Page 90 of Thaddeus

The information Tex had known while we were in South America had already scared the hell out of me. He’d been able to track down my every move, knew every man I’d been with, every country I visited, and for how long I’d been there. He’d also found information on Autumn and I figured she was way better at covering her tracks than I was.

At Zane’s request I now had a thick file on my sister’s every move. Garrett and Tex had been thorough. Even though I had it, I’d decided I wasn’t ready to read it, and Thad agreed.

“Hell no, he wouldn’t. I was joking,” he answered. “After we get your passport we can stop and we both can go shopping. I’ll need a suit.”

“You’re serious.”

“Deadly.”

Holy shit. He was serious.

Did I want to marry Thaddeus? Yes.

Did I want to marry him today? Yes.

Had I lost my ever-loving mind? Possibly.

“Where are the guys and Tatiana?” I asked.

“Brooks and Tatiana took a drive up north to Camp Pendleton to visit a Marine buddy. And Kyle and Max said they were hitting the gaslamp district to relax.”

“Then, no, I don’t want to stop at the courthouse to get married. But we can pick up my passport and birth certificate so we’ll be ready.”

“What does the guys’ plans have to do with us getting married?” he asked, unable to hide his disappointment.

And I loved that he couldn’t. I liked knowing he wanted to marry me today and was unhappy he couldn’t.

“Because they’re your brothers. And when we get married, I want them there. I want Tatiana to stand with me, and Declan, Kyle, Brooks and Max to stand next to you.”

“Fuck,” he muttered and I knew I had him.

I had no issue getting married in a courthouse and if pressed I would’ve gotten married in my shorts and tee, but when I vowed to spend the rest of my life with Thaddeus, it would be before God and his brothers. I wanted the people closest to Thad to be there to witness us becoming husband and wife. That was the one thing I wouldn’t budge on.

* * *

“Are you cold?” Thad asked me.

“Not at all. It’s beautiful out here.”

After dinner, Thad asked me to go on a walk with him down to the beach. Brooks and Tatiana decided to stay up in Oceanside for the night. Kyle and Max were dedicated to their mission of hitting every bar on Fifth Ave and had reported their favorite one was called Trailer Park After Dark. And Declan was off doing what Declan did, which apparently was none of my business. I’d asked, and his answer was “noneya.” As in, none ya’ business. I didn’t press, figuring Declan wasn’t the type of man who liked to be questioned. Thad had confirmed my suspicions by explaining Declan liked his privacy and his quiet time. Something the team gave him without hesitation and razzing.

“You know,” Thaddeus started. “There are days when BUD/s feels like a lifetime ago,” he said, staring at the section of beach reserved for the Naval Special Warfare Command.

During the day, the beach in front of the Hotel Del Coronado was full of spectators hoping to catch a glimpse of the sailors being put through their paces as they trained to become a Navy SEAL. Men who were at the height of excellence—the tip of the sword as they call it.

I agreed with Thad. There were days when that time in my life didn’t even feel real. Like they were memories but they were someone else’s. But then there were times I could remember picking Thaddeus up from the command for weekend liberty, before he phased up and was able to move out of the barracks, and I’d sit in front of the equipment cages just off the beach and watch the guys run.

They’d come up from the surf, full of sand—wet, tired, their tanks pegged on empty, but somehow, they were still full of piss and vinegar. I’d stay in my car and watch as the class passed the pullup bars in front of the barracks building and inevitably a handful of them would jump up and knock out a few chin-ups.

I always parked in the same spot. What can I say? It was a nice view.

“I know what you mean,” I returned.

“But then, there are times it feels like it was yesterday and I’ll get a phantom ache remembering the hell my body went through.” He echoed my thoughts, minus the ache.

Thad’s arm around me tightened, and I was grateful at this time of night there were no looky-loos or Frog Hogs watching the beach.

That was something else I’d never forget, the women. And there were a lot of them around the command who hung on the beach, at the gate, and at the bars, lying in wait trying to snag a SEAL. The name Frog Hog fit, and some of the women embraced the name with affection. Those were the ones who didn’t want to marry a SEAL, they simply wanted a bedpost notched with as many as she could bed down with.