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I smiled up at him, and he grinned in response, his heart-stopping smile making my chest swell with love. “I love you.”
He leaned down and kissed me. “And I love you.”
“There are kids around here,” a woman griped as she ushered her children along, shooting us both dirty looks. I frowned, quickly looking down at the ground.
“And the fact that you have an issue with two people being open about how much they love each other says a lot about the kind of person you are,” Caiden retorted before Christian could open his mouth. “Your poor children will grow up miserable because they’re not allowed to see adults love each other.”
I gaped at Christian’s older brother. “Caiden!” I snapped.
He turned his dark eyes to me with a shrug. “What? It was a simple kiss. It’s not like he was making out with you.” Caiden shrugged. “Kids today need to see more adults in love. Maybe children will stop growing up to become bitter adults.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. Christian laced his fingers through mine. “Come on, beautiful,” he coaxed, letting the conversation drop. “I think there are tigers in the next little area.”
“Tigers are so pretty,” I spoke aloud. I suddenly tripped over a raised piece of the sidewalk, and Christian quickly wrapped his arm tightly around my waist, keeping me from falling forward. He shook his head, but I could tell he was trying not to laugh.
“Woman, you are so fucking clumsy,” he teased.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Everything just hates me,” I grumbled.
And then, I fucking tripped again.
This time, Christian nor Caiden could contain their laughs. I squeaked in alarm when Christian suddenly stopped in front of me and kneeled down. “Up,” he ordered.
“I can walk,” I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Clearly not.” Caiden teased.
I glared at him. He laughed. With a disgruntled face, I got on Christian’s back, linking my arms around his shoulders. He hooked his hands under my thighs and began carrying me to the tiger enclosure.
Christian
Ally quietly moaned in protest when I gently reached into the car and lifted her sleeping form out of the backseat. “Easy,” I whispered in her ear as I completely lifted her from the car. Caiden quietly closed the back door to the car.
Ally loosely wrapped her arms around my neck and fell back asleep, her head resting awkwardly on my shoulder. “She’s worn slap the fuck out, bro,” Caiden said quietly as he opened the front door to the house.
I nodded in agreement. “Her mind doesn’t exactly know how to handle so much happiness and excitement. So, it wears her out.”
I carried Ally into our room and gently laid her on the bed. She had removed her shoes once we got in the car, so I didn’t have to bother her anymore. I just pulled the blankets over her and pressed a kiss to her forehead before I slipped out of the room.
I knocked once on Caiden’s door before I pushed it open, my eyes widening in horror at what was in front of me. Caiden had his shirt off, and he was removing a bandage from his side. “Caiden, what the fuck?” I growled as I moved forward.
He sighed. “I wasn’t ready for you to know about this,” he grumbled as he completely removed the bandage. I stared at the stitched-up wounds on his side in horror. “I got shot—twice. I was trying to protect one of the other guys.” He drew in a deep breath as he took a seat on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor. “He was fucking bleeding out in my arms, but I took an oath—I would never leave a fallen comrade.”
“Caiden,” I said quietly. There was so much pain on his face—so much anguish. I didn’t know how to deal with seeing my brother like this. He was always the strong one, the one everyone else could rely on.
“I got shot trying to protect him, and he bled out in my arms. I couldn’t fucking leave him.” Caiden drew in another deep breath, seeming like he was trying to steady the pain he was feeling. He rubbed the heel of his hand over his chest. “I woke up in a hospital. Once I was healed enough, they sent me back here to the states.”
I sat beside him. “Are you seeing a therapist?” I asked him.
He nodded. “Yeah. I’ve got a pretty good one out on base. She’s specialized in trauma therapy.”
I gripped his shoulder, knowing my next question was going to hurt him, but I already knew the answer. “Your career—it’s over, isn’t it?”
He swallowed thickly and nodded. “Yeah,” he rasped. He looked over at me. “I’m sorry, bro. I just—fuck, I didn’t know how to tell you.”
I squeezed his shoulder. “You can stay here as long as you need,” I assured him, meaning every word. “I know you get on my nerves a lot,” a small laugh spilled from his lips, “but my home is always open to you. Besides, you’re good for Ally. You light a fire under her.”
