Page 18 of Dangle

Get your fucking ass on the goddamn plane.

If you don’t, expect to see me and Declan in Manchester with a ball gag and a set of handcuffs.

Taz

Considering his profession, not sure if that’s a deterrent.

Either way, Slone! Get on the damn plane. I’ll hold down the fort here.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I reminded myself that I loved my buddies. They were the best of men. Then…

Walker

Wow. This chat hit a spot in the gutter I never wanted to visit with you fucks.

Get on the plane, Slone. Get some R&R. Reset your mind. Who knows? You might find whatever the missing something is that turned your ass melancholy.

The groan that started under my breath turned into a scream that sounded suspiciously like “EWEN!”

Heads popped up all around the gym only to duck back away as if they’d all turned to ostriches and had stuck their fucking nosy ass heads in the sand.

“Yes, dear,” Ewen singsonged, then followed up with, “Did you need something?”

Through gritted teeth, I said, “Yeah, I do.”

“What’s that?”

The stubborn ass meddling motherfucker spread his feet, crossed his arms, and gave me his best ‘I fucking outrank you, so try me’ look.

“We’re no longer enlisted, so that bullshit you’re trying to pull right now isn’t fucking gonna fly.”

He stalked forward, pressed a palm to my chest, and pushed me backward until my back contacted the wall of mirrors, stopping our momentum. Without looking behind him, he growled, “Get out! Now!”

The ostriches ran for it, the fucking cowards. The metal door to the gym clanged loudly, drowning out the mass exodus, probably heading upstairs for protein shakes at the cafe.

“You can put your scary sadist act away. It doesn’t work on me, and you know it.”

“The sadist isn’t fucking out. He’s fucking cowering in the corner, scared to fucking death his best fucking friend of twenty goddamn years is gonna eat his fucking service weapon. So, you better fucking believe I called in reinforcements. I refuse to let you become a statistic.”

Realization dawned.

Quickly.

The sensation shocked the system. Like a polar plunge shocking. I cupped his face, brushing aside the tears I didn’t think he even knew coursed down his face.

“Definitely no. Remember? I told you the last two were definitely no. My life and our friendship aren’t the things dragging me down.”

“I know what you said. And I also know the statistics.”

“Yes, and I know those statistics, too.”

“Then I don’t have to remind you how quickly things can spiral for people who spent their lives doing the shit we did.”

We all suffered some post-traumatic stress. You’d have to be a hard-core sociopath not to be affected by some of the shit we’d seen and done while in the Marines. But mine had been well-managed. I had my moments, sure, but nothing like Ewen or Hayden had when they first separated.

“No, you don’t have to remind me. Hayden scared us all enough for a lifetime, and you, with your anger issues, joining him in the fucking MMA ring didn’t help.”

“As if you didn’t throw your name in the ring for a few matches.” I made myself dizzy by rolling my eyes dramatically.