Page 97 of Building Courage

Tucker looked to the EMT. “He’s extremely dehydrated.”

“We’ll get some fluids in him and treat his injuries. He may have internal bleeding and may require surgery.”

“What hospital?”

“The Trauma Center at Scripts Mercy in Hillcrest.”

Tucker nodded. He climbed the steps to the deck. When he stepped out on the dock, Denotti, Brynn, and Jess were there waiting.

Denotti stuck out his hand as soon as he reached them and brought him in for a shoulder bump. “That’s the first time I’ve ever seen anyone climb around on a boat like a spider monkey, then propel the bad guy off the roof by driving into a dock. That was a beautiful maneuver, but the damage to the boat isn’t pretty.”

Tucker turned to look at it and grimaced. “At least it isn’t sinking. What happened to the guy I shot off the roof?”

“Some security guys with the marina dragged him out of the water and handed him over to the cops.”

Tucker approached Brynn, took her into his arms, and held her tightly. “I’m sorry I had to leave you.”

“You did what you had to do.” She clung to him for several minutes. “I was so scared for you.”

He smoothed her hair. “I was for you, too.”

She brushed at tears as they streamed down her cheeks. “Those women will go home to their families, and you found Ahmad.”

“He’s in bad shape, Brynn.”

Her arms tightened around him. “You’ve given him a chance—which is more than he had with those bastards.”

That was true. But he still felt partially responsible and wondered if he could have done anything differently.

A man with tanned skin and dark hair approached and flashed the badge on his belt. “I’m Detective Hernandez. I need to interview you individually about what happened. I’d like to do it here on-site before you leave. I’ll want a more in-depth interview with each of you later at headquarters, but I just need a brief overview for now. If you’ll come with me, we’ll get it over with quickly.”

Chapter 29

‡

Brynn gazed through the branches of the pine tree overhead and into the azure blue of the cloudless sky. She could get used to cloudless skies for Tucker. She’d already been through one short deployment without him and survived. She’d seen him in action on board the Titan and understood why he was a SEAL. She supposed she’d known since first meeting him.

Tucker opened the sliding glass door and stepped out, a glass of iced tea gripped in his hand. Dressed in nothing but sleep pants, she watched how the morning light played upon him, highlighting the lighter blond steaks in his hair, shading the muscles of his chest and abdomen, and etching the ridges of muscle between his neck and shoulders.

He skirted the pool and came to her. “You look completely relaxed,” he said.

“I am.”

He sat down in the lounge he’d placed there. When she offered her hand, he took it and bent his head to press a kiss against her wrist.”

“While you were asleep your grandmother called.” She’d been surprised he hadn’t password protected the phone.

“She did?” He ran his fingers through his hair and smoothed it back from his forehead.

“You don’t mind that I answered it, do you?”

“No.”

“I told her I’d tell you to call her back.”

“I will.”

“She’s wonderful, isn’t she?”

---