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He swung toward her. Their gazes locked, and he watched her pick up a small bundle of four pink and blue balloons with a weight attached to the bottom. She started toward him, and he broke from the group of guys to meet her at the side of the patio.
His heart was hammering. He didn’t want to have this discussion here—in front of everyone.
Indika wasn’t giving him a choice.
She’d put her trust in him—though at times reluctantly—to know what she needed.
Looking into her beautiful eyes, he put his own care in her hands.
When she stopped in front of him, she handed him the bunch of balloons.
He accepted them in his suddenly sweaty palm. “What is this?”
“Tell them you want back on the team.”
“Indika—”
“No, listen to me, AJ. You’re miserable and bored. You need Blackout. And from what Gia says, they need you too.”
His eyes held hers. “What do you mean?”
“Gia says their morale is down. They keep talking in circles about how they can convince you to come back.”
He slanted a look at the guys who stood by the grill. Two of them glanced away when they saw his attention on them.
“I don’t need them trying to convince me to return to the team.” His voice came out as part growl, part emotional grit.
“They know that. It’s why nobody’s brought it up to you. But I’m not so sensitive.” She planted a hand on one hip, eyes snapping. “I’m not going to let you give up something you love because you’re afraid of losing me. We’ve been through that hell once, and it’s not going to happen again.”
He looked at the pink and blue strings in his grasp. The balloons bobbed on the light, perfect breeze. “I gave up living, didn’t I?”
A smug smile crossed her face. She nodded. “I knew you’d make the connection.”
Swallowing hard, he set the weighted balloons down on a table where cupcakes were arranged and took Indika in his arms. She nestled against him, all soft curves with a hard, unbreakable core.
“I love you so damn much,” he whispered in her ear.
Her fingers tightened on his shoulders. “I love you, my warrior. Now go talk to them.” She stepped back.
His throat felt too tight again as he walked away from his dream woman. The thing he’d continue to fight for every day for the rest of his life. But now that he was here, among like-minded men who managed to express their love for their significant others as well as the country they served, he saw a clear path.
To Blackout.
He walked up to Sparrow. The commanding officer turned to him, his expression hardening the same way it had when Apollo walked into his office and said he wanted to resign.
The guys stopped talking.
Apollo met Sparrow’s gaze. “I’d like to formally request a spot on Alpha team if you’ve still got room.”
Sparrow gave a slow shake of his head. “Took ya long enough, man.”
His ears rushed with his own heart. “Does that mean I’m back?”
“Damn straight it means you’re back. Dude, we’ve been fighting with you for three years already. You were always part of Alpha in spirit.” Sparrow yanked Apollo in to thump him on the back.
Then all the guys were clapping him on the back and shaking his hand. When he turned, Indika threw herself into his arms. He kissed her with all the passion and joy throbbing in his body, lifting her off her feet.
The guys hooted and wolf-whistled at them.
