Page 43 of The Soldier

I get that, but...

“But...but...you were Delta. Call someone.” I say as I press my cue into the floor and squeeze it.

Ryder watches me and glances once more at Cole.

“Delta doesn’t exist.”

I make a groaning noise as Elliot, one of his team members, walks in and slows. “What’s going on?”

Typical. These men all have a sixth damn sense.

“Marshall has been waylaid.”

More of the fucking glances.

“Trina, it will be okay. Let Josh and Aidan sort it out,” Briar says.

“Ryder, please.” I press, ignoring her.

He walks over while Cole starts chatting to Elliot and two other guys who walk in for Friday afternoon drinks.

“Are you two involved?” Ryder stares down at me with his hands on his hips. His voice is hushed but I feel like the entire world can hear.

“No.”

He keeps staring at me.

“No,” I repeat, then wave out my free hand. “We kissed. Once. But I know how this goes.”

“Do you?”

I nod. “Yes. My dad...he never came home.”

“Shit.” He runs a hand over his short hair. “Navy?”

“Army.”

He takes my cue, tosses it to Elliot, who catches it in the air, and leads me out of the room.

“What’s going on?” Alice calls out.

“I’ll bring her back in a minute,” Ryder says over his shoulder, then leads me down to his office where I can hear Aidan’s and Josh’s voices a few doors away.

I try to listen but can’t hear what they are saying. Their tone is tense though, so I know something bad has happened and my heart is banging in my chest.

This can’t be happening.

What if he’s dead?

Are they ringing his family before telling anyone else?

Oh god.

I should have drunk fucked him.

Or stopped him from going.

“Sit down,” Ryder says, leaning his ass on the desk.

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