AFTER WE LEFT MY MOM’S house, we spent a day in Marin County and then took scenic Highway 1 along the coast back to San Diego. I couldn’t wait to come back from deployment and plan a real honeymoon with Annie. No Caribbean getaway, that was for sure. We talked about spending time in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Half Moon Bay, Big Sur, and Santa Barbara. With Gabriel, of course.

Annie wanted to go straight to her parents’ house. I debated convincing her to wait a few days, but I’m sure she’d fight with me. That was fine. I wanted to get this over with.

I dropped Gabriel and Trigger off at Kyle’s house. I didn’t want Gabriel near Annie’s dad, and luckily she didn’t protest. Gabriel was my son now, and I would protect him. Annie called and told her parents we’d be stopping by for her to pick up the rest of her stuff.

My mind raced. I had to be smart and watch what I said. I’d given Matt my word. I was leaving in a few weeks and I wanted to make sure her father was out of her life.

Before I met Annie, I’d planned to apply to the world famous SEAL Team Six, known as DEVGRU. They were stationed in Virginia Beach and it would be great to put distance between Annie and her dad. I’d just become eligible—they required five years of stellar service in the Teams and the selection process took six to eight months. But those SEALs were the real badass SEALs, the ones who took down Bin Laden during Operation Neptune Spear. It would mean more time training, even less time with Annie. But it was a career goal of mine. I would make my decision once I came back from this next deployment, and I knew Annie would support my choice one hundred percent.

The gate opened to Annie’s parents’ house. Last time I came here, I was nervous. This time, I was pissed.

Let’s roll.

We walked up the stairs to the front door. Before Annie could get out her key, the door opened. Her dad stood in front of us, with his nostrils flaring.

“What are you doing here, Annie? I told you not to set foot again in this house as long as you were seeing him.”

What the fuck? I glared at Annie. I guess we both kept our secrets to protect each other.

“I’m not seeing him, Dad. I’m married to him. He’s my husband.”

Annie’s mom popped around the corner; her eyes bugged out of her expressionless face. “Annie! Baby. How could you elope?”

I still couldn’t figure her mother out—did she know her husband had found her “baby” and left her there to die? Of course, this was the woman who couldn’t wait to redecorate Annie’s room. My impression was she cared more about her image than her own daughter, but what did I know?

Annie’s dad didn’t even acknowledge his wife. “Mr. Walsh, I’d like a word with you.”

“My pleasure.” I’d like a word with him, too. I’d also like to put a bullet in his head.

The asshole took me into his office this time. I’m sure he had a gun under his mahogany desk. I wasn’t worried; my weapon was concealed and accessible.

He sat in his black leather chair and poured himself a shot of whiskey from the bottle on his desk.

He bared his teeth at me. “I thought I told you to stay away from Annie. You trying to get more money out of me, boy? Name your price. Then you can tell Annie you made a mistake and get an annulment.”

“I don’t have a price.”

“Fine, you leave me no other choice than to report you for visiting a brothel. Your career will be ruined and I’ll make damn sure you’re kicked out of the Teams.”

I cocked my head. This guy not only left his daughter and grandson to live in hell, but wanted to ruin any chances she had of happiness. I wasn’t threatened. “No, you won’t. Because I’m not the only one with a secret. I know everything about exactly how hard you tried to save Annie. Do the words Neptune Group mean anything to you?”

His posture slumped and he ran his hands through his hair. “I don’t know what you think you know, but you’re wrong. I tried everything to save her. They couldn’t find her; that’s the God’s honest truth.”

“You can lie to me all you want, but we both know you left her there to die. Why? Because you were embarrassed about Gabriel? How can you not love him? He’s your grandson. I’m not an idiot; something didn’t sit right with me. We have eyes everywhere, remember that.”

Eyes steady, he squeezed the whiskey glass, and his knuckles whitened until I was certain something was going to break. “How dare you, you cocky son of a bitch! Come into my house and threaten me? No one would believe you.”

I laughed. “Try me.”

“What do you want, Walsh?”

“Simple, and it won’t cost you a penny. Stay the fuck away from my wife and son. If I hear you so much as text her, I’ll come after you. I’m not sure if your wife is in on this, but if she reaches out to Annie, that’s fine. I’m making this easy on you. Tell Annie you can never accept me as her husband and make her choose between you and me. She’ll choose me. The only reason I’m not telling Annie the truth is to protect her, not you. It would crush her, and she’s been through enough. I refuse to add to her pain. I’m deploying soon, but Annie will be safe here with my buddies. If I find out you try to hurt her or Gabriel in any way, you won’t live to regret it. Understood?”

He nodded but wisely remained silent.

“Good talk.” I walked out of the room. Annie’s mom was talking to her about throwing a wedding reception.

“Come on, Annie. Let’s go.”

“Already? I haven’t packed my stuff.”

“I’ll buy you new stuff.”

Annie’s dad walked out of his office. I gave him a stern look.

“He’s right, Annie. Leave. We don’t want to see you again. I can never accept Pat into this family. You made your choice when you married him. You’re dead to us.”

He must’ve been relieved—after all, he’d already declared her dead once before.

Annie bit her lip, but she didn’t break down. It was almost as if she expected this.

“I love Pat and if you can’t accept him, I don’t care. I learned to live without you once, I’ll do it again. Sometimes I think you both wish I never came back. I was worth more to you dead than alive. Pat’s the only one who loves Gabriel and me. Don’t ever contact me again.”

She clutched onto me and we walked out the front door. I hoped we never had to see them again.

We got into my truck and cruised down to my place. She looked out the window the whole way. Not a single word came from her. I didn’t know what to say.

Finally, I offered, “I’m sorry, Annie.”

“It’s not your fault. I meant what I said in there. I love you and I don’t care what they think. He’ll never accept you, and he always acted weird around Gabriel.”

I placed my hand on her thigh. I was all she had now. I wasn’t one of those men who wanted to isolate his woman from her family and friends. I wished Annie’s family were decent people and I was fine if she wanted to maintain contact with Chris. But as long as I lived, no one would ever hurt Annie or Gabriel again.