my brothers' death."

Danny stiffens when I saydeath.

"I'd rather revisit this conversation later. I'm tired. I've been up all night dealing with work and you haven't slept either." Danny grumbles, sleepiness laced in his tone.

“No I haven't, but–”

“Another day then… maybe. I’m not allowed to disclose anything about that mission. Kane’s an imbecile who can’t keep his fucking mouth shut about things he knows nothing about.”

I bite my lip thinking of what to say.

"I don't know..." I shake my head. Danny gets closer to my ear.

"Ari. Go. Home. I can't protect you here and on top of that, I'm leaving. I won’t be here if that person comes looking for you again. Look what just fucking happened to your room. Why can't you trust me? Listen to me."

"I don't need your protection.I'm staying. Why do you even care?” I'm not backing down. He huffs out a breath and gets closer to me.

“Because I made a promise.”

I flinch.

“What’re you talking about? What promise?” He ignores my question and that just infuriates me even more.