Chapter Eighteen

Tanner

Rebekah let me make love to her one last time, and while she may not have answered my text message, I felt her reply in every way her body responded to mine. I committed every moment, every breath, to memory, and held her as long as I dared, until she was fast asleep. As dawn broke, I packed quickly and slipped out, saving us both the heartache of a long goodbye.

She was absolutely right. In another time and place, I would’ve chased her down and loved the hell out of her, but our lives were just in two different places right now. I had to report back to California and she had to stay in Biloxi to care for her grandfather. Long distance relationships were hard under the best of circumstances, and ours were far from ideal.

But, God, it hurt to let her go.

I hoofed it back to the airport, where Tex and the guys were waiting, anxious to get back to the rest of the team and their families.

Tito had stayed with Bubba through the night and kept us updated. He’d come through surgery with flying colors and was awake. He’d lost a lot of blood and the bullet had torn through an artery and the tendons that support his right arm and shoulder—his shooting arm. He was looking at some serious healing time. His family was flying in this morning to be with him and take him home to Texas as soon as he was released to finish his recovery and rehab, so he’d be out of commission for at least a few months.

Tito offered me a tight nod as we boarded the plane and I buckled up. The whole flight back to Cali, my mind kept straying back to Mississippi. I swore I’d never go back there, but now I was tempted.

“You okay, man?” Tito nudged me with his elbow.

I glanced over. “Yeah. I’m good.”

Knowing eyes took me in. “You gonna keep in touch with her?”

I shrugged. “I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.”

“Why the hell not?”

“You know why not, brother.”

He slapped my thigh. “You never know, Mav. Things have a strange way of working themselves out. Just you wait and see. If that sweet little girl is meant to be yours, you’ll find a way.”

I narrowed my gaze at my leader and friend. He’s always been a badass. One of the toughest guys I knew. “When did you become such a romantic?”

He barked out a laugh. “Always, my friend. Always.”

I smirked and shook my head.

Tex glanced up from his phone. “They’ve got the security back up at the house and secured the perimeter.”

Wolf sagged in his seat. “Everyone’s secure?”

“Of course.” Tex stabbed back a text message. “That fucking El Lobo Blanco was just messing with us, trying to throw us off our game.”

“He needs to go down,” Wolf murmured.

“Agreed,” Tex said, tucking away his phone. “Believe me, I’ll be working on this around the clock until I get something we can use.” His gaze slid over me. “Thanks for taking the lead on this one and taking care of my family, Maverick.”

I cleared my throat. “Yeah, man, no problem.”

He nodded and turned to stare out the window at the clouds rolling by.

I bounced my knee and stared at my phone, willing Rebekah to text, though I knew she wouldn’t. Of course, she wouldn’t. We’d said all there was to say. But still, I felt like a part of me was dying . . . like I’d left half of my heart in Biloxi and I’d never, ever get it back.

~ ~

We landed and made it back to Wolf’s place before dinner. It was a melee of wives and kids, and all I wanted was a hot shower, a meal, and a bed. And Rebekah.

I took part in the debrief in Wolf’s den via Skype with Commanders Briggs and Hurt, where we updated them on the Op, Bubba’s condition, and Tex gave them an update on his intel (or lack thereof) on Marco Esteban and El Lobo Blanco.

As soon as I could, I made my escape back to my place and locked myself away with a bottle of Jack.

I might’ve been a little bit drunk when I texted Rebekah.

Me: I miss you bad.

Rebekah: I miss you too.

Me: Can I visit?

Rebekah: Now?

Me: I wish. Soon? Whenever I can get leave. I need to see you.

Rebekah: Are you OK?

Me: Yup.

Rebekah: You sure?

Me: Nope.

A minute later, my phone rang. My heavy fingers nearly hung up on her before I could answer. “Hello?”

“What is it you want, Tanner?”

“You,” I admitted.

Her breath hummed across the line and I closed my eyes, imagining it brushing across my skin. God, I was sunk for this woman.

“I thought we already discussed this. You live in California. I live in Mississippi. How could that possibly work?”

“We didn’t really discuss anything,” I murmured, my eyes heavy. “You just assumed things. How do you know it won’t work? How do you know I won’t leave the Marines, move back to Biloxi and take up . . . I don’t know . . . shrimping?”

“Shrimping?”

“Whatever.”

“Have you been drinking?”

“A little, but that’s not the point.”

“Oh, I think it is. Don’t be ridiculous.” She sighed. “Look. We’ve both had a rough few days. You’re obviously drunk. Go to bed. Sleep it off. Things will look better in the morning. Okay?”

“I doubt that.”

“Goodnight, Tanner.”

Heat burned the back of my eyelids. I didn’t want to let her go, even this small connection. I wasn’t sure when I’d become this man, but I couldn’t deny how she’d changed me.

“Rebekah, baby—”

But the line was already dead.