Page 29 of The Hero’s Bride (Unbreakable SEALs #2)

H olding Thalia through the night and waking with her in his arms had penetrated the hollow void in his heart, infusing it with warmth and another emotion he wasn’t ready to name out loud.

He’d learned to live with a sense of emptiness that had left him lacking something essential: the part of him that craved the belonging and acceptance that his careless parents had failed to provide.

Now, as he sat beside her eating scrambled eggs and French toast, the underused organ in his chest was replete with her mere presence.

He could tell Iron felt the same about Vivienne by the way the hardened veteran smiled at her, even when she wasn’t looking.

“As much as I want to keep you to myself,” Vivienne said reaching across the table to take Thalia’s hand, “there’s a whole bunch of people who are either dying to meet you or want to thank you.

The men wanted to be here too, but they got called out on a mission.

Everyone but Joker, because his wife Sam is going to have their first baby any day now, so Sully took his place. ”

Thalia jerked beside him. “Thank me?” Her nose scrunched in an adorable expression. “Why?”

His gaze moved back and forth between the women as Vivienne gaped at Thalia from across the table.

“Because without you, Hannah never would’ve known how desperately I wanted to get away.

You gave me the opportunity to escape and the strength to actually follow through.

” Iron’s arm wrapped around Vivienne as her eyes overflowed.

Tears coursed down her cheeks as Iron swiped each one away.

“And then because of my family, you were kidnapped. Held for over a month. I thought I was never going to see you again.”

“None of that was your fault. You are not your parents and both of us were prisoners in our own way. I may have gotten your sister that note, but you sent Mason and Sully after me. Without you, no one would’ve known I was missing—or cared.”

His gut twisted at the thought of Thalia being lost to him forever.

Of the pain she would’ve endured. Thalia’s eyes glistened with the sheen of unshed tears, and he gave her knee a squeeze beneath the table.

Moved by the emotion on her face, Mason placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her head up to him.

“You have a whole network of people who care about you now. You’ll never be alone again. ”

“Before you leave, we’ll program everyone’s number into your phone,” Iron said. “Any of us are just a call or text away.”

“I don’t have a phone, but if we could write them—”

“You have a phone, sweetheart.” He couldn’t stop himself from leaning forward and kissing her temple. When Vivienne had texted him earlier to let him know she’d purchased Thalia a cell phone, he was frustrated with himself for not thinking of it sooner.

“How else am I going to keep in touch with my best friend?” Vivienne sniffled, then smiled, sudden enthusiasm flooding her face. “I’m going to get it!” She scrambled over Iron’s lap and raced out of the room. Before Vivienne came back, there was a knock on the door.

“I knew they’d never be able to stay away,” Iron grumbled and paced down the hall. A long shriek echoed through cottage and a lanky teenager with a shock of red hair ran through the home. He skidded to a halt, nearly sliding past the breakfast nook.

“Collin!” Vivienne yelled equally as loud as she wrapped the boy in a hug. “This is my nephew.” She beamed up at Collin and gestured to him and Thalia. “Collin, this is my best friend Thalia and her friend, Red.”

The teenager’s eyes hadn’t left his face as he stared at his hair and beard.

“Mr. Red has red hair! Red like firetrucks and cherries. Red like Collin and Hannah Day!” Collin wiggled his fingers by his left eye, taking his gaze off Red to regard the movement of his hand closely.

A woman on crutches with a leg brace came into the kitchen to stand by her son.

Their features were so alike, they couldn’t be anything but members of the same family.

“Collin has red hair. Hannah has red hair. Red has red hair.” The teen laughed and raced out of the room.

“Collin is very taken with colors. I’m sure it made his day to see another redhead aside from me and his reflection in the mirror.”

Thalia stood and walked over to Hannah, giving her a hug. “Thank you for recognizing that something was wrong about Vivienne’s engagement. Thank you for coming to help her.”

“The way you defied my mother and sister to get that note to us was not only brave but also selfless, and if I wasn’t on these crutches I’d be tackling you to the floor with the biggest hug imaginable.”

A smile lit Thalia’s face. “Very much like Vivienne did to me yesterday at the airport.”

Vivienne threw an arm over her sister’s shoulder and the other around Thalia.

A petite and very pregnant blonde entered the room with a man at her side who eyed her every movement as though she was going to go into labor at any moment.

He realized this must be the man who had been pulled from his next mission.

The one that Sully had replaced. No wonder the guy looked so on edge with his sister, a civilian, out on a mission and his woman about to give birth.

Iron greeted them and turned to Red and Thalia. “This is Sam and Joker.”

Sam leaned forward to give Thalia a hug, laughing when she couldn’t embrace her deeply due to her belly.

“This baby is making it difficult to do anything these days.” She grinned, and he watched the SEAL at her side beam with pride.

Soon, the space was filled with women, and they learned they were all dating or married to members of the Virginia SEAL Team who had just left for a mission with Sully in tow.

“Guess who’s here?” Collin sang from down the hall.

“Oh boy.” Hannah chuckled. “Collin always makes sure his friend has a grand entrance everywhere we go.”

Red wasn’t sure what she meant until Collin careened into the room pushing, no flying, with a wheelchair.

He stopped on a dime, making the sound of a race car as he jerked the chair to a stop.

The teenager sitting in the chair was laughing so hard, no sound was coming from his lips.

His cheeks were red, and his legs lifted off the pillow laid over the frame to support his feet and began to shake as he convulsed with laughter.

“Jacob Godfrey is here!” Collin cried out, holding out the here for several long seconds.

A smile spread over his face at the beautiful connection between the two friends.

He followed Thalia’s lead and crouched down, so they were eye level with Jacob. “Nice to meet you, Jacob. I know your brother Ransom from the teams. You look just like him.”

Jacob’s gaze was darting around his communication device. “I am the better-looking brother,” the computer voice began, and Jacob laughed while Collin echoed his words. They all waited patiently as he continued to form his sentence. “Are you okay?”

Thalia placed her hand over Jacob’s. “We’re okay, thanks to your wonderful group of family and friends.”

Jacob met her eyes, his expression saturated with light, and he smiled. His gaze turned back to his device. “Then,” he said. “Let’s go swimming.”

They all chuckled at Jacob’s easy humor.

A woman with long dark hair and blue eyes walked into the room. “I’m Brynn. Ransom’s wife.”

“And my nurse,” Jacob added with his device.

“Are you being cheeky with Iron and Vivienne’s guests?” Brynn asked.

Instead of responding, Jacob just let out what could only be described as a shriek of joy followed by laughter as Collin gripped the handlebars of his chair and darted out of the screen door, leaving it to clatter shut behind them.

“Jacob Godfrey and Collin Day are going to the beach!” Collin’s melodic voice rang out as he began to wheel Jacob over the sand dunes.

“That’s his beach wheelchair, so I’m hoping they won’t get stuck,” Brynn said peering out the wide kitchen windows.

“I better get out there before Collin rolls him into the ocean with his communication device still on the chair.” Hannah started hopping toward the door on her crutches.

“I’ve got it, Hannah.” Joker rushed past and jogged outside.

“Any task you can leave up to Julian will help keep his mind off of Addy being on a mission,” Sam said.

“And your impending labor.” Brynn placed a hand on Sam’s shoulder and Iron clapped his hands together.

“Well, beach towels and sunscreen are in the bathroom closet. If you ladies want to go relax out by the water, Red and I will bring out some drinks and snacks. Then this afternoon we’ll fire up the grill for lunch.”

He was more than glad to help Iron drag the women’s coolers out to the beach, as they talked about a relaxing day spent by the water.

It didn’t take long for Brynn, Hannah, Sam, Vivienne, and Thalia to put on bathing suits and spread towels out on the shore.

They’d created a horseshoe and were talking and laughing as he, Joker, and Iron sat on the deck.

He scrubbed his hands over his face as he watched Thalia interact with the others. Her head was thrown back, chin tilted toward the sunshine. Her whole body looked relaxed and there was an easy grin on her face.

He placed his elbows on his knees, eyes on his clasped hands. “How can I take her away from this?” He hated the thread of defeat in his voice.

“From Vee?” Iron leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest.

“A whole network of people that could offer her support and friendship. Now that obtaining the fiancé visa doesn’t matter, she could stay here.

Make a life for herself. When their men go out on a mission,” he said lifting his chin toward the women on the beach.

“They have each other. When I get sent out, it will be her and an iguana.”

Iron rummaged through the cooler on the deck, pulling out a bottle of water.

“When Vee and I got back to Virginia Beach, she was going to stay at Hannah’s house, but someone had broken in, so she came here.

The entire time, all I could think of was that I didn’t have what she needed to be happy.

I told myself lie after lie. She wouldn’t be content somewhere so simple long term.

I wasn’t the right man for her. I was too fucked up.

In the end, it didn’t matter because she told me what she wanted and how things were going to go. ” He laughed and shook his head.

Joker’s eyes were fixated on his wife down by the beach. “I let Sam slip away from me the first time, and they were the most agonizing weeks of my life. All you can do is show her how much she means, then let her make the final decision.”

He looked away from Joker and followed the man’s gaze to the shoreline, immediately seeking Thalia out, too.

She was standing now, wading into the water.

The sun illuminated the glossy sheen of her dark hair flowing about her shoulders.

His chest tightened and he absently rubbed his sternum.

He didn’t want to let Thalia go, but it would be worse for her to have regrets.